Page 136

“Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? That’s what dad always says.” She shrugs twisting a length of her ink black hair in her fingers. “First time for everything,” she grins, but there’s a tension in her forehead. A tightness in her jaw.

I want to be all your firsts. And me yours.

“I know something’s fucking wrong here—"

A throng of drunken teenagers spilling onto the patio cuts me off.

And, fuck, they’re wearing what I already know are some of Mina’s creations.

The lights from inside the house flicker off the surface of the dark water of the pool. Minahateswater and I’ve never knownher to sit on the patio at our old house or be anywhereneara pool. Her fear of what was inside the house tonight outweighed her fear of being out here, and if these assholes think they are continuing this night with a nice cool summer swim they are going to be fucking disappointed.

“I’m going to fucking take care of this,” I grumble. She doesn’t have to say anything for me to know she doesn’t want these people here. I grab her phone off the table and pocket it, keeping at least that much safe for her because this could turn south quick. “Go stand over there.”

I nod toward the far end of the patio by the diving board, directing her out of the way in case I start tossing bodies around.

“Wait.” The purr of her voice hits me like a cannonball to the heart and she tugs at the lapel of my jacket. “One more quick hug. They always make me feel better.”

I will deny her nothing right now. I gather her quivering body in the loop of my arms, only this time, I make no effort to shield her from the hardness behind my zipper. Something changes inside me and I pressintoher, fucking grinding every inch against her curvy softness.

The movement transpires in the blink of an eye, but it’s changed everything.

“Jackson.” The sound of my name on her lips nearly doubles me over. “I—I…” Her eyes flick downward where my steel length is pressed solidly against her hip, her pupils dilate as I run my hand around the silky skin under her jaw, her pulse tapping on my palm. “Is that…”

“Thisis what you do to me.” I growl, humping against her, as her eyes roll back and the world spins around us. “Don’t be scared, baby—”

It’s too much. I’ve gone too far.

“I’m not scared,” she whispers straight into my pounding heart, strength filling her eyes and squaring her shoulders. She pauses, one breath, two, three as I hold hardness against her.Then, my entire world explodes when she reaches down, slipping her hand between us, palming the front of my pants.

Is this fucking happening right now? Her eyes are cemented to mine, then I drop my lips to the top of her head on a groan.

“Mina!” A screech from over my shoulder destroys the moment. “You didn’t tell usJacksonwas here! Everyone!JacksonSanders is here!”

Mina jerks her hand back and it’s like an arctic blast through every cell in my body. The screecher, Cindy Hilton, who I know all too well, pushes between us wearing a blue satin dress and I know it’s one of Mina’s handmade evening gowns.

“Everyone!Jackson’shere!Trojans! Fight on!” She spins, fist pumping the air as my stomach twists and burns.

A drunken roar ripples through the adolescent crowd as Mina steps back. I fling an arm sideways, pushing a few of them away. But as I do, some jaggoff wearing another of Mina’s dresses with the seams ripped apart, reaches over, grabbing Mina’s shoulders, shouting in her face nose to nose.

“Fucking Jackson Sanders!” He yells at her on a whoop.

His inebriated excitement reminds me of too many college parties. Too many entitled assholes needing an education on how to treat females and behave like human beings, which I doled out as often as I could during my college years, much to my coach’s annoyance. I never looked for a fight, but plenty found me. The wrong kind of attention can hurt a team and for sure hurt my chances with my draft options. None of that matters right now.

I lunge toward the asshole with his hands on Mina as she stumbles, hands flattening on his chest, elbows locked. His fingers dig into her upper arms, spit flying into her face as he yells.

“The whole reason we fucking came herewas your fucking brother!Whooooo!” He shakes her like a rag doll, her head whiplashing front to back, and I come un-fucking-glued.

Tables flip and bodies dive left and right. Mina yelps as Iyank the dark-haired assailant off her, the pop of his shoulder dislocating as I throw him to the ground.

“Shit!Fuck,man!” He rolls on the grass, cradling his damaged arm.

“You’re fucking lucky I didn’t tear it the fuckoffand beat you to death with it. Now get thefuck out.” I point toward the driveway as a handful of other assholes are heading my way.

There’s screaming. Both in excitement and anger as I shove and physically encourage the rest of them toward the driveway gate.

“Take thosefucking clothes off.” I nail three of them with my eyes. “Carefully.You pop one more seam, tear one inch of fabric, I’ll make sure you’re never able to dress yourself again.”

There’s shuffling, swearing, laughter and yelling, the music is turned up, bass thumping in the outdoor speakers and my fingers twitch curling and uncurling. There’s a cold prickling on the back of my neck as I scan the darkness, looking for those mint-green eyes that haunt my dreams but they’re nowhere.