The Best Kind of Trouble

by Jones, Courtney B.

  Copyright © 2014 Courtney B. Jones

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission by the author except where permitted by law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously, as are the places.

  Cover by Createspace Cover Creator

  Image by freedigitalphotos.net

  Dedicated To:

  My dad. I miss you every day.

  My husband. You are my soul mate.

  Chapter 1

  'Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in

  ~Taylor Swift

  “Christ Ash! Slow down!” My tall brunette friend Katie chided as I slammed back another shot. I winced as the tequila slowly burned my throat like liquid fire. My insides instantly warmed and numbed. I sighed in relief.

  Just as I started to pour another, a frustrated male voice sounded behind me.

  “Ashley,” my now ex-boyfriend Colin called as he entered the kitchen. “Ashley, come on baby, talk to me!”

  I whipped around. “Talk about what? How you’re a huge fucking asshole!”

  He flinched and blew out an exasperated breath, rubbing his hand through his dark blonde hair and looking anywhere but at me.

  I took another shot, and muttered, “I knew I should have went to Matt’s.”

  Colin’s head shot up, his brown eyes narrowed and his face visibly darkened.

  “Tell me Ash,” he started, advancing on me until I was pinned against the counter.

  “Last weekend when you were hanging out with Matt,” he spit the name like a curse. “Did you kiss him?”

  My traitorous pale skin flushed pink.

  He snorted. “That’s what I thought. How can you be mad at me when you did the same fucking thing, baby?”

  “It’s not the same thing!” I yelled. I didn’t care that everyone at this party could probably hear me. I was so sick of him twisting everything around.

  “You’re the one who wouldn’t get his head out his ass and call me his fucking girlfriend or admit he had any feelings for me,” I jabbed a finger at his chest. Despite my angry tone, tears welled up in my eyes. “You made me feel used and pathetic. Then you go and sleep with my friend!”

  “Some friend,” he muttered.

  My anger spiked. “If that’s all you have to say, then move.”

  Colin stared at me for several long seconds. “I said I was sorry,” he finally murmured.

  “Yeah well, that’s not good enough.”

  I pushed away from him and through the crowded living room. Outside cool air greeted me.

  “Jerk,” I muttered, pulling a cigarette out of the pack in my back pocket and searching for a lighter.

  “Hey doll face, need a light?” A deep rumbling voice asked from behind me. I quickly turned around, momentarily stunned by the guy in front of me.

  I think my jaw dropped. Handsome would have been an understatement. A chiseled jaw, sparkling blue eyes worthy of a movie star and huge muscles bulging out of his t-shirt had me blatantly ogling him. He looked like James Dean except maybe with shorter hair.

  “Um, yeah thanks,” I stuttered. He smirked knowingly and reached over to light my cigarette.

  “I’m Nathan,” he said.

  He was really cute. And cocky. I could tell by the smirk curving his full lips, the way he carried his massive frame, and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. It was irrational and stupid, but I suddenly wanted to hate all men. Especially men with a cocky arrogant smirk like that.

  I frowned and tried to think of something witty or sarcastic to say to make him go away. His smirk widened into a smile, flashing his perfect white teeth.

  I lost my voice.

  “What’s your name, doll?” he asked. His eyes sparked with challenge. Great.

  “Not doll,” I retorted. He laughed. A really deep throaty sexy laugh. His blue eyes lit up with amusement. A dimple sunk into his cheek. God, how unfair was that.

  His lips lifted into a sexy smile. A panty dropping, heart melting, mind numbing, soul-altering smile. My brain actually stopped functioning.

  I frowned, confused by my over the top response to this man. Nathan moved closer to me and despite my mind protesting, my breath caught in my throat. His hand was warm when he touched me, gently cupping my cheek and then skimming his thumb over my flushed skin. His eyes darkened and locked on mine. I couldn’t have looked away even if I wanted to.

  “You have the prettiest face I’ve ever seen,” he murmured huskily. His low voice caused my insides to clench tight and heat to pool between my thighs.

  I couldn’t form a coherent thought or sentence. He was too close. He smelled like crisp clean cologne and cinnamon. Spicy and irresistible.

  This close his eyes looked even more amazing. A powerful stormy mix of navy and gray with intense streaks of light sky blue.

  I scowled and stepped back, away from him. This was too much. He was too much.

  My heart hammered hard against my chest, my knees actually went weak and I trembled from the effort it took to hold myself up.

  “Nathan,” a guy I didn’t know said as he came outside, forcing Nathan to look away from me. I let out a sigh of relief. His blue gaze was way too intense. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Yeah, okay,” he answered, seemingly unaffected. Nathan looked back at me, he winked and said in his deep sexy voice, “See ya around, doll face.”

  ~000~

  I sat on my bed, flipping through a magazine two weeks after my very public break-up with Colin—and my chance encounter with Nathan. The one I couldn’t stop thinking about.

  “Hey,” Katie said as she walked in and perched on the end of my bed. “Wanna go to a concert tonight?”

  I looked up at my best friend and wrinkled my nose. “Who’s playing?”

  “Drew’s band, and some other bands too. At Beech Street,” she filled in.

  I shrugged, tossing my magazine aside. “Sure, why not?”

  Anything to get my mind off the piercing blue eyes that were haunting me.

  She grinned, then jumped up and started rifling through my closet. “Here, wear this.”

  Katie thrust a low cut pink top and the tightest pair of jeans I owned at me.

  I frowned and looked down at my band t-shirt and faded ripped jeans. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  Katie huffed. “Nothing. Just—can’t you please wear this?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her pleading tone. “What’s going on Katie?”

  “I promised I wouldn’t say anything,” she replied evasively.

  “Katie!”

  “Okay, okay,” she conceded. Katie plopped on my bed and leaned close, grinning like she was telling me the secret to life or something. “So last night I was over at Drew’s while the band was practicing and Jeremey’s, you know the bassist, his brother was there too. So Jeremey’s all ‘Hey Katie, where’s your cute friend?’ I’m like who, Ashley? He’s like ‘yeah, my brother Nate—”

  She looked pointedly at me and paused before she launched back into her tale. I blushed.

  “Katie,” I stopped her. We would have been there all night if she started recounting the whole evening verbatim. And she would. With exaggerated hand gestures.

  “Wait! You didn’t hear the best part!” she whined petulantly. I sighed and motioned for her to continue. So anyway
s, Jeremey said that Nate wanted to chat you up. Then Nathan says—and I quote—‘who, Miss Pretty Face?’”

  I cracked up. I couldn’t help it.

  “What’s so funny?” Katie asked.

  “That’s his nickname for me? It’s so…cheesy!”

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. ”I think’s it’s cute.”

  I kept laughing.

  “So anyway,” Katie interrupted my mirth. Then her voice got all high pitched and she squealed, “Nathan freakin’ Williams wants you to come tonight!”

  Again, I couldn’t control my reaction. I sucked in a sharp breath and my heart started beating rapidly in my chest. Still, I had to protest as part of my whole ‘no more cocky jackasses’ rule. That included star quarterbacks. His name had reached almost legend status around campus. I can’t believe I didn’t realize that was him.

  “Katie, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  She scrunched her nose and knitted her eyebrows together. “Why not Ash? You said yourself two weeks ago that he was really cute and you totally blew it with him. Here’s your second chance!”

  She was practically squealing. I didn’t know anyone else that loved setting up other people as much as her. Especially when she was in love.

  “It’s not a good idea because I just broke up with Colin and I really don’t want to date another cocky sexy-and-I-know-it type. Nathan has trouble written all over him.”

  Katie leaned closer and grinned mischievously, revealing in a sing song voice “He has sexy dimples.”

  “Even more reason why this is a bad idea,” I told her, but I could already feel my resolve weakening.

  “Come on, Ash,” she whined, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout. “Please come! It’s not like you have to fall in love with him. Just have a good time!”

  “That’s what you said about Colin!”

  “Well, didn’t you have a good time?”

  “At first…”

  “And did you fall in love?” she asked.

  I frowned. “I don’t know. If he wouldn’t have—”

  “That’s a no,” she interrupted. “Just come out with me. It’ll be fine. I promise.”

  I pursed my lips.

  Nathan was trouble. And tempting. And confident. He was the kind of guy that you knew would break your heart, and you jumped into the fire anyway.

  I shook my head at myself. When I was flustered my metaphors started getting all twisted.

  “Fine,” I conceded. Katie jumped up excitedly and threw my clothes at me. I wanted to protest, but part of me really wanted to look good for Nathan.

  Shit, I already was in trouble.

  ~000~

  "So, Nate, no girlfriend?"

  He raised his eyebrows at my unexpected and way too obvious question. I cringed. I quickly ducked my head to hide my blush.

  We’d only been at Beech Street for ten minutes, and I had already managed to make this date—or whatever it was— awkward. Nathan was sitting next to me at a small table, his arm slung around the back of my chair.

  Chase, a friend of Drew’s, plopped into the seat next to him and slapped him on the back. "Oh Nate-dog has many girlfriends alright," he said, grinning. Nathan just barked a laugh and shook his head at his friend’s wagging eyebrows.

  "That's not really true," he said turning his eyes back to me. He shrugged-smiled. "I dated a few girls in high school and a few since, but--"

  Chase snorted when he said a few. Nathan ignored him.

  "But nothing serious?" I asked.

  "Nothing serious," he confirmed.

  Before I could stop myself I blurted, "Why not?"

  He shrugged and took a sip of his beer. "I don't know, I guess I figure out pretty quick if the girl is worth it." I furrowed my brow.

  "Look, my life's pretty full. Football and classes require a lot of commitment from me. Plus I got a big family and plenty of friends. If she's not the one, why get serious?"

  Nathan took another swig of his beer and my frown deepened. I wasn't sure what to make of that statement.

  Nathan stood up. "Don't go anywhere doll face, I'll be right back." With that Nathan disappeared into the bathroom.

  I turned to Chase. He grinned at me, his green eyes twinkled knowingly. "So is he like a player or something?"

  Chase chuckled. "Nah, he just doesn't get serious."

  I frowned. It felt like there was more to the story. "That sounds like a player. I mean, I guess it's better than a string of one night stands but still it's like he's not really giving a girl a fair shot."

  "And you want a fair shot?" Chase asked.

  I looked at Katie and bit the inside of my cheek. She giggled.

  Before I could answer, Nathan was back. He slid into the seat next to me and slung his arm around the back of my chair again. The waitress came by and plopped down a few fresh beers. Nathan immediately grabbed one and took a long pull. When he noticed me staring, he grinned. "Miss me, Face?"

  "So you've never met someone you wanted to get serious with?"

  The smiled slipped from his face, and his blue eyes locked on mine. After a couple of seconds he replied, "I wouldn't say that."

  "Then what would you say?"

  Oh my god. Why was I pushing this? I was having a serious case of word vomit.

  "That when I meet the right the girl, I'll know."

  His blue gaze didn't falter. I felt it like a physical touch, deep and penetrating. His eyes were so blue, dark and endless, causing an involuntary shiver to shimmy down my spine.

  I swallowed hard, barely managing to squeak out, "How?"

  He didn't answer right away. Instead he continued staring into my eyes. I couldn't help but be drawn in. My eyes fell to his lips. They looked so soft and full.

  I bet he's a good kisser.

  Finally he spoke. His voice was a soft whisper but the way he said the words, so confidently, was like he was saying some inarguably truth, like the sky is blue.

  "I'll just know."

  I couldn't help it. I forgot about everything else, everyone else around us, and leaning in, I pressed my lips to his.

  Chapter 2

  I think I shocked him. And it made me feel even bolder. I pressed my lips a little firmer to his and then licked his bottom lip. Nathan groaned low in his throat, sending a jolt of desire through me. He tangled his fingers in my hair and pulled me closer, titling my head back and opening his mouth to deepen the kiss.

  After a moment, I pulled back, breathless. When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me, my head still cradled in his large hand, grinning widely.

  When he leaned back in, I pulled back. Nathan chuckled, “What? Only one kiss, doll?”

  I blushed, surprised and embarrassed that I had kissed him. In public. In front of half the school and all our mutual friends. Especially when I knew I shouldn’t get involved with Nathan.

  His hand dropped away from my head, but he didn’t look offended or mad. His smirk was on full display and his eyes sparkled with desire and the challenge I was presenting. Crap.

  Nathan took another long pull of his beer and for a moment I was mesmerized by his lips.

  God, I want to kiss him again.

  Instead I turned my eyes back up to the stage and the band that was currently playing. I refused to look at Nathan or Katie.

  Nathan Williams was trouble. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He ran his large hand through his thick messy hair. His blue eyes were smiling, his full kissable lips stretched across his face in a heart-stopping grin. He looked at me then and his grin morphed into a knowing cocky smirk. A devilish gleam lit up his eyes. He winked at me.

  Trouble. Definitely trouble.

  I looked back at the stage and he leaned over, his warm breath fanned across my cheek when he whispered in my ear, “Relax, sweetheart, I’m not a bad guy.”

  I turned my head to look at him.

  Oh shit. Definitely shouldn’t have done that.

  That close his eyes looked really reall
y intense. My gaze dropped to his lips. They were so close, before I could even think about resisting he leaned over and brushed them against mine. Only once.

  I wanted to groan out loud and pull him back to me when he pulled away. Chuckling, he brought his beer up to his lips again.