“Tate.” He corrected himself, breathing hard. “I’m sorry for messing with Tate. It’ll never happen again. I was stupid. I was drunk. I’ll apologize to her.”

“No.” My voice had gone from slightly amused to death-threat. “If you ever speak to her again, look at her, talk about her… if you even smile at her, I’m going to add your blood to this knife’s collection.” My jaw ached with tightness, and I could sense Madoc and Jax shifting off to the side. “Now, go home,” I ordered Nate.

“What?” I heard Madoc’s bellow, but my eyes stayed on Nate, scurrying out of the hot tub completely f**king naked.

“He leaves.” I turned to look at my friend and brother, both looking like their eyes were about to pop out of their heads. “This time.”

I knew they wanted to see this dickhead get his ass kicked. Hell, I wanted it, too.

But something had changed. I didn’t want to always feel like Tate deserved better than me.

Doing what my gut wanted to do to Nate tonight would serve no end. He was a loser. I had my girl. She loved me. I’d won.

“My clothes.” Nate looked around, fidgeting and shivering. “My keys are in my jeans.”

“Then I guess you’ve got problems.” I hoped my smile looked sinister. “Have a nice walk.”

He hesitated for a moment, probably wondering how he was going to get home ten miles away and with no clothes in the October chill.

But he didn’t argue.

Everyone was quiet as he left the patio.

I noticed K.C. standing a huge distance away, covered with a towel. She had sounded drunk on the phone, but her face was somber now.

“I’ll make sure he gets out,” Madoc laughed. “Don’t want him trying to grab clothes from my house.”

Sliding the switch to tuck the blade back in, I tossed it to my brother and started walking towards the house.

“Jared, what the hell? Not even a punch?” His voice was soft. Not really disappointed so much as confused.

“There are other things worth fighting for, Jax.”

Walking up to Tate’s best friend, I was surprised that I actually felt glad to have K.C. around. I doubt Madoc or Jax could’ve gotten Nate here tonight. She and I had both been stupid for our own selfish reasons, but I knew she had Tate’s back tonight, and I hoped K.C. would come clean about everything. Tate needed an explanation from her.

“Thanks.” I nodded to K.C.

“Sure.”

Her eyes quickly reverted to Jax, pinching her eyebrows together.

Looking over at him, I saw that he was scanning her up and down, violating her in every way a man can violate a woman without touching her.

“What are you looking at?” she snapped.

The corner of his mouth turned up. “Do you need a ride home?”

“I don’t know you.” Her sneer was condescending.

“You will,” he shot back matter-of-factly. “May as well get acquainted now.”

Oh, Jesus.

Her face fell, but she returned the favor and gave him the once over he’d given her. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Old enough to unravel you.”

I wiped my hand down my face, ready to get the hell home.

K.C. looked between the two of us, scowling and clearly aggravated.

“You’re both the same.” She shook her head and turned around to walk away. “Madoc, I need a ride home!” she yelled as she entered the house.

I heard Jax exhale a laugh, and I just rolled my eyes.

We both steered clear of commitment, but we went about it differently. He didn’t get caught up in the long line of short, disconnected relationships the way I did. He didn’t mind letting people in, because he knew they’d never make it into the end zone with him.

I was afraid that I would care too much.

Jax knew he wouldn’t care enough.

“Who was that?” he asked as we walked back through Madoc’s house and to my car.

“Tate’s best friend, K.C.”

We opened our car doors and climbed in.

“What does the K.C. stand for?” He slicked back stray hairs that had fallen out of his pony tail.

“No idea,” I sighed. “She’s been K.C. for as long as I’ve known her.” I looked over at him before turning the ignition. “And don’t,” I ordered.

“Don’t what?”

“I’m trying to get level with Tate. Shit needs to calm down. Don’t create more drama. K.C.’s not a one night stand kind of girl, and she’s definitely too emotional for friends with benefits. Just leave her alone.”

“Too late, brother. My people are hunters.”

His people. I laughed to myself, although it was sad. I doubted Jax even remembered what his mother looked like let alone her tribe’s name. And he was only a fourth American Indian, anyway, but to him, he was all Indian.

“She’s not your type,” I pointed out. “Uptight and whiny.”

Pulling around the driveway, I laid on the gas, speeding down the road towards the gate.

“Exactly my type.” He spoke low. “You can’t fall for someone like that.”

Chapter 40

“Son of a bitch,” I grunted, sitting up in bed.

Arching my leg, I rested my forehead in my hand with my elbow propped up on my knee.

I’m so f**ked.

My dick was throbbing so hard it hurt.

I was waking up with constant hard-ons, and it was like I was thirteen all over again.

I was actually waking up in pain with the pressure between my legs, and the only thing I wanted was under lock and key next door.

It was going to be a long f**king year. That was for sure.

I still didn’t have any plans about college, but one thing was for certain. Wherever I ended up, I looked forward to visiting Tate and screwing her brains out in privacy, without parents around.

A creak interrupted my thoughts, and my head shot up out of my hand to see Tate stepping into my room.

My chest caved, and I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

She shut the door and leaned back against it.

“Please tell me you’re thinking about me.” Her lips were soft and playful as she purred her words.

She was f**king me.

With her look, fierce and urgent. With her mouth, moist and open. With her voice, smooth and taunting, and I was ready to thank my lucky stars that she was here.

“Are you kidding?” I raised my eyebrows and whipped off the blanket, gesturing to the very hard bulge poking through the jeans that I’d fallen asleep in. “Look at this shit. I can’t think straight.”

And I jumped out of bed and rushed her. Our lips came together, and the sweetness of how her body molded to mine made me regret every other girl I’d touched.

Tate always tasted good, like hot apples and angry skies, and her tongue was simply candy.

She knew how to move with me. When I leaned in, she arched back. When I pulled my head back, she read my mind and opened her neck to me.

“Wait,” she gasped. “Your front door was open. I didn’t see your mom when I walked in, but she’s got to be up.”

I shook my head, scolding her. “You started this. And this isn’t your house. There are no rules here.” I smiled and leaned over to my iPod dock and switched on Rachel Rabin’s Raise the Dead to drown out our noise.

“Come here,” I whispered, pulling her by the h*ps into my body.

But she pushed me away.

Disappointment—-no, pain and confusion—racked through me.

“Wha—” I started to ask but sucked in my breath when she began peeling off her clothes.

Fuuuuck.

Her little, white tank top?

Gone.

Her pajama shorts and panties?

Off in a single movement.

And when she came to me, I was light-headed and f**king hard.

I glided my fingers up her sides and then down over her beautiful br**sts. Her skin was silky and firm, like rain.

Perfect.

I didn’t even have time to reach for my nightstand drawer before she pushed me down on the bed and straddled me.

“Tate, a condom,” I gasped out.

Holy shit.

My whole body shook with the contact, her wet heat rubbing against me and the blood pumping through my cock.

“Pants,” she whispered, and when she leaned over to grab a condom, I knew what she meant.

After about three seconds, the rubber was on, and I thrust up and inside of her.

We stilled for a minute, both shuddering and catching our breath as we soaked in the feeling.

God, Tate. So tight.

Her lips crashed down on mine, and I dove into her mouth, moving my tongue against hers as we gasped and came back for more.

“Jared,” she whispered between kisses. “Something’s wrong with me. I always want more of you.”

Her h*ps started moving back and forth, up and down my cock, making a sweet tightness race down my arms and legs.

Her heavenly skin felt like cream, and I grabbed her ass in my hands, jerking her down on me as the room filled with wet heat and sweat.

God… she loved me. I still couldn’t believe it, but she did.

“What do you want, Tate?” I breathed against her lips, desperate and f**king lost in my need for her skin, her smell, her fire...

“I want you.” She closed her eyes, and dropped her head back as her body rocked into mine. “Every morning and every night.”

Her head came back down, and her fingers fisted in my hair. “I want to feel you all day, Jared.”

Yeah, it was going to be a long f**king year.

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I whipped us around, so that she laid on the bottom, and I f**ked the love of my life hard enough, so that she would feel me.

All. Damn. Day.

“Ahhh,” she moaned, her desperate eyes meeting mine.

“I love you, Tatum Brandt.” I put my hand over her mouth, and pushed inside of her harder. “Now, come.”

I f**king hated rushing. But I knew my mom was already up, and our talking and moaning would draw attention. Even with the music.

“Jesus Christ, baby, you feel good.” I dropped my mouth to her breast and sucked her nipple into my mouth.

I knew my back was drenched with sweat already, and I smiled when I tasted her salty skin. She felt this as much as I did.

Her thighs tensed around me, her nails dug into my back, and I felt her pulsate from the inside as she held her breath.

She was coming, and I looked up to see her eyes flutter closed. After a few moments she let out a little whimper and exhaled against my hand.

I always knew when Tate came. She had a thing about holding her breath.

I leaned up on one hand and grasped her thigh with the other, moving my h*ps between her legs faster and faster. More and more. Harder and harder.

My eyes closed, the pressure inside of me at its breaking point.

Fuck.

I looked down into her blissful face, and dived into her a few more times before letting it all go.

Cool fire spread through my veins, and all of the air left my body as I collapsed on top of her, breathing like a marathon runner.

“Jared, I need a clean shir—oh.”

My head snapped up, seeing Jax, and Tate squealed, pulling my body down to cover hers.

“What the f**k?” I was na**d as hell, and Jax just stood there, wide-eyed with his lips formed in a circle. “Get the hell out!” I yelled.

After a pause, he broke out in a grin and snorted. “Hey, you must be Tate. I’m Jaxon.” And the f**ker held out his hand for her to shake.

Thankfully, Tate was shielded by me, but I wasn’t covered. The dickhead had left the door open, too.

Tate peeked out and offered her hand bashfully. “Um…hi, Jaxon. Nice to meet you.”

They shook, and the stupid prick stood there smiling.

“Get the f**k out,” I barked again, my eyes burning with murder.