SCORE (A Stepbrother Sports Romance)(2)
Debbie looked at him, concerned. “What’s wrong, Blake?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing as he answered, “Hit my foot by accident.”
I gave him a victorious smirk, knowing it was childish but feeling giddy anyway. As we left the restaurant, Blake grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him, our faces an inch apart. I had been unprepared for his touch, so my body flushed at his sudden tight grip. With a controlling, dominant look in his eyes and an almost seductive smile, he said, “Careful, kid. Next time I’ll kick you back.”
He let go of me and walked to the car, but I stood there like an idiot, my skin hot where his hand had touched me. Shaking my head, I told myself to snap out of it as I walked to the car. The ride home was even tenser than the trip out, and I was so much more aware of the short distance between our bodies. After feeling such a small fraction of his domineering allure, I strained to stare out the window and not at him. That small space seemed a puny protection against the tumult stirring within me.
I escaped to my room as soon as we got home, wanting to be alone, and sat at my desk, which held a clutter of papers and my computer. I pulled my calendar from the wall and traced the glossy surface with my finger as I slowly counted the days until school started. Six days, I thought, encouraging myself. You only have to deal with him for six more days.
I was exhausted and dressed quickly for bed, but as I lay down, my mind found sudden energy. Thoughts ran through my head on a loop, and while I tried to think of other things, everything circled back around to Blake. His eyes had been so intense and electric when he’d grabbed me, his touch tenderly rough. I yearned to be that close to him again. An unspoken promise floated between our tense bodies, unmoving and unknowing. I had to continually dismiss these images and thoughts from my head, partially admitting that my deep dislike for Blake was a thin veil for my illogical temptation. I let out a deep sigh and thought, It’s going to be a really long six days.
***
The next morning, I dragged myself downstairs for breakfast, exhausted. I had barely slept the night before, and I was miserable. I sat down at the table where Dad was flipping through the newspaper while Debbie cooked breakfast. I usually cooked for him, so watching her cook was weird.
Debbie turned to me with a bright smile. “How do you like your eggs?”
The thought of food made me nauseous. “I’m good with some juice, thanks.”
Dad looked at me over his paper. “Not hungry? That’s not like you.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I responded sarcastically, and he laughed and sipped his coffee.
I drank my juice and looked at my phone, opening a text from my best friend, Maggie. Can I come over? Totally need to chat, the text read. I sent her a quick reply and asked, “Dad, can Maggie come over?”
My father didn’t look up from his paper. “Sure, honey.”
I got up from the table and put my empty glass in the sink. I kissed Dad’s forehead before bounding upstairs, saying a quick goodbye to him before he headed off to work. I hung out in my room, flipping through a book until Maggie showed up. I heard the doorbell ring and ran excitedly downstairs to open the door.
Maggie, her red, curly hair framing her sweet, freckled face, walked in, chattering about something that happened at the coffee shop where she worked. We laughed as we climbed the stairs, and I saw Blake leave his room as we went into mine.
“Morning, ladies,” he said in a gruff voice. His eyes looked tired, and he was still dressed in his pajamas even though it was noon.
As I closed the bedroom door behind us, Maggie looked at me and said, “So you have to tell me what it’s like living with Blake Anderson.”
I shrugged, unsure how to describe it. “I don’t know, Maggie. It’s only been a day…kind of hard to tell.”
“He’s so good-looking, but he is a total ass.” Maggie plopped down on my bed.
“I have to say, it’s been weird in general having other people in the house. It’s been only my dad and me for five years.” I sighed as I sat next to Maggie on the bed, grateful to have someone to talk to about them living here.
Maggie grabbed my hand and said, “Hey, you’re going to be super busy with school soon anyway. It’s a good thing your dad found Debbie.”
“You’re right.” Her observation made me feel better. Worry over my dad being lonely when I would leave had plagued my mind until Debbie waltzed into his life.
“So, are you excited to start school?” Maggie asked, clambering up from the bed to toy with random things on my desk.
“Definitely. What about you?” Maggie and I would be in the same program, which was a relief. We had gone to school together for so long that anything different seemed impossible. Sharing the daunting prospect of beginning college, of taking the step closer to adulthood, would be easier with my friend by my side.
“Totally. Mostly for the cute college boys,” Maggie said with a laugh. We chatted for another hour and then decided we wanted to swim, so I tossed her a bikini and quickly changed into mine. We headed downstairs and out into the backyard. We had a pool and a large patio which held a table and some chairs and a lot of potted plants of all shapes and colors. We threw our towels on the chair and sat near the edge of the pool, dipping our feet in the cool water.
The glass door opened behind us, and Blake walked outside. He looked at us with a grin. “Sweet pool you got here, kid,” he said, looking around the backyard.