“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”– Lucille BallPrologueBraxtonThree Years EarlierI had to leave her party before she continued shaking my world off its axis, or Bridger would beat my ass, and I wouldn’t even fight him back. She’s too fucking young for the likes of me. Rowen Jennings will be my downfall, wrapped up in the most dangerous way possible. The fire in the smoldering looks she sends my way when no one else is watching, those glances are for me, and only me. I’m not a fool though. She’s eight-fucking-teen, and I’m twenty-five. You do the math, there’s no way I’m going anywhere near her, not when she has a life to live, college to go to, and memories to make.
That doesn’t stop me from taking in her lithe body, her smooth skin, the curves of her ass and tits, the way her tiny bikini isn’t stopping my imagination from running wild. I’m so fucking screwed when it comes to Rowen. She knows it, and so do I. But I’m not going after her, even though I know she wants it now more than ever. I saw the way she would navigate towards me throughout the past year. Sure, I talked to her, but the minute she’d try to get closer to me, I left. There was no fucking way I’d mess with jailbait. I’m taking my last sip of beer, getting ready to call it a day, when a movement out of the corner of my eye stops me from what I’m doing.
“Are you leaving already?” Rowen’s voice is shy.
“Yeah, early day tomorrow. You having a good birthday?” I ask. She shrugs a shoulder, causing her tits to bounce in her white string bikini. My gaze immediately feasts on them.
“It could be better. You know our parents. They take it to the next level. I would have been happy with a small dinner.”
“It’s not every day you graduate high school and celebrate your birthday in the same month. I’m sure that had something to do with it.” Our bodies are gravitating towards one another. Her lush and pouty lips are practically begging to be kissed.
“Brax.” She knows my intentions. There’s no way I can deny her this. Hell, there’s no way I can deny myself a taste of her.
“Shit,” I groan. My hand is on her lower hip, my thumb gliding where I’m sure no man has ever been, where I shouldn’t be, but fuck if I don’t say, Screw it. Her skin is warm to the touch on this May afternoon that’s slowly turning into evening. I can’t tell if her body is red from the sun or if it’s a blush that’s overtaken her body, but it’s something I want to explore.
“Come here, Rowen.” My voice doesn’t sound like my own. She does what I demand without questioning me, and I know for a fact she’d listen to everything I say when we’re in the bedroom.
My body frames hers. My thumb doesn’t stop its path as it slides into the side of her bottoms. “Fuck,” I groan. She’s bare, completely fucking bare. I want my mouth on her pussy like it’s the last drink I’ll ever have.
“This for me, Rowen?” I question. Her body is slowly moving, her nipples puckered beneath her bathing suit top.
“God,” she purrs. She arches into my chest, rubbing those pretty tits of hers against me, chasing the orgasm I’m going to give her. My thumb finds her clit, wishing it were my lips wrapped around that bundle of nerves. This will have to do, for now.
“That’s not an answer, siren.” I stop my ministrations on making her come.
“Yes, Braxton, it’s for you.” With that, I give her exactly what she needs, my mouth landing on hers, taking her, owning her, and letting her know with my lips and tongue just what she does to me while her nipples are getting the attention they need against my naked chest, my thumb circling her clit, adding pressure when she moans into my mouth.
When she rips her mouth away from mine, coming on a long sigh, I make sure she knows she’ll be mine one day. Even if I have to fight my way through Bridger. It just can’t happen right now. I want her to live a little, explore what else the world has to offer, but she’ll know damn sure she’s it for me.
“Damn right, it’s for me. Only for me. You’ll wait for me too, won’t you,” I demand when she comes down off her high. I kiss her forehead, not wanting this to end, but I’ve already heard Bridger’s voice carry from the pool deck and I know she’ll need a minute so she doesn’t look freshly fucked.