Kissing Her(8)

“If it's just a shirt, then why won’t you give it to me?” She stomps her foot.

“Melina,” our mom calls, saving me.

“We’ll talk about this later,” she hisses before stomping from my room.

I let out a long sigh of relief before going over to my dresser to find something to wear after my shower. I want to get changed and hide the shirt. Maybe she'll forget about it. Heck, maybe I’ll remember how I got the thing to begin with.

I grab a towel from the hallway closet and go back through the night before in my mind. I smile, remembering how much fun I had. I went on and on, talking to Ragnar, who smiled and listened. I wasn't used to talking so much, but he looked as though he enjoyed listening to me, so I kept on going. I had this need to please him and it wasn't like when I do things to make my parents and Melina happy. I do that to get them to leave me alone or make life easier. This need to please Ragnar feels different—bone deep.

I step out of the shower and towel off. I freeze when I remember he said we’re seeing each other tonight. Did he really mean that? I agreed at the time, but I thought my parents would still be gone. It would be easy to slip out if they weren’t here, and I’m sure Melina has plans of her own. It looks as though both plans are ruined now. I get dressed and try to come up with an idea of how I can sneak out.

The stupid library closes early on Saturday, so that’s out. I don’t actually know if we’re going somewhere or what the plan is, but I need to come up with a reason to get away. Most of last night doesn’t feel real, so it’s hard to imagine getting to see Ragnar again.

I make my way back to my room and sit down on my bed. I bring Ragnar’s shirt to my nose and smell him all over it. My whole body lights up at his scent and all the feelings I felt last night come rushing back. I have to see him again. I know my parents will never let me and I’m not sure I could find my way back to his place. I could try, though, but otherwise I have no way to find him.

My phone buzzes on my nightstand and I grab it. The only people that call or text me are in this house. Except for the random creepy messages I get from Brandon. I bet my sister doesn’t know he texts me. I still don’t know how he got my number to begin with unless he got it from her. I don’t see her giving it to him, so that means he took it from her phone when she wasn’t looking.

Ragnar: Wake up, sleepy girl

I smile when I see his name on my phone and that he’s texting me. I guess that means he still wants to hang out.

Me: I’m up. Did you put your number in my phone?

I don’t remember doing it because if I had I would have checked my phone first thing. I never use it, so most of the time I forget I have the thing.

Ragnar: Yes

His reply is simple and to the point.

Me: Did you bring me home?

Ragnar: I didn’t want to, but yes, I took you back to your parents’ house.

It sticks out to me that he doesn’t say it’s my home. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. I glance around my bedroom and it doesn’t feel like my home.

Me: Thank you

Ragnar: Tonight, little Bee

My heart jumps that he wants to go out, but I know I can’t.

Me: My parents came home this morning. I’m not sure about tonight.

I hate sending the text. I try and think of reasons to leave, but I’ve got nothing unless Melina ends up using me as a reason to go out.

My phone rings in my hand and I quickly answer it because I don’t want someone in the house to hear it.

“Hi,” I say quietly into the phone.

“Bee.” My breath hitches at the sound of my name in his deep voice. My whole body warms and I close my eyes, wanting to savor it. “You said I could play with you today.”

I clench my thighs together as I feel myself getting wet just like last night. There has to be something wrong with me. Does a woman's body get this wet?

I want him to play with me so badly I ache for it and he isn’t even here. I lick my lips as my mind flashes with all the things he’s implying, things I read in dark corners of the library or thought about when I lay in my bed at night alone. The men I imagined never had a face before, but now Ragnar’s has slipped right onto those blank faces in my mind.

“You want me to play with you, don’t you, sweet girl?” I nod my head. “Say it, little Bee.”

“I want that,” I breathe into the phone.

“Then I’ll be by tonight to pick you up.”

“But—”

He cuts me off. “I’ll handle your parents.”

“I’m not sure—”

“I’m a man of my word, Bee. Know that. I’ll have you tonight.”

“Okay.” I relax, and for some reason I trust that he’ll handle it. I don’t know how, but I know he’ll take care of it.

“Tonight,” he says and ends the call. I pull the phone from my ear and smile so big it almost hurts.

“Tonight,” I repeat, but I think he means more than that.





Chapter Six





Ragnar





I ring the doorbell on the modest ranch-style home and wait. I look around at the place and see that it could use a good cleaning outside and the potted plants on the porch are long dead. But overall it’s a nice home but nothing befitting a fine young woman like Bee.