Beautiful Mess (23 page)

“Me
too,” Bri whispered back, her mind and emotions spinning.

“Want
to get out of here for a few minutes?”  He trailed soft kisses along her
shoulder and up her neck, causing her to shiver.  He lifted his head to
look at her and she nodded.  “Wait a few minutes, and then meet me outside
the gym, in the hall with the coaches’ offices.”

“Okay,”
she managed to get out.    

He
smiled at her, his eyes gray pools of desire.  “See you in a minute,
then.”

Bri’s
body protested as Cole reluctantly released her and walked away.  Standing
there alone, she felt suddenly hollow and empty.  She took a deep breath,
and willed herself to go find Nick.  He was still huddled with his friends
and didn’t seem to have noticed Bri dancing with Cole.  She walked up and
tapped Nick’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Hey. 
I’m going to go to the ladies room.  I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Okay,”
he smiled.  “But be prepared to light up that dance floor when you get
back!”

Bri
returned his smile, and then all but ran out of the gym.  She turned down
the dark hall, her heart beginning to pound, and found Cole waiting for her.

“In
here,” Cole opened one of the office doors.  “This is Coach Davies office,
and luckily for us, he gave me a key.”  He closed and locked the door
behind them.

“And
I’m sure this is just the kind of situation he envisioned when he gave you that
key to his office,” Bri teased, backing further into the room.

Cole
stalked her with his eyes.  “Definitely,” he grinned wolfishly at
her. 

Bri
and Cole stood there, fixed on each other for a moment, before rushing to each
other.  Their lips met and all the pent up desire and frustration from the
evening came pouring out of both of them, taking over.  Heat and
electricity flickered between them as they devoured each other.  Cole
moaned as Bri sucked and nipped at his perfectly delicious bottom lip. 
Cole’s lips then moved to her neck and trailed down her bare shoulder.

“Do
you know how beautiful you are?” he asked in between kisses.  “I couldn’t
take my eyes off you all night.”

“I
couldn’t keep my eyes off you either,” Bri replied through kisses of her own.

“I’ve
been dying to get you alone all night.”  Cole went to work on her earlobe,
sucking on her new favorite spot just behind.  “It’s killing me, not being
able to be near you, not being able to touch you or kiss you.”  He
recaptured her lips hungrily, making her knees weak.  After a few minutes
of mind blowing kissing, Cole pulled back and cupped Bri’s face in his
hands.  “I promise you this won’t last forever.  One day, very soon,
we’ll be able to come to a dance as a couple, and walk through the halls at
school together, and make out in front of everyone,” he smiled. 

“This
is killing me, too.  If I have to watch one more girl try to fondle you, I
might just lose it.  But,” Bri reached up, cupping his hand with her own,
“after watching what Serena did to Alli tonight, I understand why you want us
to keep this secret.  Not that I want to let Serena run our lives, but,
thanks for looking out for me.”

“I’ll
always try and protect you.”  Cole leaned in and planted a kiss on her
lips.  “I’d never let anyone hurt you.  Now, we don’t have much time,
and I haven’t gotten nearly enough of you yet.” 

“Well,
then, we’d better take care of that,” Bri replied coyly, before turning her
full attention back to his lips.

A
few blissful minutes later, Bri and Cole managed to tear themselves apart, and
Bri snuck back into the gym.  She was immensely grateful for the dark
room, because she was certain her face was still flushed.  She managed to
locate Nick, and headed over.  But her eyes followed Cole as he entered
the room shortly after and strolled over to Alli.  His eyes found hers,
and he smiled.

After
the dance, Nick drove Bri home, walked her to her door, and gave her a hug
goodbye.  Relieved that the night was finally over, Bri let herself into
her dark house, and went straight to her room.  As she emptied out her
clutch, she noticed that she had missed a text.

I
missed you tonight, Beautiful.  Meet me for breakfast tomorrow?  I
still have to give you your b-day present.

Definitely! 
Although, you already gave me what I wanted. ;)

Well,
I have more of that whenever you’d like!  I’ll pick you up tomorrow at
11:00.

Perfect! 
Can’t wait!  Goodnight, Cole.

Sweet
dreams, Ambria.

Thoroughly
exhausted, Bri drifted off to sleep, her dreams filled with visions of Cole and
his expert lips. 

Cole
picked Bri up the next morning, and drove her to a local bagel shop. 

“So,”
he said around a bite of bagel.  “What are your plans for Christmas? 
Are you going anywhere?”

“My
family is, but I’m not.”  Bri’s dad had let her in on the good news a
couple of days ago.

“What
do you mean?  You’re not going with your family?”  Cole was visibly
perplexed.

“No. 
My dad and Summer are taking the boys up to Fresno to visit Summer’s
parents.  They’re leaving the day after Christmas and will be gone until
Sunday.”

“And,
you don’t want to go with them?”

“It’s
more like I wasn’t invited.”  Bri dropped her eyes.

“What?” 
Cole was outraged.

“Well,
it’s not like I want to go anyway.  Summer’s parents aren’t my family, and
I certainly have no desire to spend time with them.”  She wasn’t sure why
Cole was so mad.

“Still,
it’s the principle of the thing.”  He reached over and held Bri’s
hand.  “I don’t understand your parents, especially your dad.  You
are a part of that family, and deserve to be treated as such.  You’re not
just some... live-in boarder or something.  They shouldn’t be excluding
you like this.  It’s wrong.  And your dad should know better,” he
huffed.

Bri
smiled, warmed by his concern.

“Well,
it isn’t all bad.  They
are
leaving me alone for five days. 
I’ll have the house all to myself.”  She looked up at him through her
lashes.  “You could come keep me company.”

Cole
grinned.  “As much as I’d love that, I have a better idea.  My dad
and I go to Catalina every year for Christmas.  My dad’s friend has a
large boat, and we all go spend a week there for Christmas.  Come with
us!”  His eyes lit up.

“What? 
Really?”

“Yes. 
Now, you should know that this is your birthday present.  So to say no
would be refusing my gift to you, and would therefore be a rejection of me, so
consider carefully how you respond.”

Bri
laughed.  “Okay, I highly doubt my dad will go for this, but assuming he
does, where is Catalina, and how would I even get there?”

“It’s
an island off the coast just south of here.  There is a ferry that you can
take out on Wednesday, and I’ll meet you when you get there.  Then, you
can stay on the boat with us, and I’ll take the ferry back with you on
Saturday.  What do you think?”

“Um,
shouldn’t you call your dad and his friend and make sure it’s okay, first?”

“Already
taken care of.  Scott and Sharon would love it if you could join us. 
They have two kids about our age, so you’ll have plenty of company.  And
my dad is really happy you might be coming.  He even offered to call your
dad and help convince him to let you come.”  He looked at her
pleadingly.  “Please Bri, say you’ll come?”

She
couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face.

“Three
days on a boat with you?  How could I say no to that?”

“Yes!” 
Cole leaned across the table and kissed her.  “I’ll have my dad call yours
today and invite you.  And don’t worry, Jimmy can talk anyone into
anything!” he winked.  “Scott and Sharon will be happy.  They’ve
heard a lot about you and are dying to meet you.”

“Great,”
Bri replied.  “You better be telling them good things.”

“Only
the best!  But now I’m going to make you wait until Catalina to get your
Christmas present.”

“You
got me a present?”  Bri was surprised.  She’d thought about getting
Cole something, but wasn’t sure they were to that point in their relationship
yet.

“Of
course!  What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t get my girl a
present?” Cole scoffed.

Bri
froze.  “Boyfriend?”  She felt a flutter of panic.

His
eyes widened as he realized what he said.

“Is
that okay?” he asked hesitantly.

“Um...
I...” she stammered, not sure how to answer.

“Look
Bri.  I’ve already told you that there’s no one else for me but you. 
I don’t want to date anyone else.  Is there anyone else you are dating
right now?”

“Um,
no,” Bri replied.

“Is
there anyone else you want to date?”  Cole looked a little worried.

“No,”
she smiled, not even needing to think about her answer.  She saw relief in
Cole’s eyes.

“Well,
then,” he sounded more confident now, “if you don’t want to date other people,
and I don’t want to date other people, what’s so wrong with calling us what we
are?”

She
thought about that for a minute, and couldn’t come up with a rational argument
against it.

“You
want me to be your girlfriend?” she asked, warming up to the idea.

“In
the worst way.”  He leaned forward, eagerly awaiting her answer.

“Okay,”
she smiled.

“Really?” 
Cole beamed with excitement, and Bri’s heart melted.

“Really.” 

And
to put away any lingering doubt, Bri leaned across the table and kissed
him. 

Jimmy
did call Connor, and was able to convince him to let Bri come to Catalina with
them.  The down side was that Bri had to endure a very awkward sex talk
with her dad, although as far as he knew she and Cole were just friends. 
Bri was therefore forced to reiterate to her dad that she was not having sex,
nor did she intend to start any time soon.  The whole mortifying exchange
almost made the trip not worth it.  Almost.

Christmas
arrived, and Bri enjoyed watching her family open their gifts.  Liam and
Logan especially loved the Hot Wheels race track she’d gotten them, and they
tackled her with hugs.  Bri got a new smartphone, a new laptop, and a
wireless Bose SoundLink, which she was ecstatic about.  The first chance
she got, she called Cole with her new phone to wish him a Merry
Christmas.  Then she called Layla and they compared presents.  Bri
spent the rest of the day downloading apps and music for her phone, and playing
cars and watching movies with her brothers.  Summer even made a good turkey
dinner.  It was a nice, relaxing day, and Bri went to bed happy, content,
and excited for her trip.

She
woke the next morning with a huge smile on her face.  She got showered and
ready, and packed her bag before heading out to the kitchen for
breakfast.  After everyone finished, she helped her dad get their SUV
loaded up, kissed her brothers and dad goodbye, and waved the family off as
they took off for Fresno.  She then threw her duffle bag in her car and
headed off for the ferry that would take her to Catalina, and to Cole.

Bri
was surprised to find the ferry to Catalina was more like a giant speedboat on
steroids.  It was huge and
fast
.  The ferry pulled into the
dock in Avalon, and Bri grabbed her bag and disembarked.  As she walked
down the dock, she scanned the crowd and noticed a sexy, dark haired guy
leaning against a nearby tree, grinning at her.  Though Cole’s eyes were
hidden behind his sunglasses, Bri could feel them as they traveled over her,
and her heart gave a jump. 

“Hey
there.”  Smiling, she walked up to him.  “Have you been waiting
long?”

“Days,”
he smiled back at her before pulling her to him and kissing her deeply. 
Bri sighed into him, feeling complete again.  Reluctantly they pulled
apart, aware of the crowd around them.  “Come on, this way.”  Cole took
Bri’s bag from he, grabbed her hand, and led her away from the dock. 

As
they walked along the shop lined street, Bri took in the quaint little
town.  The beach was off to the right, and there was a long pier in the
middle of it that jutted out into the bay.  The bay was full of boats of
all sizes, anchored in neat rows, along with a few small docks filled with
various watercraft for rent.  The left side of the long street was full of
shops and restaurants, selling everything from souvenirs to high end
clothing.  Bri even spotted a grocery store and pharmacy. 

“What’s
that?”  Bri pointed to a beautiful, round, red roofed building that stood
out on the other end of the bay. 

“That’s
the famous Casino.”

“Casino? 
It doesn’t look like anything in Vegas.”

“Not
that kind of casino.  No gambling, but it does have a museum and a movie
theater.  I’ll take you sometime.  But first, are you hungry?”

“Actually
I am.”

“Good. 
I hope you like fish and chips!”  Cole led Bri out onto the pier where
they ordered lunch from a large seafood stand. 

“Mmm,
this is delicious!” Bri managed between bites of flakey fish.  “I’ve never
been much of a seafood fan, but this is great!”

“Nothing
like freshly caught fish,” Cole agreed.

They
finished their lunch and continued down the street until Cole turned them onto
a wooden dock surrounded by small boats. 

“The
dinghy is down at the end.” 

“Dinghy?”
Bri laughed at the unfamiliar word.

“Hey,
that is a very serious nautical term and nothing to be laughed at,” Cole
reprimanded in mock seriousness.  He stopped by a small boat and tossed
Bri’s duffle bag in.  “Here, hop in.”  He held her hand and helped
her in before untying the dinghy and hopping in, quite literally,
himself.  He started the engine, pulled away from the dock, and steered
out into the marina where the larger boats were moored.

As
they got closer, Bri saw that most of the boats were decked out in Christmas
lights.  She couldn’t wait to see them all lit up at night.

“This
place is great!”  She watched Cole as he maneuvered the dinghy around the
water.  “No wonder you and your dad do this every year.” 

“Yep,
it’s one of our favorite traditions.  We go fishing and scuba diving,
sometimes golfing.  It’s relaxing here, slower.  It’s nice.” 
His dark hair was being whipped about by the breeze.  Dang, he looked
good.

“So,
you drive dinghies, fish, golf, and scuba dive, too?  Any other hidden
talents?”  She eyed him, surprised that she didn’t know this about him.

“Of
course!  But if I told you, it would ruin all the mystery!”  He
kissed her briefly, before steering them up to a large, beautiful boat. 
Bri saw the words Sharlene LaRue painted in a beautiful gold on the back. 
Cole tied up the dinghy, grabbed her bag, then stepped out and helped Bri onto
the boat. 

He
opened a pair of wooden sliding doors and Bri stepped into a warm, cozy
cabin.  On one side was a rectangular dining table with booth-style
seating around three sides.  Directly behind the eating area was a small
kitchen.  Across from the table were two comfy looking armchairs and a TV
mounted up in the corner.  Three small steps led up out of the
cabin.  Bri glanced around, a bit nervous, at the people occupying the
room.

“Hey
everyone, this is Bri.  Bri, this is Scott,” Cole gestured to a tall,
brown haired man sitting in one of the arm chairs.  Scott smiled at Bri
and nodded.  “And this is Sharon.”  The blond woman in the kitchen
walked up to Bri.

“Bri,
we’re so glad you’re here!”  Sharon’s blue eyes were as warm as her
smile.  “Cole has told us a lot about you, but he failed to mention how
stunning you are!”

“Um,
thanks,” Bri’s cheeks blushed in embarrassment. 

“And
this old man you already know.”

Jimmy
slid out from the table and gave Bri a brief hug.

“Hello,
my dear.  Glad you could make it,” he smiled.

“Well,
thanks for convincing my dad to let me come.  I don’t know what you said
to him, but I may need your services again sometime!” she laughed.

“Is
she here yet?”  A pretty blond girl came barreling down the steps. 
She looked about fifteen and had deep brown eyes.  The girl stopped in
front of Bri and beamed.

“Bri,
this is Claire, Scott and Shar’s daughter.”

Claire
let out an excited squeal and launched herself at Bri, hugging her.

“I’m
so glad you’re here, you have no idea!  I just know we’re going to best
friends!”  Claire released a slightly shocked Bri and bounced up and
down.  “Finally, I’m not going to be the only girl around here.  You
have no idea how obnoxious these boys can be!”

“Oh,
obnoxious huh?”  Cole grabbed Claire, pulled her into a headlock, and
proceeded to rub his knuckles into her head.  Bri burst out laughing.

“Cole! 
Stop!  You’re messing up my hair!”  Claire half laughed, half
screamed.

“Alright. 
I’ll go easy on you this time.”  Cole released Claire, who ran immediately
to Bri and latched onto her arm.

“See
what I mean?  It’s like he’s still thirteen or something,” she eyed
Cole.  “Now come on and I’ll show you our room, and you can tell me
everything about yourself.”  Claire led Bri up the steps.  Bri tossed
a worried glance back at Cole, who just smiled, shaking his head.

Claire
led Bri through a narrow room with a big wheel, assumedly for steering the
boat, and down a small set of twisting stairs to where the sleeping compartments
were.  Claire pulled Bri down the short hall to the front of the boat.