by C Bradley
Chapter 2: Tucker
Teagan squirms under my gaze. She always has. I used to tease her for fun but now I have to remind myself to back off. To not lead her on. To be the best friend, not the boyfriend. Her life is about to change in more than one way. Ben was just texting me this morning about Nancy wanting to relocate to Minnesota. Who in the hell wants to move to Minnesota? It snows there. Balls freeze off there. No thanks. Not to mention it’s a long fucking distance for a weekend trip.
“Now you look like you’re thinking too much,” Teagan’s soft voice breaks through my thoughts.
“I was, but I’m good.” Twisting a huge heap of fettucine noodles onto my fork, I ask, “How’s school going?”
“School is school. Jameson asked me to prom, but I haven’t given him an answer yet.” Teagan’s shrug is noncommittal as she continues to eat.
“Jameson? What a little shit.” I mumble. He’s not good enough for Teag. Hell, no one is.
Not even me.
“What was that?” she probes although I know good and well she heard me.
“He’s trash. Say no.”
“Tucker, he’s fine. He’s nice,” she argues, “I’ll be graduating in a few months anyway. Early grad, remember?”
“Mm hmm.” I roll my eyes then continue eating until I’ve cleared my plate. I need to remember, I have no right to butt in.
***
“I still don’t know why I couldn’t just drive us, Teagan.”
“Because it’s fun to ride with the group. Just. Sit.” Teagan pushes me into an old school bus bench seat and plops down next to me.
“If you say so.” I shrug and make myself comfortable. I don’t miss the current passing through our jeans as our legs rest snugly against each other. The only part of us not touching is our hands and heads. A peace I haven’t felt in quite a while settles over me as I rest my head against the back of the seat.
About 20 minutes into the ride, I feel her eyes on me. She hasn’t moved her body which tells me it’s only her head turned toward me.
“What Teag?” I ask with a smirk.
“Nothing,” she whispers in response then sighs softly.
I untuck my hands from the pocket of my hoodie, pull it off and toss it into a heap in my lap. Resituating myself, I settle and link pinky fingers with Teagan. When we were little kids, it was our secret code. Interlock and squeeze means all is well.
“Tuck,” she whispers again, but I ignore the warning in her voice and rest our hands at the joining of our legs where no nosy ass could see that we had our fingers were interlocked. It’s not that I mind the physical connection hidden by the hoody, but Teag needs a quiet, non-harassed life. These blood-sucking gossipers would make her life hell until the next story breaks. I close my eyes and relax again into the seat, enjoying the warmth from both the hoodie and the connection with Teagan.
***
“Alright, I know you’re all grown, kind of, however, you need to shut your mouths and listen up.” Roger, the church youth leader shouts over the rambunctious group of teens ranging in age from 15 – 18 as well as some young adults that were once in the youth department before heading off to college.
We’ve been members of the Brick Church of Cullman since birth. Every Sunday and Wednesday we were there, sitting in the front rows during service and on the couches during the teen sessions. We dressed in our best clothes and paid attention. Learning life lessons and building relationships in a safe place.
“Thank you. As I was saying,” Roger pauses ensuring everyone’s attention. “Stay in groups. Act and behave like the respectable kids you are. No dark blue, no hot pink and no purple. This is a boy – boy, girl – girl and boy – girl free-from-contact event. Remember we are watching and so is your Maker.”
I cough into my sleeve as Roger drones on and receive an elbow to the gut from Teag.
“Now, go forth, have fun. We leave the park at twelve-thirty. Be at the entrance by that time.”
All at once, the group of sixty-seven disperses in different directions.
“Does a group actually require more than two people? I’m good with being a massive group of two,” I grumble as a handful of Teagan’s twiggy gymnastic team members linger to see where she goes. She’s the queen of this pack no matter if she wants to be or not. It’s a Finley family quality, love it or hate it.
Chapter 3: Teagan
“Oh Tuck, it’s fine.” I snicker. He loathes when the girls blankly stand around as if they have no brain to take action without direction. I mean, I get it. It annoys me too.
“Mm hmm.” Nudging me with his right side, he begins walking toward the Batman ride.
“Ugh, I don’t like this ride, Teagan!” Bella George is already bellyaching. She lasted a whole ten minutes, folks.
“Then don’t ride it,” Tucker grumps.
“I don’t think I was talking to you, Tucker Hoyt.” She pouts and flips her hair over her shoulder then storms forward.
“Such a meanie head,” I feign disdain and shove him. He barely stumbles before bending slightly and grasping me at the back of my thighs. Tossing me over his shoulder effortlessly, he laughs. “Put me down, you brute!” I shout through my own laughter.
“You should be nicer to your elders, Teagan Marie.”
“Oh no! Pulling out the middle name. Shi…stuffs getting real now,” I sass.
Tucker deposits me at the front of the fast pass line. Yes, we’re those people that will pay more money to wait less time. Those that don’t aren’t normal. I mean, who willingly enjoys waiting in line? Oh wait… three-fourths of our group. That’s who.
“Front of the ride, Teag. You know the drill,” Tucker’s deep voice tickles my ear as he nudges me forward. Gooseflesh breaks out covering me head to toe.
The random flirting and boundary pushing continued from one end of the park to the other. We rode the Goliath, my favorite ride three times and are in line for the fourth and final time. It scales over twenty stories in height then drops out going speeds of up to seventy miles per hour through 4,480 feet of track.
“Teagan, just ride the next cart back. Otherwise you’ll be three ahead of us.” Bella whines.
“It’s fine. We’ll wait for you at the exit,” Tucker repeats for the second time, agitation lacing his words.
Seventy miles per hour. One minute and forty-five seconds. That’s how long I treasured Tucker holding my hand. His long calloused thumb stroking mine gently. I wasn’t scared; I’ve ridden this ride more times than I can count. Still, the comfort calmed me, gave me a sense of peace that I usually don’t have.
The seat restraints unlock and we exit the loading and unloading dock quickly so the next group can go. I look back and just as Bella had whined, they’ll be three rides behind us.
“Come on Teag, we’ll wait on the exit ramp.” Tucker places his hand on the small of my back again, causing a flurry of heat to course through my veins, settlings in my belly and at the apex of my thighs. Just down the first winding ramp, I stop and lean against the wood railing. Tucker stops just beside me, our bodies touching.
With a gentle sweep of his hand, Tucker brushes a few wisps of hair from my face tucking them behind my ear. “You’re flushed again, Teag,” he says standing in front of me now, his eyes roaming my face.
“Hmm, must be the adrenaline,” I murmur. My tongue quickly darts out, wetting my lips, as I watch Tucker’s eyes focus intently on them.
“Teag,” his voice pleading, lusty, conflicted. “Tell me no.”
I shake my head no to his request as his face moves toward mine I’ve been waiting for this moment for as long as I can remember. Even if my head knows I should be saying no, I can’t, I can’t tell my heart to follow. “Not saying no, Tucker,” I whisper.
I inhale just before his lips caress mine gently, expertly. My body feels as if it’s engulfed in flames. His hands find my cheeks and move into my hair. My lips part and our kiss deepens as I moan into his mouth, hardly aware of the people exitin
g the ride. Never in my wildest fantasies that I was kissing Tucker Elliot Hoyt, did it feel like this.
Tucker is turning me to mush; I’m putty in his hands. Gliding my fingers up his stomach feeling the valleys of his abs, I reach his taut shoulders and squeeze his traps as hard as I’m having to squeeze my thighs to ease my pulsing and aching core.
“Teagan,” Tucker murmurs against my lips. “Shit, I’ve wanted to do that for years.”
“Years?” I whisper, panting as our eyes lock. Tucker moves in to kiss me again, this time a brief, firm peck.
“You’re Ben’s baby sister, one of my best friends. I’ve wanted you for well over a decade.” Resting his forehead to mine, I get lost in his adoring gaze. That is, until the cackling of kids fly past us.
“Jesus, Teag, You drive me mad.” Tucker exhales and leans in and pours his assault on my lips, tugging my hair from the messy ponytail, but then pulls away abruptly. “Shit!”
“Tuck,” I gasp out. When he looks away, I almost burst into tears. A moment I’ve dreamt of so quickly vanishing. It’s as if he’s realized I’m his greatest mistake.
“Teagan, I shouldn’t have done that… this. I just crossed so many lines. Shit.”
Grabbing his face, I pull his attention to me. “Tucker Elliot Hoyt,” I say definitively, “don’t do that. Don’t look at me like I’m a mistake.” My eyes begin to cloud with tears as I wait for the final impact of his dismissal. What can I expect? I know he’s got an ocean of opportunity in college. As he said, he shouldn’t have done it.
Caressing my cheeks, he brushes away my tears. “No man, not even me, worth keeping or holding your attention should make you cry.” Tucker’s lips find mine quickly, biting my bottom lip before resting his forehead to mine. “This might be messy, me and you. But you’ll never be a mistake.” He assures me.
“I’m not scared of a little mess or hard work. I didn’t make it to all-state by pussing out.”
“That’s the thing. It shouldn’t be work. If it’s meant to be, it will be. One promise, Teag. Promise we–”
“Where are they?” We hear Bella’s voice before she sees us, thanks to the dark corner we’re situated in. With heavy sighs and an unfinished conversation, we separate ourselves. And almost instantly, I miss his warmth.
“Hey guys!” I feign excitement when they approach us causing Tucker to burst into laughter as I fix my tousled hair
Thank you for taking a chance on our story, as a collective duo, C Bradley. We hope you enjoy it, as well as the other work we have done and will be doing in the future both together and apart. Please enjoy an excerpt from Alyvia Paige’s newest novel, set to release in the fall of 2018. Oh, and don’t fret, there is more to come from these crazy kids in the Infinite Love Series.
xoxo,
C Bradley
Ciji and Alyvia Paige
Ciji –
Braxton and Brynn: You are mommy’s world, and everything I do is for you. I will always love you both, unconditionally, and I’m here to support you through all of your own dreams.
JC: My heart. My rock. My sanity. I don’t know where I would be without you in my life. You are and always will be my person. My twin-flame. My Batman. You’ve ruined me in the most beautiful way, and I love and appreciate you so much for that. Never stop being you, and never stop pushing me.
Sam: My best friend. My unconditional ear. We’ve been through a rollercoaster of emotions over the years, and we always seem to come out stronger on the other side. Here’s to a lifetime of friendship with my fucktruck.
Alyvia: I never thought when we met that it’d bring us to where we are today. You have become such a great friend and stuck with me through my crazy thoughts and insane ideas. I can’t wait to see what twists and turns await this series. Here’s to the first, and many more published adventures together. Love you, hookah.
Alyvia Paige –
Mom: My best friend. My biggest cheerleader. I can never express the gratitude and appreciation I have for you because there are not enough hours in this life. Thank you for teaching me to be like you, the woman I’ve forever and will always look up too. You are an amazingly fearless woman, and I strive every day to make you proud.
Jillybean: Thanks for pushing me in your gentle way. You are the one person that gets it without words being passed, and I will forever treasure our friendship.
Ciji: I’m not sure I’m thankful for the push on this idea, but it’s been one hell of a ride. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Here’s to a series a chaos. So, get ready!
From the both of us –
To our twitter friends and family: Thank you for the years of fun and entertainment.
To the Core 4: We treasure you.
Betas: Thank you for your time, dedication, and not holding back. Also, I fixed that part that had me gagging for days. Seesh!
Nikki: Thank you for taking a chance on us. You’ve been a gem to work with, and we cannot wait to keep this working relationship going. And hey, congrats again. You’re going places!
Brenda: Thank you for making this story so pretty and appealing to the readers. As a reader, we understand the necessity of a greatly formatted book, and as authors, we appreciate it even more so!
Bloggers/Reviewers/Readers: THANK YOU! Without you taking a chance to read the words we’ve given you, then we wouldn’t be able to do what we love. Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for reviewing, but mostly, for just being YOU. A group of individuals that support the indie world and support the necessity for an escape of reality. You’re the heart of this community! THANK YOU!
C Bradley consists of a duo of quirky redheads who decided to turn their Twitter storylines into a book series. Ciji and Alyvia Paige met about 6 years ago and the rest is history. The name C Bradley consists of the co-authors first initials and the name of Alyvia’s brother whose life ended well before his time. The pen name serves as a homage to Alyvia’s guardian angel.
Alyvia Paige lives a double life in central Illinois. Outside of working full time and writing happily ever afters, you can find Alyvia binge watching Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, lounging at home with her pups, or cheering away at sporting events. Alyvia is turning her scars into stories, literally.
Ciji, the second half of C Bradley, resides in Southern New Hampshire with her two children and spunky boxer pup, Boston. When she is not working full time as an accountant, she likes to stay active whether it be in the gym or going on adventures with her children. The beach and camping are just a few favorites. She’s passionate about cooking, reading, comedy, music, writing and travel, as well as an undeniable addiction to iced coffee. Ciji looks forward to penning more of her outrageous thoughts with the help of her co-author Alyvia for many books to come.
C Bradley
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