Someone to Love

by Riley Rhea

  I can see all his emotions, his guard is down and I know in this moment that Spencer will be mine.

  Spencer smiles that panty melting smile before leaning down and brushing his lips across mine. When he pulls away he places his forehead against mine and stares into my eyes. The intensity in his eyes makes my heart flutter.

  “You’re one of a kind, Lexi, and you scare the holy living fuck out of me,” Spencer says softly.

  “You scare me too, Spencer. This is all new to me. I want to take this journey with you. That is, if you are willing to give me that chance.” I hold my breath waiting for his reply.

  Spencer continues to stare into my eyes without saying anything for what feels like forever. I may pass out from lack of oxygen at any moment. I can’t force the breath out of my lungs.

  “Just be patient with me, okay? I’m sure I will fuck this up somehow so let’s go one step at a time. Can we do that?”

  My breath leaves me in a rush as I reach up and latch my mouth to his answering him in the only way I can at the moment. I know that Spencer is the person I’ve waited for all along. I’m a little overwhelmed with emotions at the moment. Our bodies are still connected and I hope that when the euphoria of this moment passes, he doesn’t throw all those bricks back up blocking the entrance to his heart.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lexi

  I let Spencer drive us to Brenna and Tucker’s house. He starts whining about my car being too small. Well, in case he hasn’t noticed I’m a small person. I can’t help it if his tall ass can’t fit in here. It’s quite amusing though, watching him try to get in before he put the seat back. I’m glad he wanted to drive though, because it gives me time to read.

  Kicking off my shoes and putting my feet up on the dash, I’m ready to delve back into Cage by Harper Sloan. Holy Hell, he’s hot! Just when I thought he is this big ole sweet teddy bear. WHAM! HELLO ALPHA! That chick, Melissa, is one lucky bitch! Then there’s Cohen, oh that little boy melts my heart and makes me wanna pee my pants at the same time from laughing. I just can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

  If I ever have kids I want one just like Cohen. I glance over at Spencer and wonder if he will be as protective over his own family one day. Will he be my Greg Cage?

  Spencer cuts his eyes toward me and a small smile spreads across his handsome face.

  “What are you thinking about?” He asks.

  “Nothing, just admiring the view,” I lie. If I tell him what I’m thinking about, he’d probably jump out of the car while it’s moving right here on I-65, with traffic zooming past us at 70 mph.

  I go back to reading, trying to keep my thoughts on this hot ass man written in the pages. The more I read, the warmer it gets in the car. Wow, Harper sure can write a sex scene. I’m about two seconds away from demanding Spencer pull over and take care of my book induced arousal.

  I’m so close to the end of this one and can’t wait to get to the next book. I love this series and can’t wait to see what Brenna thinks about them. I just sent Axel to her Kindle not long ago and even with everything that’s going on, she’s reading it slowly when she’s not with Tucker. I’ve got Beck loaded on here and can’t wait to see what’s up between him and Dee.

  I continue to read as the scenery changes from city to rural and recognize that we are getting closer to Brenna’s house. I hear my phone chime with a text message and groan. Why do people always want to chat when you’re at 90% on your Kindle! I mean really? Don’t they know it’s crucial not to mess with a book whore and her reading?

  Pulling my phone out of my purse I swipe the screen and hit my inbox icon. Well, I can’t be too upset it’s B.

  Brenna: Hey u on ur way?

  Lexi: Yep about 30 mins away.

  Brenna: Sweet! C ya soon <3

  Lexi: C ya soon <3

  Hmmm… Wonder what that was all about. She knew we were coming and we’re not running late. I know she’s up to something. I just haven’t figured out what yet. Maybe it has to do with the wedding. Oh well, I’ll know soon enough. Right now, I have an ending to read.

  By the time Spencer pulls onto the exit ramp, I’m closing my Kindle and putting it away. That was an amazing read! If I ever meet her, I will kiss Harper Sloan’s face for that ending.

  “Did you finish your book?” Spencer asks.

  I really like that he didn’t poke fun of me for grabbing my Kindle. Seriously, it’s like American Express, I never leave home without it.

  “Yep, and it was amazing. She’s a great author. I can’t wait to read her next book.” I begin to tell him a little about the series as he makes his way toward Brenna and Tucker’s house.

  “That’s cool. Maybe I will have to check them out.”

  Hang on a minute while I pick my jaw up of the floor. “You read?”

  “Yeah, Lexi. Reading is fundamental and all that.” Spencer says with a chuckle.

  Be still my heart. What more could a girl ask for? “What types of books do you read?” Surely he doesn’t read romance.

  “Whatever catches my eye. I read a little bit of everything. And yes, Lexi I do read romance some too. I read Carlie Sexton’s A Killer Next Door Series. Damn that dude was twisted.”

  “Oh my God, Roger scared the crap out of me. I barricaded my front door and checked my windows for a month after reading those,” I reply with a shudder.

  Spencer nods and we continue talking about books we’ve read and I’m totally jacking his Kindle. Yes, he has a Kindle, too. Who knew? I wanna see what’s all in his library and see what I can send him. This could be fun. Oh, the possibilities.

  “Why are we here?” I ask totally confused as I look out the window at Spencer’s house.

  “I almost forgot that Tucker asked me to bring my picnic table over. He helped me load it in my truck after work the other day. That’s one reason I rode down to Louisville with them.”

  “Oh, okay, so should I just follow you or…” Before I can finish Spencer puts his finger over my lips to hush me.

  “No, you should get your ass in my truck and ride with me. You’re not going back to Louisville tonight.”

  Yep, there went another perfectly good pair of panties. I love this side of him.

  When we get to Brenna and Tucker’s, Spencer helps me out of his big truck, and then threads his fingers through mine. He needs a running board or he will be lifting me up and down every time. Not that I’d mind that one bit.

  We make our way to the back door and knock. And wait. What the hell? She just texted me thirty minutes ago. Seriously, can they not come up for air long enough to answer the damn door?

  Finally, the door opens and there they are, both grinning from ear to ear.

  Busted. Again.

  When Tucker and Spencer go out to unload the picnic table and set it up in the yard, Brenna fills me in on what she needs me to do today. I’m to help keep Tucker occupied.

  “Why am I keeping Tucker occupied, B? What’s going on?” She doesn’t answer me; she pulls me along behind her to the bathroom and opens the cabinet. When I see what she’s hiding in the towels I can’t help the squeal that leaves me.”

  “SHHH, Lexi!!” Brenna whisper shouts at me while slapping her hand across my mouth.

  Prying her hand away, I know I’m grinning like an idiot. “I’m going to be Auntie Lexi?”

  Brenna laughs. “We’ll see, but Tucker doesn’t know that I bought the test so this is all a surprise. I’m just going to pee on it and leave it on the counter and let him read the results.”

  I can’t wait to see his reaction.

  Pulling Brenna to me, I hug her tight and let her know I’ll do my best to keep him from following her. We are talking about Tucker Wade though; he has a hard time letting her out of his sight for long.

  When we pull apart, I see the questions forming. Brenna isn’t going to let me by without the third degree. “What happened after y’all left last night?”

  “What ever do you mean? We talked.” I a
nswer her. It’s the truth we didn’t do anything after we left.

  “Lexi, you’re so full of shit, I’m surprised your eyes aren’t brown. Y’all talked that’s all you did?” Brenna arches a brow at me.

  “Yes, that’s what we did…. Last night.” I can’t contain my happiness I want to jump up and down like a little girl who just got a new Barbie.

  “Spill it, Lexi.” And spill it I did. From the moment we left till the moment we got here. I tell her every last detail, even the part about him having a Kindle and how he enjoys reading like me.

  “Wow!”

  Yep, my thoughts exactly.

  * * *

  Spencer

  Tucker and I left the girls in the house to unload the picnic table from the back of my truck and set it up. It’s a damn good thing I remembered to stop and get it. Between his parents, Brenna’s mom and Pa, and Lexi and me, there just isn’t enough space at the deck table. I really wish my mom and dad could be here, but I’m still just not ready to cross that bridge yet.

  “How are things between you and Lexi?” Tucker asks while we carry the table across the yard.

  His question, thankfully, distracts me from the thoughts of my family.

  “Going pretty good. I really like her, but I don’t know if I’m ready for it.” I answer him honestly.

  “Just don’t hurt her, that’s all I ask,” He replies.

  I nod as we place the table in the yard. This is why I told Lexi one step at a time. I don’t want to hurt her. I plan on taking this journey with her, but we have to go slow or I’m afraid I’ll never make it.

  I know I can talk to Tucker about anything. He’s grown to be my best friend and I know that I can share about Tessa, Vance, walking away from my family, and my fears of letting Lexi in. Maybe one day I will.

  It’s not long before we hear gravel crunching from approaching vehicles. Walking back around to the front of the house we see that everyone is arriving. Shortly after we are all sitting around the picnic tables eating, laughing, and having a great time.

  I feel Lexi jump a little and then Brenna is up and walking toward the house. When Tucker begins to stand to follow her, Lexi quickly asks him if he’s talked Brenna into eloping yet. I try to suppress a laugh when Tucker replies that she has a week left. He’s wasting no time in getting that ring on her finger.

  Tucker tries to stand again and this time his dad, John says, “Boy, sit still, she’ll be back.”

  Everyone laughs, except Brenna’s mom. She’s grinning big at Tucker, who really looks like someone took away his favorite toy.

  “I think it’s sweet that he can’t sit still, unless she’s right beside him.” Lexi tells them all, explaining how he always follows her.

  A few minutes later, Tucker pulls his phone out of his pocket, then leaves quickly. Whatever that text says must be pretty damn important. No one is stopping him from getting to her now. When I see Brenna come around the corner of the house, I’m confused as to what’s going on. She tells us to wait and stands there watching the back door.

  “What’s going on?” I whisper in Lexi’s ear.

  “We’ll know in a minute,” She whispers back before turning to watch the back door like everyone else.

  Seconds later, Tucker is leaping the deck rail, and heading straight for Brenna with some sort of white stick in his hand. When he reaches her, he picks her up and starts kissing her. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I know in this moment that I want what these two have.

  “Will somebody tell us what’s going on?” Anna, Tucker’s mom asks. The next thing I know that stick is being tossed onto the table, and then the excited chatter of learning that a baby is in the near future begins.

  This reminds me of mine and Lexi’s less than careful act this morning. I wasn’t even thinking about it at all. She makes me lose all my control.

  What would I have done if she wasn’t on birth control?

  Looking around at everyone, I see the joy on their faces and I realize I’m smiling just as much as the rest of them. The thought of accidently knocking Lexi up should scare the shit out of me, but the fear isn’t there.

  Everyone, including Lexi and I, make our way over to congratulate the soon-to-be parents. Instead of sitting on the bench, I straddle it and face Lexi as she starts to sit. Reaching out, I pull her down to sit with her back to my chest and wrap my arms around her waist, before resting my chin on her head.

  Right here in this moment, I know that I have to give us this chance. If I don’t see where this can lead, I know I will live to regret it. I have enough regrets and what if’s in my life, without making her another one.

  The rest of our night goes well. I can tell Tucker is ready for everyone to get out of here so he can celebrate with Brenna alone, as if they don’t celebrate enough already. Lexi and I are the last to leave, and to be honest, I can’t wait to get her back to my place. I feel like we have a little celebrating to do as well.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lexi

  When we leave Brenna and Tucker’s, Spencer doesn’t drive toward his house, but away from it.

  “Did you forget how to get to your house?”

  Spencer laughs, “No, smartass I didn’t. I thought we’d go for a little ride.”

  I laugh at his reply, I love that he had called me a smartass. Yes, I know I’m weird, but it means he’s comfortable with me and that’s exactly what I want.

  We ride in silence for a few minutes, before he makes a right, turning on a very dark secluded road that leads deeper into the woods. I grow nervous as I notice that there isn’t a house in sight. Suddenly, Spencer stops the truck and puts it into park. After he kills the engine, he turns the lights out, leaving us sitting in the pitch black darkness.

  I don’t get it. Does he want to make out or something? For a few minutes, I sit and wait for something, but he doesn’t speak or move a bit. I am now seriously about to lose my shit.

  “Spencer?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. Now that my eyes have adjusted to the dark a bit, I can see the outline of his face, as he sits staring out the windshield.

  This is getting really creepy.

  What the fuck is going on? We’re in the middle of bum fuck Egypt. Spencer’s seriously freaking me the hell out. “Spencer, what the hell are we doing?” I can’t help the tremor in my voice.

  “Ya know, Lexi, no one travels this road much at night. It’s a bit scary out here, isn’t it? No houses, no cars, no police,” He takes his phone out of his pocket and looks at the screen, “there’s not even any cell phone service.”

  Okay, this is the part where I probably should be reaching for the door handle to try and get the hell out of here, but instead I turn to face him.

  “You know, Spencer, I’m about three seconds away from punching you in the throat. This is really not funny.”

  “Are you scared?” Spencer asks in a low deep voice.

  “Stop it, Spencer. This shit is so not funny.”

  Spencer unlatches my seatbelt and pulls me towards him by yanking on my belt loop. He brings his face close to mine. This close I can see his face, it’s expressionless.

  “Boo!” He yells, turning on the interior light at the same time.

  I jumped, hitting my head on the hard truck roof. I swear I about pissed on myself. Spencer begins laughing his ass off at me. My heart is still racing. This asshole just scared the piss out of me, almost literally, and he’s laughing. Anger build inside me and before I can stop myself I rare back and punch him, as hard as I can, in the arm.

  “Ouch!” He exclaims, rubbing the spot that I just hit. The stunned look on his face makes the anger seep out of me a little at a time.

  “I can’t believe you just hit me,” Spencer says, while staring at me in disbelief. “Damn! You hit hard too.”

  I can’t control the laughter, as it bursts through me. “What did you expect me to do? You scared the crap out of me,” I reply still giggling.

  “Well, for starters. I didn’t exp
ect you to hit me. You know, for a little thing you sure can put some power behind those tiny fists. You are a feisty one!”

  I scoot back over close to him and rub the spot I’d hit, before placing a kiss on it. “There, it’s all better now.”

  Spencer gazes down at me a moment, before he turns in his seat and pulls me onto his lap. There is nothing for me to do but straddle his waist. Right now, I’m happy we’re on this dark deserted road.

  “You gonna kiss my pride and make it better too?” He jokes, right before his lips brush across mine.

  I open my mouth, and passionately begin kissing him.

  When we finally pull apart, I touch my forehead to his. “Is it better now?”

  Spencer grins up at me. “That wasn’t the pride I was referring to.”

  My grin now matches his. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  Spencer picks me up and places me back on the seat beside him before starting the truck and continuing down the road. He reaches over and turns the radio on low.

  “Oh my God, I love Luke Bryan. Can I turn it up?”

  Spencer rolls his eyes at me, but nods his okay. I hear him mutter something about damn country music lovers under his breath.

  I ignore his mumbling and sing along to Drunk On You. When the song is over, I turn the radio back down some and look back over at Spencer.

  “Now, was that really so bad? How can you not like Luke Bryan?”

  “Naw, that wasn’t bad. I kinda like that song actually. I’m not a huge country fan, but it seems to be all I get to listen to these days. I can say though that song is pretty accurate,” He says glancing at me.

  “Is that right?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. I think I’m definitely a little drunk on you.”

  “Oh? And here I thought I made your speakers go boom boom.” I tease him back, earning a huge smile from his handsome face.

  * * *

  Spencer

  Playing that little trick on Lexi probably wasn’t the best idea, but after her morning stunt and my whole payback backfiring on me, I had to do something. The thing is, Lexi’s a feisty one and there is no telling what may be in store for me. Either way, I look forward to finding out, especially if it ends like this morning.