“Because men are idiots who want to measure their dick size without whipping it out?” Rachel poses this as a question, but it’s more of a statement.
“Truth.” I giggle, rolling my eyes as I tip my mixed drink up.
The tart liquid slides down my throat, and I momentarily don’t care that the guy I’m practically getting naked with is ignoring me.
“Come on, soldier, show me those muscles!” Trent, one of the guys who ran in the same circle as Everett in high school, whips off his flannel, revealing a slate of abs.
Something low in my stomach begins to buzz, an electric current of butterflies zapping my core. Everett has a twinkle in his eye, the glint of the fire glistening off of his third, or maybe fourth, beer. He’s been happy tonight, in the company of his friends, and seems relaxed. In that regard, I can’t be salty about tonight. I love seeing him happy.
“You call those abs? More like a dad bod,” he quips, elbowing another buddy as they laugh at Trent.
“My point exactly, they can’t stop this pissing contest if they tried.” Rachel points to where the boys stand across the fire.
“Don’t worry, baby, I know my body is the best out of all of these assholes.” Scott quirks an eyebrow at her.
Rachel snorts. “Keep your shirt on, hun.”
Before I know what’s happening, Everett is whipping his sweater over his head, the soft cream-colored garment dropping down onto the dirt.
“Holy shit,” Bianca deadpans, openly staring at the guy I’ve been crushing on since I can remember.
My jaw drops open, because goddamn, it’s impossible not to stare. It’s been pitch-black in the tree house, so I can never truly see what my fingers are running over. Now that it’s on full display, in front of all of these people at the barn, I’m frozen.
Stunned.
Everett is … wow. I thought he was hot before, when I used to see him after football practice or in his backyard mowing the lawn with his shirt off. But this? He has the body of a man. Abs carved of steel. Arms that could hold back hundreds of enemy forces. A waist that was both agile and firm, with a—
“Do you see that penis ravine? Jesus Christ.” Rachel reads my thoughts.
Bianca chokes on a laugh. “Oh my God, penis ravine is right. You could pour liquid danger down those things.”
My cheeks burst into flames. “Guys, seriously? That’s gross.”
Actually, the name is hilarious, but Everett has swung his gaze our way and I know he just heard Rachel’s little nicknames for the muscles leading right to his, well …
Penis.
“Um, no it’s not. That’s a beautiful sight right there.” Bianca bows as if Everett’s abs are royalty.
And while I can’t help but stare, and my loins are ablaze with the need to touch said royal abs, I’m pissed. He hasn’t bothered to even come check on me tonight, much less act like we’re together, which we said we are. And now he’s taking off his clothes for a hundred people we went to high school with? Clearly, attention isn’t something he’s trying to shy away from.
It’s just attention with me he’s shying away from.
A flip switches in me, and probably the three vodka cranberries that aid it. I don’t need him to come over to me. I’m not this desperate, needy girl. I won’t wait around for the guy I’m with to acknowledge me. If I want him, I’m going to get him.
Marching across the party without another word, it takes about twenty clomps of my boots in the dust to reach Everett. Once I do, I’m pushing him backward, like a force not to be reckoned with, as his astonished face sparkles down at me. My fingers tangle in the ridiculously sexy hair on his chest, and an expression of amusement plays on his good looks as he doesn’t resist, but moves backward as I push him.
I hear the catcalls in the distance, the wolf whistles of our mutual friends. But I don’t stop until we’re well out into the woods, probably in the same spot Everett dragged me to that time over his shoulder.
“Well, if you wanted me, I guess I know the way to get your attention now.” He winks, grazing his nails up and down his abs once I stop and drop my hand.
Momentarily distracted by his own preening of himself, which makes me clench my thighs, I forget my train of thought.
And then it’s back. “Wait, what? To get me to notice you? You’re the one who has been ignoring me the whole night!” Way to not sound desperate or needy, Kennedy.
Everett looks surprised and reaches out a hand to cup my chin. “I was keeping my distance. Thought you’d want a fun night with your friends. And I admit I was having too much guy fun time with my own. But God, have I wanted to come over and lick that cranberry juice off your lips.”
Oh. Shit. I’d spent so many years afraid to approach Everett, and in recent months gone out of my way not to be screamed at by him. He’d left me with many feelings of rejection, desperation, unrequited love and the sort. That now, when we’ve finally gotten to the root of things and were working to move forward together, I was reverting back to my old way of thinking. I guess it’s only natural to think this way, since I was in it for so long.
But, I never gave Everett the benefit of the doubt that he was giving me space to have fun while he had fun, too.
“I thought, maybe, you didn’t want your friends or other people to know we were …” I trail off, not knowing what to say.
“That we’re dating? That you’re my girl?” Everett fills in, a knowing smile on his face. “Because you are my girl. Always have been. In case anyone was wondering.”
How he says it though, it’s as if he knew I was the one wondering. And I wasn’t ready for him. Romantic Everett, I wasn’t ready. I’ve been faced with all different types of Everett, but not this one who makes me swoon so hard I fall over.
“I like when you call me your girl.” Pressing up on my toes, I lay my lips over his.
I feel the primal bristle in Everett, the way his body molds into mine. When he breaks the kiss after a few seconds, I can feel his hardness against my belly.
“Should I put you on my shoulders and parade you around the party as my girl? Will that make you feel better?”
I shake my head, laughing. “No, that’d be a bit much. But I’d like to stay here for a little while longer.”
Everett smiles. “I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me.”
27
Kennedy
The next month goes by in a whir of activity and schedules.
The football team makes it to State, but loses. Everett was asked back for next year, though he hasn’t accepted but it shows good faith in that he did a great job this season. Cheerleading ends with us coming in third place at Nationals. My EMT schedule ramps up because of my newfound freedom from cheerleading ending, as it has in years past.
And, my peers start hearing from their early decision colleges.
I didn’t apply to any early decision, not wanting to get my hopes dashed too early. But I have to say, I’m green with envy of those fellow students who already have their future set. I’m left to sweat it out, crossing my fingers and praying until around March or April. This is torture, what these colleges do, but I guess sifting through thousands of applicants isn’t a fast process.