HJS-NS-23- Hey everyone I'm back with another chapter! I know it took me forever I'm sorry. My beta was in the middle of final exams so I told her whenever she had time to look over it she could. But good news now she's done so I SHOULD be able to update faster! Thank you to everyone who keeps reviewing every chapter the reviews always make my day and make me smile. HUGE thanks to Ale who is my beta and made me die laughing with a few of the comments she wrote about this part! Anyways I guess I will stop rambling and just let you read the latest part. So enjoy and please review.
Peyton felt her breath catch, as he seemed to look into her soul. "Maybe," she answered coyly. "Depends on how nice you are."
"I can be as nice as you want," Lucas flirted back, smirking at her and making her heart melt.
"I'll keep that in mind," Peyton answered back before looking at the couple dancing on the floor.
"So, since I'm the best man and you're the maid of honor maybe we should practice dancing for the wedding," he suggested hoping she would say yes.
"Why do you have two left feet?" Peyton asked raising an eyebrow.
"No but maybe you need the practice," Lucas smirked.
"Lucas Scott, are you telling me I can't dance?" Peyton asked pretending to be hurt by such a comment.
"I have no proof either way until I see you try," he told her.
Peyton looked at the dance floor before looking at him. "Then ask me to dance like a gentleman," she told him.
"Peyton Sawyer, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?" Lucas asked charmingly.
"No," Peyton said laughing when she saw the shock on Lucas' face. "Just kidding, yes I will."
Lucas stood up and held out his hand for her to take and led them to the dance floor by Brooke and Julian.
"Look he got her to dance," Brooke said nodding at the two blondes.
"Yea," Julian said biting his tongue when Brooke rested her head on his chest and he just pulled her closer.
"Well, I guess I won't tell Julian to find a new best man," Peyton said after a few minutes of dancing.
"Why would Julian have to find a new best man?" Lucas asked his eyes squinting in confusion.
"In case you couldn't dance," Peyton said smiling when Lucas playfully glared at her.
"You haven't even seen my best moves," Lucas told her seductively.
"Oh really?" Peyton flirted back.
"Defiantly," Lucas told her bringing her body closer to his, the music playing softly in the background. "Remember tonight for it is the beginning of always," Lucas whispered into her ear as they swayed together.
Peyton couldn't think, her heart beat wildly in her chest as she tried to control herself from just grabbing his face and fusing their lips together. She was falling hard for the blue-eyed boy in front of her. He was nothing like Owen. He was sweet, funny, romantic, and he made her feel things no one else had ever made her feel. She was petrified.
"I can tell you're a writer," she replied trying to keep her mind off of how safe she felt in his arms.
"Why's that?" Lucas asked perplexed.
"Because you say some very sappy lines that probably get you into women's beds very easily," she told him.
"It's not a line Peyt, it's the truth," he softly told her.
Peyton's eyes fell shut at the way his breath blew on her ear when he spoke, the way her nickname just seemed to roll off his tongue and how his hands seemed to fit perfectly with her. She was a girl known for her spite and feistiness and this man seemed to turn her into a hopeless romantic.
Brooke saw the waitress bring their food to the table and gently nudged Julian.
"We better get to it before it gets cold," Julian told her.
"Yea," Brooke said really not wanting to move from her spot. The song ended and Julian led Brooke back to the table. Lucas and Peyton noticed them and made their way back to the table too all of them sitting in the spots where they were before.
Lucas' hand itched to reach under the table and hold Peyton's hand that was rested on her thigh.
"So how are the wedding plans coming?" Lucas asked,
"Hectic," Brooke answered truthfully. "But I got the venue set up, we are going to get married at Venice Beach, because the view is just spectacular, I ordered the flowers which are spectacular, I started working on my dress, Peyton's dress is designed, the reception area is booked, I hired the caterers and photographer and now I just need to do the seating chart, finish the dresses and do a few other things. Oh and Julian and I need to go pick out wedding bands." Brooke said ticking the items off her fingers.
"What about the honeymoon plans?" Lucas directed towards Julian.
"Oh, I get to pick and I am surprising Brooke," Julian said as Peyton smiled knowing that Julian would need her help packing Brooke's suitcase.
"Unless I can sweet-talk him into telling me where," Brooke said innocently looking up at Julian under her eyelashes and batting her eyes.
"You haven't yet," Julian replied cockily as Peyton and Lucas laughed at the duo.
The group of four finished their food as the conversation flowed back to the wedding plans to Lucas' newest book and over to Peyton and her singing, each melding perfectly together as they laughed over past experiences from college and high school each of them telling embarrassing stories about their childhoods.
The waitress came and placed the check on the table and although Lucas reached for the check, Julian was quicker and paid the bill although Lucas and Peyton both insisted they could pay for themselves before thanking Julian after Brooke told them to be quiet and let them be spoiled, since it was Lucas' last night and Peyton could pay for coffee when they went out the next day.
The four were standing outside the restaurant when Brooke nudged Julian and he lent down to hear her. "We need to ditch them to see if they will finally do something about their feelings," Brooke whispered.
Julian just looked at her before wrapping his arm around her waist and winking at her.
"Hey Peyton, do you mind if Lucas hangs out with you a little bit so me and Brooke can have a little alone time?" Julian asked.
"Just don't make another sex tape," she said pointing to Julian. "And then bring it over to watch like you did last time when you thought it was Cinderella." She added nodding towards Brooke.
Lucas scratched his head and chuckled as he looked between the three.
"So, that means Lucas can hang out with you? Great!" Brooke said grabbing Julian's hand and dragging him away before Peyton could object.
"I could go somewhere if you don't want to hang out," Lucas told her seeing Peyton biting her lip as she got lost in an internal debate. If I hang out with him something may happen and even if Owen's an ass he still doesn't deserve me to cheat on him, but if I say nothing will happen, nothing will happen. I have more self control than that and nothing happened on the beach when we hung out or when we went and saw Casablanca in the park a few nights ago as friends. But something did almost happen her conscious reminded her. But it didn't, she told herself. Shaking her head she realized Lucas was just looking at her.
"Well, I guess you're stuck with me," Peyton said. "Unless you don't want too," she added not hearing him when he said he didn't have to hang out with her.
"Let's go get ice cream," Lucas told her grabbing her hand and leading her to one of the street vendors. His hand fits perfectly with mine, Peyton gushed before rolling her eyes at herself. Be realistic she told herself.
"I want a vanilla cone please," Lucas told the vendor before looking at Peyton. "And can I get a chocolate cone please?" Peyton asked reaching for her purse to pay for it.
"I got it," Lucas told her flipping his wallet open and taking out a few bills to pay for the cones.
"I can do it," Peyton told him.
"Too late," Lucas said handing the bills to the vendor as Peyton just shook her head.
"Thanks," she told him when he handed her the ice cream cone.
"No problem," He replied before eating his ice cream cone.
The two walked across the street to the playground and sat on the swings the silence enveloping them in comfort and serenity. Peyton licked her ice cream cone as she thought about Lucas. Unlike Owen, he seemed to understand her. He seemed to understand that even though she was independent it was still nice to depend on someone. She was able to tell him all about her life and open up to him in a way she was never able to do with Owen. He gave her butterflies and made her laugh and he was broody and smart and able to banter back with her and not take everything she said seriously. She knew what was happening although she fought hard to ignore it. She was falling for him.
Lucas stared at Peyton, his curiosity running wildly through his mind as thoughts of why she was even with the jerk he saw at the bar that one night. He could see she was afraid to let anyone in, and yet she seemed to let him in. His mind briefly wondered if Julian and Brooke were trying to set them up. He was falling in love with the curly blonde. Well, if he was honest with himself he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her hit the stage at the club. He couldn't believe he had only met her only a weeks ago, yet she had changed his life. Lucas thought that coming to L.A he would see his best friend from college and have business meeting, but he never expected to fall in love.
"I love sitting outside and watching the stars," Peyton confided quietly almost nervously.
"Yeah I figured," Lucas told her.
"Oh right, the night at the beach when I was a mess. Sorry about that," Peyton said not really knowing if she was apologizing for falling apart on him or for just leaving him.
"I wish you would've stayed," Lucas told her honestly his eyes trained on her face as she looked down from the sky.
"Luke…" Peyton begged not wanting him to tell her how he really felt because she was barely holding on at the moment. Lucas' breath catching in his throat as she shortened his name. This girl, no woman made him feel everything that he had never felt before.
"No Peyton, I'm leaving tomorrow and you're amazing, but you're with a guy who treats you like shit and I know I asked you before but why do you stay with him?" Lucas finally asked needing to know.
"Cause sometimes, it's good. Sometimes there's no one else." Peyton told him honestly shrugging her shoulder. "He's not always a bad guy Luke." Peyton said trying to defend Owen, she honestly didn't know why.
"What if there was someone else?" Lucas asked.
"Luke you can't just say something like that. I mean you're leaving tomorrow and I…I have a boyfriend and I..." Peyton started rambling before standing up and pacing in front of the swing set. Here he was practically telling her he liked her and all she could do was feel the walls around her heart building up. Everyone she loved left anyway. True Brooke and Julian hadn't left yet, but she was just waiting for that to happen. And she was scared. She was scared. What if she broke up with Owen and she tried dating Lucas and it ended horribly? And she could lose Julian over this. After all, this was Julian's best friend.
Lucas watched her pace and stood up so he was in front of her. "Peyton," he yelled, trying to stop her rambling as she glared at him for interrupting her. "I want you and I know you want me and I know you're scared, but I'm not going to hurt you." Lucas told her his eyes begging with hers to believe him.
"And how am I supposed to believe you?" Peyton said crossing her arms across her chest defensively.
"Because I'm not like every guy out there and I'm falling for you."
Peyton felt her heart rate speed up and her breath catch in her throat. He's perfect, he knows what I'm thinking but how can I believe him? Peyton thought to herself. Before Peyton could even open her mouth to rebut his lips were on hers.
Her lips were soft and he could taste the subtle flavor of her coconut lip gloss, he backed away needing to see how she felt about it. Peyton wouldn't let herself think of anything but this moment. Uncrossing her arms she grabbed Lucas' gray dress shirt and crashed her lips back on his. Her blood hummed through out her body as he kissed her, his hands cupping her face before one of them moved into her blonde waves. Using his tongue, he gently parted her lips before slipping his tongue inside her meeting hers as they devoured each other's mouths. Peyton pulled him closer to her, her hands moving to grip his shoulders.
She couldn't think, just feel and she felt the butterflies swarm her stomach. Lucas moved his lips from her and she felt disappointed until she felt his lips at her neck kissing the column of her neck as the fireworks burst behind her eyelids. She leaned her head to give him better access as she felt her legs turn to jelly when his lips finally collided back with hers.
He couldn't believe he was kissing Peyton Sawyer. He had been fantasizing for this moment ever since he met her and God she tasted wonderful, it was intoxicating. He knew that he would never get sick of her.
Peyton moved her hands from his shoulders and using her nimble fingers, she started working on the buttons of his dress shirt, moving her mouth from his as she pressed chaste kisses to where she had already unbuttoned it, needing to see his chest, to feel it. Lucas felt his head dip back in ecstasy as she finished and threw his shirt to the ground. He would've been mad if his thoughts weren't clouded by lust as she grabbed the hem of his wife beater and pulled it off before connecting their lips again. Lucas moved his hand from her waist and used it to run up her leg and slip under her dress feeling her creamy thigh he felt himself get harder if possible before wrapping her leg around him so she could feel how much he wanted her, needed her.
Peyton let out a moan, Lucas smirked knowing she was enjoying this just as much as he was before grinding her hips against his arousal making him groan and her smile victoriously against his lips. Their hands ran over each other's body. Lucas moved his hands to the back of her dress and unzipped it needing to feel more of her, kiss more of her, ravish her like the goddess he thought she was. He grunted when he got past where her bra would be and came in contact with bare skin knowing for certain now she wasn't wearing a bra. He was just about to slide the dress down her beautiful body when they heard a cell phone ring busting them out of their lust filled haze and knocking them back into reality where they were at a public park and just about to have sex in the open.
"I need to get that," Peyton panted breathlessly looking in Lucas' eyes before holding her dress up and reaching in the purse and pulling out her cell, biting on her lip as she looked at the caller ID and saw it was Owen, before glancing at Lucas, his hair messed and shirt thrown on the floor.
Walking a little bit away from where they were she turned her back on Lucas and answered the phone. "What do you want," She bit out, a little pissed at being interrupted and guilt flooding her as she was about to cheat on her boyfriend with Lucas.
"Are you coming over tonight?" Owen asked.
"I…I don't know," Peyton answered truthfully wanting to run her fingers through her hair in frustration, but not being able to since she had to hold up her dress.
Lucas watched her talk on the phone and knowing the moment was interrupted grabbed his two shirts off the ground and after putting his wife beater on he walked over to Peyton and kissed the junction in her neck before walking away.
Peyton watched him walk away her eyes bubbling with unshed tears. She wanted to follow him, but the guilt of what she almost did was eating her up. She had told Owen she would never cheat on him, she wasn't that type of girl and tonight she didn't care if she was in a public park with Lucas, she wanted him. He gave her butterflies, his blue eyes could read her, and he was everything that Owen wasn't and yet she wondered why she was even dating Owen.
It had been 5 months. 5 months since Peyton almost had sex with another man who wasn't her boyfriend, 5 months since she had broken up with Owen, 5 months since she had seen Lucas Scott and 5 months since she had told Brooke and Julian not to give Lucas her number. It was childish and cowardly, but she was scared and even though she knew this day would come she definitely didn't like the butterflies that had swarmed as she helped get her best friend ready.
Lucas wasn't able to make it to the rehearsal dinner and although Peyton didn't want to admit it, part of her wished he would've been there, but then she was happy he wasn't because she was nervous to see him again.
"So, you ready to face Lucas?" Brooke asked gently sliding in her diamond earring as she looked at Peyton, fidgeting and plucking imaginary lint off the sapphire sleeveless dress that stopped just above the knees and had a light blue sash in the middle, which tied into a bow in the back.
"I don't know what you mean," Peyton said trying to sound indifferent.
"P. Sawyer, you love him. I know you do, even though I still don't know what happened that you wouldn't let me or Julian give him your number."
"It's just complicated Brooke, but thank you for not giving it to him."
Flashback:
It hadn't even been an hour since Lucas left and Peyton was texting Brooke telling her and Julian not to give Lucas her phone number if he asked for it. Brooke being Brooke questioned her, but Peyton told her that she would explain later.
The next day, when Peyton knew Lucas was going to be gone, she and Brooke were looking through magazines when Brooke brought up the text message from last night.
"So, why didn't you want Luke to have your number?" Brooke asked not even caring if she wasn't subtle.
"Because he doesn't need it." Peyton told her shrugging even though she hated lying to her best friend.
"What happened?" Brooke asked a giant smile on her face as she leaned closer to get the gossip.
"Nothing," Peyton tried to deny to no avail.
"Liar! P. Sawyer don't you dare lie to me!What happened?" Brooke questioned again.
"Me and Lucas kinda kissed," Peyton told her, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment.
"Go P. Sawyer!" Brooke said cheerfully.
"Brooke, I have a boyfriend," Peyton said getting up and pacing the room. "He doesn't deserve me cheating on him."
"Like he's never done that to you," Brooke mumbled knowing full well that Owen had cheated on Peyton.
"What?" Peyton asked not quite hearing Brooke.
"The guy's an ass. He doesn't deserve you. You need to stop hiding your heart and just learn to move on. Lucas loves you. I know you guys haven't known each other very long, but I can tell he does just by the way he acts around you. Owen is an ass and you just…you and Lucas are meant to be together it the ways it's supposed to be. Don't be afraid of opening your heart to him or moving on from Owen because if you hide from your feelings from Lucas then you will never be happy P. Sawyer and you will end up a bitter old woman, who no one is going to want to be around. I love you, I do, but you need to let go of the past and move on to the future."
"Just don't give Lucas my number Brooke, okay?" Peyton asked hoping her best friend would leave it alone.
"I think you're making a huge mistake, but fine." Brooke said obviously irritated.
"Thanks," Peyton told her before flipping the page of her magazine and finding a pretty bouquet and showing it to Brooke.
End Flashback.
"Plus, this is your day," Peyton said forcing a smile on her face as she tried to push away the memories. "So are you ready to be Mrs. Julian Baker?" Peyton said knowing the best way to distract her friend was with her wedding.
"Yes," Brooke replied giddily checking to make sure she looked amazing in her Vera Wang dress as she stood in front of the mirror. "Can you believe it? I'm getting married," Brooke exclaimed happily turning around and facing Peyton, her dimples prominently showing in her cheeks.
"I can and you are going to make a great wife to Julian and I can't wait for you two to have kids so I can spoil them, so you better work on that during your honeymoon," Peyton joked pointing her finger at Brooke.
"Oh, don't worry we will," Brooke told the blonde innuendo dripping from her words. "I made some new lingerie and that boy will not be able to resist, not like he's able to now," Brooke said laughing at the disgusted face Peyton was making.
"You look beautiful B. Davis," Peyton told her. "I am so proud of everything you've done, and I can't believe this is your wedding day. You deserve all your dreams coming true and Julian can help you do it. When I think of everyone in the world that goes through their life alone I think of all the amazing years I got to spend with my beautiful, beautiful best friend Brooke Davis I kinda feel sorry for everyone else, because you're an amazing woman. Julian is lucky to have you and I wish you two the best life, because no one deserves it more than you too."
"Your still going to be my best friend Peyt," Brooke told her seriously, the tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks.
"I know…I do…it just won't be the same." Peyton told her honestly.
"I love you too P. Sawyer," Brooke promised. "But, you're gonna ruin our wedding make-up you bitch," Brooke said wiping a tear from her cheek and smiling as Peyton chuckled.
"Sorry," Peyton said wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Hoes over bro's right?" Brooke asked holding out her fist.
"Forever," Peyton nodded before wrapping her arms around her best friend.
A knock interrupted the embrace and the girls pulled apart so Peyton could answer the door.
"We're ready to begin," the wedding coordinator told Peyton.
"We'll be out there in a minute," Peyton told the woman before turning around and looking at Brooke. "Well, B. Davis lets go get you married," She said a smile on her face and Brooke practically glided to the door.