18. The Big Green Monster

EIGHTEEN

"So that was awkward." Evan followed me up the stairs to the press box like a cockroach that wouldn't kick the bucket. I loved the dude, but seriously he needed to learn when to fuck off.

"Yeah thanks, fuck bag." I dropped the equipment bag off my shoulder and shoved it into the storage locker where I told Coach I'd leave it. "Don't you have a high school party to break up or something?"

"No, the only delinquents out at this time on a Tuesday night are you and Del." He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I got bored and thought I'd see what you were up to."

I huffed in response. "I only told you we'd be here so you could keep your donut-loving boys away."

"Hey." He raised his hands in front of him. "How was I supposed to know you'd be macking on Del? You do know that public indecency can go on your record, right?" He smirked and continued, "You're probably lucky I interrupted when I did."

"I'm not feeling so lucky to be in your presence right now."

"You're not still jealous about me being Del's first kiss, are you? That was definitely in the past. I don't have any lingering feelings, but I can't speak for Del, ya know?"

I ignored his idiocy while I turned the lights off and locked the door.

He carried on, obviously not taking the hint. "Not that I'd object if she asked, I suppose. Women do have needs, and if you're not fulfilling hers I could volunteer."

I turned around so fast I caught him flinch a little. Evan and I had only come to blows one other time in the 20 years we'd known each other, and it just happened to be over the same issue.

"Do you really want to finish that sentence?"

He smiled like the Cheshire Cat he was. "You gonna hit a cop?"

"Talk about Del like that again and I'll do more than hit you. Understood?"

His smile faltered just a little before he nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you later, man. Sorry."

I looked up to the sky asking for patience of any kind with my friend and guidance on what the hell I was supposed to do with Del.

"You know it isn't like that with us."

Del's words repeated over and over in my head as I walked to the truck. Evan was saying bye to her and she gave him a hug. I glared at him over her shoulder and started the truck.

"You were hard on him." The annoyance in her voice let me know the moment we had earlier was over.

"You baby him. He's a grown man who likes to stir the pot. If he can dole it out he can deal with the repercussions."

"Are you always so jealous when you're with women?"

I looked at her as I shifted the truck into gear. "Women? No. You? Always."

"It's a shame. I thought you'd be great at sharing." I couldn't see the blue in her eyes, but they were shining and sultry in the dark. I didn't have to see the color to know they could make me fall to my knees before her with one look.

She didn't say anything after dropping that bomb and we sat in silence until we were out of the city limits and headed back to her house.

"Like your books?"

"Huh?" She turned from where she'd been gazing out the window watching the trees and fields of harvest ready corn fly by.

"Sharing. You said you thought I would be good at sharing."

She shrugged and said, "Maybe I was wrong." Then she turned back to the window and left me with thoughts of her on her knees begging for more than just my attention.

I turned my headlights off as we pulled up the driveway so we didn't wake her parents. We were sitting in the driveway knowing we should talk about what happened, but neither of us broke the silence.

"You can"t kiss me like that."

My brows scrunched in confusion. "Is there another way I should do it?"

"I mean you shouldn't kiss me at all. It's not right and it can"t happen again."

"What about that didn"t feel right?"

"I didn"t say it didn"t. Ugh, Parker, you just can"t do that."

"It didn't seem like a problem when you were squirming like you couldn't get close enough to me."

"Do you say things like that just to piss me off?" She looked torn between castrating me and not wanting to cut off the only thing she liked about me.

"No, I just think you need to know what your body is obviously trying to tell you. I"m sorry that"s how our first kiss happened, but I'm not sorry that it did. I"ve been waiting my whole life to know what your lips feel like."" Her eyes were wide with shock. "Now get inside before I decide I want another taste."