Page 76 of Bending Under Pressure

Before I can respond, her mouth is on mine. She really is driving me insane. This kiss is hard and fast and hot. It’s so unlike Haley that it throws me for a loop. But for only a second. We shift so she’s on her back, and I’m hovering over her. She links her hands together at the base of my neck to hold me in place, as if I’d dream of leaving this slice of heaven.

I can tell the exact moment she feels just how much I’m enjoying this kiss because our mouths go from sliding harshly against one another like we’re going to die in thirty seconds to gliding in slow motion like we have a lifetime. One hand has my fingers locked into her hair while its connecting elbow holds me up, but my other moves up her side, pulling her shirt up a little. My fingertips dig into her skin. I’m dying, dying to feel bare skin, but the last thing I want is to give her a reason to pull away from me. This will have to do for now. My fingers move up her side, down again, over the half of her stomach that isn’t covered by mine, and repeat.

But then, Haley shatters my willpower.

She shifts against me, her leg, in between mine, brushes against me as mine rubs against her.

I groan. Just as I’m about to fuel my scrap of willpower and self-control into a kiss, I hear a throat clearing behind me in a loud, clear, “Ahem.”

Quickly pulling away from Haley, who scoots away from me, I roll over to see my mother standing in the doorway.

“I think it’s time for Haley to head home,” she says evenly in her authoritative teacher tone. Shit. I’m in trouble.

“Yes, ma’am.” I expect her to walk away, but she doesn’t. Haley and I stand, and I pick up her textbook and worksheet, which apparently fell onto the floor. How did we not hear that? After I hand them to her, she stuffs them into her bag. “I’ll walk you out,” I tell her quietly.

Mom follows us downstairs, Dad shaking his head when he sees us, but thankfully, Mom doesn’t join us outside.

Haley laughs through her embarrassment. “How did I do a walk of shame without committing the part that causes the shame?”

I laugh. “I’m sorry.”

“Think you’ll get in trouble?”

“A good lecture at the very least.” I take a step closer to kiss her cheek and whisper, “If they ground me, I’ll either sneak out to see you or sneak you in.”

The tension leaves her shoulders as she relaxes and laughs. “You’ll get caught one of these days.”

“It’ll be worth it. I figured as long as it’s not dangerous,” she gives me a pointed look, clearly thinking of the races, “and I’m not actually committing the part that causes for shame, they won’t be too mad with me,” I finish. My parents want me happy and healthy. As long as I don’t do something stupid, knock a girl up, and keep my grades good, there won’t be much to complain about. Although, Haley does seem to lure me into situations where I keep getting caught. It’s kind of hard to be the good kid when I keep getting in trouble.

“Well, let me know. Thanks for helping me.”

“Any time. Kiera is coming this weekend, so I’ll see what I can do about a race on Friday.”

Haley tilts her head. “Don’t want to introduce your sister to that?”

“No,” I reply firmly. “Text me later.”

She nods and then she’s gone. How can I be the good big brother if I take my baby sister

to a race on a back road? No way is that happening. I hurry back into the house to prevent my parents from being able to stew over what Mom walked in on.

Guilt shoots through me when I see she brought home pizza. The least I could’ve done was make sure I heard them come home, so she wouldn’t catch me making out with my girlfriend.

“You get one point for leaving the door open,” Mom begins as I grab a slice of pizza. “You know we don’t want you having sex, Keelan.”

I groan. “Mom, I’m eating,” I complain. “And we weren’t having sex.” Now that would’ve been mortifying, having Mom walk in on that.

“Sounded like you were about to get carried away.” Her words make me flinch, and I wonder if I’m going to be able to finish my pizza.

“I know what you’re going to say, and I hear you loud and clear. Haley and I aren’t having sex. Can we be done talking about this now?”

“We discussed it,” Dad begins and I immediately want to ask when. I was outside for like two minutes. “We don’t want you here with Haley by yourself. Between us finding you two sleeping in the hammock after you snuck out in the middle of the night to bringing her over here after an argument with her mom and this, I can’t say we trust you when she’s involved.”

My hand freezes midway to my mouth, my slice of pizza with it. “Come on, you can’t be serious. I think the key word there was sleeping and she was here for my help with her science homework, which we did. Making out with her can’t seriously be why she can’t come over without y’all here.”

“Our house, our rules,” he answers simply. “Someone needs to be there if you go to her house, too. Don’t make us have to start verifying with her parents either.”

I want to argue, but I know better. “Yes, sir.”

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