Page 80 of The Tomorrows After You
He regarded me with a suspicious glance. “You know, you Godot women have a really bad habit of poking around the wrong rattlesnake bed.” My face flushed, and I opened my mouth.I’d show him who therattlesnake was.
“Geoff!” Pastor Blackwell appeared, clapping him on the shoulder. “Not making any more trouble with the locals, I hope?” Blackwell let out a hearty laugh, shaking his friend deliberately.
“Course not, Elias. Just having a friendly chat with NancyDrew, here.”Heshotme a look, and Icaughta quick, silent glare of warning from Pastor Blackwell.Weird.
“Well, you know what they say abouttalkingduring the movies… why don’t we all head back to our respective cars, hm?”
Why was Pastor Blackwell so eager to get me away from Geoff? He was a dick, sure, but he had that same nervous glint Riot had had when he first introduced me to Brennan, like he was afraid I was going to get the wrong information out of him.
As I walked back to Riot’s truck, I stole a glance over my shoulder but the men were no longer at the concession stand. I spotted them at the edge of the ball field in a heated conversation. Blackwell looked angry and Geoff was gesturing wildly and shaking his head.
“Did you have to go out and pick the corn?” Riot grinned but hesitated when he saw my perplexed expression. “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” I shook my head, dismissing the brief exchange. “Just ran into that dick Geoffrey Brown who locked me in the basement of the records room.”
Riot’s eyes darkened and his body tensed. “What happened?”
I waved it off. Riot sat straighter, craning his neck around. “It was nothing. Pastor Blackwell pulled him away before he said anything.”
Mundane interest passed over Riot’s features.
“Good to know those two are talking again,” he muttered.
“What do you mean? Isn’t Geoff Jeremy’s godfather or something?”Riotscowledbriefly at Jeremy’s name.
“Theywerebest friends for a long time, yeah. Geoffmovedhere from Baltimore shortly after the Blackwells did. Hefollowedthem here on purpose for a job at the church. To be honest, I think hehada thing for my mom.”
“Geoff?” I looked surprised at him. “But he’s so… gross.”
Riot chuckled. “Yeah, but he could be a charmer when he wanted to be. The last ten years weren’t kind to his face.” Riot looked up, considering. “Or waistline. I’d come home from school some days and he’d be sitting in our dining room, drinkingtea. I pretended I didn’t see him sneak whiskey in it. He’d try to ask me about football and school. Girls. He’d call me ‘son’ and I wanted to hit him but my mom seemed to be happy around him so I let it go.”
“What happened?”
“I’mnot sure really, Iwasprettywrappedup in football my senior year and then when Itookoff for summer training, I guess he and Blackwellhadsome kind offallingout. Brennanmentionedoverhearingan argument. Something aboutstealingfrom the church? I don’t know, I wouldn’tputit past Geoffrey Brown to get sticky fingers around the collection plate, though.”
“So, your mom found out he was stealing? Did she ever tell anyone?”
Riot shrugged. “I don’t know, I wasn’t around. But I’m assuming Elias found out because Geoff was pushed out of the church and got a job with the water authority, which made him move out of Godot proper. He wasn’t seen around town for years.” Both our gazes fell to Geoffrey in the distance, stalking away from the ball field.
Wetriedto settle in to watch the rest of the movie but every time Riot’s bodymoved, minecameto life. Hestrokedthe back of my hair. Iranmy palm down his thigh. Hekissedmy ear. Iranmy tongue along his scar. How was it possible I still hadn't had enough of him. Heat pooled between my thighs.
“Should I climb on your lap again?” I whispered, tracing his ear with my tongue. His chest rattled with a groan.
“You deserve better than a truck twice in one day. I want you in a bed. I want to lay you out and take my time with you.” His voice was all gravel and thank god the movie was over.
When we finallyheardenginesrevving, Ilookedup to see most of the cars inline to leave.
Riot’s lips trailed my neck and a delicious chill ran down my arms. I whined when he pulled away, a satisfied smile outlining his perfectly white teeth.
“I’m going to hit the head quick then we’ll head home?” His eyebrows jumped up and down and I wrapped a sweater he’d given me tighter around my shoulders, inhaling his residual musk on the cotton.Home.
“Yes, please.”
Hehoppeddown and Iwatchedhim walk away. His tight little assworethose jeans so perfectly it should be illegal.
Collectingour garbage from the truck, Ipushedthe door open andjumpeddown,spottingthe nearest garbage can a few yards away. Aftertossingit all in, Iletmy mind wonder if I could unbutton his jeans with my teeth.
“You’re going to ruin him, you know.” Katie Plainbottom’s voice cut my daydream short. My smile dropped like an anvil.
