Page 23 of Obligation
“Hey, sis.” Carissa claimed the empty chair next to Cayla. “How’s school?”
Cayla was a third grade teacher at Harmony Falls Elementary School—her dream job, she’d said when she was first offered the position. Cayla sat upright. “Exhausting.”
Carissa laughed. “Didn’t you just go back?”
“Mm-hmm, and my kids are already running me ragged. I have this one little boy who doesn’t understand the concept of waiting his turn to speak.” Cayla shook her head, but then grinned. “I wouldn’t trade my job for the world, though.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
Cayla shrugged. “It’s a gift, I guess.” She lifted her sunglasses just enough for Carissa to see her big, brown eyes. “So is that.” Cayla nodded at something behind Carissa.
Turning to look at whatever had Cayla’s attention, Carissa found Garrett, Cory, Jeremy, and Bradley playing basketball on the full-size court Dad had built for Cory shortly after he’d made the high school team.
Carissa’s gaze zeroed in on Bradley. He wore black, Nike basketball shorts and white sneakers. He was shirtless, the gold chain with the cross still secured around his neck, and his tanned skin glistened with sweat. If that wasn’t hot enough, he had a worn baseball cap turned backward. She had no idea why, but something about that look was so sexy, and Bradley owned it.
“You know they’re all my age, right?” Carissa said, forcing herself to stop staring.
“So?” Cayla laughed. “There’s no crime in looking. You have to admit, the view is pretty incredible.” She let her sunglasses fall back down on her face, and she settled in the lounge chair.
Carissa shifted so she could watch the game—or so she told herself. She didn’t care about the stupid game or who was winning. Her sister was right, though. The view was fantastic.
Hoots and hollers sounded from the court, and the guys gave each other high fives. Bradley jogged to the edge of the court, grabbed a water bottle from the ground, and took a long drink. Then he poured the remainder over his head before snatching a shirt and wiping the remnants of water from his face and chest.
Her mouth went dry at the sight, and for a brief moment, she felt like a pervert for staring so intently. There were no doubts in her mind that Bradley was a walking sin, and everything about him tempted her.
Bradley glanced up and caught her ogling him. He grinned, then winked. Her face flushed with heated embarrassment. What she wouldn’t give for a pair of sunglasses right about now. Maybe then she could try to pretend she hadn’t been staring. He gave a small nod in her direction before jogging back onto the court to resume the game.
“So, how are things with Danny?” Cayla asked as she shifted in the lounge chair to get more comfortable.
Carissa groaned. “We got into a huge fight last night and haven’t spoken since.”
“A fight about what?”
Even though Cayla was almost five years older than Carissa, they’d always had a close relationship, and Carissa never had any issues sharing secrets and girl talk with her sister. But this was one thing she couldn’t confide in her about.
“I don’t even know.” Carissa huffed, playing up her lie. “It was stupid. We were having fun. Drinking. He wanted to have sex, and I didn’t. Everything blew up after that.”
Cayla turned her head to look at Carissa. “He got mad because you wouldn’t have sex with him?”
“Yeah. Stupid, right?”
“I’m not sure stupid is how I’d describe it.” Cayla turned her head so she was staring up at the sky. If she hadn’t been fully dressed, Carissa would’ve thought her sister was sunbathing with the way she was laid out in the chair.
Carissa wanted to ask how Cayla would describe it, but doing so would open up a can of worms Carissa didn’t want to open. Other than Cory, who really only tolerated Danny for her sake, no one in Carissa’s family liked her boyfriend. Granted, Danny hadn’t made the best first impression, but so what? Didn’t he deserve a second chance? Couldn’t her family at least do that for her?
“How’re classes going?” Cayla asked, and Carissa sighed with relief at the change of topic.
“Good. Tiff and I got bids to pledge Theta Omega Pi.” Excitement filled her voice.
“That’s great.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Mom called from the back door.
Carissa’s stomach rumbled again, and she was quick to get up and walk inside. Cayla wasn’t too far behind. Carissa’s father emerged from his den and smiled at her.
“Hi, Daddy.” She gave him a hug.
“Hi, pumpkin. How’s school?” he asked and led the way into the dining room.
