Twisted Fate Read Online Free Page B

us?”

    I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole. She knew I hated it when she did stuff like that. I felt my face start to redden and took another drink.

    “You must be Kimberly,” I heard Derek say with a laugh.

    I felt her turn her head to face him. “Hell, yes, I’m Kimberly. Who might you be?”

    Her arms untangled themselves from around my neck as she reached to return his handshake after he introduced himself. “You are hot, Derek,” she announced loudly, making her sorority sisters start giggling again.

    Derek ran his hand through his dark, spiky hair, making me stare. He caught my eye as he replied to Kimberly. “Well, thanks.”

    “I hope you’ll stay for the party. It’s my birthday, you know.” She grabbed a chair from behind and sat down by us, not quite scooting herself into the middle.  

    I felt Derek give my shoulder a little squeeze, as if he knew how uncomfortable Kimberly had made me a few minutes ago. His touch felt so good. “So I’ve heard. Happy birthday.”

    She pursed her lips and blew him a kiss. “Thank you! So you’ll stay?”

    I would have given her shin a small kick if it could have been done without him seeing, but since I couldn’t, I just gave her a look instead. She totally missed it, though, since she was looking at Derek, much to my annoyance.  

    Derek laughed again, looking back at me. “I’d love to, if it’s okay with Penny here.”

    Kimberly looked at me then, one of her eyebrows raised.  

    “Of course it’s okay with me,” I answered.

    Kimberly let out a breath. “Good. I would’ve killed you had you said no.”  

    That made Derek laugh some more as he took another pull from his beer. Kimberly turned to look straight at him, peppering him with a million questions. This was typical of us. Kimberly the overly social one, me the overly subdued one.

    Trish gave me a few looks as Kimberly laid it on thick with Derek. I just shrugged and stayed quiet. The little touches and caresses Derek was giving the back of my neck let me know his interest seemed to be with me.  

    I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Smiling because I knew it was Trish, I pulled it out.

    Why the hell are you letting her do this?

    Smiling more because just as I read it, Derek’s hand traveled up to the bottom of my scalp, massaging once.

    Because he hasn’t stopped touching me since he got here.

    I knew the minute she read it by the big smile that came over her face. She looked up and gave me a wink, putting her phone back in her purse. She seemed to have gotten caught up in a conversation with one of Kimberly’s sorority sisters, and from the little I could hear of it, it wasn’t something Trish cared about one bit.

    Just then, sexy waiter came over, plopping down on his knees next to Kimberly.

    “Hey, babe, I got off early. Mind if I join your party?”

    That got Kimberly’s attention off of Derek. She moved in her chair to face him in a way that gave him a peek up her short skirt. His eyes widened as he ran his tongue over his lips.

    “Of course not, baby,” she purred, running her fingers through his hair.

    Leave it to Kimberly; she’d have her choice of men to leave with tonight.  

    Sexy waiter grabbed her hand and pulled her up, leading her toward the dance floor again. Some of her sisters hopped up and followed, leaving Trish, Derek, the girl that had been talking Trish’s ear off all night, and me. Trish looked over and mouthed, “Help me.”

    I laughed and stood up, grabbing a hold of the table to catch my balance. “I need to run to the bathroom. Come with me, Trish.”

    I looked at Derek as he stood up and told him I’d be right back. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Don’t make me wait too long, sugar.”

    The feel of his hot breath on my ear and the look in his eyes as I walked away told me I had much to look forward to in the night ahead.

    Later, I’d find out I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Chapter 7

    Eli and