Page 11 of Tell Me No
I hear her tiny gasp before she collides with my chest. It takes a full second before she finally relaxes in my arms, melting into me. She hugs me back, her nails raking up my back lightly.
“Happy birthday, princess,” I whisper in her ear and I swear I hear her eyes rolling. I hold on to her longer than I should, longer than I need to. It’s not until I feel every eye on us that I finally release her.
I’d hate for her to assume I want to keep my feelings for her a secret. But Aurora is hard to pin down, hard to read. I don’t want to assume something has shifted between us that she doesn’t agree with. So for now, I’ll let her lead and I’ll follow. She steps back, giving me the first genuine smile from those perfect lips. It takes everything I have in me not to dip my head down and capture them with mine. I want to taste her again. I’m dying to. The sweet taste of peppermint lingered in her kiss this morning, and I need to know if it’s still there. But I hold myself back.
“Thank you, Breaker,” she breathes. A part of me deflates, just longing to hear my name come from those lips. Myrealname.
“Damn, daddy. Save some for the rest of us,” Everett’s voice breaks my concentration on Aurora and I realize we’re still surrounded by everyone we know.
As Ev pulls her in for a hug, my eyes skate over Ember and Kelsea, both of them whispering to each other, grinning widely. Then I find Elijah’s eyes burrowing through my fucking skull. He just told me this morning that if something was going on between Rory and me, he was okay with it. But the look he’s giving me right now is anything but okay. Before I can ask him what his problem is, Amelia catches his stare and smacks him in the back of the head. His expression turns neutral quickly, and he turns to walk inside. I follow him through the back door and into the kitchen.
“Hey, what’s up?” I ask and he whips around, leveling me with a stare that isn’t exactly angry but definitely holds some hostility.
“Whats up? Why don’t you tell me? I thought we just had a conversation this morning, Jason. I thought you said you didn’t need a woman in your life?” He asks, dropping his voice lower to mimic mine.
“First of all, I don’t sound like that. And second of all, that was before…” I stop myself before telling him what happened this morning. Even if Aurora and I decide to give this a real shot, I don’t think he wants to hear all the details.
“Before what, Breaker? It was like 5 hours ago!” He says, whisper yelling at me.
“Before she and I talked, okay? Why are you pissed off? I thought you said if something were happening, you were cool with it?” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
I don’t want Elijah to draw this line. As much as I’d like to think I would respect his wishes and back off, I don’t think I could even if I wanted to. I’ve tasted her, felt her skin beneath my hands, and I’m already fucking itching for another hit.
“I didn’t say I’m not okay with it! I just… I’m just…. I don’t fucking know, okay?! It’s weird!” He says, throwing his hands up. Its weird? Why is it weird? Did Everett give him the same shit when he and Ember met? Or is it just me that he has a problem with?
“Whats weird about it? Was it weird when you decided to fuck your best friend’s sister?” I’m trying not to sound hostile. But if I had feelings, they’d be hurt right now. He's clearly agitated by my question, but he's doesn’t lash out at me. The wheels turn in his mind, drawing parallels between my situation and his. I see the moment the fight drains out of his eyes.
“I don’t want her to get hurt, Break. She’s so much softer than she wants the world to believe.” His voice is full of all the love and devotion he has for his sister.
“The last thing I’d ever want is to hurt her, Elijah. And I’m fucking terrified that I will. I’m scared that I’ll fuck something up and lose her and the rest of you, too. But I can’t keep lying to myself about the way I feel when she’s around. I’m not one to have a heart to heart with anyone, so don’t think you’re gonna get that from me. But I’m scared as hell to want her, Eli. Yet here I am, wanting her anyway.” I tell him as plainly as I can.
“Just… take care of her. She doesn’t love easily or often. But when she does, it’s down to her fucking bones. It’s with her entire existence. That kind of all-consuming, selfless love that you read about but so few ever experience. Thats who my sister is, Break. I hope you’re lucky enough to be one of the people she chooses to love.” He places a firm hand on my shoulder and I nod, hoping for the same.
I know getting involved with Aurora will never be just for a good time. She’s the most infuriating, gorgeous, sarcastic, take-no-shit woman I’ve ever met. If I’m honest, I’m a little scared of her. But I feel better knowing Elijah and I are okay when it comes to whatever the fuck is going on with Aurora and I.
Before either of us can say anything else, Iris and Helo come bursting through the front door, loud as fuck as always, breaking up our lifetime movie moment.
eight
As much asI love my brother and all of my friends, my heart sank into my toes when I stepped out onto Eli’s deck and saw the party they planned for me. I haven’t celebrated my birthday since I was attacked, haven’t wanted to. Instead, I’ve been content to spend it eating my feelings and watching reruns of Sons of Anarchy.
But this year, Eli says it doesn’t count since today isn’t actually my birthday. I know Breaker saw the panic written all over my face when I stepped out of the house. I begged him with my eyes to keep his mouth shut, and luckily, he did.
So far, though, I don’t regret showing up tonight. Everything has been relatively comfortable just celebrating with my favorite people. We’re all huddled around the fire pit now, enjoying the warmth amid the cool spring night. Mom took the twins inside hours ago, so I’m sure we won’t see them again tonight. I look around the fire and take in the scene.
Iris and Helo are fighting back and forth about some chick they met at the bar last night, Ember and Eli sit on a porch swing, just holding each other. Everett has Kelsea balanced on his lap as he talks back and forth with the guys. I want what they have, the intimacy of knowing there’s someone who wants to hold you close whenever they can, just because they can.
My eyes drift over the man to my left and I suck in a tiny breath when I realize he’s staring at me. I’m sure he has a thousand questions about why I looked so uneasy when I got here, but he knows me well enough to understand I won’t talk about it here.
“You having fun?” I ask, my lips tipping up at the corner. I know Break isn’t that much older than everyone here, but his somber personality makes him seem far older than he actually is. He grunts in response and I laugh, drawing the attention of Iris and Helo.
“What’s wrong, daddy? Past your bedtime?” Iris asks, and Breaker cuts him an irritated glare. I know he hates it when they call him that, but I think it’s hilarious and honestly kinda hot. Would I ever admit that out loud? Absolutely not.
“Shut the fuck up, dipshit. I’m only five years older than you,” he says, leveling Iris with a glare.
“Yeah, but five years of wisdom and age can get you a lot of places, Break. Like between those sweet, sweet thigh-” Iris makes a motion with his hands like he’s tracing the outline of my body but before he can finish his sentence, a beer can flies out of Breaker’s hand and slams into the side of his head. Iris falls to the side dramatically, laughing his ass off as he wipes beer from the side of his face. I roll my eyes. Any other men would never get away with talking about me like that, but these boys get away with murder. Sometimes literally.
My body feels warm and tingly with all the alcohol running through my veins, and it makes me feel brave. I stand, stretching my arms above my head high enough so my t-shirt rides up, revealing the tan skin around my waist. The feeling of Breaker’s eyes devouring me silently sets me on fire, and I love it. I want to make that man feel as insane as he makes me. Scooping up the empty beer cans scattered around the circle, I toss the pile into the fire pit.
