“Everyone has a story, Clay.” She glides her hands up and down my thighs. “Callum will sink himself on his own. Or swim. And while we wait to see which, we have the cameras secretly recording every day to make sure he behaves himself. I like having that leverage over him.”
Especially since he can still send Dallas to prison.
“But what about your land?” I ask her. “You could use that video to blackmail his father.”
“Once they know we have footage, they’ll find the cameras and remove them,” she says. “We don’t want to give up that ace yet. I was actually hoping your mom and dad can help with the land.”
Oh?
“Did you know structures over a hundred years old can be petitioned to be protected as historical landmarks?” she taunts. “Your parents sit on the city council, right?”
I smile, leaning down, nose to nose. “Are you just dating me for my power?”
She flips me over and comes down on top of me. “I love having a powerful girlfriend,” she whispers over my lips.
Goosebumps spread at the sound of that word. “I love that I’m your girlfriend.”
She nibbles my ear, and I can’t think about anything else anymore this morning. Just excited for dinner, and tonight, and more nights, and a whole summer of her smiling and hopefully in a bikini.
“I love you,” I say.
“I love you, too.” She bites me gently. “And I want our flag back. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”
“Well, my parents need to attend a reunion for my father’s old frat next weekend,” I taunt her. “I’ll be home alone. Doors locked. If you can get to me, you can have more than just the flag.”
She laughs against my skin. “Maybe you forgot what my last name is, but I love a challenge. And I promise. You won’t even hear me until I’m standing right behind you.”
Tingles spread up my spine, wanting time to slow down but excited for next weekend to get here. She’ll have to chase me, but I look forward to when she catches me.
Spreading open my jacket, she sucks on my nipple, but then I remember something else and grab my phone.
“Wait.” I stop her, bringing up the screenshot I took from something online. “Can we do this?”
I show her the pic of a splendid new position I want to try, and her eyes go wide. “Jesus, Clay…”
And I laugh as she covers my mouth with hers, groaning like I’m driving her insane.
• • •
The next morning, I stand with Liv in front of the school, under the tree as everyone exits cars and heads for the doors. I know people are looking, but I only stare at her hand in mine.
“You ready?” she asks quietly.
“They all already know.” I caress her fingers. “At least there’s that.”
She pulls me along, both of us making our way down the sidewalk as eyes turn and voices quiet, the stairs to the doors looming above.
“They’ll look,” she assures me, squeezing my hand. “They’ll talk. But every time they do, just remember they’re not feeling this.”
We climb the stairs, and I stop, my heart thumping, but it’s more because I’m excited for people to know I love her than dreading the pushback.
“Don’t worry,” I say, leaning in close and making no effort to hide my arm wrapping around her waist. “I’ll never not want to feel this.”
I’ll never let anyone else cost me what I love most in the world.
And we walk into school together.
One Month Later
CLAY RUNS PAST me, and I start to charge her with my stick, but I stop, giving up. “You want to tell me why we’re still practicing?” I shout as the team races around us. “Season’s over.”
She spins, running backward as she speaks. “We still have incoming freshmen to train this summer.”
“And why did I agree to that?”
“Because you do everything I say.”
She winks, a wicked smile spreading across her face, and a jolt hits my heart the way it always does at the sight of her.
“Actually, she promised you a massage,” Krisjen adds, jogging past me.
Followed by Chloe. “A full body one.”
Oh, yeah. Now I remember. She caught me at a weak moment.
Girls run back and forth, Clay saving the ball from the goal, and I think she’s going to miss this. Being captain, she told me, has been one of the best parts of high school, because she got to spend time with me.
I remember it a little differently. Body slams and extra workouts and her always hogging the ball. But she sure is trying to make up for it. She kept her word. She has been so pleasant.
I swoop in front of her as she charges toward me and flings the ball off to Krisjen just as Clay pushes me to the ground. She lands on top of me, smiling, but I roll us over.