The Fall

Chapter 38

Sage

"You're really quiet," Kade teased, throwing his arm over my shoulder. "I promise to stop beating up your boyfriend if he'd stop being such a pussy and fight back."

I roll my eyes, hidden behind my sunglasses and elbow him in the ribs. It's the last weekend before Kade and my brother go to baseball camp for the next three weeks and even when they come back out families are going on our joint vacation to Costa Rica.

"Ouch!" He groans and rubs his rubs his armbefore pinching my side. "I really am sorry about punching him in the face. I just hate how he talks about you to his football lackeys." There's always been an odd sort of rivalry between the footballers and baseballers, even when some of them play both sports. Tanner, a mutual friend of my brother, Kaden, and Hunter's, has played both sports his whole life.

"If I'm not bothered by it then neither should you," I reply, crossing my arms over my chest and watching the sun as it begins to set over the skyline. Kaden had found a parking garage had the best view of the city for taking pictures and suggested on having a shoot for my Instagram. His arm tightened around me, pulling me into his side as we sit on the hood of his BMW. I'm invaded by his scent, both spicy and clean from a recent shower with a twinge of boy sweat from the heat. Stealing a glance at him, his muscles on display in the tank he wore under his T-shirt and I wonder what he'd taste like if I licked him. His long legs are glistening with sweat in the shorts he wore and his Nikes dangle over the edge.

The hammering in my chest at his proximity to me is confusing. I've only felt anything close to this with Anthony and I tell myself every time I do something sexual with him that it's a test, a game. He needs my compliance and I need him to stop fucking Kendall. The time will come when he'll take me and I want to royally fuck him over when he realizes I was never his. Kade though, this feeling when we hangout alone, it's exciting and he makes me feel special, wanted and not so broken.

"I'll be honest, Firefly. I hate seeing him touch you. That he doesn't know how perfect you are," his fist clench in frustration and I press a kiss to the one hanging off me. This causes him to stare at me, his body rigid and his eyes dart to my lips before meeting my eyes. "He doesn't deserve you, Sage. If you were my girl, I'd cherish you. I'd never disrespect you or let anyone talk shit about you."

"Well, you're sweet like that and also my brother's best friend," I giggle and snuggle into him, not caring about the heat or our sweaty skin sticking together. "I don't think he'd care if we dated, Kade. Kyle just wants us both happy."

"Do you think about that?" Kaden asked, suddenly turning to face me. His dark hair has grown out throughout the year and the front covers his eyes and the itch to push it back becomes too much and I comb my fingers through it. How many times did I think about this boy, my brother's best friend, as more than a friend or family. Being around Kade felt safe, safer than Hunter, who dances on the edge of being respectful and expressing his own primal needs. A crush, I call it, that never mounted to anything with Kaden going through a pretty horrible breakup with Chloe. He needs a friend, not some girl desperately seeking acceptance and running away from her demons.

"Well? Do you ever think about us like that, Firefly?" Those icy blue eyes pierce through me and I swallow the lump in my throat. Somehow in my momentary freak out he's shifted his body closer until our ragged breaths mingle. I could smell the sweet minty scent of his favorite gum and I could see each and every one of his long, dark eyelashes as it fans his cheeks. I'm lost in his gaze as his hand snakes around my neck, cool under my heated skin. Holy shit! He's going to kiss me!

"I..." My mouth parts and my eyes widen as he leans in, placing his mouth on mine. This, I realized, is what my first kiss should've been. His lips, warm, soft and yet unyielding as they move across mine. He groans when I open up for him and he slips his tongue inside. My heart is hammering in my chest and there's this ache in my body, a thirst for more. For him.