Something like get pregnant.
Chapter Four
Cleo
I made up some excuse once at the drugstore, texting Mom that I ran out of tampons and had to go out and get reinforcements. Part of the lie was true, the part about reinforcements. Mom sent me a quick text back, and even though she’d been bummed about me waltzing out, she understood.
Mom: Want us to wait for you? Jaxen made omelets!
I couldn’t eat anything now, let alone anything made by my crazier-than-hell stepbrother. I told her no, but to enjoy herself. Meanwhile, I was mustering up the courage to ask the pharmacist for the morning after pill. This had to be some kind of nightmare, needing such a thing after only having sex once.
I am in my own nightmare.
A horror film filled with green eyes that looked like marble glass and a stepbrother crafted from the same gods who made hot Chrises. My stepbrother Jaxen was gorgeous. Crazy as fuck, but gorgeous. That couldn’t be denied, and if he hadn’t been my stepbrother and, I don’t know, been a decent human being to me and we’d been in a committed relationship, I could do worse than him to procreate with. That obviously wasn’t the scenario I was given so, forcing courage, I walked up to the drugstore counter. I lived in a pretty moderately sized town, but we mostly only had mom and pop stores on this end. Drugstores included.
I held my breath, hoping I didn’t know someone behind the counter. It’d been known to happen. Especially since my dad was a politician. I didn’t recognize the old man coming over though and smiling, I mumbled what I needed.
“I’m sorry. You’re going to have to say that again, young lady,” he said, cuffing his ear. “These old ears have been known to go on the fritz.”
I thought I’d literally die, but managed to grit out, “The morning after pill, please.”
He raised a finger, saying, “Just one moment,” before he walked away and left my face dying in heat. My phone buzzed while I waited, and I picked it up, seeing a text from Kit. Turned out I had a few, and I wasn’t surprised since I hadn’t gotten back to her last night after leaving the club with Jaxen.
Kit: So tell me you got laid. Because that is the only reason and I mean ONLY reason you’re excused for not texting me after leaving the club to get your mack on!
I cringed. Kit herself had been preoccupied most of the night. In fact, she’d had several guys all over her and when I texted her I was leaving with a guy myself she’d been floored. Jaxen and I left so quick in fact Kit hadn’t even gotten to meet him. Jaxen and I just connected so we left.
How had I gotten myself into this?
I knew. Because I was trying to be adventurous, get myself out of my comfort zone.
Me: We slept together, yes.
Kit: OMG! Virgin no more! Ah! I told you this year was going to be great! You’re walking with no fear in life now, lady! You got this!
Her excitement I could actually feel, Kit one of those who always walked before she could run. She was adventurous and did live life without fear. I’d always admired her for that since I consistently lived in my tight little box.
My fingers hovered over the text message, needing to tell her the truth. Fact of the matter was, I had more fear than ever.
I was pretty much worse than when I started.
“Okay, one morning after pill. Will that be all… Cleo?”
My gaze shot up, the old man no longer behind the counter, but a set of smoky brown eyes and a dashing grin.
And he held my morning after pill in his hands.
The Greek god literally lifted a finger, a slow dread as I took in his swept-back hair and chiseled jawline. I knew him too, and he clearly knew me.
We’d gone to high school together.
“Cleo Erikson-Fairchild,” the guy said, freaking Lawson Richards. This guy had been everything in school.
And I mean, everything.
Captain of the football team…
Check.