Page 16

Thea

Staring at my obnoxious roommate, a strong sense of competition brewed inside me. If I said no, he’d have that smug look of satisfaction all over his face for the rest of the evening, and I didn’t want that. I should just play. It was only a game, and I was more than capable of cheating if I needed to.

“Fine. Let’s play so I can beat your ass and get some peace and quiet.”

He sat up straighter. “Okay. How about Never Have I Ever?”

“Never Have I Ever? What are we? Twelve? I thought you wanted to play beer pong or something.”

“We don’t have enough cups for that.”

“And there’s no winner.” Did he think I was stupid? He never planned to leave this apartment. He only goaded me with the option so I’d accept.

Jackson shrugged. “I just thought it might be a nice way for us to learn a little more about each other.”

“We live together. What more could you possibly want to know?”

He threw me an easy smile. “Living together doesn’t mean I know you, know you. If you know what I mean?”

I raise a brow. “And you want to?”

“Well, think about it. If your brother is drafted in a couple of weeks, which, spoiler alert, is pretty much cemented even if he doesn’t want to believe it, then we’re going to live together next year.”

“We are?”

“Where else are you going to go, Pyro?”

“I’d rather bury myself in a deep hole and wait for the slow suffocation of the mud collapsing my lungs than live with you for another year.” I thought about it for a second, and damn it. He had a point. The dorms wouldn’t accept me with my history, and I was only friends with Aster and Britt. Both of whom already had their accommodations sorted.

“Well, damn.”

That was all he said for a few minutes; an accomplishment for him since he’d usually never shut up.

As if he registered what I was saying, his jaw dropped, and he glared at me. “I can’t be that bad, can I?”

I nodded, snuggling farther into the blanket, wishing I was wearing my onesie right now. “Yup.”

Memories of him bringing Grace home, not once, but twice—albeit with a year between— and letting her call me a pick-me come to mind. Even though he didn’t say it, he was responsible for bringing her over.

“Okay, well, how about this? Since I’m so terrible, if you play this with me and still want me gone at the end of it, I’ll leave.”

It’s an enticing offer because I could see the end of him for the night.

“Come on, Pyro. Don’t you want to learn some embarrassing shit about me?”

“Fine. We’ll play, but only because there are a ton of rumors about you going around, and I want to know the truth.”

“Ditto, P. I’ll start. Never have I ever eaten a taco?”

“Is that a euphemism?”

“For?” I raised a brow, not wanting to say it out loud. “Oh, do you think I’m talking about eating pussy? No, don’t worry, P. I love doing that. I’m talking about actual tacos. You know with the hard shell, or maybe soft, depends on your preference. Usually, it has some meat inside … a little cheese.”

He described the scenario with gusto. His hands gesturing everywhere and a grin on his face. I stared at him dumbfounded before barking out a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“If you want to play this game, then you’ve got to be a little more truthful about things. You’ve eaten a taco.”

“How do you know?”

I pressed my teeth into my bottom lip, stifling a laugh. “I’ve heard about your taco tattoo on your ass, and honestly, considering your track record of being so open and outrageous, I’m surprised I haven’t seen it.”

“The taco tattoo was an ode to the fact that I haven’t eaten one.”

“That makes no sense.”

“When have I ever?”

“Good point. Okay, humor me. Why’d you get it?”

He shrugged, taking a sip of his beer even though he didn’t need to. “Eh, my friends from high school asked me to do it. I was the first one to turn eighteen, and they all said I should do it.”

“So you did?”

He nodded, making me shake my head in disbelief.

“Then I added a couple more too. Didn’t want the taco getting lonely.”

“Wow. You are the very definition of Hive mind, aren’t you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you go along with whatever anyone tells you to do. You’re like a little sheep, following the herd.”

He pulled his chin back, his eyebrows furrowing. “Wow. I knew you hated me, but I didn’t realize just how much.”

“Can’t help it. I don’t like being called a pick-me.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, letting out a disgruntled groan. “Are we back to that stupid comment I didn’t even make again? How many times am I going to have to tell you, I don’t think you’re a pick-me girl. In fact, I think you’re the exact opposite.”

“Whatever.” I shook my head and raised my hand flippantly.

He gripped the beer bottle’s neck, wringing it so tight his knuckles were going white. “You’re spontaneous. You’re funny without trying, and people gravitate to you.”

“Compliments won’t get you anywhere with me.”

“I know. I’m just stating facts. That’s why you’ll never be a pick-me. People want to know you, not the other way around.”

He said the words like he meant them, and I was too embarrassed to really look at him again. “My turn. Never have I ever worn a baseball cap.”

Staring down at his beer, Jackson let out an amused snort, then took yet another swig. “Bit of a boring one, Pyro. Not surprised you haven’t, though. You want people to see you, but you don’t like to be seen.”

“You’re not making sense again.”

“What’s it like being the sister of an already famous athlete?” I paused, my stomach bottoming out, not knowing what to say. “I can imagine there’s a lot of pressure there, right? People think you’ll be just as good as him, and although you are, I bet you never feel quite good enough, do you?”

I rolled my eyes, sighing in an attempt to pretend I didn’t care. He was right, though. “Didn’t realize you’d become a psych major.”

“I don’t need to be a psych major to see you, Thea. You may not want to hear or believe it coming from me, but you are enough. In fact, I think you’re perfect.”

Perfect? No one had ever said that about me before, and I could tell from the look in Jackson’s eyes, he wasn’t joking. His eyes darkened as he took me in, and I felt something between us I didn’t like. Tension, but not the kind I was used to. Instead of being filled with anger and frustration, there was something else between us. Lust maybe? A chill ran up my spine because I didn’t want to think about that.

“It’s your turn, Baseball Cap. Otherwise, we’ll never finish this game.”

“You’re right. There are far more interesting ways to keep you up all night than playing this.” His words were pointed and heated, and he wanted me to take the innuendo out of it. “How about, never have I ever lied to a roommate?”

“And you thought my baseball cap one was weird.” I sat back. Thinking about it for a second. Had I ever lied to a roommate? Although there were girls at the sorority, I didn’t lie to any of them or really consider any of them roommates since I was on a completely different floor to the rest of them. The only two people I’d consider roommates were Tanner and Jackass—I mean, I’d lied to both of them, so I guessed I was taking a drink.

Jackson blew out a breath, relaxing against the couch as he took me in. Tutting, he said, “What did you lie about?”

“Nothing to you. Believe me, you’re not important enough to lie to. Tanner, however, is my brother, after all, and if I didn’t lie to him once in a while, then I’d never leave the apartment.”

“Why is that? Why’s he so overprotective of you?”

I shrugged. “He’s my brother. They’re always overprotective.”

“See, I don’t buy it. There’s something about Tanner when you’re around. It’s like he gets anxious and assumes everyone is a potential threat. He doesn’t even treat Aster with the same protectiveness as you. I’d argue she’d need it more since she ticked off the hockey team. You, though, he acts like you’re this wilting flower he’s trying to stop from dying.”

I tensed at the analysis, knowing the truth would open an entirely new can of worms. One I wasn’t sure I was ready to talk about. I was already known for starting fires in this place; if anyone else knew what happened in high school, then they might think I brought these things on myself.

“It’s not important. You’re right, though, he really shouldn’t be concerned about my safety. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. My turn,” I said to divert the attention from me. “Never have I ever slept with a girl knowing she’d made my teammate’s sister cry.”

There. The biggest F-U statement I could say to Jackson.

He was quiet, and my heart was beating wildly, the vulnerability hitting me in ways I didn’t think possible. Seeing his smug smile leave his face did make me feel better, though.

Deep down, I knew Jackson wasn’t a bad guy. He wanted everyone to think he was carefree and a joker, but it was obvious if you looked close enough. The dumb jock jokes hurt him as much as the pick-me comments hurt me, and although it sucked being the sister of the best quarterback in college football, it must suck being his teammate, watching him get drafted while you were stuck repeating your junior year.

Chastising my own thoughts for sounding like I felt sorry for that idiot, I threw him a sarcastic smile.

“What are you talking about? When were you crying?” He put his two brain cells together and thought about it. “Wait a minute, are you talking about Grace?” He shook his head, letting out a disbelieving breath. “How many times am I going to have to tell you, I didn’t sleep with Grace. I kicked her out after I saw how upset she made you.”

I lifted my head, scanning his face for any hint of deception, but all I found was raw sincerity.

“If I had known you were crying, I would have dipped your precious grapes in chocolate and brought them to you on my knees.” He pursed his lips together, looking up to the ceiling before back to me. “Hell, I bought you every fruit on the planet to try to prove to you I was sorry.”

“Are you going to drink?” I said as I glared at his fingers gripping the beer bottle, and my stomach filled with anxious anticipation. He would take a sip of that liquid, and my heart would break over it.

“No. I didn’t do it, and I’m not going to let you think otherwise.”

“Then you’ve already lost the game.”

“You’re frustrating as hell, you know that?”

“I’m just playing the game with honor. You’re cheating.”

“No, I’m not.” His arms were vibrating, his jaw clenching. I’d gotten to him, and even though he refused to take a drink, and Britt suggested otherwise, I knew he’d slept with Grace. “How about this for you, never have I ever been the subject of my brother’s best friend’s wet dream?”

Jackson glared at my drink, making my fingers twitch. I scrunched my nose. “Jackson, you don’t have a—” I paused. His words finally sinking in, and I felt like I might be sick.

“If you take a sip, it’ll be a lie.”

“I can’t believe you said that.” He was making a joke about me again. I was so damn tired of it.

“Why not? If you’re playing with honor, then so am I.”

I shook my head and called him a jackass under my breath.

Jackson cupped his ear. “What’s that? I can’t hear you from over there. Why don’t you come closer so we can really talk?”

“Losing your hearing already, old man?” I figured I’d tease him a little. Pushing the blanket off me, I sauntered over and dropped onto the other end of the leather couch. He frowned, looking almost offended. What did he think I would do? Sit on his lap?

“Never have I ever talked so much shit I wondered which end was my asshole.”

Jackson ignored my remark and rubbed his thigh. “Still can’t hear you, Pyro. Why don’t you come here?” I looked between his face and his thigh, waiting for him to howl out in laughter, but he didn’t. “I’m waiting.”

“Are you being serious?!”

“Are you chicken?”

“No. Of course not.” I jutted my chin out, closing my eyes.

“You sure? I really think I’m getting to you.”

“And I think you need to check how tight that baseball cap is because you’re acting ridiculous.”

“And you’re not acting at all. Well, except scared, of course.”

“Oh, you think I’m scared?” He nodded. He was goading me, I knew that, but I needed to prove him wrong.

“I know it.”

With my teeth clamped together, the only emotion I felt was anger.

Screw him.

Pushing off the couch, I strutted over to him. His hand moved off his thigh as I got closer, and instead of sitting on his knee like he requested, I decided to show him just how confident I was. I flung a leg over his body and straddled him before he could protest.

Wide, thick thighs held mine open, and in this moment, I wished I had my onesie on. That way I wouldn’t feel my shorts riding up my crotch. I smiled through the pain, refusing to show Jackson how uncomfortable I felt.

Planting my hands on his hard chest, I leaned over so my lips were only a few inches away from his head. “Can you hear me now, old man?”

“Perfectly,” he purred out. If it were anyone but Jackson, I’d say this would go somewhere. Sitting on his lap, rubbing his hard chest … It was nice, and Jackson was hot. Too bad his personality sucked.

“Wanna try again?” he asked, forcing me to look at him. Deep, dark eyes gazed at me eagerly. Wait. Why was he acting like this?

I averted my gaze to his cap so I didn’t have to look at his face. “Never have I ever worn a baseball cap backward.”

He laughed. “Has anyone ever told you how good you are at this?” He smirked, taking a long, slow swig of his beer, and I watched his throat move as he swallowed.

When did Jackson’s neck get so … muscular? I didn’t realize you could even develop muscle there.

“You do know flipping it around will make you infinitely more attractive, don’t you?”

“Show me.”

“Show you?”

“Yeah, flip my hat around and let me know what you think.”

I hesitated for a second before I pulled the cap off his head, surprised to smell his shampoo. Then I flipped it around and put it back over his thick black hair.

Leaning back a little, I said, “Well, shit. Was a backward baseball hat all you needed to be hot?” It was supposed to come out as a joke, but it sounded far too serious.

He chuckled, leaned over to put his beer down, then rested his hand on my thigh, squeezing it. “Glad you think so.”

Why wasn’t I shaking his hand off? Why did I like the warmth?

“I didn’t mean it the way it came out.”

“Of course you didn’t.” His palm was still burning my leg. “I guess it’s my turn now.” His face was serious as he said, “Never have I ever kissed my friend’s sister.”

His gaze flicked down to my lips, and I felt it. I felt it all the way to my core as though he’d switched a button on, and I was finally ready to see Jackson as something more. My brain was fuzzy, and he wouldn’t stop looking at me. I tried to think about my friends and if they’d had any sisters I’d kissed. When I could confirm I hadn’t, I leaned back, grabbed the wine from the coffee table, and took a large gulp.

As I put the wine down, Jackson watched, and it came back. The feeling I was having trouble putting into words. It was an urge. A need to touch him. Maybe it was the wine. I’d only had a glass, but I wasn’t a big drinker, so maybe it was getting to me. Or maybe it was the fact I was just casually sitting on his lap when we had this entire three-bedroom apartment to ourselves.

Something had shifted between us. I didn’t know when it happened, but I wasn’t willing to talk about it just yet.

Apparently, Jackson was tired of waiting. He cupped my cheek, giving me a moment to back away if I wanted to. Like a fool, I didn’t. Instead, I leaned forward and closed my eyes as our mouths connected. Soft, pillowy lips caressed mine before his tongue requested entry. Every fiber in my body relaxed, feeling lost in his touch. I deepened the kiss as his fingertips pressed into my thighs, and he moaned in what sounded like a sigh of relief. I couldn’t help but feel the same way. There was something about letting all that tension and anger go with this moment.

I teased my tongue across the seam of his mouth, and he opened for me as I moved my hand to the nape of his neck, keeping him close and directing him in the way I liked him to touch me.

As things became more heated, I flipped the hat off his head, giving me ample opportunity to run my hands through his hair. I pulled on the strands, showing him exactly how I liked it.

He squeezed my thighs. “You’re perfect,” he said into our kiss. I paid little attention to the words or the sentiment, as I was too lost in the taste and feeling of Jackson all over me. My brother’s teammate, but he was more than that. My roommate. My archnemesis. He was everything I didn’t want but needed. I needed to feel him like this, to have control of someone so much bigger than me. Knowing he could crush me if he wanted.

I didn’t care what Tanner would think. The only thing that mattered in this moment was Jackson. Oh, and the tingling sensation building in my core.

I was getting hot. Hotter than I’d ever like to admit to Jackson since he’d gloat about it. However, I doubted it would be a secret for long, considering I was rocking my hips against his solid thighs. His hands moved from my thighs to my ass, and he squeezed my cheeks as he guided my movements.

Gray sweatpants and my silky shorts were the only things separating us. Never, and I mean never, had I thought about Jackson like this, but in this moment, all I could think about was how much I wanted to feel every inch of his body against mine.

Push and pull, tongues clashing. I was building myself up for a high I was almost certain I’d be unable to match.

“I’ve never wanted to kiss someone as much as I’ve wanted to kiss you,” he rasped against my lips. Typical. Always talking even when I was trying to focus on the task at hand.

He pulled back, gauging my reaction, and I turned away, not wanting him to see the heat behind my eyes.

I gasped when he kissed the column of my neck, his hands moving around my body as though he’d been studying it for the longest time.

“Jackson,” I drawled out, and he captured my moan with his mouth, thrusting his tongue into mine.

His fingers dug into my ass, and without warning, he flipped me onto my back and kissed down my neck. It was as if that motion caused my brain to start functioning again, and I realized what was going on.

“I need to taste you.”

Jackson’s hands were teetering on the edge of my shorts, ready to pull them down. Then what? I’d sleep with Jackson?

Jackson James.

The guy I was supposed to hate.

“What am I doing?” I panicked as I saw my hips rocking against his body, chasing pleasure. Pleasure from him.

Couldn’t he see the mistake we’d just made?

My breath hitched and I shuffled back, slinking out from under him. Jackson hadn’t registered my freak out, his face still with a drunk, delirious smile on it. He leaned forward, ready to pull me back in for more, but I couldn’t do this.

It was too much.

“I’ve got to go,” I said before jumping off the couch and running to my room like a scared little mouse. Kind of what I was. A scared mouse looking for somewhere to hide because I didn’t want to face the consequences of my own actions.

When I got to my room, I shut the door—and locked it for good measure. Taking a deep breath, I tried to center myself and pretend I couldn’t feel Jackson’s presence on the other side. It didn’t matter I was in my room, it felt like he was everywhere.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The vibrations of his punches against the door reverberated through my bones, and I shivered in worry.

“You can’t hide from me, T.” His words sounded almost sinister and kind of sexy all at once.

Dread filled my stomach, weighing me down like a heavy stone as I thought about what happened between Jackson and me. I kissed him, and I was almost ready for him to taste me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

What the fuck have I done?!

“I’ll be right here waiting for you when you wake up and realize you want more of that.”

I tried to hold back the little yelp, but it escaped my throat. He was right. He lived with me, and there was no way I could avoid him.

Frozen on the spot, I waited another ten minutes before having the courage to move from the door and over to my phone. The same one I’d left sitting there when I went outside to get a bottle of water.

When there was another knock on my door, I squealed, not knowing what to do. Had I locked it? Would Jackson come in here any second? I had no time to think, I grabbed my phone from my dresser and ran to my closet and slammed it shut. For some reason, the darkness felt like another barrier to facing reality.

I kissed Jackson. I kissed Jackson. I kissed Jackson, and I liked kissing Jackson.

My phone lit up the darkened room as I prepared to google the shit out of You kissed your enemy and liked it, now what? But as my thumbs touched the screen, my brother’s name popped up.

Was the world taunting me? He couldn’t seriously be calling me right now, could he?

His face and long blond hair filled the screen, answering my question. Yes. Yes, he could be calling me right now.

Did he know what we’d done?

Had Jackson somehow told him about his intentions before this happened?

My eyes widened because I really thought about it. What if he had a video camera around here? Did he see it?

Oh, I would die of embarrassment.

Cringing, I accepted the call, knowing I would have to face the consequences sooner or later, and there was no time like the present.

“Hello?” My voice cracked, and I kept my eyes shut because I was waiting for Tanner to blow a gasket.

“Thea, hey.” Well, that was different than I was expecting. Tanner sounded happy. Relaxed, even, and for him to be so calm when he’s supposed to be on vacation with his girlfriend’s family was saying something. “You going to accept the FaceTime invite?”

I wanted to laugh. How the heck could I accept the FaceTime invite without giving away my location. Plus, it was dark in here, so I doubt he’d see me anyway.

“No. I’m just about to get into the shower,” I said, knowing that was enough of an answer to stop him from pressing too many other questions my way.

“Okay. I’ve been trying to call you for the last hour. Where have you been?”

“Uh …” I searched the closet, hoping it would offer me a cover since kissing your teammate wouldn’t be a brilliant answer. “I was out with some friends.”

“Really?” he said, surprised, and could I blame him? The guy had known me all his life, and here I was lying through my teeth because he knew very well I had no friends.

“Yeah, I met a few people when I was out having coffee.”

“Oh, yeah?” And this was why I hated lying to Tanner. He was the biggest golden retriever I’d ever met. Always wanting the best for me, thinking that having friends might make me less … combative.

Who knew all I needed to do was kiss the ever-loving shit out of Jackson for that to happen. Would Tanner care? I doubted it. Jackson wasn’t from back home, but something stopped me from telling him. I think it came down to the fact that I didn’t really know what we were doing. How was I supposed to explain it to Tanner when I couldn’t explain it to myself?

“Yeah, just a couple of gals, you know.” I continued with the lie because it was better than the truth. “How’s everything going there?”

“Good,” he drawled out, that softness in his voice wavering.

“Doesn’t sound good,” I stated. My brother could hide his emotions from a lot of people but not his big sister. I knew him better than anyone, and there was something else going on, I just didn’t know what.

“Nothing that you have to worry about.”

“I always worry. I’m your twin. That’s what we do.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Come on, Tan Tan. Tell me.”

“Please don’t call me Tan Tan. I hate it on my best day, and this is by far one of the worst.”

“Well, that’s not great to hear.”

“Aster found the ring in my bag.”

I took in a sharp breath. “The ring? Why’d you bring it with you?”

“You think I trust either of you enough to leave it in the apartment?”

“Hey! I resent that.”

“I don’t. You literally set your sorority on fire because you left your curling iron on.”

“Straightener.”

“What?”

“It was a straightener, not a curling iron.”

“Do you think that makes that sound any better, and is that your way of finally admitting it was you?”

“No, but we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. So, she found the ring, what did she think?”

“She thought I was going to propose to her and basically told me she’s too young and not ready for that kind of commitment. Both things I agree with.”

“Did you explain to her why you had a precious heirloom with you?”

“I didn’t get the chance. Her dad walked in and then she skipped out, changing the subject as though it never happened. We aren’t sleeping in the same room, so it’s not like I can ask her in private either. Now she’s doing everything in her power to make sure we aren’t left alone together.”

“I’m sorry, T, but honestly, this feels like an avoidable fuckup. I can see why she freaked out. You need to explain it to her.”

“I’ll try.” He sighed. “I’m not trying to tie her down. I love her, and I feel like this is just an overreaction, but I don’t know what to do.”

“It’ll be fine. It’s not that big of a deal.” I was lying. It was a huge deal, but pointing that out to him wouldn’t do me or us any favors. “When you get a minute alone with Aster, just explain it. She’s a smart girl. She’ll understand, and hey, at least this has given you a sign over where she stands with the entire engagement thing.”

“I wasn’t planning on asking her to marry me soon.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t going to wait long, were you?” When I was met with a beat of silence, I knew I’d hit a nerve.

“Look, I’m sure you’ll be fine. You stood up for Aster through all the bad stuff that happened to her last year. She’ll come to her senses and listen to you soon. All you need to do is just breathe. Focus on what you’re going to say to her, and why.”

“Okay, good point. Thanks, sis.”

With that, we hung up, then I was met with the darkness of the room again. Nothing was in here except my intrusive thoughts.

I kissed Jackson.

Okay, understatement of the century. I humped Jackson’s crotch, and he chased me right after. I had no idea how I would handle the next few days, but I needed to prepare myself for the worst because I was no doubt screwed.