by Chloe Walsh
“Cheap date, Owens?” a male voice called out tauntingly, and Rourke stiffened.
My gaze flew in the direction the voice had come from and I glowered at the two guys standing outside the driver’s side of Rourke’s truck.
“You sharing this one, too?” one of them asked, tapping on the window.
The other guy laughed. “Yeah, he’s just breaking her in for you first, man.”
“Who are these jerks?” I whispered, keeping my eyes locked on Rourke. Whoever these guys were, they were seriously pissing him off.
“Some assholes from Jefferson,” he replied tightly, his fists curled around the steering wheel.
Awareness dawned on me. “One of the guys Britt slept with?”
He nodded stiffly.
I looked out the window to where the two morons were standing, clearing trying their best to torment Rourke. “Are they trying to goad you into a fight or something?”
“Yeah,” Rourke growled, jaw clenched, nostrils flaring. “If I get caught fighting again this year, I’m off the team. Permanently.” His jaw ticked again. “And they would fucking love that.”
God, he looked so enraged. I had a feeling he was two seconds away from exploding. It was that very notion that caused me to do what I did next.
Reaching across the console, I grabbed his neck, and tugged his face towards mine. He came willingly, surprise etched on his beautiful face. “Don’t even think about letting those bastards get to you,” I told him, my lips inches from his; a huge swell of possessiveness flooding my body, the urge to defend Rourke overwhelmingly strong.
“They just insulted you,” he bit out, breathing hard.
“So?” Forcing him to look at my face, I locked my eyes on his. “Stick and stones, Rourke.” Reaching up, I stroked his cheeks with my hands. “I don’t give a crap about those guys and neither should you.”
“I’m not fucking letting them…” His voice broke off and he growled. “Goddammit, I’m gonna fucking kill them.” He was shaking with restrained violence. I knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to get out of this car and kick their asses. Part of me wanted him to do that, too, but the other part, the sensible side, knew that these creeps didn’t deserve his time.
“No, you’re not,” I announced, climbing onto his lap. For the first time in my life, I was happy of my size; it made straddling Rourke so much easier. “You’re going to kiss me instead.”
His brows shot up in confusion. “What?”
“You heard me,” I whispered, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “You need a distraction.” And I need you safe. “Kiss me.”
He hands moved to my thighs, clamping down on my flesh possessively. “Six…”
“Just shut up and kiss me, Rourke,” I ordered before covering his mouth with mine.
And he did just that.
God, I felt powerful.
Mercedes
BY THE TIME SUNDAY evening rolled around, I had resigned myself to accept the fact that I was head over heels in love with my stepbrother, and it was all his fault.
Seven weeks.
That was it.
Seven weeks and I was in love?
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Rourke.
Ocean Bay was a temporary pit stop for me. I was leaving this all behind me. Rourke wasn’t part of the plan. And now, I was gravitating towards him.
Of course, I would never tell him that. No, I would bury my feelings. I was good at that; pretending I was fine when I was far from it. I’d seen enough of my mother’s failed relationships to know that it was a really bad idea to live your life around a man because when he left, and they always left, you would be on your own again.
I was turning into my mother…
“That was Amelia,” Rourke announced, walking into his bedroom with his cell in his hand, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer shorts. “She’s staying at the Kings again tonight,” he added, drawing me back to the present.
“Again?” I asked, looking up from the biology textbook in my lap, eyes immediately honing in on his bare chest, taking in every ridge and groove on his stomach.
Never in my life had I seen anyone so primal. There was something about this boy that called out to the cavewoman inside of me, and I wanted to drag him back to my cave and mount him. Of course, my cave happened to be his bed and I wasn’t nearly brave enough to act out my fantasies. Shaking my head, I wrapped my arms around my knees and fought down the huge swell of lust growing inside me.
Rourke strolled over to the huge flat screen TV mounted on his wall and slid a DVD into the side part before padding back to his side of the bed – he preferred the left, closest to the door and I liked being nearer to the window on the right – and dropping his phone on the nightstand.
“What are you doing?” I asked when Rourke settled down on the mattress and snagged my textbook off the bed before tossing it down on the floor. “Hey – I was reading that!”
“I can promise you one thing,” he purred, leaning in close to my ear. “We sure as hell aren’t spending the night studying.”
“Rourke,” I whispered, biting down on my lip when I felt his teeth graze my collarbone. “We have a test tomorrow.” His body was too close to mine; his fresh, manly smell flooding my senses. It was too much. He was too much.
“I know,” he whispered, running a trail of kisses from my shoulder upwards. Pausing at the point where my shoulder joined my neck, Rourke nipped down hard, and this time I did cry out. Embarrassingly loudly.
“So fucking beautiful,” Rourke whispered gruffly, maneuvering around until he was kneeling between my legs. “You’re perfect, Six.” Leaning back on his heels, he used one large palm to push me onto my back. “Fucking perfect.”
Exhaling a ragged breath, I scooted up and grabbed the hem of his football jersey I was wearing and ripped it over my body before tossing it as far away from us as possible. My skin was on fire and I didn’t want barriers between us. I wanted him. All of him.
Naked and trembling, I reached up and cupped the back of Rourke’s neck before roughly dragging his body down on mine. “If I’m so perfect, take me.” I pressed my lips against his and wrapped my legs around his narrow waist. “Take me, Rourke.” Thrusting myself upwards, I moaned loudly when his erection pressed against my core. The only thing separating our bodies was the fabric of his boxers. “Please?” I begged, needy and full of want. “I’m ready.”
“Christ,” Rourke bit out in a strained tone as he buried his face in my neck and groaned. “Not tonight, baby.”
“Take me!” I repeated, this time a pained demand, as he trailed his lips down my body.
“Six,” he growled in a warning tone, lips hovering over my hipbone.
“You’re saying no again?”
“I’m saying not tonight.” He continued to trail kisses over my skin.
I bucked beneath him, restless and turned on. “Why not, dammit?”
“Because I’m fucking terrified of rushing you.”
“What?” I shook my head and gaped at him. “Rourke, I am naked in your bed, begging you to have sex with me. I think it’s pretty clear you’re not rushing me.”
“I’m not good at this, Six!” he admitted gruffly. “I have a really fucking bad track record and I don’t want to fuck this up with you.” He exhaled a ragged breath against my skin. “You’re…. I’m trying so fucking hard to be your friend.” He kissed my skin before adding, “I’m giving you time.”
“I don’t want time!” I growled, tilting my hips upwards and crying out loudly when his cock pressed harder against my aching pussy. “I want your dick in me right now, Rourke.”
“Christ,” Rourke grunted. “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?” His hands dropped to my ass and he dragged my lower body towards his, grinding hard. The friction and sensations that move brought out in my body were entirely too much. “I’m gonna fuck you, Six, and I’m gonna make it real good for you,” he promis
ed, his voice thick and gruff, as he dragged me onto his straining erection. “Just…not tonight.”
Bastard.
“Fine.” Locking my legs around his waist, I flipped myself into a sitting position on Rourke’s lap before wrapping my arms around his neck and crashing my mouth down on his.
Tilting my head to one side, I rocked against him, pressing myself against his cock and loving when he growled in my ear. Oh yeah, I was going to make him suffer for making me feel this way, and I had the whole night to do it.
Mercedes
I SLIPPED OUT OF Rourke’s bedroom at the crack of dawn on Monday morning and left for school before his alarm went off. Sure, I had to wait in the parking lot for an hour, but I gladly took that over facing him.
Knowing that Rourke had touched – licked – intimate areas of my body was too freaking much. I knew I wasn’t reacting like a mature seventeen-year-old. But how the hell could I?
He was fucking beautiful and I was scared of getting too attached – more attached than I already was. The way he had made me feel this past weekend?
My cheeks still flamed at the thought. I actually came in his mouth. On multiple occasions. Like, what the holy hell?
I had no idea how I was ever going to face my stepbrother again. It was different back in his room. School was the real world.
What if he was different with me there?
I didn’t dare stick around to find out.
I didn’t think my heart could take it.
And so, for the millionth time since arriving in Ocean Bay, I found myself asking the same question; what the hell was wrong with me? This time, however, I voiced the question out loud, turning to the one friend I had made for answers.
“There is nothing wrong with you,” Molly assured me during lunch. Picking up an apple, she rolled it between her hands as she spoke.
“Yeah, right,” I half scoffed, half moaned. “Then why won’t he won’t have sex with me?”
Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“All freaking weekend,” dropping my head in my hands, I stifled a moan, “I offered myself to Rourke on a plate and he turned me down.”
“He did?”
“He’d never admit it, but I know it’s because I’m a virgin,” I muttered, dropping my gaze to my uneaten lunch. “He doesn’t want the mess, so he just goes down on me instead.”
“Omigod!” Loud spluttering noises coming from Molly caused me to lift my attention to her. “Rourke went down on you?” she hissed, eyes alight with excitement. “For real?”
I nodded.
“What was it like?” she asked, leaning closer.
“It was incredible,” I wailed. “Like mind-blowingly good, Molls.”
“Wow.” Smiling dreamily, she added, “You know; ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the female population at this school would die to be in your shoes right now.”
“You’re not helping,” I bit out, cheeks burning. “I’m completely mortified, Molly.”
“Why?” she asked. “You spent the entire weekend with him.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “But we’re back in school now.” I could feel my face burning as I spoke. “In the real world, and I feel…embarrassed.”
“Well don’t be,” she shot back with a smile. “Do you have any idea of what a catch that boy is?” She tipped her hand towards me and said, “Take it as a huge compliment. Rourke is picky as hell. Most of the girls around here would scratch your freaking eyes out to get their hands on him.”
I cast a glance around the room at all the freaking stunning girls I had the misfortune of going to school with. “Great,” I moaned. “And now I’m jealous. Thanks for that, Molly.”
“Why?” She looked at me like I had two heads. “Mercy, you’re gorgeous and funny and kind. Trust me when I tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Besides, you’ve obviously got something all these other girls don’t.” She scrunched her nose up and paused. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rourke with any other girl besides Britt.” Her brown eyes were wide and sincere. “Like ever. That in itself is a pretty huge deal.”
“Britt,” I sneered in disgust, scowling deeply. “Britt the Bitch.”
“Yep,” Molly snickered. “She is certainly that.”
“Why was he even with her in the first place?” I grumbled cattily. “That girl is like the she-devil with blonde curls.” I fake gagged. “Ugh.”
“I guess he was young and blind.” Molly shrugged. “They were together forever. Maybe it was like a comfort thing for Rourke?”
My brows furrowed. “A comfort thing?”
“Well, yeah,” Molly replied quietly. “Rourke hasn’t exactly had the most stable home life growing up, what with his father marrying and remarrying every other year.” Sighing, she added, “Britt’s the only constant he’s ever seemed to have.”
Well shit…
“He’s looking at you,” Molly offered with a grin, gesturing to somewhere behind me. “If that helps.”
“It doesn’t,” I muttered, squirming in my seat. Unable to stop myself, I turned my head to the side and sneaked a peek at the football team’s table.
Rourke was there, perched on top of the table, looking deliciously disheveled in his white school shirt with his tie hanging loosely. And oh yeah, he was looking at me. His focus was on our table, his eyes burning into mine.
“Okay, maybe it helps a little,” I breathed before quickly turning my attention back to Molly. “Hey – I never got a chance to ask you about the party.”
“The party?” Now Molly was the one to blush. “What about it?”
“What was going on with you and Daryl King?” I asked nosily. “You disappeared with him and I didn’t see you for the rest of the night.” Awareness dawned on me and I waggled my brows. “Did you hook up with him?”
“We talked,” Molly squeezed out, looking mortified. “Just talked.”
“Just talked?” I stared at her in disbelief. “About what?”
Just then, several cheerleaders passed by us and one of them tossed some snotty comment over her shoulder. “Boyfriend stealing tramp,” the blonde tossed out with an obnoxiously loud voice.
I responded by flipping her the bird and saying, “Run along.”
“Did you actually speak to me?” the blonde spat. Halting mid step, she spun around and glared at me. “Don’t think you can speak to me, you little tramp,” she growled.
Recognition flickered inside of me. I’d seen this girl before – had definitely heard her high-pitched whiney voice. “I’m the tramp?” My lips tipped up. “Have you looked in the mirror today? You have your skirt rolled so high the entire lunch room can see your boney ass.”
The blonde’s eyes narrowed in fury. “Better to be bony than a fat cow like you,” she quipped in a mocking tone. “Maybe you should lay off the carbs, sweetie.” She looked me up and down before sniffing in obvious distaste. “Ew. Just, ew.”
“Back off Ashley,” Molly was quick to defend.
Ashley!
That’s who she was. Ashley freaking Thomas – Britt’s best friend, and the other girl at the house the night Rourke dunked me in the pool.
“Mind your own damn business, Freddy Kruger,” Ashley hissed cruelly. Her tone was mocking, taunting, and I knew what she was talking about; Molly’s burns.
Molly’s face contorted in pain and she was on her feet in seconds, running from the lunch room.
“How dare you!” I snarled, walking right up to her so that we were chest to chest. Of course, this girl – like most people – towered above me, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t an aggressive person by nature, but Molly was my friend and I wasn’t about to sit back and let some nasty cheerleader talk to her like that. “How fucking dare you call her that name!”
“Get out of my face, you little heifer,” Ashley warned.
“Make me, bitch,” I shot back before shoving her in the chest, hard.
I could hear the bustle and loud cheering around us; the word
‘cat fight’ being thrown around, but I didn’t care. I was burning mad. “How would you feel?” I demanded. “If I mocked you for something you had zero control over?”
Ashley retaliated by shoving me back equally as hard and I staggered back a few feet. Damn, this bitch was strong. “Don’t freaking touch me,” she screamed.
The retort I had on the top of my tongue, not to mention the physical harm I intended to cause, was lost the moment a pair of strong arms came around my body, lifting me clean off my feet. “Simmer down, Six,” a familiar, deep voice said, and instantly, I gave up the fight to break free. Rourke was too freaking strong.
“Did you hear what she said?” I demanded, feeling tears sting at my eyes. Temper tears.
“No,” Rourke replied calmly. He set me down on my feet, but didn’t release me from his hold. “What did she say?”
My chest was heaving from sheer outrage on my friend’s behalf. Twisting in his arms, I looked up him and said, “She called Molly Freddy Kruger because of her burns!” Rage coursed through me once more and I lunged for Ashley. I didn’t get far though; not with Rourke’s steel grip on me.
“What the actual fuck, Ash?” Rourke demanded, and he was the one bristling with anger now. “You threw the fire in her face?”
Everyone in the room was silent; glued to the showdown happening between us.
“She was getting up in my business, Rourke,” Ashley shot back, with far less conviction in her voice now. She glanced around the room nervously before looking back at Rourke. “She should have stayed out of it.”
“So that gives you the right to torment her?” Rourke shook his head and sneered at the wide-eyed blonde. “I thought you were better than that, Ash. I really did.”
“She was defending me!”
I groaned internally when Britt walked over to stand beside Ashley. If I thought Rourke was bristling before, he turned completely rigid the moment Britt got involved.
“Stay out of this,” he warned her, never taking his hands off me. I was thankful for that. I didn’t know how I would have taken the rejection.