Unspoken

Chapter Six

Chapter Six


"Bring it on."

"Oh, I so will."

Hours upon hours went by – Kiera took the first race, then Kasey came back and took the next one, and they kept battling back and forth like that.

They were so caught up in the passion of achieving the victory that, to them, it wasn't as if hours had passed, but instead, mere minutes.

So hours later, and still they were tied. Every time it seemed as if one of them might pull out ahead of the other, the other person would win. It went back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"One more game," Kasey said, "Winner takes it all, and will be named champion."

"Deal," she grinned.

Mere minutes later, and Kasey had his head grasped between his hands, hung in shame.

How had he let her – a girl – win? How had he let her take away his undefeated streak? It wasn't possible.

"Oh, poor Kasey," she joked, "Did he just lose to a girl?"

"Shut up."

She jumped up and began to imitate the victory dance he had done in her living room hours before when he had beaten Tony.

"How does it look now, Kase?" she jabbed.

"You're doing it wrong."

"If I'm doing it wrong, show me the right way to do it."

"Fine," he sighed, standing up and moving behind her. "You have to do this," he told her, using his hands on her body to show exactly how to imitate his victory dance.

"Like this?" she questioned, turning around so she was facing him and he could see the so-called 'victory dance' she was performing.

But the way she was moving captivated him.

"Perfect."

"Are you sure? Because if I'm doing it wrong, it's up to you to show me how to do it right."

"No, it's perfect."

Before anything could happen – and she was sure it would have – her cell phone rang, and she pulled it out of her back pocket, gazing at the Caller ID with a furrowed brow. "It's Tony."

"What's he doing calling you now?"

"Only one way to see ... Hello?"

"Kiera!" Tony exclaimed, "Where the hell are you?"

"What do you mean, 'where the hell am I'? I'm on a date with Kasey, you know that."

"Now Kiera? You're still out with Kasey?"

"Yeah," she answered, "Why wouldn't I be?" She turned around in search of a clock and her mouth formed a little 'o' when she found one. It was almost three in the morning.

"Kiera, it's almost three in the morning."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "We were playing PS2 at his apartment and lost track of time."

Tony sighed. "Just get home now Kiera, I was worried about you."

"I really am sorry Tony."

"I know you are Kiera, but please, just come home," he paused, "We need to have a talk when you do get here." Another pause. "I'll have some pancakes waiting for you."

She hung up her phone, and hung her head.

"What's wrong?"

"Did you even realize it was almost three in the morning?" she asked Kasey, and he looked up at the clock, not quite believing her.

"Shit." He shook his head. "I didn't think it had been that long."

"But it has," she sighed, "And he's pissed off at me."

"Nothing happened Kiera, so there should be no reason for him to be pissed." Then it hit him. "If he's mad at you for staying out so late, it's only natural for him to blame me, which means, I'm as good as dead."

"Nothing's going to happen to you," Kiera laughed.

"Says you."

"He's never hurt me before when I've done something he didn't like."

Kasey shook his head, "Yeah, but you're his sister."

"So what?"

Then he laughed, "He'd never hurt his sister."

"And he won't hurt you."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"And what are you going to do?" he asked playfully, "Protect me?"

"With my life."

"Well, that's good to know," Kasey joked, "I'm glad to know that I can use you as my shield."

"Haha. Real funny."

"That wasn't a joke Kiera," he replied, face totally serious.

"You're kidding me, right?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm not."

"You're really going to use me as your shield to keep my brother from hurting you?" she questioned.

Finally, he cracked a smile. "I had you going there."

"You jerk!" she exclaimed, slapping his arm.

"You keep calling me names, and I'm not going to drive you back to your brother's house."

"Then I'd have to stay here all night, and Tony really would hurt you because he'd be thinking you're taking advantage of me, and doing bad, bad things to me."

"True," he smiled, "Grab your stuff, and I'll take you home."

"Thanks."

"Not a problem, Kiera."

^*^*^

They pulled up in Tony's driveway, and Kiera turned to him as she unbuckled her seat belt. "I had fun tonight."

"I'm glad you did," he replied, "That was the point of it."

"Can we do this again sometime soon?"

"Sure," Kasey answered with a smile, "I'd like that."

"Good. Let me know when you come up with another date."

"I will."

Their gazes caught, and Kiera slowly leaned in, until finally, their lips met. This time they were not deterred. The kiss didn't last long, just a quick one, but it left both of them wanting more.

"Night Kasey."

"Goodnight Kiera."

She hopped out of the Dodge Durango, leaving Kasey slightly dazed. But before she made it to the door, she turned back around and smiled.

"I'm never going to let you live down the fact that you lost to me."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," he told her, "But be expecting a rematch, and next time, I'll take you."

"I bet you will."

"Oh, believe me, I will."

"Keep thinking that Kasey."

"I will, because it's the truth."

"Dream on buddy," she joked, sticking out her tongue at him.

"I had fun tonight Kiera."

"Me too, Kasey."

And then she opened the door, and let herself be hidden behind it.

^*^*^

Tony was waiting for her the minute she entered the house, and she had a feeling she was in trouble.

"Do you know how much you scared me?"

"I'm ... sorry?" she asked pathetically.

"Sorry my butt," he shook his head, "You have no clue what it's like to come downstairs in the middle of the night, and begin to cook pancakes because I can guarantee you're not able to sleep, and then to walk upstairs and knock on your door. When you don't answer, I open your door, and there is your bed, still made from this morning. At three in the morning!"

"Did you say pancakes?" It was their ritual, even when they were younger. If one couldn't sleep, they'd get up and start making pancakes, and then wake the other one up, and they'd eat the pancakes together.

"That's besides the point Kiera!"

"I really am sorry, Tiger. But Kasey and I were really only playing a sudden death tournament of NASCAR Thunder 2004 on PlayStation 2."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No?"

"Was that a hesitant no?"

"No Tony, it wasn't."

She wasn't really lying. They had been playing the sudden death tournament ... most of the time.

"Good, because you better not be lying to me."

"I'm not, don't worry."

"I won't, because I trust you. If there's anyone I don't trust, it's the rookie."

"Kasey wouldn't try to do anything to me Tony, believe me, he wouldn't."

"Fine, for now, I'll trust you, but the minute he does anything stupid ... it's over."

"Thank you Tony," she replied, kissing his cheek.

"So ... you were playing a sudden death tournament of NASCAR Thunder 2004?"

"Yep."

"Did you at least win?"

"Of course," she joked, "Would you expect anything less? I do, after all, always beat you when we play."

"Way to go," he excitedly said, giving her a high-five, "And by the way, you do not ALWAYS beat me."

"You know I do."

"You so do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"We're doing it again."

He chuckled, "I noticed."

"By the way, did you say pancakes?"

"They're sitting on the kitchen island."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Would we have them any other way?"

"Nope."

"Good answer," Tony replied.

"I thought you'd like that one."

"Come on," he told her, "Let's go eat. And while we're eating, you can tell me all about your date with Kahne."

"In your dreams Tony."

^*^*^