Page 6 of Almost Ravaged (Men of Evercrisp Orchard #1)
Chapter six
Tytus
“ T his is just gross .” Atticus dips his spoon into the scoop of mint chip, which has, unfortunately, been contaminated by the surplus of Blue Monster.
Part of me agrees with him, but I wouldn’t dare say that out loud.
Not when Sawyer’s gleefully balancing on the brick retention wall in front of our bench, sneaking glances my way and grinning wide enough to show off her blue-tinged teeth.
“Refill, please.”
She hands me her empty spoon, then pivots with the grace of a gymnast on a beam and takes slow, deliberate steps away from us.
I get to work, gathering up the perfect bite of bright blue ice cream from the enormous, half-melted basin balancing on my lap.
Okay, maybe Atty’s right.
Nothing safe for human consumption should be this violently blue.
“Don’t indulge her,” Atty grumbles, stabbing an untouched scoop of the blue stuff with his spoon in a clear show of defeat.
I stifle a snicker. Indulging her is all I want to fucking do .
Today started like any other day. But then something clicked for me as I sat shotgun on the way to the laser tag arena.
It’s our birthday month. We’re all nearly eighteen.
I’ve spent so long ignoring my impulses, sating my desire, and pretending like I’m not singularly and obsessively attracted to my best friend’s sister.
But I won’t have to do that much longer.
This is the last year we’re guaranteed to be together for our birthdays.
Instead of fixating on all the lasts, I decided it was time I allowed myself to indulge in what’s next.
There’s always been something between Sawyer and me. An unacknowledged awareness. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a tug low in my gut when she was near.
Our moment this afternoon ripped through every shred of the illusion that we’re just friends.
Or that my feelings for her would eventually dissipate.
I’m tired of fucking pretending. I can’t ignore her anymore.
Can’t pretend I’m not acutely attuned to her every movement or that I don’t cling to her every word.
I refuse to let the next few months go by without ensuring she knows exactly how I feel about her.
We can’t act on it yet, and we both fucking know it.
But I don’t want there to be any question in either of our minds where things stand between us when we go our separate ways this fall.
“Ya know what?” Sawyer’s sweet, melodic tone can only mean one thing: she’s goading her brother. Arms outstretched, she eases her way back to us on her makeshift balance beam.
Her eyes dart to mine for less than a second. It’s enough to make my stomach swoosh, like an opponent just slashed my stick and the reverberations have traveled through my limbs.
“For my birthday, I want an ice cream cake. Blue Monster ice cream with a strip of that fudgy, crunchy chocolate in the middle. What do you say?” She grins at her twin. “Should we tell Mom that’s what we want for our special day?”
Atty grumbles, his words unintelligible, and pulls out his phone in a clear attempt to ignore her.
Good.
If he’s not paying attention, then I can give a little extra attention to the girl who’s infiltrated all my waking thoughts for as long as I can remember.
Sawyer .
Hockey.
School.
My entire fucking world starts and ends with those three things.
School won’t be a concern for much longer. Atty and I attend school virtually so we have more time for hockey, and once finals are over next week, we’ll graduate.
Soon, my world will be even simpler. Nothing but the game I love, and the girl I can’t get out of my head.
Balancing my feelings for my best friend’s sister while not making it obvious to him will be a challenge.
But I can do it. I can and I will.
Even so, fall can’t get here fast enough.
Out of respect for her parents, who are my legal guardians for a few more hours, I won’t make any moves until I no longer live under their roof.
Sawyer will move into the dorms in August. Atty and I will head to Verchamp in September. Three months. That’s all I have to endure.
Patient. Reserved. Respectful. They’re the qualities I’ve always strived for, everywhere but on the ice. I don’t want to be any trouble for Professor and Mrs. Davvies. For years, I’ve been a burden, despite their insistence that I belong.
I’ll be the good guy. I’ll play my part.
Though I intend to spend all of summer making sure Sawyer knows just how deeply she fucking affects me.
Those three months will give me time to sort through how best to explain all this to Atty anyway. He won’t be thrilled, but eventually, he’ll come around.
I owe him everything. He’s the reason I get to play hockey at this level. He and the entire Davvies family. I’ll do anything to repay the kindness and generosity they’ve shown me over the last decade.
I won’t betray them or disappoint them.
Although Atty’s always been like a brother to me, Sawyer has never felt like a sister.
She’s always felt like more.
She’s always felt like mine .
In a few short months, I can make my move. Once she’s at school and I’m playing for the Scorpions, it will all be different.
“Here ya go,” I murmur, resisting the urge to call her angel in front of her brother .
As she bends to take the reloaded spoon from my hand, our fingertips brush.
I swear she lingers on purpose, moving in slow motion to maintain the connection longer than necessary. It’s almost impossible not to react. Especially when I see the way she’s staring at me.
As her rich, soulful brown eyes bore into mine, the entire afternoon rushes back into my consciousness. I shudder slightly, not even bothering to hide how deeply she affects me.
When she bites down on her bottom lip, I know she’s caught on.
I cock one brow in warning.
Not here. Not yet.
With a smirk, she swivels again, giving me her back. Damn, she knows exactly what she’s doing. Toeing the line with all her stolen glances and lingering touches.
My chest constricts as she saunters away, the swing of her wide hips in those leggings serving as another reminder of what it felt like when I had my hands on her this afternoon.
Not here. Not yet.
But soon, mon ange.
Soon, everything will be different.