I had managed to keep my distance from her since moving in. We were friendly, smiling and chatting whenever we ran into each other, but nothing beyond that.
Until she came outside to sunbathe.
I was glad to be wearing sunglasses, because there was no way I could stop myself from ogling her.Goddamnshe looked amazing in her stringy red bikini, accentuating her figure and those deliciously-long legs.
I don’t know what came over me, offering to apply lotion to her back. But once my hands were on her body, caressing and rubbing the sunscreen into her supple skin, I was hard enough to chisel marble.
“Hunter?” Jessica asked, knocking me out of my daze. It was just the two of us now outside in the sun.
“Yeah, babe?” I replied.
“What do you, like, want todolater?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Erica had gone to see a movie, so I said, “We could catch a movie.”
“I like the movie theater,” Jessica said. “It’s chilly, so we have tosnuggle.”
I smiled at her, but said nothing. Jessica was hot. There was no denying it. But that was all she brought to the table. So far, her biggest personality trait was that she got a Starbucks latte every morning before school. I didn’t see this going anywhere.
We sunbathed by the pool and then went to the movies. Jessica picked a rom-com starring Chris Evans, and as soon as we got to our seats, she raised the armrest so she could cuddle against me. It was easy. It was nice.
But it wasn’t what Ireallywanted.
Jessica suggested we find an empty parking lot somewhere after the movie so we could make out, but I made an excuse and drove her home. When I walked into the Porters’ house, Erica and Brad were sitting on the couch downstairs, watching the Indians game.
“Carrasco is pitching,” Brad told me as a greeting. “No-hitter through four innings.”
“Nice.” Brad was at one end of the couch, and Erica was at the other end. The only other chair in the room was occupied by Shelly, the mean-tempered cat, so I plopped myself down between Erica and Brad.
The couch wasn’t very spacious, and I could feel Erica’s body heat just inches from mine. She was wearing pink sweatpants and a loose-fitting shirt, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail that accentuated the sharp features of her face.
She looks better than Jessica without even trying, I thought to myself. Erica had a natural beauty—she was gorgeous whether she was wearing a bikini by the pool, or lounging around in sweatpants.
Erica shifted on the couch, pulling one leg underneath herself, which caused her knee to brush up against my thigh—not a lot, but thetiniestbit. Did she notice the contact? It felt like electricity was shooting from her body into mine.
“Lindor made an error in the second inning,” Brad said, making me flinch. “That’s the only reason it’s a no-hitter, rather than a perfect game.”
“Ah,” I replied.
What’s the matter with me? I’m acting like an inexperienced little boy around his first crush.
“Jessica seems nice,” Erica said, emotionless. She seemed focused on the game.
“Thanks.”
“I liked her a lot,” Brad said. “I only saw her from behind, but that told me everything I needed to know.”
Erica gave her brother a disgusted look, which only made him grin harder.
“Where’d you guys go for your date?” Brad asked me.
“We ended up going to the movies,” I said. “I think we saw the showing right after yours. I forgot how expensive movie theater candy is.” I glanced at Erica. “Speaking of that, how’s your most recent business going? The snack-selling thing.”
Erica twisted on the couch, causing her thigh to brush against me a little bit longer before pulling away. “I had to stop.”
“Told you it wouldn’t work,” Brad said.
“Itdidwork!” Erica argued. “I made eighty-six dollars in the first week alone! But then the owner of the school vending machine complained, and Principal Mulder made me stop.”