by R. Linda
“How did you know?” She angled her head and looked up at me.
“Because I know you.” I dropped my forehead to hers.
She smiled.
“Don’t worry. Okay?” I whispered against her lips. “Last night changed everything, and I’m not going back to the way things were. I can’t. It’s me and you. Always,” I said before lowering my mouth to hers and kissing her like she was my air, because now that I’d had a taste, I couldn’t get enough of her.
Chapter
Nineteen
Audrey
“You got laid,” Bennett said the day after Brody and I got back from our weekend away. How he knew I got laid, I didn’t know. I tried to deny it, and he wouldn’t believe me, no matter how much I argued. Thankfully, he seemed to be the only one who had some sort of twisted sex radar, as no one else appeared to be any the wiser.
Brody and I had agreed not to tell everyone yet, but also not to keep it a secret. We were being careful and trying not to get caught, but if we did, we wouldn’t lie. It wasn’t an easy topic to bring up for discussion, and there was never a right time either. We couldn’t very well stand up at the table at Sunday night dinner and say, “Guess what? We’re sleeping together.” Though I suspected it was more than just sex.
We’d never really discussed it. Not like they did in movies or books. There were no deep conversations or confessions of undying love. There was lots of sneaking around and tiptoeing up and down the stairs. Too many cold showers for both of us, stolen kisses and secret glances, but no huge conversations. I was okay with that. I didn’t cope well with expressing my feelings or my thoughts, so deep and meaningful discussions were a no-go. But I knew enough about Brody and his feelings for me to know that it wasn’t just a fling or a way to pass the time. If it were, we would have stopped by now, and not dragged it on for over a month.
But clearly, it wasn’t, if my bedroom door creaking open for the third night this week was anything to go by. Brody climbed into the bed behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“I could not wait to get home to you,” he said softly, placing a kiss behind my ear as his fingers found their way under my shirt.
“Oh, baby, this sounds like it could get interesting.” Bennett’s voice echoed through the room.
Brody froze, his fingers stopping their movements as he said low in my ear, “Audrey.”
I rolled over and smiled at him, lifting my phone up to show him Bennett’s face on the screen.
“Hey, man!” Bennett waved and blew Brody a kiss. “Don’t mind me. Just prop the phone up on the desk to give me a better view and think of me as a cheerleader. I’ll be shouting encouragement.” He laughed.
“You’re video chatting right now?” Brody asked through gritted teeth.
“Yep.” I patted his cheek. We video chatted almost every night, even though we saw each other at school every day. “Won’t be long, though.” I rolled back onto my side to keep talking to Bennett.
He was fighting with his dad again. I hated his dad. I wished I could offer for Bennett to live with us, but it wasn’t my house, and it wasn’t my place. Leanne and Steve already had enough to worry about with Brody and me sneaking around under their roof. But I really did want to save Bennett.
Principal Sawyer was an asshole.
There was no other way to describe the man. He treated his son like crap. Blamed him for everything. And he was more interested, according to Bennett, in chasing tail at the golf club he was a member of. Apparently, he’d been caught in a compromising position with a waitress tonight after dinner, and of course, was blaming Bennett for not keeping a better eye out. Like he was the watchdog or something.
“What did he say?” I asked.
“Told me if I screw up one more time, he’d ship me off to live with my mother. I can’t do that, Audrey. I won’t.”
“You won’t have to, Bennett, I promise. Four more months, and the school year will be over. You just have to hang in until then, and then we’re out of here.” I hated the way his father treated him. It wasn’t like Mr. Sawyer was perfect, obviously. From what Bennett had told me, there were a few more skeletons in his closet. A few mistakes made in the not-so-far-back past that could come back to bite him in the ass, along with the waitress scandal, if they ever got out. Not a great image for a high school principal to portray.
“I know. You’re right.” He groaned and rubbed a hand across his face. “Okay, I’m going. I’ll see you tomorrow. Night, bro.”
“Night, bestie.” I grinned into the phone when he rolled his eyes at me calling him bestie. He’d been trying to get me to call him bro because it was much manlier than bestie, which was my exact argument for him to stop calling me bro. We’d reached an impasse. I was bro. He was bestie. It would never get resolved.
I ended the call and rolled over to find Brody sleeping. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, I rested my head on his chest and made myself comfortable.
***
When I woke in the morning, Brody was gone. It was the way things happened. He always snuck out of my room before anyone else woke up. And if I stayed the night upstairs in his room, he usually woke me up to kick me out before anyone noticed.
I rolled out of bed, grabbed my clothes, and stumbled up the stairs, half asleep, to have a shower. As I passed Brody’s room, his door opened, like it did every morning when he was home the same time I was, and he reached an arm out to pull me inside. His fingers were in my hair, and his mouth was on mine. His tongue danced with mine, moving languidly as his hands leisurely explored my body.
“Brody,” I moaned into the kiss.
“Good morning,” he said, pulling back, turning me around, and pushing me back out the door toward the bathroom.
“Very good,” I called over my shoulder as I closed the door behind me, shutting out his laughter. We were getting good at the sneaky kisses and hidden touches but still had to be careful.
After my shower, I made my way back downstairs and into the kitchen. Indie was coming over any minute to go through wedding plans with Leanne, and if I had to sit through all that, I needed coffee.
Brody was in the kitchen talking to Steve when I entered. He gave me a little smirk and picked up the paper, pretending to be interested in the news. I said good morning to Steve and made a beeline for the coffee pot. While I was making coffee, Brody came to stand directly behind me. He reached up into the cupboard above, causing his chest to press into my back. My heart beat faster, and my mouth went dry. What was he doing?
“Sorry, just need a mug,” he said, his voice sounding husky in my ear as I leaned back into him slightly, before realising what I was doing. “Pour me a cup while you’re there.” He leaned down and pulled my earlobe into his mouth, making me gasp and almost drop the coffee pot.
I elbowed him gently and glanced over at Steve, who was none the wiser. Breathing a sigh of relief, I finished making Brody’s coffee and handed it to him. “Thanks.” He winked and walked out of the room, leaving me flushed and a little breathless and trying my hardest not to chase after him. “See you all later. I’m going to be late for work,” he said as Leanne came into the kitchen.
Steve looked up briefly then returned to his paper. I sat on the stool at the breakfast bar and grabbed an apple while I waited for Indie to arrive. The wedding was a week away, and we were going shopping to buy Bailey a wedding dress and to organise the flowers for her bouquet. It wasn’t my idea of a fun Saturday, but we were driving to Storm Cove, which meant I could meet up with Bennett after we were done. Which I hoped wouldn’t be too long, because we all knew I hated shopping.
Chapter Twenty
Brody
Audrey.
Ever since we camped, I couldn’t get enough of her. I wanted to lose myself in her over and over again and never come up for air. She was everything and more. We were getting careless and taking risks all the time…like this morning.
It was the day of Bailey’s baby shower and, apparently, surprise weddi
ng. Audrey only mentioned that last night as she snuck out of my room and back to her own. Yeah. We were that bad.
I was running late because…well, I didn’t want to get out of bed. It was crazy how little sleep you got when you started a new relationship, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Actually, I didn’t even know if we were in a relationship. We’d not discussed it, and we’d never had a real date. I’d have to rectify that soon.
Everyone was finally getting themselves organised for the wedding-slash-baby shower, so I darted into the bathroom for a quick shower. Climbing out, I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed back down the hall toward my room.
Audrey came out of Leanne’s room with a pair of shoes in her hands.
“What are you doing?” I asked, reaching for her hips and pulling her to me.
“I needed shoes to match my dress.”
“You’re wearing a dress?”
She nodded shyly. “I’m freaking out about it, though.”
“Why?”
“Because everything can be seen.” Her fingers danced across my chest.
“You know it’s only us, right? No one cares.”
“Doesn’t help.”
“Fine. Focus on me. Every time you feel uncomfortable or insecure, remember I love you, and I’m imagining you naked.”
Audrey’s face broke into the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. Her face was alight with happiness. Seemed she liked when I imagined her naked. Which was often, if I was honest. I’d never taken so many cold showers in my life or committed so many images to the spank bank. There was this one night, in the kitchen, that—
“You love me?”
“Of course.” I shrugged. What was she questioning? She knew that, didn’t she?
If possible, her smile grew.
Shit.
Holy shit.
I loved her.
I was batshit crazy for the damaged girl who lived downstairs.
“I’m so in love with you that I—”
I didn’t get to finish speaking because Audrey lunged for me. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she captured my mouth with hers. Her fingers twisted into my hair, her leg wrapped around my waist, so I reached down and lifted both of them, pressing into her and groaning when she moved against me.
“Shit, cupcake. You have me feeling like a horny teenager.” I pushed my hips against hers, nothing but her leggings and my towel separating us. Every movement sent a jolt of electricity through me.
She laughed against my lips. “We’re in the same boat, then.”
Someone cleared their throat, immediately destroying the mood. I dropped my head to Audrey’s shoulder, not wanting to look up. I didn’t want to see who was there, witness the judgement in their eyes. I didn’t want to answer any questions. And there’d be many.
Audrey giggled and untangled her legs from my waist, effectively sliding down to the floor.
“Well, this is interesting.” Linc leaned against the wall and raised an eyebrow.
“Uh, we can expla—” I started, but Audrey pressed a finger to my lips.
“Linc, I’m eighteen, and I—”
Linc held his hands up defensively. “I’m not saying anything. I’ve been waiting for this little bitch to man up and stake a claim or whatever.”
“Really?” I tilted my head and looked at him curiously.
“Yeah, really. Every time I see you, Audrey is all you can talk about, and you get this stupid grin when you say her name. It’s sickening, really.”
I laughed. “You can talk. I’ve seen you and Indie.”
“Leave Ace out of this. This is about you two. How long has this been going on? Since the weekend away?”
“Since I turned eighteen.” Audrey shrugged.
“Props for waiting until she was legal, dude.” Linc held out his hand and bumped my fist. “I give great advice. I should do it for a living,” he mused to himself. “And no one else knows, huh?”
I shook my head.
Linc laughed. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. He loved to torment everyone any chance he got.
“But you can tell them.” Audrey stepped forward and poked a finger into Linc’s chest. What was she doing?
“Me?” Linc scoffed. “No.”
“Yes. Who better to tell Leanne and Steve about a relationship, that in all honesty should not be happening, than the guy who grew up with the family and deflowered their daughter on a tropical island while her parents got married?”
“It wasn’t while they got married. I have more respect than that. I waited until the next day.” He winked.
“Good, so you can break the news.”
I wasn’t sure Audrey’s idea was the best plan. Admittedly, it would be better coming directly from us rather than Linc. But then if anyone could pull it off and smooth it over, it was Linc. He was the golden child and could do no wrong in Leanne’s and Steve’s eyes. They loved him.
“My pleasure.” He grinned, his eyes flashing with amusement before he turned and ran down the stairs.
Shit.
It was going to end in disaster.
Voices echoed through the house, and I wondered why I hadn’t noticed them, until Audrey pushed me into my bedroom with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
“Cupcake, as much as I want to do this, Linc is down there right now telling everyone about us.” I pushed her back and sat her on the bed.
“Fine. Can I at least stay and watch you get dressed?” She licked her lips and dragged her eyes up and down my body.
I pulled the towel off and threw it at her face, making her fall back onto my bed with laughter.
After I’d dressed, I leaned down and kissed Audrey one last time, slow and deep, savouring the moment in case Steve decked me or Leanne threw me out of the house. I knew they’d never do that to Audrey, but me? I was a grown man, with a great job, and I was sleeping with the young woman—I couldn’t think of her as a girl anymore—who lived in their house.
I let Audrey walk downstairs first, and I counted to thirty before following. Didn’t want to arouse any suspicion. Everybody was gathered out by the pool waiting for Bailey and Ryder to arrive, so I grabbed a beer and stood awkwardly to the side, not knowing who to talk to. The guys by the cooler full of beer? Or the girls sitting around the table gossiping? My options were limited, and no matter the choice, I’d end up having to face either Nate or Harper. Beer won out.
A loud whistle echoed around the backyard as I approached the guys.
Jack.
I’d never met anyone like him. Always loud and the center of attention.
“Whoa, angel face, look at you,” Jack called, pushing Linc aside and staring directly over my shoulder. Linc’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head, Nate smiled and winked, and Jeremy nodded. I turned slowly on the spot to see Audrey standing on the patio nervously twisting her fingers together.
My jaw dropped.
My heart stuttered in my chest, and my palms were sweaty.
I’d seen her covered head to toe in bandages. I’d seen her raw skin as she recovered. I’d seen her hide under layers of clothes, and she was always gorgeous. I’d seen her in her swimsuit. In a pair of shorts and a tank top. I’d seen her naked—a lot—and she’d always looked beautiful. I’d spent the better part of the last few months trying to convince her of that. But now, she looked like she almost believed it. She stood on the patio, tall, proud, her head held high, and her shoulders pushed back. To everyone else, she appeared confident. To me, I knew she was struggling, but the determination was evident in her eyes. Fake it ’til you make it. And that was precisely what she was doing.
She’d never looked more stunning.
She gave me a small smile and allowed herself to be dragged away by Indie and Harper.
“She looks great,” Nate said, reaching into the cooler and grabbing out a beer for me.
“She’s glowing.” Jack came back over with a big grin. “And it’s all thanks to you, I hear.” He elbowed me in the side just a
s I took a mouthful of beer.
“What do you mean?” Nate asked.
Linc laughed and clapped me on the back. “You can thank me later.”
Jeremy coughed to hide his laugh before scratching his hand over his beard and walking away without a word.
“Someone want to tell me what’s going on?” Nate folded his arms and glanced from me to Jack.
“Oh, you know. Just the cradle snatcher working his magic, in more ways than one,” Jack said with the help of a hip thrust.
I groaned and closed my eyes. Linc and his fucking big mouth.
“They’re here!” Leanne called from inside.
“We haven’t finished.” Nate pointed at me before walking over to Harper.
As I stood across the yard and watched Audrey smile at me and engage in conversation with Kenzie, I realised I didn’t care what anyone thought. I made her smile. Three months ago, she was still hiding under the covers of her bed and refusing to come out. Today, she was in a black knee-length dress that dipped almost low enough in the front to be considered indecent but covered enough to still be classy, and sexy as hell.
Linc kept winking at Audrey, and Leanne and Steve kept shooting furtive glances in our direction, but no one said anything. And I figured maybe, just maybe, it would all be okay in the end. I’d noticed as we waited patiently for Ryder and Bailey to come outside that my gaze had never drifted to Harper. There was no longing, no desire, no pang of jealousy in my gut as Nate leaned in and kissed her.
There was nothing.
I loved Audrey, and she loved me.
Maybe no one would have a problem with our relationship.
Maybe everyone would think it was as great a thing as we thought.
Only time would tell.
Chapter
Twenty-One
Audrey
The look on Brody’s face when I stepped outside in my dress made the nerves completely worth it. He stood across the patio, and his eyes never left mine as I chatted with Kenzie and Harper. Indie had rushed inside with Jack to whisk Bailey upstairs and get her ready for the surprise wedding. How Ryder managed to plan the entire thing without her finding out was amazing, considering how much this group of friends liked to gossip. I guessed they could keep a secret when it was important enough.
