“Something tells me you aren’t going to elaborate.” I knew Keenan knew more than he let on to Sheldon or anyone else. I can’t imagine living with someone like Keiran and not see more than the rest.
“Not unless you have something else to offer.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I laughed.
“Yeah. You, me, and Sheldon could all have a good time,” I quipped sarcastically.
He turned to me with wide eyes that were glazed over with what looked like hope. “Don’t say that unless you mean it because if Keiran fucks up, I got dibs.” He winked and turned back to his project.
* * *
“I want you at practice with me.” It was just after fifth period when Keiran delivered his latest demand. We were leaving the classroom when I had turned to kiss Keiran goodbye because he wouldn’t let me go otherwise.
“I’ll pass.” I turned to leave, irritated but not wanting it to show. So much for the honeymoon phase. Then again, I didn’t know what this was between us. Keiran had made it known he wasn’t going to leave me alone so it was either be friends or be…I don’t know. I chose to be friends but he was taking so much more.
“I’m not asking,” he gritted while tugging on my arm and pulling me in the opposite direction. I looked back at Willow for help but she was distracted and looking uneasy from Dash’s scrutiny. Yeah, he still had it bad for her.
“Keiran this is ridiculous. What am I supposed to do at your practice? I’ll look like one of those clingy, hoe bag groupies. No thanks.”
He continued to pull me until he got tired of fighting and threw me over his shoulder. I couldn’t fight but I cursed him almost the entire way until he gave me a sharp slap on my rear that had me seeing stars. We got to the gym where he finally released me and I saw Buddy sitting on the sideline, lacing up his sneakers. Willow told me he made the team this year. Everyone was impressed with his skill at the Saturday game.
I unconsciously looked around for Trevor. Even though he was out on bail he was suspended from school until trial. When I didn’t see any sign of him, I walked over to Buddy and felt Keiran’s stare penetrating my back as I walked away. I rolled my eyes because I knew he couldn’t see and sat next to Buddy.
“You’ve become a hot commodity for Bainbridge. To what do you owe your success?” I held out an imaginary microphone for him.
“The endless supply of hot chicks they promised me.”
“Well there you have it folks. Another brain-dead athlete. When will the cycle end?”
“Hi, mom!” He spoke into the fake camera. I hit his shoulder and laughed at him. Buddy was so adorable. “Speaking of hot chicks, when will you quit breaking my heart and run away with me?”
“Never, shit stick and quit hitting on my girl.” We looked up at Keiran standing over us looking aggravated.
“That’s my cue to leave.” He slapped hands with Keiran before sauntering away. “You know she wanted me first anyway!” He yelled when he was a safe distance away. I was laughing hysterically at the look on Keiran’s face from Buddy’s comment. He looked torn between wanting to laugh or kill him.
Buddy has had a crush on me for as long as I could remember but it would never go anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, Buddy is insanely hot. He could even give Keiran a run for his money. Even though he was only a freshman it was obvious Buddy would take over the reins once Keiran left.
By the time I quit laughing Keiran had turned his menacing look on me and for the first time ever I wasn’t afraid. “Hey, don’t look at me. You are the one who insisted I come here. Now all your teammates get to ogle me.”
“Yeah?” Before I could answer he stalked off in the direction of the locker room. Twenty minutes later the team emerged from the locker room and began to warm up. I pulled out my books to pass the time.
Every once in a while I would watch the team, or more specifically, Keiran practice. There was a lot of shit talking between the guys as they practiced and I found myself cracking a smile or two at the crap that came out of Keiran’s mouth. I’ve never seen this easygoing nature from him. It almost made him appear human,
After some intense drills, they had a brief break to grab water but Keiran stayed on the court to make sure everyone got water. I heard him tell the new players that his number one rule was to stay hydrated at all times and he would be watching. Keenan grabbed his water bottle and ran up to me as I was closing my Lit book.
“Say, what is up with our boy?” he asked grinning.
“What do you mean?”
“He came in the locker room and threatened to break the balls of anyone who looked at you during practice.” He began cracking up when my jaw dropped in shock.
“Tell me you're joking."
“I cannot make this up.”
That must have been why number eight wouldn’t look at me when I handed him the ball that rolled over here. I just thought he was really shy. I saw Keiran watching us with an intense look on his face. His jaw was clenching in anger and he looked pissed. Is he jealous of Keenan talking to me?
I met his stare and beckoned him with my finger. He didn’t hesitate and made his made towards us from the other side of the gym. When he reached us he took my hand pulling me up and sitting in my place before seating me in his lap. I breathed in his sweaty scent and couldn’t think of anything that ever smelled better.
He was glaring at Keenan with a possessive and cocky expression. Keenan was staring back at him challengingly before he rolled his eyes and grinned. “Relax bro, I got my own.”
Keiran grunted his response before kissing on my neck and sending chills down my spine. My throat emitted a little moan before I could stop it. “You are two seconds from getting fucked hard on these bleachers if you don’t stop moving your ass all over my dick.” His voice was harsh in my ear making my eyes pop open.
Keenan was still standing in front of us watching through lowered lids and biting his lip with a curious expression on his face.
“Fuck off,” Keiran barked when he noticed Keenan staring.
“Pussy whipped motherfucker,” Keenan muttered walking off.
“That is the second guy you ran off in less than an hour. You won’t have friends anymore if you keep it up. What’s your deal anyway?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You’re too fucking sexy.”
“You’re crazy numb nuts. No one has ever been interested in me before.”
“That you know of. I made sure of that.”
“Come again?” I looked at him as if he’d grown to heads. Sometimes I think Keiran really did have two heads with two completely different minds. One sane and one not so sane.
“Breaks over. Behave,” he ordered before walking away.
I sat there dumbfounded. I always knew Keiran’s bullying was the cause of my dateless, boyless life but I didn’t think he had a direct hand in it. He’s got some explaining to do.
My phone vibrated with a message from Willow. She sent me a cute picture of Pepé in a sailor uniform. Willow was great at designing and making clothes and wanted to get a degree in textile.
I haven’t told her yet about my night with Keiran. I was still thinking I would wake up and find it was all a dream. Did Keiran being sent to juvie bring us together or delay the inevitable? A year ago no one could pay me to believe sex between us would be even possible.
The team stopped for another water break and this time Dash approached me and sat down. He stared at me for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“Hey.” He sounded sad.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Hi.” He rubbed the back of his neck and ran a hand over his dark blonde hair roughly.
“So you and Keiran, huh?”
“We’re friends.” Jeez, what is with everyone? I wondered what his motive for talking to me was. He sat there for another minute, staring off into the distance and I could tell he was thinking.
“How is Willow doing?” he finally asked.
And there it is. “You see her every day. Why don’t you ask her yourself?”