The One (The Halo Series Book 2) Read online

  Why was it so hard?

  When you loved someone with your whole heart, that love was worth fighting for. But I hadn’t found the girl worth fighting for yet. No matter how hard I tried, I hadn’t found her. But I wouldn’t give up. There was somebody out there for me and this trip might be the ticket.

  “This better be important,” Easton said, swinging open the door of his house.

  “Dude, calm the fu…” I looked over his shoulder. Crap C.C. was home. Whispering I said. “Seriously, I have some fucking awesome news.” I couldn’t hold my excitement in. If this plan didn’t work out, then I was giving up hope.

  “If it involves me going back to sleep in the next five minutes, I’m all for it,” Easton said, stepping aside so I could walk inside.

  “What up C.C.?” I asked Cheyenne, Easton’s ten-year-old daughter. I considered her my niece, even though we weren’t blood related.

  Easton and I had been friends for twenty-six years. We’d been through each other’s ups and downs and one thing I knew, I could always count on him. He was my brother, my best friend. Some even said we looked like each other with our shaggy dirty blond hair, blue eyes and similar builds.

  “Uncle A, want to watch this with us?” C.C. asked, pointing to the TV. Each day Cheyenne looked more like her mother with her blonde hair, blue eyes and cute little dimples on each cheek.

  “I would love to, but I need to talk to your Daddy. We are going to California!”

  “We are?” C.C.’s eyes lit up, looking away from her phone in her hands.

  “We are.”

  “We are?” Easton questioned.

  “We are,” I said, winking at C.C. I walked toward the dining room and sat down at the table.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Easton asked, sitting across from me.

  “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking…” I smiled. This was going to be epic!

  “This can’t be good,” he said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

  “All the girls that come into the bar really only want one thing.”

  “I know. I’ve told you for the past two years that you could be getting laid nightly if you would just follow my lead.”

  “You know that isn’t what I want,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

  “Dude, seriously, just have fun and look for the one that you so desperately want to find.”

  “Well, if this plan doesn’t work out, then I will. Okay?”

  “What plan?”

  “So, like I was saying,” I said, getting up and going to the fridge, “I was thinking of what I haven’t done to find the future Mrs. Scott. You know I’ve tried the online shit and that didn’t work out too well, and yeah, okay, I see hot chicks at the bar, but they just want to fuck.”

  “You think?” He laughed, watching as I poured myself a glass of orange juice.

  “Yes, I know,” I said, taking a sip of the juice. “Anyway, I heard from Bethy that she knows a guy who met his wife on a singles cruise.” Bethy was one of our bartenders at Halo who I talked to about my dating life, wanting to get a woman’s opinion on what I was doing wrong in the dating world.

  “A what?”

  “A cruise that’s only for single people.” I returned to my seat across from him.

  “I know what a singles cruise is, dipshit. It just sounds like a Friday or Saturday at Halo. A lot cheaper than going on a cruise, too.” He laughed.

  “I know, but this way I don’t have to buy them dinner.” I laughed. “And there will be hundreds to choose from. And dude, this is a cruise. We have money. Won’t that be fun?”

  “I guess, but how are we both going to be able to go? Who’s going to manage the bar?”

  “I think Bethy would be good, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, I guess she would be. How long is the cruise and where are we going?” he asked, yawning.

  Shit, I’d forgotten that he worked all night—well, not really. Usually, we switched off who managed the bar on Saturday nights. Since I didn’t work the night before, he worked. But I was so excited to talk to him about the cruise. I’d stayed up all night researching when and where they traveled to. I was stoked! If Easton didn’t want to go, then I was going alone. Fuck it!

  “Eight days and Mexico.”

  “Eight days? You think Bethy can manage the bar without us for eight days, especially two of those days being the busiest days of the week?”

  “We can have more than one manager or something. Look, you’re my best friend and we’re both single, and I want to go.”

  “What about Cheyenne?”

  “That’s why I told her that she was going to California. She can stay with Bill and Trish.” Bill and Trish were Easton’s late wife’s parents. Even though Dana was gone, Easton still made sure Cheyenne saw her grandparents.

  He paused, watching me drink my juice as I pictured the wheels in his head turning. “And when is this cruise?” he asked.

  “Second week of April—for Spring Break. Fucking Mexico for Spring Break! Can’t you picture all the hot pieces of ass in their bikinis?”

  “You need to get laid.”

  “That’s the point.”

  “I thought the point was to meet the one?” he asked, mocking me.

  It was no secret that I wanted to settle down, have children, and grow old with one person for the rest of my life. Easton had wanted the same when we were in high school. After we’d graduated high school, he proposed to his girlfriend and I went off to college. Before I knew it, he was married and had Cheyenne on the way. What we all didn’t expect was his ex dying in a car crash the last day of their divorce trial, leaving him a single father.

  We lived in Long Beach at the time and since that day, I’d stepped up my role as Cheyenne’s uncle. She was only five at the time of her mother’s death. Easton doesn’t have any siblings; his parent had moved to New York and his in-laws tried to help, but Easton stepped up and became the father he needed to be. That little girl has had us both so wrapped around her finger that we’d do anything for her.

  “I’m going to try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll take your approach. It’s been a long time since I’ve fucked.”

  “You know that it would just be cheaper to fuck a chick you meet at the bar, right?”

  “Just let me try this,” I said, crossing my arms. “Also, asshole, one day, some chick is going to knock you upside your head. I know you’re not looking for the one, but you can’t be single and unhappy forever.”

  “I’m not unhappy. I like my life and I’m doing what’s best for Cheyenne,” Easton said, leaning back in his chair again with his arms crossed over his chest like mine.

  We were both stubborn. I knew that Easton didn’t want to leave Cheyenne. He hadn’t gone on a vacation since Dana died. The only time he was without Cheyenne was when she visited her grandparents in California for a week or two during the summers, but he would work—not have fun.

  “Cheyenne needs a mother figure,” I said, giving him a stern look. He knew I was right. He might not want to believe it, but he knew Cheyenne needed more than her grandmother in her life.

  “Dude, I can’t just bring chicks in here on rotation and hope that one’s the one.”

  “No, but you can stop being an asshole and start opening your eyes. Dana’s death has nothing to do with your happiness. She wasn’t the one for you. You were getting divorced for Christ’s sake.”

  “I know,” he murmured.

  “Just think about it. There is always a princess for every asshole. You just need to stop being one and open your heart again.”

  “Why do you sound like Dr. Phil right now?” He laughed.

  “Fuck you! I just want you to have a good time on the cruise and maybe find the one, too.”

  “Are you going to see your parents?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “Yeah, if we have time. Doubt we will since they live in Santa Barbara now, but I’ll see if they can meet up with us.” More than likely
my parents wouldn’t have time to drive less than an hour to see me while I was in California. Since moving to New York, they hadn’t visited once. My parents, especially my dad, wanted me to become a pro baseball player, and when I didn’t, they no longer wanted anything to do with me. I wasn’t sorry I’d become a bar owner. I was happy where I am, and frankly, they could kiss my ass.

  “All right, let me call Bill. What are the dates again?”

  “Yes!” I jumped up, throwing my arm in the air and celebrating.

  I knew my best friend wouldn’t let me down.

  It was my turn to work a Saturday night and any other night, I would be okay with it. I owned the joint after all, but as I served customers, I noticed a chick that I’d hoped to never see again, and I suddenly wished I wasn’t trapped behind the bar.

  I met Angie when I first moved to New York and let me tell you, I wished I’d never had. On the outside, Angie looks like a normal girl and totally my type. Long blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and legs that went on for miles. She was stunning. Men were putty in her hands, and I was one of those fools.

  As soon as I’d met Angie, I couldn’t wait to bury my face in her nice tits. I wined and dined her, and when she suggested we go back to her place, I was all for it. I quickly paid the bill—not waiting for change—and drove as fast as I could. When we returned back to her place and I walked into her house, I jumped. I mean, I seriously fucking jumped.

  “What the fuck is that?” I asked with my back against the closed front door.

  “That’s Fred,” she said, walking over to her couch. “He’s my Bearded Dragon.”

  “You’re what?” My eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of their sockets as I stared at the scaly creature.

  “My Bearded Dragon. You know, a lizard.”

  Lizards were small. This was no lizard. This was, in fact, a fucking dragon.

  “Why…why does he look like that?” I swallowed hard, watching the dragon that sat on the back of her couch only a few steps away. His throat looked like something a cobra would do in attack mode. “Why is…” I swallowed again. “Why is his throat black and puffy?”

  “He doesn’t know who you are. He’ll warm up to you soon. Won’t you, Fred?” Angie bent down, kissing the scaly beast. I resisted the urge to gag as I watched her lips on Fred. The dragon started to nod his head in agreement, his spiny scales laying down.

  Did that fucker just nod?

  “See,” Angie continued. “He’ll warm up to you. Come pet him.”

  “I…I’d uh, rather not.” I rubbed my hand over my neck and through my dirty blond hair.

  “Trust me,” Angie said, still petting the reptile.

  Then it did something that I swore I’d never seen in my life. The fucking thing waved at me.

  “Ah, see. He’s already warming up to you. Bearded Dragons wave to show submission.”

  Submission?

  “Well, I haven’t warmed up to him. Do you mind putting him in a cage or something?”

  “He doesn’t have one.”

  I blinked at her. “Your lizard doesn’t have a cage?”

  “No, this is his house too.”

  See, this is where you would think that I would hightail it out the door, right? Nope!

  “Okay,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

  “Look, Avery. I like you. Let’s just watch a movie and see what happens.”

  “A movie…with Fred?”

  She laughed. “Fine, I’ll feed him. That should give us some alone time.”

  My body was still against the door as I watched her pick-up Fred and take him to the open floor plan kitchen, setting him down in front of what looked like your standard sized pet dish with a colorful mat under it—like feeding a lizard outside a cage was normal. It wasn’t normal. Angie wasn’t normal. I felt some of the tension start to leave my body as I watched her fill the bowl with lettuce, putting distance between me and Fred.

  “Would you like some coffee? A beer? Popcorn?” Angie asked.

  “Sure, I’ll take a beer and some popcorn.” I couldn’t be rude.

  I started to pace around the small living room, looking at pictures of Angie and her girlfriends partying. I knew I needed to man the fuck up. It was only a lizard. Worst case, it bit me. I groaned, running my hand over my face and thinking of the worst case scenario.

  It’s just a lizard.

  “Popcorn’s popping,” Angie had said, walking back into the living room and handing me a bottle of Coors Light. “What movie do you want to watch?”

  “Doesn’t matter to me.” I sat on the couch, my ass cheeks clenching at the thought of Fred. I took a deep breath. I could do this…it was just a submissive lizard.

  “All right, well, let me go get the popcorn and then we can find something on Pay-Per-View.”

  “Perfect,” I said, taking a pull of my beer, downing most of it. I needed more than one beer to get through the night. “Mind if I have another beer?”

  “No problem.”

  Angie returned with another beer and the popcorn. I was in a daze—eyeing the kitchen and waiting for Fred to walk out as she picked a movie. She reached over, turning off the lamp on the end table by the couch.

  “Mind leaving that on?” I asked.

  “You watch movies with the lights on?”

  Yep, when there was a dragon in the house, I did. “Um…no, that’s okay,” I said, trying to sound like the man I was.

  It was just a lizard…

  It was just a lizard…

  It was just a lizard…

  We sat in the dark, the only light from the glow of the TV, and I downed my second beer, wondering how long it took dragons to eat. The movie started to play—I had no idea what movie we were watching because all I could think about was the reptile in the next room.

  “You don’t like the movie?” Angie asked.

  “It’s fine,” I said, still not really watching.

  “Why are you still tense?”

  “I’m not,” I lied.

  “Yeah, you are. Let me help you.” Angie scooted off the couch and knelt in front of my legs. I swallowed hard again. Her hands instantly went to my belt and started to loosen the buckle before finally undoing it and unbuttoning my jeans.

  I groaned as her hand reached in, grabbing my dick and helping it become hard. It didn’t take long for my cock to poke out of my boxers. Angie pulled them down enough to free my dick, my head tilted back against the back of the brown leather couch.

  My eyes closed as her wet tongue licked the tip of my shaft, and I was lost in the feel of her warm mouth working in sync with her hands. My body was building up to come and I looked down, staring at her head bobbing up and down when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow. I glanced over. Fred was on the couch cushion next to me. My body instantly tensed again. Angie thought I was going to come, but there was no way in hell that I was going to come in front of a dragon.

  “It’s okay,” Angie said.

  “What is?” I asked, my eyes never leaving Fred.

  “You can come in my mouth,” she said between sucks.

  How was I going to come with the eyes of a reptile looking between me and my dick as Angie bobbed her head? I couldn’t come. I envisioned Fred leaping for my cock and biting it. That was one place I for sure didn’t want Fred to bite!

  “I’d rather come with my dick inside you,” I said, thinking of a way to move away from Fred.

  Usually, I could go more than one round. Not tonight. Tonight I was blowing my load and getting the fuck out of Dodge, and not with my dick hanging out for a dragon to bite off.

  I put all thoughts of Fred out of my head as I picked Angie up, tossing her lightly onto her other couch and sheathed myself with the condom I had in my pocket. I’d waited too long to have sex and this was my first lay since being in New York. Easton would laugh at me for days if I told him some lizard had kept me from getting laid.

  So I manned up.

  After fully sheath
ing myself, I pulled Angie’s underwear down, not caring if she was ready for me. With one push, I was inside her, pumping away until she moaned, clenching around me. I actually had no desire to wait for her to come, so I was lucky she did come before I came. She wouldn’t remember me as a total asshole.

  This shit was not happening again! I never wanted to see Angie or Fred again.

  I thrust faster, needing to come so I could leave. I looked up to meet Angie’s eyes, hoping that her gorgeous face would send me over the edge, but only to see Fred on the back of the couch behind her head.

  Fuck!

  I pulled Angie’s blouse down just enough to clamp down on her nipple, needing something to keep my head and mind busy as I rammed into her, over and over, the leather from the couch squeaking as I pumped.

  She reached down, grasping my balls between our bodies and that was my undoing. I came into the condom, not looking at Angie or Fred. I slide out of her as she tried to kiss me. Fred was inches away and I just needed out.

  I needed an exit plan.

  Giving her a quick peck on the lips, I stood, walking to the bathroom. After I cleaned up and disposed of the condom, I thought about an excuse. I didn’t have any desire to do this again. I didn’t care if it was at my place. She was hot, but having a scaly reptile staring at me while I fucked only meant that Angie wasn’t the one.

  “It’s getting pretty late. I should go,” I said, coming out of the bathroom.

  “You can stay here if you want.”

  “I have an early meeting tomorrow with my broker.”

  I really did have a meeting. Easton and I were going to look at a space to open our own bar.

  I quickly made my exit, doing the polite thing by kissing her goodnight and telling her that I had a nice time. After all, I wasn’t an asshole, but I was going to be one to her in her mind. I would never call her like I’d promised. I would never see her again like I’d said I would. This was just a one-time thing…

  And the most terrifying sexual experience of my life.

  I thought about Fred as I watched Angie walk into Halo, laughing with her friends. Before I could make my escape, her eyes met mine and she walked up to me with angry eyes. I swallowed hard, waiting for her to cause a scene.