What I can’t tell him is I’ve been to France and Italy four times. My mom wanted to shop, and Maxwell was too busy working. I was always promised a tour of the cities, but it never happened.
A nanny took me to the Eiffel Tower once, but we didn’t stay long, and I was too young to truly appreciate it. The next time will be different. I’ll stay as long as I want, wherever I want, and I’ll appreciate every second of it.
“Come back to me, Leah.”
“Huh?” I glance over and see him smiling.
“Oh, um, I speak French, Italian and Spanish, and there are few other languages I could speak well enough to get by, so I’m not worried about going it alone. I mean, it’d be nice to have someone with me who could appreciate it as much as I would.”
“That’s incredible. You’re really smart.”
I stare out the passenger window. I don’t like to talk about the good qualities I have. In the past, my friends would only work to outdo me or cut me down.
“Oh my goodness. Where are we? I thought it was beautiful where we live, but it’s breathtaking here.”
“We’re starting our way up Flagstaff Mountain. Wait until you see the view from up there. I don’t know how it compares to Switzerland, but I think it’s awesome.” Brandon takes my hand again and gives it a squeeze.
I’d noticed that we went west, taking about a fifteen minute drive. We take Baseline Road and start our way up in the jeep. It’s very winding and narrow, and I imagine it wouldn’t appeal to those afraid of heights. I can’t get over how many bikers are going up the steep, hairpin turns.
We park at the top, and Brandon takes a jacket out of the back. I understand now why I needed one. It’s about sixty degrees with a breeze. He chuckles every time I “ewe and awe” over the view and seems pleased that I’m enjoying myself. I imagine I’d be happy anywhere with him.
There are plenty of sand and rust colored boulders for us to stand and peer out from. We’re surrounded by almost every color of nature. Really, the only thing missing are some of the vivid colors of spring and summer blooms, but it’d be wrong to even ask for a more enthralling view, especially in late September.
“Put this on,” Brandon says as he holds out his black, Columbia windbreaker jacket. I debate on giving a witty comeback about him warming me up as I slip my arms into it, but I don’t want to rush things. At least, I think I don’t.
My attraction to him is so strong that all I can think about is him kissing and touching me. He turns me around toward him and grips both sides near my chest, bringing them together.
“Don’t worry. I still plan on keeping you warm,” he says, smirking. “Come on, I’ll show you what we’re looking at from up here.” He takes my hand and helps me up onto a large boulder with a wide, flat surface that’s safe for both of us to stand on comfortably.
He gets behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. Resting his mouth near my ear, he points, showing me the direction of the Rockies, Denver, and the view of Boulder to the east.
I’m desperately trying to focus on his words, but the feel of his scorching breath in my ear and his arms against my fluttering stomach have me trembling.
“Are you still cold?” he asks, seeming worried.
“No. You um … you make me nervous.” His breath is heavy in my ear again.
“You smell really good,” he says as lips find my cheek and work down to my neck. He’s so not making me less nervous here. Chills run down my spine, causing me to shudder. I feel the goose bumps about the time he chuckles against my neck.
“I think you’re enjoying this a little too much.” I turn my body inside his arms to face him. I’d guess him to be six foot three to six foot four, so his powerful build towers over my five foot six, thin frame.
Sparkling green eyes stare down at me, and I’m urgent for air. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s magnificent.”
“You’re welcome, Lucky Charm.”
“What did you call me?” I ask quizzically. “I really can’t wait to hear this.” I give him a smirk, unsure yet if I’m going to find what he says funny or irritating.
“Your hair reminds me of Lucky Charms. You know, the cereal?”
“Yes, I know of the cereal. I like it. Are you teasing me?”
“No. I love your hair. It’s what came to mind the first time I saw you at school. Also, it was confirmed when you started tutoring me. I mean, you might really be my lucky charm if I get to stay on the football team because of your discovery.”
“OK, I like your reasons, so you can call me that.” His hot breath is sizzling on my skin, and his piercing stare is going from my eyes to my lips, back and forth, making me crazy. Kiss me already.
He grants my wish, his lips touching mine, the softness stirring up the desire inside. His tongue pushes its way in without a fight, and I whimper when he pulls me even tighter against his broad chest.
This kiss is hot, and neither of us care that we’re guilty of major PDA. My hands fist his sweatshirt with an urgency to bring him even closer as my arms stay pinned between our chests.
“Ewww, gross, Mommy. That boy and girl are kissing,” a young voice says. Brandon swiftly releases my lips, and we look in the direction of the voice. It’s a little boy about the age of five. He’s furrowing his little brow and pointing at us.
I see that Brandon is blushing, so I’m sure I am, too. He pulls my head to his chest, his hand holding the back of it. His chest rumbles against mine as he begins laughing.
The boy’s mother grabs his hand and appears embarrassed before she pulls him in the opposite direction. When I lift my head back up, hottie is boring me with his intense gaze.
“Leah, I hope you’re not going to try to stay away from me since I won’t be able to stay away from you. It would make my goal more difficult to obtain, but I don’t believe impossible.”
I gaze back at him, the space between us heated with want as my name off his lips makes my heart pound. It makes me want to be “Leah.”
“Can I ask what your goal is exactly?”
“My goal is to get you all to myself. I don’t want you seeing anyone else.”
“There isn’t anyone else I’m interested in.”
“Not even Jarred Bowling?”
“No. Oh, I guess I can see why you’d wonder that. I think he’s interested but I’m not. I don’t want to stay away from you, either. I don’t know how we’ll make this work around our friends, but right now, I couldn’t fight it if I tried. Does this mean you’re asking me to be your girlfriend?”
“I am, so please say yes.” He dunks his head and gently plants his lips to mine one time.
“Yes.”
He gives me a mighty grin that’s oozing satisfaction. Men and their quests to conquer. I believe he really wants this, but I also know with him being a dude, he wants to pound on his chest and scream, “Take that, Jarred Bowling.”
“If you’d like, we can come back sometime and hike to get an even better view and see some wildlife, or we could come and watch the sunset and see the city lights.”
“I’d really like to do both of those. So, do you bring all the girls you date here?” I poke him in the chest and smile at him playfully.
“I’ve only ever been here with my family. None of the girls I’ve dated would’ve appreciated this, but I had a feeling you would. You’re different, Lucky Charm. There doesn’t appear to be anything superficial about you.”
Humor is dancing in his eyes once again, a smile hiding behind those juicy lips. I have it bad for Brandon Jennings.
Home Sweet Home
Brandon
I feel as if I’ve won the state championship having Leah already say she’ll be my girlfriend. There haven’t been enough opportunities today to touch her and taste her sweet mouth, so I can’t part ways with her yet.
“Would you like to go to my house? I mean, would your mom care if you came over?”
“I can go, but will your parents mind?”
“No.
Not at all. Mine are probably out, anyways. Saturdays are the one night they usually spend together. You’ll have to meet my obnoxious brother. Just ignore him. He’ll go to great lengths to embarrass me.”
“This should be fun,” she says before reaching over to squeeze my leg. She can’t get me excited before we get to my house. I plan on taking her to my room, so I have to behave to the best of my ability, and in the past, that has not been a high achievement.
I watch Leah soak in her surroundings as we enter my neighborhood. It’s one of the nicer parts of Boulder. I pull into the driveway, and when I park and look over, she’s eyeing the house while biting down hard on one of her fingernails. Her forehead is scrunched up, and I see the wheels are turning again in her head.
“You have a really nice place.”
“Thanks, but I sure can’t take credit for that.”
“True. I mean, kids can’t help what their financial status is. That’s on their parents, right? So, kids shouldn’t hold it against each other, but many do, you know?” She’s speaking hurriedly.
“Are you worried about me seeing your home?”
“Um, yep. That’s it exactly.” She’s nodding her head and still chewing on her nail as she looks around my property. I pick up her hand and put it between mine.
“I wouldn’t judge you based on where you live or how much money your family makes. You’re right. That has nothing to do with you, and it doesn’t define you.”
A huge breath escapes her with a sigh. She finally looks my way, a sweet smile appearing as her teeth stop assaulting her innocent thumbnail.
“You’re a great guy. I feel bad for the assumptions I made before we got to really talk. I’ve never met a handsome jock who was as kind as you.”
“You think I’m handsome?”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s what you got out of that? Well, I can’t say I make it a habit of kissing ugly guys.”
I love everything that comes out of that mouth of hers, and I can’t wait to get her inside to taste it again.
Leah
His hand slides to the nape of my neck, and I feel the light circles he’s drawing with two fingers. The air in my lungs is being pressed down, weighted from his mere touch.
“I don’t kiss ugly girls.” Torturously, he pulls my head toward him by my neck as slow as he possibly can before his warm lips are on mine again. They linger there for what feels like forever but for a time that could never be long enough.
Resisting the urge not to tackle him like last night, I stay still, our mouths exchanging the air we fight for as they hover over each other’s. He still has one hand over mine and is now drawing circles along it.
His mouth skims across my jaw before he moves it to my temple. He kisses it lightly, staying there, and it feels so intimate. “What are you doing to me?” he asks.
Leaning over, I plant one soft kiss to his neck. He needs a taste of what he’s doing to me, which is making me fall for him in a near painful way.
“Come on, let’s go,” he says.
Brandon doesn’t know it, but he lives fairly close to me. I’m relieved to see that even though his family is not worth billions, they have dough. His home has to be worth at least a million. I’m hoping this will make things less awkward when he knows the truth. If he were poor, it seems like it’d be harder for us to relate to each other.
He holds my hand as we stroll into the house. It’s unique inside. The ceilings are tall in the great room, and there is a lot of wood throughout from the oak floors to some beams that cross the ceilings. The kitchen has unique cabinetry and a large island. I hang my purse on one of the chairs.
Although decorated elegantly, his home is comforting. Maybe it’s the wood that ties in with nature, or maybe it’s the soothing earthy colors on the walls. Whatever the reason, I’m pleasantly surprised that it’s not stuffy, which is what I expected after seeing the outside.
He walks me to the back of the home, and peering outside the large windows, I see a hot tub on the covered deck. The yard is well manicured, and there are some nice size trees around the perimeter. Their property is fairly secluded, and Brandon informs me that they have a couple of acres.
We’re standing at the back door, hand in hand, when I hear a chuckle. We turn around, and a younger, teenage boy is staring at us with a smirk on his face. I watch him check me out from head to toe. Awkward. I mean like really check me out.
“Who you got here, Bran?”
Gene Pool
Leah
“This is um, this is my girlfriend, Leah.” Brandon tightens his hold on my hand. Awww, that sounded amazing coming out of his mouth.
“Wow, bro. You don’t waste any time.”
“Tyler, shut up. Leah, this is my obnoxious brother, Tyler.”
“Hi, Tyler.”
He gives me a wicked grin. “I’ve seen you around school. You’re hot, and your hair is cool as shit. I can’t wait to hear what Mom and Dad think about it. I’m sure they’ll love it.” He wiggles his eyebrows, a wickedness spreading to his gaze.
He’s a cutie but definitely a pill. Instead of Brandon’s deep green eyes, his are more hazel but have the same charming gleam in them. His brown hair is lighter, and his smile is perfect like his brother’s.
Shorter and lankier, Tyler is still taller than me, and I imagine he’ll be filled out like Brandon when he’s older. He doesn’t think his parents will like me. I hadn’t thought about that since I haven’t met any parents as Leah.
“Um, I–I should probably get home. I need to text my mom real quick, too.” I go to my purse and pull out my phone, seeing I have a missed call from Paul and two messages. It’s been almost three hours since I left the salon, and I forgot about texting him.
Me: So sorry. I’ve been distracted. I’m fine. Brandon is showing me his house. Can I come home soon?
Paul: I think the coast is clear. There were some reporters here, but they’ve given up for the evening. Just watch it.
Me: OK, be home within the hour.
Paul: Don’t say I didn’t warn you; aunt Dottie is here.
I inwardly groan. I love my mom’s sister, Dottie, but she’s loud and flamboyant. Casey is a tad more subdued. As I’m texting Paul, I hear Brandon reprimanding his brother, but I haven’t been paying attention to what is said. I throw my phone back into my purse.
“OK, I’m ready to go.”
“Hey, Leah, I’m sorry I said that about my parents. Don’t go. Bran will try to kick my ass if you leave already,” Tyler says. He’s smiling again, but it’s a more reserved, nervous smile.
I really don’t want to meet his parents today.
“Um, OK, but I shouldn’t stay long.”
“I forgot to feed you dinner,” Brandon says, seeming very flustered. “Do you like pizza, and if so, what do you like on it?”
“Anything except mushroom and olives.”
“Tyler, order some pizza, and I’ll pay for it when it gets here.”
Tyler rolls his eyes. “Only because you’re feeding me will I let you order me around.”
“Come on, I’ll show you the upstairs.” Brandon takes my hand and pulls me behind him.
“Did you get your dirty mags and underwear up off the floor first?”
“I swear, Tyler, you’re in deep shit when Leah leaves,” he shouts without turning around. While leading me up the stairs, he keeps speaking. “See what I have to deal with. You’d think he was an older brother the way he torments me.”
I can’t help but giggle. It is kinda cute. I was lonely growing up since I’m an only child. I think that’s why I enjoy teasing Paul. It makes me feel like I have a sibling.
My driver in LA was old and grumpy. He was overly professional and only spoke to me when absolutely necessary. I didn’t need a bodyguard there the way I do here.
I was always with other wealthy people, and we were in our own little bubble. Our private school was guarded, and most of my friends had bodyguards or drivers.
We we
re seldom in environments that would put us into danger since we were rarely outside our social circle. Whereas here, I’m in a pretty secluded area, and I attend public school.
Paul’s right. I am a huge target to be hurt or abducted, when you consider the amount of money Maxwell would have available to hand over for ransom.
“Do you have any siblings?” he asks.
Oh no. I don’t want to lie to him.
“Um, can we talk about my family dynamics later?”
“Sorry, it’s messy,” he says as he opens the door, seeming distracted by his room. It’s fairly large but still only about half the size of mine. Along with team photos on display, he has trophies sitting on his dresser and on a bookcase.
I pick up one of the photos and recognize some of the players. Most of them are the bunch he sits with every day. His friend, Anthony, is next to him in the photo.
“Are you close to Anthony?”
“Yes. I guess you could say he’s my best friend.”
“Cole and I used to be really tight, but the older he gets, the more of an asshole he becomes.”
“Is he the one that yells at me?” I ask, unable to hide my disappointment. I should only be angry, but since they’re friends, it makes me sad that Cole wants to treat me like crap.
“Yeah, it’s him. I’m really sorry, Leah. I get after him for it, and I’ll do what I can to make sure it doesn’t happen again, but I can’t be with him every second.
“His dad is rough and drinks heavily, so he puts a lot of expectations on Cole. I think his dad has even hit him. It’s no excuse, but I believe it’s why Cole behaves the way he does.
“I wouldn’t normally share that, but I know I can trust you, and I guess I want you to see that he’s aware he’s not better than anyone. He just tries to give off that impression since school is the only place he feels he has any control or power.”
Everything that comes out of Brandon’s mouth leaves a print on my heart. I walk toward him and cup his face with one of my hands.
“It looks to me like I’m not the only deep thinker. I see that you’re a loyal friend, Bran.”
My Lucky Charm Page 7
