Every Kiss by Tasha Ivey Read Free Book Online Page B

“Almost forgot.” Stretching it out in
front of her, she bends down and steps into the purple lace and slides it up
her thighs and under her skirt. “Hate when that happens. Good luck with the
contact.” Her ugly shoes scuff along the carpet as she walks away, something I
find terribly annoying.
    I grumble to myself the rest of the way to my room. I know
she wanted to throw it in my face, but why should I care that she just had sex
with Wes? He’s not anything to me, so she’s more than welcome to him. I can’t
help but feeling like she’d make a much better girlfriend for Jake, though.
Something about her nauseates me. Well, her or the overage of alcohol coursing
through my bloodstream. Maybe both.
    I need to get out of these tight clothes and cool down. Fast. Lying in the floor, I shimmy my jeans down my thighs and kick my feet until I
fling them over by the bed. I dig through my bag in search of the black running
shorts I stuffed in there this morning, and I pull out a black bikini instead.
    Hmm. As long as I can sneak through the gate unnoticed, I
could go for a private swim back up at the main house. A heated pool and the
chilled night air sound oddly invigorating and refreshing. I slip into my
bikini and reluctantly pour myself back into my jeans, noticing the
yellow-green stains from rolling in the grass earlier. Just a reminder of the
jerks I’ve had to put up with the last couple of days.
    After cramming my feet in the running shoes I brought to
wear tomorrow and tugging on a t-shirt, I grab a towel from the bathroom and
step out onto the balcony to take the stairwell off the back side, which
requires me to walk past Wes’ room.
    Damn it.
    I slide my back against the outside wall, all out
ninja-style, which probably looks more like newborn-calf-style to the untrained
eye. I peek into his window as I approach it, only to be met with complete
darkness. He’s either asleep or not in there, obviously. Thank God. I reach for
the railing and actually connect with it, making me thankful that I’m sobering
up a little bit, and the cool air on my exposed skin is cooling me enough to
quell my nausea some.
    The plan to get out of the house is probably the best one
I’ve had all day long.
    Taking each step carefully, I finally make it to the safety
of the firm ground, and I stop for a moment to listen for any signs of life in
the direction of the main house. The only voices I hear are coming from inside,
so I skirt around the edge of the yard, just under the cover of the bordering
trees to maintain my ninja stealth. Hey, you don’t sneak around in the woods in
the middle of the night without feeling like you didn’t earn some nun chucks or
something cool like that.
    After surveying the front of the guest house one more time,
I open the gate latch quietly and listen for the soft rasp of the metal
connecting when I push it closed. As I suspected, no one has thought to come
out to the pool on such a cool night. It’s tranquilly quiet; the only sound is
the quiet hum of the pump and the water gently lapping at the sides. A calm,
blue aura glows from beneath the water, lending a little mood lighting to my
otherwise atrocious evening. I’m hoping a little perfect serenity will cancel
out the shitty day I’ve had.
    I walk around and check out the hot tub, as well, but I’d
really like to start with the pool. Kicking off my shoes, I dip one foot in to
test the temperature. I can tell it’s losing its heat now that the sun is long
gone, but it’s still fairly warm. Almost like a bath after you’ve soaked in it
for a while. I peel myself out of my jeans once again and lay them out across a
lounge chair. After whipping my t-shirt over my head, I wish that I’d thought
to put my hair up, but I’m definitely not going back to the house now. Besides,
I’m freezing, just standing here in March in a bikini like an idiot.
    But once I’m submerged up to my neck in the soothing warmth,
I’m wishing I could give the