Page 17

Ellie

I’ve been sitting here for the past hour watching Jaydon and Ryan do all the work.

They just finished loading up all my belongings and boxes into the back of their trucks.

Haleigh and I took a carload to Jaydon’s earlier, but when we returned, they had just about everything down the stairs and loaded on the trucks.

I had to have the rest of my things moved out of the house by this afternoon, and we are right on time.

I’m fucking exhausted. Haleigh and I stayed up way too late last night watching movies again, and I eventually fell asleep on her couch.

Since all of my things are packed up, I’ve been staying with Haleigh and Ryan for the past few nights.

Jaydon and Ryan did all the heavy lifting and carried most of my things down the stairs.

Haleigh carried a few small bags, but we wouldn’t let her do much.

Hell, the guys hardly let me carry my own things.

Now, I’m just sitting on the front porch beside Haleigh, admiring Jaydon’s strong body and the way his muscles ripple when he lifts the heavy boxes into his truck.

He puts the final box into the back of his truck and brushes his hands on his jeans.

Damn, why is that so sexy?

His body shakes with laughter when he turns towards Ryan. I’m sure he said something dumb as hell because they both start laughing.

“Ells, I’m so tired, and the baby is starving.” She rubs her stomach. “What are we doing for lunch?”

Food sounds so good right now. I haven’t had food all day, and by the sound of my stomach, everyone probably knows by now.

“I don’t care at all. We can do pizza again if you want. I know we just had it the other night, but I’m starving…. so, I don’t care.”

Ryan walks towards us, to where we’re sitting on the front steps, and a huge grin forms on his face. He’s looking directly at his wife, who has a hand on her swollen belly. I’m so happy they worked out; they went through hell to get back to one another, but it was worth it in the end .

I pray one day I find a love like theirs. It’s just hard to fathom when you grow up in a broken household. I don’t know if I will ever get married.

I talked with my mom earlier this morning; she said they made it to California and are settling in. She still wants me to come and live with her. She even told me Breanne wanted me to move in with them as well, but I know it was a lie.

“Alright, ladies… we are all loaded up,” Ryan says before bending to give Haleigh a kiss on her forehead.

“Great, 'cause Ellie and I are starving.” Her eyes cut over to me.

“Yeah, I haven’t had anything all day. I kinda feel a little bit dizzy, actually.”

The house has been completely emptied of food for days now, and I should have eaten breakfast this morning, but I was running late as usual. I’m a fucking mess, I know.

The guys were up and ready to roll early, and I couldn’t make them wait. Now I'm just starving, and I'm sure my sugar is low. It happens from time to time.

“Oh, well, make sure Jay drives you then. You need to eat something, Ells.”

Just then, Jaydon comes walking over.

“What are you signing me up for now, Haleigh?”

“I said, you need to drive Ellie; she hasn’t eaten all day and is lightheaded. We can get her car later. We both want pizza, so Ryan and I will stop to grab it on the way back to your house.”

“Alright… sounds good, come on, Ellie,” Jaydon holds his hand out for me to grab, but I just stare at it. “You need me to carry you to the truck, too?” he gives me the sexiest wink I’ve ever seen.

“Very funny, I can walk myself.” With an arched brow, I stay seated on the porch stairs.

He stares at me for a second, running his teeth along his bottom lip, his dimpled smirk displayed on his face.

He's normally clean-shaven, but today I can see the slightest stubble on his face. Hot as hell. Then he quickly reaches up and spins his hat backwards.

Fuck.

He's sexy as hell.

Oh my god, the things I can imagine this man doing to me with that hat sitting backwards on his head. A sly grin is surely plastered on my face with all the naughty thoughts going through my mind.

He’s just standing there silently, staring at me with a look in his eye. He steps closer and closer until he’s right in front of me. Then he quickly bends down, putting his shoulder against my chest. A breath escapes me, and I’m up in the air and over his shoulder before I know it.

“Jaydon, put me down!” I scream at him, but it’s no use. I’m hanging over his shoulder already on the way to his truck. “Haleigh, it’s not fucking funny!” I yell back when I hear her laughter. “Put me down, Jay!”

“Calm the fuck down, Ellie.” I can hear the mockery in his voice as I squirm, smacking his back, but he just tightens his grip and continues on.

As soon as we get to the other side of his truck where nobody else can see, I feel the sharp sting of his large hand connecting with my ass.

“What the fuck, Jay!” I can feel his shoulders bounce with laughter as he opens the passenger side door to put me in.

“Keep your head ducked down… I’m putting you in.” Then I slide off his strong shoulder onto the seat of his truck. I mouth, “ asshole,” but he just chuckles and winks at me once more before shutting the door.

I’m so confused by the way he treats me. One minute, he acts like he can’t stand me, and the next, he acts like he might actually care about me.

Up until now, the ride has been quiet.

He glances over in my direction with one hand on the steering wheel. “Why ya so quiet, Peachy? ”

We’re still riding down the back road that takes me away from my childhood home.

“Ugh, I’m just thinking… that’s all…” I stare out into an open field, the trees lining the fields flying by as we drive past. The humming of his truck tires somehow seems soothing to me.

“What about?” he pries further.

My eyes cut to him. “Why do you care what I’m thinking about?”

“Because maybe I care more than I let on sometimes…” he shrugs.

Maybe he does, but it still doesn’t change the fact that he was fucking around with my sister.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” I turn back to the window.

“Come on, Peachy… what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

I sigh, knowing he’s not going to stop until I give him something.

I quickly glance his way. “I don’t know, Jay…

Just about, I don’t know where my life is taking me.

I have no idea what I’m going to do. Or how I’m going to find a place of my own.

My life is kinda fucked up right now.” A sad laugh escapes me as I think about how messed up everything is right now, it feels like a bad dream, and I just can’t fucking wake up.

“I don’t know… I just don’t really want to talk about it anymore, though.

Can’t we just talk about something else? ”

He grunts. I glance over at him driving, as he’s staring out at the road ahead.

I take in the gorgeous view beside me. My eyes always lock on those arms of his.

He has one arm casually hanging out of the window and the other on the wheel.

I find myself biting my bottom lip. The ink that decorates his arms pulls me in, and I want so badly to reach over and run my hand along the popped veins and muscles.

My best friend’s brother, who has been the biggest asshole to me for years, is now offering me a place to live. I can’t wrap my head around this situation.

“Alright, tell me what you want to talk about then. We still have a little bit before we get home.”

Home. That one word sends emotions swirling through me, but I quickly shake them off.

I huff deeply. “I don’t really care, Jay. Whatever.” My tone sounding more irritated than I truly am.

“Alright, truth or dare?”

A giggle burst out of me; my eyes cut over hard to him. “What are we fucking ten?”

“Oh, come on, Ellie, amuse me,” he grumbles.

“Okay, whatever… go ahead, truth.”

I know the wheels are turning in his head when he glances over my way, that sexy fucking smirk plastered on his face, his eyes tighten and glance down to my lap, “Why did you wear those tight-as-fuck leggings today? I couldn’t even focus anytime you bent over… ”

My jaw drops. “Oh my god, Jay! Are you fucking serious right now?”

“Of course, I’m fucking serious, Peachy… that’s why I told you to go sit your ass down.”

My palm hits my forehead. “Jaydon!”

“Yeah, I know… my fucking dick was getting hard every time you bent over to pick something up.” His laugh is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

Butterflies start to dance through my body.

“Jaydon, stop! Don’t tell me this kinda shit… I have to live with your ass!”

My scolding does nothing, because he just laughs even harder.

I can’t even be pissed because the smile on my face is even brighter than it has been over the past month. What the hell am I getting myself into, living with this sexy fucking asshole?

“Okay, your go… truth or dare?” I quickly say, desperate to change the subject.

“I’ll go with truth.” He says, quickly glancing over at me.

My face falls serious. “Why did you ask me to move in with you?” I pause, my voice softer now.

I truly want to know.

I feel like we are so at odds most of the time, and I can’t fathom why he would even want me to stay with him. I’m sure I will be messing up his game of bringing all his latest conquests home.

His shoulder slowly rises with a shrug, and I don’t miss the fact that he doesn’t look at me when he speaks this time.

“You needed a place, and I had one, simple as that.” His words come out in a rush.

He reaches for the volume on the stereo, blasts the local country music station, then starts singing along.

I take that as my cue. I know our little game of truth or dare is over. He almost seems uncomfortable right now, and that’s very unlike him. It makes me wonder if something else is going on that he’s not telling me.