Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(19)
Author: Molly McAdams

“Wha–”

Carter turned and roughly pressed his mouth to mine. My eyes went wide and I pushed against his chest, trying to scramble back.

“What the hell?!”

He was still holding my upper arms, his eyes smoldering, “Blaze, I want you. I’ve wanted you since I met you last year.”

My jaw dropped and I shook my head, “What?”

“I love you Harper.”

“No you don’t, we’re not like that, you know that!”

“No…I don’t know that. I moved here for you, I followed you across the country so I could be with you.”

I glanced at the people looking at us and tried to quiet my voice, “Carter, you’re my best friend. Don’t do this. Don’t try to change things between us, let’s just go back to how we were.”

“Did you never understand anything I did for you? Did you not hear everything I’ve ever said to you?” He looked at me incredulously, “I have never thought of you as just my best friend, I even asked your dad if I could date you and he made it clear as long as I was in his unit, I couldn’t. But I knew you would be leaving soon, I knew that was our chance to be together.”

“Carter,” I said softly, “I love you, but not like that. You even said it yourself, I’m like your little sister.”

“You know I was lying. I had to because you didn’t even wait five f**king seconds before hooking up with the first guy that you came across.”

My jaw dropped, “Jason!” I hissed.

“Just give us a chance Blaze, I can love you and take care of you better than he can. Better than anyone can.”

“I’m in love with Brandon, but even if I wasn’t, I would never think of you that way. I’m so–”

His lips were on mine again, and I leaned as far back as I could, “Stop!” I yelled as I shoved him off me.

As soon as he was a few feet away, someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me back further at the same time that Brandon plowed into Carter with his shoulder, knocking both of them to the ground. Sean and another Marine, Anthony, were on top of Brandon trying to pull him off, followed closely by Drew and Zach. I shot forward but Derek held me to his chest telling me not to get in the middle of it. As they started pulling each other off, Brad came out yelling for everyone to back off. It took a few more party goers for the fight to end, Anthony and Sean held Carter back as he continued to lunge for Brandon, I was surprised to see he wasn’t bleeding anywhere. Brandon just stood there with his hands down at his sides.

“What…nothing?!” Carter hissed, “You claim to be some fighter, let’s see it!”

Brandon continued to not move or say anything.

“DO SOMETHING!” Carter yelled.

“Enough!” Brad’s voice boomed across the back yard. “Get out. The three of you need to leave. Now.” Looking around him he threw up his hands, “Never mind, everyone get out. Party’s over. If you do not live or stay here, get out!”

Everyone started shuffling in, keeping a distance from the two Marines dragging Carter away. He was still taunting Brandon, who was now standing beside me, replacing Derek’s arms with his own. He wasn’t stopping me like Derek had though, Brandon’s arms were full of warmth as his fingers made small circles on my side and back.

“You okay?” He asked softly, still watching Carter leave.

“I’m fine, did you hurt him?”

“All I did was keep him on the ground.”

I nodded and buried my face in his chest, “I swear I had no idea about any of that.”

He chuckled, “I know you didn’t know, doesn’t mean the rest of us didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like he said sweetheart, everything he says to you or about you is laced with how much he wants you. You just didn’t realize it because you thought you were only friends.”

I felt incredibly stupid. “How much of that did you see?”

“The whole thing, it just took me a while to get through everyone to you.” He tilted my head up and I was surprised to see a wide grin on his face as he leaned in closer to me, “And I love you too Harper, so much.”

A smile stretched across my entire face as I hurried to press my mouth to his, murmuring how much I loved him against his lips.

After everyone left, we cleaned up from the party quickly, but when the guys and Bree sat down to watch a movie, Brandon grabbed my hand in his and led me to his bedroom. Flipping off the light, he locked the door and changed with his back to me as I slipped into a tank top and shorts. When we were under his comforter, he wrapped his arms around me, pressing my chest to his.

“I’m sorry if you wanted to stay up with them, it’s just been a long day, and all I want to do is be with you.”

I pressed my face into his neck, placing a light kiss into the base of it, “This is perfect.” After a few silent minutes I laughed softly, “I really was starting to enjoy the parties here too. I guess I’ll have to go back to avoiding them, too much drama.”

“One of these days, everyone will get the hint that we’re not going to leave each other. They’ll back off.”

“I hope so.”

“I love you sweetheart.”

My heart soared, “I love you too.”

***

I slipped out of bed the next morning to use the restroom and freshen up a bit, smiling the entire time. I was still on cloud nine from Brandon telling me he loved me. I’d known I was in love with him for a couple weeks now, but I had been too afraid to tell him. I guess that was one thing I could thank Carter for, he made us skip the awkward moment of telling each other for the first time. Carter. I rolled my eyes. He’d left me ten voicemails and dozens of texts last night apologizing, and I hadn’t said one thing back to him. I hated what I’d lost from our friendship in North Carolina, but he was just too different now, I didn’t know how we could even continue on being friends, especially after what happened last night. I mentally shook myself as I pulled my hair back into a loose low bun, I didn’t want to think about him right now. I just wanted to go back to my boyfriend, and spend the weekend wrapped up in his arms.

After I shut and locked his bedroom door, I froze where I was, taking in the remarkable sight of Brandon. God he was sexy. His tanned upper body was bare, trailing my eyes down, I bit my bottom lip as I looked at his muscled V, leading down to his loose shorts, all but the waistband hidden by the comforter. My body started warming just looking at him, and all I could think about was running my hands and lips all over him. Looking down at myself, I made a decision to start this weekend off right. I slipped off my shorts and tank top, grabbing the gray and white button down shirt he’d been wearing last night, I pulled it on leaving all but one of the middle buttons undone. Glancing in the mirror, I decided to keep my hot pink satin underwear on, and pulled my hair out of the bun, giving it some fluff. Before I could talk myself out of it, I crawled onto the bed, one knee on either side of Brandon’s body, and placed my lips to his muscled stomach. His body twitched and I pressed my lips a little higher up the next time, smiling when he moaned in his sleep. I kissed my way up his body, he opened his eyes wide when I sat firmly on his lap and nipped at his throat.

“Harper.” He breathed as he stared into my eyes.

“Good morning.” I whispered and covered his mouth with mine.

He gripped my h*ps and moved slightly, trying to get more comfortable, he moaned and I gasped when his arousal pressed against me. I rocked my h*ps against him and my eyelids fluttered shut from the incredible feel of it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn’t want to stop. There was a slow burning that started low in my stomach and with each rock of my h*ps it grew greater. Brandon’s hands slid up my bare stomach, undoing the one button when he reached it, and continuing to my chest. He sat up, pressing his lips to the swell of my breast, exploring it before making his way to the other. My breaths were embarrassingly loud, but I couldn’t seem to care enough to try and stop it as he caught my nipple between his teeth. I arched my back and let my head fall back as I experienced each sensation for the first time. One of his hands trailed back to my hip to assist in my rocking, but I grabbed his hand in mine, grasping the side of my underwear and tugging on it. Realizing what I was doing, he slid me off his body and onto my back, he barely hovered above my side as he propped himself up on an elbow.

Brandon’s lips were on mine, his free hand trailing from my jaw to my underwear. When his fingers stopped at the top, I took his hand and moved them just inside of the satin, to let him know exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t even continue to kiss him as the burning in my stomach instantly increased when his fingers moved against me. A pressure I can’t explain started building between my legs and I moaned loudly when he slid a finger inside me, moving it in rhythm with my hips.

Minutes past and the sensation got to be too much, I didn’t know what was happening and part of me wanted him to stop, but the other part wasn’t ready yet, “God. Baby…I.”

His lips hovered over mine as he spoke softly, “It’s okay sweetheart, let go for me.”

I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but when I arched against his hand one more time, my entire body racked with an intense, exhilarating explosion. Brandon’s mouth on mine muted most of my pleasured cry as I gave over to the mind-blowing spasms continuing throughout my body.

That’s what he meant by let go. Oh. My. Word.

Brandon wrapped his arms around me and pulled me so I was half-lying on his chest. He kissed my temple and rubbed soft circles into my back. “I love you Harper.”

I nodded against his chest, still trying to get my breathing back to normal, “I…love you…so…oh wow.”

His silent laugh shook my body and he squeezed me tighter while bringing the comforter up around us. He peppered my cheek and jaw with kisses as he held me until my already completely relaxed body succumbed to sleep. Just before I gave in, I swear I heard him vow to love me forever.

6

“Why are you being like this?” I hissed.

He just continued to look at me like I was the biggest inconvenience possible, and I had no idea why.

“Did I do something to offend you? You haven’t said a word to me since Sunday.” And it was freaking Thursday, “You have been so bipolar lately, I don’t even know what to expect from you.”

Keeping his mouth shut, he raised one brow causing it to disappear under his shaggy hair. Chase and I had been having the most bizarre relationship lately and it was making my head spin. Bree had been taking me to her parent’s house for family day every Sunday for a month, and though it had been awkward at first when Claire, their mom, had hugged me as soon as I stepped in the door; I soon fell in love with her and her husband Robert. They were extremely loving, funny, and honestly I liked spending time with their family more than the parties at Chase’s house. Especially if they were like last week’s with Carter’s declaration of love.