Beautiful Mess

by Preston, Jennifer

  “Alright everyone,” Devon’s voice got the table’s attention. He held up a black plastic card. “My dad gave me his credit card, so dinner is on me tonight! And Layla has just informed me that it is Bri’s birthday today. So dessert will also be on me, in honor of the Birthday Girl!” he grinned at Bri, and she blushed, embarrassed.

  “Thanks a lot, Lay,” she shot Layla a good natured glare. Layla just winked at her conspiratorially.

  As the rest of the table turned their attention to their menus and each other, Bri’s fears and reservations evaporated. She decided she just might try that filet after all.

  Dinner was fun and delicious. They all joked and laughed and told stories. Nick was attentive, funny, and nice, and Bri began to really enjoy herself. After sharing a crave-worthy coconut cream pie, and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” from the table, Devon paid for dinner, and they headed off to the dance.

  The school gym had been transformed. There were twinkle and icicle lights hanging on the walls, and lit up Christmas trees were scattered around the perimeter of the room. All of this was lost on Bri, though, as the minute they walked in her eyes immediately began scanning the crowd for Cole. She was suddenly desperate to find him. It didn’t take her eyes long to find his.

  He was standing off to the side of the dance floor with some of his friends, including his date and Serena. It was obvious from the expression on his face that he had seen Bri come in. He looked completely stunned, like he’d never seen anything more beautiful. Bri felt her cheeks blush as he took her in slowly, head to toe. She took a moment to devour Cole with her own eyes, and they weren’t disappointed. He looked incredible in his black, fitted suit, and his silver dress shirt, that he wore open, without a tie. His black hair hung in his eyes, just the way she loved it.

  She met his eyes, and a wave of heat raced between them. Bri even took a step towards him, before she remembered that they were in a huge room full of people, and she was there with Nick. Disappointment tainted her smile, and she saw the same reaction in Cole.

  Nick drew her attention back to him as he took her arm and led her over to a group of his friends from the football team. Layla and the others in their group had dispersed to the dance floor, or to greet friends, and Bri was left alone with Nick.

  Nick introduced Bri around and then started chatting with a couple of the guys. She didn’t really know any of the other girls, and was quickly getting restless, when a familiar voice broke into the group.

  “Hey guys, what’s up? I had to come make sure I wasn’t missing anything over here!”

  “Cole!” One of the guys shouted. “Good to see you, man!”

  Bri turned to find Cole standing beside her, looking at her. She smiled, then quickly turned her attention back to the rest of the group, who had immediately surrounded Cole like he was a celebrity or something.

  Cole received a round of welcomes and pat on the back. He introduced his date, a cheerleader named Alli, and the group quickly fell into guy and football talk. Bri didn’t pay much attention. She was all too conscious of Cole standing next to her. She felt the soft brush of his fingers against hers as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. After a few minutes, a slow song started and Cole excused himself, leading Alli out to the dance floor. Nick quickly followed suit and led Bri out.

  While they danced, Bri took the opportunity to size up Cole’s date. Alli was short, blond, and wearing a low cut, super short black dress that left little to the imagination. Alli wound her arms up around Cole’s neck and began playing with his hair. Bri had to suppress the urge to storm over there and slap the girl. Before she ended up doing something drastic, she turned her eyes away from the skank fondling her man, and was blinded by a flash of red.

  Serena and Trey, whom Bri assumed was Serena’s date, were dancing next to Cole and Alli. Serena looked ready to walk down the red carpet in a long, crimson, gown. The body hugging dress dipped almost to her butt in the back, and plunged almost as low in the front. Bri gaped at the copious amount of skin Serena was flaunting. It was more than cleavage, and Bri wondered how on earth Serena kept from falling out of that dress.

  As she watched, Serena and Trey moved in closer to Cole and Alli. Serena leaned in to say something to Cole, and gave him an eyeful of her breasts in the process. She then cut a killing glare at Alli, and said something to her that made Alli blanch. She turned back to Trey, but kept an evil eye on Alli for the rest of the song. Bri was immensely grateful when the song finally ended, and she quickly dragged Nick off the dance floor to the table where her friends were sitting.

  She spent the next little while trying not to stalk Cole with her eyes. The possessive gleam in Serena’s eyes, and the not so subtle advances from Alli had Bri’s stomach churning. She danced with Nick a couple more times, chatted with Layla, Jess, and Maddie, and even visited with some of the other girls from the Dance Team, anything to try and distract herself. But, no matter how hard she tried, her eyes wouldn’t leave Cole alone. Unfortunately, that meant that she saw more than she wanted of Alli trying to accost him. And, since Serena was following Cole around like a puppy, Bri also saw more of Serena’s breasts than she ever wanted. She and Layla even had a bet on how long it would be before one of Serena’s nipples made a debut. Watching Cole from afar was driving her crazy. Her only consolation was that Cole’s eyes followed her everywhere, too.

  As the night wore on, Bri noticed that Alli was becoming more and more distressed and uncomfortable, until it looked like she was on the verge of tears. One look at the smug grin on Serena’s face told Bri exactly why Alli looked like she was about to have an emotional breakdown. Bri was surprised. Alli was a fellow cheerleader, and one of Serena’s loyal followers. If Serena was willing to torment one of her own to the point of tears for dating Cole, what wouldn’t she do to Bri? Bri suddenly understood exactly what it was Cole was trying to protect her from. And while she still didn’t like having to keep their relationship a secret, she decided to stop giving Cole such a hard time about it. At least for a little while.

  Sometime later, Bri found herself sitting alone at the table. Nick had gone off to talk to some friends, and she hadn’t had the energy to follow him. She was watching Layla and Devon dancing, when a warm voice whispered in her ear.

  “You promised you’d save me a dance,” Cole’s breath tickled her neck.

  “Won’t that get us in trouble?” she replied, not looking back at him.

  “Serena and the girls took a trip to the bathroom. We have plenty of time.”

  “In that case,” Bri turned to look at him, “Cole, would you like to dance?”

  He smiled and held out his hand, helping her up. Keeping his hand in hers, he led her into the throngs of dancing couples.

  “Won’t your date mind you dancing with another guy?” Cole smirked.

  “Not as much as yours will,” she smirked back. “Or as much as your psycho ex will mind.”

  They found a spot on the outskirts and Cole pulled her into his arms. His hand found the small of her back and pressed her to him. Bri pressed her cheek against his and leaned into him. She let her eyes close and inhaled a deep breath, taking in Cole’s delicious scent.

  “Happy Birthday, Ambria,” Cole murmured.

  Surprised, Bri turned to look at him.

  “Thank you. I thought you’d forgot.”

  “I would never forget your birthday,” he replied tenderly. Heat bloomed in Bri’s stomach. The intensity in his gray eyes was overwhelming as he gazed at her. Unable to handle it, she dropped her eyes and returned her cheek to his.

  As they danced, Cole’s arms tightened around her, into more of a hug, and his head dropped into the crook of her neck. Bri’s arms clung to his shoulders in response, like she was hanging on for dear life. For the first time all night, Bri felt completely at peace. This was where she had longed to be all night. It was perfect, being held in Cole’s arms as they swayed to the music.

  Bri’s eyes snapped opened as realization
crashed down on her. She hadn’t felt like she fit in anywhere since her mom died. She’d always felt lost and out of place. But here, with Cole, she had finally found the place where she belonged, where she would always belong. She was finally home. Her epiphany both thrilled and terrified her.

  “I wish this didn’t have to end,” Cole sighed into her shoulder. “I wish we could stay like this all night.”

  “Me too,” Bri whispered back, her mind and emotions spinning.

  “Want to get out of here for a few minutes?” He trailed soft kisses along her shoulder and up her neck, causing her to shiver. He lifted his head to look at her and she nodded. “Wait a few minutes, and then meet me outside the gym, in the hall with the coaches’ offices.”

  “Okay,” she managed to get out.

  He smiled at her, his eyes gray pools of desire. “See you in a minute, then.”

  Bri’s body protested as Cole reluctantly released her and walked away. Standing there alone, she felt suddenly hollow and empty. She took a deep breath, and willed herself to go find Nick. He was still huddled with his friends and didn’t seem to have noticed Bri dancing with Cole. She walked up and tapped Nick’s shoulder to get his attention.

  “Hey. I’m going to go to the ladies room. I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Okay,” he smiled. “But be prepared to light up that dance floor when you get back!”

  Bri returned his smile, and then all but ran out of the gym. She turned down the dark hall, her heart beginning to pound, and found Cole waiting for her.

  “In here,” Cole opened one of the office doors. “This is Coach Davies office, and luckily for us, he gave me a key.” He closed and locked the door behind them.

  “And I’m sure this is just the kind of situation he envisioned when he gave you that key to his office,” Bri teased, backing further into the room.

  Cole stalked her with his eyes. “Definitely,” he grinned wolfishly at her.

  Bri and Cole stood there, fixed on each other for a moment, before rushing to each other. Their lips met and all the pent up desire and frustration from the evening came pouring out of both of them, taking over. Heat and electricity flickered between them as they devoured each other. Cole moaned as Bri sucked and nipped at his perfectly delicious bottom lip. Cole’s lips then moved to her neck and trailed down her bare shoulder.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked in between kisses. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you all night.”

  “I couldn’t keep my eyes off you either,” Bri replied through kisses of her own.

  “I’ve been dying to get you alone all night.” Cole went to work on her earlobe, sucking on her new favorite spot just behind. “It’s killing me, not being able to be near you, not being able to touch you or kiss you.” He recaptured her lips hungrily, making her knees weak. After a few minutes of mind blowing kissing, Cole pulled back and cupped Bri’s face in his hands. “I promise you this won’t last forever. One day, very soon, we’ll be able to come to a dance as a couple, and walk through the halls at school together, and make out in front of everyone,” he smiled.

  “This is killing me, too. If I have to watch one more girl try to fondle you, I might just lose it. But,” Bri reached up, cupping his hand with her own, “after watching what Serena did to Alli tonight, I understand why you want us to keep this secret. Not that I want to let Serena run our lives, but, thanks for looking out for me.”

  “I’ll always try and protect you.” Cole leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. “I’d never let anyone hurt you. Now, we don’t have much time, and I haven’t gotten nearly enough of you yet.”

  “Well, then, we’d better take care of that,” Bri replied coyly, before turning her full attention back to his lips.

  A few blissful minutes later, Bri and Cole managed to tear themselves apart, and Bri snuck back into the gym. She was immensely grateful for the dark room, because she was certain her face was still flushed. She managed to locate Nick, and headed over. But her eyes followed Cole as he entered the room shortly after and strolled over to Alli. His eyes found hers, and he smiled.

  After the dance, Nick drove Bri home, walked her to her door, and gave her a hug goodbye. Relieved that the night was finally over, Bri let herself into her dark house, and went straight to her room. As she emptied out her clutch, she noticed that she had missed a text.

  I missed you tonight, Beautiful. Meet me for breakfast tomorrow? I still have to give you your b-day present.

  Definitely! Although, you already gave me what I wanted. ;)

  Well, I have more of that whenever you’d like! I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 11:00.

  Perfect! Can’t wait! Goodnight, Cole.

  Sweet dreams, Ambria.

  Thoroughly exhausted, Bri drifted off to sleep, her dreams filled with visions of Cole and his expert lips.

  Chapter 18

  Cole picked Bri up the next morning, and drove her to a local bagel shop.

  “So,” he said around a bite of bagel. “What are your plans for Christmas? Are you going anywhere?”

  “My family is, but I’m not.” Bri’s dad had let her in on the good news a couple of days ago.

  “What do you mean? You’re not going with your family?” Cole was visibly perplexed.

  “No. My dad and Summer are taking the boys up to Fresno to visit Summer’s parents. They’re leaving the day after Christmas and will be gone until Sunday.”

  “And, you don’t want to go with them?”

  “It’s more like I wasn’t invited.” Bri dropped her eyes.

  “What?” Cole was outraged.

  “Well, it’s not like I want to go anyway. Summer’s parents aren’t my family, and I certainly have no desire to spend time with them.” She wasn’t sure why Cole was so mad.

  “Still, it’s the principle of the thing.” He reached over and held Bri’s hand. “I don’t understand your parents, especially your dad. You are a part of that family, and deserve to be treated as such. You’re not just some... live-in boarder or something. They shouldn’t be excluding you like this. It’s wrong. And your dad should know better,” he huffed.

  Bri smiled, warmed by his concern.

  “Well, it isn’t all bad. They are leaving me alone for five days. I’ll have the house all to myself.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “You could come keep me company.”

  Cole grinned. “As much as I’d love that, I have a better idea. My dad and I go to Catalina every year for Christmas. My dad’s friend has a large boat, and we all go spend a week there for Christmas. Come with us!” His eyes lit up.

  “What? Really?”

  “Yes. Now, you should know that this is your birthday present. So to say no would be refusing my gift to you, and would therefore be a rejection of me, so consider carefully how you respond.”

  Bri laughed. “Okay, I highly doubt my dad will go for this, but assuming he does, where is Catalina, and how would I even get there?”

  “It’s an island off the coast just south of here. There is a ferry that you can take out on Wednesday, and I’ll meet you when you get there. Then, you can stay on the boat with us, and I’ll take the ferry back with you on Saturday. What do you think?”

  “Um, shouldn’t you call your dad and his friend and make sure it’s okay, first?”

  “Already taken care of. Scott and Sharon would love it if you could join us. They have two kids about our age, so you’ll have plenty of company. And my dad is really happy you might be coming. He even offered to call your dad and help convince him to let you come.” He looked at her pleadingly. “Please Bri, say you’ll come?”

  She couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face.

  “Three days on a boat with you? How could I say no to that?”

  “Yes!” Cole leaned across the table and kissed her. “I’ll have my dad call yours today and invite you. And don’t worry, Jimmy can talk anyone into anything!” he winked. “Scott and Sharon will be happy. They’ve heard a lot
about you and are dying to meet you.”

  “Great,” Bri replied. “You better be telling them good things.”

  “Only the best! But now I’m going to make you wait until Catalina to get your Christmas present.”

  “You got me a present?” Bri was surprised. She’d thought about getting Cole something, but wasn’t sure they were to that point in their relationship yet.

  “Of course! What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t get my girl a present?” Cole scoffed.

  Bri froze. “Boyfriend?” She felt a flutter of panic.

  His eyes widened as he realized what he said.

  “Is that okay?” he asked hesitantly.

  “Um... I...” she stammered, not sure how to answer.

  “Look Bri. I’ve already told you that there’s no one else for me but you. I don’t want to date anyone else. Is there anyone else you are dating right now?”

  “Um, no,” Bri replied.

  “Is there anyone else you want to date?” Cole looked a little worried.

  “No,” she smiled, not even needing to think about her answer. She saw relief in Cole’s eyes.

  “Well, then,” he sounded more confident now, “if you don’t want to date other people, and I don’t want to date other people, what’s so wrong with calling us what we are?”

  She thought about that for a minute, and couldn’t come up with a rational argument against it.

  “You want me to be your girlfriend?” she asked, warming up to the idea.

  “In the worst way.” He leaned forward, eagerly awaiting her answer.

  “Okay,” she smiled.

  “Really?” Cole beamed with excitement, and Bri’s heart melted.

  “Really.”

  And to put away any lingering doubt, Bri leaned across the table and kissed him.

  Jimmy did call Connor, and was able to convince him to let Bri come to Catalina with them. The down side was that Bri had to endure a very awkward sex talk with her dad, although as far as he knew she and Cole were just friends. Bri was therefore forced to reiterate to her dad that she was not having sex, nor did she intend to start any time soon. The whole mortifying exchange almost made the trip not worth it. Almost.