The Line Between(16)

Kennedy and Jade were in the middle of the dance floor with their friend, Ashley. I’d met her in the hallway a few times, and learned that she was their roommate. She was hot, but my eyes were fixated on Kennedy.

Her hair was curled, and bounced with her movements. My gaze traveled down, stopping at her hips where her dress bound itself to her curves. It ended a little way below her taut ass, exposing the perfectly toned muscle of her thighs. She had on a pair of ‘fuck me’ heels, and the very sight of her would undoubtedly be my newest material in the shower. God, she was breathtaking.

“Man, I wouldn’t mind getting me a piece of that,” said Carter. He had a predatory glint in his eye, and I felt my body become rigid in response. I was a fucking hypocrite, because I was looking at her like I wanted to eat her too, but the thought of any man touching her jolted something inside me. Something that I’d been careful to conceal from the first time I’d seen her in a bikini at sixteen.

“No way, man,” replied Reid. “She’s off-limits.”

“Why?” Carter chuckled. “You already tapping that?”

My fist tightened around my bottle, and I gulped the remainder of my beer to keep myself from tearing into him. Luckily, Reid came to my rescue. Or in this case, to Kennedy’s rescue.

“Nah, man. I’ve known Kenny a long time, and I know a dickhead like you has no fucking chance with a sweetheart like that.”

Carter looked affronted, and my gratitude for Reid’s comment was surprising. When I looked back at the dance floor, I found some guy wrapped around Kennedy, pressing his body too close. Before my brain registered what I was doing my feet were moving, and I was pushing my way through the thick crowd to get to her. Jade and Ashley were both too preoccupied to notice Kennedy’s discomfort, and I decided to do what was necessary to get the random guy as far away from Kennedy as possible. I tapped him on the shoulder, and was met with a scowl when he looked back at me.

“Can’t you see we’re dancing?” He asked, his words slightly slurred. He was clearly the kind of drunk that forced himself onto women, whether they were willing or not. The words tumbled from my mouth sooner than what I could prepare for their consequences.

“Too bad, man. I’ve already paid for her services for the night.”

Kennedy’s eyes widened, and the guy looked between us. I stepped closer, sure to get in his face. “Step away. She’s mine for the night.”

With a frown, he stepped away, and resorted to finding another body to cling to instead. Kennedy was glaring at me, and then her hand flew up, making contact with my cheek. For such a little thing she sure packed a punch. My cheek stung, and I tightened my jaw as the pain traveled over my skin and into my bones.

“You asshole!” She shrieked angrily. “You just told that guy I’m a fucking hooker!”

The familiar exhilaration that pulsed through my blood whenever I got a rise out of her made its presence known, and my lips tipped into a dark smirk. “You keep dancing like one, and I’m pretty sure people will come to their own conclusions, baby.”

Her mouth dropped in shock, and her eyes glazed over. She was hurt, and I waited for her to fight back. I needed her to fight back. I needed her to yell at me, tell me she hated me. But it never came.

She spun on her heel, and ran through the throng of drunken college students. Jade noticed, and looked between us before frowning. I shrugged, and turned my back, walking towards the bar to grab a drink. I had no idea why I’d said all that, and I knew I was an asshole for it, but fighting with Kennedy was a drug to me, my own personal brand of cocaine. It was twisted. But it was us.

After my third Corona, I needed to take a leak. On my way out of the men’s room, a small body collided with me from the side, and I flung my arm out to steady it. I looked down, and my eyes collided with pale green orbs that had made my world stand still on more than one occasion. Even red and puffy from crying, Kennedy’s eyes still hypnotized me, pulling me closer with her gravitational pull.

“S-sorry,” she hiccupped. Her voice was small, and a little wobbly. Her lip trembled, catching my attention. I suddenly wanted to know if they were as soft as they looked.

My body responded to the thought without much provocation, and my grip tightened on her arm as I pushed as her against the wall. There were people around us, the music making the walls vibrate, but I didn’t care. Not enough to stop me anyway.

“Dane,” she whispered, her warm breath touching my face. “What are you doing?”

I stared at her, long and hard, hearing nothing but my own heartbeat thumping in my ears. Or maybe it was her heartbeat. I wasn’t sure anymore.