Trust Me (6 page)

We were parked out by the tracks’

We’re sitting in the back

And we just started getting busy

When she whispered “what was
that?”

He looked at Noah and winked. I knew he was egging him on and I didn’t like it.

The wind, I think

‘Cause no one else knows where we are

But that was when she started screaming

That’s Noah outside the car!

I tried to stand immediately, but Noah stopped playing long enough to snag me by my shirt and force me to sit back down. He didn’t look happy, but he was making a point. I waited for the song to end, not looking at Chad. When it was over I ignored Chad and turned to Noah.

“That was awful of him, Noah, I’m sorry.” If Chad had done anything, he had just made it harder for Noah to see reason. But don’t get me started on how pissed I really was.

“Carrie, don’t be sorry, be pissed. I stopped you from running for a reason. The guys here are superstars in a small town. They’re the best tat guys in the state and guys from the best bands. Not a guy here has to respect a girl. This is a pussy party. I have tried to keep you from it and keep you clean, but you just keep fighting me.” He runs his hands through his naturally messy gold locks before blowing out a tired breath and looks at me.

“I’ll never let anyone hurt you, but you need to be thick skinned and nail his ass for that or they’re all going to think you’re free range, and then I’ll have to kill them. And I really ain’t in the mood.”

God, I could kill Chad for proving Noah right. “I thought it was a date, Noah.” I felt so fucking stupid. I was a ploy to get a rise from my brother. I wanted to run, not stay and defend my honor.

“Oh, it’s a date. That’s why he brought you here. He’s making a point. This is how a player ends the game. He brought you to a place that is swarming with ass and is making it known he isn’t down anymore. But in the process he makes you look weak. Skin his balls, sissy, and do it loud enough that all he’ll hear your voice the next time he thinks he’s funny.”

“Noah… I can’t…I don’t….”

“Carrie, I tried to keep you from this part of my world, I did. We rock music that’s about parties and easy women, and we sleep around and get high. We don’t have to be accountable because the girls come to us. This is not a place to meet your wife or husband. I told you before, this is a pussy party, Carrie. One you pitched a fit to come to. You’re on your own unless I see a problem. Trust me next time.” He said and walked away. His use of ‘trust me’ didn’t go unnoticed and only made me feel even shittier.

Before I could tell him how low a blow it was, Chad came walking over and pulled me to him with both arms around my waist. I wanted to groan when he pulled me close, my back to his chest. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I felt his breath on my neck. I nearly moaned out loud, nearly forgetting what a cocky jerk he was.

“It was a joke, Carrie. Don’t pull away.” He said it like he thinks I’m on my way out the door.

I turned into his chest and took a deep breath. “Do you know why I’m mad?”

He brushed the hair back from my face and cupped my chin forcing our eyes to meet. “Because I made a joke about Noah’s protectiveness over you. But that’s all it was Carrie, a joke.” I could hear the sincerity in his tone.

“It wasn’t about teasing Noah because he’s a pain in the ass.”

“What is it then?”

“What you sang, how you sang it looking at me. I don’t want everyone to think I’m one of many. Not when you say I’m not. You can’t use what goes on between us as a ploy to get a rise out of Noah. If he pisses you off, feel free to kick his ass, but don’t use me to get at him, especially in a sexual way.”

He nodded and said nothing which helped his case. I didn’t need to be appeased, I needed him to know how I felt and to know that he respected it. I knew he didn’t mean to offend me, so I was content to let him hold me.

As the night progressed I listened to them sing and play a few more rock and roll hits and some old country and blues before the power came back on lighting the cottage up like an airport. I half expected them to go into the full Monte with the drums and electric guitars when Chad stood and reached for my hand.

"Want to head out? Go for a drive maybe?" His voice was low and sent a shiver down my spine.

"Sure." My voice cracked and my face went beet red. Somehow I managed to stand and follow him to his truck. I was going for a ride with Chad Blake, and nerves were not going to stop me.

Noah was.

I won’t tell no one your name…

I won’t tell em’ your name

GooGoo Dolls

Chapter Five

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’s the rush?” Noah said and weaseled his way between me and Chad as we were headed towards Chad’s truck.

My brother and I are close, extremely close. There hasn’t been a time in our lives when it wasn’t just the two of us, most of the time with our backs against the wall. There was nothing on this earth I didn’t trust him with. He knew it, too. I was worried though, that the Noah’s overprotective act was going to rear its ugly head. For the most part, Noah wasn’t truly overprotective. Noah was smart, and in our lives we had experienced enough to know that true evil exists. Noah is protective only if the situation calls for it. That meant one of two things. Either Noah was having an issue with me getting too close to his personal life, or he knew too much about Chad to ever let him near me. I feared the latter.

“We’re going for a drive.” I replied, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“No, you’re not leaving yet.” He wasn’t asking me to stay he was telling me, in his own roundabout way, that I was staying until he left. I couldn’t deny the tinge of uncertainty I felt at my brother’s hesitation. I had learned long ago to trust my instinct and then trust Noah even more, but I wasn’t getting any vibes from Chad… not negative ones anyway.

“Don’t do this, Noah. It’s not your style and this big brother bear act doesn’t suit you. We both know you too well.” Chad looked shocked that I would defend myself so quickly. I don’t think he had any idea how truly unafraid of Noah I was.

Noah would die for me, and I would do the same for him. It was that simple.

Noah rolled his eyes and scoffed at me before pushing Chad. “Give me more credit Carrie, fuck.” He looked at Chad with a smile and laughed before turning back to me. “I need some back up tonight. Ramey is on her way here tonight with a few friends. Apparently she can’t get the message that over means over and she loves you, so…” He didn’t need to finish. I had been doing this since Noah started having girlfriends. At first they saw me as a threat because I was the most important person in Noah’s life. After a few choice words from Noah on the matter, these girls tried to become my best friend. I was always polite and cordial, knowing they weren’t staying around long.

Noah had commitment issues, and that was putting it mildly. I always softened the blow of Noah dropping the girls like they were nothing. In his eyes, they were nothing. I tried to ease their pain with a few mild explanations…
it’s not you, it’s him, he is so numb inside. It’s not that you’re not beautiful, you are, of course. Noah just can’t see past his own insecurities…
blah, blah, blah.

By letting them down gently they still saw Noah in a shining light, but suddenly he was all brooding and distant, and the chicks ate that shit up. It took me a few years to learn that I had become his wing man of sorts. He could dump these girls and then if he wanted, give it a month or two and call them up and they would be back on him in five minutes flat. He was a dog for sure, and I assisted him in his dog like behavior. But if a boy had the balls to do that shit to me? Noah would castrate the son of a bitch. Candy asked me once how I could repeatedly help him dump girls and not think the worst of my brother’s sexual exploits.

I explained to her that Noah was upfront and honest with every girl he dated. He warned them it was just sex, no strings, no emotion. These women chose to try and forge emotions out of conquests. They knew the score, and allowed him in anyway. He was my brother, and though I hated his cynical views on sex and love, I supported him regardless. Candy was the only girl I knew, who for the last two years, had been sleeping with Noah and wanting nothing in return.

“Bubba, I’m on a date.” I said, actually annoyed. It was really Ramey that was bugging me, not Noah. I had tried every last trick in my book just shy of telling her to fuck off. She was dense and completely immune to the brush off.

“No, you’re at a bonfire with Chad, who is like us, and doesn’t date. He’s dealt with this shit himself, so he understands, Carrie.” Noah said. His tone and the look on his face told me he thought I was becoming one of those girls now, too.

Fuck. Was I? Was this not a date?

“Bro, it’s your sister. I wouldn’t be here with her if it wasn’t a date.”

My heart fluttered in my chest at his words, but…yikes…Noah did not look happy all of a sudden.

“No, bro, I’m pretty fuckin’ certain you don’t date anyone, and you sure the fuck aren’t dating Carrie!” The aggression in his tone was terrifying. I had dated plenty, and sure, I was inexperienced in an odd sort of way, but Noah was being a dick! He had never acted like this with any of my previous boyfriends.

Your previous boyfriends weren’t Chad Blake.
The harpy in my head spit the words at me, and I swiftly agreed. That was why Noah was freaking out. Chad was the game changer and Noah knew it.

“I’m hoping to date Carrie more. I’m also hoping to finish this date tonight without one of us ending up bloody. You know me, Noah, I would never disrespect you.” He stepped close and looked Noah dead in the eyes. “You sure the fuck know I would never play Carrie.”

God bless Chad, he stood his ground and didn’t bow down to my bully of a brother. In all honesty, it made him uber-sexy.

Noah was done talking. He went from mildly irritated to straight up pissed off in about two seconds flat. “No, fucker! It isn’t happening, not to my baby sister! You disrespect every female you touch, and Carrie won’t be treated like a fangirl. There’s a fuckin’ reason I have purposely kept her away!”

Whoa…what?

“Noah!” I gasped in outrage, completely confused on that whole outburst in general.

“You act like everyone here doesn’t know who Carrie is.” Chad took a lethal step closer and started clenching his fists, Noah mirroring his actions.

Fucking men and their bullshit egos.

Chad kept going. “You act like we don’t know the two of you are like Mutt and fucking Jeff, two peas in a pod, or whatever! We have been boys for years, man, years! I wouldn’t throw that shit away for a piece of ass!”

Whoa!

“Piece of ass?” I asked calmly, before I very sweetly kneed him in the nuts. Chad grabbed his junk and doubled over, dropping to his knees. “My ass, the piece you are talking about, is not interested in you or your dick!” And with that I stormed to Noah’s side. “Let’s go before Ramey gets here and I really
do
unleash the anger.”

Noah laughed and nodded as he turned me towards his car and started leading me away from the party. He stopped up short and left me standing there, turning to walk back to Chad. Most people would have been fearful that the mother of all beat downs was about to take place, but those people don’t know my brother. Noah walked over to Chad, offered him a hand, and pulled him to his feet. Chad was a little gray from the sixty second flu courtesy of my knee. He and Noah spoke, then laughed and then both walked back toward me.

Noah glanced over my shoulder at a group of people just arriving. “Too late, Sissy, Ramey just showed. Talk to Chad, I’ll be back in a second.”

What?!?! Talk about an about face! Two seconds ago Noah wanted him far away from me, now Chad was my keeper. Something was up.

“Carrie….” Chad started, but I held my hand up and looked away, my eyes following Noah, curious if he was off to hide somewhere or face the music. I didn’t want to hear Chad’s excuses.

“Its fine, Chad, I get it.” Hoping the whole conversation was dropped I headed back to the bonfire and took a seat while still searching for my brother. The night had gone to shit right quick and I wanted a book and a bath, stat!

“No, it’s not fine, Carrie.” Chad said coming up on the left side of me and straddling the log I was sitting on. Now facing me he took my hand into his. I tried to pull back, but he just held it tighter. “I didn’t mean that like it sounded. I meant that you were more than that. I would never risk my friendship with Noah by banging his little sister for shits and giggles.”

“You suck at flattery.” I said and rolled my eyes.

He shrugged in indifference. “It’s true though. I’ve wanted to get to know you better for a while now. I think your funny, Carrie, and… hot…fuck!” He cups his hands over his face frustrated. “I’m not saying this right.” His voice drops and he leans in gripping my chin between his fingers. “I’ve never had to answer for myself when a hot girl is involved. I’m trying here, Carrie, but I’m still me and I won’t deny or apologize for how bad I want you.”

“You need to know that I am not, nor will ever be, your play toy. I like you, Chad, you’re hot too!” I smiled mockingly and continued. “Noah will look out for me, but in the end the decision is mine, and he’ll respect that. If it’s ass you’re looking for though, then move along, because I am so far from the girls you’re used to. I have no desire to use my body to keep you around.”

“I just wanted to go for a drive and talk, and maybe get a second date without your brother. I just want this to go better than it is. I know I have a sketchy past when it comes to women. I don’t deny the women or the fact that I was in it for the sex. But I am not a liar, I tell it like it is and I want to go on a damn date without a fight or your brother’s antics or you freaked out. All in, remember?”

I laughed and nudged his shoulder playfully, nodding, letting him know I wanted that too. “What did you mean when you said everyone knows how we are? Me and Noah?”