10
Brownie Points
Roxy
After my Entrepreneurship and Small Business class fiasco finishes for the day, I collect my things and try to scamper out the door. This is usually the part where Aiden injects his tongue down LeAnn’s throat because it’s obviously the only way he can get her to stop giggling. I swear she’s part hyena—boyfriend-stealing hyena—but deep down I know that’s not true. No “real” boyfriend could ever be stolen. A little part of their cold, black heart has to want to leave.
I wonder if Cole has it in him to stay, or if, after the novelty of what we have wears off, he’ll simply start bringing home the girls again and racking up more points on that sexual scoreboard of his.
A light tap hits my shoulder. “You mind if we talk for a minute?” An ultra-light girly voice streams from behind—LeAnn. Suddenly I want to kick in her kneecaps for sounding so annoying.
I glance up at her with a smiling Aiden by her side who looks as if he just ate the canary. A visual of feathers sprouting from LeAnn’s ass comes to mind, and I shake it away.
“What?” I pull all the sweetness from my voice as I cinch my backpack over my shoulders. I don’t really mind that I come across like a hard ass. In fact, I want to. I want to come across like a bitch with an attitude that no sane person would think of crossing. But, then again, I hardly believe either LeAnn or Aiden qualify as sane.
“Well”—she looks to Aiden and giggles—“I know this might be awkward for you.” She squints into me, her mouth puckering as if she were eighty. “I’m having an open-air concert this Friday. And I was thinking”—she drives a finger into her cheek, making her look too stupid to live—“would you mind donating some cupcakes for the event?”
“Donating?” I practically choke on the word. Excuse me, I want to say, but I wasn’t the one featured in Forbes magazine as profit churner of the year like the pop princess in front of me. No, I would not like to donate to your little warbling fest.
“Yeah, you know.” She gives a few rapid blinks as if a gnat just flew in her eye. “I’m a judge for the Sticky Quickie baking competition and honey bear says you’re going to be competing, so I can’t actually pay you for anything or else you would be automatically disqualified.”
Gah! She’s like a plague on my existence. She’s going to single handedly take down my future internship at the Sticky Quickie, and she’s too blonde to realize it.
I stop shy of glaring at honey bear.
“Anyhoo”—she wraps an arm around Aiden, and I continue to pretend he’s invisible, thus demoting him to the relevancy of a dust mite, annoying yet unavoidable—“I’ve already asked Melanie Harrison, and she’ll be baking her signature Ecstasy Delights, and I thought if you had a signature cupcake, you could make up a bunch of those, too. At first I wasn’t going to ask because of our shaky history, but honey bear said it would be the right thing to do since both you and Melanie will be representing Whitney Briggs.”
Again with the honey bear. I glare over at Aiden for a moment. I’d like to dip him in honey and roll him into a pile of fire ants.
“For the record, we aren’t representing the university in the competition. We’re actually competing against each other.” Wait, if she’s a judge, I might want to hold off before I segue into the part about where exactly it is I’d like to shove a bunch of my signature cupcakes. “Come to think of it, yes, I will bring my signature cupcakes to the event. I’d love to donate my time and effort to the student body of Whitney Briggs.” I frown at my lame attempt to try and whitewash the fact I’m kissing the same ass my ex-boyfriend is slobbering over.
I speed past the two of them toward the door.
“Oh wait, Foxy!” she shouts. “I need the name of your signature cupcake to give to my PR department.”
PR? Crap. Things are getting serious.
“It’s Roxy,” I reprimand as gently as possible. “And the name of my signature cupcake is”—it takes everything in me not to say, cock sucking ex-boyfriend—“It’s called, I love Cole Brighton.” My lips twitch. “Actually I think I’ll call it the I Slept with Cole Brighton.”
“Ooh, I like it. That sounds like fun!” She erupts in a giggle fest, and Aiden is quick to elbow her.
“It is fun. It’s the best time of my life, and it tastes like paradise.”
She takes up his hand while chortling into him, and, for the first time, I feel nothing—not one hint of rage or heartbreak, not one ounce of hurt.
Cole crops up in my mind, and I have the sudden urge to see him and tell him all about this twisted exchange, especially the moniker I’ve decided to gift my “signature” cupcake.
I start to head out the door, and my arm is yanked back by the elbow.
Aiden shoves his face in mine, and I can see LeAnn already halfway down the hall. “You think this is funny? That it’s some game to get back at me by trying to make me jealous with that tool you’re hooking up with? I know all about that idiot. Newsflash, he’s not that into you, sweetie.” He presses out that sarcastic grin I’ve grown accustomed to over the years, the one he used when he was losing control and needed to pull his balls off the floor with a net. “From what I hear, he’s into just about everyone.” He leans in. His eyes still squinting out that cocky smile. “Don’t go thinking you’re special.”
My hand explodes over his face in one thunderous slap before I speed out the door.
I am special damn it.
Only Aiden is too stupid to notice.
I get home, and Cole chips away at me until I tell him what’s wrong. I leave out the little detail of Aiden telling me I wasn’t special. No need to press down on a bruise.
Cole offers to take me to dinner, and I don’t protest.
We drive out of Hollow Brook and toward downtown Jepson, right into a trendy neighborhood that has an entire row of ritzy restaurants that I’m pretty sure a bartender can’t afford. Suddenly, I feel bad that Cole is even entertaining the idea.
“We can find a drive-thru,” I offer.
“No way. You’ve had a rough day. Besides, I’d like to reward you for smacking him today. Just the thought of you using me to make him jealous is laughable.”
“It totally is.” In all honesty, that’s how this whole thing started, but what Cole and I share is one hundred percent real—it’s special.
Cole pulls into a lavish sushi restaurant that I haven’t been to before. The silver framed building is equipped with dark-tinted windows that stretch from floor to ceiling and it reeks of dollar bills long before we make our way inside.
A row of sushi chefs yell as we enter, and we’re seated almost immediately which should clue Cole in on the fact this place is going to drain his tip money for the better half of the month.
“Really, I’m not worth it,” I whisper. “Let’s just leave. We can go the Black Bear and split some chili fries.”
“No, thanks. I’ve seen what goes into them.” He presses a kiss over my cheek. “And, yes, you’re worth it.”
“Roxy!” A girl’s voice calls from across the way.
It’s Laney and Ryder! I jump a little. Nothing makes me happier than my BFF and my favorite big bro even if he’s trying to act like a wedge between me and the boy I love. Ryder means well.
We speed over, and Laney is quick to give me a tackle hug. “This is perfect. I’ve had a crap day, and I can’t imagine a better way to turn things around than by running into the two of you.” I glance over at Cole who looks less than enthused. “But we totally don’t want to impose. So enjoy your night.” I give a slight wave.
“No way, Capwell.” Laney nods over to the waitress. “Two more will be joining us.”
“No, really we don’t have to,” I hear myself say without any real feeling behind it.
“Yes, you do.” Ryder points us to the two empty seats that have miraculously appeared, and both Cole and I comply. “We just sat down. It’s perfect timing.”
“So are you two celebrating something big?” Cole asks as he peruses the menu.
“Nope.” Laney takes a sip from her water. “We eat here just about every night.”
“We’re boring that way.” Ryder gives Laney’s shoulder a quick squeeze. Laney and Ryder are anything but boring as evidenced by their panache for sushi that starts off at thirty dollars a roll.
Holy crap. I gawk at the menu. For what it’s going to cost to feed the two of us, we can buy an entire aquarium full of sea creatures.
It’s becoming pretty clear we’re not getting out of here without dropping a couple hundred bucks if we want to satisfy our appetites. Suddenly, my appetite has decreased significantly.
The waitress comes by, and I put in my order, which amounts to water and an appetizer.
“We’re together.” Cole motions to me before he dips back to the menu.
“Oh, we’ve got this.” Laney insists.
“No, it’s fine.” Cole glances to the waitress. “I’ll have a number fifty six and a number forty three.”
Ryder breaks out into a shit-eating grin because we both know poor Cole just referenced the price points since the menu items aren’t numbered.
“You know what?” Cole looks back up. “Make that two of each.”
Crap.
The waitress finishes taking our orders and disappears.
“How about you guys?” Laney leans into us. “You celebrating something big tonight?”
“Just each other,” I offer, and I can’t help feel like I just lit a very short fuse when it comes to my brother. I know full well there’s bad blood between him and my brand new boyfriend.
Cole wraps his arm around me. “I wanted to do something special for Rox since she had a tough day.”
“What happened?” Laney rasps her knuckles over the table as if she wants names. She’s always the first to stand up for me. I should have listened to her eons ago when she told me to dump Aiden’s sorry ass. Laney is always right.
“Guess who’s baking cupcakes for LeAnn Giggle-Box’s big Whitney Briggs’s burp and chirp?”
“Crap.” Her features harden. I can always count on Laney to side with me when the shit hits the fan.
“Crap is right. And I’ll be essentially competing with Melanie Harrison because she’s donating her signature venereal disease delights to the event as well.”
“Ecstasy Delights?” Ryder’s affect brightens for a moment, and I shoot him a look. “What are you baking?”
“My new signature cupcake.” I look over to Cole because I haven’t exactly gotten around to telling him the stellar name I chose yet. “It’s the, I love Cole Brighton.”
Cole’s eyes widen. His lips crimp a tiny smile before breaking out that thousand-kilowatt grin of his. “You said that?”
“I meant it.” Every word. “Then I promptly changed it to the I Slept with Cole Brighton. I figure it appeals a little more to the masses.”
Cole cinches a smile.
“Rox,” Ryder moans and closes his eyes as if I just ran over a puppy.
“What? I’m sure if I called it the I Love My Big Bro, you’d be singing a different tune.”
“Yes, I would,” he mutters under his breath.
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” My mood plummets right along with that grin I’ve been wearing ever since we sat down. Teaches me to smile. There always seems to be a bucket of crap waiting for me at the end of the deliriously happy rainbow.
“It means I have more longevity.” Ryder glances up at me from his menu, and that familiar rage percolates inside me. For one, the fact he won’t give this conversation his full attention is pissing me off, and, secondly, this entire conversation sucks.
Cole’s chest pumps with a silent laugh at the balls my brother has for dismissing him like that. I have a feeling we won’t be staying too much longer. And the way my brother’s acting, I wouldn’t mind stiffing him with the bill—not that it would ever come near to hurting him the way he’s hurting me right now.
“Take it back,” I say it low, trying not to cause a scene, but a part of me wants to crawl over the table and shake my brother by the pretentious collar peeking out from under his cashmere sweater. “Cole and I are together, and that’s not changing.”
Ryder ticks his head back an inch. “How do you know it’s not changing?”
Cole leans in ready for a fight. “Because I say it’s not. Don’t bust her balls. What part of shit day don’t you understand?”
“Guys, relax.” Laney holds her hands out over the table as if she were about to conduct a séance. “Nobody’s busting anybody’s balls. Ryder was just trying to say that you guys haven’t been going out very long and for you to declare your love for him as a part of something that should be recognized with your brand—well, it’s kind of out there.”
“What?” A flood of rage fills me. Suddenly it feels as if I’m right back with the bitterness, right back to detesting the entire human race, save for a few select people, and I think both Laney and Ryder have just wiped themselves off that list.
“I’m not trying to insult you.” Laney gets that I’m-only-doing-this-for-your-own-good look in her eye—the same look she used to give me when she said kick Aiden to the curb, preferably by the balls. “This is all new, and maybe you should call your signature cupcake something more representative of who you really are and what kind of public image you want to portray.”
“Like? The unlovable loser who can’t keep a guy?”
“Nobody said that,” Ryder snips.
“You implied it!” I snatch up my purse with one hand and Cole with the other. “You know what? I don’t need the two of you in my life to remind me of what a failure I am at things. In fact, why don’t you both just stay out of it, and that way you won’t have to keep yourselves up at night trying to find new ways to tell me how much my relationship sucks.”
“Roxy.” Ryder’s voice carries, and everybody within a three-table span turns to look at us.
“Save it!” I bark. “I never once said to either of you that it wouldn’t last. In fact, when it didn’t last, I was your biggest cheerleader to get you two back together. Boy am I ever sorry.”
Cole drops a wad of money on the table, and we fly out of there.
Just what the hell do Laney and Ryder see wrong with my relationship that I don’t?
Cole
Who the f*ck are Laney and Ryder to cast the first stone?
I pull Roxy in and wrap my arms around her as soon as we get outside the financial fleecing trying to pass off as a sushi bar.
“I’m not walking away from us.” I pour each word into her eyes.
Roxy takes a breath and relaxes into me.
“Get me the hell away from here.”
“You don’t need to ask twice.” We get in the truck, and I hit the road. I’d take her home, but I’d love to cleanse our palates first, get both her psycho friend and her mentally-challenged brother off our minds. No thanks to the two of them, Roxy’s day has gone from shit to worse. There’s no way I’m letting her end her night this way.
“You still okay with a drive-thru?” At this point it’s questionable I can even afford that. I dumped all my tip money back there, but there was no way I was going to let Ryder have the satisfaction of bitching about how I walked out on my bill.
“Drive-thru’s fine,” she growls. “I think it’s a public safety issue at this point. I’m ready to claw out the eyes of the next person who looks at me crooked.”
My lips twitch, but I hold back the smile. I happen to think Roxy is sexy as all hell when she’s fired up.
We hit the nearest burger joint, then drive past Whitney Briggs, up further into the mountains until we pass the river, the hot springs, and a rickety old bridge. I take the road up about as far as it goes and head toward the overlook.
The stars spray out like a million grains of salt—while the city lights of Hollow Brook sparkle back at us like beacons. In the distance, you can see Jepson.
I help Rox into the back of the truck, and we snuggle over the sleeping bags while wolfing down our ninety-nine cent burgers? our shared large fries, and diet Coke.
Roxy’s skin holds the scent of vanilla and a dusting of powdered sugar. I bet she tastes like it, too. I take a playful bite out of her neck to confirm my theory, and I’m right.
“This is quickly becoming my favorite place to eat.” She rubs her shoulder into mine.
“Just eat?”
“You’re my favorite dessert.” She pitches her brows before her features fall again. “I’m sorry about everything that happened back there. I’m pretty embarrassed.”
“Don’t be. I’m sure they were only looking out for you. Give it some time. Once they see me hanging around for ten—twenty years, they’ll get the hint I’m not going anywhere.”
Her lips twitch with a quiet smile. “This is beautiful.” She looks up at the sky as if she were changing the subject.
“I think you’re beautiful.” I run my fingers over her cheek. Roxy is a sculpture’s dream with those high cut cheekbones, those perfect full lips.
“You don’t have to compliment me.” She looks into my eyes, sad, despondent as if she had given up on some level. “You’re going to get lucky either way.” A tiny smile breaks free.
“I like the sound of that, but I wasn’t buttering you up to get lucky. I mean it. You’re the most gorgeous human I’ve ever laid eyes on. I have to pinch myself at least twice a day to believe a girl like you would have anything to do with someone like me.”
“Please, you can have any girl you want, and, believe me, there are enough tally marks on that wall back home to prove it.”
“You know what got my attention that day we first met at the Black Bear?” I hitch a shard of hair behind her ear.
“The fact I was more interested in the BTUs your oven could put out than I was in any of your mattress moves?”
“Exactly. You were the one I couldn’t have.” I shake my head. “And you were the one I wanted from hello.”
“Really?” She tucks her thumbnail between her teeth and laughs.
“Yes, really. I took one look in your direction and my entire body demanded to have you. You’re hot, and, underneath that tough exterior, sweet as hell. You’re perfect, Rox.”
“It’s cupcake to you.” She lies down and nestles her head into the sleeping bag. “I secretly like it when you call me that.” Her eyes slit to mine. “Don’t tell anyone, or I’ll cut you.”
“Physical threats, huh? That’s one of my favorite things about you. You’re not afraid to say how you really feel.”
“Cole?” She wraps her arms around me, and I land on my elbows staring down at the most beautiful girl on the planet. “What did you see in all those other skanks you were with?” Her eyes catch the moonlight and glow like copper.
“Not going there.” I land a soft kiss over her lips. “They meant nothing. I swear it. I’ve never felt so f*cking gone, so heart stopping in love with anyone in my life.”
“So that spell I cast over the first batch of cupcakes I fed you really worked, huh?”
“Enchanted cupcakes?” I tweak my brows, amused at the idea.
“Works every time.”
“Newsflash, it didn’t work.” I land a wet kiss just shy of her ear and blow gently over it until she shudders beneath me. “I didn’t need a spell to make me want you. What I’m feeling is one hundred percent born from my heart. And thank you because I didn’t think it existed before I met you.”
“Again, no need to score brownie points because you’re pretty much guaranteed to dip your wick.”
“My wick?” I pull back and examine her. She’s funny, and smart, and hot as hell, and Roxy still can’t wrap her head around the fact I want her just for who she is.
“So answer my question, what was with the line outside your door?”
“Drop the inquisition.” My lips land over hers, and she turns her head.
“It’s just that I noticed something, and I wanted to see if you noticed it, too.”
Crap. She’s really going to ride this horse to the finish line, so I might as well play along.
“The girls.” I close my eyes a moment straining every cell in my body trying to figure out some commonality they may have had. “I don’t know—they were easy.”
“They were all blonde and perky, cheerleader types.”
“I’m pretty sure they weren’t all blonde.” Although, now that I think about it—there might have been a disproportionate amount. “And, if they were, I blame it on the peroxide industry. I bet you good money they were all secretly brunettes.” I nuzzle a kiss into her neck, and she giggles. Something in my heart soars just hearing her happy, and knowing that I’m the one that made her feel that way makes me feel pretty damn good.
“I guess what I’m getting at is that I’m not really your type, so it made me wonder—”
“Whoa.” I land a finger over her nose. “Hold it right there.” I trace her lips out before dipping the tip of my finger into her mouth. “I don’t have a type.” My gaze softens. “I have a girlfriend.” I entwine our fingers. “And I love her so damn much, I feel like I might explode.” A grin presses out of me, and I can’t help it. “Every word is true, cupcake.”
I crash my lips over hers, and she meets me right there. Her tongue flirts with mine. Her teeth graze over my mouth while I detonate over her with all of the passion—all of the assurances that my words couldn’t even begin to touch. Rox has to know how much I care about her. After a lifetime of feeling unimportant, unwanted, invisible, I want to be the one to make her feel special. I want to show her that two people who care about one another more than anyone else on the planet can be magic. That it’s so much more than a one-night stand, so much more than an entire string of girls I can hardly remember. Sex had become a thing, something like a chore that I penciled into my weekends to help pass the time because I promised my father I would shop around. I’m sure if I could rewind that conversation, I would have heard things a little bit different. I’m sure what he was trying to convey was look for someone special, someone who makes your heart thump like a jackhammer, who’s spirit is so damn sweet you want to protect her every day for the rest of your lives. I finally found that person in Roxy. And I plan on protecting and loving her for the rest of my damn life. I only wish my dad was around to meet her. I’d love to be the one to tell him I didn’t have to shop around anymore, that I found the one I’ve been looking for all along.
I reach down and run my hands inside her sweater, her warm skin heating my palms. Roxy’s kisses taste like watermelon, like a bright spring morning with the hope of something new just on the other side. A horrible winter had passed, and, now, with Roxy in my life, every day is sunshine and roses.
Her kisses track up my neck until she takes a hard bite out of my ear.
I give a little roar, and she laughs. I know that’s what she was after, hearing me scream.
“The first time I saw you”—she pants—“I had a mini orgasm just looking at you. I thought who the hell does this guy think he is looking so damn hot? You ruined me right then.”
“Ruined.” I unbutton her jeans and work them down along with her panties. “I like where you’re going.”
“I like where you’re going.” Her teeth glitter through her smile. I’d give anything to see her face light up more often, and if it takes me pouring out my affection on her, I’m more than willing to repeat the effort on a daily basis.
“Anyway”—she sighs, tugging down my jeans and pulling my dick free from my boxers like rescuing an animal from captivity—“I wanted you in the worst way. I thought the only way I could have someone like you was in my dreams, and, trust me, we had a few adventures there, too.”
I pluck the condom from my back pocket, and she takes it from me, tearing it open with her teeth.
“And here we are”—she holds the small rubber disc in the air like a prize—“with you on top of me, right where I’ve secretly wanted you from the beginning.”
“Cole Brighton at your service ready and willing to make all of your fantasies come true.” I float my fingers softly over her belly down to that heated slick between her thighs and glide over her.
Roxy gives a guttural moan as her body moves beneath me. Her eyes flutter into the back of her head as she takes in a breath and locks it in her throat.
“That mini orgasm you had when you first saw me?” I run my tongue over her mouth, and her lips open wanting more. “I want to apologize for that. It should have been much more pronounced. Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself. Let me make it up to you.” My fingers move over her wet spot until she’s gasping for air, her eyes opening every now and again with surprise.
“Look at me,” I whisper right over her lips.
Roxy’s lids flutter open. Her mouth parts just enough, and it takes far more restraint than possible for me not to kiss her.
“I want to see you come.”
Her eyes widen a moment as if she were embarrassed.
“Well, then”—she rolls the rubber over me in less than two seconds—“turnabout’s fair play.” Roxy guides me in, and I tuck my chin into my chest and close my eyes.
“Damn, you’re so f*cking tight.”
“Open those baby blues,” she says it harsh like a reprimand. “I want to see you come.” A tiny smile digs into the side of her cheek.
But I don’t have some smartass comeback. There’s not one coherent sound that can possibly make its way out of my throat. Instead, it takes all of my energy to keep my lids from sealing themselves shut. I stare down at Rox, at those bright-as-hell flashlights she sees the world through, those pillow-soft lips of hers blow out the softest vanilla scented breath, and I start to lose it. My fingers do their best to bring her right there with me, and I hold out until her head is moving in ecstasy, her breathing is erratic.
“Eyes on me.” I hardly grunt out the words.
Rox looks back up at me, her pupils dilated into twin black pools so deep and terrifyingly beautiful, I jump right in with my soul. Our future is buried in that expectant look in her eye, and I’ll do everything possible not to f*ck it up. We hold onto one another’s gaze like climbing Everest with threadbare rope. We don’t blink, falling faster, deeper.
Then it happens, her body bucks into mine, and I tremble over her in a fit of delirium like I have never known before.
“I love you, Cole Brighton.” She pants into my ear, hot and breathy.
“I love you, cupcake.” I press a wet kiss over her lips, her body still vibrating into mine. “I won’t ever let you forget it.”
She gives a hard sniff into my neck, and I pull back to find the moon highlighting a sheet of tears washing over her face. I don’t say a word, just kiss each one while Roxy holds on like she’s about to blow away.
I want to spend each day showing her just how special she is, just how much I love her. And I plan on spending my life doing just that.
Roxy has breathed new life into my world. I hope I can return the favor. I hope I can heal all the hurt buried deep inside her.
She’s already healed mine.