“No!” I shake my head, not even able to stop myself from laughing. “You can’t be the dad. You have to be one of the kids. Try again, stud. Which Huxtable would you be?”
Wyatt leans back against the oak tree on the east side of the campus and groans.
“I already picked, Princess. I’m Cliff, all damn day.”
“You’re only picking Cliff because he was an obstetrician. Just because he spent most of his days inside of vaginas, doesn’t mean that he’s your soul sister.”
“Soul sister?” he tosses a pencil at me. “I’m a man. He’s my soul man.”
“Whatever.” I pop another grape into my mouth and chew it slowly. “I told you to pick a Huxtable child. You didn’t follow directions.”
“You just didn’t like my answer.” He snatches a grape out of my hands and throws it up into the air, catching it perfectly in his teeth. I’ve been tutoring Wyatt for almost three weeks now, and his grade in history is now a solid B. He doesn’t really need me anymore, but neither one of us seems ready to call it quits.
Truth be told, I enjoy being around him more than I imagined that I would. He’s so different from the guys that I’m used to, that spending time with him is refreshing.
“But you know what? I don’t like your answer either. You’re not Vanessa. You’re definitely Rudy.”
“Short and cute?” My hand clasps against my heart. “Gee, Wyatt, that might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I was going more with loud, outspoken, and doesn’t take any shit, but yeah. You’re definitely short, and I guess you are kind of cute.”
I toss a grape at him, smacking him right in the head.
“Take that back. I’m very cute. My mom says so.”
“Did she now?”
“She did.”
“Huh.” He gathers his papers and scoots closer to me, further away from the tree and out of the shade. It’s a surprisingly hot day in the middle of October, one that seemed to have erupted out of nowhere. For the last few weeks, it’s been cold and rainy, so the unexpected sun shining down on us feels good. I lay back on our blanket, letting the sun beat down on my face. My eyes are closed so I don’t realize how close he’s gotten to me, until I feel his shoulder brush against mine.
“Your mom shouldn’t have told you that you’re cute, Gia.”
“No?” I turn my head towards him, squinting my eyes in the sun.
“No.” In a sudden move, he reaches up and brushes a lock of hair out of my face. “She should have told you that you’re beautiful.”
“Huh.” I roll over onto my stomach, bracing myself on my elbows. “You just proved my point. You’re definitely Theo.”
“Theo?” Wyatt chuckles. “How so?”
“Beautiful, slightly full of himself, and very slick with the words.”
“I don’t think Theo was that slick with the words. He hardly ever got the girl. Did you even watch the Cosby show?” His breath cascades across my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Our faces are so close that our noses nearly brush. Even though it shouldn’t, my heartbeat thunders from the heat of his body radiating onto mine. I could get lost in a moment like this. The sun beating down on my skin, the scent of Wyatt invading every single one of my senses.
We’ve spent so much time together over the last few weeks. What started out as me tutoring him turned into something else completely.
We talk on the phone every single day. Most nights of the week, I fall asleep to the sound of his voice on the other line. We eat lunch together every day, we find each other in the hallways with our eyes even when we’re on opposite sides of the building. He makes me laugh. Helps me not to take myself so seriously. And the conversations that we have are so out of the ordinary that I’ve come to look forward to what he’s going to ask me next.
“That’s ok, though. I only need to be slick enough to convince one girl to give me a chance.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise a brow. “I’m pretty sure Madison’s already taken. She’s with…”
“Definitely not Madison.” A devilish grin tugs at the corners of his lips. “The girl I’m after is wicked smart. She’s got a rocking body, wild hair, and a sexy, pouty little mouth that’s just begging to be kissed.”
“Does she now?” I’m entranced, hanging on his every word as if he’s giving me the secret to life. Maybe he is-just instead of the secret to life, he’s sharing his secrets. I can only hope that it’s about me.
“Yeah. But I mean, there’s just something holding me back from her.”
My eyes widen.
“I mean, for starters, she’s got shitty taste in men, so I don’t think she’s even falling for me. She likes banana Laffy Taffy. Who likes banana Laffy Taffy?”
My lips flatten.
“She thinks that the third Star Wars is the best one there is, prefers McDonalds nuggets to Burger King’s, which is frankly, a crime, and she snorts when she laughs really hard. I just don’t know what to make of her.”
“Honestly, she sounds awesome.”
“Yeah, sure. But then there’s this other guy…”
Our eyes lock, and the air shifts between us. Nothing could have prepared me for the way that I feel right now, needy, achy, and so fucking desperate to taste him. Time seems to stand still, both of us remain lying on the grass, staring at each other, but neither one of us makes a move. I’m not even sure how to proceed. If I lean forward and kiss him, there’s a good chance that I’ll ruin everything. If I don’t kiss him, I’ll regret it.
Decisions, decisions.
“You’re wrong about the other guy,.” I whisper, leaning in just enough that our breathes collide. “Cole was so last year.”
“Was he now?” He blinks at me. “I don’t think he knows that.”
“Well, he should. I’ve told him that about twenty times.”
“Interesting.”
The air shifts, and my body becomes painfully aware of every one of his movements.
After a long pause, he reaches out for me, running his fingers gently along my skin, making me gasp. His fingers are hot, branding my flesh. It’s the first time that we’ve touched like this, and as cheesy as it sounds, it takes my breath away. His mouth claims mine in the next moment, his soft lips pressing gently against mine. Anxious heat erupts inside of me, boiling over to a full-blown inferno.
The world around us falls silent. I’m painfully aware that other people are around us, scattered out on the lawn, but I could really care less. I’ve never been much on PDA, but they can all suck it. I open wide, moaning softly as Wyatt’s tongue dives inside of me and gently licks mine. I’ve been kissed by Cole plenty of times, but not a single moment ever felt like this.
If we weren’t here, on the school grounds, I have no doubt that more would happen between us. By the time I pull back, I’m panting. His hand stays fisted in the back of my hair, his eyes still closed. I lean into him, not ready to be apart from him yet. As if reading my mind, his thick arms wrap around me, pulling me in to his body.
The buzzing of the other students starts behind us, and I know without a doubt, by tomorrow morning, everyone is going to know that Wyatt Anderson kissed me.
“You realize that people are going to talk about us now, right?” My eyes shift up to his, and I’m greeted with a slick smile.
“I’m counting on it.”
“Counting on it?”
“Yeah, Princess. I want them all to know that you’re mine.”
“Gia.” I’m one hundred percent done with this conversation. I knew that Cole was going to flip shit when he heard about Wyatt and me, but I didn’t expect him to try to spin it like this. I brush him off and try to move past him, but he steps in front of me, blocking my path.
“Listen to me, Gia. It’s not about you, it’s about me. He’s messing around with you, to try to hurt me.”
“Exactly which part about me is it, Cole, that makes you so certain? Do you think I’m not pretty enough to snag a guy like Wyatt? Not funny enough? Not s
mart enough? Because that’s basically what you’re saying.”
“I didn’t say any of those things and you know it.” I roll my eyes and try to move my feet. I step to the left. He blocks me. I step to the right, blocked again. My foot slams down on the ground, and I growl.
“Move out of my way, Cole. You’re pissing me off.”
“I’m trying to help you. He’s not a good guy, and you’re going to end up hurt.”
“Well, it’s happened before so…” His face falls. I don’t like fighting like this with Cole. I love him too much to try to be mean to him, even though, he’s acting irrational and is riding my last nerve. But it’s so very like him to spin a situation around and make himself the center of it. Wyatt dating me to cause an issue with Cole is laughable. For fuck’s sake, they’re teammates, and Wyatt’s full ride depends on Cole’s throws.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Gia, and I’ve groveled at your feet since the start of the school year. Yeah, sure. Maybe some of this is because I’m jealous that you’re dating someone else because you’re supposed to be my girl. But that’s not why I’m trying to warn you. I’m worried about you…”
“You shouldn’t. Wyatt’s a great guy.”
“But he’s not.” Cole’s lips flatten, his face turning a fierce shade of red. “How do you think he’s going to react when you tell him you’re a virgin? Do you think a guy like Anderson is going to wait around to marry you to get laid, Gia? Get real. He’ll cheat on you all the time. Trust me.”
“Well, hopefully, he just dumps me first, like you did.” I take the opportunity to move past him, moving quickly off to the side. I’m not watching where I’m going, so when I smack into a thick wall of man, I nearly topple over onto my ass, again.
“Princess.” Wyatt catches me before I fall, his thick hands grabbing onto my shoulders and pulling me into his body. The tension filling me immediately fades away. “You’ve got to quit falling over me, babe. I know I’m charming but…”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Gia. All the guy’s got is a bunch of fucking lines. And you’re falling for every one of them.”
I feel Wyatt’s body stiffen underneath me. His hands move from my shoulder, one slipping around my waist and pulling me into him. I feel the tension in the air as the two men in my life stand just inches away from each other, each one breathing hard and looking mean enough to kill.
“Wyatt,” I nudge at him. “Let’s just go.”
“Nah,” he mutters and lifts his chin at Cole. “The prince looks like he has something that he wants to say.”
Cole’s face twists in anger, his eyes darting from Wyatt to me, and then focusing in on Wyatt.
“I know what you’re doing.” His words are laced with hatred. “You’re only with her to get back at me and it’s bullshit. She’s a fucking virgin, Anderson. She’s not like your whores from Tipton. If you have absolutely any respect for her, leave her alone.”
Humiliation washes over me as Cole carelessly throws my secret out into the world for everyone around us to hear. I feel Wyatt stiffen next to me, but I don’t have the courage right now to look up at him.
I wonder if he’ll ever look at me the same.
“Next time you want to talk to my girl, bro,” Wyatt’s face twists into a scowl, “you’ll do it with me present. She’s mine now, so do everyone a favor and stay the fuck away from her.”
“Fuck off, man. She’ll never be yours. Gia,” he addresses me directly, shaking his head as he backs up down the hall, “remember what I said.”
“I want to know what he said to you.” Wyatt’s chest is heaving once we make it outside. “And I want to know if he hurt you. Did he fucking hurt you?”
I shake my head. Cole has never in his lifetime hurt me. At least, not physically. He’s always been tender where I’ve been concerned, kind and sometimes even thoughtful. Not quite Wyatt’s level of thoughtfulness, but never would he ever harm me.
“I’m fine. He was just worried about me, that’s all.”
“So worried that he backed you into a corner and grabbed your fucking wrist?” Wyatt’s eyes flash, his mouth curved into an angry scowl.
“He didn’t hurt me,” I repeat. “He was just trying to get my attention.”
“Well, did he?” We come to a stop underneath the bleachers. Wyatt releases my hand and clamps his down on the hard metal, before groaning loudly and shaking his head. I don’t even answer his question. There’s no point, really. I’m used to the way that Cole operates.
“What did he say to you, Gia?” He exhales slowly, before shifting his eyes to mine. “What was he trying to convince you about in there?”
“He thinks that you’re using me to get back at him.”
Wyatt nods, his face darkening.
“And what do you think?”
I stare straight ahead at him, keeping my eyes on him the entire time.
“I think that he’s wrong.”
Silence falls around us, the only sound is the occasional whistle from the track coach, and the sound of feet pounding on the track in front of us. Underneath the bleachers, it’s just Wyatt and I, no one else within earshot. I watch him closely, waiting to see how he’s going to react. Finally, when he reaches for me, the hardness in his eyes is gone, and in its place, is a much softer emotion.
“Good.” He holds my chin in his hand. “Because that isn’t what’s happening between us.”
“What is happening between us?” I blink up at him, wishing the he would move closer to me so that I could press my body against his. As if reading my mind, he closes the distance between us, wrapping a thick arm around my waist and pulling my body flush against his. Without another word, his mouth finds mine, and as he kisses me, I realize that I don’t need him to tell me what we are with his words. I just needed to hear it in his kiss.
He pulls back briefly and tips my chin up so that our eyes can lock.
“You dated that guy for six years, Princess,” he mutters, staring hard into my eyes. “Why didn’t you let him take your virginity?”
It’s a simple question, but the answer is anything but that. I’ve had countless opportunities to let Cole be my first. There have been times over the years where we came close to doing exactly that. But for whatever reason, something always stopped me. The little voice in my head kicked in just as things were starting to move in that direction.
The timing just never felt right.
But now, I’m wondering if the timing was the issue at all. I’m starting to think that it was just the person.
“It never felt right, and I always wondered why.” As Wyatt stares into my eyes, suddenly, it all makes sense. “It’s because I was waiting for you.”
8
Wyatt
Ancient History
It’s just past five on a Friday when my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number, but thank god I decided to answer.
“Wyatt Anderson?” The voice booms through the line. “This is Mike Andres. Not sure if you remember me, we met at the game last week?”
As if I wouldn’t remember the head fucking coach of my number one choice college. I sit up quickly and blink a few times, trying to get my shit together quickly. How did he get my number?
“I hope you don’t mind me reaching out. You checked the box on your form allowing me to contact you personally so…”
“No.” I interrupt him. “It’s fine.”
“Great.” He sounds relieved. “Listen, I know this isn’t traditional, but we saw you play last week son, and I don’t really need to see anymore. If you’d be interested, I’d love to have you come down to Florida and visit our campus. I think that you’d be an excellent fit here in the sunshine state.”
He fires off the rest of the details, and I furiously scribble them down. By the time that I hang up the phone, my heads spinning, and I’m filled with excitement. All that I’ve wanted all year was a chance to attend Florida to play ball there. Getting noticed by this team is the first step
in the right direction. The first big move at getting me towards my dream of playing in the NFL. It’s everything that I’ve ever wanted.
I sit in a stunned silence long after setting the phone back down. My dreams are starting to become a reality. I pick up the phone to call Gia, but just before my fingers hit send, I pause.
Things have started to get serious between us.
More serious than it’s ever been with any other girl. I find myself hanging on her every word. Not being able to fall asleep unless I can hear her voice on the other end of the phone, doing the exact same thing. Just listening to her breathing causes an overwhelming peace inside of me, one that I’ve never experienced before.
I never intended for any of this to happen, but that girl abruptly shifted my entire focus. I came to Camden to play football. Nothing else.
Now, I have a hell of a time focusing on football, because all that I want to do is spend every second with her. My game has slipped, even I can realize that.
Obviously, I’m still making sweet plays on the field, and even slipping, it was enough to catch Florida’s attention. But the way that I feel about Gia has got my mind all sorts of screwed up. I mean, for fuck’s sake. Going to Florida has always been my dream. The one thing that I’ve worked for, the entire reason that I moved to Camden Prep in the first place. Gia wasn’t supposed to happen, and I sure as hell wasn’t supposed to fall in love with her.
The fact that I’m starting to consider other options besides playing football in Florida is proof that she’s got me all spun out. My girl is moving to New York at the end of the year. She’s already been accepted into college there and talks about it all of the time. Normally, I’d assume that with the way that we feel about each other, we could make this long-distance thing work. It’s not ideal-relationships like that never are. But under normal circumstances, I think that we could make it work.
Cole Richards is the problem.
He too is heading to New York after graduation, and it’s no secret that he still loves my girl. I see it every time that he looks at her. Hear it in the way that he talks to her in passing in the hallway. She of course brushes it off, but I see it. I feel it. And I fucking understand it. Gia is just the kind of girl that is impossible to forget.
Hard Pass (Saints of Love Book 3) Page 4