Taking Chances
Page 28
“Asshole.” I murmured.
Looking up slowly, I made sure to avoid my boyfriend's eyes. I think he liked being protective of me, and honestly I loved that he was, but I'm not going to cower down and play the damsel when a boy that's sick in the head treats me like that. I knew Carter and the other guys would have been proud that I used some of the moves they were always teaching me, but I didn't know what Brandon would think about it.
The few people that had seen the little exchange were razzing Mr. Tall Guy for letting a “little girl” bring him to his knees. I smirked at him still curled up on the ground, but my face fell when I finally looked at Brandon's wide eyes and dropped jaw. My cheeks blazed and I bit my lip, worried about what he was about to say.
He blinked and shook his head in disbelief, “Damn, sweetheart. That was hot.”
I laughed and jumped over my victim and into Brandon's arms, kissing him fiercely. He still had his shirt off and was covered in sweat, but I didn't care. He was okay, he'd won the fight, and he liked the way I was able to take care of myself. He hissed and sucked in a sharp breath before setting me down.
“Are you okay?”
He was grimacing, but pulled me close, “Yeah, I'm good. Let's get out back and find Scarecrow.”
When we got out of the main room and found Scarecrow and Brandon's shirt, I pulled out my phone to call Bree, but she'd sent a text saying she caught a ride with the guys. Brandon introduced me to Scarecrow who let out an appreciative whistle and clapped Brandon on the back.
“Nice catch man, keep bringing your good luck charm around, I like the money she's making me.” He smiled at us and handed over a massive wad of cash.
Brandon didn't even count it, just shook his hand and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, leading me outside. I noticed the rigid way he was holding himself, and how it took him a little extra time climbing into his Jeep, but didn't ask. Instead I wrapped my hands around one of his and silently inspected him. He didn't look like he had any cuts, or bruises, but I couldn't see much of him now. I wished I'd looked earlier, while his shirt was still off.
He smiled and moved his hand from mine to place it on my thigh, “Do I pass inspection?”
I blushed and looked out at the street, “Sorry.”
“Don't be, I was joking. Did you have fun?”
“Well I wasn't really able to see anything because of that guy, and then I was focused on getting him away from me.”
Brandon laughed and cut off abruptly, sucking in another quick breath, “Seriously Harper, that was by far the best thing I've ever seen. I couldn't believe my girl put someone down faster than I did.” He smiled, his eyes bright.
I smiled back at him and shrugged, “I really don't understand why you all think I'm so breakable. Remember, I spent almost every day of my life with a bunch of horny Marines that treated me like I was their little sister. They made sure from early on that I could handle myself against guys like them.”
“Well, I'm glad for that, and I do know that you can take care of yourself. I'm sorry if I go a little caveman when it comes to you sometimes, but I've never met anyone like you. You're precious to me, and everything in me screams to take care of you.”
My heart started hammering in my chest. How was it possible that he was mine? “Did you just say you go caveman?”
His smile got even wider, and I leaned over to kiss his dimple, “You can't act like you haven't noticed. I was worried it was going to start pissing you off. That's why I tried to stay calm tonight.”
“I'm pretty sure you were justified every time you've done something like that. And don't worry, you're protective, you aren't possessive. That would piss me off.”
“I don't want to own you, Harper, I just want to be with you.”
“I know.” I said softly, thinking about actually being with him, even though that wasn't what he'd been talking about. “Can I stay with you tonight?”
He kissed my hand, “I'd hoped you would.”
When we got back to the house Brandon took me to the bathroom and after helping me onto the counter, proceeded to clean the blood off my leg. I left him in there so he could shower, and went into his room to put on some of his clothes. I inhaled his scent surrounding me and smiled while climbing into his bed. I'd left off bottoms, opting for one of his shirts that came down to my thighs. I hoped it would get my message across, since I didn't exactly know how to tell him what I wanted. He turned off the light when he came in and got in the bed, each movement was stiff and he winced twice.
“Are you sure you're okay?” I really had planned on waiting for him to tell me, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain.
“I'm fine sweetheart, come here.”
Brandon pulled me close to him and kissed me softly at first, when I brushed my tongue across his lips he groaned and deepened the kiss. Before I could let my nerves take over, I pulled myself up and swung a leg over his body, keeping myself from pressing my body to his. I wanted him to be the one to pull me closer. His hands were on my legs, slowly sliding up my thighs and under the shirt, when he realized I wasn't wearing shorts he growled against my lips. “Jesus Harper.” Keeping one hand on my hip, and bringing the other one to the top of my back, he slowly lowered me to him, freezing and cursing when I pressed harder against him.
“Okay, you're lying.” I quickly hopped off and tried not to touch him at all until I knew where he was hurting.
Looking up slowly, I made sure to avoid my boyfriend's eyes. I think he liked being protective of me, and honestly I loved that he was, but I'm not going to cower down and play the damsel when a boy that's sick in the head treats me like that. I knew Carter and the other guys would have been proud that I used some of the moves they were always teaching me, but I didn't know what Brandon would think about it.
The few people that had seen the little exchange were razzing Mr. Tall Guy for letting a “little girl” bring him to his knees. I smirked at him still curled up on the ground, but my face fell when I finally looked at Brandon's wide eyes and dropped jaw. My cheeks blazed and I bit my lip, worried about what he was about to say.
He blinked and shook his head in disbelief, “Damn, sweetheart. That was hot.”
I laughed and jumped over my victim and into Brandon's arms, kissing him fiercely. He still had his shirt off and was covered in sweat, but I didn't care. He was okay, he'd won the fight, and he liked the way I was able to take care of myself. He hissed and sucked in a sharp breath before setting me down.
“Are you okay?”
He was grimacing, but pulled me close, “Yeah, I'm good. Let's get out back and find Scarecrow.”
When we got out of the main room and found Scarecrow and Brandon's shirt, I pulled out my phone to call Bree, but she'd sent a text saying she caught a ride with the guys. Brandon introduced me to Scarecrow who let out an appreciative whistle and clapped Brandon on the back.
“Nice catch man, keep bringing your good luck charm around, I like the money she's making me.” He smiled at us and handed over a massive wad of cash.
Brandon didn't even count it, just shook his hand and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, leading me outside. I noticed the rigid way he was holding himself, and how it took him a little extra time climbing into his Jeep, but didn't ask. Instead I wrapped my hands around one of his and silently inspected him. He didn't look like he had any cuts, or bruises, but I couldn't see much of him now. I wished I'd looked earlier, while his shirt was still off.
He smiled and moved his hand from mine to place it on my thigh, “Do I pass inspection?”
I blushed and looked out at the street, “Sorry.”
“Don't be, I was joking. Did you have fun?”
“Well I wasn't really able to see anything because of that guy, and then I was focused on getting him away from me.”
Brandon laughed and cut off abruptly, sucking in another quick breath, “Seriously Harper, that was by far the best thing I've ever seen. I couldn't believe my girl put someone down faster than I did.” He smiled, his eyes bright.
I smiled back at him and shrugged, “I really don't understand why you all think I'm so breakable. Remember, I spent almost every day of my life with a bunch of horny Marines that treated me like I was their little sister. They made sure from early on that I could handle myself against guys like them.”
“Well, I'm glad for that, and I do know that you can take care of yourself. I'm sorry if I go a little caveman when it comes to you sometimes, but I've never met anyone like you. You're precious to me, and everything in me screams to take care of you.”
My heart started hammering in my chest. How was it possible that he was mine? “Did you just say you go caveman?”
His smile got even wider, and I leaned over to kiss his dimple, “You can't act like you haven't noticed. I was worried it was going to start pissing you off. That's why I tried to stay calm tonight.”
“I'm pretty sure you were justified every time you've done something like that. And don't worry, you're protective, you aren't possessive. That would piss me off.”
“I don't want to own you, Harper, I just want to be with you.”
“I know.” I said softly, thinking about actually being with him, even though that wasn't what he'd been talking about. “Can I stay with you tonight?”
He kissed my hand, “I'd hoped you would.”
When we got back to the house Brandon took me to the bathroom and after helping me onto the counter, proceeded to clean the blood off my leg. I left him in there so he could shower, and went into his room to put on some of his clothes. I inhaled his scent surrounding me and smiled while climbing into his bed. I'd left off bottoms, opting for one of his shirts that came down to my thighs. I hoped it would get my message across, since I didn't exactly know how to tell him what I wanted. He turned off the light when he came in and got in the bed, each movement was stiff and he winced twice.
“Are you sure you're okay?” I really had planned on waiting for him to tell me, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain.
“I'm fine sweetheart, come here.”
Brandon pulled me close to him and kissed me softly at first, when I brushed my tongue across his lips he groaned and deepened the kiss. Before I could let my nerves take over, I pulled myself up and swung a leg over his body, keeping myself from pressing my body to his. I wanted him to be the one to pull me closer. His hands were on my legs, slowly sliding up my thighs and under the shirt, when he realized I wasn't wearing shorts he growled against my lips. “Jesus Harper.” Keeping one hand on my hip, and bringing the other one to the top of my back, he slowly lowered me to him, freezing and cursing when I pressed harder against him.
“Okay, you're lying.” I quickly hopped off and tried not to touch him at all until I knew where he was hurting.
