Effortless (Thoughtless #2)(10)
Author: S.C. Stephens

Sighing as I turned back to my misshapen fruit, I shrugged. "No idea. They don’t act like they’re together, and they certainly aren’t exclusive if they are." Looking back at her, I shook my head. "But they, um, see each other at least a few times a month."

Jenny nodded, her blonde locks dangling around her shoulders. "I know. He talks about it whenever they do." She shrugged one shoulder. "I asked him once what they were and he said…"

Biting her lip, she didn’t finish that sentence. Not sure if I really wanted to hear anything Griffin said about my sister, I raised an eyebrow. "He said what?" I asked cautiously.

Avoiding looking at me directly, she sighed softly and looked around. I didn’t take that as a good sign. While no one was close enough to hear her, she leaned towards me anyway. "He called her his…fuck buddy." Her lips twisted into a grimace and she rolled her eyes.

My cheeks flamed red hot and the only coherent sound I could make was one of disgust. Seeing my expression, Jenny shook her head again and went back to her pencil drawing of the revolting man. "Yeah, I know," she flicked the image of him on her paper with her pencil, "he’s a tool."

Adjusting the eraser of the pencil to his waistband she grinned at me mischievously. "Maybe I should just neuter him?"

I busted out laughing, the entire room of quietly working, artists-in-training twisting to look at me. My cheeks heating even more, I dropped my head into my hands and let the giggles take me over. If only taming Griffin could be that easy.

Kellan and I had the evening off together, so after art I headed over to his place. Driving over there, I considered how rare it was for us to get a matching night off, unless I asked for one on an evening he wasn’t playing anywhere, it usually didn’t happen. As school was starting tomorrow and I was a bundle of nerves about it, I began to wonder if Kellan had asked Matt to keep this night open when he’d lined up the gigs for the month. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had.

Jenny dropped me off at his place and she and Kate waved goodbye. I had a car, Denny’s beat-up little Honda, but Anna had pretty much taken it over. She always asked before she could use it, but I was actually a little relieved that she did take it so much. It seemed more like her now than my ex boyfriend. Besides, I was horrible with stick shifts.

Kellan was out when I got there, his front door firmly locked as I jiggled it. As his car was still parked in the driveway, I figured he’d taken advantage of the beautiful, sunny afternoon to go for a run. Pulling my keys out of my bag, I flicked through the ring until I found his. We’d each exchanged keys not too long ago. "The next step," Kellan had called it. Stepping into his home, the coolness of his empty entryway hit me. I set my heavy bag to the floor with a rush of relief. Knowing I’d probably end up staying the night here, I’d packed everything I needed for tomorrow-clothes, books, paper, pens and pencils.

Examining the book bag with narrowed eyes, I took a mental inventory for the hundredth time. Just as I was wondering if I’d packed the Lit book that I needed, Kellan’s front door opened again. I glanced over at him, looked back to my bag, then snapped my head back to him. He’d gotten hot while running and his shirt was draped over his shoulder. His lean, toned body was glistening as he stepped through the door, wiping his face off with the edge of his tee. His breath was heavier from his exercise, and his abs clenched and relaxed in such an appealing way that I could not stop staring.

I finally did when he chuckled at me. "You’re obsessed, you know?" he laughed out, scrubbing dry the edge of his hair with his shirt. I flushed instantly, thinking he meant me staring at his body all the time, but he raised an eyebrow and pointed to my bag. "You’re going to be just fine."

I relaxed, feeling my embarrassment sliding away. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "I know. I honestly don’t know why it twists my stomach so much."

Grinning, he turned and shut his front door. My eyes darted down his bare back to the loose track pants he had on, but I managed to snap them back up to his face when he turned around again. "I know just how to get your mind off of it."

Enjoying the playful look in his eye, I tilted my head as he came up to me, slinging his arms around my waist. "Oh?" I asked, lightly resting my fingers on his damp chest, his skin deliciously soft to the touch.

Grinning crookedly, he raised an eyebrow and looked down my body. "Yep." I bunched my brows at the amused look on his face. Laughing, he released my body and kissed my cheek. "Just let me clean up first."

Watching him move around me to go upstairs, I nodded, my lips still twisted as I wondered just what he’d come up with to occupy me. Still laughing at my expression, he smacked my bottom before hopping up the stairs two at a time.

Smiling at him, I shook my head and walked into the living room to distract myself from the thought of him in the shower. It got a little hard to do when I heard the water turn on. I had to turn the television up and force myself to be suddenly fascinated with marine plant life.

By the time I actually was interested in estuary ecosystems, even leaning over my knees as I focused on Kellan’s big screen, he finally came back down. Twirling a lock of hair around my finger, I didn’t hear him at first. Not used to being ignored, he grunted and leaned over to kiss my neck. I startled when his lips brushed my skin, then smiled and closed my eyes. I tilted my head to give him better access.

"Is this how you’re going to distract me?" I asked lowly, starting to feel like he could distract me that way all afternoon long.

Chuckling deep in his chest, he grabbed my waist and pulled me from the couch in one swift, playful move. "Nope." Smiling, he flicked the end of my nose with his finger. "I have a better idea."

Taking in the sight of him dressed in my favorite deep blue shirt, a color that made his eyes seem impossibly beautiful, I pursed my lips. "You’re not interested in…playing with me?" I’d really thought that would be his plan.

His lips curved up into a smile that screamed sex, but he shook his head. "Oh, I intend to play with you." Laughing, he grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen. Over his shoulder, he added, "Just not the way that you’re thinking." Sitting me down at his table, he leaned over the back of me and kissed my cheek again. "At least, not yet anyway."

As I shook my head and bunched my brows, wondering what the heck we were doing, he started rummaging through his kitchen drawers. Humming to himself, a small smile permanently on his face, his hair wonderfully messy and slightly damp around the edges, he opened and shut every junk drawer he had.

When I was just about to ask him what the heck he was looking for, he finally made a happy noise and grabbed something shoved in the very back of a crammed drawer. A crooked smile on his face, he looked back at me at his table and lifted his hand to show me what he’d found.

"Playing cards?" Smiling, I shook my head. "Are we playing pinochle all afternoon?"

Frowning at me, he raised an eyebrow. "Pinochle? Are we sixty?" His grin returning, he opened the pack of cards, tossing the jacket back to the counter. Shuffling the cards, he sat down opposite me at his table. "No, we’re playing poker."

Shaking my head, I murmured, "I’m really not that good at poker."

His smile brightened gorgeously. "Well, that is actually perfect, because we’re playing strip poker."

Flushing all over, I immediately stood up. Laughing harder, he grabbed my hand. "Come on, it will be fun." He lifted his eyebrows suggestively. "I promise."

Knowing my face was bright red, I slowly sat back down. "Kellan…I don’t know…"

Leaning back in his chair, he eyed my body across from him very slowly. When he reached my face, he asked, "Have you ever played?"

I sighed and shrugged. "No."

Grinning, he nodded, still shuffling the cards. "Good. Then it will be a new experience for you." He tilted his head, his lip curling perfectly. "And I like giving you new experiences."

The flush from my cheeks rushed down my body as he stared at me intently. I suddenly wanted to play more than I’d ever wanted anything. I couldn’t even remember what he was distracting me from, and I supposed that was the point.

Tucking my hair behind my ears, I pointed my thumb at his wide-open kitchen windows. "What about…your neighbors?"

He shrugged. "What about them?"

Looking away from the heat in his eyes, I swallowed. "I don’t want them looking…at me."

Laughing huskily, he stood and pulled down some blinds rolled up near the top of the windows. When they were closed, he sat back down and raised an eyebrow. "Better?"

I nodded, not believing that I was actually considering this. Smiling at me, he laughed again. "Would it make you feel any better if I told you that I’m not very good at this either?" Laughing more, he shook his head. "I’m generally the first one nak*d."

My eyes widened as I flashed down his body. "You’ve played?" I asked, quite stupidly. It was Kellan I was talking to after all, the man who used to have threesomes like they were everyday occurrences. Of course he’d played strip poker. He’d probably played much more intense games that I did not want to think about.

He only smiled and nodded to my question, his face amused. Then he started dealing cards and explaining rules. I sighed listening to them, then mentally thanked myself for wearing a bunch of light layers today.

Over the course of the afternoon, I lost my shoes, socks, jeans and all but one of my short-sleeved t-shirts. Kellan was no better off, having lost his shirt on the very first hand and his jeans on a really bad bluff. Thank goodness girls generally wore more clothes than boys. More relaxed than when we’d started this little game, I laughed as I watched him reach down to take off his last remaining sock, setting down my pair of Queens in triumph.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "Trumped by the Queen….story of my life."

Giggling, I kissed the air then dealt us another hand. Scooping them off the table, he fanned the five slick cards in his hand as he studied them. Kellan had wanted to play traditional poker, not the style that’s all the rage on TV now. Much like his car, Kellan liked the classics. His face was expressionless as he leaned back in his chair. Not that I really noticed his face. His bare chest was far too appealing. He looked very comfortable being nearly nude by the refrigerator.

I tried to match his casualness, since I was still far more dressed than he was, but it was odd to be sitting at the breakfast table in just my underwear. I played with the necklace at my throat while I studied the cards in my hand. Not bad, a low pair, but not great either; I’d have to take three on my turn and hope for the best. Glancing up, I found Kellan watching me with a small smile on his lips. He raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?"

His eyes flashed to my necklace and I instantly stopped playing with it. So much for tells, although, the thought of taking off my last shirt was making me far more nervous than my lack of cards. Of course, if I won the hand, Kellan’s next piece of clothing was those delightful black boxers he liked wearing. And I was pretty sure he wasn’t wearing two pairs today.

Smiling effortlessly, I shook my head. "No?" I glanced down his body and raised my own eyebrow. "You?"