Fumbled Hearts (A Tender Hearts Novel)

by Meagan Brandy

  I watch as Nate’s dark eyes grow darker, lowering with intent as he pulls me flush against him.

  My pulse spikes.

  He slides his left hand in my hair, gripping it tight, while the other hand grips my ass. Pulling, he tilts my head back, dipping his tongue down to lick up my throat.

  “You gonna fight for me, baby?” he rasps, nipping at my jaw teasingly.

  “Mmm...” My eyes close, and I lean my head back further.

  He groans, trailing his nose up my cheekbone, bringing his lips to my ear. “Tell me...” he whispers.

  My fingernails dig into his forearms. “If you’re mine…”

  “I am.” He squeezes my ass, pulling me even closer.

  “Then I’ll always fight for you.”

  He pulls back and looks into my eyes, revealing the truth in his as well.

  He nods.

  I nod.

  We’re on the same page.

  “Crisis averted!” I hear Mia yell from the kitchen.

  “Didn’t realize there was a crisis?” I semi-shout, stepping out of the hallway and perching on the back of the couch to slip my heels on.

  “Well,” she slams the cupboard shut, “there was. The flasks wouldn’t fit in my bag, so I – holy, God damn!”

  With a frown, I look to her, wondering what the problem is now, but when I see her brows have disappeared under her side-swiped bangs and her wide-eyed gaze traveling down my body, I stand tall, giving her a slow spin.

  She squeals, her red curls bouncing as she runs over to me, pulling me in for a quick hug.

  “Man, Meems...” I pull back. “This color looks killer on you. Your skin looks flawless.”

  She steps away and flutters her eyelashes, giving me a spin of her own. And she looks amazing. Her long red hair is curled in tight spirals, laying against her right shoulder. Her eyelids are covered in a gold eyeshadow, a darker brown in the crease, giving her natural-looking smoky eyes.

  Her dress is badass. The rose pink, slinky, strapless number reaches her mid-thigh. The top is lined with thin, gold rhinestones that wrap all the way around, following the line of her zipper and stopping right where the curve of her ass begins. In the front, the center of the dress has the same design, only the stones shoot out from the center, each getting smaller as they ascend, then blending into the dress before reaching the curve of her breasts. Paired with gold studs and pumps, she looks like a damn goddess.

  “Thanks, Lolls, but know you look ‘like, whoa’, too!” She smiles, bouncing back into the kitchen. “So, the crisis. The flasks wouldn’t fit in my purse.” She stares at me.

  My brows pull in. “Okay...”

  “So, get over here and help me drink this!” She hits the countertop several times dramatically.

  Laughing, I slide onto one of the barstools. Flattening my palms on the top, I lean in. “Let’s get the party started.”

  By the time the boys show up, about three... or was it four, shots of Patron later, we’re feelin’ good and ready to get our groove on.

  “Lolli!” Mia drunkenly whispers, peeking out the peephole on the door.

  Giggling, I step up next to her. “What?” I whisper back, smiling.

  “I can’t see Austin, ‘cause Nate’s big ol’ body is in the way, but right now,” she switches eyes, “I don’t even mind because he looks so good!”

  “Yeah?” I grin and try squeezing in next to her to look out the tiny dime-size hole.

  “You guys know we can hear you, right?” We both jump back when Austin’s humor-filled voice booms from the other side of the door.

  We look at each other and start laughing.

  “Kalani!” Nate shouts, and I launch forward, trying to swallow my laughter.

  With my hand on my hip, I swing the door open and cock my head to the side. “Hello, boys.”

  Nate laughs at something Austin says, turning back toward me when he hears my voice, his excited smile slowly dropping from his lips as his eyes lock onto mine.

  We stand there for a few seconds, holding each other’s gazes, until Mia pushes my hand from the door and runs, jumping into Austin’s arms, effectively breaking the staring contest Nate and I had going.

  I glance over his shoulder, smiling, and he turns his gaze to the two behind him.

  Mia slides down and grabs Austin’s hand, dragging him across the lawn. “Come on. My mom wants to see your face.”

  Nate turns back to me and steps into the house, forcing me to step back, then closes the door behind him.

  “Hi.” I give him a one-sided smile that he returns.

  “Hey.” His hands reach out, tracing the tight fabric that stretches across my shoulders, following it down my ribs and thighs as it clings to me like a second skin.

  My dress is long and tight in all the right places, accentuating each and every curve of my body. The royal blue gown has a few inch-thick straps that lay over the curve of my shoulder, the front dipping down just enough to follow the arch of my breasts. There are wrinkles on the sides against my ribs, allowing the stretchy material to form to me flawlessly. The dress loosens just enough below the curve of my ass to drop evenly to the floor, giving me some wiggle room. Like Mia, I went with the smoky eyes, but opted for a dark charcoal color to contrast my light eyes, and my hair has a deep side part, with big barrel curls laying against my back.

  His eyes finally come back to mine, but when he opens his mouth to speak, I turn, sweeping my hair to the side, and give him the view from behind.

  I hear a whoosh of a breath leave him, before his hands find my hips, and he pulls my backside into him.

  His right hand leaves my hip and traces the drop of the open back that stops an inch above my panty line. If I were wearing any, that is.

  The alcohol in my body has my blood warm already, but Nate’s quickly setting me on fire with his heated breath on my neck and rough hands on my skin.

  “Kalani...” He breathes into my ear and I bite my lip. “You’re so fucking beautiful.’” He kisses my exposed back. “Perfect.” Another kiss. “Mine.”

  That does it.

  I spin in his arms and smash my lips against his.

  Nate responds instantly, growling into my mouth.

  The second my back hits the wall, the front door swings open.

  We both turn to scowl at a smirking Mia.

  She winks and walks into the kitchen. “Told you two minutes was too long to leave them alone, Austin. They fuck like rabbits.”

  Austin laughs and hops up to sit on the countertop. “Oh, I had no doubt.” He grins. “Looking good, Lolli.”

  “Thanks.” My eyes drop to his chest when I see his rose-gold tie shining.

  That’s when I realize I haven’t even looked Nate over yet. I was too busy getting turned on watching his reaction to me.

  When I shove him back some, his brows crease, but I see the smirk take over as my eyes travel down his frame.

  His suit is tailored and expensive; has to be, because no one fills out a cheap department store rental like this.

  The black slacks fit him to a T, laying perfectly over his dress shoes. A black button-up peeks out from underneath his tux jacket, also black. Not a splash of color anywhere on him. I guarantee every dude at this thing will have a vest, tie or something matching their date’s dress. Just another thing to add to the list that makes Nathaniel Monroe stand out over everyone else. And he’ll definitely stand out tonight…

  This black on black thing is sexy as fuck.

  “Oh, my God, stop!” I hear Mia roll her eyes and roll mine in response.

  After the boys take a few shots to catch up, we head for the door, but something stops me, and my eyes fly to Mia’s.

  The second our gazes connect, her smile slowly fades. Dropping Austin’s hand, she steps up to me, her pretty green eyes flitting back and forth between mine.

  I give her a small smile and she wraps her arms around me, hugging me tight. I allow myself to picture my mother’s face for a moment, bu
t unlike the time before, I can hear the honey in her voice.

  My eyes fly open and I step back.

  Both Nate and Mia take a half a step toward me, but I stop them with a raised palm.

  “Kalani…” Nate’s voice is tense.

  “I’m fine.” I look between the two of them. “I promise, but give me just a sec.” I don’t give them a chance to respond and hustle down the hall.

  Once in my room, I pull the top drawer of my nightstand open. Picking up the camera my parents gave me, I release a heavy sigh and a smile takes over my lips.

  I told them I was okay and I am.

  I haven’t been able to hear my mother’s voice since my aunt showed up at my door two days after her death. Maybe I blocked it out, or maybe it was the fact that my mom and aunt share the same face, but whatever the reason, it was gone in an instant. But I can hear it right now.

  Closing my eyes, I hear the flowery voice she used at the end of every night’s phone call. The soft, kind, and questioning voice that always reminded me how much she loved and missed me, and wished I’d decide to travel with them.

  I know she always wondered if what she was doing was right, if allowing her underage daughter to live alone while she traveled from state to state, living the dream life she and my father were lucky enough to earn, was the right thing to do. She felt like she was abandoning me, but to me, what she did was completely selfless and showed how strong she was.

  She knew how badly I wanted to live as normal a teenage life as possible, and she loved and trusted me enough to let it happen. And I never let her down. Nothing above the normal teenage crap anyway.

  With a smile on my face and camera in hand, I march past the troubled gazes and head out the front door, but when the tip of my shoe hits the grass, I hesitate.

  My eyes instinctively latch onto Nate’s.

  As expected, he knows what I need, even when I don’t.

  He holds my gaze as he walks to me. Nodding subtly, and taking my free hand in his right, his left hand on my lower back, he guides me forward. Suddenly, all my reservations are gone, disappearing from the touch of this unexpected man-boy.

  “Lolli…” Mia’s voice is a weak whisper. “What…what are you doing?”

  We step onto Mia’s porch, and I turn to her. “Wanna go get Aunt Kara and Uncle Ben?” I give her a small smile. “Thought maybe they’d like a picture with us.”

  Her head shakes lightly, her gaze dropping to the camera in my hand before finding its way back to mine. Her eyes fill with tears as she nods and runs past me into her house, Austin following leisurely behind her.

  Nate’s hand grips my arm gently, wheeling me around to face him.

  His eyes are worried, pinched at the edges, and unsure, searching my face for signs of anxiety or fear or whatever it is he normally sees. I’ve been blocking everything out for so long, I’m not sure what to feel or when, but Nate seems to.

  He slides forward, bringing his body closer to mine, and tucks my hair behind my ear for the first time tonight. The fact that I noticed that should freak me out. Apparently, it doesn’t, because my head decides to press into his hand, my eyes feel the need to close, and my lips lift slowly, demanding to meet his.

  The kiss is soft and slow and closed-mouthed, yet it’s powerful and pure and full.

  His forehead finds mine and he releases a deep breath. “You don’t have to do this, you know,” he whispers, his eyes shifting from the camera to Mia’s front door, and back to me.

  I smile and take a step back. “I know, but I want to.” I turn, placing my back against his chest and raise the never before used camera that’s sat in a dark drawer since the day I got it. “Smile, Nathaniel.” My voice is light and airy and maybe a little…sad.

  I’m not sure what it is exactly, but when his lips find my temple and the flash blinds me for a split second, my body feels the strangest featherweight feeling. It’s heavy and pressure-filled, but light and revealing.

  The photo prints instantly and I shake it around, helping the picture come into view. And when it does, my chest aches.

  I look beautiful, pressed into Nate’s body, his arms protectively around me, my free hand clutching his forearm - needing to touch him. My smile is bright and real, my eyes open and shining. But it’s Nate’s expression that has my breathing grow deeper.

  His head is dipped ever so slightly, his lips resting on my temple, nose in my hair. His dark eyes are closed, almost squeezed shut, as he breathes me in.

  He looks completely serene.

  He kisses my cheek. “I like it.” Turning me, he pulls me closer, so we’re chest to chest, and gently takes the camera from my hand. “This one’s mine.” He dips down the few inches shy my heels leave me, kisses my cheek once more, then turns to face the camera. “Smile, baby.”

  His fingers tickle my ribs, making me laugh, then the flash goes off.

  Chuckling, he steps back right as the door opens.

  My body freezes and my eyes dart to his.

  He stares at me, transferring courage without words.

  I nod and turn around, watching as a smiling Uncle Ben and hesitant Aunt Kara follow Mia and Austin out the front door.

  Uncle Ben walks right up to me with a smile. “My, Lolli. You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” I smile, glancing past him as my aunt takes another step.

  She really is stunning.

  “Aunt Kara.” I clear my scratchy throat, taking a single step forward, watching as her hands clench and release the hem of her cardigan. “Would you mind taking a picture?”

  She doesn’t speak, but gives a trembling smile and reaches for the camera, flinching when I pull it back.

  “No,” I shake my head. “I’d like to take a picture with you, Uncle Ben, and Mia.” I hold her blue eyes with mine. “A family picture.”

  Her face tightens and her nose turns red as she hastily nods her head, a small sob escaping before she can force it away.

  Reaching my hand behind me, Nate’s large fingers find mine, and I pull him forward. “You’ve met Nate.”

  Her eyes stay on me for a few more seconds, before she allows herself to look his way. The moment her eyes find his, her shoulders relax and tears roll down her face. She nods, just once, and I see him do the same out of the corner of my eye.

  Uncle Ben steps up and rubs her back. “How about that picture, ladies?”

  I turn, reaching a hand out to Mia.

  She takes mine in one, her mom’s in the other, and walks us back into the grass.

  Nate takes the camera and gets into position to take the shot.

  Mia and I wrap our arms around each other, her mom and dad on either side of us.

  “Smile.”

  And we do.

  With a backward wave, we stumble out the school gym, heels in my hand, a crown in Nate’s, a flask in Austin’s, and a bra in Mia’s.

  “What now, y’all?” Mia hiccups, stumbling into Austin as she walks.

  “Now we go to the hotel party.”

  “I wonder why Parker never showed. He said he’d meet us there.”

  Mia tenses, then shrugs. “Guess he decided not to come since he no longer had a date.”

  My brows pull in. “But, I thought he was bringing Ashley?”

  Her gaze slides to the gym and she shakes her head. “She told him last week her parents decided to leave Friday after school for vacay instead of waiting till after the dance. Alyssa had to cancel on her date, too."

  “That fucking sucks. Why didn’t he just come with us?”

  Her eyes shoot wide and she gets a bit defensive. “How should I know? Maybe he didn’t want to come? Who knows?” She throws her hands up and stumbles toward the parking lot.

  My brows shoot up and I look at Austin.

  With a shrug, he stuffs his hands in his pockets, heading off in her direction.

  “Whatever,” I mutter and follow the two of them, looking over my shoulder when I realize Nate’s not following.

&nb
sp; He stares at me for a second, his face unreadable, before his feet start moving again, leading me to his truck so we can grab our bags.

  The rest of the night goes by in a flash. Dozens of drunk seniors mill around, hopping from room to room in the wing of the local Millow Inn reserved specifically for those attending the dance tonight.

  Being only a block up from the high school, it was the safest plan of action. Apparently, the hotel owners, school faculty, and town sheriffs turn a blind eye on dance nights, so long as it stays semi under control, and all vehicles are left in the school parking lot.

  I grab Mia’s hand and pull her off the sofa we’re sitting on. “Come on, Meems, let’s get these dresses off.”

  “No!” Nate turns from his conversation with his friend, saying it too quick and too loud, earning a few chuckles around the room, and a raised brow and a smirk from me.

  He smirks right back and I could kiss him.

  Mia laughs and drops back down. “Once this baby comes off,” she winks at Austin, “I have no need for clothes, so you go ahead. Looks like Nate may wanna help you out of that dress himself, though.” Her gaze drops to his crotch then back to mine with a wink.

  My eyes narrow on her and she throws herself back, laughing. “And so it begins, Lollipop. And soo it begins.” Her smile is bright and fueled by tequila.

  I flip her off, not quite understanding her nonsense. “You comin’, Handsome?”

  He holds a hand up to number Thirty-five, second string wide receiver, as he responds. “Two minutes.” He gives me a look that says ‘your ass better stay right there’.

  I walk out of the room and head toward mine.

  As I round the corner, I bump into someone exiting their room.

  “Shit.” I stumble back a bit, grabbing ahold of the wall to steady myself.

  A hand come out and latches onto my waist, even though I’m already standing straight. Looking up, I find Jarrod smiling down at me.

  My hand reaches out and presses onto his chest.

  The initial thought was to push him back, but when I feel overheated, wet skin against my palm, my eyes drop to where my hand lies.

  Right in the center of his chest…his sweaty, shirtless chest.