Page 54

“I think you’re reading a lot into a single business card.”
I waved him off, not ready for the fantasy bubble to break. “If he’d taken me with him…”
We got to my car, but Kian paused, not getting the key out of his pocket. “If he’d taken you with him, you wouldn’t be you.”
I swallowed thickly. “Would that be so bad?”
If I wasn’t me, I wouldn’t have had to go through being gang raped by Caleb and Leonn and Hugh. If I wasn’t me, I wouldn’t have to know they held another woman captive, in a location no one had been able to find, even though War had his guys searching.
Kian reached over and tilted my chin. “Hey. Look at me. Yes, it would be bad. Because you, Rebel Kemp…you are pretty damn awesome.” His thumb stroked the side of my face. “If you hadn’t grown up here in Saint View, taking care of your mom and bossing everyone around at Psychos, you wouldn’t be half the badass you are right now. Show me that card.”
I produced it from my pocket and handed it over.
Kian squinted at the tiny writing. “He’s a small-town farmer from the middle of nowhere. Can you really see yourself out there on a farm, getting up at the ass crack of dawn to plow the fields?”
I wrinkled my nose. “The only time I like being awake at that time of morning is if I’m the one being plowed. And even then, you better be making it worth my while.”
Kian eyed me. “Are you saying I just have to give you a double orgasm to get you out of bed to run with me?”
I glanced at him. “You could try it and see what happens?”
He groaned. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that. Back to my petition for why you wouldn’t want to live in Hicksville. Their idea of a fun Friday night is probably cow tipping. Do you like stepping in cow poop in the middle of the night? And getting chased by farmers with shotguns?”
That sounded awful. “No,” I admitted.
“No offense, but he seems like the sort of person who says grace before meals.”
“The great Almighty would probably strike me down if I tried that.”
Kian chuckled and ruffled my hair affectionately. “See? You’re just fine the way you are, Rebel. You’re a strong, badass woman, and I respect the hell out of you.”
I swallowed thickly. “You do?” I wasn’t sure anyone had ever said that to me before.
“It pains me you would think I wouldn’t.”
“Most people don’t. They just see the mouthy trailer trash girl who works at a dive bar sex club. No education. No money. Just scraping by…”
Kian stepped in closer. He trailed a finger down the side of my face. “Then they’re fools for not seeing what’s right in front of their noses.” His gaze dipped to my lips. “I see you, Rebel. The real you. I have ever since you busted into my house for a peek at my dick.”
I bit my lip, trying to hold back a smile. “Not exactly how it happened, if I recall correctly. But thank you.”
He suddenly seemed nervous. He took a deep breath before words spilled from his mouth. “Okay. You know what? I need to say something. This is not how I practiced it. I was going to do this whole thing at the movies, but then your dad showed up, and I know this is all sorts of messed up, because of Fang and Vaughn. I don’t want to be the guy who takes advantage of you when you’re in a vulnerable position. I also don’t know if you’ve put me in the friend zone. Maybe it’s too late, and I missed my shot, but—”
I put my finger to his lips and smiled. He was so damn cute when he was nervous. “Kian. Can you quit babbling and just kiss me?”
His eyes widened. “Oh, awkward. I was actually going to ask for a blow job…”
I glared at him.
He chuckled and put his arms around me, drawing me closer against his chest. “Just joking. I want to kiss you, Little Demon. I’ve just been waiting for you to say I can.”
He lowered his head and put his lips on mine.
His lips were soft and sweet, just like his personality. He kissed me slowly, not caring we were in the middle of a deserted parking lot, with a scary clown mural on the wall just to our right and trash blowing around in the crisp morning breeze. He took his time, kissing my lips and holding me close until he slanted his head and opened his mouth. His tongue sought mine, but it was gentle and slow, a flickering of him against my lips until I let him in.
He pulled back before I’d had enough.
His soft smile was boyish and almost shy.