Following the Rules

Chapter 33

I couldn't believe it. Sawyer Silverstene was standing within spitting distance. My rival and nemesis. I hadn't seen him since the day we'd graduated high school. Though I tried not to think about him afterwards, I guess I always assumed he went to college and became some big shot business owner.

"You two know each other?" Kaylee asked.

My arm tightened around her waist when I saw his eyes drift over her briefly. "We went to high school together."

He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't look like you've changed much."

I took a deep breath, reeling in the irritation that always escalated to anger far too quickly. There was something about Silverstene that always grated my nerves. He got under my skin faster than anyone else ever could. He was the hot shot in school. His daddy had the world at his fingertips. He had the coolest friends and the hottest babe's under his arm, a new one every week.

Then it hit me.

I looked between him and Toni curiously when she reached out and grasped his hand in hers. I gestured between the two of them, a taunting smile playing at my lips. "You two? You're with Toni? She's the type of girl you'd shoot down without a second thought. In fact, didn't you make Nancy Harver cry when you swore you'd never even entertain the idea of dating her?"

A defensive look passed over his face for a brief moment. "Things have changed since high school."

"Not that drastically," I took a confident step closer, releasing Kaylee in the process. "You had a new girl every week. Not a single one of them had anything in common with Toni. If you're in it for the chase, you might as well give up now. She's never gonna let you hit that."

"Why don't we just go inside?" Toni asked hopefully. Her big blue eyes shot back and forth between us.

"Good idea!" Fefe said quickly. "I reserved a table for us."

"Does Kaylee know you've cheated on every girl you've ever been with?" Silverstene asked.

I stiffened, giving him an icy glare before nervously looking at Kaylee. Our relationship was still in rocky territory. We'd made up since she found those panties in my apartment, but we hadn't spent all that much time together since then. Not to mention all of the times we'd fought and she'd found me with other women afterwards. I couldn't help it. I wanted what we had to last. I wanted to be with her. But when we fought and she walks out on me, I need something to take my mind off of it.

Her brown eyes stared back into mine with enough intensity to break my heart. Her fingers wrapped around my bicep, spinning me towards the entrance of the club. "Let's go inside."

I released a relieved sigh, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of her lips before wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. "Whatever you want Kay-kay."

Fefe darted ahead of us, leading the way to the table she had reserved for us. I sat down on the chair closest to the bar, pulling Kaylee onto my lap before she could take the seat next to me.

She smirked at me, swatting my hand when I placed it between her thighs. "You and Sawyer didn't get along in high school, did you?"

Silverstene sat down in the chair opposite me, interrupting before I could answer. "We've always hated each other."

"Hate is such a strong word." Toni said nervously. She sat down next to him, giving Kaylee a disapproving look. I knew she didn't approve of our relationship. I'd heard their whispered conversations and been on the wrong end of Toni's death glares more times than I can count.

"Not strong enough." Silverstene muttered.

I was about to say something in retort when Kaylee cradled my face in her hands and slammed her lips into mine. I responded instantly, twisting around to deepen the kiss. Public displays of affection usually made her uncomfortable, unless we were dancing , then she didn't give a fuck. Or if she wanted to stake claim on me when we're around a bunch of women. She was using it now to distract me, but I wasn't complaining.

She pulled away to whisper in my ear. "I need a fucking drink if I have to listen to the two of you bicker like two little girls."

"One drink coming right up." I said, trying and failing to hide the wide grin spreading across my face. Kaylee did that to me. She made me feel like a fucking idiot running around high on a crush.

As I shifted out from under her, I noticed the look Silverstene was giving us. His nose was wrinkled in disgust, but his eyes, they told a different story.. Were we making him uncomfortable? I don't recall a time when PDA ever bothered him in the past. I was still pondering what that look could have meant, when I returned with mine and Kaylee's drink.

"Want to dance gorgeous?" I asked.

Her lips lifted into a seductive smile around the rim of her glass. She set the scotch and coke down before surrendering her hand to mine.

"What a great idea," Fefe turned in her seat to look at Jamie. "Would you like to dance Jamie?"

Toni pursed her lips into a thin line. She looked at Silverstene with a mixture of anxiety and caution. "We should dance."

I lead Kaylee into a dance, pressing her body firmly against mine. She felt amazing, the roll of her hips against mine, the way her fingers drifted delicately through mine and the dips and curves of her body. She was perfect and I wanted her to know that. I brushed her hair over her ear to lean down and whisper into it. She stiffened and for a moment I hesitated, she'd never done that before. "You look drop dead fucking gorgeous."

Her cheeks hinted at a blush, but didn't fully turn. "I always look fucking amazing."

I looked over her shoulder to give Silverstene a cold glare, only to find his eyes on Kaylee. My Kay-kay. The woman in my arms. The one person in this entire joint, in this entire world, that he should never be allowed to look at like that.