by Nikki Paris
And then Blake said, “Fine! Let’s not be together!”
Strike three!
According to Maci, that had all happened exactly one hour and twenty-three minutes ago. Now, I was in my car on my way over to her house. When I pulled up, I tried to pretend I didn’t notice Derrick’s car parked in the driveway. I wasn’t here for him. I was here for my best friend.
When I reached the front door, it swung open before I could knock. Derrick stood in the doorway, looking so damn sexy. His white t-shirt made his green eyes look even brighter. It showed off his muscles, too. Yum.
“What’s up, Skylar?” He grinned at me and then headed past me to his car.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“I have a date.”
I felt a pang in my chest. I thought Derrick finally saw me now that I was a little older, but of course, he didn’t. “Is it another dumb blonde with big tits?”
Derrick laughed out loud as he unlocked his car. “Absolutely. You jealous?”
“Never.” I walked inside and headed upstairs to Maci’s room. I found her curled up on her bed, sobbing her little heart out.
“Oh, Maci!” I sank next to her and wrapped my arms around her.
“I still love him, Sky!” She cried. “I just want him back! Was I being stupid and immature?”
“No!” I lied. “He was the stupid immature one! You’re going to pull through this. You are tough, and there are so many other guys out there!”
That just made her cry harder. Shit. I wasn’t good at this.
“But I don’t want other guys! I want him!”
I sighed and stroked her hair. I understood that feeling more than I’d ever admit. “I know. I’m sorry it hurts so bad.”
“Will you stay over tonight?” Maci turned to look at me with tear-soaked eyes. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course, Maci. I’m here for you.”
◆◆◆
After Maci fell asleep, I quietly slipped out of her bedroom. I felt terrible that she and Blake broke up, I did, but listening to her cry for three hours had made me so hungry! I wandered into the kitchen and helped myself to a bowl of cereal. Simon and Kate wouldn’t mind. Kate always tried to feed me extra because she thought I was too skinny.
I sank onto a barstool and started shoveling fruit loops into my mouth. Then I heard the front door open, followed by a male and female voice. Ugh. Derrick and his date. I braced myself for their entry.
“You’re so funny, Derrick!” The blonde — of course — was saying.
“I know,” Derrick said. I rolled my eyes and snorted. Derrick looked up and saw me from the hallway. He grinned. “What the hell are you doing in our kitchen, eating our food, in the middle of the night, Skylar?”
I shrugged. “The cereal just tastes better here. Also, Blake dumped your sister.”
Anger flashed through Derrick’s eyes. “That asshole.” I adored how much he secretly loved Maci.
The pretty blonde at his side said, “Who’s Blake? Who are you?” She looked at my tank top and tiny dance shorts and narrowed her eyes at me.
“Oh, how rude of me.” I stood to shake her hand. “I’m the Myles family’s personal chef, Marietta Soufflé. Are you the new nanny Mr. and Mrs. Myles hired to watch over little Derrick? He sent the last nanny away in tears last week! I hope you’re up to the challenge!”
Derrick burst out laughing. “Jenna, this is Skylar, my little sister’s best friend.”
Jenna folded her arms and glared at me. I gave her a sweet smile.
“So, Blake dumped Maci? Is she okay?” Derrick wandered into the kitchen and poured his own bowl of cereal.
I sat back down and took another bite. “Um, well, my shirt is literally soaked with her tears, so I’d say she’s not really ‘okay.’” I pointed at my tank top.
Derrick’s eyes followed my finger, scanned the wet spots on my shirt, and settled on my cleavage. I could almost hear my own heart beating. His eyes flashed back up to meet mine. “Why did he dump her?” He sat in the empty barstool next to me. Jenna walked over and draped her arm over his broad, muscular shoulders.
Jenna needed to get lost. I smiled. “He thought they were moving too fast.”
Derrick dropped his spoon back in his bowl. He looked like he was going to be sick. “Did Blake put his dick in my little sister, Skylar?”
Jenna giggled and ran her skinny fingers down Derrick’s back. They reminded me of spider legs. Gross, Jenna. Get your spider fingers off of him.
I laughed. “No. That was the problem. She wanted him to.”
Derrick leaned forward and rested his forehead in his hands. “No, no, no. Don’t say those things to me. Maci is supposed to be an innocent little ten-year-old that no boy ever touches!”
Ugh. I hated it when he said stuff like that.
“She’s not a kid.” I stared straight ahead.
“Yeah, she is!” Derrick said, and then looked over at his date. “Oh, Jenna, I’m so sorry. Do you want some cereal, too?”
Jenna wrinkled her nose. “No. It’s after midnight. I’m never hungry that late.”
I snorted.
Jenna glared at me. Derrick covered his mouth to hide his smile.
“Hey, Emily,” I said, purposely calling Derrick’s date by the wrong name. “Do you want to play Halo with us?”
Derrick grinned. “That’s what I’m talking about!” He high-fived me and turned to Jenna. “You wanna play?”
Jenna gave him a shy smile. “Well, I kind of had something else in mind.”
Gag.
I spoke up. “Oh, are you more of a Call of Duty fan? I can get behind that. You have that game, too, right Derrick?”
“Of course I do.” Derrick stood and put his bowl in the sink.
He reached for mine too, but I smacked his hand away. “I’m not done!”
“Oh, you want some more, Skylar?” Derrick grinned and picked up the box of fruit loops. He filled my bowl to overflowing, laughing like he thought he was hilarious.
I picked up a stray fruit loop from the counter and popped it in my mouth. I stared him down with a straight face and said, “Thanks. Can I have a little more?”
Derrick grinned at me and dumped more cereal into my already full bowl. “More?”
“Ugh!” Jenna put her hands on her hips and glared at me. “Are you done flirting with that little girl, Derrick?”
I pretended to cover my mouth in shock. “Oh my God! Brianna! I’m so sorry! He can’t help himself. I’m like his kryptonite but don’t worry. I would never flirt back.”
Derrick snorted and buried his face in his hands.
“I’m leaving!” Jenna huffed and walked out of the kitchen.
“Jenna!” Derrick called after her. “She’s kidding!” He looked over at me with a smile. “Thanks a lot!” He threw a handful of fruit loops at me and chased after his date.
I sighed and grabbed the broom to clean up the mess of cereal. Hopefully, Jenna was pissed enough just to leave and never speak to Derrick again. Hopefully, my little cock-block was successful.
Derrick was flirting with me, wasn’t he? I smiled to myself as I cleaned up the kitchen.
Derrick was back a few minutes later. He leaned against the doorframe and grinned at me. “Why’d you ruin my date, Skylar?”
“Why’d you lie to me?”
“Huh?”
“You said she had big tits.”
Derrick burst out laughing. I wiped the counter with a paper towel and shrugged. “If anything, I saved you from your date. She was boring and flat-chested. You’re welcome, Derrick.”
“You’re right. You saved me. You’re so sweet, Skylar.” He smiled at me. God! Those dimples!
He stepped up next to me and gave me a light shove. “You still wanna play Halo?”
My arm tingled where he touched me. I said, “Yeah. I promise it will be more fun than sex with Jenna.”
Derrick laughed again. “Oh, so you do remember her name? You we
re just trying to make me sound like an asshole that brings tons of girls over.” He poked me in the ribs. “And how do you know it will be more fun than sex? Aren’t you an innocent little virgin?”
I bit my lip and rolled my eyes. “Maybe I’m a virgin, but it doesn’t mean I don’t know things.” Okay, honesty time, I didn’t know things. I knew what I’d learned in health class and what I’d heard from friends who’d let gross high school boys fuck them.
“Whoa, Skylar. What do you know?” Derrick grinned at me as we walked down the stairs.
My heart was racing out of control. I was talking about sex with an older guy — an older guy that I happened to be crazy in love with. I laughed and said, “Things, Derrick. I’m not telling you.”
“Aw, Skylar. You actually are sweet, aren’t you? You act all tough, but you’re just an innocent little sweetheart.” Derrick laughed and put his arm around me.
I melted into him and said, “That’s my deepest, darkest secret. If you tell anyone, I will kill you.”
Derrick slid his arm off my shoulders and set up the game. “Your secret is safe with me, Skylar.” He tossed me a controller and collapsed next to me on the couch. Our sides were touching. My heart was pounding. “All right, kid, show me this Halo game that’s better than sex.”
6
Derrick
I walked into the kitchen a little after midnight and grinned when I saw her sitting in her favorite barstool. “You’re here again?” I poked Skylar in the ribs. Our little flirting game was harmless. I mean, it had cost me sex with Jenna a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t mind too much. Skylar was right, Jenna was boring.
Skylar laughed. “Yeah, I’m Maci’s cover while she sneaks out to talk to Blake. She thinks if I’m here, your parents will just assume that she is, too.”
“Why don’t you just say she’s sleeping over at your house?” I raised my eyebrows. “This seems elaborate.”
“We did that last time she needed to talk to Blake. We have to switch it up, so the parentals don’t get suspicious.”
I laughed and leaned against the counter. “How many talks do Maci and Blake need to have?”
Skylar grinned. “Maci doesn’t believe that he’s truly sorry yet.”
“Seriously? I think the poor kid’s sorry for missing her party and accidentally breaking up with her.” I didn’t want to talk about my sister anymore. I tugged Skylar’s ponytail. “Halo?”
She smirked at me. “You feel too proud right now? You need to be taken down a few notches?”
“You know I let you win, right? Beating you is so easy. It’s like taking candy from a baby.” I fucking loved the way she teased me. And I loved how she could take as much as she could dish.
She stood and headed for the stairs. “Come take my candy then, Derrick.” Skylar bit her luscious lip and jogged down the stairs, her sexy ass bouncing.
My dick stirred. She was such a little flirt. She had to know how dirty that sounded. She had to know that every damn guy in the world wanted to taste her “candy.” I followed her down the stairs, hardly able to think straight. I sank onto the couch, hoping she wouldn’t notice my gigantic boner.
Skylar was wearing those tight little shorts again that made her ass look delicious. Did she purposely arch her back like a porn-star when she bent to pick up the controllers? Fuck, Skylar.
She sat next to me on the couch, closer than she usually did. She smelled incredible, and there was this crazy electricity crackling between us. I wanted her.
Something like insanity came over me, and I grabbed her tiny little waist and pulled her in for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her perfect lips back into mine. Skylar straddled my lap, kissing me fiercely. I’d kissed a lot of girls, but I’d never been kissed like that. She wasn’t playing around, and I loved it. Maybe she really did know things.
I tugged the elastic from her hair while we kissed. We were both out of breath as our passion escalated. My hands were on her ass — her sweet, delicious ass. I’d been dying to grab it for weeks, and here it was, filling up my hands with pure ecstasy.
Skylar moaned into my lips and started gently rocking her hips against my erection. My dick was trapped in my jeans, practically begging to get out and feel Skylar all around it.
She rocked her hips faster now. I grabbed her ass tighter and kissed her neck and shoulders like my life depended on it. She tugged her tank top off, revealing a hot pink sports bra. I ran my hands down her bare back and stomach and buried my face in her tits. I wanted to rip that sexy little bra to shreds. I wanted to fuck Skylar Jones more than I’d wanted anything in a long time.
Oh shit. She was seventeen. Oh shit! I tore my lips from her gorgeous perky tits and slid her off my lap. “Skylar, damn. You’re so hot, but we can’t.” My breathing was heavy, and my heart was racing. I stood and paced in front of the TV.
“I… why?” Skylar’s voice was soft, nothing like her usual sarcastic sass.
I ran my hands through my hair. “Because you’re seventeen! You’re in high school!”
She nodded and looked down. “Yeah, I’m just a dumb kid. You would never actually want me.”
Oh, I wanted her plenty, that was the problem. She had no idea just how much I wanted her. “You’re not a dumb kid, Skylar, but you are too young for me. And you’re Maci’s best friend! It would never work out.” I was trying to convince myself more than anything.
The look in Skylar’s eyes was pure agony. “Yeah. Maci would be pissed. Sorry. I’ll go.” Skylar stood, pulled her top back on, and hurried out of the basement before I could say another word.
Did I just hurt her? Damn-it. That was the last thing I’d wanted to do. I shouldn’t have kissed her. Skylar was off-limits. Maci had practically ordered me to leave her alone. Maci thought Skylar had a crush on me.
I should have gone after her, but I didn’t know what to say. Fuck. I was an asshole. Maci was right, Skylar deserved better than me.
◆◆◆
The next morning, Skylar was gone before I woke up. I came into the kitchen, not knowing if I hoped she would be there or not. When she wasn’t, and disappointment settled in my chest, I had my answer. “Where’s your friend?” I asked Maci in what I hoped was a “no big deal” way.
Maci raised her eyebrows at me. “My friend? Do you mean Skylar? I know you know her name.”
Our mom looked up from the pan of scrambled eggs. “She teaches dance classes early on Saturdays.”
I nodded and headed out to the pool. I’d most definitely hurt Skylar last night. We needed to talk. I sat near the edge of the pool, letting my feet dip into the water, and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I didn’t have Skylar’s number. There was no way I could ask Maci for it without her freaking out. Maybe I could steal Maci’s phone for a minute.
I walked back inside and stared at my little sister. Her eyes were glued to her phone. How the hell would I get it away from her? “Maci, wanna see a funny video? Give me your phone. I’ll pull it up for you.”
Maci gave me a weird look. “No. Pull it up on your phone. I’m busy.”
Shit.
“I left my phone downstairs.” It suddenly felt very heavy in my pocket. Please, God, no one call or message me right now.
Maci rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She tossed her phone at my chest. I caught it and immediately started scrolling through her contacts to find Skylar’s number. I couldn’t add it to my phone in front of Maci. I couldn’t send it to my phone because then I’d get a notification. I’d have to just memorize it.
“What’s the hold-up?” Maci tapped her foot impatiently.
“Shit. I forgot what it’s called.” I repeated Skylar’s number in my head a thousand times. “Never mind. I’ll show you later.” I tossed Maci’s phone back to her and hurried downstairs. Maci would murder me if she found out what I’d done last night.
I added Skylar’s number to my phone as soon as I was out of sight. When I typed her name, I felt this weird fluttering
feeling in my chest. Skylar. What should I say to her? Sorry that I kissed you? No. I wasn’t sorry. I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss and the way her body felt. I was just sorry she was still in high school. If she’d been even a year older, I would have ruined her last night.
Or maybe she would have ruined me.
7
Skylar
“Okay, girls! Plies! Five, six, seven, eight. Demi, Demi, Grande. Demi, Demi, Grande.” I clapped out the plies while my dance students giggled and bounced up and down. “So close! So close that time! Okay, let’s do some freestyle.”
The girls cheered and ran out to find a space on the floor. I turned on some Kidz Bop and leaned against the barre. Usually, I danced with them, but I was exhausted from last night. Ugh. Last night.
I thought I was going to die from happiness when Derrick kissed me. He’d just grabbed me with his big, strong arms and kissed me. His dick was hard for me. I did that to his dick. I’d never forget how good it felt to rock my pussy against him, while his lips and hands devoured my body. He could have had me — all of me. I was his for the taking.
But he didn’t want me.
“Okay, girls, I see some parents here! Good work today! I’ll see you next week!” I turned off the music and waved to my students as they ran to their parents. This was my last class of the morning. I slid off my ballet flats and tossed them in my bag. Part of me wanted to go home and curl up under my covers, but another part of me just wanted to dance.
The studio was empty now, so I turned on some Adele, and her strong emotional voice washed over me. The music flowed through me, and I let it take over my body. God, it felt good to move and take up all the empty space on the dance floor. I spun and leaped until I was dizzy and out of breath.
Finally, I stopped and sank to the floor. I couldn’t dance away this heartbreak. I grabbed my bag, turned off the lights, and locked up the studio.
