Chapter 9

I can understand me and Tucker kissing. Honestly, it seems inevitable at this point. What I don't understand is why I was the one who initiated the kiss. Me. Not Tucker.

Seriously, I would have put money on him kissing me first.

I run my hands through my hair. What the fuck am I doing?

Pushing the almost kiss out of my mind until later is the best plan. I can't be thinking of Tucker"s lips while I'm in the same room as my mom. She'll know. Any time I've ever been interested in anyone, she has known immediately. One time, I liked a girl in middle school who had transferred that day, and the minute I got home she was asking about my "new crush." It's weird.

Following the chatter, I head into the kitchen and Dante really wasn't joking. There's him and three of his teammates: Charlie from the football team, Luke, Perry, and Wyatt.

"Giovanni, where is our guest?" my mom asks, brandishing a large spoon at me, pieces of scrambled eggs flying everywhere.

"He's -"

"I'm right here," Tucker says, coming up behind me and placing a hand on the small of my back. Fighting my erection is going to be a losing game at this rate.

I step away and take a seat between Perry and Wyatt. Not far enough away to escape my mom"s scowl.

"Why are you being so rude, Gio? Leaving Tucker to fend for himself."

"I told him to go ahead. I needed a minute before I came down," he smiles at my mom so sweetly, it gives me a toothache. "You've raised a good man, Mrs. Russo."

Is he serious?

"Tucker is a smart one," Perry whispers to me with a smirk as my mom gushes over Tucker. "Getting Mama Russo on his side is genius."

My jaw drops. I know he joked about that, but he didn't mean it. Right? I look up at him as he takes the seat opposite me.

"Hey, Wyatt, where's your other half? I don't think I've ever seen you without Hudson before."

"He's helping Nate with something super secret." He stabs at his pancakes like they are the reason Wyatt isn't having bestie time. "I don't know why I couldn't help as well. I can keep secrets. I'm good at helping people. I always help people move houses, and I never told anyone that Perry accidentally hit on Luke's brother."

"Wyatt!"

"Perry!"

"I didn't know it was still a secret." Wyatt wails. He turns to Luke with big puppy dog eyes as if he's the one who tried hitting on his brother. "It was the end of freshman year when the hockey brother came and picked you up."

"He shut me down saying he doesn't sleep with his brothers' besties and that's when I realized it was your brother. He totally changed his hair in my defense," Perry says, arms folded.

Luke sniffs. "It's still weird that you didn't tell me."

"I was embarrassed," Perry leans forward and gives Wyatt a death glare. "I will get you back for this."

Wyatt pales, which is understandable. Perry can be pretty petty. I need to remember to try and reign him in. Poor Wyatt.

"Now, now, boys let's not start something I will have to finish," mom says, looking at the table as a whole. "Eat up. Your pancakes are going cold."

There is relative silence for a few minutes except for the sounds of cutlery on plates. It's quite peaceful.

Of course, my stupid cousin shatters it.

"So, how long have you been dating my little cousin?" Dante says to Tucker, looking way too gleeful. The little shit. I say little. He is about six years older than me. And he's an NHL player so he's actually bigger than me too. But not bigger than Tucker.

"Tucker, if I say yes to going on a date, will you beat my cousin up? I think you can take him."

"Gio, don't you start. Dante is your family."

"Oh, Tucker can take me anytime," Dante says with a slow perusal of Tucker"s body.

Nope. I do not like that.

"Dude, I didn't know you had come out. Congrats man," Dante's friend, Marcus, says with a huge smile. His other teammate just quietly watching with mild curiosity.

"I haven't. I'm still straight. I just like fu-uh, winding Gio up."

"Okay, well, that works out because I'm not interested in anyone other than Gio." Tucker says, winking at me.

Great. Now there is blood in the water, and my mom is going to pounce.

We are completely ignoring the fact that his words lit me up like the night sky on July 4th. I'll just keep my head in the sand. It is probably in Australia by now.

I might have got the geography wrong on that one.

Whatever.

"That's why you went so hard in saving him during that play," Charlie pipes up. He's looking at Tucker like he's a god. Does he have a crush? My stomach rolls at the thought.

"Why are you here?" I bite out.

"Gio," My mom says with a warning tone.

Charlie looks at me, wide eyes ringed with uncertainty. "I went to the cheer house to check up on Tucker, but Perry said you guys were here and that I could tag along. Should I…was that wrong?"

I feel like I just kicked a puppy. "No, it's fine." I can feel Tucker"s stare. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"It's okay, bro," he really does have golden retriever energy. "Last night was crazy with the way Tucker slid in and stopped you from getting murdered."

My mom looks at Tucker like he's a hero from a summer blockbuster.

"You saved my boy?" Oh my god, has she got tears in her eyes?

"There was no attempted murder." No one listens to me, of course.

"Yes, ma'am." He smiles at her warmly. "No way Gio is getting hurt if I can help it."

I fight to roll my eyes at the not so subtle undertone. Tucker really is adamant that he won't hurt me. It feels delusional. My mum turns to me with a stern look. "You look after this wonderful boy."

"Yes, mama," I turn and stare at Tucker. "I'll take very good care of him."

Starting with his dick.

I give up.

I quit.

I'm too weak to resist Tucker Evans anymore.

He is obviously on the rebound, but if I am going into this with my eyes wide open, that should help. It'll hurt when he's done with me, but if I know it's going to happen, then that'll make it hurt less. It's science.

Or I'm just lying to myself, and this is going to hurt however I spin it.

My need for Tucker outweighs everything else. I need to feel his lips against mine properly and not just a rushed, barely there kiss.

Tucker needs to consume me.