Chapter 19
NINETEEN
Sophia
“If I break my ankle in these shoes, I’m going to sue you for damages.”
Berlin smirks. “She gets a little bit of internet fame and all of a sudden she’s throwing around law suits.”
I flip her off and try to walk across the room to my bed. It’s work and I bet it doesn’t look pretty.
“I’m going to have to have a word with Aunt A about this, you look like a new born baby zebra or something,” she grumbles. “I don’t know how you can be old enough to raise a child, but be so utterly clueless in heels.”
I make it to my destination without my ankles giving way. Just . Berlin is muttering something about priorities.
“There is no way I can wear those, I’m going to wind up snapping my neck and it’ll probably kill the mood if we have to call an ambulance.”
Berlin rolls her eyes. “Fine.”
Thank god.
I rip them off my feet before she can change her mind.
“At least put on something with a little heel.” She pouts. “If I see a pair of sneakers I’m going to lose it.”
I disappear into my closet and come out holding a pair of knee-high boots I bought a couple of months back when I was feeling delusional about my social life.
I pull them on and look at myself in the full-length mirror. With my mini skirt on, it’s a bit sluttier than I’d usually go for, but it’s better than those death traps I had on a few minutes ago.
Berlin notices me standing there and does a double take. “Um okay, day-um . Where have you been hiding that spicy little combo?”
“So you approve?” I raise a brow at her.
“I never thought I’d say it about something you put together, but that outfit is fire .”
Nothing about me is fire , but acceptance from Berlin isn’t something I’m about to argue with, even if it was a backhanded compliment. If she’s off my back about my outfit choice then it’s a win .
I look back at myself in the mirror and almost smile. It’s been a while since I actually thought I looked decent. Having a baby young doesn’t exactly boost your sex appeal.
“You look hot ,” Carissa says as she walks into the room.
She’s right. I do look hot. My long blonde hair is actually freshly washed and curled, I’ve got more makeup on than I’ve worn in the past year combined. I feel sexy.
“You go out looking like that and you might get yourself knocked up again,” Mel says from the doorway of my bathroom, where she’s come to peek at me like I’m some kind of zoo animal.
“That’s not even funny,” I warn her.
“Oh come on, Ari bug is like two now, must be time for another one.”
I’d actually love for Ari to get a sibling one day, but I’m not about to encourage her.
“I’m pretty sure you have to have sex to get pregnant.” Carissa smirks, giving me shit.
She’s not wrong there. It’s been so long I’m worried it might have sealed itself shut or something.
“Can we focus on something other than my lack of action please?”
“We can try, but you know the boys are going to say the same thing when they see those fuck me boots.”
That stops me in my tracks .
“What? The boys?”
Berlin pouts in the mirror and smears some colour onto her lips as she looks at herself.
“Yeah. Cullen and Pax are meeting us out later on. They’ve got the old crew back together,” she says, casual as all hell.
The old crew. There’s no way that doesn’t include Bryson. I’m suddenly rethinking my outfit choice.
I did not anticipate girls’ night including the males.
“Is Bryson coming too?” I ask, trying and failing to sound casual.
“Yeah I’m pretty sure Pax said he was planning to come have a few beers,” she replies before narrowing her eyes at me through the mirror. “You’re not going to be weird about it, are you?”
Not for the reasons she might think. But there’s also no way I’m going to be able to avoid telling her about the fact that me and Bryson are pretty much together now.
We’ve only technically had three dates, and we haven’t made anything official, but it’s obvious I’m his. He calls me every morning and every night. He makes plans with me like he’s going to be doing it for the rest of his life.
When he told me he was hanging out with the boys tonight, I stupidly didn’t even consider that it would likely have us crossing paths. He must not have either .
I’m showing way too much leg to feel confident around him.
I don’t know how the fuck I’m meant to enjoy girls’ night, with the guy I’m crazy about due to show up at any point, and to top it all off, I’m inevitably going to have to confess everything to my nosey best friends. That’s a lot to process in five seconds.
Berlin is still waiting for an answer from me.
A few more seconds tick by as I put on my big-girl panties.
I guess it is what it is. Can’t do anything about it, so I’m going to have to accept that it’s time to go public, and roll with it.
I shake my head. “Zero weirdness.”
She looks like she doesn’t believe me. Well I’ll show her, I’m going to relax, enjoy myself, and when Bryson shows up, I’m going to shock my know-it-all cousin to the very core.
She’s never going to see it coming,
I’m about four cocktails deep and I stopped trying to have a good time about an hour ago, and started actually doing it.
Berlin was right, as much as it pains me to say it – this is exactly what we all needed. A night out together just like old times.
I see her pull her phone out, read something and then scan the crowded club. I can only assume the boys are here.
She looks around for a moment longer, pushing up on her tippy toes to see better before a smile breaks out on her face and she starts waving out.
They’re here.
Butterflies go crazy in my stomach at the thought of seeing Bryson. I’m equal parts nervous and excited, not just because everyone is probably about to know my dirty little secret, but because I want him to see me like this, all dressed up, relaxed and having fun.
I’m not the weak, stressed, single mum tonight. I’m just me, and I’m having a blast.
I’m shorter than Berlin, so I don’t see them until a while after she does, but it’s not long until I see the crowd moving, almost parting to make way for the boys, and then their heads are visible above the masses.
Cullen emerges first, going straight to Berlin and wrapping her up in his arms, then Pax, and finally Bryson. I don’t see if there’s anyone else with them, all of my attention is stolen by the blond boy in front of me.
He’s a little drunk, I can tell by the lazy look in his eye, and the smile that’s pulling at the corners of his lips as he drinks me in.
I can hear Pax yelling out hellos and I think I hear my name, but I can’t remember the appropriate way to respond, my brain has been successfully turned to mush. I can’t look away from Bryson. I can’t think straight. Those crystal blue eyes have got me hook, line and sinker.
He bumps Pax’s shoulder as he pushes past him, towards me, not stopping until he’s got his arm around my back, pulling me flush against him, and locking his lips on mine.
Somehow, over the pounding music, I still hear the sharp intake of my breath before I melt into him.
He tastes like tequila, and smells like the rest of my life.
I’m fairly certain chaos will be enveloping us. There’s no way our friends have just calmly carried on about their business with us here making out, but I don’t hear anything as he kisses me senseless.
This fills a cup hidden deep inside of me that I’d been trying not to think about needing to be filled. I didn’t know how he’d act when he saw me tonight. I didn’t know what he’d do. But the way he’s just claimed me, lets me know that he’s as in this as I am. He’s not going to hide me, or this thing between us, and given the long road we’ve taken to get here, that is exactly what I now realise I needed from him.
I needed him to not be afraid to show everyone I’m his.
He releases me from the kiss, but stays close, his warm breath at my ear. “Hey, baby.”
“Hi,” I manage to reply.
“Fuck you’re beautiful,” he drawls.
I can feel myself blush with his praise.
He’s still got me so close to him, wrapped tight in his arms, I can’t feel anything but him. He smells delicious, rugged and intoxicating. I could wake up next to this smell until the end of my days.
“You look so fucking sexy.”
My cup is so full, it’s overflowing.
“Those boots, fuck , Sophia.” His voice sounds like a pained groan.
I feel a tapping on my shoulder. “Um excuse me,” I hear Berlin yelling.
“Dammit,” Bryson mutters.
Honestly, she took longer than I thought.
He loosens his grip and turns me around in his arms, so we’re facing our friends, my back to his front. His arms stay around me, his big warm hands settling across my stomach.
“We’ll be taking questions now,” he deadpans. “In an orderly fashion.”
Berlin looks shook, like shook , shook.
“I’ve just got the one,” she replies, her expression baffled as hell. “ What – and I can’t stress this enough – the fuck ?”
“We’re together now,” Bryson states. “Next question.”
Berlin balks, her eyes widening, and then locking on mine and narrowing. “Did you get into a relationship and not tell me anything ? ”
“I didn’t know I was officially in a relationship,” I admit.
She turns her attention back to Bryson. “Did you ask her to be your girlfriend?”
“I don’t ask stupid questions. I already know what the answer is,” he replies, his deep voice sending vibrations down my back. “I’m hers. She’s mine. If you want to slap a name on that then be my guest.”
I probably shouldn’t love the way he’s speaking for me, but I do. Because he’s right. There was no question needed. We’re us, we’re together, and we both know it.
She looks at me and I nod, a little too enthusiastically, but fuck it, I’m on cloud nine. The little dork inside of me feels so validated.
“Well then.” She grins, softening. “I guess that calls for a drink.”
“Um, I have more questions,” Laura interjects.
“Oh don’t worry, you and me both, but we’re going to need drinks and a table for the interrogation I have planned,” Berlin reassures her.
I probably should be worried about that, but I just don’t care, it’s hard to feel too concerned about anything when I’m here in his arms.
“Paxikins.” She snaps her fingers at him. “I’ll come with you to get us drinks.”
“Why do I have to pay?” he whines.
“You and I both know you’ve got Dad’s credit card on you. ”
He smirks. “I didn’t know you were aware of that fact.”
I doubt there’s anything going on in that family that Berlin doesn’t know about.
She rolls her eyes and drags him away, but not before he offers Bryson a fist bump.
“It’s about fucking time,” he tells him.
All the girls are looking at me with a mixture of shock, intrigue and curiosity. Mel high fives me.
I can’t help but laugh at the reactions.
Cullen looks the least fazed out of everyone.
“Nothing to say, big guy?” Carissa asks him.
He shakes his head, smirking. “You expect me to be shocked by something we’ve all seen coming for years?”
The man makes a valid point. It’s more of a surprise it hasn’t happened sooner.
Berlin and Pax come back with a tray of drinks each, and a gleam in their eye.
I guess we’re about to get interrogated.
“Get in the taxi, Sophia.”
“There is no way she’s going anywhere but home with me.” Bryson says the words with more intensity than I’ve heard from him.
There’s a moment of silence for the last of my self-control.
I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to. Which I don’t. I really, really don’t. I’d sell my soul to go back to his place right now.
“Oooooooh! Where was that alpha shit three years ago Bry Bry?” Berlin cackles from where she’s now slung over Cullen’s shoulder.
Cullen slaps her ass.
“Save it for the bedroom!” Mel yells at them, nearly rolling her ankle in the gutter as she does.
Pax reaches out and steadies her just in time.
“Why do we always end up taking these girls home when they’ve had too much to drink? This is like high school all over again,” he whines, but I can tell he’s joking. He’s loving this trip down memory lane as much as the rest of us.
His girlfriend Lily shoves him in the ribs. “Hey, I haven’t had too much to drink.”
He waggles his brows at her. “I’m still taking you home to bed, baby.”
She rolls her eyes at him, but she can’t hold back her smile.
They’re really cute together. I know Lily from school, she’s a really nice girl, but I didn’t get to know her super well, and then with the whole getting knocked up thing, I’ve been stuck here missing out on getting to know anyone better. It sucks.
It’s nice to see they’ve stayed together, though. The four of them have all been down South for nearly three years of uni, they’re all on their way to degrees, and I’m right here where they left me .
Bryson rests his arm across my shoulders, pulling me against him, and suddenly being right here doesn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.
“Can I take you home with me?” he speaks into my ear, and I shiver.
I nod my head. “Yes please.”
His smile is heart stopping. “My place isn’t far, we can walk.”
I nod again.
There’s a bunch of shit talk and hollering going on from our friends, and as much as I adore them, I really want everyone to go away and it to just be me and Bryson.
Laura runs ahead and pulls open the door to a taxi. She says something to the driver and then yells out to the rest of them. “These are ours, get in here!”
“Byeeee!” Berlin calls out to me from over Cullen’s shoulder. “You two kids have fun!”
Everyone follows with their goodbyes and I laugh as Cullen deposits Berlin into the taxi van like she’s a rag doll.
“Good night, I love you,” I call after them as they pile into the taxis, and Pax and Lily into her car.
The doors slam shut and then finally, it’s quiet.
We stand and watch as they drive away, then Bryson steers me down the street, in a direction I’m not overly familiar with. I might have stayed at his house for a few weeks back when I left Josh, but that time of my life is a bit of a blur, and I barely left the house, I doubt I could find it again if I tried.
He’s still got his arm around me protectively. We could be walking down the dodgiest street in town right now, and I still think I’d feel safe. I don’t have to be aware of every little thing about my surroundings when I’m with him. This must be what trust and safety feels like.
I stumble on a crack in the footpath, but I’m at no risk of falling with his grasp on me.
“I think I’m a little bit drunk.” I giggle.
He laughs. “I think you’re a bit more than a little drunk.”
I stop walking and turn to wrap my arms around his middle. He puts up no fight at all, one of his hands coming up to cup my face.
“I’m a medium amount of drunk,” I inform him.
“A medium amount,” he repeats as his thumb skates up and down my jaw.
“Mmm hmm.” I nod, suddenly feeling vulnerable under his darkening gaze. He’s looking at me like I’m a snack and he’s a big fan of a charcuterie board.
“Too drunk?” he questions, his intentions becoming clearer by the second.
Suddenly I’m not drunk at all. I’d be stone cold sober if that’s what it takes.
I shake my head quickly. “Not too drunk.”
A sly smirk twitches the corner of his mouth.
“Good.”