Lucy
Lucy was flabbergasted. How had she missed this? Granted, her life had been a little insane lately, but she would know if her best friend was dating someone! Right?
Come to think of it though, Brooke had gotten dressed up on a few occasions recently. And she’d been mysterious about where she was going the few times she skipped out on dinner. Every time Lucy tried to ask Brooke where she was she’d laughed it off saying she was just doing some unicorn hunting.
Lucy honestly thought Brooke was just trying to give Lucy and Jaxon alone time to see if it would spark anything between them. She’d made it plainly obvious she was rooting for them. But suddenly, understanding washed over Lucy and she gasped. “Oh my God. You’re her unicorn!”
Conner snorted. “Say what now?”
“What is it with you two and that word?” Jaxon asked.
Lucy couldn’t stop smiling. Brooke, that sneaky bitch. She hadn’t been lying about going after a special breed of unicorn after all. “It’s an inside joke,” Lucy said.
“Well are ya gonna let us in on it?” Conner asked.
Lucy laughed. “Not yet.” She wanted to keep this for just her and Brooke for a while—or at least until she talked to her wily, minx of a roommate.
36
Jaxon
The next few weeks floated by in a delightful daze for Jaxon. He hadn’t left Lucy’s side since they spent the night together at his house. He stayed at her dorm when he didn’t have to be home to look in on his father, and when he did, Lucy came with him.
Jaxon couldn’t believe how good it felt to have someone on his side. He’d been afraid to open up to Lucy about his life, but she accepted him without hesitation. Just having that kind of support had lifted a weight he didn’t even know he was carrying.
They were still taking things slow, as far as being intimate, which was pretty much Jaxon’s doing. Lucy’s leg was still healing and Jaxon was adamant that when they were together he didn’t want anything getting in their way. But he had to admit it was getting increasingly more difficult to wait. Especially on the days that Jaxon helped Lucy with her pool physical therapy sessions. He swore she wore those itty bitty bikinis just to torment him.
But Jaxon had always felt much more than physical desire for Lucy. He was falling more in love with her every day and that was why he knew waiting, no matter how hard, would be worth it.
Other things were moving slow, too. Mainly, the investigation into Lucy’s hit-and-run. The body shop lead turned into a dead end. Conner said the driver had an alibi and he was much older than the guy Jaxon and Lucy had described. Jaxon was frustrated that the case was growing cold, but Conner told them not to give up. He said cases like these took a while because hit-and-run perps often laid low until they felt confident they’d gotten away with it.
It blew Jaxon’s mind how anyone could live with that kind of guilt. For all the driver knew, he could’ve killed Lucy. One look at her Jeep at the bottom of the ravine surely gave that impression. Sometimes it still freaked Jaxon out to see Lucy behind the wheel of the new Jeep Alex’s parents had gotten her. But she was doing increasingly well and that’s all that mattered to Jaxon.
Lucy hadn’t had any flashbacks or nightmares since they’d started dating. And since she added swimming to her regiment her healing was really coming along. She was off her crutches and down to a short walking boot. And at her doctor’s appointment today, she got the good news that if things continued she could expect to be out of her boot completely by graduation.
“We have to celebrate!” Lucy squealed excitedly on the drive back to campus.
Jaxon grinned over at her from behind the wheel. “Ice cream and wine?”
She giggled, “I love that you know me so well.”
“I keep telling ya, you’re too easy to please, babe.”
“I thought you liked that I’m easy?” Lucy teased.
“I like everything about you,” Jaxon said pulling her in for a kiss at the stoplight.
“Actually, I can think of a really great way to celebrate.” Lucy said, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Simmer down, Smalls.”
Lucy groaned. “You are the most stubborn man on the planet!”
“And I’m all yours,” he said with a roguish wink.
Jaxon pulled onto campus and parked in front of Lucy’s dorm building.
She threw her head back against the headrest and huffed. “You’re impossible, you know that? I never thought I would be the one begging my boyfriend for sex. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”
Jaxon barked a laugh. “Trust me, babe. The waiting is killing me, too.”
“Then why are we waiting again?”
“I told you. I want it to be perfect.”
Lucy turned her gorgeous eyes on him and cupped his cheek. “Jaxon, I love you. Anytime we’re together is perfect. I don’t need you to plan some special thing for us, okay?”
“I know, but . . .”
“What?” Lucy asked running her fingers through the short hair at his temple. God, he loved when she did that. “Jaxon, if something’s holding you back, you can tell me. I’m in this with you. No matter what.”
“I know,” he said pulling her hands to his lips and brushing a kiss across her fingertips. “Just a few more weeks, okay? Then you get your boot off and there won’t be anything in our way.”
Lucy scrunched up her face. “So my boot turns you off?”
“No, the idea of hurting you turns me off.”
Lucy smiled and kissed him. “I know you’d never hurt me, Jaxon.”
“Not on purpose . . .” But she was so damn tiny. He knew from all the time they’d been spending together that there was a feisty warrior hidden beneath her small frame, but still, he didn’t want to take any chances with her. She was his everything.
Lucy
Lucy didn’t think it was possible, but she loved Jaxon even more when he admitted he was afraid he might hurt her. Even if she knew it wasn’t a remote possibility. Her leg was nearly mended and Jaxon regarded her with painstaking care and gentleness.
She wasn’t as breakable as he thought, but she knew she couldn’t force him to see that. It was something he’d have to learn over time. And if giving him a few more weeks would make things better for him, she could do it. But it didn’t mean there weren’t other ways they could have fun.
Lucy unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed into Jaxon’s lap.
“What are you doing?” Jaxon asked when she wound her arms around his neck pulling him close.
“Giving you a few more weeks,” she whispered against his lips.
Jaxon smiled against her kiss. “Oh yeah?”
“Mmm hmm,” she murmured kissing him deeper, slower.
When Jaxon finally came up for air, he had that wild look she loved in his eyes. “If this is what waiting feels like, I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”
She laughed and bit her bottom lip, nodding.
“Damn, Smalls. What did I say about biting your lip?”
She shrugged innocently. She knew exactly what that did to him. He’d practically torn her clothes off that first time she’d done it. And secretly she was hoping it would do the trick again.
Jaxon exhaled a laugh and opened the truck door. In one effortless movement he got out, pulling Lucy with him and hauling her over his shoulder like he was a fireman.
“Hey!” She couldn’t help giggling as he grabbed her butt to keep her from squirming. “Where are we going?”
“To your bedroom . . . to do some more ‘waiting’.”
Lucy grinned. Mission accomplished.
Jaxon
After a fun afternoon of ‘waiting’ in Lucy’s bedroom, Jaxon decided it was time to make good on his celebration promise.
“Okay, Princess. What do you want for dinner?”
“I thought we decided on ice cream and wine?”
“Babe, I know you think ice cream and wine is an actual food group, but it’s not.”
“But it’s my favorite,” Lucy whined, adorably.
“I know, but some of us can’t survive on pure sugar alone. I need nutrients. And so do you,” he said smacking her sexy ass. “Besides. We’re celebrating. Let’s do something special for dinner. We can do ice cream for dessert.”
Lucy perked up immediately. “Okay!”
“How about sushi?”
“I love sushi. Wanna order from the place on River Street?”
“I was thinking it would be more fun to make it ourselves.”
“You know how to make sushi?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, marry me right now.”
Jaxon laughed. “You really are too easy, Smalls.”
Jaxon carried her like a monkey into the kitchen. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck. She didn’t let go when he set her on the counter. Instead she pulled him closer, kissing him fully. Goddamn, he never got tired of her kisses. But standing between her thighs was gonna lead back to the bedroom real fast. Jaxon pulled away, clearing his throat. “Sushi, Smalls. Dessert is for later.”
She grinned and finally relented her hold on him. Jaxon started making a list of supplies. They had most of what they needed thanks to Lucy and Brooke’s grocery service. He honestly didn’t know how they had survived on Starbucks and junk food before he came along.
Brooke came out of her room, swiping an apple off the counter on her way past.
“Hey!” Lucy called. “We’re making sushi, wanna join?”
“Can’t.”
“Where are you off to all dolled up like that?” Lucy asked.
Jaxon glanced at Brooke. She was dressed up—which in Brooke’s case meant more layers of colorful girly things that no one but Brooke could pull off. Today she was wearing a gold sequin sweatband, a white tennis skirt and a short fuzzy blue sweater that looked like she may have possibly skinned Cookie Monster to make it.
Thanks to the conversation they’d had with Conner, Jaxon knew damn well where Brooke was going, but she was still playing coy.
“Hanging out with my unicorn,” Brooke said cheerfully.
Jaxon shook his head and laughed. “Don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing that.”
Lucy still hadn’t explained her and Brooke’s unicorn joke to him, but he was beginning to think he didn’t want to know.
Lucy
Lucy’s gaze followed Brooke around the room, studying her outfit and hairstyle, as if it would give some clue as to what was really going on between Brooke and Conner. Now that she and Jaxon’s brother were ‘having fun’, as he called it, Lucy hardly saw her best friend. Lucy was guilty of spending all of her time with Jaxon, but still, it was weird how quickly things had changed.
Ever since that first night Lucy had spent at Jaxon’s, things had been different between her and Brooke. And Lucy couldn’t help wondering if it was a good different or not . . .
Brooke was completely thrilled when Lucy told her that she and Jaxon were finally together. She was so supportive of their relationship, and Lucy partly owed Brooke some of the credit for giving her the courage to go after Jaxon in the first place. She’d seen their potential before either of them had. Lucy only wished she felt the same way about Brooke and Conner’s relationship.
Conner and Jaxon may be brothers but they were nothing alike. Jaxon could win a boyfriend of the year award with his eyes closed, where as Conner was more likely to win a player of the year award.
Conner never came over when Brooke invited him for dinner and movie night or any of the other fun things happening on campus. When Lucy asked Brooke why that was she said it was because Conner felt ‘pervy’ hanging out on a high school campus.
Lucy got that. Conner was twenty-two. But if he was going to date a high school girl, it kinda came with the territory. Technically they weren’t doing anything wrong. Brooke was eighteen already, and it’s not like four years was a huge age gap, but Lucy couldn’t help feeling bad for Brooke.
She wanted her best friend to be with the kind of guy who made her feel like he would do anything or go anywhere to be with her. Especially since she’d been burned so bad in the past. Lucy wanted Brooke to feel loved and cherished and special. She wanted her to have everything that Lucy had with Jaxon.
Lucy tried to talk to Brooke about how things were going with Conner, but she never wanted to get into it. Lucy could tell Brooke was keeping her guard up. Earlier that week Lucy asked again if they were officially dating. Brooke said no and when Lucy asked if that bothered her, Brooke brushed it off in her usual Brooke-ish way—with a joke. She’d said, “Some unicorns are wilder than others. I’m just enjoying the ride.”
The comment had done nothing to settle Lucy’s worry. She wished she had a way to decipher what was really going on in Brooke’s head. Brooke had been through a lot with the whole Luis situation freshman year and Lucy knew it made Brooke shy away from having any serious relationships since. Lucy just hoped her first time testing the waters again wouldn’t leave her burned.
“Well, I’m off, kiddos.” Brooke said. “Have fun making sushi!”
“Have fun hanging out, with Conner,” Lucy called back.
She hadn’t meant for it to come out as harsh as it had but Brooke didn’t seem to notice. She grabbed her keys and was out the door.
Lucy tried to put her worry for Brooke’s heart out of her head, but it wasn’t easy. She found herself wanting to go into Brooke’s room and borrow her Magic 8 Ball. It would know if there was trouble ahead for Brooke and Conner.
The more Lucy thought about it, the more she wanted to do it. “I’ll be right back,” she said, swinging down off the counter where Jaxon was gathering sushi supplies.
She headed for Brooke’s room before she could chicken out. Brooke, wouldn’t mind. She was always trying to get Lucy to consult her Magic 8 Ball. And the damn thing had been right about Lucy and Jaxon, so it couldn’t hurt to see if it had any opinions about Brooke and Conner.
Lucy spotted the Magic 8 Ball right away. It was on the shelf where Brooke always kept it, next to her Pygmy Puff and other Harry Potter collectables. Lucy quickly grabbed the Magic 8 Ball and shook it around while she silently thought of a question. Will Conner break my best friend’s heart?
Lucy flipped the ball over and waited for the answer to float to the surface.
Magic 8 Ball says: Can’t predict now.
Seriously? Lucy groaned and put the toy back. What kind of answer was that? Stupid Magic 8 Ball. But what had Lucy expected. It’s not like it really was magic. Besides, there was no way Brooke hadn’t consulted it a million times about Conner already. She practically used the thing like it was psychic hotline, finding a way to make every answer it spouted off a practical outcome.
Lucy let herself out of Brooke’s room and closed the door behind her, deciding to stop meddling. She didn’t know Conner that well yet, but if Brooke liked him then Lucy would give him the benefit of the doubt. Yes, he was flirty and older, and maybe not the best candidate for a conventional relationship. But then again, Brooke had never been a conventional girl. Maybe they were good for each other. But even if they weren’t, Lucy had no right to judge. She’d dated Alex for entirely too long and Brooke had stood by her—unhappily, but still. Lucy decided she would do the same.
37
Brooke
The next morning Brooke did the walk of shame back to her dorm room just in time to take a shower and change for class. It wasn’t a literal walk of shame. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She and Conner were taking it slow. And she was pleasantly surprised how cool he was about her whole not wanting to have sex thing. She thought it would be a deal breaker with him being older, but he said he actually respected her more when she mentioned it.
Conner was really sweet and super easy to talk to. Without even meaning to, Brooke had told him everything she’d been through freshman year and when Conner promised to use his taser on anyone who ever treated her like that again it made
her happier than it should have.
She really, really liked Conner. Brooke was trying not to, but those damn Bradburn boys and their blue eyes and perfect smiles . . . they were irresistible. But Brooke forced herself to tamp down her excitement. She and Conner had only hung out a few times. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself and ruin a perfectly good thing—like she always did.
After her shower, Brooke padded out to kitchen to make coffee, but Lucy was already ahead of her.
“Morning,” Lucy said handing Brooke a mug of fresh caffeinated nectar.
Brooke wrapped her fingers around the warm mug and drank in the aroma. “You’re a goddess, Lucy Lu.”
“I try.” Lucy took a sip of her own coffee and then peered at Brooke over her mug. “So, late night?”
“Sorta.”
Lucy raised her eyebrows.
“Not like that,” Brooke said, rolling her eyes playfully.
“Are you ever gonna tell me what’s really going on with you and Conner?” Lucy asked, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.
Brooke decided to join her. “Are you ever gonna tell me what’s going on with the whole framed father bomb Alex dropped?”
“Touché.”
It had been weeks since Brooke chased Alex out of their dorm with a baseball bat. And she was glad he’d had the sense to leave Lucy alone after that, but Brooke hated the fact that Lucy still wasn’t dealing with that final piece of drama that tied her to Alex. The guy had as much as admitted that his family was the reason Lucy’s father was in jail—something Lucy refused to discuss with Brooke.
It had to be weighing Lucy down. It was certainly heavy on Brooke’s heart. She’d wanted to talk to Conner about it, if only to get his legal opinion, but Brook knew it wasn’t her place. Especially if Lucy hadn’t told Jaxon—which she suspected she hadn’t.
Brooke was quite certain if Jaxon knew how that night had gone down, Alex wouldn’t still be breathing. The Bradburn boys had tempers every bit as fierce as their smiles.
The Accidental Boyfriend: A YA Contemporary Romance Novel (The Boyfriend Series Book 7) Page 25
