This Beautiful Thing (Young Love Series)

by Amanda Heath

  I move my hand down to her panties and slip my fingers inside. She arches her back when I thrust a finger inside her and lets out a moan into my mouth. And that’s when someone knocks on the door.

  “Shit, hold on a minute baby and I’ll get rid of them.” I tell her. She nods her beautifully flushed face as I get up to pull my boxers on and answer the door. I turn the light out before I open it since she’s practically naked.

  I open the door to see Jaden. “What’s up man?”

  “I gotta run, so I need my jacket. I figured you were hooking up but I need my keys.” He grins.

  “Oh shit I forgot you left it in here.” I turn and pick it up off the knob on the back of my door. “Here you go.” I say handing it to him.

  “Who is in there?” He asks nodding his head towards my dark bedroom. “Oh and who broke Claire’s nose?”

  “Umm can we talk about it later? I’m kind of in the middle of something.” I give him a look that says back the fuck up.

  He backs away from the door holding his jacket over his arm. “Sorry man I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll see you tomorrow at the game.” He turns and walks down the stairs.

  I shake my head and go back into my room. Closing the door I turn back on the light so I can see every inch of her. She’s laying there with her arms over her head fast asleep. I chuckle quietly so I don’t wake her up. I turn the light off again and crawl into bed beside her where I pull her into me. She sighs in her sleep and puts her arms around me. It’s not long before I drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 3

  Teagan

  “Honey are you feeling ok? You look a little green.” Sarah asks me. I know she isn’t yelling because well Sarah doesn’t yell, but oh does it sound like it. At this point having my eyes open makes my head hurt.

  “Yeah Sarah I’m great.” I try to sound cheerful but I’m sure it came out less than.

  She eyes me over and shakes her head. I hear her get up from the chair in the living room and go into the kitchen. I hear cabinets opening and closing and after ten minutes she comes back into the living room with a glass of foul smelling liquid.

  “What’s that?” I ask her.

  “What you need to make you feel better.” She hands me the glass and walks out of the room.

  I sniff it and my stomach rolls. I have always been a light weight and no matter how little I drink I still end up with a hangover. I pinch my nose between my fingers and chug it down. It doesn’t take long and I feel a lot better.

  Now that I feel better I kind of get shocked. She didn’t even get mad that I was hung-over. Ok I’m gonna ask daddy if she got turned into a pod person.

  I’m trying to wait patiently for my sister Jessica to get here but I don’t think I’m gonna make it. She lives here in town with her husband Cody and their three year old Jason. I called her the second I got here and told her to hurry up because I need to talk to her. The thing about Jessica is you can’t rush her for anything unless you’re dying, and that’s a maybe.

  I was late meeting Jaden and Caden for the ride down here. They took one look at me and got super pissed. I don’t know if they can tell if I hooked up last night or that I was just hung-over. I haven’t looked in the mirror so I have no clue what I look like. The second I walked in the door I had to talk to daddy and Sarah. Now that I’m free I’m getting a shower and a change of clothes.

  My parents live in a two story eight bedroom six bath house. It’s all hardwood floors and pale walls on the first floor with expensive furniture to match. The stairs are carpeted with plush white and I take them two at a time till the top where I make a left to my room which is the second door. When I walk in I’m immediately happy to be home again. Grace loves pink so our dorm room is a headache.

  My canopy bed that I have had since I moved in is made with my Jack and Sally comforter. The dark blue carpet is soft under my feet as I cross the room to lie on my bed. I look over the posters I have hung up everywhere. I have a range of band posters which include Lady Gaga, Kurt Cobain, Brand New, Machine Head, and Disturbed. I also have just as many book posters. Stained by Ella James, The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen, Twist by Dannika Dark, and the best one ever is Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have to have my Daemon eye candy. They cover my walls so well you can hardly see the pale blue paint.

  Then I see the one poster I have been avoiding eye contact with since I walked into the room. The poster just like that one he has in his room. I don’t want to think about him at all. Last night was so crazy I still can’t believe it even happened. I mean I almost lost my virginity to some guy and I don’t even know his name! God I breeched on whore territory.

  A knock sounds on my door. God I hope it is Jessica. “Come in!” I yell out.

  The door opens and in walks my sister. She has her black hair pulled up into a bun and a dark brow arches up over her blue eyes. I cringe because I don’t even know where to begin. She is the only one I can talk to about this. She’s not one of my brothers and she can keep a secret. Marie bless her heart is a total gossip and she wouldn’t understand. She was a virgin till the day she married Max.

  “Ok so I rushed through getting ready to get over here now spill.” She says tapping her foot on the floor.

  “I almost lost my virginity last night.” I squeak out.

  “WHAT?!” she screams out.

  “Shhhh! Do you want Jaden and Caden in here? Gah they would kill me and then him.” I say sitting up in bed.

  “Sorry you just surprised me is all. Geez Teag how the hell did you get past the twins?” she comes over to sit on the bed with me.

  So I tell her how Grace invited me to the party and we got to drink quite a bit before Jaden saw me and tried to get me to leave. I had told him I was leaving and I meant it but then that crazy girl threw her drink on me. How he took me to his room for dry shirts and everything that happened there. I don’t know who was at the door but the vodka had me past out quick while I was waiting for him to get rid of them. I woke up this morning with my body curled around his chest and my head against his neck. He had his arms around me and his face buried in my hair.

  “So I panicked and got out of there before he woke up. I left my shirt there.” I pause and let out a breath because this is gonna be the kicker. “Oh and I don’t know his name or even how to get to his house to get my shirt back.”

  Jessica is staring at me like she has never seen me before. “You don’t know his name? I feel as if I taught you better than this.”

  “I know and I’m totally ashamed of myself. I don’t know why I even did what I did. I blame it on the alcohol.” I say laughing at my joke.

  She doesn’t find this funny and frowns at me. “Are you sure nothing else happened? I mean he could have taken advantage of you while you were passed out.”

  I shake my head. “No he didn’t. I mean I know I have never done it or whatever but I’m sure that I would know if something the size of a penis had been up there Jessica.”

  “Yeah you are right about that. You would be sore.” She rubs her temples as if this will help her figure out my problems. “Well you have two choices here. Either you forgot about your shirt or that this ever happened or you find out who he is.”

  “Oh I’m finding out who he is. That is my favorite shirt and I maybe kind of like him a little bit.” I stutter out that last part.

  “Really Teag you think you like him? Oh this is awesome. I hope he is a decent person because you have never liked anyone.” She smiles from ear to ear. “Mom thinks you’re a lesbian and just too afraid to tell them.”

  “What? Why does she think that?” I question. I’m completely stunned by this.

  “I guess it’s because you wear a lot of black and never had a boyfriend. I have told her this isn’t the case but she thinks I’m lying for you.” She rolls her eyes and I laugh.

  “Did you also tell her that it’s her huge knuckle dragging sons that scare off all the guys I even look at?” I fall back on the be
d and throw my pillow at the wall. “I mean its bad enough that they are so over protective but now they have your mother thinking I am gay.” Which is not a bad thing by any means it’s just I’m not.

  “I know sweetie but you know how she is. You are different from the rest of us on several levels.” I start to get mad but she calms me down. “You are special to each and every one of us Teagan, even mom. You brought sunshine into this house and love back into this family.” I give her a confused expression and she goes on. “Mom and dad were always at each other’s throats, always fighting and I was scared that they were headed to divorce. I remember the day you walked into this house with your hello kitty bag and big scared eyes. Mom let go of her hate and I still don’t know what it was about you but you fixed all their problems.”

  I was stunned speechless. I didn’t know that they had been fighting like that before I moved in. I remember them always being happy. “Are you sure? They have always seemed happy to me.”

  “I’m sure sweetie. You fixed them. Dad stopped staying away from home all the time and mom smiled for the first time is years. And they aren’t the only ones either.” She takes my chin and nudges it up so I can look her in the eyes. “Teagan I was messing around with boys and drinking heavily because I didn’t want to deal with them. You helped me because you fixed them. My home was happy again.

  “Forest was smoking a ton of pot and used to be gone all the time too. Marie was pretending that nothing was wrong which wasn’t good for her and I hate to think what would happen if they did get divorced. And the twins? They were acting out and beating the crap out of boys at school and each other until you walked into their lives and they stopped being hoodlums.”

  At this point I’m crying because I had no idea that any of this was going on before I moved in. Well I knew about the twins because I was in school with them.

  “Why are you crying Teag? I didn’t mean to make you upset. I just wanted you to know that you’re the most special person in this family.” She pulls me into a hug and I dry my tears before I stain her shirt.

  “I know Jess, these are happy tears I swear.” I smile at her through them and I finally feel like I might belong in this family.

  Declan

  She was gone when I woke up. Here and gone like a thief in the night. I feel like she stole my heart so maybe she is a thief. I know I don’t know her or anything I mean hell I didn’t even catch her name and that makes me ashamed to have even touched her.

  She did something to me, something I can’t forgot or ignore. I still feel her hands on my body and hear the soft moans that came from her lips. I’ve never had someone so responsive; it was like she was as lost in me as I was in her. Claire wasn’t a virgin when I met her and she kind of laid there like she didn’t enjoy it at all. Needless to say we didn’t have sex all that often. And all the random hookups I have had in the past eight weeks where just to scratch an itch.

  She’s different and I can’t get her out of my head. I never loved Claire I mean who could love a bitch like that. I tried and I guess I shouldn’t have stayed with her for so long. I just felt that it was what was expected of me. I was the quarterback for our high school football team and she was the head cheerleader and I know it sounds cliché but it was what it was.

  I hung her shirt on my closet door after I sponged all the beer out of it. I can’t help but stare at it and imagine her in it. She is so tiny I feel like big foot compared to her. She isn’t my type at all. I go for the tall leggy blondes and curves. She’s not any of that with long curly black hair and 5 foot tall body. Where I have overindulged with big boobs and ass, she is just handfuls in those areas. I love it.

  My younger brother Marcus barges into my room scaring the crap out of me. He’s sixteen and acts every bit of it. His long blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail holder. His face which looks so much like mine has this mischievousness to it. Oh shit he’s got something on me.

  He strolls to my bed and flops down on the end. “So who was that girl who was sneaking out early this morning?”

  “I don’t know.” I tell him honesty. I can tell he doesn’t believe me.

  “Seriously who was it? You don’t ever let them stay the night.” He knows me better than anybody and sometimes I hate it.

  “Honesty Marcus I have no idea who she is. I didn’t ask her name.” I cringe at my stupidity. I could hit myself for being suck a jerk. Who touches a woman like I did and don’t even know her name.

  He looks at me like I just broke his iPod. “Declan I am honestly speechless. What the hell were you thinking? Oh I know you weren’t thinking!” He smacks me on the back on my head. I roll my eyes and shove him.

  “Look it’s not like that at all. I want to find her.” I pause and picture her face in my mind. “No I’ve got to find her.”

  “Damn bro if I didn’t know you better I would say you’re in love,” he looks at me like I have grown another head.”

  “I’m not in love Marcus, but if I ever find her and get to know her I don’t think it would take much for me to fall.” I look at him and I will him to help me. I hate feeling out of control and this girl has me in knots.

  “Damn Dec I never thought I would see the day. Hell weren’t you with Claire for like six years?” I nod at his question. “Not once did you look like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you haven’t a clue what to do. You have had control of your whole life and now something is out of it. I personally love it! You’re too damn serious all the time.” He laughs moving to get off the bed. “I’ll help you find her. When we do I’m going to steal her away from you.” I know he is kidding but I still throw my pillow at his retreating back.

  I’ve spent too much time today on her and it’s time to get ready for the game tonight.

  Chapter 4

  Teagan

  Jaden’s whole life is football. He’s one of those that gets really into the game. If his favorite team loses he will be mad for days. If you talk smack about any of the players or the team its self then you’re looking for a fist fight. I used to dread football season every year. It was even worse when the actual team he played on in high school lost, which wasn’t very often with him on it.

  He looks just like dad with his really short black hair and dark blue eyes. His face is composed of angular features and a full mouth that hardly ever smiles. You wouldn’t even know that Jaden and Caden are twins unless you were told. Yeah they pretty much have the same face but Caden is blonde with pale blue eyes. Caden also smiles all the time and doesn’t take life as serious.

  Jaden is an offensive lineman. And he is damn good at his job. He made headlines last year for his only one allowed sack and sixty-seven pancakes record during senior year of high school. It got him a full ride and a starting left tackle position on the team.

  The whole family comes out for his games. Which includes my four other brothers and sisters plus three in-laws and two grandkids. And we all have jerseys with his number on them. It’s crazy but I would do anything to support my brother.

  I usually sit with my iPod and read drowning out the game but tonight I am on a mission to find my mystery guy. And my first stop is Grace. She is on the sidelines in her uniform with the rest of the cheerleaders. She knows each and every football player and I’m hoping she knows whose house we were at last night.

  The game hasn’t started yet so I have a better chance of questioning her. “Grace!” I call out from the rail at the bottom of the stands.

  Her blonde head whips in my direction when she sees it me she gets the big goofy grin and runs over. “Hey hon, I was hoping to catch you before you went home with your brothers this morning but somebody didn’t come home!” she squeals at me, hugging me through the rail.

  “Yeah about that I have a quick question before I need to get back to my family.” I tell her grabbing her hands.

  “Shoot.”

  “Whose house were we at last night?” I try to hide my excitement over finding
out lover boy’s name.

  “Oh I have no idea hon. Cassidy just called and invited me over giving me directions. I didn’t even think to ask. Why?” she asks me putting her hand on her hip.

  “Crap, you were my best bet. And I will explain tonight when you get back to the dorm.” I sigh in frustration. I could always ask Jaden but then he would probably figure it out and kill him.

  “Well ok, but I’m dying to know where you were so I’m going to skip the after party. I had enough last night; my head has been killing me all day.” She frowns and walks back towards the cheerleaders.

  I could’ve gotten her to ask the other cheerleaders but I’m pretty sure I have seen the girl I punched last night before and it was at one of Graces practices. I can’t believe I did that either. I’m not prone to violence but give me a little alcohol and piss me off, I’ll start throwing fists.

  I’m never drinking again either. Sarah told dad that I was hung-over so he gave me an hour lecture and I had to mow the lawn. And those are two things I hate. I can’t stand the disappointment in his eyes and I always get a cold after mowing.

  I head back up the stairs to my family feeling defeated. I’m never going to find out who he is and its killing me.

  “Well what did she know?” Jessica asks the second I get back to my seat next to her.

  “She didn’t know just got directions from another cheerleader.” I reply picking up my niece Hailey who had toddle over to me. She’s one year old and the spitting image of my brother Forest. She’s got his golden locks and bright blue eyes but her cheeks are chubby and she’s well a girl.

  “Darn I was hoping she knew! We will find him I swear Teag.” She says grabbing my arm and smooching Hailey on the cheek.