Page 5 of Ink & Stardust

The cord of muscles that run down his arms is only made sexier by the sleeve of ink that covers his left arm, starting at his neck and swirling all the way down to his hand in intricate, bright colors.

I swallow hard, forcing my eyes back up to find his gaze still locked on me, an amused smirk tugging at his full lips as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking. And honestly, given that I’m over here basically panting like a dog in heat, he probably does.

He isn’t like a lot of the other guys I saw on the way through the house. He’s not preppy or a jock or a stoner, and from the looks of him, he certainly isn’t part of the fraternity. At first glance, he doesn’t strike me as someone who plays well with others. Something about him feels downright dangerous, and I’m completely enraptured.

“Did you hear me?”

I blink once, then twice, finally turning toward the female voice, which just happens to belong to the girl who damn near knocked me over just moments ago.

“Huh?” I choke out, only just now realizing she’s talking to me.

“I said, I like your shoes.” She smiles in a way that doesn’t reach her eyes, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out she’s making fun of me. “And your dress. You must tell me where you shop.”

“Oh my God,” the other girl chides. “Tell me it’s the Gap. It has to be the Gap.”

My cheeks heat in embarrassment.

“No, I’m going to say Old Navy. She totally looks like the Old Navy type.”

“As opposed to shopping at the Hustler store?”

My eyes dart to my right to find that my beautiful mystery man has just come to my rescue, though he does not strike me as the savior in this story. I take another long look at him.

No, he’s most definitely the villain.

“Fuck you, Kai.”

Kai...His name echoes inside my head.

“Pass,” he dismisses her like she’s the most repulsive thing he’s ever seen.

“Last time I checked, you liked my clothes,” she quickly counters. “At least you like taking them off, anyway.” She runs her tongue along her bottom lip, her eyes giving him a long once-over.

Okay, so apparently, he doesn’t find her even the least bit repulsive.

Jealousy irrationally seeps into my pores.

“Don’t confuse an easy fuck with me liking anything about you,” he bites back, the deep rasp in his voice making the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“You liked me just fine the other day,” she hisses.

“Did I?” He hitches a perfect brow. “Or did I just take what you so freely offered?”

“You’re an asshole.” It’s her turn to look embarrassed.

“Seriously, Kai. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Her friend comes to her aid.

“There has to be something wrong with me because I speak the truth?” he questions.

“He’s just doing this because he felt something for you, and it scares him,” the friend reassures him.

“Oh, I feel something all right... Bored.” He pushes to stand, revealing that he’s much taller than I originally thought.

And his shoulders... My God! They’re so broad, tugging at the seams of his fitted black T-shirt, which looks to be about ten seconds from giving way.

“You coming?” He looks straight at me as he says it and I’m so stunned by the question, all I can do is stare up at him in utter disbelief.

Certainly, he isn’t talking to me, right?

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