by R. S Burnett
I raise an eyebrow at him and lean in to kiss him again.
“Come on,” I sit up and get out of bed “The others will be here soon, so get up.” I pat his leg and head to the bathroom leaving him grumbling to himself.
“Ready?” Sophie asks when I come out of the bathroom. I look around the room at Sophie, Matt, Luke, Katie and Tucker who are all sat at the table in the kitchen area. I look down at myself in just a towel.
“I won’t be long,” I call as I grab some clothes and head back into the bathroom. I don’t take long to get ready because I didn’t wash my hair so I just leave it down with its natural wave.
“We’ll have to stop in a driveway on the way,” Kate tells me, washing her cup as I join them all in the room and accept the take out cup of coffee that Matt hands me.
“Sure,” I say distractedly as I watch Tucker walk to the bathroom; he really does have the perfect ass.
“Why was he here before us?” Sophie asks pulling me aside and gesturing towards the bathroom.
“He came over last night,” I shrug at her.
“And…” she prompts.
“And nothing,” I tell her. Obviously Tucker hadn’t mentioned anything because she didn’t know why he was here. I don’t want to say anything to anyone, because I don’t know what’s happening and everyone has warned me plenty of times about him. I don’t want a lecture or any awkwardness on this trip.
“I can share a room with you this weekend and Matt can share with Tucker if you want?” she asks watching me closely.
“No, don’t be silly. It’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Right, let’s go then,” Luke calls when Tucker comes back from the bathroom.
“Don’t worry about it,” I say quietly to Sophie as we all head out.
“Who’s going with who?” Matt asks once we’ve reached the cars.
“We’ll take two cars, three in each. Tucker can come with us and Brooke can go with Luke and Kate,” Sophie tells us all. I roll my eyes at her attempt to keep me and Tucker apart a bit longer.
We pull into the hotel and once we have all parked the cars and gotten our luggage, Sophie hands Matt her bag to put in their room and follows me and Tucker to our room.
Tucker sends her a look of annoyance when we walk into our room, but I just smirk at him.
“Why won’t she leave us alone for two minutes?” he demands as soon as Sophie walks into our bathroom.
“She’s keeping an eye on you, to make sure you behave,” I smirk at him.
“Does she always babysit you?”
“No, normally she encourages me to be alone with guys.”
“Guys, as in plural?”
“Well…you know like Jason and others that I haven’t really dated for long.”
“Who?”
“Ready?” Sophie asks joining us and frowning at Tucker who is glaring at me.
“No one,” I answer him rolling my eyes before turning to Sophie. “Yes, let go.”
We all meet downstairs and decide to have lunch in the hotel restaurant.
“What’s the plan then Brooke? What do you want to do?” Luke asks me once we’ve ordered our drinks and have finished eating.
“I’m not sure. I’d like to meet Will, but I want to do that tomorrow. All I want to do is go to the pub tonight, so whatever everyone wants to do today is fine with me”
“What’s the pub called again?” Matt asks me over his pint.
“The Black Horse.”
“So we’ll split up and all meet there at seven?” he asks looking to Sophie for confirmation.
“That sounds good,” I answer, but someone walking past our table catches my attention. I’m not sure why the guy looks so familiar but I feel like I know him; he’s about my age maybe a little older. Blonde, tall, good looking and very athletic looking. He catches my eye and smiles but then does a double take and frowns at me. Shaking his head he walks away. I frown to myself and turn my attention back to the table; everyone is watching me.
“What did you say?” I ask the table not sure if someone has spoken to me or not.
“Who was that?” Sophie asks and I notice her and Katie are both watching the man walk away.
“I’ll be right back,” is all I say and head over to the bar where the guy is now sat on a stool.
“Excuse me, sorry for interrupting you but do I know you? You look familiar but I’m not sure?” I wince internally because what I said sounds like a lame chat up line.
“Brooke?” he asks me.
“Yeah…” Is all I can say because he gets up from his stool and pulls me into a hug. I’m not sure what to do so I just keep my arms by my side.
“Will said you were coming,” he releases me and holds me at arms length. “I can’t believe how grown up you are now,” he smiles as he takes me in with his eyes.
“Umm…”
“Sorry. I’m Andrew. We used to play football on the beach when you were younger. I’m sorry about your dad,” he finally fills me in.
“Oh, sorry I don’t remember much from before he died,” I explain.
“That’s okay, how long are you in town for?”
“Just tonight.”
“My dad will want to see you, come on.” He grabs my hand and I blink at the intimacy of it.
“Is Will you’re dad?” I ask still looking at our joined hands.
“No,” he laughs slightly. “This is so strange, you really don’t remember?”
I shake my head at him. “I should really tell my friends that I’m leaving the restaurant if you want me to meet your dad.” I tell him sure, that my friends must be wondering what’s going on.
“Of course, he’s only upstairs anyway, he’s the owner.”
He leads me – still holding my hand – back to the table where everyone is sat.
“Hi guys.” I smile at everyone. Sophie and Katie are staring at Andrew with their mouths slightly open, Luke and Tucker are both staring at our hands and Matt is glaring at Sophie.
“This is Andrew; we used to play football when my dad brought me here.”
“Hi,” Sophie and Kate say at the same time, but it’s almost a whisper.
“Andrew this is Sophie, Matt, Luke, Katie, and Tucker.” I point to everyone as I say their names and he says hello to each of them.
“Why don’t you join us?” Sophie asks him and then winces and glares at Matt; my guess is he kicked her under the table.
“Sure,” Andrew says releasing my hand and grabbing a chair from a nearby table. I take my seat and he slides his chair in between me and Luke.
“Brooke, you have to have sex with him,” Sophie whispers in my ear, making me choke on my drink and turn bright red.
“What?” I screech. Everyone turns to stare at us.
She rolls her eyes and pulls me up from the table. Once she’s dragged me a few paces away from the table she grabs both of my arms and shakes me slightly.
“This is very mature and inconspicuous, Soph,” I roll my eyes at her but keep one eye on the table.
“Do not tell me you don’t think he’s hot,” she says raising both her eyes brows at me.
“He’s cute, but I’m not going to have sex with him. I don’t know him.”
“You do! You used to play football with him. You have to and then you have to tell me and Kate what he looks like naked,” she begs. I look back to the table and sure enough Kate is staring at him almost dreamy eyed.
“Forget it. If Matt could hear you now he would kill you,” I scold, but can’t help smirking at her. She’s never once cheated on Matt and I don’t think she ever will, but the way she is looking at Andrew almost wistfully, makes me wonder. I walk back to the table and ignore her when she calls me back.
“Are you staying here?” Andrew asks me once I’m seated again.
“Yes, we all are,” I answer.
“Are you single?” Sophie blurts out and Matt glares at her once again.
“Yeah, why?” Andrew asks her.
�
��Just wondering,” she smiles sweetly at him but pinches me under the table.
“Andrew wants me to meet his father; he knows me as well and it’s been a while since he’s seen me, so he wants me to go upstairs to meet him,” I say this to everyone, but send Luke a look that says I’m not comfortable with this.
“He owns the hotel” Andrew explains to everyone when the girls send him hopeful looks.
“Sure, we’ll still be here when you get back, so meet us back here?” Luke says smiling at me encouragingly.
“Fine,” I smile back but glare at him “Ready?” I ask Andrew.
He takes me upstairs but only to the first floor and into an office. His dad looks exactly like him just with a few wrinkles and a few grey hairs. His dad is just as happy to see me and pulls me into a hug just like Andrew did. He tells me a few stories of my dad and tells me how sorry he is that he died so young. Andrew doesn’t return to the restaurant with me, so I leave the office alone. I take the elevator up to my room so I can collect my jacket but when I walk back out of the room towards the elevator, Tucker is leaning on the wall outside it, facing me with him one leg bent up and a foot on the wall.
“How’d it go?” he asks smiling as I walk towards him.
“Good. It’s strange, I don’t really remember much about this place. They both said that my dad used to bring me up here twice a month, but I can’t remember anything. I’ve tried but I can only get a few glimpses of things,” I shrug and step into the waiting elevator.
As soon as the doors close Tucker backs me up into the wall and blocks in with his hands on either side of me.
“Well there’s a few things I can remember,” he says quietly before his mouth comes crashing down on mine. I groan as the kiss deepens and lift my arms to wrap them around his neck. He puts one hand on my hip and keeps the other one on the wall. I can’t help the second moan that escapes once Tucker moves his lips to my jaw and under my ear, as he trails kisses along my neck; his hand moves up my side to cup my breast. I moan and pull his head back up to mine so he can kiss me again as he pinches my nipple between two fingers. He presses his body into mine and I pull myself up so I can wrap my legs around his waist and press myself against his erection.
“Shit Brooke,” he groans and puts his forehead on the wall next to my face. I unwrap my legs from his waist as the doors open.
“Sorry,” I grin at him, not sorry at all. “If you’re going to start something…” I smirk at him as I leave the lift. He doesn’t follow me out but before the doors close; I catch sight of him adjusting his jeans muttering to himself. I laugh and shake my head, that’s the second time today I’ve walked away from him talking to himself. I bump straight into Sophie.
“What’s so funny?” She asks eyeing me suspiciously “Where’s Tucker? He said he was going to follow you to make sure you were okay.”
“Umm…he just had to go to our room. He forgot something.” I try for convincing, but fail when the snort comes out halfway through. We both turn when we hear the ping from the lift behind us and watch as Tucker walks out holding my jacket, I didn’t realise I dropped it.
“You forgot this,” he grumbles to me and passes me the jacket.
“Thanks,” I grin and slip it on.
“We’re going shopping for something to wear tonight; did you invite Andrew?” Sophie asks excitedly.
“No, why would I?”
“Brooke,” she whines.
“Look, if you want to have sex with him carry on, but I’m not.” I roll my eyes at her.
“What?” Tucker asks looking at us both as if we’ve lost our minds.
“Sophie and Katie both think Andrew is hot. They want me to have sex with him because I’m the only single girl here and then they want me to give them a detailed play by play afterward,” I explain and Sophie hits my arm.
“What? It’s not like the whole table couldn’t see you staring at him,” I roll my eyes at her.
“He’s hot?” Tucker asks, looking disgusted.
“Hell yes, the hottest guy I’ve seen in years.” Sophie sighs.
“Oh my god, I’m glad he’s not coming if you’re going to be drinking. Matt would end up in a fist fight with him by the end of the night.”
“Did she invite him?” Katie asks Sophie when she joins us.
“This is crazy.” I sigh.
“Give me your phone.” She holds her hand out expectantly.
“Fine, but don’t ask him to come for me.” I hand over my phone defeated.
“You got his number?” Tucker asks me, quietly glaring at me.
“I couldn’t say no.” I shrug watching Sophie and Katie both huddled over my phone texting and giggling.
“You could have,” he snaps, still whispering.
I don’t have a chance to reply because Sophie hands me my phone back. I wince when I look down at the screen and hear Tucker huff.
Can you meet me for a drink later? I’d really like to see you again to catch up on old times.
“Soph,” I practically scream.
Tucker takes my phone off me and reads the text she sent; my phone beeps and the girls snatch the phone back then both squeal.
“What did he say?” I manage to grit out.
“He says ‘Sure no problem, where are you headed? I’d like to see you again too’ with a winking face.”
They start texting him back and Tucker makes an annoyed sound.
“Oh please, you have a different girl almost every night. Brooke deserves some fun. Might as well be with someone hot,” she shrugs at him and walks off with my phone followed by Katie.
“Brooke?” Tucker stops me from following them and grips my arms looking into my eyes.
“I’m not going to sleep with him,” I tell him honestly.
“Damn right you’re not,” he snaps but then sighs. “Do you want to?”
I frown at him not sure he actually just asked me that. “Umm no…do you?”
“No, but I wasn’t the one holding his hand.”
“Neither was I, he held mine.” I defend.
“They’re going to be pushing you onto him tonight.”
“And?...Sophie pushes me onto men every weekend; I’ve never given in before. What makes you think I will now?”
“I don’t know, they both think he’s good looking so obviously he is.”
“Yes and I also know his type. He’s a player Tucker; yes he will try to get into my panties but as soon as he realises it’s not going to happen, he’ll be trying it with the next girl. I’m not having a one night stand, no matter what anyone says. They might want him, but I can guarantee you that he only wants me because he’s already had every other girl in this town. I’m not interested in someone who goes through girls that quick.”
He winces and lets me go as I realise what I just said. He’s exactly what I just described.
I sigh as he walks back in to the restaurant.
“Tucker, that’s not what I meat,” I call to him but he doesn’t answer or look back.
“If we’re going shopping then let’s go,” I snap at Sophie and Kate as I reach the table not bothering to sit down “And give me my phone back.”
“Touchy…you know maybe you need to get…”
“Enough,” I cut her off pocketing my phone.
They both start giggling so I shake my head and walk out of the hotel to get a taxi into town. They will catch up with me once they have calmed down. They do catch up with me just as I’m shutting the taxi door.
I have to sit through the whole taxi journey with them talking about Andrew; they don’t stop as we head into different shops and start giggling to each other as they try on dresses.
“You both realise you have boyfriends right,” I say dryly after they ask me for the third time if I think Andrew will like the current dresses they have tried on.
“Don’t be a spoil sport Brooke,” Katie pouts at me.
“Whatever,” I grumble and pay for my chosen dress that I haven’t even bothered to
try on.
“The boys have already headed to the pub,” Sophie calls from the dressing room.
I’m a bit disappointed that I won’t get to talk to Tucker before we go out, but push it back.
I follow Sophie and Katie into the pub and notice that the guys are playing pool, but Sophie and Kate aren’t headed towards them. They’re walking to the end of the bar that’s on the other side of the room; I roll my eyes when I see them reach Andrew. He turns and I watch his eyes travel down my body taking in my strapless blue dress, I’m rewarded with a grin. I lift my hand and wiggle my fingers in a weak version of a wave then head over to the pool table.
There are a few girls crowded round the guys so I walk through them.
“Save me,” I grumble to Luke as we watch Tucker take his shot.
“What’s up?” he asks not looking away from the table.
“Your girlfriend and Sophie are trying to set me up.”
“With who?” He asks frowning and finally looking at me, “Where are they?”
“At the bar.” We both turn and watch Sophie and Katie giggle at something Andrew has said to them; I roll my eyes but Matt glares at me.
“Why did you have to invite him?” he demands.
“I didn’t, they did.”
“What do you mean they did? I think Sophie fancies him.” he frowns.
“You should be a brain surgeon,” I tease, trying to make light of the situation.
“What the hell?” Matt says grabbing my attention and I turn to see he’s spotted his girlfriend. “Brooke, do something to get my girlfriend away from him,” he points his cue at me.
“What the hell do you want me to do? She’s your girlfriend, you go get her.”
“I don’t know, go distract him. Flash him your tits or something so he start chatting with you instead of my girlfriend.”
I stare at him unable to process his request and take it serious.
“Brooke,” Tucker says with a hint of warning in his tone.
“Please Brooke,” Luke asks, eyeing Katie.
It’s obvious that whatever I do tonight, I’m going to be upsetting someone.
“You’re boyfriends are looking for you,” I tell Sophie and Kate when I reach them.
“Who?” Sophie asks and then slaps her hand on her mouth “Oh…shit,” she winces and slowly turns to look at Matt.