Luckily for him, his hands fly up and away from Courtney. “Sorry man.”
With that, Noah swiftly bows out, leaving me to deal with Courtney after I just spoke the few words which are bound to have her saying a few right back. Courtney turns in my arms before taking my hand from her waist and physically removing it. “This one certainly is not taken,” she reminds, using that same attitude that has me wanting to bend her over the bar and fuck her within an inch of her life.
I take hold of her waist once again, this time not giving her an option to remove me. “I know you’re not taken, but that fucker doesn’t need to know that.”
Courtney studies me for a moment before raising her chin to meet my eyes. “I don’t need you to save me, Puck.”
Fuck me. Why do those words ring so loudly within me?
All I want to do is save this girl and right now, I have absolutely no idea what that means, all I know is that I want to kiss her over and over again until we’re struggling to breathe. But I can’t. I won’t. Not yet at least. I can’t allow myself to fall down that trap and let her suck me in.
“I’m not here for a lecture, babe,” I say, knowing exactly how much she hates it when I call her that. I pull her in hard against my body and drop my lips to her neck, kissing the softest skin and loving the feel as she melts into me. I trail my lips up her neck until they’re hovering beneath her ear. “It’s a party, forget about everything and dance with me.”
Courtney’s fingers clench into my shirt and I feel her grin against my shoulder. She slides her hands up my chest and begins moving her body against mine, though something tells me it’s got something to do with her body’s natural reaction to me rather than what her brain is telling her to do. “This isn’t a good idea.”
My hand slides down her back until my fingers are slipping into the waistband of her shorts and able to feel the top of her bikini bottoms. “This is the best damn idea I’ve had all day.”
Courtney shakes her head, but she’s unable to mask the smile on her face. “You’re a dork, Puck.”
“And you’re a tease, babe.”
Courtney laughs, not once denying my claim as she turns in my arms and plasters her back against my chest, holding my arms tight to her body. She dances against me, grinding herself against me as I do the same, and despite how desperately I want to take her upstairs and show her exactly what I want to do with her, I also don’t want to step away from this moment.
Chapter 8
Courtney
I walk through the door of the cafeteria on Monday afternoon with Brylee while my stomach growls for something to eat. I was in a mad rush this morning after Matty decided to take the longest shower of his life before taking a good half an hour sitting on the toilet. I swear, that kid has some serious issues with his bowels.
I ran out of the house without my breakfast this morning and made it to homeroom just as Miss Blakeley was excusing us to get to the first class of the day. I stood at the front of the room for all of two seconds before the students in the room swarmed through the door, shoving me through with them.
I saw Puck for about three seconds before being shuffled off to my first class, and by ‘saw,’ what I mean is that I laid my eyes on him from far across the room which kind of sucks as I was hoping to talk to him this morning. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on between us and to be completely honest, it’s freaking me out.
I’m not that girl who does things on a whim, despite what Puck might be thinking. I like a little control in my life with maybe just a touch of unpredictable surprise, and Puck, well he’s certainly a surprise, a big one at that. I don’t know what to expect from him or what he wants, but as the days go on, it becomes startlingly clear that I want him more than I could have ever known.
What was I thinking to be hating on him so much over the past twelve years? I mean, sure, he puts on this big act that he’s larger than life, but when it comes down to it, he’s actually kind of sweet and not to mention, he has a caring side.
He’s become protective of me over the past two weeks. Every time we’re at a party, he’ll be the one to fly in and save me whenever another guy gets too close, but I don’t need saving. I can more than handle myself. He likes to be the guy who refills my drink, he likes to be the one to ask how my day is going, and without a doubt, every morning during homeroom, he gives me this smile that has the butterflies swarming around my stomach.
I’ve never been so confused. Puck isn’t known to be the kind of guy to not screw around with girls. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if nearly all the girls in school have already been with him. He’s made it kind of obvious that he likes me, and if that’s true, then why the hell hasn’t he made a move?
Am I looking at this all wrong? Does he maybe only like me as a friend or does he just enjoy the flirting every morning? I’m starting to see myself as a fool. I must be reading all the signs wrong because surely if he wanted something more from me, he would have made the move. He doesn’t strike me as the type to hold back when he’s interested, so I’m confused as to why he would now.
Brylee and I find Brooke and Tora busily picking out something to eat in the cafeteria and I scrunch up my face. We have a great school and an even better cafeteria, but I’ve never been one for food that I didn’t see getting cooked. It’s an irritating little quirk and makes going out for dinner with the family kind of difficult, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
There are all sorts of crazy people out in the world and I hear way too many stories on the news to bother risking my life for someone else’s negligence or mistakes. Besides, I kind of enjoy cooking so it’s not that bad.
Tora turns around as I grab an apple and take hold of the stem then twist it until it tears free. “What do you say about sitting out in the sun today?” she suggests, looking past my shoulder at the table of boys currently fucking around. Though Nate doesn’t seem to be there so I’m not sure what her problem is, but Puck is and I can’t really be bothered spending my whole lunch break thinking about this again, especially right now as I feel the heavy, intense stare of his bright blue eyes piercing into my back. It’s become the norm lately and I’m starting to realize that I don’t exactly hate it, not like I used to over the years.
I give a non-committal shrug as Brylee does the same. Brooke agrees, but the longing look she sends towards Maxen tells me that she’s really not keen on the idea. Majority wins though, and unfortunately for Brooke, that means we’re heading outside.
The girls and I walk out into the fresh air and take a seat in the grass overlooking the football field. A few of the guys are playing around, kicking the ball though I have absolutely no interest in watching, so I lay back in the grass and soak up the sun.
Brooke launches into her recap of what’s been happening with Maxen over the past few days and I do my best to zone out. I’m all for her finding something special with the guy if that’s what’s actually happening, but right now, all it’s doing is making me think about what’s not happening with Puck.
Damn it. I feel like I can’t even talk about it. Tora has so much going on with Nate and her nanna, Brooke is crazy fawning over Maxen, and well Brylee she’s so chill about it that if I even bring it up, she gives me the ‘haven’t you fucked him yet? What are you waiting for?’ speech, and as much as I love her support on the topic, it makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me and leaves me wondering why he hasn’t made a move?
Toward the end of lunch, Josh comes striding over with Elle, both insistent to start something with Tora after things got a little shady for her at the pool party. She shut Josh down in a big way and I’m pretty sure Tora threw her drink all over Elle as well and seeing the sickly-sweet smile on Elle’s face right now, it’s clear that they have some sort of twisted plan of revenge.
The four of us stand up and face them head-on. They have to be stupid if they think Tora will be going anywhere with them but it turns out that we don’t need to worry about it as Jesse com
es in and steals Tora away before Josh and Elle even get a chance to start thinking about putting their plan into action. Though he did mention something about a secret of Elle’s that he has to use against her if she was to keep fucking with Tora and from the horrified expression on her face, I’d dare say our Tora is safe from their evil clutches. For now, at least.
With Tora being dragged away, Brooke shoots a text through to Maxen, waits about three seconds before getting a reply and races off, probably to meet him in his car or a broom closet to re-enact their sexcapades from the weekend, and in the blink of an eye, it’s just me and Bry.
I watch as Brylee gets to her feet and I gawk at her in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re leaving to go screw some guy in a broom closet too?”
“I wish,” she scoffs before letting out a breath. “I need to pee, but you’re welcome to come if it will make you feel better.”
“Why thank you,” I tell her, getting to my feet and looping my arm through hers. “It’s been such a shitty day.”
“Really?” Bry grins. “You didn’t get enough intense stares from Puck during homeroom?”
“No. I missed homeroom.”
“Was Matty taking over the bathroom again?”
I let out a frustrated groan. “Yes! I swear, that little dweeb does this shit on purpose. He knows how much he gets under my skin. It’s as though he waits every morning until he hears my alarm and then scrambles out of his room for the bathroom. He probably thinks he’s a freaking genius.”
Brylee laughs as we walk through the doors of the senior girls’ bathroom. “Ahh, Matty. I love that kid.”
“Good,” I say, stopping at the row of sinks and looking at my reflection in the lipstick stained mirror. “You can have him then.”
“No way in hell,” Brylee says over her shoulder as she walks around to the stalls. “I love him, but there’s no way I could handle that kind of energy every single day.”
I let out a deep sigh. Damn, I was kind of hoping that on some level that might have worked. Don’t get me wrong, I love my little brother with every fiber within me, but he’s an asshole. Always has been and I don’t doubt that he always will be.
I take in my reflection and realize that I look like an absolute mess and get busy fixing up my hair. I pull it out of its elastic and start braiding it. My hair is pretty thick and I inherited my mom’s brunette waves so generally by the end of the day, I have little ringlets falling all over my face.
After quickly braiding my hair, I tie the elastic at the bottom and throw my thick mane back over my shoulder before falling against the wall to wait. There’s nothing worse than going to the bathroom with Brylee. She’s so freaking chatty that she always ends up finding someone in there and having a good conversation while forgetting that the rest of the world is still turning. Usually, I have to walk around to the stalls and find her, but she still has a minute or two before I’ll be forced to go looking.
I slip my phone out of my pocket and bring up my Instagram, letting myself get carried away with a new video posted by Chris Hemsworth. I hear the sound of the door opening, but keep my eyes down on my phone. After all, Chris is currently in the middle of working out and there’s simply nothing better.
A body crowds me and I gasp out as two perfectly warm hands take my waist. “What are you doing?” I grin as I look up at Puck who steps right into me, keeping me pinned against the wall and making the butterflies go batshit crazy again, just as they always do when he’s around. “You realize this is the girls’ bathroom, right, or was I right in assuming you don’t have a dick?”
Puck watches me in silence, shaking his head at my running commentary, but the amusement shines brightly in his bright blue eyes.
I swallow back as his intense stare has the laughter draining out of me. “What are you doing, Puck?” I whisper again, this time demanding an answer as I raise my chin so I can look more clearly into his eyes.
“I don’t know,” he finally says in that deep rumbly voice that has me wanting to beg him to keep me forever. His hand moves from my waist and slides up my body until it’s curled around the back of my neck. He leans in and I suck in a breath as my heart races. “I shouldn’t be doing this. I keep telling myself to stay away, but all I can think about is the taste of your lips. It’s fucking driving me insane, babe.”
Is this really happening?
His eyes focus heavily on mine as I remind myself to breathe. It’s as though he’s going in slow motion. Inching toward me bit by bit, slowly torturing me with the promise of what’s to come.
Please don’t stop.
Maybe he’s trying to talk himself out of it, thinking of all the reasons why he shouldn’t be doing this, but the second his lips find mine; I know this is right.
My hands slide up his chest and around the back of his neck, holding him close to me as his lips move softly against mine. It’s almost as though he thinks I’m fragile, that I’m precious and he’s afraid of breaking me, but he should know by now that I can handle just about anything he throws my way.
I melt into him and pull him in tighter as a moan travels up my throat, giving me away. Puck’s knee slips between my legs as his hand slides right around my waist, holding me just as I’ve been dreaming about.
I open up for him, letting him know that I’m ready for more and he doesn’t disappoint. Puck’s fingers tighten on my skin and I pull him in impossibly closer, slipping my hands right around his neck until the inside of my elbows are hooked against his warm skin.
Puck’s tongue slips inside my mouth and I do everything in my power not to become a puddle of mush at his feet, but it’s hard. This is the best damn kiss I’ve ever had. Soft yet intense in all the right ways.
His knee raises and presses against me and a gasp slips from between my lips. As he lets me find my bearings, he drops his lips to my neck and devours the sensitive skin as though it’s the sweetest thing he’s ever tasted.
Electricity pulses through me and has me grinding down on his knee, desperate for more. I can only imagine how incredible ‘more’ would be with him. I was only teasing when I accused him of being a dud in bed, and this right here is all the proof I’ll need. Puck is a man who knows exactly what he’s doing. I don’t doubt that he could even make me come right now.
I sure hope that’s where this thing between us is going. If just his kiss is this good, then maybe I should just give in and let him have me any way he wants. Brylee’s right. Who cares if I get hurt in the process? I’ll come out of this knowing I had some of the best sex of my life and have someone to compare every other guy to.
I run my fingernails up through his dark hair and he pulls back, sending a wave of devastation through me. Puck leans his forehead against mine. “Fuck, babe. You taste better than I thought you would.”
My chest rises and falls, desperate to catch my breath as I welcome my brain to snap back into reality. “I don’t understand you,” I murmur. “What was that?”
Puck gives me the goofiest, lopsided grin that has warmth spreading all through me. “I think it was a kiss.”
A soft laugh bubbles up my throat. “I’ve been kissed before and that was no kiss, but that’s not what I meant and you know it.”
Puck shakes his head, pressing his lips into a tight line as his hand drops from the back of my neck. He trails his fingers down my arm until they’re lacing through mine and making my heart race faster than ever before. “I don’t know what that was,” he tells me honestly. “I saw you come in here and I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. I had to kiss you.”
My brows pull down in confusion as I watch this incredible man before me. “I don’t understand,” I tell him. “What do you mean you couldn’t hold yourself back anymore? Why are you holding back?”
His eyes close for the briefest second and as he opens them once again, regret shines in their depths. He presses his lips to my forehead before pulling me in and holding me tight against his chest. “I don’t do relationships, Courtney, an
d I don’t have to be a genius to know that you don’t let guys fuck you in a bathroom and then leave. If I…if we were to do this, there’s no doubt that I’ll hurt you and despite how badly I want to take you to bed, I can’t do that to you.”
I pull back, looking up at his face, making sure I’m understanding this correctly. “What are you saying? That this isn’t going to happen? Because if it’s just a little fun, then I’m fine with that.”
“No, you’re not, Courtney. You might think you’re up for a quick fuck just to scratch that itch and get it over and done with, but you’re not, and I’m not willing to hurt you like that. I don’t know how the fuck it happened, but I care about you too much to crush you like that.”
I shake my head, unsure why I feel like I’m about to lose something that I never had. “I think you're overestimating how I feel about you.”
He gives me a wolfish grin and I realize that I’m lying right through my teeth, though I think he knows that too. Hell, he says he doesn’t want to hurt me but is he aware that he already is?
“You can’t lie to me, babe. I see it every time you look at me. You want more and I can’t give that to you. We need to stop this…whatever it is.”
I take a breath and drop my arms from around his neck while pulling my fingers from his. I place a hand on his chest and gently push him back a step, trying to give myself a little space and appear so much stronger than what I’m feeling. “I don’t think it’s possible to stop something that never began.”
Hurt flashes in his eyes which leaves me even more confused when he slowly nods his head and walks away.
I sink back onto the wall, begging myself not to cry. That fucking stung. The past two weeks I’ve talked this up in my head, I’ve allowed myself to think that this is something more than what it is. I’ve allowed him to worm his way into my heart despite my better judgment, and I was right all along. Puck Jones was going to hurt me and that’s exactly what I allowed him to do. I guess I’m just lucky that he pulled the pin before he got any closer.
Puck: Broken Hill Boys (Novella 1) Page 6
