I Kissed Her First: A BOUND TOGETHER NOVEL Read online

  Squealing, I run into Jett’s arms as he catches me, spinning us in a circle as my legs wrap around his waist. “I can’t believe you’re actually here,” he says before his lips meet mine. “Fuck, I missed you.”

  Setting me on my feet after a few minutes, I can’t stop smiling up at him as he takes my hand. We walk toward the town car waiting for us on the tarmac where my dad’s company jet landed. Sliding into the back, I lean into him, not able to feel close enough now that I’m here.

  We drive to his house, neither of us saying much, just enjoying the fact that we’re sitting next to one another in real life. His fingers trace lazy circles on my thigh while I cling to his arm that’s noticeably gotten thicker with muscles.

  He’s changed some since I saw him over the summer. He’s got some stubble on his face that makes him look older and sexier, accenting his light eyes in contrast to his dark hair and tanned skin.

  Arriving at his huge Malibu home, it’s such a drastic change from the houses back home. It’s strange how, from one part of the country to another, the same social caliber can look so different. Everything seems different, from the homes to the business to the clothes and people. It all feels a bit foreign. I wonder if I could fit in here with Jett one day if this is where he wanted to be.

  He shows me up to the spare room. A dirty little smirk on his face makes me blush when he points out his room across the hall. Then he cups my face in his hands and kisses me, and all the tension I had about feeling out of place melts away. Because I’m here with Jett and I know him as much as he knows me.

  “Do you feel up to hanging out tonight and meeting some people?” he asks me as he kisses down my neck. “If you’re tired and don’t want to, we can stay here. But there’s a party if you feel up to going.”

  Picking my head up, I look at him with a smile. “I’d like to meet your friends,” I tell him truthfully. He’s talked about them enough that I really would like to see this side of his life and meet his friends here.

  He smiles big at me. “They can’t wait to meet you. And probably try to embarrass me,” he laughs. “Nikki is like a cross between you and Gabby. I think you’ll get along, or at least I hope so. Noah is a dumbass, but we like him enough, so we keep him around.” He shrugs, making me laugh. “And Ari will probably flirt and hit on you to piss me off, but I promise he’s harmless.”

  “I can’t wait.” I smile, unable to stop. His excitement is palpable. “Big or small party?”

  He winces before saying, “Big.”

  “Then the important question: how should I dress?”

  He gapes at me a few seconds before I snap my fingers in his face. “I might need to call Nikki,” he says, pulling out his cell. He taps out a text, it blings right away with one in return. This goes back and forth for a few minutes before he looks up at me again. “She’s coming over later to help with that and get ready with you.” I must give him a weird look because his face falls. “Is that alright?”

  I brush my nervous feeling away. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I just… I guess I just don’t know how to do this.”

  Head tilted to the side, he asks, “Do what?”

  “LA,” I laugh. “It’s so different, and I’ve only really been in the car.”

  “Different scenery but same assholes, Harper. I swear.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “If you want to leave or feel uncomfortable at any time, we’ll leave, okay?”

  * * *

  “Girl, no wonder that boy is head over fucking heels for you,” Nikki tells me with a grin as she looks me up and down.

  Jett was right; she’s awesome and we instantly clicked. She shooed him out of the bedroom and adjoining bathroom so we could get ready over an hour ago.

  Glancing back at her, I look at how hot she is. She’s a beautifully tanned blonde with blue eyes. Her hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, face contoured to perfection with a nude lip and flawless cat-eye lined eyes. Her bright red leather mini skirt is topped with a tight black cropped tank showing off her toned stomach. She’s got on tall heels that showcase her long, lean legs, making her look runway-ready.

  “Fuck,” I breathe out. “No way I look as good as you. Is it a prerequisite that you have to be drop-dead gorgeous to live here and procreate?”

  Her head falls back as she laughs. “Shut up, you look sexy as hell. Jett’s going to have to stand behind you all night so no one sees the wood he’ll probably be sporting,” she jokes.

  Just then, he knocks on the door. “You girls ready? Ari and Noah just got here.”

  When I open the door, his mouth falls open and his eyes darken as they peruse up and down my body.

  “I hope this is okay,” I tell him, feeling my cheeks heat from his stare, which is zeroed in on my chest. His mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water a few times. “Jett?”

  His hooded eyes finally meet mine. “Get out, Nikki,” he tells her.

  “Told you,” Nikki whispers in my ear as she walks out, making me smile and relax a little.

  Jett kicks the door closed once she leaves us alone. “Holy fuck, Harper. I don’t want to take you anywhere now.” My smile falls. “Because I want to keep you to myself and make you mine all night long, baby.” He smiles, gripping my chin to pull my face to his, leaving one soft kiss on my red-painted lips.

  I’m in a silver dress that barely covers my ass. It’s tight against my hips and curves, but the top is a loose halter with a deep V dropping almost to my navel with an open back. I have a thin chain necklace that falls between my cleavage. All of that is paired with red stilettos and lipstick to match. My hair is down, straightened, and falling to just above my waist.

  “So, I look alright?” I ask again, turning so he can see the back, and grin at him over my shoulder.

  He lets out a groan. “What are you doing to me, baby?”

  After I push him out of the bathroom, I quickly grab my clutch and take his hand as we make our way downstairs to where his friends are waiting. “There she is!” Nikki says, clapping her hands excitedly.

  Both boys’ eyes track our movements, and when Jett snaps at them to keep their eyes up, they both look anywhere but at us, making me laugh.

  Noah looks like the boy next door. He’s the cute boy at school who everyone dismisses, but give him a few years and he’ll be the one girls gawk at in the street. He’s got light brown hair, dark eyes and adorable dimples.

  Ari oozes trouble and bad decisions. I know right then that he and Gabby can never meet. His dark skin looks smooth as silk, and I fight the urge to reach out and touch his cheek. He’s got plump lips with perfect white teeth that shine when he smiles. A smile meant for Hollywood screens.

  After basic introductions are made, Ari gets a big wolfish smile on his face. “Oh, tonight is going to be fun.”

  Nikki smacks him on the back of the head. “Don’t. Don’t start your shit tonight. The poor girl just got here.”

  “Uh… I think I’ll be alright,” I say lightly.

  We leave, and once at the party, the night becomes something you only see on TV. Rich Hollywood kids in a mansion with enough high-end alcohol to drown the entire NFL. Music pumping through speakers in every room where people are dancing on the makeshift dance floor. Outside there’s a huge infinity pool filled with girls in bikinis smaller than any I’ve ever seen.

  We get a drink and dance for a while, but there are so many people, I start to feel claustrophobic. Sensing my unease, Jett takes our little group outside past the pool to where there’s another patio area with a faux firepit. The sight makes me chuckle. Fucking LA and all their fake-ass things.

  He pulls me down on his lap, turning my face to look at him. His hooded eyes stare into mine for a second before he kisses me, long and deep until I’m breathless and needy.

  “Damn,” someone mutters behind me, making me smirk because they aren’t wrong.

  Looking back toward the others in our little group sitting around this fake fire, I see most everyone here has co
upled up and is making out or occupied physically in one way or another. Everyone except for Ari and Nikki.

  Tilting my head toward her in question, she rolls her eyes, making me smile. “Did you two date?”

  Ari looks at her. “Something like that.”

  “They’re fuck buddies, baby. But really, they like to watch more than participate,” Jett says in my ear, and for some reason, it makes my body temperature rise.

  “Oh,” I say breathily.

  “You want to show them how we do things?” he asks. Turning to look at him, I wonder if I heard him wrong.

  Jett and I are far from innocent when we’re together, but we don’t ever do things besides kiss outside of the bedroom. At least we haven’t before. And now that he’s put that thought in my head, I can’t not think about it and how it’s turning me on and making me wet between my legs.

  His eyes fall to my mouth, watching the movement of my tongue as I lick my lips before looking back up to my eyes. His lopsided grin spreads slowly. He knows me well enough to know that I’m horny as fuck right now.

  “Turn around to face me,” he says. I do as he says, with a knee on either side of the chair he’s sitting on. He looks down, and I’m sure now he sees that I’m not wearing any underwear. “Fuck, baby. You do that for me?” Biting into my lip, I nod. Then he’s kissing me again, his hand on my ass squeezing and pulling me into his erection. The feel of the rough fabric from his jeans rubbing on my sensitive flesh has me moaning into his mouth as my hips rock back and forth.

  His lips trail down my neck and cleavage. Pulling the fabric of my dress to the side, exposing one of my breasts, the cool air on my heated skin has me hissing. His mouth covers my hard nipple, sucking and driving me wild.

  Then he stops, pulls back and covers me back up. “That’s all you dirty fucks get,” he tells his friends, not taking his eyes off of me. “We’re leaving.”

  We spend the rest of my time here getting naked between swimming and surfing. It’s a magical weekend. Like a glimpse of what our future could look like.

  Chapter Ten

  Harper

  The last few months went slower than any others. Once I got back from California, time seemed to almost stand still some days. But summer is here, and so are Gabby and Jett. We’ve all just graduated from high school, eighteen and free to roam as we please. The last summer before college and a whole new time in our lives.

  Right now, the four of us are standing outside a tattoo parlor where Gabby brought us without knowing where we were going. It was one of her “surprises”. She always has a bag full of them each summer.

  “Nope!” Teddy says after a few minutes.

  “Oh yes,” Gabby says, shoving him toward the door. “Tattoo or piercing or both, I don’t care. But we are all leaving here with something.”

  “Woman, you are certifiable! I’m not going in—” Ding! The bell above the door sounds as Gabby pushes him through the door as I hold it open while Jett stands back watching. “Ohshitohshitohshit,” Teddy starts chanting, making us all laugh, including the artists inside.

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure one of these talented people can give you a cute little teddy bear on your ass,” Gabby says to him, squeezing his cheeks together before letting go and slapping his ass, making him jump.

  He audibly growls at her, which she returns with a snap of her teeth in his direction.

  “Okay, enough, you two,” I say, coming between them. “Gabs, he doesn’t have to get anything if he doesn’t want to. We all knew he was a pussy anyway,” I challenge, looking at him with a lifted brow.

  His mouth hangs open as he gapes at me. “I can’t believe you just said that,” Teddy says quietly. Not that I don’t swear or say dirty words, but I don’t as often as the rest of them.

  Leaning in toward him more, I get right in his face. “Pussy.” Jett cackles behind me. I turn to give him a smile over my shoulder. “What are you going to get?” I ask him.

  “Probably your name on his dick,” Gabby mutters.

  Jett covers his junk, his eyes widening. “I love you, baby, but I’m not going to tattoo my dick for you. You already know it’s yours, right?”

  “Damn straight.” I smirk with more confidence than I actually feel.

  I’m not a fool. Jett is gorgeous, and I know he has girls falling over him in every way possible when he’s back in California. I’ve seen it. We’ve always been honest with each other from day one, even when it hurt. Even telling each other about being asked out or hit on or girls trying to kiss him or proposition him. That part is pure torture, but if we’re going to work—and last—it’s essential.

  “What about you, Gabs? What are you doing, tat or piercing?” I ask, needing to get my mind away from the thought of Jett with other girls.

  “Piercing.” She pauses and gets that look on her face that we all know means trouble. “Maybe a couple.” My hands fly to my chest, cupping my breasts over the thin tank I have on over my bikini top. She lets out a throaty laugh. “What about you?” she asks me next.

  Nodding, I say, “Piercing.”

  “Where?”

  “Bellybutton.” I swallow, adding, “Or tongue.”

  Her smile spreads like the Cheshire cat, causing my cheeks to heat. I hear Jett mumble a “fuck” behind me, making me smile more at Gabby, who then busts out laughing.

  “What?” Teddy asks completely clueless, still trying to get out of the whole ordeal.

  Jett clears his throat. “Nothing you need to worry about,” he snaps at Teddy as his heated gaze falls on me. Guess that settles that.

  A couple of hours later, we all walk out of the shop. Teddy is still cursing at all of us, which only keeps fueling our laughter.

  Although I have to admit, I do feel a little bit bad about deceiving him. He trusted me, and it earned him a tattoo on his pelvis… of a crab. I told him it was to symbolize how we used to catch crabs when we were kids and got all nostalgic. Until he realized he just got a crab permanently inked on his body that looks like it’s crawling right toward his dick that every girl he sleeps with will see... And let’s face it, no girl wants crabs.

  “Oh, shush,” Gabby tells him, annoyed. “I’m sure if it hurts, Harper can make it feel better with a little lick.”

  “Gabby!” I yell at her at the same time Jett says, “Like hell!”

  “I swear to God, Gabby, I will pull on both your nipples so hard if you don’t stop,” I threaten her, but it only makes her chuckle.

  The bar through my tongue makes me sound ridiculous since I’m not used to it yet. Hopefully, I can mask it from my parents long enough for it to stop swelling and for me to get used to it enough that I can talk normally.

  Teddy raises his hand like a dork and says, “That would make me feel a little bit better.”

  Rolling my eyes, I shake my head at him. Spoken like a guy wanting to see any type of girl-on-girl action he can.

  “Let’s sleep on the beach tonight,” Gabby says when we get to the car.

  We all agree, piling inside. Teddy sits in front with her while Jett and I cuddle up together in the back. We all go our separate ways to gather supplies and plan to meet back at our favorite spot.

  Well, all but Jett and me.

  It’s Saturday, and my family is at Teddy’s. I send my mom a text, letting her know we’re all camping on the beach as I push open the front door. Jett follows me inside my empty house and up to my room. Once inside, he spins me to face him, gripping onto the backs of my thighs until they wrap around him. “I’ve been hard all-night thinking about that thing in your mouth.”

  He takes my mouth with his, his tongue seeking out mine, getting acquainted with the new jewelry there. He moans into my mouth, grinding into me.

  I pull back and look at him. “How’s yours feel?” I ask, my eyes going to his bottom lip. He has a small hoop on the side of his perfectly soft lip, making him look even more sexy and delicious than he did before.

  “It’s not bad. You?”
r />   “Kinda hurts like a bitch,” I laugh.

  “Sorry, baby.”

  “I’m not. I knew it would get used well before it was healed.”

  “Don’t tease, Harper. That’s mean.”

  My smile spreads further, my eyes going back to look at his mouth. “Not teasing.”

  Jett

  I carry Harper on my back down to the spot on the beach where we always park our asses. No surprise to see that Gabby and Teddy are already there with a fire started.

  “About fucking time,” Gabby yells, exasperated when she sees us.

  It’s not that she and Teddy don’t get along, but if left unattended too long, they seem to always reach a point where you aren’t sure if they’re going to kill or fuck each other.

  She brings a bottle to her lips, taking a big swig of the clear liquid that I’m almost one hundred percent positive is vodka. “He’s still pissy over his crab,” she deadpans with pursed lips.

  “I do kind of feel bad,” Harper says, sliding down my back to her feet. She walks to Teddy, sitting down next to him, knocking her knee against his. It doesn’t take long before he’s smiling and they’re laughing together.

  Watching them like that makes my chest tight. They’ve been best friends their entire lives and have a whole language and slew of memories that Gabby and I can’t touch or understand. As much as I don’t want to worry, I do.

  I worry and wonder what will happen when I’m not here anymore. I see the way he looks at her. It’s the way he’s always looked at her. Like she is his whole world. And that scares the shit out of me. Because I worry that one day she’ll wake up and see that she fits into his world better than mine.

  Gabby hip-checks me, pulling me from my thoughts. “Don’t go there.”

  My brows pinch together as I look back at them one more time before dropping my face to the sand. “Yeah.”