Second Chance (Cruiser & Lex, Book 2)
Page 1
Second Chance
By
Dee J. Stone
Copyright © 2014 Dee J. Stone.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to real life, movies, television, games, or books is entirely coincidental and was not intended by the author.
Titles by Dee J. Stone:
Young Adult Superhero Series:
No Ordinary Hero (Keepers of Justice, Book 1)
Hero’s Revenge (Keepers of Justice, Book 2)
Hero Reborn (Keepers of Justice, Book 3)
No Ordinary Villain (Keepers of Justice, Book 4)
Young Adult Romance:
Cruiser (Cruiser & Lex, Book 1)
Second Chance (Cruiser & Lex, Book 2)
Forever (Cruiser & Lex, Book 3)
Chasing Sam
Young Adult Paranormal:
Emily’s Curse
Paranormal Romance:
Merman’s Kiss (Merman’s Kiss, Book 1)
Merman’s Touch (Merman’s Kiss, Book 2)
Merman’s Bond (Merman’s Kiss, Book 3)
Falling for the Genie (Genie’s Love, Book 1)
Loving the Genie (Genie’s Love, Book 2)
Email the author at deej.stone@yahoo.com.
For updates on new releases, follow Dee J. Stone on Facebook and Twitter.
Second Chance
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Excerpt from Forever (Cruiser & Lex, Book 3)
Excerpt from Emily’s Curse
About the Author
Chapter One
Cruiser
I can’t believe Lex Woods is in my arms. Her cheek rests on my shoulder, hair tickles my chin. I inhale that Lex scent that makes my blood go wild.
She raises her head. Beautiful, big blue eyes meet mine.
“Hey,” I say.
She smiles. “Hey.”
We’ve been sitting on her living room couch, watching some lame movie we found on one of those chick flick channels. Her choice, not mine. Not that she’s enjoying this any more than me. TV sucks ass today.
Lex reaches for the remote and flips through the channels. I bring my hand to her wavy, black hair and run my fingers through the strands. So soft and luscious. I bend forward and peck the side of her face.
We’ve officially been a couple for a little less than a month. I’ve been soaking in every touch, every kiss, every moment. There’s still so much to learn, so much to explore. I want to know her inside out. Know what makes her laugh, what makes her cry. I want to be the perfect boyfriend. Give her the world.
“Andy and Friends,” Lex says with a laugh. “Do you remember this show? We used to watch it all the time when we were kids.”
“Yeah, I remember.” Lex’s parents would sometimes drop her off at my place so they could go out. My twin brother, Rey, Lex, and I were obsessed with the show. We dressed up like the characters and tried to reenact the episodes.
I stare down at Lex. I can’t believe how much has changed. A little more than a year ago, Lex’s little sister, Rosie, got into an accident. Lex was babysitting her, but I came over. Got her to come upstairs so we could make out. We got so carried away that we forgot about Rosie. She ran into the street and a car hit her, paralyzing her from the waist down. Lex and I got screwed up from the guilt. She put the blame on me. Feeling rejected and hurt, I started sleeping around. We finally patched things up last month when I came home after spending a year with my grandparents in New York.
Lex was with Rey when I got back. Guess my return made them realize they didn’t really love each other. A lot of shit happened between the three of us, but Rey understood what Lex and I meant to each other. He’s in L.A. now, attending a music academy. The guy couldn’t be happier.
I miss him like hell. I wake up every morning expecting to see him. ‘Course he’s not there. I’m happy for him. He’s living his dream. He gets to be on his own, figure out who he is and what he wants out of life.
I glance at Lex and find her gaze on me, eyes shining. “What?” I ask, stroking her cheek.
She smiles. I love the way her eyes get small and look like Rice Krispies. “I’m just so happy, Cruiser,” she says, locking her arms around my neck and looking into my eyes. “I love you so much.”
I place my hands on her waist, gently lowering her on the couch. I bend over and nuzzle her nose with mine. “I love you so much, too.”
I dip my head to take her lips with mine. Then her cheeks, her chin. Andy and Friends plays in the background. Raising my head, I smirk. “This show has definitely upgraded since we were kids. I didn’t know it included a free make out session with my girl.”
Lex giggles. “What are they thinking? Little kids watch this show. We should sue them.”
Now I laugh and kiss her some more. “I can never get enough of you, T. Rex,” I whisper the nickname I gave her when we were kids.
“I don’t think I can ever get enough of you, either,” she rasps as I trail light kisses down her throat. Her hands slide up my back and her nails dig into my shoulders. My chest gets heavy. My gut tightens.
My phone rings.
“Damn,” I mumble against her mouth.
It rings again. I ignore it and seek her lips.
“Maybe it’s Rey,” she says between kisses.
Probably is. I made a deal with myself to never ignore Rey’s calls. I don’t want to push him away. Don’t want to distance our relationship. He and I grew so close when I got back from New York. I don’t want to screw it up.
With my lips on hers, I reach into the back pocket of my jeans for my phone. It’s Rey.
“It’s okay,” Lex says. “Talk to him.”
I nod and answer, “Whatup, Rey?”
“Hey, Cruise.”
He sounds like his usual, cheery self. It gives me a pang in the heart. I don’t know why. Except, that’s a lie. As happy as I am for my bro and as happy as I am with Lex, I wish Rey were here. Selfish, yeah. Guess we got those unbreakable bonds you always hear about with twins.
“How you doin’?” I ask.
“Really great. I’m meeting with a group of kids soon. We’re going for Mexican.”
Lex slides her hand into mine, giving me a reassuring, loving smile. She knows how much I miss him.
“That’s great,” I tell him. And I mean it. “Send me some food, yeah?”
He c
huckles. “Are Mom and Dad starving you?”
“Lex and I were set to go out. But we got caught up…” I shut my mouth. Rey’s told me countless times how he’s cool with Lex and me. That I shouldn’t feel weird talking about us. But I do.
“Can’t keep your hands off each other, huh?” he teases.
“Any girls catch your eye?” I ask.
He’s quiet for a few seconds. “Working on it.”
“Do your thing, bro.”
He chuckles again.
Lex leans forward and whispers in my ear, “I’ll order some food.”
I nod. Before she leaves, I take her arm and tug her to me. Press my lips to hers, leaving them there longer than I anticipated. I get lost in that special Crex Land, where my surroundings fade into oblivion and the only things I feel are her warm, soft lips and the spins in my gut. Yeah, still working on the name. But “Crex Land” beats “Luiser Land.”
When Rey says, “Cruiser,” for the fourth time, I reluctantly pull away from Lex. “Yeah?”
“I gotta go now. Talk to ya later.”
“Later, bro.”
I hang up and toss my phone somewhere. Lex returns, sitting down on my lap. I wrap my arms around her stomach, bending my head to brush my lips across her cheek. I catch sight of her necklace, the one I gave her on our first official date. It’s a pendant of intertwined hearts, the letters “C + L” engraved on the back.
She catches me looking at it and closes her hand over it. “I’ve never taken it off.”
I put my hand over hers. “Never?”
“Never.”
She twists around in my lap to look into my eyes. “I don’t want to ever let you go, not when I finally have you.”
I lay my cheek against hers.
We stay like this until the food comes.
Chapter Two
Lex
Cruiser and I have the house all to ourselves.
My parents are out on another one of their romantic dates and my eight-year-old sister, Rosie, is hanging out with her friend, Jamie. I’m so glad with how far she’s come since the accident. A few months ago, she would stay home and refuse to see her friends. She’d only leave the house for doctor appointments or when Mom forced her to go to the community center. Mom and Dad’s relationship had been in ruins since the accident. Finally, they’re patching things up, which is having such a great effect on Rosie and me. The atmosphere of the house is wonderful and it’s such a pleasure to come home. Rosie even mentioned inviting her old friends over for a slumber party. I don’t remember the last time I was this happy.
And then there’s Cruiser, the love of my life. I know I’m only sixteen, but I feel so strongly about him. It’s not an innocent crush, but a passionate, deep connection. I can’t imagine feeling like this about anyone else. Cruiser’s been my best friend since I was five, and I’ve never felt this close to anyone, not even my other best friend, Dani.
Cruiser’s lips tickle my cheek. “How long until we need to pick up Rosie Posie?”
One of the amazing things about Cruiser is that he loves Rosie. He’d do anything for her, which makes it impossible not to love him even more than I already do. I check my watch. “Another hour.” I lift an eyebrow. “Why? Do you have something in mind?”
Grinning, he gathers me to his chest. I love being in his strong arms and inhaling his masculine scent. His chest is rock hard, but his skin is so, so soft. Leaning in close, he whispers, “I want to give you the world, Lex Woods.”
When he says things like that, I feel like I’m turning into melted chocolate. I wrap my arms around him and pull him tight against me. I want to be with this guy for the rest of my life. I want him to be mine forever. “I want to give you the world, too.”
“I don’t want the world.” His breath is soft on my cheek. “I just want you.”
“I just want you, too.” I straighten up and run my hand through my hair. “Well, there is one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“Anything.”
“A double date with Dani and Simon?”
His expression turns a little sour.
“I know you’re not much of a group person, but it’ll be a great chance for the four of us to get to know each other. I hardly know Simon.”
He takes me under the arms and gently lowers me on the couch, lying on top of me. He brings his lips close to mine, so close they are only a few centimeters apart. My chest rises and falls heavily with the anticipation of feeling them devouring mine. “Anything for you, darlin’.”
Dani had a rough time a few months ago. She dated a jerk who turned out to be an abusive bastard. Her love life started to look up when she met Simon a month ago. I’m so happy for her. If the four of us could get along, that’d be awesome.
I’m about to press my lips to Cruiser’s to show him how grateful I am, when the front door swings open. We untangle ourselves from each other and sit up. Mom walks in, followed by Dad who’s pushing Rosie in her wheelchair. Her face brightens when she sees Cruiser and she waves frantically. “Hi, Cruiser!”
“Hey, Rosie Posie.” He flashes her a smile. She wheels herself over to us and Cruiser ruffles her hair.
She giggles and pats it down. “Mom wants to cut it.”
Cruiser pouts. “How will I be able to mess it around when it’s chopped off?”
Rosie sticks out her chin at Mom. “See, I’m not the only one who wants it long. And you let Lexi grow it long.”
Mom sighs. “Rosie, we’ve talked about this.”
Before this turns into a full-blown argument, I say, “Why are you guys home early? And I told you I’d pick up Rosie from Jamie’s.”
“Jamie got sick,” Rosie says. “He puked all over their new carpet.” She spins around in her wheelchair.
“Rosie, how many times have I told you not to play with your chair?” Mom rubs her temple. “I have this God-awful headache.”
“Lisa, relax,” Dad says, rubbing her arm. “Maybe you should rest for a bit.”
Although Mom’s slowly learning to embrace our life, she’s not there yet. It’s a long process. But at least she’s paying attention to Rosie instead of constantly being on the phone with doctors.
Mom nods. “I’m sorry. Maybe a rest will do me good.”
She and Dad go upstairs. Cruiser grabs hold of Rosie’s wheelchair and gently yanks her closer to us. “So what did you and Jamie do today?”
“We played Dawn of the Damned for like an hour and then we went to the park with Jamie’s mom and older brother.”
Considering Rosie stayed cooped up in the house playing video games a month ago, going to the park is a big deal. Especially because she was with a friend.
“You two probably had so much fun,” I say.
She shrugs.
“How about some Xbox?” Cruiser asks. “Think you can beat me?”
“My bet’s on Rosie,” I say.
He brings a hand to his chest like I stabbed his heart. “My own girlfriend doesn’t believe in my skills.”
I laugh.
“I can totally own you!” Rosie says.
“Prove it.”
We help her onto the couch, and so begins the battle.
Chapter Three
Cruiser
My parents are eating dinner when I walk into the kitchen.
“Sup?” I grab a soda from the fridge.
Dad takes a bite from his dinner. “Elvis, your mother and I would like to discuss a few things with you.”
In the past, I might have said something rude. Something disrespectful. Things have changed these past few weeks. Not saying they’re great, but they’re better. My parents seem to listen to me, and Dad’s no longer afraid to speak his mind. I’m more willing to hear them out.
I sit down at the table.
Dad wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Did you sign up for any extracurricular activities?”
I knew this conversation would come up at some point. “Still thinking things over,” I mumble.
�
��You need to start thinking about your future,” Mom says. “You’ll be applying to college next year. You need to pick up your grades—”
“Working on that.”
“—and you need to pick some activities that would impress potential colleges. Start thinking about your essay…”
I tune her out. Not because I’m a dick, but because I don’t want to think about it. Don’t want to deal. It feels like I’m just beginning to get my life back together. In a relationship with Lex, working on my relationship with my parents. Focusing on school. I can’t squeeze college in.
I stand. “Yeah, I got it.” I go for the stairs.
“Don’t brush this aside, Elvis,” Mom says. “Don’t wait until the last minute. You can be successful if you put your mind to it. Just look at Reagan. He’s attending a prestigious music academy—”
“Yeah.” One thing that hasn’t changed much is how Mom always compares me to Rey. Like it’s her goal to turn the screw-up into the golden child. I know she’s doing what she thinks is best for me. But there’s a thing about pushing someone too far.
I climb the stairs to my room and plop down on my desk chair. I grab my Xbox controller. It was my dream to join the Navy once I graduate high school. Be a captain like Gramps. Mom never liked it because it was hard for her growing up with a dad who wasn’t always around. I didn’t give a shit about that a year ago. The thought of leaving this place, to always be on the go and not be tied down to anything or anyone seemed like the perfect life. That was before Lex and I became a couple.
Not saying I gave up on my dream because of her. More like my dream changed. What’s the Navy compared to the girl I love? I’ll do anything for her. She’s my dream now.
I load in a shooting game.
Lex is the most important person to me. But I got no clue what I’m supposed to do with my life.
***
A tapping sound jerks me out of my sleep. I lie still for a bit, straining my ears. I don’t hear anything. I turn over to my other side and smash the pillow over my head.
Tap.
My eyes fly open. What the hell is that?
Tap.
My phone buzzes. I reach over and scan the screen. A few texts from Rey. Why’s he texting me at 2 AM? I don’t have a chance to read them because there’s another tap.