“So Collin, I pulled your name to be my football buddy.” She touches my shoulder and leans in, where I have a clear shot down her shirt revealing a hot pink lacey bra as she licks and sucks on that damn sucker. “So I was just wondering, what kind of candy do you like?” Fuck, I’m starting to get hard right here in the damn hallway. It’s not like I don’t know how to act around girls. Hell, it’s not like I’m even a virgin, I got blown this morning before first period, but her perfume, that mouth and those titties do something to my dick. I’m a red-blooded American male, so sue me.
I give her a grin. “I pretty much like anything sweet.”
“Hmm. How about cupcakes? Do you like icing?” she says, licking her bottom lip.
I nod, shoving my free hand in my pocket, hoping to pull my jeans forward a little and give me some relief. “Yep.”
She reaches up, touching my cheek. “All right then, I’ll make sure your goodie bag is ready in the morning,” she breathes before sauntering off.
Dayum. This is the life.
CHAPTER 2
Joelle-
Sitting at our dining room table is never really a great occasion. My mom is pissed because James is late coming in from football practice, dad is “late” coming home from the hardware store we own again (code for at the local bar getting drunk), and my little sister, Janae, has taken it upon herself to dye her almost black hair stripper blonde. So my mom is pissed because not only has she worked a ten hour day managing one of the busiest medical offices in town, now no one is here to eat the meal she stopped off and got. Well, my sister is here, but she sent her to her room and I mean I’m here, but I’m always here. I try to keep all the levels even in this house. I take a bite of the piece of chicken on my plate. “Thanks, Mom. This is really good.”
She tries to smile at me. “Thanks, sweetie. How was band practice today? You guys gonna be ready for the first half-time show?”
I nod. “Great. It was hot, but I think we’ll do awesome.” How could I tell her that my practice is later tonight? She doesn’t even know that I go and come on Monday nights. I can’t complain that my back is killing me from toting the large instrument and my arms are about to fall off from the endless cadence and drumline drills during class today. She asked me to pick a more feminine instrument if I was determined to be in the band when I started in the sixth grade, but I love the drums.
“Well that’s good, sweetie,” she says, biting a piece of the biscuit.
There’s an awkward silence between us. It’s no secret in this house that I’m the odd man out. I’m somewhat of a geek, I play in the band and I tend to like being by myself. The weird part is that gives me an edge. I have a secret life that no one in my family or small town know about. Well, my friend Clementine knows, but she’s the only one.
My brother follows in the steps of my father. The only difference - my father was a great football player. My brother is an above average football player. But the rest is the same, a different girl every weekend and average grades. Yeah, the well isn’t very deep there.
My sister follows in the patterns of my mom. The girl that pushes her parent’s boundaries, is a decent student and a cheerleader. Although she’s still in middle school, I see her life going a lot like my mom’s. Find a guy in this small town, get a two year degree from the junior college and raise kids while he slowly resents the life she’s thrust upon him, and while she secretly hates him.
The sound of the door from the garage opening pulls me from my miserable thoughts. James comes jogging in, freshly showered. “Hey, Mom! Sorry, I had to stay after with Coach and talk to a player.”
She smiles at him with all the pride in her face. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re the captain, you have a job to do. Come on, you’ve got to be starving. I’ll fix you a plate.” Yep, he’s gotta job to do. There’s your atta boy.
James parks himself in one of the ladder-back chairs at the rustic farm table in our small dining room. She hands him a plate that’s over filled. “Thanks, Mom!” he says, smiling with way too many teeth.
I look down at my plate which I fixed. I should forget seconds, I guess.
James laughs. “Mom, this is way too much food.”
“Baby, you’re burning tons of calories playing football. You need to eat.” She motions to his plate.
“Did you leave some for everyone else?” he asks with a small laugh.
She sighs. “Whenever your father shows up, there’s some left for him. Janae will bitch about anything I do anyway so she can fix something for herself.”
Mom gets up from the table and goes to the other room. James looks at me with a questioning glance. I speak softly, “Janae came home with stripper blonde hair. Mom is not happy. Dad’s down at the bar…nuff said.”
“Oh wow, Janae is an idiot.” He snorts as he starts shoveling food in his mouth. I’m not even positive that he’s chewing. It’s kinda gross. My brother might be a little more spoiled than me, but he’s still my big brother. “Oh,” he says, smiling at me with a mouth full. “I need a favor.”
I sigh, sitting back in my chair. “What now?” Everyone fucking owes me one. I’m not the one who ever needs favors. My brother and his damn charming smile. He has this Zac Efron look about him that generally gets him whatever he wants.
“Okay, the reason I was late coming home today was because of Collin Atwood,” he says quietly.
I whisper back. “What, do you need me to keep it a secret that you’re gay or something? Pass him a note during study hall? Help you break the news to Dad?”
He rolls his dark green eyes. “He needs a tutor in English and Geometry. I was tasked with finding him someone who would help him, not do it for him. You’re one of the smartest people I know, so you can teach him. I just know it. Also, someone who won’t be…a distraction,” he says matter of fact like. “Come on, sis, you’d be doing me a solid. I’ll owe you one.”
“I do have a life, you know,” I blurt out. He rolls his eyes. “Why don’t you just have one of the Bs or maybe those dumb chicks that give him morning blow jobs help out?”
He shakes his head, getting irritated. “Didn’t you hear what I said? Someone who’ll teach him and not be a distraction. Those girls are distractions.” It’s nice that my brother thinks so highly of me though. Insert sarcasm. He basically just told me I’m a super brain, but homely enough that he won’t have to worry about his little quarterback falling for me.
Fuck, I can’t deal with my brother right now. I stand up, taking my plate to the sink and sigh. “Fine. Have him find me tomorrow so we can set up some kind of schedule or something.” I’ll just add this favor to the list. Favor number 48,963. One day maybe I’ll have enough favor credits I can knock off a bunch of banks or kill someone and he’ll have to take the wrap for me. “I’ve gotta get going to my practice.”
He doesn’t say anything though, he just continues scarfing food while I go outside to wait for Clementine to pick me up.
CHAPTER 3
Collin-
“So here’s your buddy bag. There are lots of goodies in there and maybe a couple of coupons for some fun stuff,” she whispers huskily.
I peak into the bag, seeing one I wanna cash in. “Hmm. I thought I was supposed to get this on Fridays. Maybe we can cash in one of those right now,” I say, leaning into her ear. As I pull back, she nods eagerly. Taking her hand, I pull her to a stairwell that goes out to our band room. No one ever uses it anymore. Before I have time to say anything, she’s working my belt loose, unbuttoning and unzipping my pants. She’s on her knees with me in her mouth before I can think straight.
I lean back against the wall, closing my eyes and just enjoying the feel, when suddenly I hear the door at the bottom of the stairs open, slamming against the bar behind it. I jump. “Shit,” I say as I snatch Ciara up and stuff myself in my pants.
I look up to see a windblown Joelle Prescott, James’s sister, giving me a sickened stare. She’s wearing a frumpy t-shirt with some local band o
n it and a baggy pair of jeans. Her dark hair hangs in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, a few fly away pieces shielding some of her face. We’ve gone to school together our entire lives, but I don’t really know much about her. She’s always been quiet and reserved. Ciara shakes her head and rolls her eyes while wiping the edge of her mouth. “Jeez, Joelle, you know how to ruin a good time, don’t you?” She makes the motion like she’s shooing her. “Go on. This is a grown-up zone.” She cocks her head to the side, poking her bottom lip out.
Joelle shifts her backpack on her shoulder and gives us both a look that says ‘fuck you’. “Sorry, I wasn’t aware you’d started conducting business in here, Ciara. I thought you pretty much stuck to the dugout, locker room and truck stop. I’ll be sure to add stairwells to that list,” she says so matter of fact that it’s funny as she walks away. I start laughing and Ciara gets pissed.
“Ugh, she’s such a fucking goodie goodie. How she’s James and Janae’s sister I’ll never understand.” She sighs.
“Janae, as in her little sister? Isn’t she in like the seventh or eighth grade?” I ask, confused.
“Yeah, eighth, but she’s a cheerleader so I’ve hung out with her some when we work with the younger kids. She’s way cooler and a lot more fun than Joelle,” she says with distain dripping from her mouth when she says Joelle’s name.
I shrug. “Well, I need to go anyway. I actually have to meet with her brother. I’ll cash that in later.” I tug at the tip of her ponytail.
I make my way to the library and see James sitting at a table talking to someone. He looks pissed, but there is a shelf in the way so I can’t see who he’s talking to. Rounding the corner of the book shelf, I freeze. He’s talking to Joelle. She’s probably telling him what she just walked up on. Fuck. He’s gonna kick my ass. I would kick my ass if I had a sister and she walked in on that.
Before either of them realize I’m there, I hear her say, “Why am I always the one stuck doing you favors? I have a bunch of stuff going on. Can’t you just find someone else?” She sighs, “I do have a life, you know, of my own. It’s not one like yours but it is a life.”
“No, Jo, you told me you’d do it.” Just then they realize I’m there.
James stands up. “Hey, Collin. You know my sister, Joelle. She’s gonna be your tutor.”
Fucking A.
For more Crimson Catch as well as S.M. Donaldson’s other titles check out her links below.
About the Author
S.M. Donaldson is a born and raised Southern girl. She grew up in a small rural town on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the kind of place where everyone knows your business before you do, especially when your Daddy is a cop and your Mom works for the school system. She married one of her best friends at the age of 20 and has one son. She is a proud military wife, has always had a soft spot for a good story, and is known to have a potty mouth. At the age of 31, she decided there was no time like the present to attempt her first book. Sam’s Choice was born and she hasn’t stopped since. If you are looking for a good, steamy, Southern set romance with true Southern dialect, she’s your girl.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Excerpt of Crimson Catch by S.M. Donaldson
Rocking Kin (The Lucy & Harris Novella Series Book 3) Page 23