School was good—math aside—cheer was epic, and I had a nice boy, someone who wanted to treat me right and make me smile.
Why does all of that seem so pointless now?
Damn him.
I’m at Justin’s house in record time and pulling up next to his Porsche.
Nerves make my hands tremble against the wheel. Shaking my head at myself, I pull down my visor and check my hair and makeup before swinging the door open and climbing out.
I’m putting too much thought into all of this. I’m just coming to hang out.
The front door is open before I get halfway across the driveway and Nathan’s eyes track down my body, just like someone else’s did not so long ago.
I banish thoughts of him from my head as I climb the couple of steps up to the front door.
“Harley, you look… wow.”
A smile tugs at my lips and I slip my hand into the one he’s holding out for me. Wrapping our joined hands around my back, he pulls me into his body and drops his lips to mine.
“Hey,” I say almost shyly when he pulls back.
“Hey, I’m so glad you’re here,” he says, his eyes bouncing between mine.
“Me too,” I whisper honestly. Now I’m here and I can put everything that was going on at my house behind me, I’m actually excited.
He smiles at me and I’m reminded of the night at Ethan’s a few weeks ago when we first met. His dark hair is styled perfectly, his hazel eyes have that same sparkle and his jaw is so sharp and square it makes me want to trace it with my fingertip.
“Come in, you must be freezing.”
He doesn’t release me as he drags me in and swings the door closed behind us.
“I… uh… wasn’t sure what to wear.”
“You could wear anything and still look beautiful, Harley.” His hand wraps around the back of my neck as heat plumes in my belly.
His lips brush mine once again before his tongue trails along my bottom one. Eagerly my lips part for him and he more than willingly ramps things up. His other hand drops to my waist, pressing us tightly together until I have no choice but to feel his length between us.
“Did you cook?” I ask when he finally lets me up for air.
“Kind of. I’m not really any good in the kitchen. Come on.” He laces his fingers through mine and pulls me farther into the house after allowing me to take my heeled booties off and leave them with the others in the hallway.
As we make our way down the hall, it gets darker and a twinkle starts from the very far room which I already know is Justin’s living room.
“Oh wow,” I breathe when I step inside the room to find fairy lights strung up and a picnic already laid out on a rug in the middle of the room.
I glance over at him as he studies me shyly, waiting for my response.
“You did all this for me?”
He shrugs. “I just wanted tonight to be something you might remember.”
I swoon, I can’t help it. Nathan is like the perfect boyfriend. Everything I’ve wished for since moving to Rosewood.
“It’s perfect. What’s to eat?” I ask, stepping onto the blanket and lowering down beside the basket.
“Literally everything I could think of.” He laughs, coming to sit on the other side and opening the lid, allowing me to see the insane amount of food inside.
“You know it’s only the two of us, right?” I ask with a laugh just to confirm that he’s not planning on feeding the entire team tonight.
“I know. I just wasn’t sure what you liked. We’ve only eaten together a couple of times and both times were pizza so…”
“Fair enough.” I help him lay it all out before us, a smile playing on my lips the entire time.
“I sure hope you’re hungry,” he says to me once the basket is finally empty.
“Yeah, I am. I was too nervous to eat lunch,” I admit. Although I keep the fact that it wasn’t entirely because of him to myself. This is a Kyle Legend free zone.
“Yeah?” he asks like I’ve just told him that tomorrow is Christmas or something.
“Yeah. This is nice having no one else around.”
“At last, right? Any preference?” he asks, holding up the TV remote.
“Music?”
“Sure.”
He clicks through a few channels before deciding on one and lies back so he’s on his side and rests on his elbow, giving me a chance to really check him out.
He’s wearing a navy Henley with the arms pushed up to the elbows and a dark, almost black, pair of jeans. It’s not all that much different to him, the main difference being that the clothes that are wrapped around Nathan’s body are branded with labels that I’m sure might impress his prep school friends but they do very little for me. They’re just clothes. I couldn’t give a crap about the name on them.
I stare at the sliver of skin that is exposed around his waist and bite down on my bottom lip at the sight of the red waistband of his boxers. Nathan is fit, that much is obvious but he’s much leaner than him. I guess that’s not hard really seeing as it looks like he’s spent his entire year away inside the prison gym.
My stomach clenches at the thought of him being locked up but I stuff it back down. I shouldn’t be thinking about all of that right now.
I’m sitting here with an incredible guy who looks at me like I’m something special and my head is with someone else, someone I don’t want it to be with.
“Are you okay? You seem a little distant.” Concern fills his voice and I hate it. “I know we haven’t talked much this week, I was just hoping it was because you were busy?” he suggests.
“Y-yeah, it was. I’m sorry, things have just been a bit crazy this week. I’ve fallen out with my mom, schools been hard work. I’m sorry, I really want to enjoy this with you.”
He smiles at me, his concern thankfully dissipating.
“Just relax, yeah. You don’t need to worry about any of that tonight.”
I blow out a slow breath. “That sounds so good.”
“Here,” he says, offering me the bowl of chips that is closest to him. Reaching out, I take a couple and throw them into my mouth.
“So you’ve both got the house to yourself for the weekend? Don’t they miss you at school?”
“Nah, no one will even notice. And it’s not like my parents will care.”
His expression doesn’t falter but I see something flicker through his eyes. Pain.
“How come you don’t want to go out of state for college?” I ask. He’s already told me that he’s been accepted to MKU but the way he talks about school and his parents, I wouldn’t have thought he’d want to stick around.
“I don’t know,” he mumbles around a sausage roll. “It’s home, I guess. Just feels right.”
“Fair enough.”
“You any closer to making any decisions?”
“Nah, not yet. I’ve got plenty of time,” I say, although as the words fall from my lips I can hear Mom’s voice in my head nagging at me to make a decision about my future.
I understand her need to ensure the three of us are all well educated but I really don’t need the pressure. Right now, I need to get those damn test results up before I even think about applications.
We chat away about nonsense while we pick at the food he’s laid out.
“You sure you don’t want one?” he asks, knocking the top off his second bottle of beer.
“No, thank you. I need to drive home.”
“Do you?” he asks, looking at me from under his long dark lashes.
My stomach flutters in anticipation.
“I… uh… I don’t know. But I want the option.”
“Think you’re going to need to run away from me?”
“Who knows. You might turn out to be a murderer yet,” I joke.
He chuckles. “I could well be. Have you finished?” He nods down to the leftover food that neither of us has touched in a while.
“Yeah, I’m good. Thank you, it was delicious.”
“It was just a picnic.”
“Best picnic I’ve ever had,” I say with a wink as I help him pack it all up.
“There’s no need to sweeten me, babe. I’m already all yours.”
I shake my head at him and follow him through to the kitchen to dispose of everything.
“Did you get anything for dessert?” I ask, spinning to watch him move effortlessly around the kitchen as he tidies up.
I bite down on the inside of my cheek as I watch his muscles pull across his shoulders as he works.
“Yeah, I got—” His words falter when he turns and finds me staring at him. “Fuck,” he breathes, lifting his hand and running his fingers through his hair as he stares back at me.
My skin heats as his eyes drop down my body, my nipples puckering against the fabric of my dress at his attention.
“What?” I ask, a shy smile pulling at my lips when he doesn’t do or say anything for long seconds.
“You, you’re just so… I don’t even know.”
“Thanks, I think. So dessert?”
“Oh, y-yeah.” He clears his throat and turns toward the refrigerator but I don’t miss him rearranging himself before he pulls the door open.
The knowledge that I affect a guy like Nathan makes me feel like a freaking queen.
Pushing from the counter I was leaning against, I walk up to him and wrap my arm around his waist as I peer inside.
“I got these,” he says, pulling out a couple of chocolate mousse cups.
“Perfect. I just need something a little sweet.”
I take one from him as he closes the door but I don’t get a chance to walk away because he’s faster and he spins us until my back is once again pressed against the counter, only this time, he steps right into me.
I part my legs, allowing one of his thighs to slide between as our hips meet. He stares down at me, his eyes searching mine.
“I can’t get enough of you, Harley,” he whispers, his hand landing on my waist and sliding up until it stops on my ribs, less than an inch from my breast which becomes heavy, desperate to feel his touch.
“I’m right here, Nathan.”
“You make me lose my mind,” he admits, his nose brushing against mine. “But I’m trying to do the right thing here.”
I have no idea if he’s been with other girls. From his looks and the fact he’s one of Maddison Prep’s star basketball players, I would be very surprised if he hadn’t been with at least a few. He certainly seems to know the right moves and the right words to say to make me melt. But I appreciate that he’s keeping things slow. I haven’t told him that I’m a virgin but I think he knows. It’s why he’s holding back. Letting me take the lead.
“You say that like I’m a good little girl,” I breathe, our lips so close that the heat of his burns into mine.
“Harley,” he groans as if he’s in pain as his length hardens between us.
If I were a different member of Rosewood’s cheer squad then I’d probably already be on my knees for him. But I’m not, and nor do I want to be.
Our squad’s reputation needs to change and once the seniors graduate, it’s one of the things Ruby and I want to work on, should we both get voted to take charge that is.
“Kiss me.”
His fingers tighten around my ribs a second before his lips take mine in a bruising kiss.
Unlike when I first arrived, there’s no restraint on Nathan’s part. His kiss is hard, wet and dirty and I soon find myself drowning in it—in him.
A groan rumbles up his throat as his tongue delves into my mouth and a rush of heat floods me.
“Harley, fuck,” he grunts into our kiss.
Abandoning his dessert, his large palm wraps around the back of my thigh and he lifts my leg from the floor, wrapping it around his hip and opening me up to him.
I gasp, breaking our kiss, then his hardness presses against my sensitive core.
“Good, huh?” he asks smugly but he doesn’t give me a chance to respond to how it feels because he dips his head, his lips latching onto my neck.
“Oh God,” I whimper as he sucks on a sensitive spot beneath my ear. An entire body shudder rips through me at the move.
“We should probably get out of the kitchen,” he mumbles against my skin after a few minutes.
“Uh… y-yeah,” I agree, although I have no idea if my legs will hold me up and allow me to walk anywhere right now.
He pulls back, his eyes scanning my face but the second mine land on his lips, I can’t help but laugh.
Reaching out, I run my thumb along his full bottom lip and rub at my lipstick.
“It’s not really your color,” I admit, holding my thumb up for him to see the dark makeup.
“I don’t care what color it is as long as it’s come from you. Come on.”
He takes a step back and thankfully, I don’t collapse to the floor on my jelly legs. He takes both of the desserts that had been abandoned on the counter in one hand than mine in the other.
Part of me wonders if he’s about to lead me upstairs, and a refusal is right on the tip of my tongue when we turn back to the living room.
I don’t like my initial reaction to the prospect of us taking this further, especially after just being like putty in his hands.
Maybe tonight isn’t the night.
I hate that he might be disappointed if I can’t go through with it, but a big part of me knows that he’ll understand.
I don’t realize my steps falter as I look to the stairs.
“What—oh. Did you want to…” He trails off and I look past him into the room, not wanting to see any excitement in his eyes.
“No, here’s good. We could… err… find a movie or something.”
“Yeah,” he agrees without missing a beat and continues leading me inside.
He throws a few extra cushions down on the floor and we retake our places on the blanket as he flicks through the movie channels to find something suitable.
He finally lands on some high school rom-com and places the remote down. It’s not really my kind of movie but I don’t complain. I have a feeling we’re not really going to be watching it anyway.
I’m still trying to get comfortable as he pulls the top of my dessert off.
“Here,” he says, holding out a spoonful of chocolate goodness.
“I can feed myself, you know,” I say with a laugh.
“Humor me.” He gives me one of his knee-weakening smiles, dimple and all and I cave.
I part my lips and allow him to slide the spoon past them before I close my mouth around it. The sweetness almost immediately explodes on my tongue and I can’t help but close my eyes and groan. It’s so freaking good, and exactly what I needed.
“Fuck, babe. You’re killing me.”
“It’s so good.”
“Yeah?” he asks, lowering the spoon back to the cup but instead of trying it, he leaves the cup where it is and scoots closer. “Let’s see how good.”
His hand cradles the back of my head and he lowers his lips to mine.
“Mmm… I didn’t think you could taste any better.”
The length of his body presses against me, one of his legs threading through mine as he continues to kiss me.
“Nathan,” I moan when he once again attacks my neck, licking, sucking and nipping at the skin.
My entire body grows hot and it feels like my skin is suddenly too small.
“Yeah, babe? Tell me what you need.”
“I… I…” I stutter because while my body knows exactly what it needs, my head isn’t entirely on board.
His hand skims down my body. I gasp when his thumb catches my nipple but he doesn’t stop, instead, he descends until his palm lands on my bare thigh.
“This dress, Harley. It’s sinful.”
I bite down on my bottom lip, wondering once again if wearing it was a mistake.
“Do you have any idea how sexy you look right now?” My chest heaves as I watch him take in every in
ch of my body. “The things I want to do to you,” he murmurs, and my stomach twists. But my thoughts are cut off when his lips find mine once more and I lose myself in his kiss, in his burning touch.
His hand lifts until it’s under the hem of my skirt.
Heat floods me a second before his thumb brushes the fabric covering me.
“Fuck, babe. You’re soaked,” he whispers in my ear.
My back arches as he presses against me a little harder.
“You want me to touch you, babe? You want me to make you come?” His voice is so deep and rough in my ear and my eyes close of my own accord.
My breathing is erratic, my heart out of control in my chest as his own rapid breaths caresses my neck and shoulder.
“Nathan,” I moan again when his lips latch onto my neck and he sucks hard enough to leave a mark. “Oh God,” I cry out when he slips my panties aside and runs his fingers through my folds.
His body vibrates with his growl of approval at how ready he finds me.
My eyes squeeze tight and my back arches once more as my body tries to absorb the sensations he’s igniting within me.
It’s not the first time someone’s touched me like this but it’s not— “No,” I cry, suddenly sitting up.
It takes a second to register what’s happening but the second I do, I drop my head into my hands.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter, it’s muffled against my palms so I have no idea if he can hear me or not.
My face burns and my eyes fill with tears that I’ve just rejected him like that. And the reason… no. I can’t. I can’t even think about it or I’ll fall off the ledge I’m already precariously balancing on.
“I’m sorry,” he says softly, wrapping his fingers around my wrist and trying to pull my hands from my face but I fight him. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I’m sorry.”
Sucking in a calming breath, I wipe at my eyes before pulling my hands away.
“I think I should go.”
“No, Harley. It’s okay. You don’t need to—”
“I do. I’m so sorry I ruined your night. All of this,” I say, gesturing to what he’s done for me. “All of this was perfect. I’m sorry.”
I run before he has time to stand and I’m already in the hallway shoving my feet into my booties and pushing my arms into my jacket when he finally joins me.
LEGEND: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 7) Page 8
