Page 120 of Hard Hitter

“Could you just...not?” said Quinn, sitting himself up to lean against the many pillows at the head of the bed.

“Don’t like that one?” Jett questioned. “How about hardwood?”

“Tent pole,” Chris added, sitting in the cushioned chaise lounge in the corner.

“Stiffy,’ Jett continued.

“Boner- always a classic,” said Chris.

“Love stick.”

“Hard-on.”

“Ramrod.”

“Pocket rocket,” Raelyn contributed, earning her an amused sideways glance from Quinn.

“Chubby,” Chris said.

“Lieutenant Dangle!” Jett called out in his best Forrest Gump impression.

“Louisville Slugger!”

“The ol’ custard slinger,” Raelyn winked and shot finger guns.

“Aghh, Rae, too far!Toofar!” Jett shouted as he and Chris cringed.

Raelyn bowed and waved her hands with a flourish. “Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week.”

“Thanks for finishing that, Rae,” said Quinn. “I feel like that could’ve gone on all night.”

Raelyn stood up off the bed and straightened her t-shirt and blue jean shorts. Shooting Quinn a mischievous grin over her shoulder she remarked, “Hm, I wonder if you’ll be saying that again later.”

Quinn’s face went red as he grinned, eyes glinting back at her. Chris and Jett erupted in groans and shouts of disgust, causing both Raelyn and Quinn to laugh.

“Too far again, Rae,” Jett shook his head, “Damn, girl.”

“I think he meansdaaayum, girl,” Quinn said with a wink.

Raelyn leaned over the edge of the bed and planted a kiss on his lips. In a high, dainty, southern belle accent, she announced to the room, “Now if you boys will excuse me, I have to go powder my nose,” and ambled to the door and across to the bathroom.

Graduation was the following morning, and Raelyn’s dad had been generous enough to reserve three rooms at Grand Traverse Resort for Raelyn and her friends to celebrate the end of their high school careers. She may have told him there would be more people joining than there really were so that he would reserve a third room. There were only four boys and four girls, which put the rooms at capacity, but the third room was for her and Quinn. Where they would stay together. And sleep together. And make good on their pact.

At this point, the pact seemed somewhat inconsequential. She still wanted to do it, but not just because they’d made the agreement months ago. The chemistry between her and Quinn was intense. Fiery. Explosive. She wanted all of him in the worst way. And she was more and more certain that with each hot and heavy make-out session, he wanted it too. Not just the sex, but she felt like he really wantedher.In the same way she wanted him. The possessive way he always had to have a hand on her, the way his mouth felt like a territorial claim, she felt...coveted by him.

It was more than just physical, sheknewit was. So, after they’d had their intimate, romantic night together, she would tell him about Arizona. She would tell him that if he wanted her to, which she was sure he did now, she would go with him. And she would be his and he would be hers and they would be there for each other just as they had for the past eleven years.

Back across the hall, the sounds of low, intentionally hushed but vehement male voices came from the other side of her bedroom door that was cracked just slightly. She pushed her door open, and all three boys looked in her direction, silently, having immediately ended whatever discussion or argument they’d been having.

Raelyn looked from Quinn to Jett to Chris, and back to Quinn, one eyebrow arched curiously. She took a breath and opened her mouth and paused before speaking. She was tempted to ask what they had been arguing about that had to do with her. They got in surprisingly heated arguments about sports or movies or superheroes every now and then, but they wouldn’t end an argument over whether Wonder Woman or Poison Ivy would win a wet t-shirt contest just because Raelyn walked in the room. Quinn gave a tight-lipped smile and looked away, smoothing his hair down anxiously.

The fact that Quinn was avoiding eye contact and Jett had yet to break the awkward silence made her feel like she’d better wait and ask Quinn about it in private. Storing this astonishingly uncomfortable moment in her brain for later, she then asked, “Jett, didn’t you say something about tacos?”

Saturday evening arrived: They walked the stage, collected their diplomas, sat through the corny, life-inspiring speeches, and took pictures in the school’s courtyard in front of the T.C. West High School sign. Raelyn’s parents had followed Chris’s and Jett’s parents to take pictures of the boys on the baseball and football fields and had taken them all out to lunch.

Raelyn and Quinn had been having fun sneaking kisses all day while her parents weren’t looking, though Camille had definitely caught them at least once. Raelyn made a zipper motion over her lips and Camille had repeated it, miming locking and throwing away the key. Her sister was a huge gossip, and had absolutely no trouble spilling people’s deepest secrets, but she was a good big sister and knew better than to share this admittedly huge secret before Raelyn was ready for it to be out.

Having checked in to the resort and dropped their bags in their respective rooms, they all gathered in one room to go over everything the resort had to offer. There was a full spa, a pool and hot tub, a golf course, tennis courts, and of course, the beach. The girls all opted to try spa packages, with massages and the sauna while the guys went to the pool.

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