Breaking Shaun (31 page)

While the guys were gone, Serena was sleeping peacefully in her swing next to Robert’s recliner as he watched ESPN inside the house. Asia, Alexis, and I were sitting on the back deck.

“So, Shaun offered to fix your car, huh?” Asia asked me before she took a sip from her glass of water.

I grinned at her. “Yeah. He does know how to fix cars, right?”

Alexis and Asia both laughed.

“Yeah, don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing. My dad taught all of them how to work on cars. They built Marcus’s car together in high school,” Asia said.

“Oh, wow.”

Marcus’s car was gorgeous. I’d love to have my Mustang looking that good one day.

“So, did you guys go clubbing last night or something?” Alexis asked as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

I shook my head. “No, I’m a bartender at Red.”

“Oh.” Alexis glanced at Asia.

I could feel the tension in the air around us.

Asia sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I’m sure Nick already told you that I used to date Jay.”

She paused to look at me, and I gave her a small nod.

“He’s a good guy, and despite what everyone thinks, you working there doesn’t bother me at all.” Looking into the yard in front of her, Asia seemed lost in her own thoughts. “If it wasn’t for Jay, I never would have found my way back to Marcus. I just hope Jay can find happiness one day. He deserves it.”

Asia blinked and seemed to come back from the daze she had fallen into. Taking a deep breath, she smiled at me. “So…you bone my brother yet?”

The three of us all laughed. Just as I was contemplating a response, the glass door behind Asia opened.

Her dad walked out. “What’s so funny?”

I could feel my cheeks growing warm as Asia sat there, biting her lips while trying to hide her grin.

Alexis looked up at Robert, smiling. “Oh, we were just talking about baby stuff, hair, and makeup. You know, all the usual things girls talk about.”

Asia couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. Robert’s eyes scanned all three of us before he took two steps back into the house and closed the door.

After laughing some more, Asia lifted her hand as if to stop me from talking. “On second thought…I really don’t want to know. I actually
never
want to hear
anything
about my brothers boning.” She aimed warning glares at Alexis and me.

I gave her a devious grin before saying, “Are you sure? ’Cause his dick is like…” I held my hands out in front of me, pretending to measure the distance between them.

Alexis fell back in her chair, laughing.

Asia covered her ears with her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh my God. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.”

I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon with Shaun and his family. I had a good time talking with the girls, and I even went out to the garage with the guys. I watched as they inspected my Mustang and pointed out all of her flaws. My car was in bad shape. I’d spent years putting off her repairs and not tending to her needs, much like I’d done to myself.

At one time, my car had meant everything to me. I’d bought it for myself as a graduation present, and I’d experienced one of my proudest moments when I was finally able to pay for it with the money I’d worked so hard for. I’d daydreamed about getting in that car and escaping my life.

Now looking at it, all I saw was how easily it had been discarded, how easily my dreams had been forgotten.

“Thank you for today,” I said.

Shaun was navigating his car through his dad’s neighborhood. I didn’t think he’d ever understand just how much the day meant to me, how amazing it’d felt to be accepted and welcomed, even if it was just for one day.

His eyes came to mine, and he grinned. The setting sun was lighting up his handsome face, and the sky behind him was a breathtaking mixture of pink and orange.

“Thank you for this morning,” he replied with a wink.

I smiled back at him, but it wasn’t genuine. Turning to look out the passenger window, I felt a small ache in my chest that seemed to be spreading. That was all I would ever be to him—good sex. I’d known that before I got into this, but the harsh reality of it was finally breaking through, and it hurt like hell. Perhaps that was all I was ever going to be. Maybe that was all I deserved.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to face Shaun, and I forced another smile. “Are we still on for surf lessons on Monday?”

“Yeah, sure.”

I nodded, and Shaun looked at me before turning back to watch the road.

“So, it shouldn’t take too long to get your car up and running once the parts come in. If you need help getting to work or anything, just let me know, okay?”

“Thanks. Nick is usually home by the time I go to work though, so I should be all right.”

Shaun didn’t respond. He just adjusted his hold on the steering wheel before asking, “Have you ever thought of restoring your car? She’s got a lot of potential, and with a little TLC, she could be beautiful.”

I shrugged before looking back out the window. “I used to think about it, but it’s been a fight just keeping her running. I don’t know if she has much fight left in her.”

Shaun ran his hand over the stubble on his jaw as he watched the road. He seemed to be debating on what he should say next. “I could help you,” he said, his eyes coming to mine again.

“Yeah, maybe.”

My first weekend in Virginia had gone by in a blur.

Red had been so busy that I crawled into bed, feeling exhausted, each night after work.

I’d thought about Shaun a lot, but I’d been grateful for the time away. I had been able to get some perspective, and I’d remembered why I agreed to be with him in the first place. He was safe. I’d known what I was getting, and I’d known what to expect. There was no confusion and no risk of getting hurt…as long as I could keep my emotions in check.

I’d spent most of Saturday hanging out with Nick, Asia, and Hailey, and I was finally starting to feel like part of their group. It was an overwhelming relief to have people I could talk to and who cared about me.

I hadn’t heard anything from Shaun all weekend, except on Sunday morning when he sent me a text telling me how much the parts for my car would cost.

I’d even agreed to meet up with Mandy on Sunday. We met for brunch at a small restaurant on the beach, and I decided to finally succumb to her and dish about my arrangement with Shaun.

“Okay, so let me get this straight.” She paused to lean forward, and then she rested her elbows on the table. “You’re fuck buddies. Neither of you want a relationship, and now, you’re both free to do whatever you want and still have guaranteed hot sex waiting for you.”

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders. “Well, yeah, I guess so.”

“Don’t you ever watch movies?” she asked, raising her eyebrow in suspicion.

Her question threw me off. “Huh?”

“Movies. You know, those movies where a guy and a girl are fed up with relationships, so they decide to have casual sex with each other. Wasn’t Justin Timberlake in a movie just like that?”

“So, what’s your point?” I asked before taking a sip of my coffee.

“My point is, all those movies end the same way. The guy and girl fall in love, but they don’t realize it until it’s too late, and someone always ends up hurt before it’s over.”

I laughed. “My life is not a movie, trust me.”

Mandy lifted her shoulder and let it drop again before she took a bite from her pancakes. “Well, if it’s ever made into one, I want Megan Fox to play me.” She peered up at me from her pancakes and smiled. “Just sayin’.”

Now, it was Monday morning. The apartment was quiet since Nick had just left for work, and I was starting some laundry when my phone rang. It was Shaun.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Killer.”

I smiled and held the phone between my cheek and shoulder as I stuffed dirty clothes into the washer.

“Good morning.”

“You ready for your lesson?”

I was talking to Natalie on the phone as I made my way out to my car to pick her up.

“Yeah, I’m ready. When do you want to go?” Natalie asked me through the phone.

I opened my car door. “I’m on my way to get you now. Make sure you pack some sunscreen,” I told her before hanging up and getting into my car.

I’d been looking forward to this all weekend. It had only been two days since I saw her last, but it’d felt longer. I’d found myself thinking about her a lot more than I should, so I’d decided to take advantage of the freedom our relationship
provided.