by Lyn Forester
"Oww!" The fine strands of hair pull at my scalp with his every move. "You're going to rip it out."
"Shh, it's okay." His arm trapped against the wall pops free. Both hands return to the back of my head. "It's just a couple curls."
Eyes scrunched against the pain, I try to keep myself still as he works. "Hurry up."
"I don't want to rip your hair out." His breath blows against my face. I jump, unaware how close his mouth was to me. "Don't move, you'll make it worse."
"Sorry."
"Stop apologizing," he grunts. The tension against my scalp releases. "Got it."
Body sagging with relief, I slide off of him onto the cold floor. "Thanks."
"It was my fault, anyway." His embarrassed voice comes from inches away. I picture us side by side on the ground, heads tipped together.
I lick my lips, glad for the darkness. "How so?"
His body scrapes against the ground, and his shoulder presses against mine. "I made you squish in with me."
My eyes narrow in his general direction. "That's true."
"Aren't you going to crawl out?" He nudges me before he physically pushes me across the ground. I slide out from beneath the shelf.
The overhead light clicks on, blinding me. Instinctively, my eyes squeeze shut against the glare as I fling up a hand to cover them.
Declan pushes me further out of the way, and the light lessens. I peek between my fingers to find him hunched over me, face in shadow.
"I can't believe we both fit under there." He glances from our hiding place back to me. "But it was fun, right?"
"You." I point at him. "Have some weird ideas of fun."
He leans closer as a smile tugs at his lips. "Why wouldn't it be fun? I just got to hold the girl I like while she slept."
I blink at him, confused. "Huh?"
"All warm and relaxed, covering me like a blanket." He dips closer. "Making sweet noises in her sleep."
"You're the one that put us in that position." My eyes cross to stay focused on him as his nose touches mine.
"And you were completely unfazed by it." His gaze drops to my lips. "Way to kill a man's ego, Sparks."
I lick my lips, eyes fluttering as my heart pounds in my chest. "I was really comfortable."
"Be less comfortable around me." Eyes holding mine, he dips down.
"Wait—"
His mouth drops to cover mine, firm and hot. He catches me mid-word, open mouthed, and takes advantage to slide his tongue inside. A slow dip that massages against my tongue. Wet and invasive. His lips move against mine with gentle tugs as he searches the inside of my mouth. My cheeks, teeth, the roof of my mouth. No corner left unexplored. I stare into his golden-brown eyes, heart pounding, not knowing what to do. He pulls back, a smile on his lips. "Sparks, was that your first kiss?"
"Of course not," I gasp as I roll away from him onto my knees. Blood rushes to my face. I'm so embarrassed right now. My first kiss, and I'm an epic failure.
"It's okay if it was." His body presses into my back as his arms wrap around me from behind. "We can try it again."
Face averted, I stare at the ground. "Why would I want to do that?"
"If I'd known it was your first, I would have started slower." One hand cups my jaw as he tilts my head back toward him. His thumb smooths over my chin, eyes hooded as he stares down at me. "I'll do better this time."
My gaze drops to his lips, parted and red. They'd felt hard, but soft. Different from mine, less yielding. My eyes flick back up to his, uncertain as I lean closer.
The pantry door flies open. "Found them!"
I flinch and turn in Declan's arms to find Felix framed in the doorway. He smirks as he waggles his eyebrows at us. "Am I interrupting something?"
"No." My shout mingles with Declan's, "Yes!"
"Get off me." I push at his arms until he releases me.
"What did I miss?" Connor appears over his twin's shoulder, sharp green gaze taking in the room. He settles on us on the ground. "Why are you so dirty?"
"How'd you get in here?" Declan rises, then bends to offer me a hand up.
"Apparently, they don't lock the back door after dinner service." Connor watches as I accept Declan's hand to stand. "I feel like we missed something, bro."
Felix nods, eyes wide. "We totally missed something, bro."
"We had to hide from the servers." I peer down at my white shirt, now grey with dust. Might be ruined. When I pat at it, my hands turn black.
"Here, let me help." Declan swipes at my shoulders and down my back. "It's not coming off."
When his hands drop to my butt, I spin to swat at him. "Stop that."
"Just being thorough." He raises black stained palms in front of himself with a grin.
"We should have come on the heist." Connor whispers to his brother. "We missed out on some fun."
"Dirty fun." Felix whispers back.
"We found the sugar." I walk over to the barrel to draw their attention away from what Declan and I were doing. "But it's too big. We couldn't find anything to carry it in. That's how we got trapped."
"Well, the kitchen's empty now," Felix jumps forward and grabs my hand. "Let's go find something to scoop it out with."
Laughing, I let him pull me into the hall, out to the kitchen. The lights, dimmed for the night, shroud the room in shadows. The cleared counters and empty stove give me an idea. "Hey, why don't we make the cake here?"
"Huh?" Felix stops to glance around the kitchen.
"Instead of carting the ingredients to the entertainment hall. We can make the cake here." I sneak over to the door to poke my head out. The lights in the dining room are off, the entry door closed tight. "We'd probably get found out in the other kitchen, right? There are other students there."
"True." Felix taps his cheek, leaving a grey smudge behind.
"What's taking you guys so long?" Declan and Connor come around the corner. "Haven't you found a bowl yet?"
"Sparks has a good idea." Felix hops on his toes, excited. "We're going to make the cake here."
"Does anyone even know how to make one?" Connor leans against the counter next to me, arms folded.
"Oh, don't start doubting now." Declan thumps him on the shoulder before he goes to Felix. "You have something on your face."
"Huh?" He wipes at his cheek, and the streak of grey widens. "Did I get it?"
"Here, I'll get it." Declan reaches out to rub at the spot. The dirt from his own hands turns the entire left side of Felix's face black. "All better."
"Thanks man, you're the best." Felix smiles up at his friend.
I share a glance with Connor, and we burst into laughter.
"What, what's wrong?" Felix wipes his sleeve against his face and stares at the black mess. "Dec, you asshole!"
"You guys ruined it!" Declan glares at us. "He would have stayed like that all night!"
I collapse against Connor, clutching at my sides. "Stop, it hurts."
Felix runs to the sink, turns it on, and sticks his head under the faucet. The deluge of water garbles his voice. "I hate you all."
"Let's not leave Connor out." As Declan creeps closer, his friend stiffens against me.
"No, I'm good." He takes a step backward. I grab onto his clean white shirt to hold him in place.
Declan lunges forward, Connor tries to run, and we fall in a heap onto the tiled floor. I cough, the breath smashed from my lungs as I land between the two boys. I wiggle as I choke out, "Get off, I can't breathe."
"See how you like being used as a futon." Declan's body presses down on me.
"Both of you, get off." Connor groans from under me. "You're a million pounds."
"You hear that, Sparks?" My cheek presses into Connor's chest as Declan bounces his weight on my back. "Connor thinks you're fat."
"I didn't say that, Sparks." Connor reaches past me to shove at our tormentor. "Declan's being mean. You're super light. Lie on me all night if you want."
Palms braced against the floor on either sid
e of him, I shove upward. Unlike the supply cart in the pantry, Declan moves. Between Connor and me, we push him off. Breathless, I wobble to my feet and peer down at them.
Declan lies on his side, chortling to himself next to the prep island. Connor, flat on his back, stares at the ceiling through skewed glasses, as if he hasn't realized yet that he's free. With one hand braced against the counter, I lean down to grip his hand. I tug on his arm. Deadweight. He sags in my grip, barely an inch off the ground. I let him go and turn to the sink, where Felix leans with a quiet smile as he watches the show.
Black hair drips water onto his shoulders, turning his white shirt translucent over his chest. Droplets bead on his clean face to highlight his cheekbones. In the dim light, his shadowed eyes watch me as I stumble over to him.
"Having fun, Sparks?" His voice rumbles a little, lower than normal.
A blush creeps up my neck as I turn on the faucet. "Yeah."
I reach for the soap dispenser mounted on the wall above the sink. He doesn't move to make room. Instead, he peeks over my shoulder, leaning close. "I wanna have fun, too."
Confused, I stare up at him as drops of water fall from his hair onto my face. "Aren't you already?"
His wet hands cup my face, skin chilly. His head drops. Cold lips press hard against mine, then he's gone.
"Get off the floor, guys," he calls as he steps around me toward the other two. "Don't be lazy when you should be making me cake."
I stand frozen in place, lips imprinted with the shape of his mouth.
What just happened?
KNOW WHEN TO BRAKE
We never made the cake.
I finish applying my lotion, then wrap my long hair in a towel and slide the bathrobe over my shoulders. Double-checking the mirror for any missed remnants of flour on my face, I exit the shower stall. Felix launched the first flour volley, with Declan and Connor fast to retaliate. It took us over two hours to clean up the powdery mess.
Two doors over, water pelts against glass. One of the guys, still trying to scrub off the mess. I pass the other empty stalls on my way to the sinks, where I find Connor and Declan, tooth wands clamped between their teeth.
They both glance at me through the mirror at the sound of my bare feet against the tile floor. I can't help the laugh that escapes at the sight of their blue cheeks. I look just as funny when I use the cleaning wands. That's why I did mine while they were in the showers.
My heart flutters as a small smile curves Connor's lips around the stick before his gaze drops to the sink. His glasses rest on a shelf next to the sink. Without them, hair damp from the shower, he seems softer somehow. Declan grins, and the light from his cleaner glows through his teeth.
They wear matching, school issued white robes, soft and cuddly. Like the stuffed sky skipper I hid under my bed when Father decided I was old enough to do away with childish toys. Now, it rests in the bottom of my travel bag, stuffed under my dorm bed. My arms ache to squeeze it. I hug my elbows as I shuffle to the counter.
In the mirror, I look tiny beside them. My pale skin, almost the same color as my robe, blends with the towel on my head. Swaddled in fluff, I resemble a stuffed animal more than either of them. I pull my hair free, damp red curls falling around my shoulders. A little less round now, I pick a comb from the shower caddy and remove its plastic protector.
"Who stole my bathrobe?" In the mirror, Felix stomps into the room, towel clenched around his hips. Declan and Connor share an amused glance as he storms up to them. "Do you know how cold it is with only a towel?"
Connor removes the cleaning wand from his mouth and throws it in the used box to be sanitized. "Don't know what you're talking about, bro."
Pulse tripping, I drag the comb through my curls. Beads of water drip from Felix's hair to roll down his shoulders and the lean line of his chest. The small towel, only meant for drying off, stops high on his thighs. It gapes at his hip where the ends don't connect.
"Don't act innocent." Felix grabs his brother's robe at the waist and pulls. "Give me yours."
The soft material slides off Connor's shoulders to reveal the deep groove of muscle next to his spine. Black lines of a tattoo peek from between his shoulder blades before he clutches the robe in front to stop it from revealing more. "Don't strip me!"
Declan coughs and spits his tooth wand into the sink. "Stop it Felix. We're not alone here."
Felix freezes, then swings around to face me. Green eyes brighten as he releases his brother. "Sparks, you look nice and warm."
"Now, wait a minute." I brandish my comb as he steps toward me with a roguish smile. My gaze darts right, to the sleeve of white that sticks out from beneath a bench against the far wall. "Your robe is over there."
He glances toward it with a laugh. "Sparks, did you hide my robe?"
"It's just a prank." My eyes widen as he moves closer to me instead of the bathrobe. "Remember, you're the one who started the flour fight."
Stealing his robe seemed like good revenge. Not so much now that a playful, almost naked Felix inches toward me. I peer over his shoulder at Declan for help. He smirks as his head turns toward Connor. "Think we should help her?"
"I don't know." Connor folds his arms across his chest. "Maybe she should learn the consequences of pranking."
"Oh, come on." I edge away from all of them. "You guys mess with each other all the time."
Declan raises an eyebrow. "Does this mean you're officially part of us?"
Felix pauses, only a few steps away. My gaze drops to the small swath of material at his waist. A bead of water trickles from his belly button and follows the thin line of black hair; the terry cloth absorbs it. I lick my dry lips as my heart picks up speed.
My back hits the wall leading into the shower area as I dart a glance past him to Connor and Declan, still at the sink. Warmth floods my face, and my limbs tingle. I'm already part of their group. Didn't I make that obvious this morning? Or tonight when I went along on the debacle of a heist?
"Yeah, we're friends, right?" I meet Declan's light-brown eyes. "We're sticking together."
Relief fills his face as his shoulders relax. He glances at Connor. The shorter man nods toward his twin. "Get her."
"What?" I shriek as Felix lunges toward me. Dodging right, I run toward the opposite wall. "I thought we were friends?"
"You still have to face the consequences." Connor laughs behind me. "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late!"
The bathroom door opens and closes. Disbelief floods me at his abandonment. It distracts me enough that fingers brush the back of my robe. I yelp and leap up on the bench to escape. Arms band around my waist as my feet leave the wooden platform.
Wait, arms. Plural. Oh god. I throw my hands over my eyes. "Where's your towel?"
"Who knows." As Felix swings me around, I stick my legs straight out in front, afraid to touch any part of his body with my bare feet.
"What are you doing?" He shakes me, and my legs dip toward the ground and other unknown regions.
I squeak as I pull my knees up, eyes still covered. "I'm not looking until you put your robe on."
"But, I thought you wanted to see me naked? That's why you stole my robe, right?" His face rubs between my shoulder blades. "You're so soft."
"It's the bathrobe. Go get yours." I bounce as he walks away from the bench and potential cover. "Declan, find his towel."
"Not my problem." He yawns, a huge, exaggerated sound easy to identify without looking. "Look at the time. So sleepy."
"Don't you dare leave me here!" I peek through my fingers to find him already at the door.
"Take your punishment like a big girl." He waves back at us. "Don't stay up too late."
"Don't go!" My shout echoes off the closed door.
Felix's grip shifts, one arm sliding under my knees. He lets go of my back, and my shoulders pitch toward the ground. I scream, arms pinwheeling as the ceiling fills my view. Panicked, I grab his shoulders. My fingernails dig in until I can latch myself onto h
is neck.
He smiles down at me from inches away. "Hey, I got you. Don't worry."
Too close. My heart pounds in sudden panic. We're alone now, at night, with the rest of the students already asleep.
My gaze drops to his mouth. I still feel the imprint of his lips against mine. The hard, almost painful press, made cold by the kitchen's water faucet. His body heat radiates into mine as his arms tighten to pull me closer to his chest.
Would his lips still be cold?
"Stop looking at me like that, or I'll embarrass myself," he breathes against my face as he strides back to the sink.
Blood rushes up my neck as I glance away. My gaze falls to where Declan stood a second ago, and confusion zips through me. He also kissed me. I'd been too shocked to register what was happening before it was over. His tongue in my mouth felt weird, full and wet. Intrusive, but not in a bad way.
My face ignites. I can't identify the flutter in my stomach: nerves, embarrassment, uncertainty. A tangled knot of unknown.
"Is Declan a better kisser?" Felix whispers in my ear.
I jerk with surprise and glance back at him. His green eyes stare down at me, unreadable. "How did you—"
"He's a good kisser, but he moves too fast. You know that from our races." He sets me on my feet in front of the sinks. His towel sits on the counter, waiting for him. At some point, one of the others retrieved it for him.
When Felix rests his chin on my shoulder, my gaze jerks up. In the mirror, my body blocks his nudity. I wait for the full press of him, but only his shoulders touch me as his hands grip the counter on either side. His lips brush the sensitive place under my ear. "You need someone slow, don't you Sparks?"
A quiver runs down my spine as our eyes meet in the mirror. When he smiles, I feel it against my skin. Tingles trickle from that small point of contact, and his eyelids droop to veil his gaze as his face turns into my neck.
His lips aren't cold.
They burn a line up behind my ear, his breath a warm tickle against my curls. Open mouthed, his teeth drag against my earlobe. My knees weaken even as my throat tightens. "What are you doing?"
In answer, he sucks the delicate flesh into his mouth. Tingles rush to my nipples and down between my thighs.
