Archie: temporary situation.
We deal with Sat.
Jake: Agreed
Coop: …
Archie: Meet after practice 2morrow?
Jake: Yes
Coop: Need a ride.
Archie: You always need a ride.
Coop: Bite me.
Archie: No thanks.
Jake: I’ll get u.
Chapter Fifteen
Guitar Hero
The ride on Bubba’s bike was fantastic. I could have sworn he took the long way to get to his place—like around the lake the long way—and I didn’t care. It had been a kind of weird day. Hanging on as the breeze hit my face while the bike rumbled between our legs was like the best therapy I’d ever experienced.
Not that I’d ever gone to therapy. Curtises didn’t go to therapy. We managed. We endured. We got by. By the time we pulled up to Bubba’s house, his parents were actually on the way out the door.
“Frankie!” His mom greeted me and as soon as I got the helmet off. I got a quick hug. They were always so touchy-feely. Fortunately, as swiftly as the hug was done, she turned to her son. “There’s leftovers in the fridge,” she said. “We had tacos yesterday, all the fixings, just heat them up and there are shells in the pantry. Dad and I are going to be out late this evening… date night.”
Bubba grimaced.
“C’mon, sweetheart, I’m pretty sure we don’t need to traumatize the kids and, Ian,” his father continued, eyeing him. “Don’t keep Frankie out late.” The last was said with a meaningful look at me.
Oh. God.
“Dad,” Bubba said. “You and Mom have a great time.” Instead of being embarrassed, he slung an arm around my shoulders. I kind of wanted to just evaporate.
Then Bubba tugged me toward the house while his parents left. Did they think we were going to…?
“Frankie, don’t freak out, okay?” Bubba gave me a little squeeze before letting me go to open the door. His phone started buzzing as he led the way inside. “We can go swimming again if you want. You know where the suits are.”
Yes, yes, I did.
I dropped my backpack on the table in the kitchen as he pulled out his phone. “Maybe we should just work on the audition? And I can take a look at your essay samples?”
He glanced at the phone then at me. “Or we can go swimming and hang out for a little while, then work on the music.”
Folding my arms, I leaned against the table and stared at him as he stared at his phone. His thumb flew as he answered a question, a frown tightening his brow. It was probably one of the guys or maybe something to do with the football team. Turning my gaze to the windows, I stared out at the pool.
It was still hotter than Hell outside. Swimming had been a blast last week, but that was before…
I swallowed.
“Frankie?” Bubba caught my arm and tugged me so I looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, but the dampness on my face gave me away. I swiped at my cheeks. “Allergies. You know, swimming sounds great. I’ll go change.”
And I fled, right up the stairs into the guest room.
Inside, I blew out a breath then instead of changing, I just sat on the end of the bed in the guest room. At the end of last year, when I’d still been holding out some vain hope to get asked to the spring formal, I found out my best friends pretty much marked me as untouchable. Nobody was supposed to ask me out. Apparently, Jake even scared off the one guy who’d almost done it—though I didn’t know if that was in sophomore or junior year. Just that he’d done it.
I went to the dance anyway. They’d all been there with their dates. We’d all acted like everything was fine. I danced. I went home. But after that I avoided them, and I spent my summer concentrating on what I needed to do to get out of here and go to college.
Now the TA in my French class, a sexy French foreign exchange student, gets interested in me and suddenly all the guys are asking me out. Well, yeah, I guess everyone after today because Coop said he was.
Jake said he wanted to maybe make out with me. Bubba planned to ask me to homecoming. The asks would be later this week—they usually happened on Friday, before the game. Homecoming was in three weeks, but planning was astronomical. Every year, it seemed to get crazier. I didn’t even have a dress for homecoming.
Archie wanted to take me out, just us, anywhere I wanted to go, and Coop told me he wants to see me, too. More than one of them had said they’d hit on me before, but I’d never noticed. Like I wouldn’t notice they’d hit on me.
Were they?
Were they punking me?
Was this their way of making sure I didn’t date? They asked me because I said I wanted all of this? Had it started before I told Coop or after?
“Hey, Frankie, can you not find your suit?”
I jumped at Bubba’s voice. “Yeah, I just did,” I lied and stood up. Then there were the roses on the car. Those were—awesome. But none of my guys said they’d done it, and if it was from Mathieu, the messages would be in French, right?
Right?
Gut in knots, I stripped out of my clothes and pulled on the blue suit I’d worn the week before. Bubba was already outside with our backpacks. There were cokes on the table, too. He was in the water. Maybe he had some sixth sense, ‘cause he turned in the pool just as I opened the door, and he waved at me.
The hot breeze tugged at my hair. I hadn’t bothered to braid it. Strands drifted across my face, so I raked my fingers through it to pull it away. The pavement was hot under my feet, but I walked over to the shallow end and stepped down into the water. The sun beat down on us, but I ignored it as I stared at Bubba.
“You said nothing was wrong,” Bubba stated as he took a couple of steps toward me in the water. He was wearing blue and gray swim trunks that seemed more like a shadow in the water than actual clothing. “But something’s bugging you. What is it?”
“Everyone is asking me out.” The minute I said it, humiliation crawled through me. “I mean… wow, that sounded bad.”
“No,” Bubba said. “It didn’t. Everyone asking you out is a problem?” The guarded note in his voice warned me he thought I meant him specifically.
I sat down, the water was almost shockingly cold against my hips and thighs, but I didn’t care. I kind of needed that shock. “You guys have known me for years. I say I want to go out, and suddenly everyone is asking me out. Jake said—Jake said he’s always been interested but I wasn’t. And today Coop asked me out. You said you’re asking me to homecoming.”
“I am,” Bubba said. “Unless you don’t want me to.” The disappointment in his voice tugged at me. “I get it. I know Archie and Jake both have a thing for you, and you’re right, so does Coop. I’m just me.”
“Bubba…”
“What? You’re the only one allowed to be insecure here?” He moved closer and sighed. “Frankie…I’m not going to speak for everyone else, just for me. Okay?”
I nodded. “Fair.”
“I’ve liked you for a long time. A really long time. I dated, yes. I went out with other girls, you’re right. Sometimes they asked me, sometimes I asked them. I have…not been a saint.” He grimaced. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you that part.”
“You told me when you lost your virginity, Bubba. I’m pretty sure I knew that last bit.”
He winced. “Oh yeah, I forgot. Wow. I’m an ass.”
A laugh escaped, and I shook my head. “You’re not an ass. We’re friends. You were telling the guys as much as me, and you guys were all kind of comparing notes.” Another time I really hadn’t had anything to offer to the conversation. I still didn’t. I didn’t think a couple of kisses from Mathieu counted, even if they’d been nice kisses.
“What can I tell you that will make you feel better?”
I studied his expression. Bubba was a good guy. They all were in their own ways. Coop was zen, the go along to get along. Archie could be demanding and a little high maintenance, but he was also generou
s to a fault and he never treated any of us differently—impressive considering the wealth difference.
Jake?
Jake could be bossy and overwhelming. He never shied away from saying exactly what he thought. While the others could be subtle, Jake just went for the jugular to find out what he wanted.
But Bubba? He’d always been a sweetheart.
“Is this a game?” I hated myself for asking the question. “I mean, is it a game for all of you? You warned guys away from asking me out for who knows how long. When I say that I want to date and I want to get asked out, all of you start asking me.”
“It’s not a game for me,” he said, his expression solemn. “I like you, Frankie.” He moved over and sat on the step next to me. Before I realized what he’d intended, he twisted. One minute I was on the step, and the next I was straddling his lap. “Hi.”
I put my hands on his shoulders for balance. He looked relaxed, but the sun was hitting him just right, turning his hair this gorgeous kind of gold and reminding me of how deep his tan was. He spent a lot of time outdoors, and a lot of that time shirtless.
“Hi,” I said.
“You’re Frankie Curtis, right?”
Wait, what? I tilted my head. Bubba’s hands rested on my hips and let me tell you what a distraction that was. His thumbs tickled the edges of the bathing suit, just barely grazing it. “Yeah?”
Breathless wasn’t usually me, but I also didn’t make a habit out of straddling Bubba’s lap. The edges of his trunks teased the inside of my thighs and I remained vividly aware of just how little we were both wearing.
“I’m Ian Rhys,” he introduced himself or I should have said, he re-introduced himself. “I’m one of the guys you’ve been hanging out with for the last few years.”
“I know,” I said slowly, a kind of awkwardness invading my limbs. Was I supposed to shake his hand? “We’ve met.”
“You’re right, we have. I was Jake’s friend Bubba. He introduced me to you.” Oh, I’d almost forgotten that. “But I was under the impression you didn’t date, didn’t like guys. I like being your friend.” He flexed his hands against my hips. “I’d like to be more.”
The breath caught in my throat.
“But that’s for later. Right now, I already told you I’m going to ask you to homecoming, right?”
I nodded slowly.
“Today? Hanging out with me? It’s a kind of date. I think of it like getting to know each other. Slowly. Without any expectations or interference.”
From the guys.
“Okay.”
“Yeah?” His smile was like the sun coming out, or maybe doubling its wattage because I was getting warm despite the cool water. Bubba shifted his legs and I was floating forward. “I like you, Frankie,” he whispered.
Oh, he definitely liked me. Heat scorched up my chest and set my cheeks on fire.
“I like you a lot. I’m not asking or expecting anything more than for you and me to hang out. I’d like you to get used to the idea of private time, you and me, let us see where this can go. And I want to take you out on a real date.”
Was he leaning into me or had I drifted to him? My hands had been on his shoulders, but I had one on his chest and the other on his nape. I swallowed. “Bubba… you mean this? Even if I’m…I mean Jake and Coop…”
“Yeah, I know.” He shrugged. “I can handle it. You can date all of us.”
My throat was suddenly parched.
“Just—I mean this—I want to have a real shot here. If you don’t feel the same way…”
I cupped his cheeks and leaned forward, pressing my lips to his. It was a short, spontaneous kiss, and I pulled back almost immediately when he froze. “I’m sorry. I—”
Whatever I was, I didn’t finish my thought because Bubba’s mouth was on mine and it wasn’t short or chaste. His lips were full and warm as they massaged mine. A groan escaped. Was that me? Bubba teased his tongue along the seam of my lips, and I opened my mouth to him. He slid a damp hand into my hair, gently fisting it.
The gentle tug seemed to light up my scalp, and I leaned into the kiss. Chest to chest with him, the bathing suit seemed to rub at my nipples and that sent a whole other spiral of tension through me. When he teased at my tongue with his, I chased his and then he sucked on my tongue. Heat unspooled and I clenched my thighs, the urge to grind against him hard to resist. He had both arms around me, and the water agitated as I managed to shift closer. The distinct hard length of his erection firmed against me.
That brought me out of it, so I pulled back, breathing hard and Bubba loosened his arms a little, but only a little. His deep blue eyes were heavy-lidded and his pupils blown. He ran that sinful tongue over his lips, and I had to bite my lip to keep from swooping back in to claim it for another kiss. Everything in me was taut and tense.
“Ian…” I managed to say, which impressed me at the moment because his name was the one thing I was sure about. I was still trying to catch my breath when his eyes widened. “What?”
“You called me Ian.” Wow. His voice was this deep, husky tenor. I clenched my ass as tight as I could to keep from bumping against his erection because it was right there and I was very vividly aware of how little clothing separated us.
“You said you were Ian.” Yeah, that sounded pretty stupid to me, too.
“I like you calling me Ian.”
Another shiver went through me, and my nipples ached. I got sex, don’t get me wrong. I knew that Tab A went into Slot B. Girls actually had a few options for where Tab A could go, guys had one less, but really I didn’t want to focus on inserting him anywhere.
Though, now that the thought occurred, I tried to relax my clenched muscles so I could stand up.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I told him. Despite all my attempts, I was not getting off his lap and Bubba—Ian—seemed to be in no hurry. If anything, he seemed to be staring at me. He still had a hand in my hair and the other was on my hip.
No, a finger was under the hem of my bathing suit and gradually, I dropped my gaze to see where his index and middle fingers were just under the seam touching what you could argue was forbidden skin.
Ian paused a beat, and then seemed to follow my glance. “Bad?” he asked.
Well, no, not technically. The skin there was about two millimeters from the exposed skin, so no not bad just…
“I don’t—I haven’t…”
Understanding kindled in his eyes. Thank God, because I wasn’t sure I could bring myself to utter those words. It was weird enough that we’d just kissed.
That kiss.
I was still shaking a little on the inside and my stomach remained all knotted up…and if I just rolled my hips.
Bad hips.
Do. Not. Roll.
I licked my lips and that was a mistake because he zeroed in on the motion.
“It’s okay, Frankie,” he murmured, the absence of his fingers as he slid them out from under the seam then eased his hand from my hair. “That—I could make out with you all day, but we don’t have to do a damn thing you’re not ready to do.”
Did that mean he was ready to do…? “I haven’t,” I repeated, probably unnecessarily.
“I got that,” he said, his expression sobering even as his pupils looked less drugged and more focused. “I’m not pushing. You’re…gorgeous. You’re funny and God I want to kiss you again.”
“You do?” A little flare went off inside of me. What the hell was that? I’d never… When Mathieu kissed me there’d been a flutter, a kind of sputter really. This was… well, the only word I had for it was wow.
“Oh yeah. But you haven’t…”
“No,” I admitted sucking in a breath and easing off his thighs. He let go of my hair as we disentangled. “I’ve…never really had the opportunity.”
“Cool.”
Of all the responses he could have used, that was not what I was expecting. “At the risk of sounding like an idiot—cool?”
Ian laughed, before he hel
d up a hand as he said, “Actually, gimme a sec? I’ll explain, I promise.”
“Yeah, sure.”
He rose a little awkwardly, and no I did not just totally check out the thick line of erection clearly detailed by the way his swim trunks clung to him. Nope, I focused on the way his abs rippled.
Yeah.
That was so much better.
Ian shoved away from the steps and hit the water, he started slicing his way across the pool. Then he doubled-back before repeating his laps.
After about ten, I shifted a little. This was kind of a good time to get myself under control. As soon as he was angled away from me, I smoothed a hand over my bathing suit top. Pointy nipples showing would not give him the wrong idea; no it would definitely give him the right idea.
Kissing him had been the best turn-on of my life.
When he hit fifteen laps, he straightened in the pool. I’d moved over to the table and opened one of the cokes. He stared at me, chest heaving as water droplets slid over him like some hot fantasy I cooked up to try and get myself off.
“Thank you for waiting,” he said in voice nearly as husky as the one he’d sported earlier. I kept my gaze above the waistline. There was so much to admire on him, but for now, I wanted to meet his gaze. “I needed to…”
“Put the horse back in the barn?” I have no idea why I popped off with that. My mom had said it a few times when talking about guys needing to tuck it back in their pants.
Ian snorted, then laughed. “Yeah, I did. Cause damn, Frankie. You’re hot. Kissing you rocked.”
Heat scorched my face all over again and his grin grew. “So that conversation we were having earlier? Yeah, I want to date you. No, I’m not going to say you have to only see me. But I’m not going out with anyone else.”
Oh.
He spread his arms. “I’m going to date you, Frankie Curtis. I want to. Will you let me?”
There was no chance in Hell I’d say no. Not to that. “I want to date you, too, Ian.”
Rules and Roses: Untouchable Book One Page 20