The Best Kind of Trouble

Copyright © 2014 Courtney B. Jones

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission by the author except where permitted by law.

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously, as are the places.

Cover by Createspace Cover Creator

Image by freedigitalphotos.net

Dedicated To:

My dad. I miss you every day.

'Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in

~Taylor Swift

“Christ Ash! Slow down!” My tall brunette friend Katie chided as I slammed back another shot. I winced as the tequila slowly burned my throat like liquid fire.  My insides instantly warmed and numbed. I sighed in relief.

Just as I started to pour another, a frustrated male voice sounded behind me.

“Ashley,” my now
ex
-boyfriend Colin called as he entered the kitchen.  “Ashley, come on baby, talk to me!”

I whipped around.  “Talk about what? How you’re a huge fucking asshole!”

He flinched and blew out an exasperated breath, rubbing his hand through his dark blonde hair and looking anywhere but at me.

I took another shot, and muttered, “I knew I should have went to Matt’s.”

Colin’s head shot up, his brown eyes narrowed and his face visibly darkened.

“Tell me Ash,” he started, advancing on me until I was pinned against the counter.

“Last weekend when you were hanging out with
Matt
,” he spit the name like a curse. “Did you kiss him?”

My traitorous pale skin flushed pink.

He snorted.  “That’s what I thought.  How can you be mad at me when you did the same fucking thing, baby?”

“It’s not the same thing!” I yelled.  I didn’t care that everyone at this party could probably hear me.  I was so sick of him twisting everything around. 

“You’re the one who wouldn’t get his head out his ass and call me his fucking girlfriend or admit he had any feelings for me,” I jabbed a finger at his chest.  Despite my angry tone, tears welled up in my eyes.  “You made me feel used and pathetic.  Then you go and sleep with my friend!”

“Some friend,” he muttered.

My anger spiked.  “If that’s all you have to say, then move.”

Colin stared at me for several long seconds.  “I said I was sorry,” he finally murmured.

“Yeah well, that’s not good enough.”

I pushed away from him and through the crowded living room. Outside cool air greeted me.

“Jerk,” I muttered, pulling a cigarette out of the pack in my back pocket and searching for a lighter.

“Hey doll face, need a light?” A deep rumbling voice asked from behind me.  I quickly turned around, momentarily stunned by the guy in front of me. 

I think my jaw dropped. Handsome would have been an understatement.  A chiseled jaw, sparkling blue eyes worthy of a movie star and huge muscles bulging out of his t-shirt had me blatantly ogling him. He looked like James Dean except maybe with shorter hair.

“Um, yeah thanks,” I stuttered.  He smirked knowingly and reached over to light my cigarette.

“I’m Nathan,” he said. 

He was really cute.  And cocky.  I could tell by the smirk curving his full lips, the way he carried his massive frame, and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  It was irrational and stupid, but I suddenly wanted to hate all men.  Especially men with a cocky arrogant smirk like that.

 I frowned and tried to think of something witty or sarcastic to say to make him go away. His smirk widened into a smile, flashing his perfect white teeth.

I lost my voice.

“What’s your name, doll?” he asked. His eyes sparked with challenge. 
Great.
 

“Not
doll
,” I retorted.  He laughed. A really deep throaty sexy laugh. His blue eyes lit up with amusement. A dimple sunk into his cheek.
God, how unfair was that.

His lips lifted into a sexy smile. A panty dropping, heart melting, mind numbing, soul-altering smile. My brain actually stopped functioning.

I frowned, confused by my over the top response to this man. Nathan moved closer to me and despite my mind protesting, my breath caught in my throat. His hand was warm when he touched me, gently cupping my cheek and then skimming his thumb over my flushed skin. His eyes darkened and locked on mine. I couldn’t have looked away even if I wanted to.

“You have the prettiest face I’ve ever seen,” he murmured huskily. His low voice caused my insides to clench tight and heat to pool between my thighs.

I couldn’t form a coherent thought or sentence.  He was too close.  He smelled like crisp clean cologne and cinnamon. Spicy and irresistible. 

This close his eyes looked even more amazing.  A powerful stormy mix of navy and gray with intense streaks of light sky blue.

I scowled and stepped back, away from him. This was too much.
He
was too much.

My heart hammered hard against my chest, my knees actually went weak and I trembled from the effort it took to hold myself up.

“Nathan,” a guy I didn’t know said as he came outside, forcing Nathan to look away from me.  I let out a sigh of relief.  His blue gaze was way too intense. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Yeah, okay,” he answered, seemingly unaffected.  Nathan looked back at me, he winked and said in his deep sexy voice, “See ya around, doll face.”

~000~

I sat on my bed, flipping through a magazine two weeks after my very public break-up with Colin—and my chance encounter with Nathan. The one I couldn’t stop thinking about.

“Hey,” Katie said as she walked in and perched on the end of my bed.  “Wanna go to a concert tonight?”

I looked up at my best friend and wrinkled my nose.  “Who’s playing?”

“Drew’s band, and some other bands too.  At Beech Street,” she filled in.

I shrugged, tossing my magazine aside. “Sure, why not?”

Anything to get my mind off the piercing blue eyes that were haunting me.

She grinned, then jumped up and started rifling through my closet.  “Here, wear this.”

Katie thrust a low cut pink top and the tightest pair of jeans I owned at me.

I frowned and looked down at my band t-shirt and faded ripped jeans.  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Katie huffed.  “Nothing. Just—can’t you please wear this?”

I narrowed my eyes at her pleading tone.  “What’s going on Katie?”

“I promised I wouldn’t say anything,” she replied evasively.

“Katie!”

“Okay, okay,” she conceded.  Katie plopped on my bed and leaned close, grinning like she was telling me the secret to life or something. “So last night I was over at Drew’s while the band was practicing and Jeremey’s, you know the bassist, his brother was there too.  So Jeremey’s all ‘Hey Katie, where’s your cute friend?’ I’m like who, Ashley?  He’s like ‘yeah, my brother Nate—”

She looked pointedly at me and paused before she launched back into her tale.  I blushed.

“Katie,” I stopped her.  We would have been there all night if she started recounting the whole evening verbatim. And she would. With exaggerated hand gestures.

“Wait! You didn’t hear the best part!” she whined petulantly. I sighed and motioned for her to continue. So anyways, Jeremey said that Nate wanted to chat you up.  Then Nathan says—and I quote—‘who, Miss Pretty Face?’”

I cracked up. I couldn’t help it.

“What’s so funny?” Katie asked.

“That’s his nickname for me? It’s so…cheesy!”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. ”I think’s it’s cute.”

I kept laughing.

“So anyway,” Katie interrupted my mirth. Then her voice got all high pitched and she squealed, “Nathan freakin’ Williams wants you to come tonight!”

Again, I couldn’t control my reaction. I sucked in a sharp breath and my heart started beating rapidly in my chest. Still, I had to protest as part of my whole ‘no more cocky jackasses’ rule. That included star quarterbacks. His name had reached almost legend status around campus. I can’t believe I didn’t realize that was him.

“Katie, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She scrunched her nose and knitted her eyebrows together.  “Why not Ash?  You said yourself two weeks ago that he was really cute and you totally blew it with him.  Here’s your second chance!”

She was practically squealing.  I didn’t know anyone else that loved setting up other people as much as her. Especially when she was in love.

“It’s not a good idea because I just broke up with Colin and I really don’t want to date another cocky sexy-and-I-know-it type.  Nathan has trouble written all over him.”

Katie leaned closer and grinned mischievously, revealing in a sing song voice “He has sexy dimples.”

“Even more reason why this is a bad idea,” I told her, but I could already feel my resolve weakening.

“Come on, Ash,” she whined, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout.  “Please come!  It’s not like you have to fall in love with him.  Just have a good time!”

“That’s what you said about Colin!”

“Well, didn’t you have a good time?”

“At first…”

“And did you fall in love?” she asked.

I frowned.  “I don’t know.  If he wouldn’t have—”

“That’s a no,” she interrupted.  “Just come out with me.  It’ll be fine.  I promise.”

I pursed my lips.

Nathan was trouble. And tempting. And confident. He was the kind of guy that you knew would break your heart, and you jumped into the fire anyway.

I shook my head at myself. When I was flustered my metaphors started getting all twisted.

“Fine,” I conceded.  Katie jumped up excitedly and threw my clothes at me.  I wanted to protest, but part of me really wanted to look good for Nathan
. 

Shit, I already was in trouble.

~000~

"So, Nate, no girlfriend?"

He raised his eyebrows at my unexpected and way too obvious question. I cringed. I quickly ducked my head to hide my blush.