Page 25 of Stevie
“Stevie, it’s more than a job, damn it.” He growls, and I feel his thumb stroke over my heartbeat.
“I know it is Brooks,” I admit nervously. “But I need it not to be, alright?”
“Why? Why won’t you let me l–”
“Hey Stev- oh,”Fuck, Janie.Ripping my hand out of Brooks, I sit up, my rag falling into my lap. I don’t need even decent vision to know the bitch is grinning. “I was, ummm… going to see if you would like Brooks to take you home.” She tries to hide the snicker in her voice, and it’s now I know I must end my best friend. I love Janie with all my heart, but her mouth is massive, and all of our friends will know what she saw before I reach his Jeep.
“Yeah,” I relent while blinking slowly. Fuck, it hurts. “Do you mind?” I ask Brooks like he really has a choice. He shakes his head before standing up.
“No, Peaches, come on.”
* * *
How did I get talked into this? I sigh as I look at myself in the mirror. I have on a mid-length, dark floral dress with pockets that elongates my waist. I curled my hair and went for a minimal makeup look. It’s been five days since the pocket sand incident, and while my eyes are almost entirely better, I still don’t want the risk of any fallout getting in them.
“Peaches, we got to… woah.” Brooks breathes as he looks me over. I can feel the heat from his gaze as he looks over every inch of me. Something is changing between us, and I’m finding it harder and harder not to want to be around him. It’s killing me. “Stevie, you look… you look beautiful.” He gives me a smile that causes a flutter in my chest and my cheeks to pinken.
“I-... Thank you,” I bite down on my bottom lip nervously. “Of course, I know you’re just trying to butter me up because I’m still mad at you over having to do this.”
“Uh! That’s unfair. You completely accepted Mom’s invitation on your own, Peaches.”
“You really need to stop with the peaches thing!” I groan while shoving past him. “Your family is going to ask, and that stupid story I came up with on the fly isn’t going to work!” I had told everyone that Brooks made an ass out of himself over a peach danish that a kid wanted, and that is what started our war and my “hatred” of him, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
* * *
“Baka!” I hiss while hiding behind the display of donuts. Shit, why does he have to be here when I’m working? “Please, just deal with him.” Baka stares up at Brooks, the man who had just interviewed for a bodyguard position at Hel’s, and is quite literally making me swoon. Yes, fucking swoon. When he smiled at me the other day when I was at Hel’s, my knees went weak. I’m a disappointment to feminists everywhere.
“Why? He no good to you? He touch you! I will kill–”
“Shhhh!” I panic, waving my hands in her face. “No, I just…” I feel myself blush, and Baka gets a knowing look on her face.
“Ahhh I see, you want the fruit ah? A bite into his peach, yeah?”
“What? No, Baka. I don’t want to bite into Brooks’ peach.”
“Aw, come on now,” His cocky yet smooth voice sends a cool rush through me. I turn to see Brooks smirking at me. “My peach might be the sweetest peach you’ve ever tasted.” I’m going to die from this level of embarrassment.
Without looking, I grab a pastry, shove it into a bag, and hold it out to Brooks. “On the house, have a nice day,” I mutter as Brooks snickers.
“Aww… that’s very–” Brooks stops talking as he peers into the bag before laughing loudly. “Peach danish, huh?” No… no, I did not. I look at him in absolute horror.
“Give me it back!” I reach to snatch the bag, but Brooks moves back.
“Oh, no, no, no!” He laughs. “This is mine now.” I watch as he takes a bite of the danish and moans with it in his mouth. “Well, I can say without a doubt, your peach is definitely the sweetest peach I’ve ever had.”
* * *
Brooks spins me around, pulling me out of my thoughts as he pushes me against the wall. I stare up into his green eyes, his left one still sporting a bruise.
“Baby, you’re the one keeping us in hiding. You say the word, and I’ll scream it from the mountaintops.”
“Brooks, I–I can’t…” I watch his demeanor dim, and I feel so bad. He goes to pull away, and god help me. I grab the collar of his shirt and pull his lips to mine. He molds against me instantly, and damn it, I crave it. I crave him. Pulling back, I look into his hazy eyes. “There are things I can’t give you, Brooks.”
“Baby, you are all I want.” I let out a choked sob at his sincerity, and because I’m stupid and probably a horrible person, I lean in and kiss him again.
“I want you too,” I admit against his lips. I hear his sharp breath, and I squeeze my eyes shut tight. “But you wouldn’t be happy with me, Brooks.”
“W-what?” Brooks backs up and looks at me in confusion. “Stevie, you are what makes me happy. How have you not figured that out yet?”
