Bad For You: (An Older Brother's Best Friend Romance) (15 page)

“Was it just
Quinton? Are you done with him? Is there anyone else?” I have to know if
someone is standing in my way.

Her jaw flexes. I
hit a nerve. “Oh no,” she mutters. “I’m not discussing my love life with you,
whatsoever.”

“I need to know.”

My throat goes
thick at the thought of another man putting his hands on her – on what’s
mine. I have no damn right to be jealous. To be staking a claim. It’s my fault,
my own cowardice, for her running into the arms of another man. But I can’t
help it. There’s still something between us – a spark that won’t burn
out. I can’t move on from her.

She sighs, as if
giving up. “Yes, it was only Quinton. We were together for a few years. We
broke up five months ago, and I’ve been too busy focusing on myself to worry
about a man.” Her face twists in annoyance. “But I’m not going to ask you that
question because I’m sure there hasn’t just been
one
other woman.”

“You’re right.” Her
eyes widen at my honesty. “I’m not going to lie to you. I want us to be open
and honest with each other.” I slide my plate towards the center of the table
and lean in closer. My elbows rest on the table as I lower my voice. “And do you
want to know how I felt about all of those nameless women?”

“Not particularly.”

“Nothing.
Not
shit.
I imagined they were you
every
single damn time. I haven’t had
anything like we had. Not a relationship, a date, nothing but one night
stands.”

She claps her hands
sarcastically.  “Bravo, that’s not surprising.” She takes a sip of wine,
swallowing it down slowly. “Why are we talking about this? Dinner was going
well.”

She doesn’t see my
confession like I do. Sure, I’ve given my dick to other women, but I’ve never
handed over my heart. That means more to me.

“Do you still love
him?”

She jerks back, but
doesn’t answer me. A few seconds of silence pass before I can’t take it
anymore. I’ve never been a man of patience. Her back straightens when I slide
out of my chair.

“Did you even love
him?” I ask, stopping directly in front of her. “Or do you feel the same way as
I do? That no one can replace our connection. Our love.”  

She scoots her
chair back in an attempt to get up and maneuver around me, but I grip her
wrist, stopping her.

“I’m leaving,” she
snarls. “I agreed to dinner, not a fucking interrogation.”

“No interrogation,
just one question,” I growl. Only a few inches separate us. She’s so close I
can feel her heavy breaths against my cheek. “Answer it. Answer my question,
and I won’t ask you another fucking thing.” 

I release her. She
takes a step away from me. “No,” she replies.

“Answer my fucking
question!”

“No.”

“I’m right, aren’t
I? That’s why you’re trying to walk away – because you still have
feelings for me.”  

Her face burns as
she throws her arms out. “Yes, alright. Are you fucking happy now, asshole? Are
you happy that you completely ruined love for me? Does it make you sleep better
at night that no one else is capable of having my heart because you took it a
long damn time ago?” 

I can’t help but
grin. “Yes, it does.”

She points at me.
“I want to smack that smartass smile off your face.”

“I want to kiss
that cranky ass look off yours.”

She gapes at me and
stumbles back. “That’s …”

“Romantic? Sexy as
fuck?”

She lets out a
huff. “Rude.”

I chuckle. “How’s
this for rude?”

I slip my arm
around her waist and jerk her forward. She doesn’t struggle this time as she
falls into me. No, she moves in closer, wanting more, and rocks her hips
forward. I seethe, hissing in a breath, and push my growing erection into her.

Her skin is hot as
I drag my hand up her shirt. My heart pounds harder as I unbutton it. I inch
the sleeves down her arms and toss it on the floor. My nerves are spiraling as
I take a step back and look at her in question, asking for permission. She
nods, a faint smile on her lips, and I slowly ease the skirt down her legs. As
bad as I want to rip it off and give it to her hard and rough, I hold back.

I have to take my
time. This moment needs to last as long as possible.

My mouth waters as
I take in the sight of her hard nipples underneath the white bra. I slowly
trace my finger around one.

“We shouldn’t be
doing this,” she says, but doesn’t move away.

I gently twist her
nipple and chuckle, remembering our first time together. Our uncertainty, the
apprehension, but we couldn’t resist it. History is repeating itself. I’m not
fighting it this time around.

“We should be doing
this,” I say, still playing with her tit. “We should because I love you –
because I’ve loved you for years, even when I didn’t even fucking know it
myself. I loved you then. I love you now. I’ll never stop loving you.”

“What?” she
stammers out.

I’ve never uttered
those words to anyone other than my parents, but they should’ve been said a
long damn time ago. Those three words are the only way I know how to express
the feelings I have for her.

“You heard me. I’m
in love with you, Nautica. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since I’ve
been back. That’s why I’ve been begging you to forgive me because it’s no fun
having the person you love hate you.”

I go still, waiting
for her to say something back.
Anything.
Her lips slam shut and she
looks around the room. I’m not sure if I’m going to get a kiss … or a kick in
the balls.

I open my mouth to
fix this so she won’t leave, but her lips hitting mine stop me from doing shit.

Fuck yes. This is
exactly what I’d been hoping for.

“Take me to your
bed,” she rasps out against my lips. “Show me. Show me how much you mean what
you said.”

I stand there,
paralyzed, and run her words back through my mind before kissing her harder as
reality kicks in. I taste delectable wine and tangerines as she slides her
tongue into my mouth. I breathe in, taking in the sweet scent of flowers
shooting up my nostrils.

I wrap my arms
around her curvy waist and lift her up. Her legs hook around my hips perfectly
as I carry her to my bedroom. I clench my teeth, my dick getting harder, as she
grinds her pussy against my roughly. She wants it, and she wants it bad.

I nudge the door
open with my knees and carefully set her down onto the bed. I back away, my
footsteps heavy, and flip on the light.

I have to see this.
I want to savor the moment of her being in my bed again.

“Wow,” is the only
word I’m able to get out.

She props herself
up on an elbow and signals for me to come closer. I can feel my dick getting
harder as I do what I’m told. Her back presses against the mattress, her hair
spreading across a pillow, when I join her. A trembling moan escapes her throat
and her head falls to the side when I lean down and suck on the warmth of her
neck.  

“Yes,” she
whispers. “That feels so good.”

I move south, and
my lips go straight to her nipples as soon as I take off her bra. I suck hard,
licking the tiny pebble, and travel my hand up her underneath her panties. Her
skin is soft, her breaths shallow, and I grin when I find her clit.  

She’s so fucking
wet.

I release her
nipple and look up at her. She nods once before grinning. Her back arches when
I plunge a single finger deep inside of her.

“Shit,” she cries
out.

I add another
finger, driving them in and out of her until she’s crumbling underneath me. Her
pussy soaks my fingers with her juices.

“I want you,” she
says, pushing me back and getting up on her knees. She makes a grab for my belt
buckle. “I want you right now.”

I lean back and
allow her to undress me. She concentrates, clear determination on her face, as
she unsnaps my jeans. They fall slack against my knees. Her eyes widen, and she
licks her lips when my hard dick springs forth. She strokes me, causing my
knees to buckle.

My shirt is the
next to go. I shiver as her chilly hand runs down my chest, her fingernails
lightly scraping along my skin.

“Holy shit,” she
says. I hold in a breath, uncertain if that’s a good holy shit or a bad one.
She traces the letters inked into my skin. “Is that
my
name?”

I nod, my eyes
pinned to her hand.

It’s a simple
tattoo on the side of my chest. Seven letters in black, wrapped into the world
of other tattoos, but it still stands out. I got it a few years back when I was
wasted off my ass and feeling the blues about letting the girl I loved go. Jasper
tried to stop me, but I told him to shut the fuck up.

She lets out a
giggle as a soft blush rises along her cheeks. “I’m actually pretty flattered,”
she says. Her front tooth bites into her bottom lip. “As a matter of fact, I’m
really
flattered.”

I grunt as I’m
pushed back onto the bed. Her tight lips wrap around the head of my dick. I
curse to the air, my balls aching, as she sucks hard before taking me in her
mouth. She keeps a slow and steady pace, killing me.

 “I’m about to
bust,” I croak out, but she doesn’t hear me. Or she’s ignoring me. I pull on
her ponytail roughly. She keeps ignoring me. I pull harder. She doesn’t stop,
but her eyes move up, meeting with mine. I gulp hard. “Don’t let me bust in
your mouth.” I’m begging. “Don’t let me off that easy. I need to be inside of
you.”

She gives my dick one
good final dick before pulling away. Her lips build into a slow grin. “Your
wish is my command,” she says. “Do you have a condom?”

“In the nightstand,”
I say. I try to turn over to reach for it, but she stops me. My mouth waters as
her naked body stretches across mine and she opens up the drawer. She rips open
the wrapper and carefully slides the condom on my cock.

She slides her
panties off. I seethe when she straddles my lap and slowly eases down onto my
length.  My hands clamp on her hips when she bucks forward.

Fuck. This feels
so good.

I missed this. I
missed her.

Our motions start
out slow, like we’re getting used to each other again, and the old sparks start
to flare back up. She picks up her pace, lifting herself up and then falling
down roughly.

“Fuck yes, baby,” I
grunt out. I throw my head back. “You feel so good.” I grip her hips tightly.
“Did you miss this?” I ask. She keeps fucking me, trying to avoid my question, but
I don’t let her. “Did you miss this?” I repeat.

“Yes. I’ve missed
this.” I allow her to start moving again. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed
everything about us.”

She fucks me harder;
like that confession has set her on fire. She lifts herself up quickly and then
slams back down against my cock. We’re getting sweatier, more worked up, and we
both cry out in release.

We’re united again.

My girl is back in
my arms, back on my dick, and I couldn’t feel happier. Now, I have to make sure
she feels the same way.

nautica

“Shit! Fuck! Shit!”

I jump out of bed, almost face planting on
the carpeted floor, and fumble around the foreign bedroom in search of my
clothes.

This is NOT
good.

Wine and stupid decisions are my story for
last night.

“Good morning, babe,” the sleepy voice behind
me says, cheerfully. I cringe, wishing I didn’t wake him up.

I look back at the bed to find Bracken awake
with his attention on me. He stretches out his arms and yawns loudly.

I snag my bra from the floor and put it on. I’ll
worry about the embarrassment of him seeing me rummaging around his bedroom
naked later.

“I’m late,” I answer. “I wasn’t supposed to
stay the night.”
I especially
wasn’t supposed to end up having sex with
him. I scoop up my shirt. “I have to be at work.” I look at the alarm clock on
the nightstand next to him. “In an hour.”

It’s only a ten minute drive from his place
to mine, so that leaves me plenty of time to shower and get ready if I hurry.

“Do you need me to do anything for you?”

I pull up my skirt. “No.”

He nods, but I can see the disappointment on
his face. He wanted to save the day. “Don’t start thinking too much today,
okay?”

What the fuck does that mean? “What?”

“I know how you get in your head sometimes.
You’ll be sitting at your desk all day fighting with yourself on whether last
night was a bad idea. Don’t.” I open my mouth to tell him he doesn’t know shit,
but he keeps talking. “Go home. Get ready for work. I’ll meet you at your
apartment in thirty minutes with breakfast.”

I stand there and just stare at him. How the
hell does he expect me to respond to that?

“Babe,” he barks, breaking me away from my
thoughts. “You better get going if you don’t want to be late.”

“Yeah … right. I guess I’ll talk to you
later.” I start to leave his bedroom.

“Wait.”

I turn back to look at him. “What?”

A playful grin spreads across his face.
“Where’s my goodbye kiss?”

I let out a snort. “You’ve got to be kidding
me?”

Our little late night, drunken rendezvous was
a one-time thing. I need to find the best approach to explain that to him, but
it has to be later. I can’t be late for work. 

He points to his full lips. “Nope.”

I
really
don’t have the time for his
shit. In order to prevent wasting anymore time, I dramatically stomp around the
bed and plant a kiss on his cheek. He throws his head back in laughter when I
rush away before he has the chance to grab me.

“Oh come on, babe,” he says. “I had my mouth
between your legs last night. You’re really going to get shy on me now?”

I send him a wave. “See ya.”

I have to get the hell out of here.

* * *

“We fucked.”

“Well good morning to you, too,” Macy replies
on the other line. “I figured something like that happened considering you
didn’t call me last night bitching about how bad he pissed you off.”

I grabbed my phone as soon as I got in my car
to call her. My confession had to be released. I need her to tell me what an
idiot I am and to stay away from him.   

“Big mistake. Big fucking mistake.”

She stays quiet for a few seconds. “Was it
though?”

 “I’m sorry, but whose best friend are
you? My traitor brother is getting into your head and causing you to turn
against me, I see. We’re the co-founders of the Bracken Hater’s Club,
remember?”

“No one is getting in my head. I’m only
saying that you might want to give him a chance.” Her words are rushed like
she’s afraid to say them. “I mean, you did have sex with him last night, and
now you think the worst thing you can do is give him a chance to work things
out? I think you should’ve thought about that before you let him fuck you.”

“You’re beginning to sound like my mother,” I
mutter.

She keeps going. “You’re a smart girl. You
knew the consequences of having sex with him. You knew it’d be more than a
one-time screw to him.”

“I was horny and in desperate need of a good
lay.”

“Oh please. This town is packed with men
who’d be up for the job. You went to him because you wanted him, not just a
good lay.”

“Your best friend card has been revoked. Call
you later.”

* * *

My fourth period class is clearing out when my phone rings. I
snatch it from the drawer, expecting to see Bracken’s name flashing across the
screen since he’s taken on the role of being my personal stalker lately. I
frown, and am pissed at myself for being disappointed when it’s not him.

Damnit. My vagina is already missing him.

As promised, he showed up at my apartment
with a box full of donuts, and coffee. He stopped me before I left and made a
show of kissing me, adding a hint of tongue, and then sent me on my way. I
thankfully arrived at work just before the bell rang.

This is starting to become a problem. It’s
harder to stay away from
this
Bracken – the one who wants a
relationship with me – than it is with the one who kept fighting what we
had. It’s difficult to say no, harder to walk away, and more complicated to
stop loving him.

I grab my phone and answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey sis,” Simon says, his tone chirpy. “Are
you at work?”

“Yes.”

“We’re having lunch today,” he tells me,
matter-of-factly. “I’m on my way to the school now. Be there in five.”

The line goes dead.

* * *

“So you and Bracken?” he asks.

We just sat down in a booth at our favorite
Mexican restaurant and gave the waiter our order.

After recovering from his accident, Simon
ended up going back to his job in the military for three more years before
deciding to join the police force here. He wanted to be with his family more
and watch his daughter grow up.

“There is no me and Bracken,” I answer.

“Don’t bullshit me. I heard you talking to
Macy this morning about your little sleepover at his place last night.”

I take a drink of water to get my reply in
order. I’m going to kill Macy and her big ass mouth. “Why does it seem like my
life revolves around him now? That’s all anybody asks me about.” I give him a
dirty look and flick the tip of my straw with my tongue. “No one asks me how my
day is going, how my students are, or if I want an all-expenses paid vacation.
No, all you assholes ask me about is him, and what’s going on with us like it’s
the juiciest news in town.”

He gives me a bright, white smile. “Well, it
kind of is.” I throw a napkin at him. “But in all seriousness, we all want you
to be happy.”

I jerk back in my seat. “Are you kidding me?”
He shakes his head. “Do you not remember five years ago when you wanted to
castrate him after you found out about us? Or how crushed I was when he left me
at the worst possible time? Do you not remember how bad he hurt me?”

“The guy has made some dumbass mistakes, I
know that, but he’s owning up to them. He’s planning on taking Casey’s Auto so
he can be here with you. He wants to settle down here
with you.”

“But why now?” I ask, with a frown. “And why
are you suddenly so okay with this?”

“I’m older and more mature.” I snort. “I’m
not some guy who thinks he can control everything anymore. Bracken is a good
guy. Sure, he’s made some mistakes, but you can’t fault him too much for it. He
just lost someone really close to him. Do you remember how hard it was when we
lost dad?”  I nod. It was the worst feeling in the world. “Can you imagine
how fucking shitty you’d feel if when he passed you hadn’t talked to him in
years?”

I slam my eyes shut, feeling bad for Bracken.
I know it has to be hard on him. It would be hard on anyone.

“He thought he’d have more time,” Simon goes
on. “When he lost his dad, it was like a reality check. He realized he couldn’t
keep waiting around until the perfect time came, or until he felt like enough
time had passed for you to not hate him. He knows he needs to go for what he
wants now before it’s too late.”

“He hurt me. You were in intensive care. I
was broken, and what did he do? He turned around and walked away. I needed him
there, but he didn’t give a shit. I think it’s time I do the same.”

“You’re not that cold-hearted. Give him a
chance to make things right.”

“Fine. I’ll think about it, but you’re paying
the bill. You’ve put me through enough stress this week.” He laughs when I give
him a sarcastic smile.

This week has been a rollercoaster. Craziness
is following me around like a cloud. Something I wanted years ago is now
sitting in the palm of my hand, but I’m not sure if I want it anymore.

Am I still in love with Bracken? Yes. Do I trust
him? No.

I can’t figure out what’s harder: telling him
no, or giving him another chance and possibly getting hurt again.