She pointed at him. “Don’t you dare twist my words. That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Can you just ground me and get it over with?”
She shook her head, backing away. “Just wait till your father gets home.”
“Mom—”
She didn’t let him finish. She turned around and left, closing the door behind her.
I didn’t realize I was staring at him until he caught me, which made me slightly gasp.
Neither one of us said a word for what felt like forever until he finally asked in an annoyed voice, “What are you looking at?”
My eyes widened. “I…I…I…”
“You…you…you…what?”
Feeling panicky, I blurted, “I think it’s nice you were sticking up for your brother.”
His eyes tightened. “Are you always a snoop?”
“No,” I said a little too loudly. “I’m not a nosey girl.”
“Then why are you listening?”
“I didn’t mean to.” I pointed to his house. “Your window is open and it’s right next to mine.”
“Is that your room?”
I nodded again, feeling less jumpy.
“Well next time,” he stomped toward his window and before slamming it shut, he ordered, “mind your own business.”
Adrian teased, “Like what you see, Paige?” Pulling me back to the present.
His arms were crossed over his shirtless chest, emphasizing his toned, muscular arms.
I swallowed hard, unintentionally taking him in. Every teenage memory I had of him came rushing to my head.
The girls.
The fighting.
The times we were alone.
The truth was…
I may have had a tiny crush on Adrian Drake.
Two
Paige
From the second Cade and I became best friends a few weeks after I moved in next to him, there was always one strict rule between us I pinky promised and swore I’d never break.
His older brother was off limits to me in every way, shape, and form.
Cade was adamant about this rule. I was his best friend.
Only.
Up until I was sixteen, I had no problem following through on my devoted vow to our friendship. However, one afternoon Cade taught me how to drive the stick shift to his 1967 black Camaro and it all went downhill from there.
The memory of that day played out in front of my eyes.
“Want to go for a ride, Paige?”
I peered around their kitchen. “Where’s Cade?”
Adrian smiled. “Don’t worry about him. Come for a ride with me. I’ll even teach you how to drive my stick.”
“Ummm…”
“Cade won’t be back for hours. He’s running some errands. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t babysit his best friend while you wait for him?”
“Babysit me?” I repeated. “I’m not a little girl.”
He grinned, causing my stomach to flutter.
“Trust me. I know.”
If I was being entirely honest, my infatuation probably started way before that day.
Shaking away the daze, I scoffed, “You wish, buddy. Not every girl wants to jump your bones.”
Adrian didn’t let up, eyeing me up and down; instantly making me feel naked.
How does he do that?
Once he noticed I was blushing, I looked away while as he baited, “Whatever you say, buddy.”
Cade didn’t pay me any mind, chucking a pillow at Adrian instead. He was absolutely oblivious to my lusting after his brother.
“Get over yourself, Adrian. Paige isn’t stupid enough to fall for the likes of you. She knows better.”
Did I though?
At that point…
I didn’t know anymore.
In high school it was easy to pretend that he was nothing more than my best friend’s older brother. Although, there were times when I swear the line between us was getting crossed, I chalked it up to my delusional imagination and normal teenage girl hormones.
Now they were living together, and it was going to add a whole other level to my hidden desire of wanting to feel his lips on mine. To say I had very little experience when it came to guys would be an understatement. To be completely blunt, didn’t have any. The boys at our school always stayed away from me. I didn’t know if it was because of my tight bond with Cade or if that the second boy I kissed when I was fourteen talked badly about my skills.
It was during a game of Truth or Dare. He had braces and stuck his tongue down my throat, cutting up my bottom lip in the process. It was so traumatizing I didn’t care to be kissed again. Since then, guys at school didn’t approach me. Sometimes it felt like I had the plague.
All I had was Cade.
And that was good enough for me.
Adrian caught the pillow before it hit his face, then hurled it back at Cade.
“All right you two,” I intervened. Much like I had for the last twelve years. “Let’s put down the pillows and be nice to each other.”
“You should listen to Paige before you get hurt, little brother.”
“Eat shit,” Cade chuckled, throwing another pillow at him. “What are you doing back so early anyway? I thought you had a meet and greet with the pledges?”