TYSON CAINE: Book 1 in the Brothers in Arms Series (Brothers in Arms Book 1) (12 page)

I still have no idea where he is taking me. The suspense is insane.

“Okay, I hope I chose the right one,” he tells me as he comes around and opens my door to help me out like the gentleman he is.

“Which one are we going to, Ty?” I inquire feeling impatient—the suspense is killing me.

He keeps quiet and holds my hand guiding me. We pass the Chinese restaurant, the Mexican, and the steakhouse.
Honestly, they would all be perfect.

We stop at La Porchetta, a cute little Italian restaurant that everyone raves about.

“Here we are. I hope it's okay.” He looks nervous.

“It’s perfect. I’ve heard fantastic reviews,” I declare smiling as we walk inside.

We are greeted by a maitre d’. “Welcome to La Porchetta. Table for Caine, I assume?” he questions.
I’m impressed; I’m sure they must get many people through here.

“Yes,” Tyson tells him and looks at me also wondering how he knew who we were. The host leads us to a beautiful table decorated with a gray tablecloth, gorgeous candles, and a mixed arrangement of flowers.
It looks so romantic.
We take our seats as a waiter comes over.

“What can I get you both to drink?” he questions us smiling.

“I’ll have a Sierra Mist, please,” I answer.

“I’ll have a Coke,” Tyson tells him.

“Can I get you some sparkling or still water for the table?” he asks.

“Still water, please,” I answer; water is always a must. He scurries off to complete our drink order.

“Oh, Tyson, this place is so perfect for our first date,” I confess to him, and he reaches forward to hold my hand and rub his thumb along my skin.

“I’m so relieved you like it. Nothing like a bit of pressure to choose the right place,” he replies smiling.

“Here we have a Coke for the gentleman and a Sierra Mist for the beautiful lady,” the waiter declares making me smile from the compliment.

“Would you like some bruschetta or garlic bread to start your meal?” he asks us. Tyson looks at me, and I nod.

“Yes, please, one of each,” he responds with the perfect answer.

“Here are two menus and a list of the specials. I’ll be back to take your orders,” he tells us and heads off on his mission.

“Looks like someone had their double shot espresso today,” I say jokingly. Tyson chuckles and nods, agreeing he is definitely an energetic waiter.

The garlic bread and bruschetta are divine; they melt in my mouth. I choose the seafood marinara and then Tyson orders the same.

I love carbonara or Alfredo, but honestly, it doesn’t agree with my hips or stomach. Dancing is all cardio, so I’ve learned the best foods to eat for my body.

Of course, I don’t deny myself the odd cheeseburger and fries.

“This food is mouth-watering, Tyson,” I tell him as we eat in unison.

“It is definitely awesome,” he agrees, digging into his pasta.

This is the best first date ever!

We share a passionfruit sorbet for dessert. Talk about mouth-watering, it is sensational.
The taste is the perfect combination of sweet and sour.

A moan escapes my lips from how good it tastes.

“God, Brooklyn, you are forbidden from making noises like that,” Tyson tells me, and I notice he is sweating just a little
. I feel the sexual tension between us just as much as he does.

Tyson pays for dinner. It is hard to let him pay, but I had a discussion with Dad yesterday. He told me it’s tradition for the guy to pay on the first date, and I don’t want to hurt Tyson’s feelings.

Walking hand in hand back to the truck is surreal. I don’t know why I was ever worried about taking the next step with him.

“It’s only nine o’clock, Brooke. Do you want to go anywhere else?” he asks as we reach his pickup.

“I’m not ready for the date to be over yet,” I tell him honestly.

“What about we drive to the lake or the lookout? Somewhere we can be alone.”

“Let’s go to the lookout,” I respond. True, it has s a reputation for being the place to hook up, but tonight, it sounds perfect.

“Okay. It’s such a beautiful night. I bet we can see awesome views of the lake,” he exclaims.

Ten minutes later, we drive up the long, winding road and park along the embankment. We climb out and walk to the lookout railing.

“You were right, Ty. Check out all of those stunning colors on the water from the moon’s reflection, they illuminate the lake.”

“Definitely stunning,” he replies. I look at him, but he’s not even looking at the view, just at me.

I smile and roll my eyes. “I thought you wanted to see the view, Mr. Caine?”

“I have the perfect view right now.” His compliments warm my heart.

I smile and walk toward him. He opens his arms, and we embrace. He makes me feel so safe and secure; his strong arms around me are like a cocoon, and I never want to come out. I look up at his face, our gazes meet, and he tilts his head until his lips are on mine. The kiss is so perfect, sweet, and tender. He pulls me in tighter, and we deepen the kiss as his tongue enters to find mine. I get goose bumps as my tongue meets his, and my arms move up into his hair.

The moment becomes more heated as we kiss more passionately with need and want. He pulls me flush against him, where I feel his hardness. Oh wow, I’ve never experienced that before, but it’s sending more goose bumps along my arms, and I feel an ache between my legs that is unfamiliar. We kiss until we’re both breathless and then we stay sheltered in each other’s arms, feeling so close.

“Tonight has been so perfect, Tyson, thank you,” I tell him.

“No, thank you, Brooke, for agreeing to take things to the next level. You mean the world to me. Now, we can show each other just what it feels like to fall in love,” he confesses so sweetly. Saying the L-word even in a sentence is intense, but I totally feel the same way.

We kiss one last time before we drive home. Tyson needs to stay in the good books with Dad and dropping me home past curfew won’t give him any brownie points. He drives me home with one hand on my knee. I shuffle closer and smile at this gorgeous guy who now belongs to me.
What the hell was I so scared of? This is better than I ever imagined.

We pull up into my driveway, and neither of us can stop smiling.

“You outdid yourself, Tyson. You know every time you will have to beat the last date, right?” I tease him.

“You are picking the next one,” he declares smirking.

“You got it,” I respond and lean in to give him a passionate good night kiss.

I’ve never been a lady, so why start now?

I’m amazed at just how natural and easy we have fallen into step with our relationship. I shouldn’t have expected any less. I mean we have been best friends for five years; I’m pretty sure she knows everything there is to know about me.
Well, except the boring things only a mother knows, like how I like my socks rolled or the way I like to have a glass of water before bed
.

I can’t wait to ask Brooklyn to the senior prom. She isn’t a girly-girl, but I’m sure she will rock it in a dress; I like the thought of her all dressed up again like our first date.

Damn, that black and white dress was smoking hot.

Tyler is a junior, but I’m sure he will be prom king next year. A couple of buddies say I’m one of the finalists, but honestly, I hate all that stuff. Like I’ve said before, I like to sink into the background.
Another thing we have in common—Brooklyn and I don’t seek out the limelight.

Even when we were just friends, I felt like I would do anything for her, and every day that feeling intensifies. I never realized how devoted and dedicated you become in a relationship. If she told me tonight that she wanted to run away, just me and her, I would honestly follow her anywhere, always and forever.

Every time I have her in my arms, she captivates and consumes me. I just want to hold her tight and never let her go.

I can’t help but wonder how many other people in the world have feelings so deep. We are the lucky ones to have this undeniable connection. Brooke is my very own earth angel, and I’m just a fool in love with her. I’m lucky enough to be able to watch her latest dance recital.

“Knock ‘em dead, babe,” I say as she heads backstage, and I make my way to the numbered seats in the audience.

“Thanks, Ty, I’ll try,” she replies kissing me softly. Her lips are sweet as honey, perfectly heart-shaped, plump, and full.

I find my seat. “Hello, Mr. Waters, how are you? Hey, Dylan,” I say to Brooklyn’s dad and brother.

“It’s great to see you here, Tyson,” Mr. Waters replies. He has asked me repeatedly to call him Malcolm, but I’ve been taught that respecting adults is calling them Mr. or Mrs., so I’ve yet to cave.

Dylan gives me a high five. He’s a cool kid, and he has a good head on his shoulders, especially having such a traumatic experience losing his mother at a young age.

The lights dim as a few more people take their seats. I’m really excited to see this show—the theme is jungle fever, so I’m sure my little wild cat will look incredible. The music starts, and it’s ironically “In the Jungle,” so the dancers all crawl onto the stage in their tiger and lion outfits. I can’t make out who is who just yet. Then the music changes to a much more upbeat tune—“Party Rock Anthem”—that gets them shuffling.

The lions jump to their feet, all moving in sync and fast to the tune. They jump, jive, shimmy and really dance their butts off. I spot Brooklyn, looking amazing as a lion. Next are the tigers that are just as good. Other animals dancing include a giraffe, elephant, and buffalo.

Next song change “Here’s Johnny” is extremely fast. Wow, they kill it with double-time movements. Brooklyn is front and center, and I’m in awe of her talent. Every move is in time with the beat of the music; every movement is precise.

I can’t deny she is smoking hot up there, yet she is still conservative.
She could never look cheap.
Damn, in the tight leotard and stockings it doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination. 

Brooklyn is all class, a real lady, especially as the female version of a lion. She is my lioness, and I feel like the king of the jungle. I will do my job to protect her from anyone or anything negative in her life.

One of Brooklyn’s biggest attributes is her infectious personality. We are always laughing and smiling. On stage, her smile is wide and real; it truly shows how much she loves dancing.

Somehow, I see her blue eyes. Like a laser, they burn into my chest, and they are incredible. Her hair is like cinnamon but teased into a wild arrangement for her character.

I feel my heart thump as if it was jolted by an electric current. Just watching her on the stage now knowing she is mine is an incredible feeling. We are together and connected in so many ways. I’m one hundred percent committed to this gorgeous girl.

My feelings scare me at just how deep they run.

The way I feel for Brooklyn is heavy duty—I can’t imagine that battery ever running out. It’s more than just physical attraction. We connect deeply, spiritually even. My feelings are so powerful for this exceptional woman.

She inspires me to love.

As far as everything changing now that we are boyfriend and girlfriend, it has only changed for the better.
So far so good.

God, I hope to hell this works out. Friends like Tyson are hard to find and keep. But when he touches me, I feel a flame ignite deep inside. Right now, I don’t regret moving from friends to lovers, not even a tiny bit.
But let’s just hope it stays this way.

The public display of affection is the hardest part for me so far. Tyson wants to show the world I’m his, he wants to hold my hand, kiss me, and embrace me whenever and wherever he wants.

I try to avoid all eyes on us, especially when we are together. I already hear the whispers in the corridors; the cheerleaders have been making an extra effort to cheer on Tyson and hug him before and after games.
It’s so petty, but I shouldn’t expect anything less
. I feel nervous about being watched when we are in the cafeteria or walking through the halls. I hope the feeling passes because I love holding his hand and being by his side.

“Sorry, Ty, but can we save the affection for later? I’m copping stares left, right, and center,” I tell him truthfully when we walk to class.
I know it shouldn’t bother me so much, but it does.

“Screw them, Brooke!” he tells me. “You are mine, so I can do this, and they can all go to hell,” he declares before kissing me long and hard. When he pulls back, I swear I’m bright red and breathless but smiling widely.
Those kinds of kisses make me forget all about the jealous assholes of the world.

Tyson drove me to school this morning, so after school, we are going back to his place—today is the one afternoon we are free this week. “See you in fifty minutes, angel,” Tyson tells me and kisses my hand as we reach my classroom.

“See you then,” I say feeling a little giddy. He goes above and beyond to make me feel special each and every day.

English is a hard one today; we are doing a practice exam. “You need to write and summarize three books that we have read this year,” Mr. Singer instructs as he hands us our paper exams.

I count my lucky stars that I love to read as I begin the test. I allow roughly fifteen minutes for each summary otherwise I won’t get them finished. With five minutes to spare, I’m done.
Time for a quick read-through.

“Okay, everyone, pens down,” Mr. Singer announces, and I hear a few students object or complain. God, I hope I did okay. I must remember to get Tyson to quiz me on a few history questions today before he kisses me or I will be a hot mess otherwise.

The bell rings so I walk out with Jade and Ellie, two girls I’ve known since junior year. “Have you heard the rumor about Tyler and Chelsea?” Ellie asks me sounding eager to see my response.
I have no idea what she is talking about.

“No, I haven’t heard a thing. What is this week’s rumor?” I question her intrigued.

“Well, apparently Chelsea is pregnant.” I think the blood drains from my face.

“Holy shit. She can’t be pregnant,” I reply hoping to God the rumor isn’t true. I can just imagine Tyler, then Jimmy’s reaction. Poor Rose, she is too young to be a grandma, and then there is Thomas, an uncle at fourteen.
What the hell?

“Well, that is the rumor. Who knows if it’s true,” Ellie states.

“The other rumor is that Chelsea is lying to keep Tyler. They’ve been fighting a lot lately, and he wants to dump her,” Jade tells me.
God, I hope that is the case.

Either way, Tyler is kind of screwed.

****

I decide not to mention what I heard about Chelsea and Tyler to Tyson just yet. I was actually waiting for him to bring it up, but it looks like the rumor mill didn’t get to him in record time like the previous gossip.

Driving to his place, I love sitting in Tyson’s pickup. Now that we are together, he insists I sit closer, and that is super closer on his bench seat. At traffic lights, he affectionately holds my hand and kisses my cheek.

As we head inside his house, I notice no one is home. “Do we have the place to ourselves?”  It’s a rarity with his two brothers.

“Yep, we sure do. Mom is working until nine, Thomas is at practice till seven, and Tyler is at Chelsea’s for dinner.”
Chelsea’s for dinner, huh? Wonder how that is working out for him?

Fine by me. I don’t think I will ever get sick of being around this guy. Tyson is a wonderful host and makes us both grilled cheese sandwiches and fresh juice.

“Should we watch a movie?” he asks so I nod. Lying with him on the couch in his arms sounds perfect to me. It’s the best way I can ask to make out with him without actually saying, ‘Let’s make out.’

“McFly?” he asks me laughing, and if I didn’t know him as well as I do, I would think he was nuts.

“Marty,” I respond knowing exactly which movie he means. We are both creatures of habit and enjoy watching our favorites a number of times. Tyson slides
Back to the Future
into the blu-ray player and makes himself comfy on the couch, leaving room for me.

I then make myself at home lying back in Tyson’s arms. I can’t help but inhale his masculine scent and aftershave. He rubs his hands, which are a little coarse from the hardware store along my arms, causing the hairs to stand up.
So much for watching the movie
. I’m now totally distracted as I shiver from the feeling.

“How am I supposed to watch if you are going to distract me?” I say, turning around to give him the evil eye.

“You won’t miss the whole movie,” he whispers and then his lips are on mine. He kisses me as if he hasn’t seen me in weeks. His kiss is passionate and intense. I kiss him back with the same ferocity. We are so drawn to each other and savor each other’s taste and touch. His hands caress my neck as he rubs his thumbs gently up and down, then through my hair massaging my scalp. I smile through our kiss as more goose bumps run up my arm, along my head, and I shiver as it hits my spine. I pull back to catch my breath, or I may suffocate.

“Jesus, Tyson, I need a minute,” I say feeling breathless yet still smiling.

“I’m glad I have that effect on you,” he states, and the smile on his face is huge. “I’m totally bewitched by you, Brooklyn. You are breathtakingly beautiful,” he tells me, and I melt from his words alone.
I bite my lip wondering how I got so lucky.

“My heart races when I’m near you. Hell, you don’t even need to touch me, and I melt,” Tyson continues to compliment me.

“Tyson Caine, you are unlike any other guy I’ve met. Your momma sure brought you up the right way.” I’m feeling overwhelmed by the beautiful words he has said to me.

“If you could read my thoughts right now, you wouldn’t be saying that,” he jokes back to me.

“Even your dirty thoughts would still be sweet and charming. I know you better than anyone,” I respond stirring him.

“Oh, is that so?” From the lust in his eyes, I think he is about to prove me wrong.
Holy shit.

His lips find mine again; his hunger is so intense, and the goose bumps get me every single time. I feel frenzied and eager for more when I’m in his arms. I’m caught up in the moment when he kisses me; our lips mould together perfectly.

I can’t help but squeeze my legs together, as my core is ablaze with need and his assault. Every ounce of my skin is on fire, scorching hot and feverish as our tongues dance together. His hand travels up my top along my naked flesh. I moan as his hand travels higher and skims my breast.
That is the first time we have gone this far.

I crave every inch of him. My desire hits me hard; suddenly, I’m so thirsty for him, so hungry for his touch. He caresses my breasts some more, and I pull back from his kiss and nestle into his neck, kissing him softly but feeling tempted to bite. I forget about everything else in the world. Right now, it’s just him and me. His hand travels under my bra and when his finger touches my breast and grazes my nipple, I jump from the sensation.

“Everything about you is amazing, Brooklyn. I cherish you,” he tells me as I keep kissing his neck. My hand travels down his t-shirt and underneath to his abs. His bare flesh is so warm, smooth, and cut to perfection.

Oh God, how on earth will I stop him if he goes any further?

I rub softly along his stomach feeling his toned body; it’s so intimate our bare skin touching. I kiss my way up his neck to his cheek and find his lips again. He kisses me hard and positions me so he is lying over me slightly. I eagerly lie back as he slowly climbs on top, not putting his whole weight on me.

I’m surprised when I feel the bulge in his pants. It makes me wet knowing he is hard for me. He kisses my neck, along my chest making me shiver. He lifts my shirt up slightly and places delicate kisses on my stomach.

I can’t help but moan. It’s so nice, new and foreign yet smoking hot all at once. Tyson lifts my top higher. His eyes find mine; they’ve gotten dark with lust. He places soft kisses over my bra while his hand massages my breast again making me squirm. He slightly pulls the lace down exposing my naked nipple and the cool air makes me jump. He looks at it as a prize meal, and then his mouth is on my nipple. He kisses, licks, and sucks ever so softly.

Jesus Christ, this is amazing.

I find my knee on his crotch massaging his hardness. I can’t stop myself. He takes his time with each breast, then covers them up and pulls down my shirt. He takes a deep breath.

“God Brooke, do you know how good you taste?” he asks me smiling.

“I don’t think I can control myself if I don’t stop now,” he admits to me, and I nod as I know exactly what he means.

“I know the feeling. We have so much time to explore and be with each other Tyson. I want it to be perfect,” I tell him, and I mean every word.
Our first time will be utter perfection.

We lay for the next hour just staring into each other’s eyes.

There is no doubt in my mind that we are soul mates. We’re destined to be together.