Jackson: Broken Hill Boys (Novella 2)

by Sheridan Anne

  Fuck, I want to kiss her.

  “You know, this shit ain’t funny,” I tell her lightheartedly, not really caring that she’s finding humor in my downfalls. “Kaylah has had a chip on her shoulder since it happened and refuses to forgive me. Not to mention, it completely destroyed her relationship with Henley.”

  “She’ll come around,” Elle promises. “I don’t know about her friend, but as for you, you’re her big brother and she can’t avoid you forever. Soon enough she’s going to remember all the reasons why she loves you so much.”

  I scoff. “You think?”

  “Oh, no,” Elle laughs, dusting herself off. “You’re fucked. She’s going to hold that against you until your dying days.”

  I shake my head and grin at her while I find myself moving forward. Elle watches my advance, taking in every little movement and suddenly the humor is gone from her eyes.

  I step into her as her hand falls against my chest and her back hits the tree behind her. Silence falls between us, only the sound of the birds in the trees and our heavy breathing can be heard.

  My eyes drop to her lips and I can’t resist her any longer. I need to taste her lips on mine.

  I dip my head, slowly moving toward her as she sucks in a breath and fists her hands into the fabric of my shirt. Just a little bit closer and I’ll be there.

  My lips gently brush against the tip of her lip before she hastily pulls back. “No,” she panics with fear in her eyes. “Please don’t.”

  I pull away, not wanting to frighten her. “What’s wrong?” I ask, searching her panicked eyes.

  “I just…I. I can’t,” she pushes back on my chest, giving herself some extra room before stepping out around me. Devastation and regret flash in her eyes before a fierce resolve takes over. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m not that girl anymore.”

  With that, Elle takes off at a run, disappearing into the trees and leaving me wondering what the hell just happened and how I’m going to make this right because one thing is for sure, I like this girl more than I possibly realized and now that she’s opened up and shown me what’s inside her soul, I’m left desperate for more.

  Chapter 7

  Elle

  I walk toward the student parking lot with my mind an absolute mess of everything Jackson.

  What the hell was that? It was only a kiss. It’s not like he was asking me to get down on my knees and suck him dry while he stood with a rolling camera looking down on me, prepared and ready to hit upload on Pornhub.

  He was sweet and showed me a side of himself that I didn’t realize he possessed and I think that panicked me more than the whole kiss thing did because I realized that Jackson Millington has the ability to change the game. He’s a heartbreaker and that’s dangerous territory. He’s smooth, he doesn’t hesitate when wanting to touch me, he doesn’t hold back his thoughts, and what’s worse, he makes me laugh more than I’ve laughed over the past few months.

  I’ve never fallen for a guy before but if I was going to, it’d be someone like him. He makes my heart race and every time he looks my way, those damn butterflies take off like bats out of hell. If only there was some way to squish those damn butterflies, then I’d be absolutely fine.

  Oh, hell. I should have just let him kiss me. It would have been so good. I don’t doubt that he has a magical tongue and I probably missed out big time. I wonder how he would have tasted. I bet he’s a minty fresh kind of guy, not one of those guys who taste like stale cigarettes. No, Jackson Millington is the type to give a girl the full experience and leave them wanting more. So much more.

  As I make my way down to my car, the noise of the students using the field steals my attention. I can’t help but look over there to see the cheerleaders working on their routines for Thursday night’s game. Sorrow fills me. I should be there. They’re my girls and my team, not to mention, it’s my choreography.

  The girls stop what they’re doing and take a quick water break, and as if sensing my eyes on the group, Phoenix’s sharp glare comes shooting towards me. Great, exactly what I need to finish off my afternoon.

  Phoenix smirks as though she’s won something and I roll my eyes. She’s so damn pathetic. She hasn’t won a damn thing. She was demoted and kept on the team only because the guy she happened to screw was someone the rest of the girls have been desperately trying to conquer for the past two years.

  I tune Phoenix out as I focus on getting down to the parking lot before I manage to get myself in any trouble, only movement catches my eye and I find myself glancing back toward the squad. Phoenix watches me as she strides across the field towards the football team and smirks as she places herself in front of Jackson.

  I try to appear unaffected. What the fuck is she doing?

  Phoenix puffs out her chest, making her tits look bigger than what they actually are before she drapes herself over Jackson, instantly putting me on edge. For her to go after Jackson that means she knows something is going on between us, but how? Unless she saw us walk out of the school together this morning, though it’s not like we were hiding the fact that we were hanging out.

  I watch with bated breath, desperate to see what Jackson is going to do, but when he scrunches his face and looks down at her in disgust, something warms my heart. Jackson shoves her off him as though he could catch something just by being that close and instantly walks away, leaving me grinning like a fucking idiot.

  Phoenix looks back at me with embarrassment shining brightly in her eyes before she storms back to the cheerleaders where’s she’s instantly reprimanded for leaving the group.

  I laugh to myself. When I was leading those girls, I had them on a tight ship. They worked hard and made sure our routines were perfect, but watching them now, they seem sloppy and out of synch.

  It’s a shame really. I miss being on the team after it’s been a huge part of my life growing up, but it’s also a relief to be able to focus on other things. With all the spare time, my grades have never been higher and I’ve even been considering studying dance in college or maybe doing something with my choreography skills. Who knows, maybe I could coach high school teams and give them kickass routines to make them look like the badass, boss bitches they are.

  I get into my car but it's not until I put it in reverse that I glance up at Jackson, who's already looking at me. His face lights up and a goofy as fuck grin spreads wide over his face making me want to throw myself out of my car and run into his arms.

  Shit, I’m really regretting not kissing him earlier.

  I get my ass home and try to put him to the back of my mind as I get my homework done, but Brooke’s endless text messaging makes it incredibly hard.

  Once I’ve caught up on everything I need to do, I venture downstairs and drop down onto the couch beside my sister, Chloe, who has her nose stuck in a book, most likely not even noticing me beside her.

  I grab the blanket and pull it over my legs as I snuggle into the cushion and start scrolling through all my social media accounts. After Jesse outed me, looking at social media was the hardest thing in the world, but now that the dust has settled, things are finally starting to look up for me. In fact, they already have and I’m so much happier for it.

  Mom busily cooks dinner and both Chloe and I groan. Mom has absolutely no skill when it comes to cooking, but every few nights, we’ll find her in the kitchen, desperate to prove herself.

  An hour later, Chloe and I are choking on our dinner, but somehow make it through to the end before giving mom wide smiles and thanking her for a beautifully, yummy meal.

  My little book nerd sister goes up to her room and locks herself away while I offer to do the dishes and give mom a break for the night. By the time I finally make it upstairs and close myself off in my room, it’s well past 8 pm and I’m exhausted. I get dressed in my pajamas and throw my phone down on my bed before laying down on the floor to do a few exercises.

  I hear Chloe huffing in frustration in the bedroom next door and it’s not long until she come
s barging through my door, demanding my full attention. “Do you care to explain why Jackson Millington is currently throwing rocks at my bedroom window? Do you have any idea how freaking annoying it is while I’m trying to read?”

  I fly up off the ground, gaping at my sister as though she’s gone insane. “What?” I demand. “You’re not serious?”

  “Yes, of course, I’m serious. Would you do something about it?” She says with a frustrated groan. “Because I’m only one more rock away from grabbing one of the little turds and throwing it right back at him. Maybe I’ll even aim for that ridiculous car of his.”

  I roll my eyes at her dramatics as I make my way out of my bedroom. “What’s he doing here?”

  “I don’t know,” she snaps. “I didn’t exactly shove my head out the window and ask what he wants. Besides, you’d have a better idea than I would. I wasn’t the one sneaking out of school today holding his hand.”

  My eyes bug out of my head. “You know about that?”

  “The whole school knows about that.”

  “Shit.”

  “Elle, seriously?” she demands. “Go and get rid of him.”

  “But I’m in my pajamas.”

  Chloe rolls her eyes. “So? It’s just an old shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. He’s a guy. He probably thinks they’re just normal clothes.”

  Damn it.

  I reluctantly make my way into Chloe’s bedroom before we both creep over to the window and peer out. “I see you, Elle,” Jackson calls, making me want to run down there and slam my hand over his big mouth.

  I cringe as I stand front and center in Chloe’s floor to ceiling window and pry it open. Wind blows the curtains back at me and I push them aside so I can step out onto the small balcony. “What the hell are you doing throwing rocks at my little sister’s window?”

  “Shit. Your sister?” he chuckles before wincing and holding his rock-filled hands up. “Whoops. Innocent mistake.”

  “Jackson,” I groan. “Why are you here?”

  He beams up at me and my heart races seeing that goofy grin. “I wanted to talk to you.”

  “Have you ever heard of a cell phone?”

  “Don’t have your number,” he fires back, making me wonder how long we can keep this shit going. “Besides, I wouldn’t be able to see that angry little crease between your brows if I was to text.”

  I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t get an angry crease between my brows.”

  Chloe scoffs as Jackson laughs. “Yeah, babe. You do.”

  “Jackson?” I snap, trying to keep him on track. “Why are you here?”

  “Alright, alright,” he says, looking over the front of my house and studying it closely. “Call me cliché throwing rocks at your window to get your attention, but I really wanted to see you. I’ve been thinking about it all day and I don’t think our conversation from this morning is over.”

  “Well, I’m sorry you drove your ass all the way over here, but it was definitely over.”

  Jackson shakes his head, grinning once again before bounding forward. My mouth drops as I watch him plant a foot on the lower level window sill and catapult himself up. He grabs hold of the bottom of the balcony before using his momentum to throw himself up and over the railing, placing himself right in front of me.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I screech, gaping at him in shock while unable to believe what I just saw.

  He simply walks forward, snakes his hand around the back of my neck and crushes his lips against mine.

  I melt.

  My hands find his strong chest before one travels up over his wide shoulder and curls around the back of his neck. Jackson takes my waist as though it was specifically made just for him and he draws my body against his.

  It’s perfect. Just as I knew it would be.

  Every single thought, worry, and fear leaves me. I suddenly don’t give a shit that I’m trying this new ‘good girl’ thing and am supposed to be staying away from dangerous boys like this. I simply don’t care because this is way too good to pass up.

  Jackson’s lips move against mine and an unexpected moan travels up my throat as the pleasure of his touch overwhelms me.

  How could I have gone all this time without allowing him to touch me like this? I mean, this isn’t even sex, just an innocent kiss, but already it’s better than anything I’ve ever experienced, including the wild threesome.

  Jackson’s fingers tighten on my waist before his tongue seeks entry and just as he knew I would, I allow him anything he wants.

  Needing to get closer, I press up onto my tippy toes and hook my arm around his neck until his heated skin and the back of his hair are tickling the inside of my elbow. His arms snake around my waist, holding me tight and I feel as though I could die a happy woman.

  A throat clears behind us and I reluctantly pull away as Chloe glares daggers at us. “Seriously? I’m all down for you two swapping spit, but does it have to be on my balcony where I’m forced to watch the whole thing? Like really, I’m trying to read.”

  I look up at Jackson, unsure of what this means. He dips his head, gently brushing his lips over mine before stepping back. “Night, Elle,” he says in a deep, grumbly tone before launching himself over the railing and dropping down to the grass below.

  What the actual fuck? Did that boy just come all the way here, scale the side of my house and throw himself over a balcony just so he could kiss me?

  Holy wow. My heart.

  I watch as Jackson jogs across the lawn and heads back over to his Charger. He opens his car door, looks back at me and gives me a panty-dropping smirk mixed with a wink that has my knees going weak. He drops down into his car and takes off, leaving me fearing for the trouble I’m about to get myself in.

  Chapter 8

  Jackson

  I lean up against my locker as my teammates chat around me, each of them pumped for this week’s game It’s going to be fucking wicked. We’re up against a bunch of guys from Aston Creek who have been slaying their season so far, but we’re about to put a stop to that. It’s going to be a hard game, but it's one I’m sure we can handle.

  I didn’t join this team because I thought we were going to choke when the time came to shine. No, this team is going to the finals and I’ll be the one leading them there, no matter how much blood, sweat, and tears have to go into it. I don’t doubt all our hard work will pay off either. Hopefully, a good handful of these guys will end up with offers from incredible colleges that will lead them to even brighter futures.

  The boys rave about how they beat the Aston Creek team last season and as they laugh about all the ins and outs of the game, I find myself zoning out and glancing down the hallway to the blonde who has just walked in.

  A cheesy as fuck grin spreads across my face as I remember the feel of Elle’s soft lips crushed against mine, desperately moving against them, and taking everything she needs. It was perfection. So much more than I thought it would be.

  I don’t think I’ve ever been so cliché in my life. All I needed was a boom box sitting on my shoulder and I would have been in a 90’s romcom. Though she’ll never admit it, something tells me that she appreciated the effort. Despite how damn beautiful she is, I doubt a guy has gone to efforts like that before. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s never actually been swept off her feet

  I hate that our moment was cut short by her sister, but it doesn’t matter because I intend to have many more. In fact, I might just go and remind her of it right now.

  I go to push up off my locker when Elle drops in beside her friend and I fall back into the cool metal. Damn, maybe I’ll catch up with her later, but then…maybe I have another option.

  I dig into the pocket of my jeans and pull out my phone before chuckling to myself as I know exactly how this is going to go down.

  Jackson – You’re so fucking gorgeous. I can’t wait to get you alone and show you exactly what you’ve been missing out on. Maybe I’ll start from the top and
work my way down. Do you like your neck kissed? How about those perfect tits? That tight pussy? Fuck baby, I can’t wait to get your taste on my tongue.

  Elle digs out her phone and I watch as she opens the message and reads it. Her mouth drops open before a deep flush spreads over her cheeks. She quickly glances around, searching me out, but misses me, making it so much more fun.

  Elle – Who the fuck is this? You’ve got the wrong number.

  Jackson – Nah, baby. I most certainly do not. You know, watching you squirm and clench those thighs while reading that is worth the backlash that’s bound to come.

  Elle – This better not be you, Jackson.

  Jackson – The one and only.

  Elle’s head snaps up and she takes a closer look around the halls of Broken Hill while trying to be discreet, not wanting Brooke to know that she’s currently getting dirty messages from the one guy her friends would deem unacceptable. Though, maybe that’s not the case anymore. I’m on much better terms with Tora and the girls, it’s just Nate I’m still having issues with, though the bullshit drama certainly has sizzled down. I don’t even think his boys are hating on me quite so much, but out of respect to their fearless leader, they haven’t gone and welcomed me into their loving arms.

  Tora is always telling me that Jesse and I would really get along, but I seriously doubt that would ever happen. I mean, that’s just pushing the limits. I don’t have any issues with Puck or Tyson, but after knowing what they did with Elle over the summer, I’m starting to reconsider. Maxen though, he seems alright. It’s just Nate.

  Elle falls back against her locker before bringing her phone closer to her face, but she’s struggling to mask her grin. She looks down the hall once again, but there are too many bodies between me and her.

  Elle – I thought you didn’t have my number?

  I laugh to myself.

  Jackson – Shit! Did I say that?

  Elle – …