On the Rocks (Pub Fiction Book 2) (15 page)

“Hmm. Well, I guess you are just like a knight in shining armour, eh?” I ask as I reach up and kiss his cheek. “Thank you,” I whisper close to his ear and I think I hear him groan softly. I smile, knowing that I affect him as much as he does me.

“You know, you’re pretty cute when you’re not arguing with me, and you do take the losing like a champ,” he teases, and I decide to push right back.

“Oh yeah? Then what am I when I
am
arguing? Because, you know, I really do like the fight, after all,” I retort.

“You’re hot as fuck,” he whispers so only I can hear, and I swear my knees almost give in. “Hot as fuck, Scrappy,” he says, before moving back beside Emmerson to grab her other hand. And once again the sounds of debris falling can be faintly heard, as a few more boulders are kicked loose from my walls.

As we walk to his car, Emmerson in between us, I feel a kind of contentment settle over me, something that I haven’t felt in a very long time, if ever. Levi has certainly been my knight lately.

Shawn.
His name immediately comes to mind, and I wonder once again if this is Shawn telling me that this guy is the one.

As we approach the house, I decide to take a chance and invite Levi into our home for the first time. I mean that’s what friends do, right? Besides, Grams is out on a hot date with her new friend, Lewis.
Who would have thought people do actually pick up at the grocery store?

“Did you want to come in for a coffee? Or maybe some dinner? Emmerson and I are having a ‘fun-and-junk day’ today, so pizza is on the menu to keep the junk part going. Right, Emmerson?”

“Yes. I wove pizza, we’re gettin’ it from the Attic, it’s my best. You can share wif me, Shaggy, I think you’ll wove it too.”

Levi and I both burst out laughing.

“It totally is her favourite. I swear, she’ll eat two whole pieces, crust and all. But I know you probably have plans, and despite the offer to drive us, I know we’ve taken up enough of your time,” I add, as I reach for the door handle.

“Stop, Braunwyn,” he bites out, and I freeze at his tone, unsure of what I’ve done to make him sound like that.

Levi

S
hit. I didn’t
mean to say it so harshly; I’m just tired of her thinking she’s taking up my time.

Fuck, if she only knew how much of my time I actually spend thinking about her…and her little girl, for that matter. In all honesty, she’d probably question my role as “friend” because, I swear to God, my resolve to not demand to use our trump card is dying, and quick. Spending the afternoon with Scooby, all cute, sittin’ beside me while we ate Twizzlers and talked about the movie’s best parts was awesome. Getting the approving looks from Braun was an added bonus, but I’m telling you I swear I’m falling just as much for that little girl as I am for her mom. I’m hoping Braun will let me bring her to The Centre one weekend so she can join in with some of the other kids. The Centre is a community outreach program that my brother and I have volunteered at for the last several years. We run all kind of sport clinics, sport events, and after school care, as well as a homework program that Ryker’s fiancée, Kat, is in charge of. Pub Fiction often holds fundraising events to help keep the doors open.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh,” I soothe. “What I mean is, stop saying that you’ve taken up enough of my time.” I smile, because she’s looking at me so intently that I can feel my pulse accelerating. Those fucking eyes of hers are going to be the death of me. “Trust me, Scrappy, I’m not the type of guy to do shi—” I glance at Emmerson correcting my word choice, “—stuff that I don’t want to do. And believe me when I say: I want to be doing you.” I shake my head while chuckling a bit at my slip but decide
piss it,
letting it just hang there between us without further explanation or elaboration. I hope I’m not freaking her out with my slip-ups, which seem to be happening more and more.

Blushing, she looks at me with that stunning smile “You’re right. I’m sorry; this is still all new to me. I’m still getting used to the social niceties and the fact that other humans might actually want to hang out with us. Well, besides London and Grams,” she teases, and I feel my heart swell up like the Grinch’s, because I’m pretty sure I’m winning her over. Hopefully soon the Daniels’ girls will officially be mine.

“Humans, eh?” I chuckle thinking back on that vow she told me about on Halloween—for her to be more social—and how she and her Grams use the word “humans” to describe potential friends. “Well, this human would love to come in and partake in Fun-and-Junk Day with you two.”

“Ohhhhh, yay!” Claps an excited Emmerson from the backseat and I laugh at how quickly these two girls have taken over my social life, as well.

*

Smirking, I tuck
my phone back in my pocket, having sent a group text to the guys saying that I’ll be either extremely late or skipping tonight all together. Right off the bat, Finn drops a comment about me ditching him for a second time and losing my balls. Truth is, I’ve had such a good time with these two tonight that I have no plans to leave anytime soon. As for ‘Fun-and-Junk’ night, it rocked. I’m so full of pizza, ice cream and the best root beer float I’ve ever had. I don’t think I could leave even if I wanted to, without being rolled out the door.

“Everything okay?” Braun asks, eyeing my phone as she comes back into the living room from having put Emmerson to bed.

“Yeah, it’s all good. Just needed to text a buddy. Scooby fall asleep?”

My dick stirs against my zipper at seeing her. She plops herself down beside me on the maroon leather couch, and my eyes take in the sexy curves she’s showing off in her tank top and yoga pants. Emmerson had spilled her chocolate milk, and it’d done a real number on Braunwyn’s shirt and jeans. I mentally tried to high-five the kid when I saw Braun come back out in that tank, the same hot pink one from the storage room, and fuck me if my cock wasn’t ready to have me pounce on her.
Again.

“Yeah, she went down perfectly. She’s out like a light,” she says, tying her long hair into a low bun.

Suddenly, she turns to me and I know before she begins that she’s gonna piss me off. My eyes drift down to her full rack and hone in on the perfect line of cleavage that she’s taunting me with, without even knowing.

“I know you had plans,” she raises her hand to stop me, “please hear me out.” I nod for her to continue. “I know you had plans, I’ve seen you texting. Honestly, Levi, it’s eight o’ clock. I’m glad for the time you’ve spent with us, but please go out and have fun with your friends. I’m just going to veg here and watch a movie, and I don’t want you to feel like you can’t leave. Honestly, I feel bad keeping you.”

“Scrappy, just shut up before I shut you up with my mouth. Pick a damn movie already.”

“Jeez, bossy much? I was just trying to be nice,” she tsks, as she stands to go put on a movie.

But like a spring I reach out for her and pull her onto my lap. “This. Human. Wants. To. Be. Here.” I pause allowing my words to sink in while savouring the feel of her close to me. “With. You.” The curve of her ass makes me insanely hard, and I put my arms around her to pull her in closer to me as she registers my words. Her scent is incredible vanilla with a slight hint of grapefruit, and I wonder if she tastes just as good. “Movie, Braun,” I say, before I relinquish all of my control.

“Jeez, you’re a real bossy pants, eh?” she teases as she struggles to move off of me.

“Actually,” I say, and manage to spin her around before bringing her back down so she’s straddling me, our faces connected, “this human wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here with you, right now.” I kiss her softly on the lips because I just can’t help myself. “You’re quickly becoming my best
friend,
Braun,” I add, kissing her forehead. “Now, to your own seat, before I make us both want to renege on that damn pact.”

We spend the rest of the night snuggled on the couch watching movies. The fact that my girl is a Quentin Tarantino fan scores major points in the hottie department. After “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”, we spend the rest of the night laughing about “You shot Marvin in the face!”, and taking turns reciting Jules’ Psalm—which as it turns out, we both had memorized—as well as sharing a few personal moments.

I have to say, I felt relieved to hear that Emme’s father Shawn was no longer in the picture. Braun didn’t get into the details about the whys, saying she still wasn’t ready, but she assured me that Shawn was never a part of Emmerson’s life and that one day she’d tell me the whole story. The fact that this guy wasn’t in Scooby’s life pissed me off on Emme’s behalf, to be honest, but I kept that to myself. Why the hell any guy in his right mind wouldn’t want to be a part of that little girl’s life beats the fuck out of me.

“I’ll tell you everything one day, Levi, I promise. I just need a bit more time. But know that Shawn is not and will never be a part of our lives. He never even met Emmerson. Now I know I’m kind of leaving you hanging here, but you need to give me a pass on this, for now. I’m still working all
this
out,” she says, gesturing between the two of us.

I’m not gonna lie. The fact that there’s even an “us” makes me happy. Really fucking happy.

Braunwyn

W
alking into Starbucks,
I smile as I spot Hillary, my social worker/pseudo-friend I guess you’d call her, now that we’ve been meeting for the past three years. In the beginning, the petite raven-haired beauty was all business and therapy, but as time moved on I ended up building a more sisterly bond with the middle-aged woman.

She’s sitting in our usual spot (I swear the woman is OCD), waving at me while holding up what I assume is a Venti Caramel Macchiato for me. I dodge and weave between the herd of people muttering “excuse me” and “sorry”, as they are all impatiently standing in line like at every Starbucks I’ve ever been in.

“Hey, Braun. How are you? Wow! You look amazing.” Hillary stands to greet me as I finally reach the brown bistro table located in the back corner. We originally chose this spot because it was secluded, giving us privacy to chat; now I think we sit here mostly out of habit.

At first I had a hard time opening up and was going to quit my sessions, until Hillary insisted we just act like two ladies meeting to gossip over coffee. Since the day she bought me my first macchiato, we’d been meeting here almost weekly. However, over this past year our visits have become less frequent, which as far as therapy goes is great news, but as for seeing Hillary from a place of friendship, I miss the frequency of our unorthodox sessions.

Hillary squeezes me tightly. “Girl, you look like you’re radiating. Sit and tell me what the heck—or better yet, who the heck, I hope—” she holds up crossed fingers and I laugh at her, “has you looking so…so, dare I say, happy.”

I smile at her assessment because she’s never accused me of looking happy before, that’s for sure. Well, other than when I gush about something Emme’s done, of course. I think of Levi and Emmerson playing football at the park yesterday afternoon.

“It’s a ‘Levi’,” I gush, as I take my pea coat off and hang it on the back of the chair. “He’s incredible.”

“Oh, sit! Sit, and tell me all about it. Start at the top and leave nothing out. I’m thrilled to hear this, Braun,!” Hillary says, way too excited.

I look around before sitting down, ready to share my happiness. “You know how Emmer and I do all those crazy-themed nights, right?” I take the lid off my cup to blow on the hot drink.

“I sure do. You know I always love hearing about the cool stuff you two come up with.”

I try a small sip before continuing, “Well, ever since our last Fun-and-Junk night when Levi joined in, it’s like something changed between us. Levi and I talk or text on-and-off all day when we can’t see each other, and he’s becoming this intense force in my life that I can’t even bother to reckon with, because truth be told, I love his impact,” I share, feeling the weight of her smile before I even look to meet her face.

“I knew it. I can see it. A change is good, right?” She eyes me, willing me to agree.

“Yes. Well, I think so. I mean I know both Emmerson and I have been the happiest we’ve been in a while since he’s come into our lives. They’ve got such a bond already.”

“Good. She needs that, Braun. You both do. I’m glad you’ve let her explore her way into a relationship with him. It’s important she feel her own connection.”

“You’re right. I was nervous at first, but honestly, Hillary, those two just click.” I smile, picturing the two of them and their shenanigans. “And I’m happy to say that I’m thinking more and more about having more with him than just a friendship. I’m finally starting to feel that Levi is who I’m supposed to let in, not as a replacement for Shawn, but as a new chapter in my life, a new beginning and hopefully our happily ever after, too. I just need to steel my nerves long enough to figure out how to move us along.”
Trump. Call trump, Braun, that’s what you have to do.

“I was hoping you’d be saying something like this today. I could tell from our last visit, after your little episode, that this man was having an effect on you. I’m happy that you’re allowing him to meld his way into your life, Braun. I have to admit you can be a stubborn, iron-willed thing when you want,” she teases, “I’m glad you realized it’s okay to finally…
let a man in.
” She reaches across the small table, placing her hand over mine for reassurance.