This Beautiful Thing (Young Love Series)

by Amanda Heath

  This Beautiful Thing

  Amanda Heath

  Published by Amanda Heath at Smashwords

  Copyright 2012 by Amanda Heath

  All Rights Reserved.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication

  may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by

  any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise) without the prior written

  permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations embodied within

  critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The people, incidents, and dialogue are the product of the

  author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead or undead, is purely

  coincidental.

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this

  book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.

  Written by Amanda Heath

  Cover Design by Must Love Fangs

  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Must-Love-Fangs/347011038672598?fref=ts

  DEDICATION

  ~To my mother who always believed in me when no one else did. I love you mom!

  ~To my husband and monkey the lights in my life and fillers of my heart. I love you both!

  ~To Stacy who listens to every rant and rave I have and doesn’t let me give up.

  ~To Kris who is always there when I need a shoulder to gripe on. Who also stood by me and helped me tremendously with this book!

  Chapter 1

  Teagan

  “Mom wants you to come to dinner tomorrow night.” My sister Marie’s voice comes over my cell phone.

  I sigh. “Do I have to? Please don’t make me do it. I can’t stand the tension, why do you think I live on campus?” This is the last thing I need in my life right now. I may have got a scholarship to college but they wouldn’t let me go far, just an hour up the road.

  “Yes Teag you have to come. Max and I are gonna tell them I’m pregnant, so I really want you to be there.” She’s been married to Max for like six months and already pregnant. My prefect sister is already getting her prefect life.

  “Fine I’ll be there but I’m not staying the night. I’m driving back here and sleeping away from the drama.” I give in only because I love my sister and she’s never seen me the way that my step-mother does. None of my brother s and sisters have.

  She squeals in my ear and I whence. “This is so great! I am so excited I haven’t seen you since you started school!”

  “Geez I’m friggin deaf now thank you. It’s just a couple of hours, if I last that long.” I complain.

  “You will for me at least. Ok well I gotta go honey! I’ll see you tomorrow and I love you.”

  “Love you to MayMay.” I hang up my phone and let my head fall onto my pillow.

  The thing about my family is we are not normal at all. We are the definition of dysfunctional. And unfortunately that is my fault. Well maybe more my dad’s fault, oh and my mother. See I’m a love child and it was quite a scandal in my hometown in Arkansas. My dad happens to own most of the place and he was the mayor at the time. Hell he still is the mayor; he has run unopposed for years.

  Funny thing about it is that the town put the blame on my mom and me. Can you imagine people treating you like the plague and not letting their children play with you when you’re just a child? It sucked. My mother though she was awesome. She held her head up high and went on with her life. God I miss her. She died when I was ten from cancer.

  That’s when I had to go live with the Harper’s. James is my dad, Sarah is my step-mom, Jessica is my oldest sister, then there is Forest my oldest brother, plus Marie and last but not least are the twins Jaden and Caden. Another funny thing, they are two weeks older than me.

  I had an entire family I knew nothing about and it was scary. Hell I was in the same grade with Jaden and Caden and none of us knew it. Well expect James and Sarah, or daddy and Sarah as I call them. And apparently it wasn’t his idea. It was mom. Mom told me before she died that she did it to hurt my dad but in the end she ended up hurting me as well. And then she was gone and I had to deal with this on my own.

  It wasn’t all that bad really though. Jessica and Marie had a new sister they got to pamper and I had someone to teach me about boys and makeup. Things like that. Jessica is my best friend. I can tell her anything and she doesn’t judge me. Marie is a goodie two shoes but I love her to death.

  Jaden and Caden took it upon themselves to be my protectors. Or should I say wardens. I can blame them for the fact I’m still a virgin. All the guys in my town were so afraid of them. Mitch Dewater wasn’t afraid of them until after we made out in his car and the twins found out. He got the day-lights beat out of him. Mitch and every other guy never spoke to me again.

  Forest was sixteen at the time but he still took the time to play with me. We climbed trees and played in the mud. He even played Barbie dolls. He got teased by the twins for it but he always said as long as I was happy he was happy.

  Now on to daddy, I really love my daddy. You might think he is a bad guy but really he is the sweetest man. I have never wanted for anything in my life. Where some men might abandon their love child, he didn’t. I might not have known it then but when I was little I had expensive gifts and my clothes where name brand but my mom just worked at a diner. He has never said anything but I have since put two and two together. My mom was selfish and thought she was doing the right thing and I’m glad she saw the error of her ways before she died.

  And now we have Sarah. Where do I even begin? It’s not that she is a bad person or anything; I mean she has five wonderful children. I guess she just didn’t see a place for me in her life. Every time I see her I get a boat load of criticism. I stopped trying to please her years ago and have learned to just nod and go on with life. I’m not perfect like the rest of them.

  My dorm room door bursts open and I lift my head from the pillow and my thoughts. In walks my roommate Grace. She’s got this huge smile on her pretty face and she flips her blonde locks over her slender shoulder and runs to my bed. Before I know it she has landed on me crushing the air out of my lungs. She might be small but I’m tiny. I also hear a thump which means she hit her head on the headboard.

  “Grace I can’t breathe.” I mumble underneath her.

  She flops over holding her head. “Ouch, I forget how small these stupid beds are! And I’m sorry for crushing you hon that was not my intentions.” She smiles sheepishly.

  I laugh at her and shake my head. “It’s cool dude, what’s up?”

  “Wanna go to a party? Apparently one of the football players is throwing a huge one at his parents’ house. They are out of town or something like that.”

  I look at her and shake my head again. I love this girl but she is totally boy crazy. She has the charm of a true southern belle that would make anyone melt. She is a cheerleader and has had a huge crush on one of the football players since the beginning of the year, hence her wanting to go to his party. “Uh yeah I do. I have to go home tomorrow because Marie is telling dad and Sarah she is expecting. I need to have fun before I have to hear my step-mom talk crap about me all day long.”

  She squeals and gets off the bed. She runs over to my closet tripping over her pink shaggy rug on the floor between our beds. I laugh out loud and get up to stop her before I end up in pink.

  Chapter 2

  Declan

  “Dude this party is bumpi
ng.” Jaden says to my right. The bodies are swaying to the beat of the music. I think it is some song by Lady Gaga and she’s hot and everything but I prefer something less poppy.

  I start to reply but he gets a shocked look on his face. “What’s up dude?” I shout over the song.

  “My little sister just walked in. How the hell did she even know about this party? She doesn’t run with this crowd.” He scowls and starts to walk off in that direction.

  “Wait, what’s the big deal? Let her have some fun man.” I almost laugh at the look on his face. The way he talks about his little sister you would think she was twelve not eighteen.

  “She can have fun in her dorm room away from all these horny football players.” He sneers at something and I turn to look. I personally don’t see anything but whatever. I’m not gonna stop him.

  As I watch him walk off a pair of warm hands find their way under my polo shirt. I know it is Claire before I even look over my shoulder to found out. Nobody has boobs as big as her and they are currently pressed up against my back. “What do you want, Claire?” I ask even though I know what she wants.

  “I only want you sugar.” She purrs in my ear.

  I run my hands over her arms down to her hands and throw them off me. “Sorry I’m not on the menu anymore.”

  She looks all pissed at me and I see her face turn red. “You can’t turn me down, I’m your girlfriend.”

  I raise one eyebrow and smile. We dated all through high school and we decided to both go to school here so we could be together but the week we started school she decided she wanted to date other people. “No I don’t think so. I remember you dumping me about eight weeks ago.”

  Her dull blue eyes fill up with fire. I know she’s gonna make a scene and I’m so tired of her drama. It was honestly a relief when she dumped me. “I didn’t dump you! We were taking a break!” She screams into my face.

  “Yes you did, now run along I don’t have time for your crazy shit tonight, bitch.” Calling her a bitch might have gone too far.

  “Did you just call me a bitch? No one calls me a bitch!” I think she is turning to leave but she just grabs a cup from a nearby chick and proceeds to throw it at me. But it not only hits me in the face but also a girl trying to get between us. And this girl looks pissed.

  She can’t be over five foot because I tower way over her. Her long curly black hair is plastered to her face and the liquid is dripping down her cleavage soaking her dark shirt. I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t for the little thing to punch Claire in the face.

  “This is my favorite shirt! It’s signed by M. Shadows and you just ruined it! I’m gonna kill you!” the tiny thing screams in Claire’s face. Claire has this deer in headlights look with blood dripping out of her broken nose. I don’t think anyone has ever stood up to her and she doesn’t know how to take it.

  “Ok there little bit lets calm down, and back away from the bitch princess and get you something dry to wear.” I wrap my arm around her waist and to find she weighs nothing. Which is a change from Claire who is almost as tall as me and is very curvy; it’s not a bad thing just different. “Claire you should go to the hospital to get that set.” I smirk and wave her away.

  I grab the tiny girls hand and pull her along up the stairs to my room. I open the door and pull her inside and shut it. I left the light on earlier and I’m surprised no one is hooking up in here yet. I’m a totally neat freak and nothing in here is out of place. My bed with its dark blue comforter is made and my desk in the corner has all the papers in order. “Have a seat on the bed. I think I can find you something that won’t drown you.”

  “I doubt it your like huge.” She says right before she blushes. “Oh my god! I’m sorry that came out wrong.” I look back at her and see her face flush a beautiful pink. And that’s when I notice how beautiful she is with her heart shaped face and emerald eyes. I’m drawn to her lips which are so unique. The top one is thin and almost nonexistence with the bottom one bigger with this faint freckle near the right side of her mouth. I can’t help but to think how easy it would be to bite it and suck it with my own lips. Then I would clean all the beer off of her pale skin with my tongue.

  Damn I need to get my head out of the gutter. “So how did you get M. Shadows to sign your shirt?” I ask trying to get my head in the right place. The eight beers I had earlier are clouding my judgment.

  “Oh I got to go backstage last year during Edgefest when they were playing. I also have a picture with the whole band on my wall at home.” Then she looks a little confused. “You know who Avenged Sevenfold is?”

  I chuckle and point at a poster of Nightmare on my closet door. “Yeah I have all their albums. I was also at Edgefest last year but I didn’t get to go back stage or anything. Didn’t you think it was sick though? With the drum solo that had the flashing lights. And they way looked 3D out in the crowd.”

  She smiles and I nearly fall to my knees. Her whole face lights up and I swear she is an angel. “Oh my god, I didn’t know about the 3D thing I was backstage! That is wicked cool.”

  I’m still kind of dumbfounded when she pulls her shirt off over her head. She’s got a lacey white tank underneath which is soaked and see through. My pants start to get tight in the groin area as I see the black bra on underneath. As she gets up off the bed and walks over to me, I think I must be dreaming. When she gets to me she lifts the shirt I found for her out of my hands and puts it on. I forgot I found my junior high football shirt. I was like twelve and it fits her perfectly and I feel kind of good inside to see her wearing it.

  Teagan

  I love this possessive look on his face. I still can’t believe that I took my shirt off in front of him that has to be the alcohol because I would never do anything that crazy on my own. Maybe six shots of vodka were a little too much.

  I study his face and I swear I know him from somewhere, he’s just so familiar. He’s got golden blonde hair shaved to about an inch above his scalp and the most gorgeous brown eyes that remind me of chocolate. He’s got high cheek bones with a strong jaw full of stubble, and a perfect straight nose. I notice laugh lines around his full lips and I wonder what he tastes like. I haven’t kissed many boys in my life but I would go in inexperienced just to feel them against mine.

  The room’s temperature rises and I wish I had left just the tank on as sweat forms on my brow. Maybe it’s just his body because it’s hot. I wanna run my hands over his broad chest and down his long arms. I can see the muscles under his shirt sleeves and they are huge. I shake my head to clear it of these thoughts, I mean I’m sane headed all the time I don’t get all hot and bothered by some guy I don’t even know.

  “I think we need to change your shirt now.” I blink thinking that can’t be me who just said that.

  He grins and cocks his eyebrow up. “Is that so baby? You gonna help me?”

  I shiver when he calls me baby and wonder why I like it so much. “Hmmm I don’t think so.” I smile innocently at him. “I’m guessing you aren’t as drunk as me.”

  “No I think I’m drunker then you are and I’m pretty sure I need your help.” He grabs my hand and puts it at the hem of his polo shirt. I can’t believe that he is flirting with me nor can I believe that I’m flirting back. I pull it up past his abs which are packed, then over his pecks which are well defined and then it’s over his head and on the floor. And I don’t know if I can blame it on the alcohol when I start at his stomach and run my hands upward over his chest and up to clasp his strong neck.

  He smiles and his hands go to the back of my thighs pulling them up for my legs to go around his waist. When his lips find mine I shiver and my skin erupts in goose bumps. It’s the best feeling in the world when his tongue curls with mine and our lips move in sync. The kiss goes on forever and I’m barely coming up for air. He starts to walk forward and then I’m falling.

  I land on the bed and before I know it he’s is on top of me. He rests some of his weight on his forearms near my head and his
fingers go into my hair. I wonder why he isn’t kissing me so I look up into his intense chocolate eyes. “You are so beautiful baby.” He finally says and then his lips are back on mine. My hands are clutching his neck holding on for the kiss of my life. His lips leave mine again as he rises up on his knees. I can’t help but to think how gorgeous he is with his tan skin all flushed. He grabs the hem of my shirt tugging it, so I lift up so he can pull it over my head. Both the shirt and tank I have on underneath land on the floor, leaving me in my bra and jeans. So I go a step further and unclasp the hooks in the back, which I toss on the floor to join my shirts.

  He runs his hand down his face and lets out a gush of air. Then he’s pushing me back down and his hands cup my bare breasts. Once again I find myself breathless as his lips devour mine. Then his kisses leave my mouth and start moving down my neck in licks and nibbles and it’s all I can do not to moan. When he makes it to my right nipple sucking it into his mouth I do moan.

  “Make that noise again baby.” He says as he moves to my left nipple and I do. He lets it go with a pop and follows the same trail back up to my lips and he is kissing me again.

  Declan

  I can’t believe that this is happening. I mean I know I’m pretty drunk but this is the hottest girl I have ever seen and now she is on my bed topless. Her breasts are perfect just the right handful with little pink nipples. Her stomach is flat and there is a tattoo peeking out from under her jeans and I can’t be sure but I think it says ‘Speechless’. I guess I will just have to find out. I unbutton her jeans and pull the zipper down. I move my hands to the waist and she lifts her hips so I can tug them off.

  Fuck her tat does say speechless and her panties match her discarded bra. I’m so hard it actually hurts and I move to take my own jeans off and my boxers go with them. When they hit the floor leaving me naked I join her back on the bed. I lay on my side next to her and she moves right when I do and our lips meet again. Her hands go around my neck and I get chills from her light touch. I can’t believe how turned on I am. It’s never been like this with anyone else.