New Love

by Alyson Reynolds

  Caroline nodded from across the room. “I agree. Maybe we should go back to Charleston and find that hot cowboy for you. He seemed interested. We only have a few more days and I want us to have fun.”

  I frowned. “I thought we were. We’ve been to the beach and the boardwalk. We went to Charleston. I know we came back early, but I’ve tried—”

  “Sugar, you’ve been great, especially with everything going on. We’ve loved getting this time with you. Caroline and I just want you to have fun too,” Brooke said, giving me a hard look. “Plus you don’t have to entertain us. We’re big girls. Close your eyes.”

  I closed my eyes as she swept the makeup brush over them. It was killing me to not see what she was doing, but she’d pulled away all the mirrors so I couldn’t reach them. The bitch knew me too well.

  “She looks amazing,” I heard Cora say. My eyes started to flutter open and Brooke made a sound in the back of her throat. If I ruined her masterpiece I’d be in trouble. “We have reservations at Miyabi’s tonight. Japanese food. Hopefully Finn won’t hog all the sauce.”

  I laughed. Cora was the one that always hogged the sauce, but we all loved her, so we let her get away with it.

  “What time is our reservation?” I asked.

  “We need to be there by nine. You should wear that purple dress we bought last year, Hannah. It would be great with your makeup. You can borrow my silver strappy heels.”

  I tried to think where the dress was. Shit. “It’s over at Chance’s apartment. Do you think his roommates would care if I went and picked up my clothes? I have a few other things over there too.”

  Caroline cleared her throat. “They gave you a key, Han. I really don’t think they’ll care.”

  Yeah. As soon as Jason had given me the key I’d shoved it down into the bottom of my purse and tried to forget about it. I’m sure the last thing they wanted was for their roommate’s girlfriend, if I could even still be considered that, hanging out over there.

  “I guess I’ll run over and get my stuff then. There’s no sense in keeping it over there.”

  “Don’t give up hope, Hannah. It’s only been a few days,” Cora said softly.

  I scoffed. “I’m fine, just bitter that the first guy I decided to date after my clingy, psychopath ex is a guy who is so terrified of commitment that he runs away.”

  “Hannah,” Caroline drawled.

  “Are you done yet?” I asked Brooke pointedly.

  “Almost. Give me two seconds.”

  She lifted the brush off my face and stepped back. I hesitated before taking the mirror that she held out. I gasped when I saw the finished look.

  I looked amazing.

  The haircut made my cheekbones stand out and the makeup made my eyes pop. I wanted to cry, but then I would mess up all of her hard work.

  “Brooke,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

  “A whole new you,” she said, smiling. “I think it’s exactly what you needed.”

  I grinned back at her. “You were right. I did need this.” I took a deep breath. “And tonight, I’m going to try to forget about Chance. We only have four days left and I want us all to enjoy it.”

  I stood up and hugged Brooke. Somehow she knew exactly what I needed to cheer me up and pull me out of my pity party. And Cora was right; my makeup would look amazing with that purple dress.

  “I’ll be back. I’m going over to the apartment to get my stuff now before I lose my nerve.”

  Chance

  I was disgusted with myself. Completely and utterly sickened by the fact that instead of manning up and telling Nate and Finn about my past, I ran like a little bitch. It shocked the hell out of me when Nate started talking about Masterson and the guy I used to be. I didn’t have to tell them it was me, but when I heard him talking, I shut down, lost touch of reality. Hearing him talk about Miles and Clarissa so nonchalantly was…difficult to say the least. I wish I had words to express how I’d actually felt when the words fell so easily from his lips, but all I knew was that the pain was blinding. My stomach clenched up and I’d thought I would be sick if I had to sit there listening to him talk any longer. I’d wanted to punch him, but I also wanted to curl up in a ball and die.

  I’d been gone for almost three days. It occurred to me to just run, leave forever, forget about SCU and all my friends, but I couldn’t do that. The last thing I wanted to do after I’d worked so hard to get to this place was leave. Plus, I couldn’t leave Hannah without any explanation. She deserved better than that. I hoped she’d forgive me for just disappearing like this in the first place. I wasn’t ready to tell everyone about my past, but I thought I might finally be ready to talk to her about it.

  The apartment was quiet when I walked in. None of my roommates seemed to be here, and for the first time since we’d moved in the place was actually clean. I walked down the hallway and stopped in my doorway. Hannah was standing in front of my closet, bag opened on the bed, packing her clothes. I watched her silently from the doorway. It felt like a kick to the chest.

  “You cut your hair.”

  She turned around and gasped. “You’re here.”

  Hannah looked gorgeous. Someone must have done her makeup, or they took her to get it done because I’d never seen her so dolled up. I liked it, but I liked her without it more. She turned back to the closet and continued pulling her clothes off the hangers.

  “Are you really packing up without even talking to me about it first?” I asked softly.

  Her back stiffened, but she didn’t turn around. “In order for me to talk to you about it you would’ve had to have answered your phone any of the dozen times I called, Chance.”

  I threw my bag down next to the door and walked over to her. As much as I wanted to take her into my arms, I knew I couldn’t.

  “Will you talk to me now? Please?” I could hear the desperation in my tone, but I wasn’t going to try to mask it.

  She sighed and finally turned back towards me. “What’s there to talk about? No one will tell me anything other than the fact that you went through some stuff. Obviously you don’t want me to know what—”

  They didn’t tell her?

  “My senior year in high school my best friend and girlfriend died in a car accident.”

  It all came out in a rush. It wasn’t exactly a relief to get it out there, but it was a start.

  “What?” she whispered.

  I sat down on the edge of the bed and patted next to me. She sat down and hesitantly reached for my hand. It was like she knew I needed her. My grasp on hers was like a drowning man. I needed her keep me grounded while I told her a story I swore I’d never tell anyone. Even my therapist had never heard the entire story from me; my parents had been the one to tell her.

  “On prom night of my senior year, my best friend and girlfriend were killed by a drunk driver. Miles, my best friend who was driving hadn’t been drinking, but the guy that hit them was twice the legal limit.” I took a shuddery breath. “I’d been drinking, so I didn’t trust myself to drive her home. It’s why I put Clarissa in the car, my fucking car,” I winced, remembering that fact, “with Miles to make sure she was home by curfew. We were planning our futures one minute and the next they were just…gone.”

  “Oh, Chance.” She sounded heartbroken.

  I closed my eyes, fighting back the memory of the nightmare, finding out the next morning when Clarissa’s parents came over to my house. “I…didn’t handle it well. I never outright tried to kill myself, but I definitely quit living.” I took a few deep breaths. “My parents made me go to therapy to try to fix myself. They just didn’t realize I was too broken to pretend it never happened.”

  She lifted my hand up to her mouth and kissed my fingers once, giving me the energy I needed to continue. “Nate had heard the story about some hotshot basketball player and his sob story about giving up his full ride to Duke. When he mentioned it the other day, I panicked.”

  “Because it was you?” I nodded. “That’s why you ran
?”

  I played with the gold bracelet circling her wrist. “I’ve worked really hard to keep my past secret. I don’t want to be looked at like the kid whose life was ruined on prom night. I was finally to the point where I was thinking about telling you, and then all the other shit happened. Well, it came back up. I thought you were going to break up with me over the Lila thing. I do want to talk to you about that, but not right this second.”

  “I was pissed.” I started to cut her off, but she held up her hand to stop me. “I know you didn’t cheat on me. It’s all in the past. I’m sorry I didn’t call the night we were supposed to go to dinner. I was being childish.”

  I smiled weakly. “Don’t worry about it, like you said, it’s all in the past. I’m sorry I didn’t answer your phone calls. I just wasn’t ready. I really thought Nate would tell you everything.”

  She shook her head. “No one said anything. Just that you’d been through something bad and that I needed to talk to you about it. I never thought it would be this bad though. Those boys have your back.” It comforted me a little when she curled into my side tighter and put her head on my shoulder. “I understand why you kept it secret, but we do have some pretty great friends. They would listen if you wanted to talk about it.”

  I pulled her in closer. “Maybe one day.”

  Or never.

  She wrapped her arms around my stomach. “I missed you.”

  I kissed the top of her head, relishing the feeling of having her near me again.

  “I missed you too, baby.”

  “So where do we go from here?” Her voice was timid. “Are we still together? Was this too much for you to want a relationship right now?”

  God, this woman was sweet. This is why I was in love with her. She gasped when I picked her up and pulled her onto my lap. “Hannah Dixon, there’s something I want to tell you.” Her innocent, trusting eyes were too much. I didn’t fucking deserve her. “I’m in love with you.”

  She fought back a smile and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You love me, or you’re in love with me? Those are two very different things,” she teased.

  “I love you, Hannah.”

  She beamed, giving me the full force of her smile. “I love you too, Chance. I wanted to tell you the day I got back from Charleston. I rushed over here to tell you, but you were already gone.” She pressed her forehead to mine. “Can we agree to talk through things and not run anymore?”

  I nodded and closed my eyes. “You’re the first person I’ve said those words to since the accident.”

  She looked at me questioningly. “Even your parents?”

  “Anyone. Everyone. I was scared to open myself up like that again.” I gulped. “I still am, but for you, I’m willing to risk it.”

  She kissed my forehead gently. “I won’t take it for granted.”

  I deepened the kiss and slid my hands down to her ass. “How about something life affirming,” I said, tugging her shirt up over her head.

  She giggled when I picked her up and tossed her down on the bed. “You’re going to mess up my hair and Brooke’s going to be pissed at you.”

  I chuckled. “I’d bet money she’s already pissed at me.”

  Hannah frowned. “She’s not. I think she’s concerned, but not pissed. If she is I’ll set her ass straight.”

  I settled my lanky body over hers, kissing up her collar bone. “Either way, I’m going to have to make it up to you and your friends for ruining their trip.”

  She pushed at my chest. “Damn it, Chance. Listen to me, you didn’t ruin anything. And I’ll kick anyone’s ass that’s pissed at you. Now shut up and kiss me.”

  I was surprised when a deep chuckle found its way out of me. God she was feisty sometimes. “Yes ma’am.”

  It only took me a few minutes to rid us both of our clothes. With all the talking out of the way, I was desperate to be inside her. She gasped and sucked in air as I kissed my way down her body, taking my time on each nipple before kissing lower. I reveled in the arch of her body off the bed as I licked and sucked at her clit. I would do this for days if she’d let me. Her fingers dug into my shoulders as her first climax hit her. The sexy whimpers coming from her mouth were almost enough to have me losing it along with her.

  “I need my mouth on you,” she gasped. My hips bucked as she reached down to grip me in her hand.

  “Whatever you want, Hannah,” I gritted out.

  She grinned. “Flip over.”

  I obliged and was rewarded with her mouth on my cock. As soon as I was on my back, she had me pinned to the bed and proceeded to swallow me down her fucking throat. I groaned and threaded my fingers in her hair.

  “Fuck, you’re good at that,” I choked out. She lifted her eyes to mine as she ran her tongue over my length. My head fell back on the bed and I felt her smirk against me. Little brat.

  She nipped at my inner thigh before moving her lips back over my length. It was hard to keep my eyes open as she bobbed her head up and down, but I wanted to watch. Watching her turned me on even more. I could feel my orgasm starting at the base of my spine, but I didn’t want to finish in her mouth.

  I needed to be inside her.

  I wanted us to get off together.

  And fuck, I was going to try my hardest to make that happen.

  She pouted when I caught her by the shoulder and made her stop. It was fucking adorable. I pulled her on top of me and kissed her neck.

  “Ride me.”

  Her eyes flashed and she grabbed a condom from the nightstand quicker than I thought possible. She ripped the wrapper open with her teeth and had me sheathed within seconds. A growl escaped as her hands gripped me, rolling the condom on. As she positioned my cock at her entrance, a small sigh slipped from her before she lowered her body down over mine.

  “Oh god,” she moaned. “Give me a second. You’re so big, I need to get used to it.”

  She clenched around me and I had to fight the urge to thrust up into her. “Han. You’re killing me here, baby.”

  I rubbed her back, trying to calm myself and give her the time she needed to adjust to my cock. She finally lifted her hips slowly, teasing us both with the delicious slide. My hands gripped her hips as she sped up. The little whimpers she made in the back of her throat were too much. Her mouth dropped open and I pulled her closer to me, one hand digging my fingers into her hair and the other pinching her nipple.

  “Rub your clit, make yourself come on my cock.”

  Her tongue tangled with mine, fighting with me for control of the kiss. I pulled back slightly so I could see her hand trail down my stomach. When her fingers trailed over her clit, she nipped at my bottom lip. I smiled against her mouth and deepened the kiss. Within a few minutes we were both breathless and panting.

  Her chest thrust upward and I caught a nipple in my mouth. She arched her back, and rested her hands on my chest. I was so fucking close, but I needed to make sure she was there with me. She ground her hips down on my cock and I used my hands to help her keep the rhythm she wanted.

  “Chance,” she whimpered. “I’m so close.”

  She slid her hand back down between us and rubbed tight circles around her clit. Her head dropped down to my chest and the spasms of her release sucked me into my own. I pulled her hips tight against mine and groaned. Each pump of my cock felt better than the last.

  We rested with our foreheads pressed together, our labored breaths filling the room. I ran my hands up and down her back, relishing the feeling of her smooth skin under my fingertips.

  “I love you, Hannah.”

  She kissed my neck and settled over me. “I love you too, Chance.”

  That was definitely life-affirming.

  ____

  Hannah and I walked into Finn’s house hand in hand. She gave me a reassuring smile and a quick kiss before we entered the living room. I gave her a thankful look and glanced around the room as we walked in. Finn and Nate jumped up to give me a bro hug, one of those back slapping one handed t
hings that most girls didn’t get. Both of them still looked concerned as hell, but they didn’t ask questions. For that, I was incredibly grateful.

  “I promise I’ll talk to you guys about it one day, just not now. Okay?”

  They nodded. “We’re just glad you’re back from your little vacation,” Finn said smirking.

  There was a reason Finn and I were friends.

  “I’m so sorry, Chance,” Nate started.

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m sorry I haven’t told you guys anything about me, not really. Finn was right, you guys don’t really know me. It’s not something I like talking about obviously.” Hannah put her arm around my waist and I leaned down to kiss her head. “I’m just happy this one isn’t mad at me for being such a dick.”

  She pinched me and I laughed.

  “You messed up your hair,” Brooke accused Hannah, hands on hips as she walked into the living room. “If you didn’t get laid I’m going to be pissed.”

  Hannah blushed and I tried to hide my grin. She certainly had got laid. Twice.

  “No reason to be mad,” I answered easily. She poked me in the side and tried to hide her red face in my shoulder. Brooke reached over and pulled me into a hug.

  “We’re happy you’re back safe and sound, Chance. Hannah was really worried about you. We all were.”

  “I’m sorry if I ruined your trip.”

  Hannah frowned and pinned me with a look. “I thought we discussed that.”

  “You didn’t ruin anything. Plus it gave me the excuse I needed to get a hold of this one’s hair.” Brooke winked. “I’ve been itching to play with it since we got off the plane.”

  Olivia, Cora and Caroline came in next, talking about what they wanted to order at Miyabi’s and stopping abruptly when they saw me and Hannah standing there. Cora was the first to break away from the group and come over to hug me. I was a little surprised that they were all relieved to see me. Hannah had tried to tell me, but I didn’t believe her, but maybe she was right on this one. Caroline winked at Hannah before taking her turn hugging me. Olivia was the one that pulled me to the side.