Fearless (A Carolina Coastal Novel Book 2)

by Kelsey Cheyenne

  “Sex is fun. Even bad sex is fun.”

  “For the guy.” Yeah, having a dick definitely has its perks.

  We go back and forth playing this stupid game which is a thinly-veiled attempt at getting to know her better. It’s when she tells me her biggest fear that I take pause.

  “The woods is your biggest fear? You realize we’re headed to a cabin right? In the woods?” She shrugs as she tries to downplay how big of a deal this is. “Why did you agree to come with me?”

  “It’s my turn to ask a question.”

  “Humor me.”

  She lifts her feet to the chair and hugs her knees, subconsciously or consciously closing herself off.

  “I don’t know.” I glance over at her and find pink cheeks and averted eyes. She’s hiding something. “It was a bet. I lost. I had to pay up.”

  It’s more than that, Livvy.

  “We could’ve gone anywhere. If you told me, I’d have understood.”

  “Or you’d mock me relentlessly.”

  “True. Most likely that.” She sears me with her angry gaze which I can feel burning through the side of my face. “Well, this is the perfect opportunity to face your fears.”

  She’s quiet for the last leg of the drive and we finally reach my parents’ cabin, which is less cabin in the woods and more ski lodge resort, but same difference.

  “Holy shit. You didn’t tell me it was a mansion. I thought it would be a tiny shack, all cozy. Way to bury the lead.” She steps out of my car and stretches. As I round the back of the car to grab our bags, I notice her shirt has risen exposing a sliver of smooth skin.

  This will either be one long ass weekend where I’m suffering blue balls the whole time or an awesome fuck-fest.

  I’m hoping for the latter.

  Sixteen

  Olivia

  Lucas unlocks the door to the house and my jaw all but hits the floor as I take in the huge and gorgeous space. The doors open into the living room with all the exposed wood and high ceilings. The back wall is almost all windows or doors, exposing a lake right outside. A huge flat screen TV hangs over the rock wall fireplace with bookshelves on either side.

  To our left is the staircase which I assume leads to the bedrooms on the second floor. On our right, the room opens up to the gorgeous granite kitchen with an island bigger than my apartment in the center. This place should be showcased on best homes in America or some other ridiculous HGTV bullshit show.

  I’m in awe as I follow Lucas upstairs to where he deposits his bags in the master bedroom. He has his own room here, but since it’s just the two of us he figured why waste the space? The master has a California king bed, an ensuite bathroom with a rain shower and a jet tub, a walk in closet Carrie Bradshaw would be envious of, and a fireplace of its own. Don’t get me started on the TV that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.

  “This place is insane. How rich are your parents?” For being Bill Gates-level loaded, his parents seemed more down to Earth than most people.

  “I’ll see if I can find their tax returns and get back to you.” I give him a fake laugh. “Are you staying in here with me or do you want your own room?” His sly smirk has me throbbing below the belt.

  “I think I’ll pass,” I tell him, though it’s the last thing I want.

  He shows me to the room next door which happens to be his older sister’s room. He assures me she hasn’t been back here in years and wouldn’t mind if I crashed here for the weekend. I’ll have to take his word for it.

  We finish unloading the car and put away the food and drinks we brought for the weekend, which mainly consists of booze. This weekend is bound to cause some trouble.

  Seeing as it’s December and we’re inland, the place is chilly. Lucas starts up the fireplace before we start cooking. Together. Like husband and wife or some shit.

  I pour myself a generous glass of wine because without it I don’t think I’ll survive three whole days with him. Spending time with Lucas has turned me into a borderline alcoholic.

  Despite our tumultuous history, the hours pass in a comfortable comradery. We eat sitting across from one another and Luke cracks a bunch of jokes. The food is incredible and I compliment him on his surprising culinary skills. We’re almost like…friends.

  It’s weird. He’s acting almost too nice.

  We plop down on opposite sides of the couch. Luke offers me a beer but I refill my wine glass instead, not wanting to mix my alcohols and end up sick.

  We turn the TV on and Big Daddy is on. The plotline with the adopted kid makes me think of Luke’s sister and her daughter.

  “Hey, what’s Carson’s story?” I grimace at how insensitive I sound. “I just mean…she has a daughter, right? I mean, Ava has this bright red hair and Carson and Wren, well, don’t, and—” I’m grateful when he cuts me off.

  “She got pregnant in college. He, um, he died from cancer.”

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. That’s awful. I can’t imagine.” He nods. I’m glad she found Wren and she seems really happy with him. And her daughter is a riot. “You’re pretty close with Ava, though, huh?” His eyes light up at the mention of his niece and it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Yeah, she’s my little buddy. Carson and I got pretty close over the years, especially after Ava was born. I tried to help out as much as I could and I bonded with the kid too.”

  “Bonded? Luke, she adores you. It’s obvious.”

  “Can you blame her?”

  I roll my eyes. “So…what’s the deal with your other sister?” I barely know her and yet I feel like she’s the black sheep.

  “Flynn has pretty much always been a nightmare,” he says though he laughs and it’s full of love. “She and I are closer than her and Carson ever were. Maybe it’s the five-year age gap between them, I don’t know. She’s always been in trouble in school, fights and drugs and stuff. But she is who she is and she’s never apologized for it.”

  I guess I can respect that even if I don’t like the girl.

  “And what about you? How did you really get those scars?”

  “You ask a lot of questions, you know that?”

  I shrug. So what if I’m a little nosy? I want to get to know him better.

  “Car accident. When my buddy and I were sixteen and just started driving things got a little out of control and I almost died.”

  “I thought that was just the story you told chicks to get them into bed.” I take a sip of my drink and he laughs.

  “I don’t need to come up with a story. Women just flock to my bed.”

  I smack him, but I also know he’s not lying and suddenly I’m over this conversation. We turn our focus back to the movie before I head to the kitchen to refill my glass and grab Luke another beer. When the movie ends, I’m four glasses in and ready to go to bed. Lucas turns off the TV and I push off the couch, but his words stop me.

  “Why do you keep agreeing to these bets?”

  The temperature in the room skyrockets with his question.

  “Why do you keep making the bets?” I feel like a therapist, answering a question with another question.

  “Come on, Liv, level with me here. I’m just curious. No judgment.”

  I can’t look at him; instead, I pull at my shirt and act like I found the world’s most interesting piece of lint on the fabric.

  “I told you before. You’re fearless and I…like what I’m like when I’m with you. Even if it scares me.” Damn this beer for making me more honest than I want to be.

  “I scare you?” I risk a glance and catch his mischievous grin. “Why do I scare you, Olivia?” He pushes off the couch and invades my space. Suddenly I can’t breathe. The smell of his cologne infiltrates my nostrils and makes me weak in the knees.

  I pinch my eyes closed and blurt out the truth. “Because I like you, you idiot. Okay? Is that what you want to hear? Over these last few months, I’ve come to see you as a person, not a frat boy douchebag. You’re funny and dammit, yo
u’re hot and nice when you want to be. I’ve fallen under your douchey spell and I never planned to or wanted to for that matter—”

  My ramblings are cut off as his lips crash against mine. The kiss is quick but it ignites the fire in my veins all the same. He pulls back and there’s a humorous glimmer in his brown eyes.

  “Please don’t throw up on me again.” I step away.

  “I didn’t throw up on you. I was motion sick. You should be more worried about me slapping you.” I raise my hand, jokingly, but he had to bring up my embarrassing vomiting incident so he probably deserves a slap anyway.

  I grab my wine glass and head back into the kitchen to place it into the dishwasher. Luke unashamedly watches me the entire time. I slink back over to him and lift on my tiptoes, my chest brushing against his as I whisper into his ear. “Goodnight, Lucas.”

  I head upstairs and with one last look over my shoulder, I see him smirk and shake his head.

  In my room, I change into my pajamas and unpack my toiletries. I take a hot shower and when I step back out into the room I realize just how cold it is in here.

  I head toward the master bedroom to ask Luke for another blanket. I knock but no one answers. When I step into the room, I hear the shower running. The door to the bathroom is cracked open and I don’t want him to get out of the shower and see me lurking. I’ll go search for a blanket on my own.

  “Liv.”

  Shit. Did he hear me? I open my mouth to call out or apologize or something…but then Luke starts moaning. And fuck if it’s not the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.

  “Fuck, Liv. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He moans again and holy hell he’s masturbating to me. My panties couldn’t get wetter if I hopped in the shower with him right now.

  I sneak out of the room, no longer cold, but instead feeling too warm. I run back to my room and burrow under the covers, needing to take care of myself now too.

  I get off quickly to the memory of Luke calling out my name and the orgasm helps put me to sleep. It’s only a matter of time before I become one of the women who flock to his bed.

  Seventeen

  Olivia

  I can’t get out of bed because if I get out of bed then I have to face Lucas knowing he beat off to me last night. And also that I got off to him, but he doesn’t know that part. I can’t look him in the eye when I was practically a peeping Tom and now I know the sounds he makes when he comes.

  But coffee. Dammit.

  I take an extra-long amount of time brushing my teeth and when I can’t procrastinate any longer, I leave my sanctuary. I knew this weekend would be weird, but I truly didn’t think it would go this direction.

  I lean over the banister and see the fireplace is on downstairs but I don’t see Lucas anywhere. I’ll run down and grab a quick cup of coffee and hide in my room until I can decide how to handle this situation.

  My foot lands on the first stair and I ease onto the next, going slow to not make any noise.

  “Whatcha doing, Liv?”

  “Jesus.” I jump and grip the railing to prevent myself from tumbling down the steps. “Morning.” My face heats as memories from last night flood my brain. Just looking at him has my brain conjuring up images I can’t get rid of.

  I walk downstairs, avoiding his gaze and grab some coffee and a Pop-Tart. I sit at the breakfast bar but when Lucas takes the seat beside me, I jump up in an instant.

  “I’m going back up—I mean, I’m not feeling great—so, I’ll, uh see you later.” Luke grabs my hand before I can get too far.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “What do you mean? Nothing is wrong. Why would you think anything is wrong?” My voice is about eight octaves too high, immediately clueing him in to the fact that something is definitely wrong.

  “Olivia.” Lie, lie, lie. If there was ever a time to think of a lie, this is it. Come on, Olivia, think! “Is this about our kiss last night?”

  “YES! I mean, yes. I’m feeling a little awkward about it all, that’s it.” It’s an easy enough lie. Luke laughs and tugs my arm gently, enough to make me sit back down.

  “What’s weird about it? You like me, I like you. It doesn’t have to be weird.” He leans into me, his breath tickling my cheek as he whispers the words. He likes me. I never thought the feelings would be mutual. I thought it was just a kiss.

  “Come on. Let’s go for a hike. You have to see the view from the top of the mountain. It’s only two miles away.”

  “A hike? Luke, it’s freezing outside.” I’m being a bit dramatic, but I’m not exactly a girl who hikes.

  “It’s like, fifty degrees out. It’s perfect weather. Get your ass upstairs and get ready.” He finishes his coffee and places the empty mug in the sink to be washed. With a wink over his shoulder, he goes upstairs, leaving me reeling behind him.

  What the hell just happened?

  “You really are trying to kill me, aren’t you?” My hand is brush burned from catching myself on the ground after I tripped over a branch. My knees hurt from the same fall and my chest is heaving like an asthmatic.

  “No, but at least then I’d have some peace and quiet.”

  “Ha ha.” I wince as I brush the dirt off my hand.

  “Come on. We’re almost to the top.” Lucas extends his hand and I grab onto his fingers. I take a long swig of water and then force myself to walk in front of him.

  After another five minutes of walking, I trip again, but this time Luke is beside me and he reaches out to catch me before I fall down. His fingers dig into my hips as he holds onto me and I’d bet my rent money that tomorrow I’ll have bruises from those strong digits.

  His hands hover around me as we ascend the last five minutes of walking. When we reach the top, my breath is taken away at the sight. I lean onto a tree, not caring about the roughness scratching my back and side.

  “I told you. It’s really something isn’t it?” I nod and take in the scenery. “Was it worth it?” I look down at my bloodied hand and feel the throb of my knees.

  “Jury’s still out.” He laughs and shakes his head. This is why I’ll never be one of those girls who tells guys I like hiking to impress them. God forbid they call my bluff.

  I sit down on a rock, wishing I could’ve seen the sun rise or set from this spot. But walking up here or back home in the dark isn’t ideal with my clumsiness.

  We sit in silence and take in the beauty of nature for a while. I feel Luke’s stare on the side of my face, but I don’t give in to the pull to glance back at him. If I do, I’ll want to kiss him and making out on the side of a mountain seems dangerous.

  “I’m gonna go take a piss. I’ll be right back,” Luke tells me.

  “Wait, I’ll come with you. I have to go too.”

  “Liv, I’m going right over there to piss in the woods. You might want to hold yours.”

  “There’s no, like, port-o-potty or anything?” I’m regretting drinking all of my water right now.

  “No, but I can offer you a leaf if you can’t hold it.”

  He laughs and I groan.

  “Hurry up. I want to get home before we come to that.”

  A few minutes later, we’re headed back down the mountain. If I thought walking up here was hazardous, it’s nothing compared to this downhill slope of doom. I’ve already tripped three times in the first five minutes. I’m bound to tumble all the way back home at the rate I’m going now.

  “How the hell did you ever play sports with your coordination?” Luke is trying to contain his amusement but failing.

  “Soccer didn’t involve loose shrapnel trying to kill me with every step.” He laughs and I scratch the back of my head, the truth on my tongue.

  “That seems a bit dramatic, but whatever you say.” Lucas offers me his arm to help me down the rest of the way. I hold onto his bulging bicep and together we slowly descend.

  “Okay, honestly, I never actually played soccer. I was on the bench. I only joined the team so it would look good on college applications.”
r />   “Why am I not surprised?” I shove him, which is a bad move because if he goes tumbling down the hill, I’ll be following right behind him.

  “The view was nice and all, but don’t ever take me hiking again.”

  “Duly noted.”

  We walk for what feels like ages and I’m bruised and sore by the time we get back to the house. I take a long, hot shower and apply antibiotic ointment to all my scrapes. I look like a kindergartener on the playground with all my Band-Aids and injuries.

  A large glass of white wine is on the counter waiting for me when I come downstairs and dinner is cooking in the oven. I take a hearty gulp of the much-needed alcohol and let it settle in my veins.

  “I figured you needed that.”

  I smile over the glass and nod as Luke comes into view. He’s wearing a silly apron that reads ‘Kiss the Cook’ and has a beer bottle in hand. I chug the glass and the buzz comes quick. Thank God I wasn’t asked to help with dinner because I’m all but useless. I refill my glass and collapse on the couch, turning on a movie I’d never seen and not paying it any attention.

  Thirty minutes later as I’m scrolling through my phone, Lucas calls me over. I get my third or fourth glass of wine—I’ve lost count—and sit at the table.

  In front of me is a large bowl of spaghetti that I’m a little too eager to dig into. I put a large pile of noodles on my plate and dig in before Lucas even has a chance to sit down.

  “This is really good.” I slurp a noodle and feel one hit my face.

  “You got some sauce there.” Luke points to my cheek and I swipe at it half-heartedly. He chuckles as I pile more spaghetti into my mouth. “It’s still there.” He reaches over the table, dragging his thumb across my lip, letting me lick the sauce off his finger.

  “That’s really good.” Lucas shifts in his seat and we finish the meal in near silence.

  After we eat and clean up, we sit together on the couch, watching one of those cheesy Hallmark holiday movies that are basically crack they’re so addicting.