Tainted Kiss (Tainted Knights Book 1)

  And I was normally spot on.

  Until Kale.

  I was still blind where he was concerned, unable to get a good read on him, but I liked that. It made it that much more fun to get to know him.

  NINE

  Kale

  I wasn’t in my apartment all that often. Until we had gotten the record deal, I had only been home long enough to shower and sleep because I had been working all the time. So, my apartment wasn’t a mess when I unlocked and opened the door for Santana.

  Waving her in, I adjusted the pizza boxes in my arms then followed after her.

  I only had the bare minimum for furniture, including a couch in the living room that had come with the apartment. After Kin had come over with Jace the first time, she had put some kind of soft black covering on it, saying she couldn’t handle how ugly the thing was. I’d had to agree. The thing had been covered in stains and had smelled like mothballs. It had taken her all of ten minutes to clean it up for me and make the damn thing smell like fresh linen.

  The only other furniture in the living room was the old coffee table that had also come with the apartment. I had put a cheap flat screen on it when I’d first moved in. I kept meaning to get a new one, but there wasn’t anything wrong with the current one.

  We walked through the living room and straight into the kitchen. It was small, with only a small fridge that was full of beer and water, a microwave that had seen better days, and a stove I didn’t even know if it worked or not since I had never touched it. There wasn’t much counter space, so I put the boxes on the stove and opened a cabinet to pull out the small stack of paper plates that had been left over from the last time the guys had been over to jam.

  “Beer or water?” I asked as I opened the fridge.

  “I’ll take a beer,” she said as she opened the boxes and started putting two plates together. “Blue cheese or ranch with you wings?”

  “Whichever you don’t want, doll. I’m not picky.” I opened both bottles of beer.

  She handed over a plate piled high with pizza, wings, and bread sticks. Sucking hot sauce off her thumb, she picked up her own plate that barely had anything on it.

  “That’s all you’re eating?”

  She glanced down at her plate. Two slices of pizza, two wings, and one breadstick. “I’ll be lucky if I eat all of this without exploding.”

  “You haven’t eaten since breakfast.” I picked up another slice of the ham and pineapple and put it on her plate, along with another hot wing. When she opened her mouth, I knew she was about to argue, so I dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Please? For me?”

  She let out a soft huff, but a small smile teased at her lips. “Okay, but if my stomach explodes, you have to clean up the mess. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  I led her back into the living room and grabbed the remote before dropping down on the couch beside her. “Netflix? Amazon? Hulu?”

  “You don’t have dish or cable?” She took a huge bite of her first slice of pizza. I loved that she was comfortable enough around me not to care if I saw her eating or not. Some chicks wouldn’t even eat a piece of lettuce in front of me.

  I shrugged. “I was never home long enough to watch it, so there wasn’t any reason. I have killer internet service, though, and I can watch anything I want on these. Pick one.”

  “I don’t know much about them, other than a lot of people Netflix and chill …”

  I laughed when she broke off, blushing.

  Rolling her eyes at me, she pulled a slice of pineapple off her pizza and stuffed it in my mouth. “Amazon, you nut. I pick Amazon.”

  Chewing the pineapple, I clicked on my Amazon subscription and pulled up the menu. “Let’s say you had an entire day to sit on this couch and watch anything you could ever possibly want to watch. What would it be? And no, it can’t be Supernatural. I’m off that show … for a little while at least. I got my fix of watching you drool over damn Dean yesterday,” I teased her.

  “Fine.” She munched on her breadstick, her face scrunched up as she thought over her answer. “Don’t judge me, but I’ve never watched The Big Bang Theory, and I’ve always wanted to.”

  Laughing at her choice, I pulled up my library and found the first season.

  “Your wish is my command, doll.”

  She gave me an annoyed glance. “You’re going to get me addicted to this, aren’t you?”

  “Addicted to what? The show?”

  Santana shook her head, a serious look on her beautiful face now. “No. You … This.”

  My heart thumbed hard against my ribs.

  I leaned in close to press another kiss to her forehead. “I’m trying real hard, doll. Is it working?”

  Something soft flashed in her eyes. “So far,” she murmured so low I wouldn’t have heard her if I hadn’t been sitting so close.

  “Good.”

  One episode turned into two, and two turned into four. I got us another beer while episode five started.

  Handing the brown bottle over, I sat closer to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. My heart jumped into my throat when she cuddled closer and rested her head on my shoulder, her right arm sliding across my waist. It was so natural, so fucking right.

  Pressing my lips to her forehead, I savored this moment—this feeling—to keep it with me while I was gone.

  I wasn’t paying attention to the show, couldn’t have cared less about what was going on as I rubbed my fingers up and down Santana’s arm. So I was clueless for a second why she suddenly laughed so hard she snorted.

  That sound was so adorably sexy my body hardened instantly.

  With pink filling her cheeks, she lifted her head slightly. “You didn’t hear that,” she mumbled.

  “Nope, didn’t hear a thing, doll.”

  Her lips lifted in a shy smile before she snuggled back against me, hugging me just a little bit tighter.

  While she watched the next two episodes, I watched her, memorizing as much about her as I could. The sound of her laugh was a sound I couldn’t get enough of and was something I knew I would remember for the rest of my life.

  By episode eight, it was getting late and she was starting to yawn. She’d had a long day, and I knew the right thing to do was to take her home, but I was selfish.

  I stretched out on the couch, taking her with me. She gave me a smirk and kissed my cheek before rolling over so she was facing the television. Her long, dark hair spread out over her back, reaching the top of my jeans.

  With my left arm acting as her pillow, I stroked my right hand down her hair, combing my fingers through the silky length. A soft sigh left her, sounding content.

  I kissed the back of her head and closed my eyes, my heart feeling completely full and peaceful for the first time in my life.

  ***

  A phone that wasn’t my own was ringing, forcing me out of the best sleep I could ever remember having. Blinking my eyes open, it took me a few seconds to figure out where I was.

  The light from the kitchen was shining in my eyes, and the Amazon home screen was up on the flat screen. Faint morning light was trying to peek through the blinds, telling me I had slept all night long.

  A soft breath had me lowering my eyes to the girl pressed against my body. From the ache in my neck, I knew I hadn’t moved at all during the night, but Santana was now facing me. Her nose was pressed against my neck, breathing me in with each inhale. One leg was wrapped around both of mine, which explained the ache in my dick. Her arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, as if she were holding on for dear life.

  This was new to me. I had never slept an entire night with a chick in my arms.

  Her hair had fallen into her face, so I pushed it back behind her ear so I could see her better. I stroked my fingers down her jaw, her neck, and over her collarbone. She let out a small moan and snuggled deeper against me.

  Grinning, I stroked up her neck again and took her chin between my thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up. Her eyes stayed clo
sed, but I could feel her waking up.

  My gaze dropped to her slightly open lips. They were a soft pink and so full they begged for my kiss.

  It had taken a will I didn’t know I possessed not to have kissed her by now. I had been a good boy, keeping my hands to myself, but right then, there wasn’t a force on earth that could have stopped me.

  It was just a soft kiss at first. I barely touched my lips to hers, not wanting to scare her. They were so soft that it didn’t take long before I wanted more.

  I licked my tongue over her bottom lip, tempting her to open up for me so I could taste her. I cupped the back of her neck in my hand, my thumb rubbing over her jaw to coax her to let me in. Her mouth opened just a little, but it was enough for me to slip my tongue inside and play with hers.

  The kiss deepened as I became hungrier for more of the intoxicating taste of her. She was so sweet, so addicting, and I could have spent the rest of the day just lying there kissing her like that. I skimmed my tongue over her teeth, then the roof of her mouth, tickling her, teasing her.

  I knew the second she became fully awake. Her body didn’t jerk, she didn’t tense up, but her hands went into my hair, and she began to kiss me back.

  I tried to keep it tame, tried to pour everything I was feeling for her into that kiss, but she was greedy and that set my entire body on fire.

  She tangled her fingers in the short hair at the back of my head and held me tighter as she rocked her lower body against me. With her leg still wrapped over both of my own, my dick moved into the perfect place between her legs and flexed with need. Heat was radiating from her in scalding waves from that little paradise, and I couldn’t fight back the groan that tore out of my throat.

  I let go of her neck, my hand caressing down her back until I reached her jean clad ass and pressed her closer.

  “Kale,” she breathed as her head fell back on my arm.

  I followed after her, my lips capturing hers again. I shifted us so she was under me, and her legs spread willingly as I settled between them, pressing into the place that had her gasping.

  The kiss went on forever as I stroked her tongue with mine, dipping in deeper and swallowing every little sound that tried to break free. My lips burned, throbbed as hard as my dick that was pressing painfully against the zipper of my jeans. She was so soft and lost in the kiss, so willing for me to take things further.

  Not yet.

  She was too important for our first time to be some mindless fuck on my couch before she had to go to work. I wanted to take my time, savor every inch of her.

  Soon, I promised myself. Soon, but not now.

  A phone ringing again forced me to break contact. Irritated at the interruption, I glanced around for the noisy thing. After a few seconds, I realized it was coming from her back pocket. I wanted to pull it out and throw it across the room, but I knew it was probably important. She had family, friends, or work that needed her attention.

  Blowing out a frustrated breath, I dropped another hard kiss on her already swollen lips then rolled us back onto our sides. The phone stopped ringing, but she didn’t move to check on it. Instead, she just pressed her face into my neck and slowly got her breath back.

  I laid there, holding her as my heart tried to calm down and my dick begged for relief.

  Her phone started ringing again.

  Cursing to herself, she pulled it free and glanced at the screen. Then she blinked at whatever she saw there.

  “Is it really eight-thirty?” She jerked upright, tossing her hair out of her face and right into mine.

  “I guess. I haven’t checked yet.”

  She groaned. “I have a session in an hour at my studio.” Jumping to her feet, she glanced around, as if she were looking for something but couldn’t understand why she didn’t see it immediately. Her hair fell into her face again, and she tossed it over her shoulder with an annoyed huff. “I need to shower and change clothes. Damn, I’m so late right now.”

  I got to my feet. “Just calm down, doll. Everything is going to be okay. You can shower here and wear something of mine.”

  She bit down on her lip for a moment, starting to calm down. “Are you sure?”

  I took her hands and pulled her against my chest. “Of course I am. Relax. I’ll make us coffee while you shower, and then I’ll drive you to your studio.” I kissed the top of her head then stepped back.

  Her phone had stopped ringing, but she now had a voicemail notification. Two rapid fire texts came in no sooner than the voicemail alert had stopped.

  Santana rolled her eyes when she read them. “Sage is trying to figure out if I’m alive or dead. I don’t stay out all night like I did last night, and she’s starting to wonder if she needs to call the hospitals or the cops.”

  Why I was relieved to know she didn’t spend nights with other guys, I had no clue. It had never mattered to me before with other chicks. Yet, there I was, jealous of any guy who might have been in her life now or in the past. I wanted to be the only one who had kissed her.

  Touched her.

  Tasted her.

  Made her laugh.

  TEN

  Santana

  It was after six-thirty by the time I walked into my apartment that evening. I’d had a full schedule with clients, but I’d also had a family walk into my studio that afternoon, hoping I could make room for them because the photographer they had originally had an appointment with that day had flaked out at the last minute.

  I needed a shower and some clothes that belonged to me, and not the delicious rocker I had spent the previous night with.

  When he had dropped me off that morning at my studio, he’d asked if I wanted to hang out with his friend Jace and a few other at First Bass. I had never been there, but I’d heard some interesting things about the club. It was a hot spot for celebrities and their antics. Not really my scene, but because I wanted to see Kale again, I had jumped at the offer. He was supposed to pick me up at eight, and I wanted to look my best when he got there.

  As I walked through the apartment, I heard Sage in the living room and snuck a glance in to see if she was alone. Of course she wasn’t.

  Wade was camped out on the couch like he owned the damn place, with a beer in his hand and Sage draped over him like a blanket while they watched television.

  Clenching my jaw, I kept walking, not in the mood to deal with that little shit.

  In the beginning, I had been able to tolerate Wade, for the most part. However, as their relationship had gone on, and I began standing up for Sage more and more when she wouldn’t, I started keeping my distance. They had been together for almost two years now, and I was to the point that I couldn’t even be in the same room with him for more than five minutes without running my mouth.

  I probably should have just moved out, but I would have worried about her too much. I would constantly wonder if she was eating, if she was sad, if she had locked herself in the bathroom again and was thinking crazy things because she thought Wade was right when he told her he could do better. That he thought she was fat. That she was stupid and couldn’t do anything right.

  All of those were things he had actually told her. And they had left Sage in a depression that hadn’t lifted for days, until Wade had come slinking back to the apartment, apologizing and telling her he loved her and she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The last two times that had happened, he had come back because he’d blown his money on something stupid and hadn’t been able to pay his share of the rent at his own place. I knew because I had called his roommates to ask what the fuck was going on.

  His roommates didn’t like him any more than I did.

  Locking myself in my room, I took a long, hot shower and washed my hair. It had needed washing that morning, but Kale’s shampoo and conditioner would have left my hair an untamable mess all day, so I had just tossed it into a knot on top of my head. My hair was so thick, though, that I didn’t do that often because it gave me headaches. I then got dressed and did my
hair.

  It had been a long time since I’d gone through the trouble of curling my hair and putting on makeup, but I wanted to look good for Kale.

  As I dabbed a little gloss over my lips, I couldn’t help thinking about our kiss that morning. It had been the best way to wake up, to have him kiss me so tenderly, as if he were pouring his soul into each brush of his lips across my own.

  I squirmed as memories of how hungry it had gotten flashed through my mind.

  If Sage hadn’t called when she had, things might have gone further. I had wanted them to go further, dammit. I’d just laid there, ready and willing for him to take things to the next level, but he hadn’t taken advantage. Instead, Kale had drawn back without complaining about the interruption.

  I knew he had wanted me because his dick had been rock hard against my stomach as we tried to get our breathing under control, yet he had kept his hands to himself.

  I was starting to see that my rock star was a gentleman.

  And it was melting my heart.

  Once I was happy with my reflection in my bathroom mirror, it was a quarter to eight. Deciding I could put up with Wade for that long, I grabbed my clutch and went into the living room.

  My roommate and her boyfriend were still on the couch with some action movie I didn’t recognize on while they ate Chinese food I knew Sage had paid for. Wade didn’t spend his money on anything when he was here, which was one of the reasons he kept coming back. Sage had been his meal ticket practically from the minute they had started dating. He wasn’t going to just let that go, and I doubted he ever willingly would.

  She couldn’t see that he was just using her. That he liked that he could control her so easily because she couldn’t, nor wouldn’t, stand up for herself. She was his little lap dog, and it turned my stomach that she let him treat her like that.