Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(29)

When we got back to the house Brandon took me to the bathroom and after helping me onto the counter, proceeded to clean the blood off my leg. I left him in there so he could shower, and went into his room to put on some of his clothes. I inhaled his scent surrounding me and smiled while climbing into his bed. I'd left off bottoms, opting for one of his shirts that came down to my thighs. I hoped it would get my message across, since I didn't exactly know how to tell him what I wanted. He turned off the light when he came in and got in the bed, each movement was stiff and he winced twice.

“Are you sure you're okay?” I really had planned on waiting for him to tell me, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain.

“I'm fine sweetheart, come here.”

Brandon pulled me close to him and kissed me softly at first, when I brushed my tongue across his lips he groaned and deepened the kiss. Before I could let my nerves take over, I pulled myself up and swung a leg over his body, keeping myself from pressing my body to his. I wanted him to be the one to pull me closer. His hands were on my legs, slowly sliding up my thighs and under the shirt, when he realized I wasn't wearing shorts he growled against my lips. “Jesus Harper.” Keeping one hand on my hip, and bringing the other one to the top of my back, he slowly lowered me to him, freezing and cursing when I pressed harder against him.

“Okay, you're lying.” I quickly hopped off and tried not to touch him at all until I knew where he was hurting.

He grumbled and placed a hand back on my thigh, “I bruised or cracked a rib,” he tried to sit up and fell back onto the pillows, “or two.”

“Brandon! When?”

“Kale got a pretty good kick in, but I'm positive they aren't broken.”

“Well do you need to see a Doctor or something?” I started to get off the bed but he held me there.

“I promise I'm fine,” he chuckled lightly, “this wouldn’t be the first cracked rib I've had sweetheart. I just need to take it easy for a few days.”

“Is there something I can do?”

“You can stay here with me,” he kissed me softly, “and when I'm better, we can pick up that conversation where we left off.”

“I'm looking forward to it.” I pressed my lips to his neck and curled up against his pain-free side, falling asleep quickly.

***

“Oh. Dear. Lord! Bree, I can't wear this.” I stared in horror at my reflection in the mirror.

“Why? You look hot!”

“I'm almost completely naked!”

“Uh, that's kind of the point of a bikini. As little fabric as possible.” She was fixing her own suit and checking herself out in her mirror.

I failed at moving the top around to cover more of my chest. “Do you not have anything bigger than this? It's barely holding in my boobs.”

“No that's the one with the most coverage.” She threw a shirt at me before putting her own on over her suit. “Honestly Harper, you have a rocking body. I would kill for your chest, you need to embrace it.”

“I'm not sure that's possible when I'm going to wear this around a bunch of guys.” It was now Thursday, and we were already packed for a weekend at Chase's house. But what Bree failed to mention until the last possible minute was that the guys were barbecuing tonight and we were going to be hanging out in their pool all afternoon.

“Once again, that's the point. It's the best way to show off the goods. Brandon's gonna die when he sees you.”

“I think I'm gonna die before he can see me.” I mumbled.

She rolled her eyes at me and grabbed her bag and keys, “I'm sure you'll live. Let's go.”

I complained the entire way there, and kept it up even after I was in nothing but the bikini and a pair of shorts walking out to the backyard.

“Harper, stop trying to cover yourself. You're not succeeding and you look stupid.”

I glared at my friend, but stopped trying to cover myself. At least none of the guys were home yet. I pulled off the shorts and lay down on my towel next to Bree. She had turned on her iPod docking station on the patio and we rocked out to the songs while we tanned. We had flipped onto our backs again a few minutes earlier when a huge splash followed by freezing cold drops of water interrupted us. We both screamed and jumped up, apparently that's what they'd been going for since we were tackled into the pool as soon as we'd gotten vertical. I came up sputtering and smacked Derek across the head as soon as he surfaced.

“Are you serious?!”

“I'm going to kill you Drew!” Bree shoved Drew back under the water and held him there.

I looked over to see Zach laughing from the side of the pool, I guess he'd been the one that did the cannonball. I swam to the side and hopped out, running to my towel I picked it up to find it soaked from the numerous splashes.

“Awesome.”

I ran my fingers through my hair trying to get the tangles out, and stood there long enough so I was no longer dripping. Bree was still in the pool with the three guys so I decided to go get a few more towels for everyone. I was halfway to the hall closet when Chase walked out of his room. He froze and his eyes got wide as he took in my body.

“Damn Princess. You look...” He cleared his throat and finally met my eyes, “wow.”