Touching Scars (36 page)

LK Gandy

Coming to Amazon by late February 2014

www.facebook.com/lkgandyauthor

PROLOGUE

“G
ATHER
AROUND
DONKEYS
! It’s time to make a toast.”

“There he goes again calling everyone a donkey. THAT SHIT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE,” my best friend Charlee yells back before rolling her gorgeous blue eyes and painting her lips a shade of ruby red, in a dingy mirror. To be honest I wasn’t so sure why he said it, myself. It’s just one of those things that you kind of go with after hearing day in and day out.

“Who knows Charlee. Just let the man think he’s funny. It’s what I do most of the time because it’s easier that way. Now let’s hurry up and get out there so he doesn’t start calling us another animal name. Your lipstick looks fine and I’m tired of smelling other peoples crap from the bathroom next to us,” I say as I scrunch my nose in disgust.

“You, my dear, may be onto something,” she says smacking her lips together. “Letting a man think he’s funny. Throw in a smile and nod every now and then, and laugh when you actually understand what he’s saying.” She turns her slim body toward me and her thick dark brown hair falls from her shoulders while saying, “maybe that’s why y’all have been together this long. Lord knows I wouldn’t be able to handle that mess standing over there-props girlfriend…major props!”

“That’s because he’s like an annoying little brother to you. When you find someone worth keeping you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Oh God….I heard ‘donkey’ again. Good thing we know how to run in heels. Get a move on it before he starts wandering through this whole bar yelling it out looking for us. It wouldn’t be the first time and you know it,” I said as I scooted her away from the mirror.

As we round the corner I can see our group of friends circled around Jaxx. Every time I look at him I smile. He’s been the perfect boyfriend for the past three years and we’re stronger than ever. Tonight was our last night as seniors at Vanderbilt University and we sure as hell couldn’t be happier to start our lives in the real world.

“Sawyer and Charlee! Get your cute little butts over here. I’m trying to make a toast” he yells out to us while moving his arms dramatically.

“Good thing I think of him as a brother, otherwise that butt comment would get him a swift kick in the junk...heel side up,” Charlee said to me through her teeth with a sarcastic smile plastered on her face. Just one of the many reasons I love her. I swear we are the same person in two different bodies. I have yet to meet another person that gets me like she does and accepts me for who I really am. We like to think of ourselves as having a triple S personality; Smart, sassy and a little bit smart-assy. Take it or leave it that’s who we are. Throw a little vulgarity in there and you’ve got us down to a science.

As I walk up next to Jaxx he wraps his arm around my waist and places his lips next to my ear. “Could you be any sexier? I swear you look more beautiful every time I lay eyes on you.” I smile and rest my head against his. Quickly he pulls back and looks at me with a grim expression. “Do I need to worry about my junk at all around Charlee? I know she heard my comment about cute butts. A man can never be too cautious when it comes to his junk you know.” I can feel his body become rigid like he’s preparing to defend his ‘parts’ already. All I can do is giggle at him because I know he’s completely serious.

“I think your ‘junk’ is safe for now Jaxx. But I’m not sure I’d push your luck honey. You know how we are,” I point at him and wink.

“Point taken. You two are definitely a breed of your own” he says as he squeezes my hand with a sly smile. One I’ve grown to know all too well as one of my favorites. That’s one thing I love most about Jaxx. He’s always smiling about something. It’s hard to catch him in a bad mood. Trust me, I’ve tried. It’s just not natural to be that happy all the damn time. “Alright donkeys! Now that we have everyone here let’s get this show on the road. Our last night as seniors and I’m stuck here spending it with you fuckers. Lucky me!” We all laugh because it’s typical Jaxx. Always the clown of the group. “Honestly though, I couldn’t imagine spending the last 3 years with a greater group of people. We’ve grown into a family, a pretty messed up family but one none the less, and I hope we continue to grace each other’s lives down the road when things start to become a little hectic. I only wish I would have known y’all when we first started as freshman. Another year of memories to add to the books would have made this experience even better. Sawyer,” he says as he turns toward me and looks in my eyes “the love of my life. I wish I would have met you when we were freshman so I could say that I’ve loved you from the beginning of our journey but the rest of our lives will have to do. I love you more than you’ll ever know.” I hear Charlee gagging in the corner and I smile. If I know her, and I do, there’s probably a finger in her mouth like she’s pretending to make herself throw up. She’s not fooling me, that girl’s a full blown sap when it comes to romance. Lifting his glass we all follow suit, “Here’s to the memories we’ve made and ones yet to come. The real journey starts tomorrow. Cheers!”

1

Present day in May

I
LOOK
AROUND
ME
AS
memories of that night start to fade away. I swear someone was talking to me. I haven’t gone crazy yet and started having imaginary people talk to me in my head, have I? Twenty eight is too young to start having mental breakdowns. I’d like to think or at least hope so. Oh Lord, please help me. I put my head down and try to look around the bar I’m sitting at inconspicuously. It’s one of the finer bars in downtown Nashville, which is exactly what I wanted for tonight. I needed to find a place where I knew Charlee wouldn’t think to look. Our favorite spots are more along the lines of a honky-tonk bar where an up and coming country artist is playing the guitar, singing their hearts out trying to convince record labels to sign them and wearing cowboy boots is a necessity. As I attempt to secretly look to my right there’s a man looking at me. He seems to be around my age in his late twenties but no more than that. He’s drinking whiskey and his dark suit fits his athletic build perfectly. His dark hair is short on the sides with just a bit of messy length on the top. It’s almost appears like he styles it that way on purpose. Less than a week of scruff adorns his strong, sexy features. Wait, did I just say sexy? I always have been a sucker for a nice scruff. Why am I even thinking about his facial hair like that? Get your shit straight woman, we’re not at the bar to look at facial hair- that’s just weird. His emerald green eyes are searching my own green tinted hazel eyes like he’s seeing something remarkable for the first time….or maybe familiar. I can’t quite put my finger on it but whatever it is, I welcome it.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something to me?”

“Well I was wondering if you were going into a coma over there. You haven’t moved in about forty-five minutes. Is everything alright?”

Had it really been that long? I look at my watch that’s made its way around to the underside of my wrist. I really need to get this thing sized. When you have wrists the size of a 6-year-old it’s hard to find anything that fits them properly. Thanks for that mom.

“Oh, wow. I hadn’t realized that it was so late. I guess I’ve been here for a bit longer than I thought.” Talk about embarrassing. I try to put my head down even further. There has to be a restroom nearby for me to go hide. Where’s Charlee when I need a rescue call to get me out of this situation? Oh that’s right; I told her I needed a night to myself. Way to go Sawyer, high five for that one! I look back up at the man because I can feel his eyes on me. Not in a perverted way, but one that seems almost curious.
Then again, I guess all perverts are curious. Gross, maybe I should be worried. Cross your legs Sawyer. Cross. Your. Legs. Wait…don’t perverts like legs? I’ve always been told I have beautiful legs. Why didn’t I wear pants to work today instead of this dress? Shit.

“Are you having a spell of some kind? You’re shifting around in that seat quite a bit.”

Great. That’s just what I need is for this smoking hot guy, oh great I’m getting worse, to think that I can’t keep still because I’ve got crotch rot or some other fungal issue going on down there that needs to be itched. I swear I get myself into the most awkward situations.

“Who, me? Oh no…no I’m fine.” I shake my head trying to assure him. There he goes with those eyes again. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such striking green eyes as the ones on this man. They are a vibrant emerald in the center with a darker hunter green ring around the rims.

“You might catch flies with your mouth if you keep it open like that much longer.”

My eyes widen as I process what he’s said to me. Did I really just get caught with my mouth hanging open while I was ogling his hotness? This night has seriously gone to shit. Where’s my purse, I need to go home and never come out from underneath my pillow. “I’m so sorry. I guess I’m still in a daze from earlier. Don’t pay me any mind.” Please do though, seriously. I stand up to leave and it’s as if he can hear my thoughts because the next thing out of his mouth is a deep throaty laugh that makes my knees weak.

“You’re going to check me out and then leave when I catch you in the act? Is that how this is going down?” He alternates pointing his finger at the both of us. “I don’t even know you’re name yet. I feel somewhat violated to be honest.” He jokingly starts to cover his private areas to prove his case.

Laughing at him I respond, “well, how is ‘this’ supposed to go down? You haven’t mentioned your name to me either. Maybe I’m the one that should feel violated since you were, after all, the one checking me out first.” Another laugh comes from his mouth and this time I notice his smile. There go my panties. I’ll have to switch those out when I get home. I’m a sucker for a nice scruff and I’m unquestionably a sucker for a man with a beautiful white smile, and this man has one.

“You got me on that one, but in all honesty it’s hard not to notice someone as beautiful as you. My name’s Branson. You’ll have to work a little harder to learn the last name though.” He takes a drink.

“Branson is it?” He smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back. “So Branson, what makes you think I even want to put in the effort to find it out to begin with? Maybe I enjoy a little mystery in my life. What will I need to know it for anyway?”

“Oh, you never know. A little mystery is good for a person. It keeps their mind wanting more, along with other things that might seem to be wanting more…”

“If I weren’t such a pervert myself, you might have actually made me blush. But since that’s not the case, my name is Sawyer. Don’t ask me for my last name because I’m not giving it to you,” I say with a cunning grin before sliding my arm over the bar and taking a sip of my cocktail. Take THAT Branson!

“So what brings you here tonight Sawyer? Surely a vivacious woman like you has at least one best friend with the same attitude. Ladies like that usually tend to stick together.”

“As a matter of fact, you’re right. I do have a best friend like that but I told her I needed a night to myself.” Please don’t ask me why…please. That’s not a story I like sharing with others, let alone a stranger.

“I’m going to take the look on your face as you not wanting me to ask why you’d want to spend the night alone. That or it’s too long to tell to a stranger.”

“Well aren’t you an intuitive man Branson. You’re right, it is too long to tell. But it’s also a personal matter I’m not fond of telling to begin with. So it seems you’re shit out of luck tonight.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m out of luck…just biding my time really. You’ll tell me eventually Sawyer, when you’re ready,” he says with a confident smile as he turns his body toward me in his chair. His legs are parted and I start to wonder what it would feel like to be standing between them right now loosening his silk tie with my hands and our lips inches apart. What the hell? Where did that come from? I’m pretty sure this drink is going straight to my lady parts. Calm yourself down there!

“I’m pretty sure I won’t be ready to tell you by the time I leave here, which is something I should probably be doing right now actually.” I glance at my watch again to look convincing. Leaving his vicinity is the last thing I want to be doing.

“I didn’t say it would be tonight,” he says sliding his hand over my wrist covering my watch. My entire body heats up reacting to his touch. “I have a feeling we’ll be spending more time together before long. “

Stay calm Sawyer, just stay calm. Normally that would make a man sound like a creeper, but coming from his mouth it’s something I wish were true. The underlying tones of sexual promise are killing me slowly. Who does that when you first meet someone? Then again Branson could have any girl he wanted with his looks and charm. Damn it he’s not supposed to be charming, too.

“Well good luck with that Branson. I really should be going home now it’s pretty late and I have work in the morning.” I open my purse and turn to slide cash across the bar to pay for my drink that I hardly drank any of. When I turn back around I’m looking straight into a brick wall of a suit covered chest. Branson is standing in front of me and smiling. Holy SHIT he is tall! I didn’t notice his long legs when we were sitting but now I sure as hell do. He has to be at least 6’5” and he towers over me. I’m not short for girl standards at 5’7” but he makes me feel small. His suit seems to hug his body in all the right places and it makes my body shiver in anticipation. I really need to find out where he gets his suits and thank the man who tailors them….maybe give him a medal.

“Can I walk you to your car Sawyer?”

“Well you’re already standing, so I suppose that’d be alright. Don’t get any ideas though, I’ve taken some martial arts classes.” No I haven’t.

“No funny business, roger that.” He winks then opens the door for me to step outside and places his hand on the small of my back guiding my way. I’m not a clumsy person but with his hand there and my mind wandering in places it shouldn’t…scratch that, should always be, I might make an ass out of myself by falling on the sidewalk. He leans down to whisper in my ear before we step out of the door. “If I haven’t told you yet, you look beautiful in that dress Sawyer.” Chills cover my body.