Page 42 of A Vicious Rumor

"How?" I whispered back.

"My house on this side is empty. Can I," he hesitated. "Will you go back there with me?"

I knew what he was asking of me. I knew that I would likely have refused before the party. Not because I didn't like him. Not because I didn't want to be with him. Just because I was still wary of him at that time.

But, the way he looked at me just now, and how vulnerable he was with me, made up my mind. We may have been from opposite sides of the river, but I knew now that that didn't mean we were from two different worlds.

"Yes," I whispered.

I could feel him smile against my hands. For the first time since Tyson had come back into my life, he'd smiled, and this time I could feel it.

He pressed his lips against mine and I felt his kiss all the way to my toes. He pulled back before I wanted him to. "It's not far," he said.

"Okay," I replied breathlessly, letting him go so he could drive. I shot a text to my mom, letting her know I wouldn’t be home this evening.

Tyson was always one to drive slowly. In all the times I'd been in the car with him, he took his time on the winding back roads. But, tonight, he was whipping through the corners as the wind rushed through my hair. It was an odd sensation. It mirrored how the entire summer had been as far as Tyson was concerned.

The beginning was slow and steady.

And now?

Now, we were taking the twists and turns so fast that it was all a blur. But, it was fun, and I was excited, and I wanted this to happen, even though I knew it was dangerous.

After a few minutes, Tyson turned the Jeep onto a side road. We passed a gatehouse and he pressed a button and the intricate wrought iron gate blocking our path opened down the center. I read the sign as we drove by.

"Cambridge Heights," I said aloud.

"Pretentious, huh?" Tyson said, as he sped down the street. Even at the speeds we were going, I could tell the houses were more than lavish.

I shrugged. "I don't see what this place has to do with Cambridge, England."

"Easy," he said, pulling the car onto a driveway on the right. "They both think they're better than everyone else."

I looked up at the house that was coming into view. Just from this view, I imagined one could fit four of my houses inside just this one house and still have room for a couple of cars.

"Looks nice," I said.

"No it doesn't," Tyson replied. "It looks wasteful. But," he paused to cut the engine, and leap out of the car. "It's empty."

"Where's your dad?" I asked as he ran around and pulled me into his arms.

"Who knows," he said. "Probably knocking up another stripper." I winced, but he didn't seem to say it with any sort of malice in his voice. Well, at least not more than usual. He seemed excited, and his energy was contagious.

We walked in through the garage and he put his phone up to a keypad on the wall to apparently deactivate the alarm system.

"Give you a tour?" he asked. I nodded, and he grasped my hand in his. I looked down at it and then back up at him.

"Fuck, don't look at me like that Tiger Lily," he said. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to cut the tour short."

"We haven't even started yet," I said with a giggle.

"Right," he replied. "Well, this is the house, he said, gesturing wildly to the little hallway we were in between the garage and what looked like it led out to the kitchen. "And this," he said, putting a hand to my chest and pressing just the slightest. My shoulders hit the sheetrock behind me. "This is the wall," he said, before pressing his body into mine.

As with all things concerning Tyson, his body was rock hard as were his intentions towards me. His callused hands started low on my hips and worked their way up. He didn't kiss me, not yet. He just followed the movement of his hand with his eyes.

Taking his time.

Making me crave him.

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