Blindsided by Brooke

by Theresa Paolo

  “What?” she asked. “Do I have something on my face?” The confidence that exuded from her slowly made its way back as she pointed at the mess around her mouth.

  “No,” he said. “You’re all good.”

  She let out a laugh and grabbed a napkin, wiping her face clean. “You’re one of those people who let people walk around with food in their teeth all day, aren’t you?”

  “Telling someone would be rude.”

  “What! No. Not telling them is even more rude. Seriously, if I have something in my teeth, you better tell me.”

  “If you insist.”

  “Absolutely. Now pick up that sloppy Joe and take a bite.”

  He surveyed the overstuffed sandwich oozing on all sides and decided neither side was a cleaner option, so he scooped it up. He brought it to his mouth and took a massive bite, sinking his teeth deep into the bun. An abundance of flavors exploded on his tongue, and he moaned at the taste. “Wow,” he said.

  She handed him a napkin. “You have stuff all over.” She motioned her hand in a circle in front of him, and he swiped the napkin.

  “Thanks.” He laughed and wiped his mouth.

  “Just doing my civil duty as a good person unlike someone else.” She shot him a look, her lips pressing together in amusement, lacking the stony disposition he was accustomed to from her. When she wasn’t glaring at him, she wasn’t just pretty; she was stunning.

  “That’s a bit of a reach,” he said, “but I guess when you’re trying to balance out all the bad, you have to do what you can.”

  “All the bad?” she exclaimed. “You make me sound like some sort of she-devil.”

  He shrugged. “If the shoe fits.”

  She held her foot up. “I’m not wearing any shoes.”

  No, she wasn’t. The same pink that was on her fingers was on her toes. He’d never found feet attractive before, but he was starting to rethink it. She put her foot on the floor, and he swallowed down the unexpected desire to run his hand up the curve of her leg.

  What was he thinking? This was Brooke Marshall. The girl hated him on a good day and lived to knock him down at any chance she got.

  I like you. Her words replayed in his mind.

  He took another bite of his sandwich, trying to let the flavors distract his mind from thinking about Brooke in any sexual way. She’d probably give him a black eye if he tried to make a move.

  It was just that the more time he spent with her, the more it seemed she forgot to be mean to him. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d rolled her eyes at him in disgust or flung an unpleasant remark meant to cut deep in his direction.

  What the hell was happening?

  He and Brooke were known nemeses for years. Even though they had the same friends and hung around in the same circle, being polite was never an option. She never allowed it to be one. Instead she gave him dirty looks and made him feel inadequate time and time again.

  Yet, she liked him.

  Her admission clung to his mind, a constant replay of her words, making him question their relationship for the past decade.

  “You said earlier that hating someone is easier. What did you mean by that?” he asked, wanting to figure out at least a piece of the puzzle.

  She froze mid bite before putting the sandwich down. She wiped her mouth and chewed slowly. “Does it matter?” Her face softened, eyelashes fanning over the dejection in her eyes, and a want so strong washed over him. He wanted to reach out to her, kiss the pain away until she forgot what it was to hate.

  “I think so,” he said, trying to ignore the sudden rush of blood heading south at the thought of kissing her.

  Her gaze locked on him. “Why?”

  “Because I’ve known you almost my entire life, yet I’m still trying to understand you. You’re a complicated one, Brooke Marshall.”

  “Why do you care? Like you said, we’ve known each other almost our entire lives. Why care about me now?”

  “Because for the first time, I’m starting to see that there is a lot more beneath the surface.” She had constructed such a strong wall, keeping people on the outside, never letting them look in, but he had gotten a glimpse and now he wanted more.

  She glanced away and was quiet for a moment, silence stretching between them and filling the house when she finally blinked those beautiful gray eyes up at him. “When you love someone, you open yourself up to heartache and disappointment. I learned that at eight years old when my dad took off. He was an asshole, and we were better off because of it, but he was still my dad. At eight years old I didn’t understand any of it. All I knew was he was there one minute and gone the next. Then my mom died and Jax up and joined the military to help Layla with the bills, but I didn’t look at it like that. I looked at it as someone else leaving me behind. So yeah, hating people is easier because loving people…” She shrugged. “It’s setting yourself up for pain when they leave.”

  “You love Layla and Chase, though.” They were as close as any family could be. They looked out for each other and always had each other’s backs even if Brooke and Chase fought like cats and dogs.

  “I had no choice with them.”

  “Can you really choose who you love?” he asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Doesn’t that lose the whole luster of the falling in love fantasy?”

  “Not when you don’t care about that fairytale bullshit.”

  He didn’t believe much in the happily ever after jargon either; he didn’t have the best example with Dad working all the time and Mom sitting home alone, waiting for him so she could steal a moment together before going to bed. It all seemed a bit overrated, but for some reason, hearing Brooke be so cynical about love bothered him.

  He had no idea why the hell he cared at all; it was no skin off his back if she wanted to shun happily ever afters and be a pessimist, but he did. He cared.

  “It seems like it worked out for Nick and Daisy—all of Daisy’s siblings actually, and you can’t forget Chase and Bex. They all seem happy.”

  “For now,” Brooke said, taking another bite of her sandwich. She jumped up and went to the fridge, grabbing a pitcher of water. “Would you like some?” She held up the pitcher then placed it on the table before heading to the cabinets.

  “Sure.”

  She was good at avoiding conversations when they got to a point when she didn’t want to continue, but unfortunately for her, he was also good at not letting things go.

  He would for now, but he was determined to breakthrough Brooke’s walls, and it was only a matter of time before he did. And not just because she admitted she liked him, but because he liked her, too.

  Chapter 10

  After they finished eating, Tyler volunteered to do the dishes. Brooke took him up on his offer, but she dried and put everything away. She didn’t exactly want Layla to come home tomorrow and see two plates in the sink. The twenty questions that would follow would drive Brooke insane.

  Though if something happened, Brooke wouldn’t mind. For a better part of her life, she purposely pushed people away, but the desire to kiss Tyler, feel his lips against hers, was overriding all her defense mechanisms.

  “What comes after dinner?” Tyler asked, coming close enough she could smell his cologne but not close enough to feel his heat.

  “I thought we could listen to some music.” She strolled over to the ancient radio they had in the same spot on a side table since Mom was alive and turned it on. An emergency weather report bellowed out of the speakers.

  “A string of severe thunderstorms is moving through the area, producing high winds and dangerous lightning.”

  “Aren’t you happy we didn’t drive all the way to Fairview now?” Brooke asked.

  “A little rain never hurt anyone.”

  She rolled her eyes at the typical male response. The emergency message faded out and a pop ballad from the early 2000s—one of Brooke’s favorites—filled the living room.

  “There is no way I’m lis
tening to this garbage.” Tyler reached past her, but Brooke grabbed his hand, bringing it down to his side.

  “Not so fast, buddy. My house, my radio, which means my music.”

  He whipped his arm around her waist, igniting an untapped desire inside her as he drew her close. He held her, chest against chest as his hand slid up her wrist, and his fingers interlocked with hers. “If you’re going to make me listen to this crap,” he said, his breath warm against her ear, “you might as well dance with me before I fall asleep or puncture my eardrums.”

  “I don’t know… watching you puncture your eardrums sounds pretty entertaining.”

  He dipped her, her body going back on an arch, his strength keeping her from falling. He brought his head close to hers, his lips a slip and a breath away.

  His blue eyes gazed at her with a deep intensity that made her feel desired. Electric current sparked between them, surrounding her in heat and sending awareness through her body. Just when she thought he might kiss her, he brought her back up, holding her body against his as he moved.

  Unable to come up with a witty remark, she was too focused on the sway of his body, so she let him take the lead.

  The song ended but neither let go, still moving to an imaginary beat. His hand stroked her back in a soothing caress. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, bringing her nose next to the crook of his neck. He smelled like sandalwood and lemon—a delicious combination of woody freshness and pure masculinity.

  Lightning shot through the room, a bright explosion, causing Brooke to jump back as the overwhelming brightness faded.

  Tyler laughed. “Is Brooke Marshall scared of lightning?”

  “No.” Her heart pounded against her chest. She was unsure if it was from the sudden burst of light or from Tyler’s touch.

  He reached out, his finger trailing down her temple. “Your eyes tell a different story.”

  Thunder exploded, and Brooke jumped, making it impossible to lie now. “Okay so I don’t like thunderstorms. Whatever.”

  An adorable smirk lifted at the edge of his mouth, but all she could focus on was how badly she wanted to kiss the corner, feel his lips on hers, dip her tongue into his mouth, and taste him. The desire overwhelmed her, and she stepped back afraid of what it meant.

  She’d never felt something so strongly before. For years, she’d had a crush on Tyler, but that’s all it was. Whatever was happening between them was no longer innocent. It was growing and warping into something that had the potential to break her heart.

  Her heart had been broken so many times she couldn’t help but wonder if there was anything left of it. Most people would say no, and a week ago she would have agreed, but Tyler had pumped blood into the wreckage, filling it with hope and yearning.

  His hand moved from her temple, making its way to the nape of her neck. It inched slowly, leaving a path of goosebumps in its wake. “It’s okay to be scared,” he said, and she had no idea if he was talking about the storm or him.

  “I’m not,” she lied, her voice barely audible against the loud rumble of thunder. His hand cradled her head, and she swallowed as he held her closer.

  Heat crept up her chest, blooming in her cheeks with the faintest touch of his breath against her neck. His head tilted, forehead resting against hers and completely destroying her resolve. She blinked up, and his gaze sparked with unabashed desire. His lips hovered over hers, and all she had to do was lift up on tiptoe and take what she wanted most, but while she was forward with most things in life, when it came to kissing and sex, she was pathetically apprehensive and inexperienced.

  “I think you are afraid,” he said, lowering his head and breaking through her wall. His lips pressed against hers, and her breath caught in her throat as the world around them faded beneath the soft touch of his kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she kissed him back, letting the years of pent-up feelings and emotion spill out of her.

  He groaned into her mouth, a ripple of vibrations spreading across her mouth and finding its way to her core. She moved against him, bringing her center to the hard ridge of his pants. Her eyes widened as he grabbed her ass and unceremoniously rocked into her.

  The sweet tender moment slipped away as need devoured them. She clawed at his shoulders, drawing him closer as they stumbled to the couch. The cushion hit her backside as his weight came down on top of her.

  His arm muscles bulged against his shirt as he held himself above her. His lips moved away from her mouth, burning a fiery path down her neck. Molten lava erupted inside her as his tongue dragged across the sensitive skin then dipped down toward the low cut of her t-shirt.

  Delicious waves crashed into her as she felt the rising tide cresting toward an epic surge of pleasure. Her fingers dug into the hard contours of his back as he hitched her leg up and over the muscular swell of his hip.

  A warning flashed in her mind, telling her to abort, but she had been waiting for this moment for her entire life. She didn’t want to walk away now, not when Tyler was making her feel things she never knew was imaginable.

  His mouth came back to hers, and he nudged her with his nose, angling her head at just the perfect position to obliterate her with a mind-numbing kiss that curled her toes and had her pushing the heel of her foot into his backside.

  The hard ridge of his erection pressed into her, and she knew it was finally time. She drew her lips from his and glanced up at him. His eyes were filled with fire and lust, making her shift at the intensity.

  His hand slipped beneath her t-shirt, the warmth of his skin on hers sending a tremor up her spine. His finger trailed along the lacy cup of her bra before finding her tightened nipple beneath the fabric. He ran his finger across the tight bud, an unexplainable rush of pleasure surging through her.

  Heat ignited her body, travelling right to her core as his fingers hooked the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head. He tossed the shirt to the floor and jealous that he got to see her exposed, she reached for his shirt and undid one button after the other until the shirt was nothing more than a pool of fabric next to hers.

  He pulled his t-shirt off and sank down on top of her, kissing the curve of her breasts while she ran her hand along the hard ridges of his abs.

  There were so many feelings surging through her body, assaulting her senses and making her dizzy. She tried to focus on one but found it impossible when his lips sucked at the swell of skin above her bra.

  She inhaled, taking his face in her hands and urging him to look at her. A devilish smile tilted his lips, but she ignored the naughty thoughts it provoked and focused on the deep blue of his eyes.

  “Before we do this,” she said, waiting for his attention to be on her completely, “there’s something you should know.”

  ***

  Her lust filled eyes looked up at him, the pearl gray darkened by desire. He wanted to know what color they’d be when she came, and he was ready to find out.

  “You like to be on top,” he said. She was a take charge type of girl, and he was ready to let her call the shots.

  She shook her head. “No.” Her eyes dropped, and red bloomed on her cheeks and spread across the sprinkle of freckles on her nose.

  “Don’t tell me Brooke Marshall is suddenly shy?” He laughed. Brooke was a powerhouse of a woman who could knock any man on his ass. Just holding her had made his knees weak and ready to bend to whatever she desired.

  Her eyes flashed to his, knocking him back with the raw intensity that simmered deep in her irises. She took a deep breath then let it out quickly as if she thought better of it. Then in a rush she said, “I’m a virgin.”

  Tyler stared at her. Just stared, unable to comprehend what she told him. “Stop messing around,” he said. There was no way in hell Brooke Marshall was a virgin.

  She nibbled at her lip. She was really good at playing the sweet and innocent act. He was almost convinced, but he’d known Brooke for far too long to believe for a second that she was pure and innocent. Sex appeal oozed
from her with every step she took and with every roll of her pretty eyes.

  He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her up to him, but she pressed her hands against his chest, holding him back. Her gaze met his solemn and timid. “I’m not kidding, Tyler.”

  His hand fell from her, and he scooted away. Confusion swelled inside him. There were things about Brooke he didn’t know, but he didn’t think any of them would send him reeling like this admission. Or was this some sick twisted joke she was playing? “Seriously?”

  She nodded.

  “But how?” he asked like a moron.

  Her eyebrow cocked. “I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.” There was a tinge of anger in her tone now and he hated himself for not handling this right, but how the hell was he supposed to handle this. This was new territory for him. A virgin? He’d never been with a virgin before, even when he’d lost his own virginity. He shook his head, needing to clarify. “Not how. I mean why?”

  “I don’t know. I just never fell into bed with anyone before. It wasn’t at the top of my to-do list. Not to mention this town doesn’t exactly have a large variety of choices.”

  He couldn’t do this. Taking a girl’s virginity was a responsibility he didn’t deserve. She’d waited all this time and she chose him? He should feel flattered, but all he could think was, she was out of her mind. He was by far the worst person she could choose to take something so important from her. She needed someone who loved her. Someone who was worthy of that honor and it definitely wasn’t him. He still was unsure of his feelings for her.

  Though they’d known each other for years, these feelings were all still very new. He needed time to sort them out. Casual sex was one thing, hell he’d envisioned it quite a few times, but taking her virginity was an entirely different playing field.

  “I’m sorry, Brooke,” he said, standing up from the couch and stepping away slowly. “I can’t.”

  “Unbelievable,” she said, jumping up and swiping her shirt into her hands.