Page 32 of The Secrets We Bury

“What’s up?” I ask, dropping down and folding my arms over the railing.

“We’re heading to a party tonight, you in?” He grins up at me, his helmet already off and held loosely in his right hand.

“A party?” I frown. “Where at?”

His grin widens. “North side.”

I roll my eyes and groan. “Are you serious?”

Gio bobs his brows up and down and drops his helmet to the ground. Hooking both hands into the railing, he scales it up until I’m forced to release it and lean back as he towers over me, the breadth of his shoulders blocking out the players on the field. A gasp leaves my lips as he hooks two fingers into the neckline of my hoodie and pulls me forward.

The heat of his lips hovers in front of mine. A smile threatens to break past my shields. “Really, Playboy?” I blink back at him. “Is this your idea of a tease?”

Gio’s tongue comes out and licks straight across my lower lip. He tastes like mint even if he smells like sweat. My nose wrinkles and I shove him off.

“Fine, I’ll go to your stupid party, but we’re not staying all night. We’ve got school tomorrow.”

I’m released as soon as the agreement leaves my lips and Gio cackles like a psychopath as he jumps back to the ground. “Well, aren’t you a good girl now, Prep Girl?” he says as he bends and retrieves his helmet.

I roll my eyes again and flip him my happy middle finger. “Fuck off.” I step away from the railing. “I’ll wait for y’all out by the cars.”

“You sure you’re okay to be there by yourself?” Gio asks, eyeing me.

I flip him the bird once more. “I can’t let you guys hover around me forever, just…” I lower my hand. “Hurry up and don’t keep me waiting.”

Gio rolls his shoulders and jogs backwards towards the guys. “Nolan will be right there—he needs to shower at the house. Lex and I will be by later to pick y’all up.” His eyes move over my bundled form. “Wear something sexy.”

I stop moving and scowl. “Keep telling me what to do and I’ll be wearing your blood as lipstick,” I tell him.

The laugh that echoes out of him holds no hint of fear. I shake my head and turn away, yanking up the hood of the sweatshirt and shoving my freezing hands into the connected pocket as I make my way to the parking lot to wait for my ride.

Just like Gio said, Nolan is the first one done. He makes his way across the parking lot with Lex’s SUV keys in hand and a duffle over one shoulder. There’s a fresh mark on his cheek almost like he cut himself. I stare at it as he approaches and nods my way where I lean against the front of the SUV’s hood.

“Come on,” he says. “Gio’s giving Lex a ride—I want to shower before they get to the house.”

I don’t comment as he unlocks the vehicle and we climb in. Nolan cranks on the radio, a softer rock ballad crooning throughthe halfway decent speakers as he backs up and heads for the road. All the while, I find myself entranced by him. It’s easy to stare at him as he drives, watching the play of muscles in his forearms as he grips the wheel and turns it.

After a while, he glances over at me. “What?”

“Why don’t you shower in the locker room with the other guys?” The question is out of my mouth before I can call it back. It’s dumb. I suspect I already know the answer. The only reason I asked is because I want to hear it from him. I want Nolan to be the one to open up to me.

When I expect him to grow tense under my inquiry, he surprises me by facing the windshield as one side of his mouth tips upward. “What? You haven’t figured it out by now?” He lifts one shoulder in a casual shrug. “No homo.”

I roll my eyes. What a fucking liar. “You fucked me while Gio ate my pussy,” I remind him. “You didn’t seem all that concerned about how close another naked guy was to you when there was active sex happening.”

At that, Nolan barks out a sharp laugh. The sound is real and full of amusement. My stomach flips. I like that sound.

“Okay, you got me there,” he says, still chuckling. His red-brown eyes shoot to me and back again. When he speaks next, it’s with a more somber, serious tone. “It’s because of the scars.”

I shift in my seat, turning to face him fully as I rest my back against the car door. “The ones on your back.”

Though it hadn’t really been a question, he nods as if it had been. “Yeah.” He blows out a long breath.

Don’t ask,I tell myself.Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Don’t?—

“How did they happen?”You dumb fucking bitch— Why? Why can’t I just leave well enough alone?

Nolan slows the SUV to a stop at a red light and props his other arm on the window length. He turns his chin slightly, gazing at me across the console through the thick fringe of lashesthat surround his impossibly dark eyes. I swallow back the sound of my voice threatening to make its way out and steal back the question.