Chapter 3
THREE
NOAH
“You look absolutely stunning,” I say to Lauren as she climbs into my truck.
I just got off work and I almost don’t even feel worthy enough to be in her presence, all dirty and still in my camos.
But it was a shitty day, and I wanted nothing more than to be around the one human who knows how to make me smile at all times.
The one human who I’m falling in love with.
The thought and feeling sits heavy in my chest as I stare at the girl next to me. We’ve only been dating for five months, but I swear, she feels like the one.
God, I hope Sean likes her.
More than that, I hope she doesn’t freak the fuck out tonight. Most anyone would…but there’s a part of me hoping for a miracle. The imaginary conversation has played on loop in my head for weeks.
“Hey, Lauren. This is my once stepdad, Sean. We both want to fuck you now. And keep you forever. We may also fuck from time to time, too. Is that cool?”
Shouldn’t be a disaster at all. Pffft.
Yeah, right. Anxiety surrounds me like a barricade at the dozens of possibilities for the night ahead. She could shrug it off, and we could break the sharing cycle entirely. She could freak the fuck out and run away. She could be willing to try it.
And yeah, it’s not required. Not at all.
Sean has been hung up on some random one-night stand he had over a year ago. I don’t even know if he wants to start anything new. But I do know that the both of us agreed—years ago—that it made us happy, even if it was fucked up.
So, why not?
The previous girls were different, though. They wanted sex first and foremost, and it was only the relationship piece that scared them off. It’s why every single one of them has either left, cheated, or started to favor one of us, rather than both of us.
But Lauren just feels…different.
And fuck, am I scared to death of fucking up.
Her voice snaps me out of my overthinking cycle. She smooths down an invisible wrinkle in her white crop top nervously before patting her right leg that just so happens to be covered in a full tattoo sleeve. “Yeah? Not too slutty or anything, right?”
I scoff, meeting her brown eyes. “It’s summer. And we live on the beach. You could be parading around in a thong and not worry about that.”
Lauren meets me with a droll stare. “I’m about to meet an important figure in your life for the first time! I’m not trying to look like a whore, Noah.”
I shake my head. She’s curled her hair, too. The pure-white low-lights peek through her midnight hair in stark contrast. And it’s then that I realize she really put a lot of effort into her appearance.
She hates curling her hair.
I reach over and tug a lock of it, forcing her to me.
She gasps, and I take it as my opportunity to kiss her, slowly and affectionately.
When I pull away, a blush mars her skin, and I smile softly.
“You look beautiful. Now, let’s go to my place so I can get cleaned up, and then we can go wish this grumpy old man a happy birthday. ”
Steam wafts out of the bathroom as I wrap a towel around my waist, and grab my phone off the bathroom counter.
Me
Hey. On the way. Bringing a girl, FYI.
Sean
A girl?
Me
…yeah. Sorry.
Sean
*blank stare gif*
Jesus, kid. Give a man some warning.
Me
I did. You have ten minutes
Sean
Brat.
What’s her name?
Me
Lauren.
I think you’ll like her.
There’s a pause in the text thread, and I walk in the living room, finding Lauren petting a very tired Rocco as she scrolls on her phone.
I pout at my girlfriend and dog. “I want to be petted.”
Lauren turns to me and raises an eyebrow. “I’m gonna have to pass on the whole animal-play thing.”
My mouth drops. “Oh, c’mon. But I have the best puppy-dog eyes ever.”
She merely rolls her brown ones before turning back to her phone. “Go put some clothes on, nerd. Your stepdad is gonna disown you and hate me before we’re even there.”
Doubtful.
I stare at her. “You know he’s not still my stepdad, right? I’m technically already disowned.”
She glares at me over her phone.
Chuckling, I do as I’m told and turn towards my bedroom, right as my phone buzzes again.
Sean
Lauren? She doesn’t have blonde hair, does she?
With brown in it?
I squint down at my phone, confused.
Me
No??? Black and white.
Sean
Oh. Ok
Me
Do I wanna know?
Sean
No. See you both soon.
Shrugging, I toss my phone onto the bed and start getting dressed. Cryptic answers are nothing new from the man, and we are definitely going to be late. I’ll press him about it in person later.
Instead, my mind wanders to the outcome of tonight, yet again.
Here goes fucking nothing.