Breaking Shaun (21 page)

Moving closer, I tilted my head down, so I could feel her breath on my skin. Licking my bottom lip, I fought the urge to kiss her. My dick was definitely hard now, and we hadn’t even touched. Slowly, I inched closer and closer, and I waited to see if she’d turn away, but she didn’t.

At the last second, I turned toward her ear and murmured, “Best birthday gift so far.” I lightly brushed my nose against the side of her neck and let my lips touch her skin.

I felt her body tense in front of me before she asked, “What?”

“Your dress,” I told her as I moved my gaze down her body.

I still had her trapped against the island, and I knew she didn’t like it. She never liked when I had the upper hand.

“Oh, so I guess you don’t want the glow-in-the-dark condoms I bought you.” She grinned at me with mischief in her eyes.

“Only if you help me use them,” I whispered as I watched her plump lips.

“Ahem.”

Natalie and I both turned our heads to see Asia and Alexis standing in the doorway. Natalie blushed and looked down at her beer, but I didn’t move.

“You need something?” I asked Asia as she looked at us.

“Yeah. I need you to stop harassing your
friend
in my kitchen, so I can get the food ready,” Asia replied, giving me her usual attitude.

I heard Natalie laugh, and I turned to look at her. I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “We’ll finish this later.”

I could feel Shaun watching me the entire night, and every time our eyes met, I knew my resistance was failing.

That moment in the kitchen when his lips had brushed my neck had taken everything I had not to press my mouth against his and let him have me. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I thought it had more to do with the way he looked tonight. His new haircut had taken me by surprise. It looked edgy and incredibly sexy, and it only accentuated the bone structure of his handsome face, which made fighting him that much harder.

I decided I was done fighting him though. If I wanted a new and exciting life, I’d have to learn to take risks. Maybe sleeping with someone like Shaun could be my first step, my first leap of faith.

I can handle him.

My hormones were getting the best of me.

I spent most of the night watching the party happen rather than participating in it. I felt like an outsider, and I supposed I was. Shaun’s entire family was together, laughing and having a good time. I was envious of the relationships they all had. It amazed me how I’d managed to live my entire life around people, yet I still felt so alone. This person I’d become was more like a character I was portraying, a façade. Sometimes, I wondered how much longer I had before people saw the vulnerability I tried so hard to keep hidden.

By the end of the night, everyone had gone home since most of them had to be at work the next morning. The only people left were Shaun, Marcus, Asia, and me. Shaun was very drunk. Marcus was in the kitchen with him, trying to pry a bottle of tequila from his hands, and I was in the living room with Asia, cleaning up the mess from the party.

“What the fuck?” Shaun yelled from the kitchen.

Asia looked at me and rolled her eyes before continuing to pick up paper plates and plastic cups. When our hands were full, we walked into the kitchen to put things away. Marcus was leaning against the sink and looking down at Shaun, who was now sitting on the floor with his back to the cabinets. He was laughing about something, but I had no idea what.

“Shaun, you need to drink some water before you puke,” Asia told him as she stepped over his legs and threw things in the trash.

“I’m fine,” he slurred as he looked up at me. “Isn’t that right, Killer?”

“You look kind of drunk to me.”

He scoffed. “Pffft. I’m not drunk. I’m just a little buzzed. What happened to the party? Where did everyone go?”

Asia stood above him with her hand on her hip. “They all went home, dipshit. Just a little buzzed, my ass.”

“Hey!” Shaun shouted at her. “It’s my birthday! You’re supposed to be nice to me.”

“I am being nice to you!” she shouted back. “I threw you a fucking party, didn’t I?”

Shaun sighed and leaned his head back against the cabinets.

“Hey, man. Don’t pass out there. Come on, let’s get you into a bed,” Marcus said, reaching down to lift Shaun onto his feet.

Once he stood, Shaun pushed Marcus’s hands off of him. “I don’t need help standing up. I’m good.”

Asia reached into his pocket for his keys.

“What the fuck?” Shaun said as he swayed and moved to lean on the counter behind him.

“Shaun, you aren’t going home. Just sleep here,” Asia said, grabbing his arm to lead him out of the kitchen.

He jerked his arm free and refused to move. “I’m not a fucking kid. I’m fine.”

Asia groaned and turned to look at Marcus for help.

“I can take him home,” I said, trying to help.

Shaun’s glazed eyes moved to mine, and he smiled.

“Hell yeah. Did you hear that? Natalie here is going to take me home. ’Cause she’s my
friend
. And that’s what
friends
do!” he said, emphasizing the word
friend
as he glared at Marcus.

Marcus knew it was pointless to respond, so instead he looked at me. “Are you sure? I can drive him.”

“Yeah, it’s okay. I’m a bartender. I’m used to dealing with drunks.”

“He’ll probably pass out in your car,” Marcus said, watching Shaun.

Shaun picked up a beer and took a swig, seeming completely oblivious to the conversation.

“I’ll be fine. Really,” I assured him. “Just help me get him to my car.”

“Here,” Asia said, handing me Shaun’s keys. “Take his car in case he pukes. We’ll make sure you get your car back tomorrow.”

I laughed as I took the keys from her. “Okay.”

Before letting go, Asia examined my eyes. “You’re sober, right?”

I had only drunk a few beers, and my last one was over two hours ago. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“All right, if you’re sure.”

“Jesus Christ. Can we just go already?” Shaun groaned as he started walking out of the kitchen and toward the front door.

We followed him out of the house and to his car where he got into the passenger seat and closed the door.

“Just call if you need any help,” Marcus told me as he put his arm around Asia’s waist.

Asia gave me directions to Shaun’s apartment as I made my way to the driver’s side.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” I assured them as I opened the door.

I slid in beside Shaun. His seat was so far back that I couldn’t even reach the pedals. After spending a few seconds adjusting it and getting my seat belt fastened, I finally put the key in the ignition and turned on the car. Shaun sat quietly as he watched me. I put the car in reverse, and when I went to drive away, I waved at Marcus and Asia, who were still standing in their driveway.

Shaun flicked them off and muttered, “Go to bed, fuckers.” He gave them a fake smile.

Asia stuck her tongue out and returned the middle finger while Marcus just shook his head and laughed.

I couldn’t help but grin. Shaun was a funny drunk just like his sister.

“You finally got me right where you want me,” he said.

I turned the car out of the neighborhood and onto the main road. I laughed and shook my head but didn’t say anything.
Maybe I do finally have him where I want him.

“So, now what? You gonna take me home and take advantage of me?” he asked, sliding his hand onto my bare thigh.

I tried to ignore the reaction my insides were having to his hand on me, but it was hard. I pushed Shaun’s hand off my leg, and he started laughing.

“I dunno why you bother pretending, Natalie. You know you want me inside you just as much as I want to be there. Stop worrying so much, and just do what feels good. Follow your instincts. Stop thinking so damn much.”

“You really want to be drunk the first time you fuck me?” I asked, peering over at him before returning my eyes to the road.

He sat silently for a few seconds. “Good point. But at least now you know we’ll be fucking,” he slurred.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel. I hadn’t expected him to be coherent enough to pick up on that. I was just hoping to get him to agree to go into his apartment and sleep.

A few minutes later, Shaun passed out in his seat with his head tilted back on the headrest. After finding his building, I parked his car as close as I could.

I went around to the passenger side to open the door. “Shaun! Wake up! You’re home! Come on! Time to get up!” I had learned that shouting short commands to drunk people was the best way to get them to follow directions.

Shaun lifted his head and squinted up at me from his seat. “Damn. Stop yelling at me,” he grumbled as he unfastened his seat belt before getting out of his car.

Luckily, he lived on the first floor, so we didn’t have to tackle any stairs. Once we reached his door, I found the right key and unlocked it for him. He stumbled in his front door and plopped down on his couch.

“Okay, I’m going to go now,” I said as I stood just inside the door.

His apartment looked exactly how I had imagined it would. It was the typical bachelor pad with surfboards, a big screen TV, PlayStation 3, and…that was about it.

“Wait, where are you going?” he asked as he moved to sit up.

“What do you mean, where am I going? I’m going home.”

“How are we supposed to fuck if you aren’t here?”

I laughed. “I guess we won’t.”

“Hey. You can’t leave me like this. I’m drunk. What if I piss myself or choke on my puke or something? It’s my birthday. What kind of friend leaves someone alone on his birthday?” he asked, pouting.

I knew he wasn’t that drunk, but to be honest, I didn’t really want to leave. I just knew it would be the smart thing to do.

Shaun’s words echoed in my mind,
Stop thinking so damn much.

“Fine. But you are sleeping out here, and I’m taking your bed.”

Shaun’s face lit up, and he smiled. “Really?”

“Yes. Now, go to sleep.”

“Will you get me some water first?” he asked me, pouting again.

Seriously?
He’s going to pay for this tomorrow.

Sighing, I went into his kitchen and filled a glass with water before bringing it to him on the couch. He took it and chugged the entire glass before slamming it on the table beside him.

“Thanks, Killer.” He grinned at me.

What the hell did I get myself into?