Wreck My World

by Victoria Ashley

  “You’re taking things slow?” I ask softly, hating that I’m prying for my own personal reasons. “You haven’t had sex yet?”

  She laughs and reaches for the hair tie that’s wrapped around my wrist. “Nope. Easton is special. He makes me want to wait ‘til marriage. I never thought I’d be into waiting, but I feel like it would make it so much more meaningful when we finally make love if we wait.”

  I swallow and try not to look as relieved as I feel. I shouldn’t feel this happy about them not having sex yet. “I think waiting is a good idea.”

  She climbs off my bed and grabs my hand. She looks down at me with sincere eyes. “You’ll find somebody someday that’ll love you the way you deserve to be loved, Dakota. You deserve the best that’s out there. Never ever forget your worth, dear sister. Screw Justin and any other boy who hurts you.”

  “Thank you, Quinn.” I smile at her as she heads for the door. “Thanks for the boots.” I nod at my feet. “They fit perfectly and look badass. I think I’m in love.”

  “I knew you’d like them the moment I saw them. I might’ve saved up two weeks of pay for those. Happy Birthday.” She winks and hits the doorframe. “Mae is waiting on me for pizza night. You sure you don’t want to join us like we originally planned?”

  I shake my head.

  “You want me to stay here tonight? We can have a girls’ night.”

  “I’m fine. I’ll probably go to bed soon, anyway.” I force a smile. “Have fun and tell Mae thanks for the card she left on my windshield.”

  “All right, babe. Call me if you change your mind.”

  She gets ready to walk away. “Hey.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise me you won’t attempt to go down there alone to take pictures. I’m not afraid of much, but even I wouldn’t try that.”

  She nods. “I promise. Don’t worry about me, little sister.”

  After she walks away, I make my way down to the floor at the foot of my bed and put my earbuds back in. My phone lights up beside me with a call from Easton, but I ignore it and lean my head back.

  I can’t see him right now, and I know why he’s calling. He wants to bring me my birthday gift and I just can’t handle him right now. My emotions are too mixed up and uncontrollable now that I’ve had time to get lost in my head after all that’s happened today.

  Easton

  I’ve been on edge since dropping Dakota off at home earlier. Her getting out of my truck without saying bye didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t tell if she was just upset about Justin or pissed off that I hit him. I hate the idea of her being mad at me. It ruins my whole day every single time.

  But the moment my gaze landed on that asshole with his arm around another girl—when it was supposed to be around Dakota—I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than punch Justin. I wanted to break his face with my fist.

  If it weren’t for the entire school standing around watching, I most likely would’ve kept the punches flying until I did.

  The fucker probably didn’t expect to see me there anymore. He thought he could get away with dissing Dakota on her birthday of all fucking days. That only added fuel to the fire, my rage making my feet move before I could stop them.

  Shit. I look down at my phone when Dakota’s voicemail picks up for the second time. It took longer than expected at the shop, but it’s too early for her to be asleep, which leads me to believe that maybe she is upset with me after all.

  That thought has me rushing to my truck. Once inside, I grab Dakota’s gift from the backseat and set it in the passenger seat, before heading to the Brooks’. I just hope she’s there and not with Justin, making up. I’d have to put a stop to that shit, because that’s never happening. He got lucky to get her the first time.

  I’m relieved when I pull up to see her car parked outside and her bedroom light on. Grabbing her present, I jump out of my truck and head for the backdoor, saying hi to Mrs. Brooks before making my way up the stairs to Dakota’s bedroom.

  My heart speeds up when I peek my head inside to see her sitting on the floor with her earbuds in. She doesn’t notice me, so I take a few moments to take in the beauty of her lost in music. Her eyes are closed, her head tilted back against her bed, her lips moving as she silently sings to whatever she’s listening to. My heart skips a beat and I swallow as I continue to watch her lips. Guilt creeps in as thoughts of me kissing them take over. Being with Quinn hasn’t done anything to change my mind about how I feel about her. But she’s not mine and never can be. Reminding myself of this is all I can do to keep sane around her. It also helped a bit that she was taken. But now… I wish more than anything I wasn’t.

  After a few moments, I shake my head and pull my eyes away from her lips. The moment I do, I notice her hand wrapped around her phone. She ignored my calls.

  An ache hits my chest at the same moment her eyes open and her head turns to find me watching her. “Easton!” She throws her earbuds down. “How long have you been standing there?”

  “You ignored my calls. Why?” I step into her room and set her present on the bed. I point down at her hand when she doesn’t respond. “I thought maybe you just didn’t hear it ring.”

  She stands up and sets her iPod down next to the perfectly wrapped box. “I didn’t feel like talking. I don’t feel like talking.”

  “Why?” I ask stiffly. “Because of Justin?”

  She looks up to meet my eyes but doesn’t speak.

  “He didn’t deserve you, Kota. He never did. And he’s an idiot if he chooses Sylvia over you anyhow. The biggest mistake of his life.”

  I catch her throat when she swallows, before her eyes linger on the bed. “You didn’t have to bring this to me tonight. I hear my dad worked you hard at the shop today.”

  “He did,” I say simply. “But that wasn’t going to keep me from bringing your gift to you on your birthday.”

  She smiles slightly and reaches for it. “Are you sure your mom doesn’t do all your wrapping for you?”

  “You ask me this every time and the answer is still the same.” I smile back and cross my arms. “Open it.”

  “Okie dokie. If you say so.” She gives me a suspicious look as if she still doesn’t believe me, and then tears into the wrapper. “Wow. You even lined the box with tissue paper. You are good.” She moves the paper and her mouth drops when she sees the leather jacket inside. “Holy shit,” she whispers. “This looks crazy expensive, Easton. Are you insane?”

  “Always. But you already know this.”

  She pulls the jacket out and inspects the two buckles on each side of the jacket and the zippers on the arms. “This is the best jacket I’ve ever seen, and definitely the most expensive one I’ve ever owned. This had to cost at least a few hundred dollars.”

  I grab it and slip it on her, my heart stopping when I see how incredibly beautiful she looks in it. “The price doesn’t matter. I just wanted you to have the best gift on your birthday. I saw this and knew you had to have it.”

  She throws her arms around me, and like a fool, I bury my face into her hair, lingering for a few moments too long before finally kissing the side of her head and breaking the hug. My heart is pounding so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if she felt it.

  “It goes perfect with the boots Quinn got me.” Her voice breaks and she lowers her gaze to her feet, showing me the black, strappy boots. “Thank you.”

  Quinn. Fuck. I need to get a grip.

  “I should get going. Roman asked me to let you know that he has the late shift at the pub tonight, so he’ll stop by in the morning with your gift.”

  She nods, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before looking away. “Tell him I’ll be at Stiles’ riding the trails. He can meet me there.”

  I turn around and head for the door, stopping to turn back around. “Don’t ever ignore my call again. I’ll show up every time.”

  She smiles and sits on the foot of her bed, reaching for her earbuds. “I’ll remember that.”

&nb
sp; When I get back to my truck, I squeeze the steering wheel and cuss under my breath, cursing myself for getting Dakota that damn leather jacket. Paired with those skintight jeans she was wearing, I barely made it out of the house without a fucking hard-on. What the fuck does that say about me? I’ve been with Quinn for almost two years and sex hasn’t even crossed my mind. She wants to wait, which is good for me. I’m counting on it. I’m just not so sure the guy she’s waiting for will be me.

  I care about Quinn. She’s a good girlfriend. One of the best a guy could ask for, but even I know that won’t be enough forever. She’s beautiful, sweet, and caring, but she’s not Dakota. She’s not her sister.

  Fuck, I’m a piece of shit for being in love with the one person who can never be mine. And I’m an even bigger piece of shit for knowing deep down inside, that if I could, I’d trade Quinn for her any chance I got.

  Easton

  I’ve been lying here awake for the past two hours, running my fingers through Dakota’s hair. She’s still asleep, her head resting against my bare chest, and there’s no better feeling in the world than having her in my arms. I’ve waited too long to find out what this feels like.

  As anxious as I am to spend some alone time with her this morning, I’m not sure I’m ready to give this feeling up yet. It’s the first morning I’ve slept here that we haven’t had to rush out of bed in fear of someone finding me here or being late to the shop. Everyone else is working until later this afternoon, so I close my eyes and breathe in this moment for as long as I can.

  “Morning,” Dakota whispers against my arm, her eyes struggling to look up at my face. “How long have you been awake? What time is it?”

  “Not long.” I kiss the top of her head before maneuvering to my knees and spreading her thighs with mine so I can lay between them. “Don’t worry about time. There’s no one around to find us.”

  She yawns and covers her mouth, before saying, “I know. Just wondering how much time we have.”

  I press my lips against her neck, kissing it gently, moving my way up to her lips. “We have a few hours. Get dressed. Wear something comfortable. There’s something I want to do with you.”

  She rests her forehead against mine and smiles against my lips when I flip us over so that she’s straddling my lap. “Isn’t it about to rain soon?”

  “Yes,” I whisper, moving my hands to tangle into the back of her hair. “That’s why you need to wear something you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.”

  Her eyes widen in excitement as if she’s just figured it out. “Stiles’ trails?” I nod, and she slaps my chest and jumps to her feet, scrambling to her dresser. “Good. I have the perfect shirt for you to dirty up then.”

  I sit up and slip into my jeans, smiling when she tosses my old Metallica T-shirt at me. I haven’t seen that thing in almost nine years. “Really? Where did you find this old thing?” I stand and put the T-shirt on; it fits a little snugger than I remember.

  “I found it in my parents’ garage a couple of years back.” She eyes me over, clearly liking what she sees. “You’ve grown into it. I remember when it used to be two times too big for you, but you bought it anyway, because it was the last one you could find with that specific design. It looked silly on you, but you didn’t care. You never cared what anyone thought of you.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I cared a lot more about what you thought of me than you think. Just not when it came to my choice of T-shirts. Especially that one.” I laugh and wrap my arms around her, pulling her against me. “So… Any idea how it ended up in the garage?”

  She gives me a guilty look and places her hands against my chest. “Not a clue. Be right back.” She rushes out of her bedroom and seconds later I hear the bathroom sink turn on.

  I don’t have my toothbrush, so I walk into the bathroom, grab the mouthwash, and swish it around for a good minute, spitting it into the sink right before she does. “Are you sticking with that lie, Kota?” I move in behind her until our bodies meet.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She eyes me in the mirror, fighting a smile. “Gotta get ready. No time for playing guessing games if we want to be done before the rain hits.” She walks back to her bedroom, me following close behind. Right when she’s about to bend down to slip into a pair of old sneakers, I wrap my arms around her waist and pick her up, tossing her onto the bed.

  She swallows, her eyes locked on mine as I climb in between her legs and brush my lip ring along her neck. “You didn’t take it and hide it that day I was on my dirt bike and it was really, really hot out? It seemed to disappear into thin air after that.”

  “Maybe.” She digs her nails into my shoulders when I press my body into her, moving her farther up the bed with a growl. “What if I did? What are you going to do about it?”

  I graze my teeth over her neck and grip her thigh, moving my hand up to her hip. “Nothing. I just want to hear you admit it after all these years.” I move against her and her eyes close. “Did you take it, Kota? Yes or no. I can do this all day until you answer me. I know how much you like the trails…”

  “Yes, I took it.” Her words come out breathy as I trail kisses along her neck, teasing her. “I was tired of seeing it, so I buried it in the garage beneath old bike parts.”

  Satisfied, I climb to my feet and reach on the nightstand for her car keys. “I knew it all along.” I smirk and toss the keys up, catching them. “I saw you take it. I just figured you tossed it in the trash years ago, so I didn’t bother looking for it.” I grab Dakota’s hand and pull her to her feet. “Let’s go. I’m driving.”

  “Seriously?” she asks once we get outside. “You want to drive my car when you won’t let me drive your truck? I don’t think so.” She snatches the keys from my hand and points at the passenger door. “Don’t hit your head on the way in like you used to. There’s this thing called ducking.”

  I open the door and duck into her Dodge Avenger, before closing the door and pulling her in for a kiss. I’ve always wanted to kiss her in this damn car but was never allowed to. Kissing her in it now makes all those times of hitting my head worth it.

  I pull away and she licks her lips, before smiling and taking off.

  Minutes later, we pull up at Stiles’ house and hike up the trail to where he keeps his Can-Am Renegade. Dakota doesn’t argue when I hop on first. She just jumps on behind me like old times and wraps her arms around my midsection. “Let’s go. Don’t take it easy, either. I wore my dirty-up clothes. Don’t let me down, Easton.”

  With a grin, I start it up and take off, her grip on me tightening as I head for the muddy trail. “Oh, you’re definitely getting those clothes dirty.” Mud flies up all around us, splattering against our bodies and the machine as I ride fast, giving her the rush she craves. The rush we both crave, and doing it together only makes it that much more satisfying. Taking this thing out with Dakota was one of the things I looked forward to doing the most, because it involved her arms around me and us both going fast. Once she got her own bike, this was the only thing that kept her close to me. I could do this every day with her and never grow tired of the way it feels.

  She holds me tighter when I make a quick turn and then yells at me to go faster, so I do, letting her call the shots, because that’s always what made her happy.

  “To the right!” She taps my right leg, so I make a quick turn, practically eating mud when I do.

  Once we reach an open spot, free of trees, I do a three-sixty, the tires kicking up mud until we’re completely covered in it. Dakota screams out in excitement before it turns into laughter behind me. I laugh too, and turn down another trail, enjoying this moment so much more knowing how happy Dakota is right now.

  We haven’t been riding for long—maybe thirty minutes—when the rain hits, causing Dakota to hide her face against my back and laugh as we both get soaked. It went from a few drops to a curtain in seconds. “It’s so cold!” she screams. “Holy shit!”

  “Do you want to go back
?” I find some trees to hide under and stop, so I can look back at her. “We can go back if you want. Just give the word.”

  “No!” She shakes her head, her body shivering against me. “Keep going! I’m not ready to go back! Not yet!”

  “Then we don’t have to.” I turn off the engine and grab Dakota’s left arm and leg, pulling her around to the front so that she’s facing me, her legs over mine. I cup her wet face and look her in the eyes. “Last time we were here you hated me. Now you’re in my arms the way I wanted you to be that day. There have been so many times over the years that I’ve wanted to do this with you. All those times we were out here together.”

  She’s silent for a moment, before finally saying, “I haven’t decided if I’ve surrendered my hatred for you yet, to be honest. I’m trying not to think too much. I can’t when it comes to you. To us.”

  She swallows and slightly tilts her head back when I run my thumb over her throat, before lightly wrapping my hand around it and pulling her to me to speak against her lips. “Maybe this will help you decide…”

  I growl against her wet lips before swiping my tongue across them, asking for entry that she instantly grants. The rain continues to beat down on top of us, but she kisses me back as if she’s forgotten about being cold. Her hands tangle into my hair and she moans against my lips, pulling back some. “It might’ve helped… just a little bit.”

  I smile, before biting her bottom lip and teasingly tugging on it. “Do you need some more convincing?” I squeeze her throat a little tighter and slip my tongue into her mouth with a growl.

  “Easton…” She moans into my mouth. “I hate you even more now. You have no idea.”

  “I don’t believe that,” I whisper. “Not for one fucking second.”

  “Why?” she whispers. “What makes you so sure?”

  “Because you’re holding onto me as if you never want to let go,” I breathe the words across her lips, my heart racing against hers. “I never want you to, Kota. I’d let you hold on forever if you wanted to.” I pull her in for a kiss and she holds me tighter, only proving what I said was true. She might’ve hated me when I first came back, but she doesn’t now. I needed this from her more than I knew.