Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(41)

Truly pretended like nothing was wrong. She offered us each a plate of warm cinnamon rolls and then brought some to Creed. He stopped being a sour shit long enough to squeeze her around the waist and nuzzle her breasts. She kissed his forehead and hugged him before returning to the kitchen.

Chase insisted on hauling me into his lap at the table. It seemed like he was planning on ignoring Creed. Really, I didn’t know what Creed’s problem was. We weren’t exactly BFF material but I thought we’d already made peace with one another. I decided to try and lighten the mood.

“So are you concentrating on country music?” I asked Creed as I nibbled on a cinnamon roll and pushed Chase’s hands away from my crotch.

“What?” Creed grumbled before taking a drink of coffee.

“Seems like you’re acquiring quite a following. I caught the tail end of your performance at The Hole.”

“I know,” he said, giving Chase another hard look. “If you’ll remember I saw you too. Both of you.”

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Truly spin around in the kitchen. Creed looked up at her. She must have been issuing some kind of silent warning because he nodded slightly.

“What time is it?” Chase asked, his hand somehow under my shirt.

“It’s a quarter to ten,” answered Truly as she prepared another batch of cinnamon rolls.

Chase stretched and yawned. “Shit, I’ve got a class in an hour.” He pushed his face into my hair and inhaled deeply. “You gonna be on campus today?”

“Yeah. I’ve got finance and economics.”

Chase kissed my neck. “Meet me later?”

I shivered as his lips traveled over my skin. “Just say when.”

Dimly I realized Creedence was openly scowling at us just as Truly was watching with utter fascination. Somehow I didn’t care though. Evidently neither did Chase. He picked me up and started carrying me back to the bedroom.

“When,” he whispered and I loved the feeling of being carried in his strong arms. I loved the things he did to me when we returned to my bedroom and I didn’t even try to be quiet about it this time.

Twenty minutes later I was kissing Chase goodbye at the front door.

“I don’t want to leave you,” he whispered, lifting me up as my legs went automatically around his waist.

“I don’t want you to leave me,” I whispered back and couldn’t believe I was saying something like that to anyone, let alone to a guy I’d had mixed feelings about up until very recently. But now I knew. I knew how people fell quick and hard. There was nothing rational about it. That was why it was so powerful.

I kissed him again, soulfully, passionately, and unwrapped my legs from his waist. He watched me back away with a look of regret.

“I’ll see you later,” I said, reluctantly letting him go.

“You’re damn right you will,” he replied quickly.

Suddenly Chase glanced back to where Creed was still sulking at the kitchen table. “You need a ride?”

“No!” Creed yelled.

Chase kissed my hand. “Somnium de me.”

I didn’t understand. “What?”

He smiled vaguely. “Latin. Means ‘dream about me’, sweetheart.”

“I’m awake, Chase.”

“Are you?” he muttered and then swooped in for another intense kiss.

I don’t know, Chase. I really don’t. I don’t know where this is going. I just know that I can’t get enough of you.

After he finally left I closed the door, leaning against it and trying to catch my breath and calm my heartbeat. It took me a moment to notice Truly was standing in the living room. She had her hands on her hips and a smile on her face.

“Damn, Steph,” she said.

I nodded weakly. “I know.”

Creed wasn’t even going to pretend to share her enthusiasm. He sat at the table staring at his uneaten cinnamon roll. Truly came around behind him, kissing him on the cheek. She glanced from one of us to the other.

“Think I’ll go jump in the shower and get changed. You kids be nice to one another until I get back.”

Creed ignored me when I sat at the table. I waited until I heard the sound of the shower starting. I’d be damned if I was going to tiptoe around him in my own apartment.

“What the hell is your problem?” I said, irritated and also honestly curious. I doubted Creed acted like this every time his brother got together with a girl.

Creed crossed his arms. His expression was stony. “I don’t have any problems, Stephanie.”

“I must just be enjoying your naturally sunny disposition then.”

He shook his head. “You’re one to f*cking talk, mafia princess.”

I felt my face growing hot. He didn’t know a damn thing about me. Not a goddamn thing. “You think I’m not good enough for your brother?”

Creed didn’t hold back. “I don’t think you’re good for each other.”

I was still offended. “Well who the f*ck died and made you the love czar?”

He shrugged. “You asked, Stephanie.”

“Sorry I did.” I got up from the table. “Have a nice day, *.”

I slammed the door to my bedroom. Creed’s words rankled. Even though I’d known Chase for months we were suddenly going so far so fast. The intensity he was showering on me was almost as startling as my reaction to it. If either of us had any sense we’d slow down.