Page 4 of My Heart to Keep
I hadn’t seen Carter since he left for college, and from what I remembered, the dude was buff, but so was Marcus. He’d been working out in the makeshift gym we’d set up in the barn on our property, and at sixteen, he was all brawn and muscle. Ethan and I worked out too, but Marcus had arms built to lift a house.
A growl rumbled out of Ethan. “Fine. I’ll keep an eye on him. I’m just tired, bro. I’m tempted to head off to military school and away from the bullshit. He’s driving Mom to a nervous breakdown.”
I couldn’t argue with him. Mom looked more frazzled than ever. She’d always been a strong woman, but since Dad died, she hadn’t been herself. I couldn’t fault her for that, though. After all, she’d also buried her sister last year from breast cancer.
“Kade was telling me the other day that Kody, Kelton, and Kross had been shipped off to a private school in the Berkshires their sophomore year for some brawl that had put a guy in a coma,” Ethan said. “You know Mom has been reading up on that private school. Who knows? Maybe a school away from home would be good for all of us.”
I knitted my brows together. “I’m not leaving. I have basketball.” My season had sucked last year because I’d gotten hit by a car. The accident had screwed up my back, and I’d missed several games last year. My goal in the upcoming season was to bring the team to a state championship, to be noticed by scouts from colleges, and to put every ounce of energy I had into playing the very best I could.
No one was getting in my way, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to go to a new school and start over again. We’d been doing that most of our lives since Dad had been in the military. Sadly, Dad had been killed in a mission gone wrong.
Regardless, Mom needed my help, and as long as I could help her before I went off to college, I would.
Ethan tucked his hands in his jeans pockets. “Does Quinn know you’re going to basketball camp for the rest of the summer, by the way?”
I bit my lip. “Nope. I haven’t had a chance to tell her.” In all fairness to me, I’d just found out I could go. Mom had needed to look at the budget before she could say yes or no. Apparently, the camp was expensive with coaching, room, food, and expenses. But Uncle Martin had decided to pitch in and pay for the camp.
Quinn wasn’t going to be happy. She’d been talking about going to Boston, the Cape, the beach, aquariums, science museums, and the list went on. “We need to do everything and have fun before the school year starts,” she’d said.
I knew she was worried about going off to college or, more importantly, that she and I would not be going to the same college. It was a huge possibility. Her dream was to attend a medical school in North Carolina. Mine was to play basketball for UCLA or Ohio State. Yet if I didn’t sharpen my court skills, then I wouldn’t be going anywhere.
The music grew louder the closer we got to the barn.
“I’ll tell her tonight.” I had to. I was leaving in two days, and tomorrow I had to get my gear ready. “Jessica Bento, huh? I thought you swore off girls.” He’d gotten his heart hurt when we’d moved to Massachusetts two years ago and he’d had to leave his last girlfriend behind.
“It’s time for me to get back in the saddle, bro. You know, hormones and all.”
I laughed. “The hand isn’t cutting it anymore?”
He busted out laughing. “Not at all. Besides, have you seen Jessica’s legs?”
Ethan and I preferred lithe, long legs rather than ogling girls’ tits. “Can’t say I have. She’s a cheerleader, right? Pretty blonde?”
“A hot cheerleader, dude. And her legs go on forever, if you know what I mean.”
“Please tell me you’re using a condom,” I said.
“Says my brother, who hasn’t lost his virginity yet. Of course.”
It was sad that my younger brother had lost his before me. “I told you—Quinn’s not ready.” We’d come close many times, but each time, she’d gotten cold feet. To be honest, I had too. I wished Dad were alive so we could talk about girls, sex, and life.
But thoughts of sex went out the window when Ethan and I approached the barn, which was bursting with kids. Many were dancing, several were holding red cups, and some were lingering around talking or watching others.
Quinn bounced out like she was high on life, her butterscotch hair flowing in silky waves behind her.
I lost the ability to speak as my gaze swept over my girl. Her sparkly low-cut tank top did a number on my libido. But her long, tanned legs were even more heart-throbbing.
Before I could say hi or come out of my lustful stupor, she grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the fray and around the side of the barn. When I inhaled her sweet berry shampoo, my brain went fuzzy, and my body reacted in a heated bliss.
All the talk about long legs, sex, and girls made me want to do things to Quinn I’d dreamed about at night or thought about in the shower. I’d even imagined doing those things as I kissed her endlessly. We were well aware of our sexual desire for one another, and if we didn’t do something soon, I just might combust.
She pushed me against the barn, biting her lower lip.
“What are you doing?” My voice cracked.
Quinn was usually shy and wasn’t aggressive at all when it came to taking advantage of me.
She giggled, pressing her gorgeous body against mine.
