“He was abusive to all of us. That’s it.”
“That’s it?” His voice was almost a shout. I flinched, hating that I had to burden someone else with my problems.
“He only hit me once,” I said, looking down. “I bought a gun and kept in my room. He didn’t bother me after I pulled it on him. But Kaleb, he was abused in every sense of the word.” My heart dropped admitting it out loud. “My mom wouldn’t leave, and I was trying to save money…I just thought being there with a roof over our heads and food was better than nothing…”
He stopped me midsentence. “Autumn, you did nothing wrong. You were a kid. Remember that. No matter what,” he said, and I nodded.
“Can we stop talking about it?” I asked, crashing back into my waiting pillow.
“Of course. This conversation is always up to you, baby. I’ll never bring it up again if you don’t want to talk about it.”
He lay beside me again. Throwing his arm under my shoulders, I lay my head on his chest. Listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat reminded me someone was here on this planet loving me, cheering me on, and ready to catch me when I failed.
“Keep this between us?”
“I would never tell your secrets, Autumn.”
“I believe you. Can we lay like this for a while?”
“As long as you want,” he said, and he kissed my forehead before crashing again.
I was wrong. He didn’t pity me or look at me as if I were broken. He would be here for me if I let him. Everything else was background noise. I would get to the bottom of the wreck and I survive college.
Twenty-Eight
My fingers were interlaced with his before he let go. I took a drink of the stale-tasting beer, not sure I would ever grow accustomed to liking it. The small fire pit crackled as the cool air rushed by in a hurry. Without a million people in this place, it was nice. Almost peaceful.
Liam walked back, grinning a shit-eating grin as he lay the blanket across my lap before sitting with me.
“Dare I ask?”
“I just heard a rumor,” he teased.
“And here I thought those days died in high school.” I eyed him suspiciously, though I didn’t have a pit of dread; afraid he may know something. He knew my entire life story. Well, most of it, but we all had our secrets. Even this gorgeous gray-eyed boy staring at me with hooded eyes.
“Thanksgiving break is next week.”
“It is…”
“And someone’s birthday is the weekend before,” he said.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. There were more secrets. “What? How?”
“Gabby saw it on Facebook,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He pulled me close to him, kissing the top of my head. I rolled my eyes. I had forgotten about my social media pages I hadn’t logged into in years.
“Please don’t embarrass me. I’m not really a birthday person.”
“Talk to your friend. But really, who doesn’t like birthdays?” He looked at me, confused, before realizing he had struck a nerve.
“It’s the craziest thing, right? I can’t get enough attention,” I said sarcastically, and he dropped the subject all together.
“I’m not really into all of it anymore either,” he admitted.
I clinked my bottle against his. “To being fucked up together.”
“Would it make you feel better if I took you out before? Just the two of us?” he asked, and I hated myself for it, but I melted a little.
“You’d better, and please keep me in the loop about the plans.”
“Sure thing.” His answer was met with his lips crashing into mine. Slow at first, he quickly picked up the speed. It was like he needed this more than me. “I can’t stop thinking about the other night,” he said against my mouth.
“Then let me give you something else to think about,” I said, smirking. His eyes followed me as I stood in front of him, lifting my shirt and tossing it to the side. I grabbed the clasp of my bra, my eyes darting between him and the house. “Where is everyone?”
“They just left. We have time,” he said, grinning.
I tossed my bra, and his face caught it, chuckling as he tore it from his eyes. I pulled my jeans and panties down, letting him gaze hungrily at me. There was something about being with him that made me comfortable. He brought out a new side of me; a piece that was always there waiting to be let out. Confidence.
“Are you just going to sit there and watch?” I asked him, pushing my long hair to the side.
The cocky grin I loved so much appeared and he was at my side in an instant, kicking and stripping his clothes away, leaving himself only in briefs. He was dangerously close to my neck, inching closer to my ear. The tiny hairs on my body stood up as my breath hitched.
“If it involved you naked, I’ll never just sit and watch.” He began a string of light kisses from my ear down my neck. Each one left me more breathless than the next.
Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I placed a small kiss on his lips before leading him to the large garden chair we were on before. I kneeled before him, pulling his briefs down before sitting on his lap. He brought his hand to his mouth before taking himself in his hands. Expertly, he lifted my waist and eased me on him.
“Mmm,” I groaned, taking him in for only the second time.
He stroked my cheek. “You okay?” I nodded quickly before moving up and down on him. His head fell back, but I wasn’t having it. I grabbed his face, locking our lips together. I needed to feel closer to him.
He patted my thighs. “Stand up.”
Confused, I did so, covering my chest from any onlookers. Like that would help at this point. I cringed at that thought. We were alone. He wouldn’t let me be out here like this if someone were around.
He lay the blanket across the grass several feet from the fire. Shivering, I lay down, waiting to be warmed by his body. He didn’t waste any time leaning over me, gently easing back into me. He hugged me and I let myself melt into him.
“So much better,” I said, kissing his neck.
“What are you doing to me, Autumn?” he asked, breathless.
I could ask the same, but I reveled in the fact that I somehow had a hold on this boy. For whatever reason, everything I had ever dreamed of had come true. I fit in; the most gorgeous boy I had ever seen cared for me. I was loved. My body convulsed at that thought and he followed suit.
He lay panting on top of me, exhausted. I stared up at the sky, grinning like a damn fool. Whoever sent Liam Shafer to me, please let me keep him forever.
“CAR LIGHTS!”
I plucked my clothes off the ground and threw the blanket around myself. Liam was on my tail, sprinting toward the house, laughing the entire time. I ripped the back door open, darting through the kitchen and living room before bolting up the stairs. Liam was right behind me, slamming and locking his door as we made it safely to his room unseen.
Dropping the blankets and clothing to the floor, we fell onto the bed as the full-belly laughter began.
“Fuck me, that was close,” Liam said through bouts of laughter.
“You think?” I wiped tears from my eyes as the laughter continued.
“Totally worth it.” He spun me facing him, pulling me close.
“You’re such a guy.”
Pushing the hair from my face, looking at me intently, he could say nothing at all, but everything in the world. I bit my lip, wondering what would come next. The pad of his thumb smoothed my lip, and he placed a small kiss on the corner of my mouth.
“What’s on your mind?” I asked finally.
“Everything.”
“A man of many words.”
A cocky grin appeared as he dove under the covers, patting the space beside him. I followed him, scooting as close as I could to his side.
“When was the last time I slept in my bed?” I asked, truly not sure.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Never again I hope.”
“Right,” I said, changing th
e subject because it scared the shit out of me. “What are we watching tonight?”
“Funny or scary?” he asked as he flipped through the titles.
“Funny. I am so over serious after how Dexter ended. Not that I like everything tied up in a neat bow, but still.”
He laughed once, pressing a couple of buttons. “The Office it is, but you should sleep, though. I’m taking you out after class.”
Smiling, I replied, “I can’t wait.”
Twenty-Nine
I have no idea what the hell this lady just said, but Autumn and Gabby were putting their notes away, so I was assuming class was over. I followed their movements, packing the few things I’d brought with me, shoving them into my backpack and hanging it over my shoulder. The truth was the only reason I was passing this class was because Autumn helped me with my midterm paper and gave me her flashcards.
She was looking at me now, brow cocked as if she was trying to figure me out. Keep trying, beautiful.
“Are you ready?” I asked her.
“I just need to go to the dorm and change. Want to come?”
I walked closer to her, leaning in where no one could hear us. “You never have to ask me if I want to see you naked.”
A flood of red splashed across her face. “Liam!” she shrieked, looking around.
Gabby laughed, and I was positive she knew what was happening. “I’ll see you two lovebirds later.” And with that, she disappeared from the classroom.
I grabbed Autumn’s hand, leading her to the dorm. For the first time ever, I walked freely with a girl on campus. I passed a couple of guys from the house, noticing their strange looks, and only smiled in returned. One day they would find a girl who shied away from the keg; they would spot her sitting quietly, taking everyone in as she hid from the world. They would know she was the one they wanted to spend his time with. The only one. Or maybe they wouldn’t. Who the hell knew?
I couldn’t hide the disappointment on my face when I saw Josie’s smirking face as I walked in Autumn’s dorm room.
“So, it is true?” Her tiny arms crossed her chest, and she shifted her weight to one leg, waiting for an answer she didn’t deserve to know. Autumn looked at me, brow cocked, like ‘what is wrong with this girl?’
“Yep. Autumn just came to change. We’ll be out of your way in no time,” I said, and her face morphed into an unreadable stare.
“That’s hilarious,” she said, without a trace of humor.
“What is?” I asked. Autumn rolled her eyes and I glared at her, hoping she wouldn’t encourage this girl. It wasn’t just Josie, there were a million girls like her across campus. Angry and entitled. She didn’t want me, not really, but she didn’t want Autumn to be with me either. And that was how this type of girl was with every guy. We were supposed to fawn over her, only keeping our eyes glued to her in order to heal her frail ego. All while she teared down girls like Autumn.
“Nothing. I just can’t wait to see how long this last,” she huffed, and started walking from the room. Autumn recovered fast, but the hurt was written all over her face. I balled up my hand, trying to let it go.
“I bet it lasts a lot fucking longer than anything you’ve ever had.”
“Fuck you, Liam! Have fun with him, Autumn. He’s a dick and he’s just using you. You’re just a shiny new toy. He’ll toss you to the side, too!” And with that she stormed from the room, slamming the door as she left. You could have heard a pin drop as we stared at each other.
“Maybe I should call her back and ask her how she really feels about us,” Autumn said, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
I nodded. “Yeah, I think she held some shit back.”
She crossed the space between us, putting her hands on my chest. “What the hell, though? Did you guys have something going on? I won’t get mad.”
“My God, Autumn, no,” I said, unable to hide my laughter. “Did I have a million opportunities? Yes. But I never went for her. Trust me.”
Grinning, she stretched on her tiptoes before placing a soft kiss on my lips. “Good. Because that’s an ex I wouldn’t be able to deal with daily.”
“No worries there, beautiful.”
She skimmed through her small closet, picking out a black sweater. She held it against herself, looking in the mirror. “Why do you think she’s like that to you?”
I sat on Autumn’s bed, rubbing my temples. “It’s not me, really. She’s slept with all the guys…”
“And the guys slept with her, too, Liam. I hope you’re not saying what I think you’re saying,” she said, cocking her head at me.
“No. I’m just saying she did that and brought drama with all of them. I guess I just knew the drama wasn’t worth it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Problem averted, right?”
I laughed once. “She’ll back off. It was the initial shock.”
I watched as this beautifully broken girl tugged her sweater on, smoothing it down. She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it from her face on both sides. I walked up before her, circling her waist, nuzzling my face in her neck before placing a kiss on her skin.
“Not everyone is going to like you, Autumn. You can’t worry about other people,” I said. Her eyes snapped to me.
“What does the high school jock know about that?” She laughed without humor. “Nobody liked me. Still, I can count on one hand how many people like me.”
I spun her around, facing me. “But you let it bother you, and they can see that. Don’t let people like Josie win.”
She looked down, avoiding eye contact. “When did you become so wise?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I always have been, just nobody listened to me.”
Her face twisted into mock horror. “So, I’m the guinea pig? What if your advice is shit?”
“I mean, there’s only one way to find out,” I said, giving her a pointed look until she nodded.
“You might be on to something. I’ll try to stop caring. Happy now?” she asked, looking up at me with hooded eyes.
“I could think of something else that would make me happier…” I whispered, and her face twisted into disgust. She grabbed my hand, yanking me from her dorm room. Chuckling, I followed behind her as she practically dragged me from the building.
“Oh my God. Are we becoming one of those annoying couples that can’t keep their hands off each other and everyone hates?” she asked, coming to a stop.
“I fucking hope we are,” I said honestly. She wouldn’t allow herself to smile, but deep down I knew she wanted to. My Mustang was parked in the closest lot to the dorms. I opened her door for her, and before she could thank me, I slapped her on the ass.
“Such a gentleman,” she started in as soon as I got in the driver’s seat. Her voice oozed sarcasm. “So, where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Wow, Liam. I don’t even know what’s in this city, so you can just tell me the name.”
I chuckled. I loved how much she was opening to me and being herself. She was real, and she had the best personality of anyone I had ever met. I just wished she saw herself the way I did.
“Fair point. The Landing.”
“See. It’s still a surprise,” she said, wagging her brows at me. She watched the city streaking by as I made the short drive. I caught a glimpse of her as much as I could. “I say this every time I leave campus, but why don’t I get out more?”
“I’ll take you all over the city during break. You’re off work all week?” I asked, and she nodded.
“I would love that.”
“Here we are,” I said, whipping into a parking space. “This is my favorite place near campus.”
I watched her take it in, from the relaxed atmosphere to the outdoor patio. She smiled. “I like it.”
I held the door open for her, held her hand, and did all the things she deserved before stepping up to the hostess stand. The young girl looked between Autumn and me, her eyes lingering on me. I hoped Autumn didn�
�t notice because it was weird as shit.
“How many?” she asked.
“Two,” I said, slinging my arm over Autumn’s shoulder. The hostess grabbed two menus and walked in front of us. She sat us at small table on the patio near a heater and I thanked her. The light rain that plagued Washington State constantly had started, adding to the already- cold weather.
“You’re not in Texas anymore,” I said as Autumn rubbed her arms.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” she said, giggling.
“That bad? I’ve actually never been.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s just really hot. And full of my Missing posters,” she whispered, trying to play it off as a joke.
“Autumn, you’re turning 20 in a few days. No one thinks you ran away. Your dad knows you needed to get away.”
She shook her head, frustrated. Then looked down at her menu and I knew I had messed up. “You don’t know him.”
Reaching out across the table, I took her hands in mine. “Hey, I shouldn’t have said anything. Let’s not let him ruin the date.”
“I brought it up. Joking helps. You either don’t survive it, or you come out with a great sense of humor.”
“Where do I fit into that equation?” I asked, loving that I could carry on with her.
“Well, you’re pretty to look at.” I howled with laughter as the server walked up. Autumn told me to pick my favorite for her to try and I did. The server wrote down our orders and immediately brought us our beer.
“Do I look old enough?” she whispered, her eyes darting between me and the server.
“You’re gorgeous,” I said simply, shrugging my shoulder. She rolled her eyes. “I can’t blame the guy. I would give you beer.”
“You do,” she deadpanned.
“Fair enough.”
“Speaking of age,” she said, leaning closer to the table. I chugged my beer, knowing where this was going. “Spill everything. What does Gabby have planned?”
“Just a surprise party at the house. She is only invited, like, 10 people. It’s nothing to stress over.”
The Autumn Leaf Page 15