Page 14

quinn

I have no idea what to expect from JT when we return to school on Monday morning. Jace is waiting for me with a takeaway coffee, and I am slightly more reluctant to accept it from him today but I do anyway. I know I need to have a conversation here at some point, but I don’t mind kicking that particular can down the road a little longer.

I love that I start my week with double science because that means JT. I am slightly nervous though. I dropped him off at basketball training yesterday morning and he’s had the whole day and night to think about what happened between us. It all happened really fast and I’m worried he’s feeling regret now that he’s had time to think. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened to me, straight guys deciding they want to try out a little fun with a guy and then not be able to look me in the eye the next day.

I realise I’m feeling slightly anxious by the time I slide into my seat in the science classroom, clutching onto my coffee cup. But then he walks into the room, those bright green eyes hit me, and I know everything is okay.

He’s all shy and cute again and I see nobody but him as he bites onto his bottom lip and steps towards me. I love the shyness. I also love when he drops the shyness and comes out to play like he did on the weekend. It’s almost like he sets me a new challenge every time we see each other, and I am so here for it.

JT trips on someone’s backpack on his way towards me and I have to bite down on my escaping smile as his cheeks flush pink. How somebody so incredible on the basketball court turns so clumsy in my presence is something I enjoy immensely.

“Hello,” I say as he slinks into the seat beside me.

“Hi,” he replies, eyes on the desk.

“Did you have a nice trip?”

He snorts out a laugh, eyes dancing up to me. He relaxes when he sees I am amused, and those shoulders drop.

“It was a very nice trip, thanks for asking.”

“Did you send me a postcard?”

“No, never been much of a writer,” he quirks. “But I can tell you all about it later if you want.”

For someone who claims to be inexperienced, JT sure knows how to flirt. Of course, my mind instantly drops to the gutter. My smile melts away as my gaze falls to his mouth. I need to be reacquainted with those lips something chronic.

Mr Peters walks in but I can’t look away from JT as he holds my gaze steady. “Mr Sterling,” Mr Peters sighs. “Take your feet off the desk before I start teaching you gravity the hard way.”

JT snorts out a laugh as he shares a quick grin with his cousin and the moment dissipates. Maybe I could do with that lesson in gravity myself because I’m starting to feel completely disoriented around JT.

Class starts and we spend the first hour on course work before Mr Peters graciously gives us the rest of class time to work on our group projects. My hand lifts in the air before I engage my mind.

“Yes, Mr Dayton?” Mr Peters says. I don’t pretend I’m not the teacher’s pet and I have no issue using that status to my advantage.

“Could JT and I go check on our experiment over in the ag building?” I ask, all perfect innocence over here.

“Of course,” Mr Peters smiles. “I’ll let Mr Allan know you’re on the way.”

I avoid JT’s eyes as I swiftly pack away my things and then wait for him as he does the same. I say nothing as he walks beside me down the corridor, aware of the buzz crackling between us, his shoulder lightly bumping mine.

“I guess it pays to be the teacher’s pet,” he grins as I hold the door for him. “Mr Peters would never let me waltz about the school during class time.”

“I’m certainly hoping it pays,” I return, eyebrow raised suggestively. JT’s cheeks flush again and just go ahead and kill me now because this boy will be the death of me. I up the pace and we cross the school to the agriculture building. Mr Allan is alone in the biology classroom, but he beams at us when we walk in.

“I’ve been keeping daily notes on the temperature and pH levels for you,” he tells us as we crowd around the aquarium where our algae is doing an impressive job of growing. He slides a notebook our way and I see that he has indeed kept detailed records for us even though we didn’t ask him to.

“That’s great, thanks for that,” I say. “When do you think we’ll be able to harvest the algae?”

“If I were you I’d give it another week solid,” he replies. “You can already see how much it’s grown but I think we can get a lot more.”

“I agree,” I say with a nod. “JT?”

“Um, yeah, sounds like a plan,” he says.

“Excellent,” Mr Allan beams. “Listen I have to get ready for my next class so I’ll leave you to it. I haven’t taken the temperature or pH yet today if you’d like to do that.”

“We will. And thanks again for your help,” I tell him as he waves and backs out of the classroom. I turn to face JT who is watching me with a small smile on his face. “Would you like to test the temperature?” I ask, holding the thermometer out to him.

He grins and takes the thermometer, and we make quick work of recording the details.

“Looks like we’re within the acceptable range,” I comment as I note the figures on Mr Allan’s notebook. “But we still have twenty minutes of class time left.”

“What to do?” JT pretends to mull, tapping his chin with his finger.

I smirk at him, checking behind me to ensure we’re concealed from the door and then haul his hips against mine. “I can think of a few ideas,” I say as I plant my mouth on his.

***

Monday’s science class sets the tone for the rest of the week. Our Tuesday study session is a test in patience as I grapple with a very distracted JT. I end up having to bribe him with kisses to get him to do any work but that certainly pays off in the end. Well, until Mum comes home from visiting Gran and I have to put a swift end to things.

I don’t see JT on Wednesday but on Thursday we somehow find each other in the cafeteria at lunchtime and decide to have a repeat of last week’s impromptu lunch date. So I ditch my friends again and JT and I sit in the same place as last week and we eat together, so many curious eyes watching our every move. Why anyone cares will always be beyond me.

Trey walks past with his basketball bros and I don’t miss the way his eyes narrow as he looks at me sitting beside his cousin. JT and I don’t talk about much of note, but he asks if he can come and study again tonight and I agree.

We don’t study tonight but we do make very good use of our time until I have to force myself to walk away from him. He looks far too good, far too appealing spread out on my bed, tie askew and lips all pink and puffy from our kisses. Like sweet decadence in a sizzling hot package.

I am painfully aware that JT isn’t doing anything to help me slow things down between us. I spend half the time kissing him wondering why I am even bothering trying but then he does something which reminds me how inexperienced he is, and I pull back on the reins.

I distract him with a driving lesson instead which seems to make him happy while I use the opportunity to try and cool my overheated body down.

It is last period on Friday when I realise I won’t be seeing JT again for a few days. I spy him walking down the corridor between classes when I make the snap decision to grab him. I come to a stop right by one of the janitor’s closets when he finally glances up and sees me, his beautiful face breaking out into a smile. Before he can say a word, I grab his wrist and haul him inside with me, locking the door behind us.

“Hey, what?” he grunts, right before I push him up against the door and understanding dawns. “Wait, is this a broom closet? Are you trying to sweep me off my feet, Quinn?”

I laugh. “Just trying to clean that filthy mouth out of yours,” I return.

“Oh? How?”

“Like this,” I reply, pressing up against him and taking over his mouth. JT groans underneath me, his hands sliding up into my hair as I push forward, feeling the outline of him firming against me. I dip my hand under his shirt as he pushes back against me and it’s my turn to moan.

“You drive me fucking crazy,” I murmur, pushing my tongue into his mouth and gripping his jaw to angle his face just the way I want him. His response is garbled as I plunge my tongue into him, no idea how I’m supposed to make it out of this broom closet with my sanity intact.

JT is breathing fast, hips pressed tight against me and sending all thoughts of rationality out of my head. The hand that was teasing his abs drops down to grab a handful of his peachy ass and I haul him in tighter against me. He whimpers in my mouth.

“Holy fuck,” he breathes out as he tips his head back against the door and I let him grind on me. I have no idea how I am going to hold this thing back between us. I want him so bad. He has no idea how much I want him, how I’d drop to my knees right here and now if I wasn’t keenly aware that his first blowjob should take place somewhere better than a dusty broom closet that smells of industrial disinfectant.

It's enough to make me draw on all the willpower of humanity and pull myself back from him, disappointment painting his face when he realises I am pulling on the breaks. I leave him breathless, his bottom lip jutting out in a pout.

“You don’t play fair.”

“On the contrary, JT,” I return. “I am trying to be very fair here. I’m just realising I made a big error of judgement in my self-control.”

“Yeah, it is rather big,” he quirks back at me before I splutter a laugh.

“You’re cheeky,” I retort, nipping at his earlobe. “I love it.”

“I’m also desperate,” he returns with a whimper. “How am I supposed to go to class like this?”

“Just think of your grandparents having sex,” I suggest. JT gasps in horror.

“Do you mind?” he huffs.

I chuckle as I lean my head up against the door, sucking in some air as I try to calm my own racing heart and cool my body down. I have Advanced English up next and I’m pretty sure Ms Gunn will not be impressed if I rock up like this. I am well aware there is a very quick, very simple solution to both our predicaments, but I close my mind to that and think of nasty things.

JT lets out a deep sigh beside me and I turn and grin at him. I’ve left him in a right state with his hair mussed and his shirt untucked and I feel both uplifted and mean for it.

“Good luck with basketball tonight,” I tell him as he tucks his shirt back in.

“Thanks,” he replies. “What are you doing tonight?”

“I’m heading out with the boys. Probably to the city or South Wharf,” I tell him, ignoring the little pout to his mouth which I’m sure could be summed up in a word that starts with J and ends in ace but I don’t want to give those ideas any oxygen. “And Saturday I have a cousin’s twenty-first birthday thing so I won’t be around then either.”

“Will you message me?” he asks, a hint of vulnerability in his question.

“Of course,” I tell him, pecking a kiss on his lips. He smiles at me then, that cute, shy smile that I am starting to live for. “You in a fit state to leave the closet?”

“Literally or metaphorically?” he quirks back.

“Let’s just go with physically for now,” I say, not wanting to spook him as I try to tame his wayward curls.

“Then yes, I think I’m fit for polite company again. No thanks to you, Quinn Dayton,” JT returns, standing to his full height.

“Happy to be of service,” I grin, tipping an imaginary hat and squeezing his sexy ass before I open the door and push him out. He cries out in protest but I just chuckle, giving him a head start before I duck out into the corridor myself, relieved to find it empty.

***

JT has me so pent up. I’m going out of my mind. I can’t get him out of my mind. We spend the entire weekend texting each other. Most of it’s just full of sweet nothings but sometimes he’ll text something really flirty and I combust. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to jack myself off this week. I think I’m on a personal record.

Yes, I know there’s a simple solution to my predicament and I’m all but certain JT would greenlight anything more happening between us. But I wasn’t lying to him when I said he was sweet and special. He really is and I feel it is my duty to treat him like he deserves. Even though he’s walked away from his upbringing, I can see how that environment has shaped him, and I want to be respectful of that.

Somehow I know it’s not going to be a simple hookup with JT. At the same time, I’m equally aware it will be a hook of another kind. I already feel myself falling hard for him. Falling hard and falling fast and I don’t want it to stop.

And that is why I ignore my naughty desires when I finally get my hands on JT later the next week. I treat him just the same as I have since the day we first kissed, heating things up and then pulling the breaks. Even if that is starting to make walking away from him harder and harder each time.

And yeah, I heard it.

Jace walks with me to the student carpark at the end of Thursday classes. I’m a little antsy because I know JT will be waiting for me but I’m trying really hard not to show anything around the guys. I don’t want them to know about us. Not until I know how JT feels about everything.

We round the English block and suddenly JT is there in the distance, leaning up against my car and scrolling through his phone. My heart gives a little jolt.

“This is going to be the best researched science project in the history of science projects,” Jace mutters when he sees JT.

“Problem, Jace?” I reply a little testily. Jace has been relentless in his comments about JT lately and it’s getting on my nerves.

“No problem,” he replies. “Just, you seem to be spending a lot of time with him.”

“And?”

“And I don’t want to see you get hurt,” he says. “You and I both know guys like him don’t end up with guys like us.”

“Him being a straight guy or a jock?” I ask, not sure why I want to double check his meaning because one of those facts is certainly up for debate.

“Both.”

“Well, I appreciate your concern but we’re just going to work on our project.” I lie. It’s Thursday and that’s become our official lunch date and make out day. My favourite day of the week in other words.

“Whatever,” he shrugs as we near the parking lot. “Hey, um, you in for dinner tomorrow night? I was thinking Mare Bello’s.”

“You know I’ll never say no to Mare Bello’s,” I grin. It’s my favourite restaurant and the guys and I eat there quite a bit. Plus it’s Friday so JT will be busy with basketball.

“Cool. Seeya tomorrow then,” Jace says just as JT looks up from his phone. His eyes narrow slightly when he sees who I’m with but he doesn’t say anything as we approach.

“What time are we meeting tomorrow?” I ask before Jace walks away.

“Oh um, seven?”

“Sounds good.”

I unlock the car, saying nothing as I step right up into JT’s space. He’s leaning against the passenger door, amused eyes on me as I slide my hand between his perky ass and the door handle and pull it open.

“You could have just asked me to move,” he smirks.

“And miss the opportunity of getting handsy with you? I don’t think so.” He chuckles as I throw my backpack into the back seat and hold the door open for him. “After you.”

“Such a gentleman,” he quips as he slides into the front seat. Yeah, I have been a gentleman to JT and I deserve a fucking award for it. But even I have my limits, and I fear my restraints with him are about to burst a dam wall.