Page 3 of QB Keeper
I blow out a breath. “Nope, no plans. I’ll go home, unpack, run to the store for snacks, and be back at eight.”
She bounces on the bed, clearly excited. “You’re the best, Tan. I really did miss you.”
“I missed you too, Bunny,” I say, using her childhood nickname. We gave it to her the year her parents caved, after a lot of begging, and got us a trampoline. Riggs and I would jump and do flips for a while, but we’d eventually get sick of it and move on to some other activity. Unlike Grace, who would bounce for hours on end, never tiring of it. She looked like alittle bunny rabbit, just hopping around, singing to herself while her golden pigtails blew around her face.
I tell her goodbye, making my way down the stairs and out the door toward my house. I’m not sure if I should be as excited as I am to come back tonight, but I find myself counting down the hours until I get to see her again. I just need to make sure I keep reminding myself that no matter how different she looks and sounds, there is no universe where my best friend’s little sister could ever be more to me than just that.
TWO
GRACE
I lounge on the couch,flipping through the options on the streaming app while I wait for Tanner to arrive with our snacks. I don’t know what kind of movie I’m in the mood for, but if I don’t pick something quick, he’ll talk me into some shitty action movie that’ll bore me to tears within ten minutes. There are a few new releases this week, so hopefully we can settle on a rom-com or drama that can keep my attention.
I narrow it down to two new ones, waiting for him to get here so we can decide. Although I have a feeling he’s going to throw one of them off the table quick, fast, and in a hurry. It’s a drama about a billionaire who has a crazy sex dungeon in his house and moves a young, inexperienced woman in to be at his kinky beck and call. I’ve been dying to see it, but I doubt Tanner would be comfortable watching it with the girl he knows as an annoying little sister. I’m sure he thinks I’m some non-sexual being who couldn’t possibly imagine herself in any type of situation where a penis is involved.
He'd be half right. Even though I can and have imagined it, I’m still a virgin. I know it’s not the end of the world, but I hate the fact that I’m about to go to college in the fall with myv-card intact. As excited as I am that I got into the California College of the Arts Fashion Design program, I highly doubt that I’ll find a guy that’ll tick all my boxes when I get there.
I have a type. I like tall, masculine, and athletic guys. Which is going to be pretty hard to find at school since CCA doesn’t have any sports teams.
Damn my brother for always having the hottest teammates. They made me this way.
I dated the captain of the football team last year and had every intention of having sex with him, but when the time came, I chickened out. He wasn’t forceful or anything, but I could tell by the way he kissed and touched me that he didn’t care if it actually felt good or not. I’ve heard horror stories about how the first time can be uncomfortable or even painful, and I knew I couldn’t trust him to take care of me. So here I am. An eighteen-year-old almost college freshman who will be making the trip to California in the fall as a certified virgin.
Pitiful.
I’m snapped back to reality when the front door opens and closes. I hear Tanner in the foyer as he removes his shoes, sliding them across the floor to the mat my mom insists we use. She’s tripped over flip-flops and sneakers enough times to make that one of her rules. Everyone who comes here regularly knows better than to leave their shit lying around.
I turn my head just as Tanner enters the living room. He’s wearing a tight crimson Harvard Football t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. His black baseball cap is turned backward and every hormone in my body is holding up a little sign that reads‘10’, as if they’re scoring an Olympic event. He’s always been hot, but right now? He’s droolworthy with his ocean blue eyes and sand colored hair that’s perfectly tousled. Maybe it’s all the thinking about sex that went on before he got here, but I’m suddenly picturing Tanner as he sinks into me for the first time. Obviously, thatwould never happen, but I’m allowed to fantasize about him naked.
Not like I haven’t done it before.
“I got your disgusting Sour Patch Kids,” he says, tossing a family-sized bag of the best candy in the world into my lap as he rounds the couch. I try not to notice the way his bicep strains against the sleeve of his shirt with the motion. “I also grabbed us a pizza from Henry’s, in case you haven’t eaten yet.”
That makes my ears perk up. “First of all, they’re not disgusting. You just have terrible taste,” I joke as I set the bag beside me and sit up on my knees, reaching for the top of the pizza box once he’s standing in front of me. “I hope you got the—” I lift it up to see my favorite toppings, sausage and mushrooms. I can’t hide the wide smile as it stretches across my face.
He raises a brow. “Did you really think I’d enter this home with any other kind of pizza, Bunny? You’re a nightmare when you’re hangry.”
My jaw drops in mock exasperation. “I amnot,” I argue. I pause, shrugging. “Okay, maybe I am.” I take a slice from the box, turning to the TV and going back to the new releases as Tanner settles in next to me.
“So,” I say with a mouthful of food, “here are our movie choices. You can pick.”
He sets the box on the coffee table before choosing a slice of pizza for himself and sitting back. I watch his mouth as he takes a bite, noticing his plump lips and strong jaw muscles as they work to chew his food. I have a weird urge to reach out and touch the side of his face, but I ignore it because who the fuck would ever do that? I quickly turn back toward the television as he angles his head my way, trying my best to act like I wasn’t just drooling over the way he masticates.
This is Tanner Lake, Grace. He’s so far out of your league, it’s laughable. Get a grip.
“How about that one?” he says, pointing at the photo of the exact movie I thought he’d want to avoid.
I slowly turn to look at him, unable to keep my eyebrows from almost touching my hairline. “Really? Do you know what it’s about?”
“No,” he replies.
I laugh incredulously. “It’s…how do I say this?” I pause. “Spicy.”
He stops chewing for a moment. “Spicy?Is that like, sexy? Is this a kissing movie, Bunny?” he jokes.
My cheeks heat. God, this is embarrassing. Tanner has probably had sex thousands of times. Meanwhile, my hymen and I are practically besties. We’re inseparable…literally. “Umm, yeah.” It comes out as a squeak andholy shit just bury me alive right now.
He laughs. “We’re watching it,” he says, swiping the remote from my hand and hitting play. “You don’t even have to tell me what it’s about. I just want to watch you squirm during the sexy scenes.”
