Her gaze dropped down to his erection that was still out of his pants. God, he was so big, so hard. It was, in all honesty, a little intimidating.
When he was tucked back in his jeans and she’d allowed her body some time to cool down as she gathered her composure, he stepped back in front of her, smoothing a thumb over her cheek. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as that arousal started to climb again all from that one touch.
“You’re going to be the fucking death of me,” he murmured, his voice low but deep, as if he were lost in thought.
When she opened her eyes, she saw his focus was on her lips. Keira realized she still tugged at the flesh.
“As much as I’d love to stay here with you just like this, I do want that date still.”
She felt her face heat at his words, but she nodded.
He groaned again and said, “You are so pretty when you blush.” One more light kiss on her forehead from him and he led them out the front door to his truck.
When they were both inside and he was on the road, he reached for her hand and placed their twined fingers on his thigh.
“Would you want to go to a bonfire after dinner?” He glanced over at her, but she hadn’t responded yet. “You’re calling the shots tonight. If you just want to eat and have me take you back home for the night, it’s all good. I just want to spend time with you.” He gave her hand a squeeze.
“I just want to spend time with you too. Let’s go.”
He gave her a small grin, brought their joined hands to his mouth, and gave her knuckles a kiss. “Besides, I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Her breathing hitched at his words.
“And you are mine, Keira, yeah?” He looked—sounded—so serious.
There was no hesitation, no thinking on her part, when she whispered, “I’m yours.”
And she was. God, she was his.
25
Reese took Keira’s hand and led her toward the bright, large fire in the center of an empty field. Although a lot of the students at BMA hung out at Devil’s Bluff, on occasion they did party in Hawkins Field, or so she heard. It wasn’t like she’d ever been to one of the parties at either location.
The parties here were held in an abandoned hay field that supplied many working-class jobs in Black Mountain back in the day. There was a small creek that ran through the back of the field, and on the other side of that, there was an old horse pasture.
The scenery had her instantly thinking about being with Reese back at that barn and the first time he’d touched her so intimately.
The light from the bonfire, and the music coming from a car that had its door open, increased the closer they walked toward it. She recognized a few students from BMA, but the others she assumed weren’t locals.
They passed a handful of cars and trucks that were parked on the grass. And then her mood took a nosedive when she saw Lindy. Fucking Lindy. For a second, Keira was confused why a girl like her would be seen at a lowkey party like this. She would hang out at Alistor’s, probably even Devil’s Bluff, because that was always organized by the elite, but this bonfire? It had like a handful of people, and not any of the cliques Lindy associated with. But she was on Big Mike’s lap, so maybe she just needed some quick dick, being a ho and all.
Lindy’s face lit up when she saw Reese, but when her eyes lowered to the fact that Reese held Keira's hand, the dirty look Keira was accustomed to seeing on Lindy’s face whenever she was near made an appearance.
Lindy turned her attention to Big Mike. He had his arm around her waist, and when he leaned in and said something in her ear, Keira practically heard Lindy purr in approval. Keira felt her face go up in flames when Lindy lowered her hand and cupped Big Mike right between the legs, not even caring that there was a group of people surrounding them.
Lindy took being a ho to the next level.
And then Big Mike stood, grabbed Lindy’s hand, and they walked over to a line of trees. Despite the shadows creeping around them, it was very clear what was going on.
Big Mike pressed Lindy against a tree, chest to the bark, kicked her legs apart, and reached in the front pocket of his jeans. He pulled out something small and square. A condom. He started going for the button of his jeans at the same time he tore the wrapper of the condom open with his teeth. Lindy wore a skirt, pulled the material up to her waist, and then popped her ass out like she was waiting to be mounted.
And then they were having sex… right in front of everyone.
Oh. My. God.
Keira turned away, seeing Reese staring at her with a confused look on his face. “What?” He glanced up to where she’d been looking, his eyes widened slightly, and then a disgusted look crossed his face.
“God, she never gives up. It’s fucking nasty.”
“Hey, man,” Nate called out, gesturing for them to come over. Nate stood, and he and Reese clapped each other on the back.
“What’s up, Keira,” Nate greeted, looking at her as if he were curious about her. They'd never spoken before now, so she felt weird, awkward even, as she gave him what she knew looked like an uncomfortable smile. Nate wrapped his arm around Keira’s shoulder, as if they’d been friends their whole life.
“Hey now,” Reese growled, this hard look covering his face. “You may be my best friend, man, but keep your fucking hands to yourself.”
Nate chuckled and let go of Keira right before Reese curled a hand around her waist and pulled her to his side.
“Possessive fucker,” Nate muttered, but he was grinning.
Reese didn’t respond, just leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“Damn, getting soft, man?” Nate jabbed again, and Reese growled before flipping Nate off.
She loved that Reese didn’t care what others thought about him showing her affection.
“You guys want a beer?” Nate sat back down, right by a cooler Keira hadn’t noticed before now. He must have seen her staring, because he chuckled. “These motherfuckers drink the piss water. If I’m going to a bonfire, or partying at Devil’s Bluff, I’m bringing my own quality shit.”
“Um,” she said, not sure she needed to drink. The shit that happened at the last party she went to, and how she felt after consuming the alcohol, played through her mind.
Reese must have sensed her hesitance, because a second later, he said, “Nah, man, we’re good.”
Nate shrugged and grabbed a beer for himself.
Reese took one of the free lawn chairs, and to her surprise, he pulled her onto his lap. His lips found the shell of her ear, and he whispered, “Is this okay, me being all blatant that you’re mine?”
She licked her lips and shifted on his lap to look at his face. She nodded, and although she never saw herself as someone who would particularly like PDA, she couldn't deny this felt really nice. He curled his fingers around her hip and pulled her closer to him so her back rested against his chest. After a while, Keira grew more comfortable and enjoyed listening to the other people sitting around the bonfire talking. She didn't know the other people, and Reese, even Nate, seemed indifferent to them, but Keira was entertained by their drunken conversations.
A little while later, Lindy and Big Mike returned from their behind-the-tree fuck encounter. He sat down and pulled her on his lap again. It was clear Big Mike was pretty drunk, given his glossy eyes and the redness rimming them. His voice was also slurred as he told Nate to toss him a beer. Keira didn’t miss how Lindy kept staring at Reese right before she’d do something blatantly sexual to Mike. It was as if she tried to make Reese jealous, although Reese paid her no attention, which in turn clearly pissed Lindy off.