Page 47 of Steeling Her
“We need to go back outside, Nick will kill you, TJ,” I whisper to him and stand up from his touch that I already miss so much. God, I miss his touch. He agrees and stands up, towering over me.
“Go out with me?” he asks out of nowhere as I put the brush back inside the drawer. I spin back around so fast, I almost fall over.
“W-What?” I stutter out in disbelief. Did he just ask that? Did he just ask me to go out with him.
“Go out with me? Like, let me take you out on a date?” He smiles contagiously at me. I bite my lip and nod at him, trying to keep my excitement inside, but it’s proving to be very difficult. “I’ll text you the details tonight . . .” We turn to walk back outside, but he takes hold of my hand once more, feeling the burn of his touch. I was about to ask what was wrong but he read my mind.
“I want one more kiss . . . and I also want you to wear my jersey to the next game.” He leans down for me to kiss him and I do. I place a soft kiss on his lips and cup the side of his face as he puts more pressure into it while backing me against the wall. I smile onto his lips and he pecks me once more before we leave out the door.
Once we do, we were greeted by my brothers angered voice. “Where the fuck were you two?” He furrows his brows, reminding me of my dad when he gets annoyed at me. I roll my eyes at him and keep walking towards the kitchen, acting like we didn’t just have an make out session in the bathroom.
“His hair annoyed me, so I fixed it. Thanks for noticing.” I’m trying to keep my cool so I chose not to face him. I’m silently praying he buys it.
I hear him laugh hard and I turn around to see TJ about to smack him. “That’s what you call fixing it? TJ, you look like a fucking choir boy!” The Steel brothers laugh lowly at him. It looks like Nick’s back in their good graces. Not that I’m surprised, my brother can charm his way into and out of anything he wants.
Boys will be boys, I suppose.
The sudden buzzing feeling on my butt snaps me out of my thoughts. I reach in and take my phone out to see my mom calling me.What did I do now?
“Hi, Mom!” I answer the call and place it up to my ear. Nick and TJ’s head whip around to me.
“Haley, sweetheart, how are you?” she asks me. She’s unusually chirpy today.
“I-I’m good mom, is everything okay?” If I sound skeptical, it’s because I am. She’s got something up her sleeve, something planned. She’s too sweet today.
“Oh! Why everything is fabulous, sweetie! Is Nick and TJ there with you now?” I raise an eyebrow at my brother, who returns it and mouths “What?” over to me. I take my phone away and put it on speaker.
“Yeah, Mom, they’re here. So is everyone else, so don’t say anything embarrassing please!” I beg her to not bring up any stories that could lead to the Steel brothers thinking I’m diseased or something.
“Hi, everyone!” she greets down the line, and everyone replies back with their own greetings. “I was calling to see if you’d all like to come down to our house this weekend. Haley, I’m extending the invitation to your roommates too. It’s my youngest daughter, Ellie’s, birthday. She’s turning six, so I want to throw her a birthday party, and you’re all welcome,” she added, very excited that she’s throwing a party.
“Mom, I thought you weren’t throwing her’s alone. What about Abbie and the joint birthday?” Nick stares at the phone like it’s a life or death situation. I roll my eyes at how annoying he’s being. It’s our sister’s birthday, and he sounds like he doesn’t want to be there.
“Oh, but we’ve moved it up to this weekend for the girls so we can still have the good weather. Carter and Danielle, I hope to see you both there too. I would love to finally meet you both!”What is this woman on? Has she started drinking already? She’s acting so weird.My two roommates mumble a “yes” and a “cool,” and she squeals while me, Nick and, TJ all roll our eyes.
“Perfect! It’s settled! You girls can stay at our house, there’s enough room; and TJ, you can stay too! I’ll set you all up in rooms, unless Haley wants the three of you girls to share in hers? Let me know, the party is on Sunday at two, you all can drive back up Monday morning for college then so you don’t miss any classes!” I can practically see her creased brows through the phone. The warning in her voice tells us to not question it and just do it. Thankfully, we only live just under two hours away from college, but it can be up to four depending on traffic.
“I don’t know, Mom, we’ll all be at a part—”
“NICOLAS!”
“Alright, fine, we’ll be there!” Nick’s hands go up, almost like he’s protecting himself from my mom. That was a bad move on his part. Never question my mom, especially when the plans are set in stone.Mama’s boy should know this by now.
“Perfect! Bye, my lovelies! I shall see you all on Sunday!” The line goes dead, and I hear Nick mumble a curse under his breath. What’s got him so worked up? He loves Ellie and takes any chance he gets to see her.
“Thanks for the invite,” Chris comments sarcastically. Carter whacks him in the stomach.
“You’re not even going to be here, you’re leaving on Thursday!” Carter playfully yells at her brother, making us all laugh with her. She has the funniest relationship with her brothers. They clearly adore her and she adores them in return. She’s so lucky to have such hot brothers.Good God, are they hot.
“Cooks, you gotta make me two batches of cookies just for that tone of yours! I’m not a fan of it!” He playfully rubs her hair out of endearment.
“Not happening, fatty!” She pokes his stomach, making him flinch. For revenge, he pulls her hand and makes her crash into him.
“Hey! Mom says I look beautiful!” He pouts down at her while we all sit there, enjoying the playful jabs each one is throwing. She doesn’t say anything more after an eye roll, but we all burst out laughing. He stands behind her and wraps his large arms around her shoulders as a sign of protection. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
I wish TJ would so that to me; wrap his big arms around me as I cuddle into his chest. I flicker my eyes to him and see he’s already staring at me. My heart misses a beat, and I gulp down hard.
I want him to cuddle me to sleep. I want to know what that feels like. I’ve never stayed with a guy. Not even TJ. I’m not a virgin, but I definitely regret my first time. It was so embarrassing. I was sober and the guy wasn’t. And it hurt like a bitch. I was a bleeder, too, not that he cared or noticed.
