Текст книги "Taking Chances"
Автор книги: Molly McAdams
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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 27 страниц)
After I shut and locked his bedroom door, I froze where I was, taking in the remarkable sight of Brandon. God he was sexy. His tanned upper body was bare, trailing my eyes down, I bit my bottom lip as I looked at his muscled V, leading down to his loose shorts, all but the waistband hidden by the comforter. My body started warming just looking at him, and all I could think about was running my hands and lips all over him. Looking down at myself, I made a decision to start this weekend off right. I slipped off my shorts and tank top, grabbing the gray and white button down shirt he’d been wearing last night, I pulled it on leaving all but one of the middle buttons undone. Glancing in the mirror, I decided to keep my hot pink satin underwear on, and pulled my hair out of the bun, giving it some fluff. Before I could talk myself out of it, I crawled onto the bed, one knee on either side of Brandon’s body, and placed my lips to his muscled stomach. His body twitched and I pressed my lips a little higher up the next time, smiling when he moaned in his sleep. I kissed my way up his body, he opened his eyes wide when I sat firmly on his lap and nipped at his throat.
“Harper.” He breathed as he stared into my eyes.
“Good morning.” I whispered and covered his mouth with mine.
He gripped my hips and moved slightly, trying to get more comfortable, he moaned and I gasped when his arousal pressed against me. I rocked my hips against him and my eyelids fluttered shut from the incredible feel of it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn’t want to stop. There was a slow burning that started low in my stomach and with each rock of my hips it grew greater. Brandon’s hands slid up my bare stomach, undoing the one button when he reached it, and continuing to my chest. He sat up, pressing his lips to the swell of my breast, exploring it before making his way to the other. My breaths were embarrassingly loud, but I couldn’t seem to care enough to try and stop it as he caught my nipple between his teeth. I arched my back and let my head fall back as I experienced each sensation for the first time. One of his hands trailed back to my hip to assist in my rocking, but I grabbed his hand in mine, grasping the side of my underwear and tugging on it. Realizing what I was doing, he slid me off his body and onto my back, he barely hovered above my side as he propped himself up on an elbow.
Brandon’s lips were on mine, his free hand trailing from my jaw to my underwear. When his fingers stopped at the top, I took his hand and moved them just inside of the satin, to let him know exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t even continue to kiss him as the burning in my stomach instantly increased when his fingers moved against me. A pressure I can’t explain started building between my legs and I moaned loudly when he slid a finger inside me, moving it in rhythm with my hips.
Minutes past and the sensation got to be too much, I didn’t know what was happening and part of me wanted him to stop, but the other part wasn’t ready yet, “God. Baby…I.”
His lips hovered over mine as he spoke softly, “It’s okay sweetheart, let go for me.”
I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but when I arched against his hand one more time, my entire body racked with an intense, exhilarating explosion. Brandon’s mouth on mine muted most of my pleasured cry as I gave over to the mind-blowing spasms continuing throughout my body.
That’s what he meant by let go. Oh. My. Word.
Brandon wrapped his arms around me and pulled me so I was half-lying on his chest. He kissed my temple and rubbed soft circles into my back. “I love you Harper.”
I nodded against his chest, still trying to get my breathing back to normal, “I…love you…so…oh wow.”
His silent laugh shook my body and he squeezed me tighter while bringing the comforter up around us. He peppered my cheek and jaw with kisses as he held me until my already completely relaxed body succumbed to sleep. Just before I gave in, I swear I heard him vow to love me forever.
6
“Why are you being like this?” I hissed.
He just continued to look at me like I was the biggest inconvenience possible, and I had no idea why.
“Did I do something to offend you? You haven’t said a word to me since Sunday.” And it was freaking Thursday, “You have been so bipolar lately, I don’t even know what to expect from you.”
Keeping his mouth shut, he raised one brow causing it to disappear under his shaggy hair. Chase and I had been having the most bizarre relationship lately and it was making my head spin. Bree had been taking me to her parent’s house for family day every Sunday for a month, and though it had been awkward at first when Claire, their mom, had hugged me as soon as I stepped in the door; I soon fell in love with her and her husband Robert. They were extremely loving, funny, and honestly I liked spending time with their family more than the parties at Chase’s house. Especially if they were like last week’s with Carter’s declaration of love.
What was frustrating, was Chase’s drastic mood swings. Over the last three weeks, he’d started talking to me less and less during the week, but if we were at his parent’s house, he wouldn’t leave my side and you wouldn’t believe he was the same guy I’d met my second night in California. He was hilarious, sweet and an incredible artist. Listening to him banter back and forth with his dad usually left the rest of us in tears and he treated his mom, Bree and I with such respect, it was mind blowing. If anyone’s drinks started getting low, he was already refilling it, he always made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed, and his kisses on his mom’s cheeks had to be the most loving thing I’d ever seen come from him.
The biggest shock was when I’d gone to Chase’s room in his house to tell Bree I was ready to leave, and stumbled upon a sketch book. I confronted him about it later at his parent’s, and he ran upstairs for a minute and brought down an armful of them. He was extremely talented and I shouldn’t have been surprised when he told me he was a tattoo artist at the shop Bree had taken me for our piercings. The way his eyes lit up as I gushed over each drawing tugged at my heart, and I tried desperately to push those feelings away. I’d spent a couple hours last Sunday watching him work on a few new pieces he wanted on his forearms while the whole family watched a couple movies in the living room. At some point I must have fallen asleep on the couch I’d been sharing with Chase because an explosion on the TV jerked me awake.
~~~
“It’s just the movie,” he whispered in my direction and ran his fingers over my cheek, “don’t move yet Princess.”
“Don’t move? Why?”
“I’m almost done, give me another minute or two.”
I heard his hand moving back and forth across the paper slowly and waited until he kneeled down in front of the couch so his face was directly in front of mine. My breath caught and his electric blue eyes glanced down to my barely parted lips. His tongue absently wetted his lips and his teeth lightly bit down on his bottom one as his gaze roamed my face.
“Why couldn’t I move?” I managed to ask when he started closing the distance between us.
He abruptly stopped and blinked a few times, “Oh, um. Well…here. Just don’t freak out, okay? I wasn’t trying to be creepy.”
“You’re not supposed to tell someone not to freak out, those words alone cause them to freak out.”
Chase smirked, “Okay, well then don’t hit me or use your pressure point training on me again.”
Before I could roll my eyes at him, he brought his sketch pad up in front of me and my jaw dropped. I felt my cheeks burn and he took that the wrong way. Snatching the pad of paper back up, he cursed softly.
“I knew it was creepy.”
“Chase,” I breathed and shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts, “that wasn’t creepy. Can I see it again?” When he didn’t make an attempt to move I reached my arm toward the book, “Please.”
He handed it over with a sigh and looked at me with a sad smile, “I’m sorry, but you looked too perfect. I couldn’t let that opportunity pass.”
My stupid blush came back with force when he said that and I focused at his drawing. It was amazing, somewhat embarrassing, but remarkable none the less. With the shading and the detail he’d captured of my upper body and face, it almost looked like a black and white photo. It was perfect. From my chest, throat and slightly open mouth to the way my hair fell around my face and my eyelashes rested against my cheeks, it was one hundred percent me. He even had my hand clutching the pillow under my head that was resting on his leg, as well as the blanket that had been pulled up to the swell of my breasts. Goose bumps covered my body as I realized he’d spent however long staring at, and replicating, every part of me while I’d been completely unaware. He was wrong, it wasn’t creepy, it was beautiful and strangely intimate.
“Chase, it–” I cleared my throat and tried again, “It’s incredible.” Incredible didn’t cover it.
“Yeah?”
I looked up into his eyes and smiled, “Yeah.”
We stayed there staring at each other, my mind and heart completely torn in two. One half desperately wanted to act on the feelings his drawing had stirred up in me, and the other was screaming at me to sit up and scoot away from him. Before I could try to make a decision, another series of explosions came from the TV and we both jolted away from each other.
~~~
My face heated again as the memory of last Sunday played through my mind, and Chase’s annoyed look turned bemused. I pushed aside my awe and longing for that rare side of Chase and let my anger take forefront again. I don’t know why he was so different on Sundays, but at least during the week he would usually say hi to me. Not that I expected him to spend more time with me since I was always with Bree or Brandon during the week, but after that moment on Sunday I was dumbfounded as to why he’d avoided me like a leper since.
“Whatever. I’m done trying to figure you out. If you want to be an asshole, go right ahead. But don’t keep acting like there’s nothing wrong between us on Sundays.”
“We’re back to this now?” He jeered.
“It’s a freaking miracle. He speaks.”
“You think I’m confusing? God Harper, that’s rich.” He laughed once and narrowed his eyes at me, “This coming from the girl who repeatedly told me to stay away but fell into my arms at the first sign of trouble with her boyfriend? Do you want me to back off, or don’t you?” Chase took a step forward, I took one back and he matched it, whispering in my ear, “Why keep fighting the inevitable baby? You want me. Even now your body is shaking because you’re trying to keep yourself from touching me.” Brushing the tips of his fingers across my hand he smiled, “One touch from me and you’re covered in goose bumps. Tell me now that you want me to go away.”
“You’re such an ass.” I growled and took another step back, “I just don’t understand why we can’t be friends all the time. I don’t want to be your friend on Sunday and the girl you don’t acknowledge every other day of the week. I want the same thing every day. So you decide what that is and let me know.” I moved to walk around him, but he put his arm up against the wall of the hallway, blocking me in.
“I’ll tell you, if you tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“I feel like I’m just one in a group of Harper’s many guys, but I’m not getting the benefits. So tell me, if I act like your friend, will I get to fuck you too?”
My fist was aiming straight for that perfectly shaped nose but Chase was slammed into the wall before I could connect. Brandon’s forearm was pressed against Chase’s throat and his tan face was turning red with anger.
“What the hell did you just say to her?” He growled and pressed Chase harder into the wall.
Chase’s only response was to spit in Brandon’s face.
Brandon’s other hand grabbed Chase’s shirt to bring him forward while the arm that had been against his throat delivered a hard blow to Chase’s stomach. Chase swung and hit the wall when Brandon moved, but he’d moved right into Chase’s left hook. I started yelling at them to stop and somehow they ended up on the floor with Chase on top. Just as the other housemates came out of their rooms, Brandon knocked Chase’s head to the side and Chase spit again on Brandon’s face, this time it was full of blood.
“Shit, again?” Brad huffed as he ran past me and grabbed Chase’s arms to pin them back. Derek kept Brandon on the floor while Zach helped Brad haul Chase towards a hall on the opposite side of the living room.
“Holy Crap Princess,” Drew slung his arm around my shoulders and I shook it off, “you really drive guys crazy don’t you? This has been the most entertaining two months we’ve ever had in this house, and it all seems to come back to you.”
“Drew.”
“Yeah Princess?”
“If you want to have kids at some point in life, I suggest you leave.”
He tsked at me, but wisely moved away, “So touchy. Hey B, you uh, got a little something on your face.”
“I’m about to let him up.” Derek warned and Drew took off for the back yard.
As soon as Derek let go, Brandon was up and stalking toward his bathroom, not saying a word to me. Derek handed me Brandon’s back pack and nodded toward his bedroom.
“Wait for him in there, I’m gonna go talk to him though I’m positive I already know what he’s gonna say. Just give him a few minutes, and Harper?”
“Hmm?”
“Stay away from Chase. It’ll make all of this a lot easier.”
I blushed fiercely and nodded before shutting myself in Brandon’s room. Ten minutes of sitting there alone felt like three hours. I listened to numerous doors open and slam shut, raised voices on different sides of the house and what must have been Chase taunting Brandon. Next thing I know all the guys were yelling at each other and Brandon started threating Chase. The door opened, and I watched Derek and Drew struggle to push Brandon in.
“Chill man!” Derek puffed as he kept shouldering Brandon’s chest so he couldn’t leave, “He’s doing it to piss you off more, just calm down.”
“She’s mine!” Brandon growled and pushed forward again.
“Yeah, she’s yours and right now you’re scaring the hell out of her. Calm down!”
Brandon turned and stopped trying to force his way out when he saw me. As soon as the other two were out of the way, he slammed the door shut and locked it, but didn’t turn back to me. He rested his head against the door, one of his hands pressed against the wall.
I started to move off the bed, but his voice stopped me.
“Don’t. Give me a minute.”
Four tense minutes later and I stood up anyway, “I’m going to go –”
“I’ll take you to your dorm,” He finally looked at me and shook his head, “never mind I’ll get Derek to take you.”
My stomach dropped. I had been planning on going outside to give him more time; I wasn’t expecting him to want me to actually leave. Usually he was trying to stretch our “weekends only” rule, this was the first night since Saturday that we were supposed to be together, and he wanted me to go back to the dorm. He didn’t even want to be the one to take me. Was he that mad at me for the fight with Chase? My throat closed up, so I simply nodded and grabbed my duffel bag.
“Uh, will you please take me to a hotel?” I asked Derek after we were in his car.
“Hotel? Don’t you want to go to your dorm?”
“No, Bree’s having Konrad stay there tonight. Just take me to a hotel.”
He pursed his lips but didn’t say anything until we were at the entrance of the closest place. “Don’t be too hard on Brandon, kay? Try to forgive him, he feels really bad for doing this to you.”
What? Doing what to me? Oh my God, is he going to break up with me? I didn’t ask him to get in a fight with Chase, I had been about to take care of it myself. My eyes watered and I couldn’t even thank Derek for the ride, afraid that if I opened my mouth I’d start sobbing.
Derek got out of his car and walked with me up to the front desk. I still couldn’t speak so he told the woman in the business suit behind the counter that I needed a room for the night. When she asked for a card to go on file he pulled out his wallet. Grabbing his arm, I shook my head quickly and the tears started falling.
“I already can’t believe I’m about to leave you here, Princess. Give me some peace of mind knowing that I didn’t make you pay for a room because of what just happened.” He handed his card to the woman who was shooting daggers at Derek. Once I had the keycard in my hand, he hugged me awkwardly and stepped back, “Let someone know if you need anything.”
I heard the woman mutter “Asshole.” under her breath when he walked out the doors. It wasn’t until I was in the elevator I realized how that must have looked to her. With my tears and what he said, that definitely made him look awful. Poor Derek.
As soon as I was in the room, I curled up onto the large bed and let my heart break once again for the man I had a feeling I would always love. He called an hour later, but I was already devastated with what I knew he was going to say, so I ignored the call and turned my phone off. Maybe he would take that as my acknowledgment of what he no longer wanted. Me.
Loud pounding woke me some time later and I had a momentary freak-out when I didn’t realize where I was at first. The pounding started again and I looked at the door, I had no idea what time it was, but Brandon had called right before ten, so I knew it was really late now. Was there some drunk trying to get into what they thought was their room?
“Harper, baby open the door.”
My eyes widened and I scrambled off the bed. God, I should have just answered the phone. Break up over the phone would have been much easier than face to face. Taking a few deep breaths, I unlocked the door and cracked it open.
Brandon stepped in and pulled me into his arms, roughly bringing his mouth to mine. “What the hell are you doing here sweetheart?”
Me? What was he doing, and why was he kissing me?
“I’ve been going out of my mind, why’d you turn your phone off?
“I–I didn’t want to talk to you.”
His face and arms fell.
“I couldn’t, I couldn’t handle you breaking up with me.”
“Whoa, wait…what? Break up with you? Why the hell would I break up with you?”
I floundered for a minute trying to remember everything that he and Derek had said, “Because you…isn’t that…wasn’t that why you wanted me to leave?”
“No!” He hunched down and cupped my face, “I thought I scared you with that fight, I thought you wanted to get away from me.”
A sob escaped my chest and hot tears streamed down my cheeks again as I shook my head.
“Baby,” he crooned and wrapped his arms around me again, “are you insane? How could you think I wouldn’t want to be with you? Seeing your face in the bedroom, you looked terrified and I hated that you saw that. I shouldn’t have lost it like that in front of you.”
“So we’re not breaking up?”
“God no.”
A huge wave of relief washed through me, “I was scared in your room, but it was because I thought you were mad at me. I thought you were mad that you got into another fight because of me. And I hated that everyone had to get in on it.”
“Harper, I would fight anyone, anytime for you.” He kissed me softly and moved back to the door, “I’ll be right back, alright?”
Before I could say anything, he was out the door and jogging down the hall. When he came back a handful of minutes later, he picked me up and without breaking our kiss laid me down on the bed.
“Where’d you go?” I asked breathlessly when his lips moved across my jaw.
“I rented the room until Sunday morning.” He grinned impishly and I hurried to pull his shirt off his body.
***
“Princess, stop walking and just talk to me.”
“Why? So you can let me know again how much of a slut you think I am?”
“I don’t,” he let out a half-growl, half-sigh, “I don’t think you’re a slut. You just caught me on a bad day.”
“Let me guess Chase, you hurt me because you were just so damn mad…am I right?” I threw his line from a month ago back in his face and he paled.
His hand came up and brushed my hair back, holding it away from my face as he stared into my eyes, “This is why I told you I would never be good enough for you, all I do is hurt you Princess.”
“This isn’t about you being, or not being good enough for me. I just want to be your friend, and you’re making that impossible.”
Friend, he mouthed and scratched his head before grabbing a fistful of hair, “Okay, fine, we’re friends. But I need you to stop approaching me around my house and at school.”
“What? Then that puts us exactly where we’ve been the last three weeks, that doesn’t change anything.”
“It needs to be that way.” He released both his hair and mine at the same time and turned away for a second before facing me again, “Sundays are the only day I get you. Those are the only days when you’re here with me.” I opened my mouth but he stopped me, “No, I know you’re not here for me…but you’re here. And he’s not.” He bent his knees so we were eye to eye, “I need these days with you Harper. But every other day, you’re his and it’s not a good idea for us to be around each other then. So stay away. Please.”
“Chase…”
“If you think acting like you don’t exist isn’t the hardest thing I’ve ever done, you’re wrong. I hate not talking to you, I hate not bickering like we’re an old married couple and I hate not spending every day right next to you. But this is how it has to be, Brandon hates me, and Princess trust me when I say he has every reason to. So if after everything I’ve done to you, you’ll still even consider being my friend, then it has to be Sundays only.”
“Brandon won’t care if we’re friends.” Okay I wasn’t entirely sure that was true.
He smiled and shook his head, “I know you’re not that naïve. Now go have lunch with Mom and Bree, then get your ass back here so I can have my few stolen hours with you.”
I walked toward the entryway but stopped after a few feet, “Chase?”
“Yeah Princess?”
Looking over my shoulder, I held his gaze, “Will you please stop hurting me…in every way?”
Chase closed the distance and pulled me into a tight hug, “Go eat sweetheart.”
That wasn’t a yes, or no. But I wasn’t going to press the issue further.
