Page 6 of Let the Game Begin (Kiss Me Like You Love Me #1)

“I live nearby,” I replied. And then I managed to recall my new address.

The guy wrinkled his forehead into a frown while the blond beside him looked like she was having a lightbulb moment.

I waited a few seconds, staring at the boy’s full lips, which had flattened into a serious, considering expression.

He must have noticed where I was looking because he gave me a soft, satisfied smile that made me blush.

“I’ll go with you, then,” he suggested, and for a second, I thought I’d misheard him.

“What? You’re going to ditch us and leave?” Xavier said, as shocked as I was.

I stopped and considered. I didn’t ask him to go with me, I just wanted him to—

“Are you serious?” The blond gave him an indignant look, clearly feeling possessive.

Then she stamped her heel on the ground and my eyes slipped down the leather skirt that wrapped around her long, firm thighs.

Her blond hair fell almost to her butt, and her curves were generous and flourishing.

She was objectively beautiful, but I doubted that she had much going for her beyond the physical.

“Yes, Jennifer. Get back on your own.” Then, after those harsh words, he touched her cheek and talked to her like he was about to strip her naked right there in front of me. He stared at her breasts, propped up on display, and his face showed barely suppressed desire. She bit her lip.

“We’ll go to mine tonight,” he whispered in such an erotic tone that it sent shivers down my spine.

He touched her hip, and it felt as though his fingers were touching my body instead.

It was a ridiculous feeling. He let her go and started walking down the sidewalk without paying any further attention to his friends.

I, on the other hand, stood frozen, debating which option was better.

“You coming?” He turned to me, and I startled. He wanted me to go with him, but the guy was a total stranger to me. I didn’t even know his name, why should I go anywhere with him?

“I don’t know you,” I admitted, sounding like a little girl who had been warned not to talk to strangers.

The boy cocked his head and examined my outfit, from the dark jeans to the light jacket open over my sweater with Tinkerbell printed on it.

I had a special fondness for it because it had been a Christmas present from my grandmother Marie, who was no longer with us.

Even though I was in college, I’d always choose to wear something that connected me with her.

“Listen, Tinkerbell, I’m not a very patient person. So, pick: either you stay here with Xavier and Luke—and, trust me, you don’t want to get to know them better—or follow me and get home. I live in that area too…” he answered, irritated.

I flushed and stiffened my spine, trying to look somewhat fierce.

“Why should I go with you? You could be some kind of crazy person, a psychopath, a serial killer…” I hardened myself, crossing my arms over my chest. I could hear his friends behind me grumbling about their car, but I didn’t turn to look at them.

The boy stared at me and a thin layer of shadow fell over his perfect face.

I tried to find a single aesthetic flaw in it, but I couldn’t.

Not even when an inexplicable darkness appeared in his golden eyes.

“Or maybe I’m someone who can show you the way…” He gave me a sly wink and kept walking, but once again, I stood still and pondered his response.

Sure, a guy like that could “show me the way.” That boy looked like the devil incarnate with a mysterious, forbidden appeal, but he didn’t actually seem like a crazy person or a serial killer. Though appearances could be deceiving. In any case, I needed to be wary of him.

“You wanna get a fucking move on? It’s not like I’m doing you a favor here or anything, little girl!

” He turned violently around, and I jumped.

Nice manners. Why did he have to be so surly and ill-tempered?

We didn’t even know each other. I didn’t have much of a choice, though.

Staying with his friends was completely out of the question and going on by myself would have gotten me completely lost.

“I’m only coming with you because you live around there as well.

Assuming that’s even true…” I pointed out, earning myself an unfriendly look.

“And you should try to be less arrogant,” I added.

I was aggravating him, and he let me know it with a menacing stare.

Then he turned once more and started walking casually away again.

I took the opportunity to study his form undisturbed.

Everything about him suggested a particularly masculine strength, especially his firm glutes, which I observed admiringly.

His bearing was proud and determined. He looked like a damned soul strolling happily through a hell of his own, detached from everything around him.

“In any case, if you tried to do something to me against my will, I know how to defend myself. I’m dangerous to men who don’t show respect,” I declared.

I was lying, I didn’t even know how to kick someone away, but I had to pretend and at least try to generate some apprehension in the beguiling man beside me.

He looked over at me, cocking an eyebrow.

“Anything I’ve ever done to a woman has not been against her will, believe me.

” He gave me a lingering look, and for a moment, I suspected he was ogling my breasts, but I wasn’t sure so I couldn’t call him out.

I decided to ignore his comment. Men, after all, were always prone to boasting about their lovemaking prowess, so he was probably spinning bullshit, too.

“What’s your name?” he asked me abruptly, pulling my mind back to our halting conversation. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and took one out. He offered it to me politely, and I declined, shaking my head.

“I don’t smoke, thanks.” I trailed alongside him, trying to keep up with the pace of his strides. Compared to his imposing size, I felt even smaller than usual.

“But my name is Selene,” I added, trying not to stare too much, though it was difficult not to be drawn to him. No one else had ever had that kind of effect on me. I was so intimidated; I couldn’t even ask for his name in return.

“Where are you from?” he asked. He lit the cigarette, his toned biceps contracting. He rounded his full lips to expel a grayish cloud. I coughed and stepped back a bit to avoid the wave of smoke coming for me; I hated the smell.

“Detroit. I’m here with my father…on vacation, you could say.” I made a skeptical face. I wasn’t sure if one could really call this time in my life a “vacation,” but I didn’t want to tell a total stranger my actual reasons for coming to New York.

I glanced at him and focused on his sharp, straightforward profile. Forehead, nose, and lips all seemed to have been artfully crafted.

Several moments passed in silence, during which I didn’t dare open my mouth, not even to ask what his name was. He finished his cigarette and put it out. Even though he had just finished smoking, he had a nice smell, like clean amber.

“You realize it was irresponsible to wander alone around the streets of a city you aren’t familiar with yet, right, Tinkerbell?” I went rigid and instinctively did up the buttons of my coat to cover my sweater.

“Stop calling me Tinkerbell,” I snapped in irritation, ignoring his scolding. The boy grinned without looking at me. I noticed again how attractive he was, despite his impudence.

“I’ll call you whatever I want.” He paused for effect. “Tinkerbell,” he said again with amusement in his voice. I heaved a sigh and glared at him.

“And what am I supposed to call you, then?” I groused, finally getting up the nerve to ask him for his name. The boy looked at me with his beautiful honey-colored eyes and my own eyes caught on his lips, which moved finally to say his name.

“Neil,” he said. Then we walked in silence for a long time, stopping only when we reached the enormous gate that I’d passed through with Matt hours before.

I looked at the gold plaque engraved with the words “Anderson–Lindhom Residence” and then back to Neil.

I was about to thank him when he reached into the pocket of his dark jeans and produced a set of keys with a remote fob.

“We’ve reached our destination, Tinkerbell.” He opened the gate and gestured with fake gallantry for me to go through it. I stared at him in disbelief while a smirk spread across his face. I realized then that he had always known who I was and that he’d just enjoyed screwing with me.

That Adonis with his indisputable allure and enigmatic smile was the same Neil whom Logan had told me about, Mia’s oldest. Before me stood…Neil Miller.

***

Mia and Matt were pleased when they saw us walk in the front door together. My father clapped Neil on the shoulder as if he were some hero who had rescued the princess from her remote tower. I, on the other hand, just tried to avoid Neil’s constant mocking glances at my beloved Tinkerbell sweater.

When Matt asked me if I’d gotten lost, I reassured him that I hadn’t, even though that wasn’t entirely true.

I didn’t stay and chat for too long, though, because I really needed to lock myself in my room, take a hot bath, and go to sleep.

So, I took my leave quickly, paying no further attention to Neil, who had decided to go back out instead.

Probably with those friends of his whose names I had already forgotten.

Hours later, deep in the night, I found myself lying awake in bed, my brain continuing to play back images of everything that had happened in the day.

I rolled over on my side and tried again to fall asleep.

I tossed and turned endlessly, closed and opened my eyes, sighed, huffed.

In short, I did everything except allow myself to fall into a restful sleep.

“Goddammit!” I swore, lifting my torso up off the bed. I peered around anxiously before I hopped out of bed and decided to head down to the kitchen for a drink of water. Maybe the walk would calm me down and allow me to fall into a deep sleep.

I checked my phone and saw that it was already three in the morning. I crept slowly down the stairs, careful not to wake anyone. Silence and darkness reigned in the house, and it was blissfully relaxing.

Having made it to the kitchen—albeit with some wandering—I opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and took a long drink.

“Ah, finally,” I sighed in satisfaction. I felt the cool water run down my dry throat and straight into my hungry stomach, reminding me I hadn’t had any dinner.

Just then, I heard the front door open and some odd sounds echoing around in the sitting room. All my senses went on high alert and my legs began to tremble.

“Shh…try to control yourself, you little slut” came the whisper of Neil’s deep, raspy voice. I could have picked it out from a thousand whispers. Hold on a minute… What did he just say?

“It gets me so hot when you talk to me like that… I want you now,” the girl he had just described in such a vulgar way murmured breathlessly. I heard the door close with a thud and then the smacking of kisses, passionate and greedy.

My eyes grew wide when I realized what was happening just a few feet away from me.

My breathing sped up, and I bit my lip anxiously.

I had no idea what to do; I began to panic as I heard stifled gasps and moans from the next room.

I remembered what Neil had said— We’ll go to mine tonight.

—and everything became much clearer. The girl was Jennifer, the blond from earlier.

“Then I’ll fuck you right here. Right now,” he agreed with conviction, and even though I wasn’t actually looking at them, I felt like I was in the middle of porn shoot.

“Yes…” she breathed while I was busy dying of embarrassment.

Immediately, I tried to tiptoe out of the kitchen.

The soft moonlight filtering through the numerous windows gave me a faint view of the house; enough to get back to my room.

Until I accidentally ran into a chair, and it made a sound loud enough the catch the pair’s attention.

“Oh, boy,” I muttered, fully aware of the mess I had just made. I felt my heart beating so loudly that I was afraid they could hear it, too.

“What was that?” the girl asked, worried.

“What are you talking about?” he answered, too worked up to take notice of anything besides the lust building in his body.

“Someone’s here, Neil,” she whispered, and from the way her voice shook, I presumed that she was worried and frightened, maybe even more than I was.

“Wait…” he answered firmly. A few hurried footsteps followed; he was surely headed for the light switch. I pressed my lips together tightly and mentally counted the seconds that separated me from the moment when I would be caught red-handed, embarrassed, and afraid.

All at once, the light came on and Neil and Jennifer jolted when they noticed my presence.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Neil roared.