HERO
"Woke up to an interesting string of texts from a freaked-out Jackie this morning," Felix tells me of my ex as he drops beside me on the bench.
"Fuck her."
"You have, many times." He laughs. "Pretty sure that's only half the reason for her panic, though."
I offer nothing.
He stays quiet a minute, too, before deciding to go for it. His tone is slightly cautious, as it should be. "Josephine, H?"
"Don't," I warn right from the gate.
My eyes find her on the beach with no fucking effort. She peels off her hoodie even though there's still a morning chill in the air and doesn't bother laying a towel down before plopping into the sand, leaning back on her hands. She tilts her head so the sun is hitting her how she wants it to.
"We didn't hook up last night," I admit.
"How the hell did she even end up in your room?"
I lick my lips, not giving the answer he's asked for. "I convinced her to make people think we're together."
Felix's silence has me looking his way, and I'm not surprised by the confusion staring back.
"Turns out," I start with a low, humorless laugh. "She's into Hollans."
He watches me closely before a low curse leaves him. "And Andrew threw that shit out about asking her to formal."
I nod, sitting back.
"H... don't do this. This isn't the same as--"
"He already saw me with her, Felix." I cut him off. "It's game on at this point."
Unease lines his forehead, and my best friend can't help himself. He tries once more. "You sure this is a good idea, my man?"
I finish off my coffee and then push to my feet. "Nope."
Not in the slightest.
JOSEPHINE
"Girlfriend, fucking spill!" Mandy's voice hits me, and my eyes open, finding my friends walking up all giggles. Fresh coffees in their hands.
"Spill?" I'm confused at first, but then it hits me.
Shit.
Hero.
Of course they heard!
"It's not what you--" I start to deny it when their eyes lift, big smiles and girly googly eyes take over their faces.
"Speaking of the new boy toy!" Kathrine laughs. "What up, H?"
"'Sup." His deep voice comes from behind me, and suddenly long, muscular legs are caging me in, his wide chest framing me in from behind.
I tense, my stare snapping to Cassie's.
Her lips clamp tight, but in a get it girl kind of way.
"So... this is new," Mandy drags out excitedly, none of them moving to sit.
"Tell us how it happened!" Kat's eyes practically sparkle for the juice.
"Kathrine ," I start, ready to distract her one-track mind somehow, but pause when Hero shrugs against me.
"It was only a matter of time," he says with pure confidence.
Only a matter of time?!
Is he serious?
Because the most wanted shithead in the senior class has never once done a damn thing to lead anyone to believe we were a possibility. And it goes both ways.
Yeah, okay. As if they'd believe--
"That's why you were drooling over him at the game!" Cassie says.
Both mine and Hero's muscles harden.
"I was not."
"I knew it!" Our other friend Ava squeals, and my head snaps her way. "Me and Kathrine used to bet on when you two would finally hook up!"
"Seriously?" I question without thinking and all eyes fly to me.
Shit.
Ugh! I never agreed to this! What the hell am I supposed to do? Lie to my best friends?
"I always thought you had the hots for him but didn't wanna say." Kathrine grins, all proud like. "I used to plot with Felix, trying to hook you up, you guys are so alike it's unreal, but he'd get mad and tell me not to push it."
Hero's chest flexes against my back and I hold my breath.
Kathrine smiles wider. "I bet he knew Hero had the hots for you but worried you didn't feel it." She gasps. "We can totally double date now!"
Oh, god. Shoot me.
And did she say we're alike?
Ha!
I try to sit up more, to remove my body from pressing against Hero's overheated one, but he only tightens his hold, his lips hitting my ear.
"Stop it," he whispers unexpectedly, and my abdomen constricts. "This'll help us both, go with it. If you keep trying to pull away, I'll whisper something so dirty in your ear it'll have you squirming, and all your friends will witness me turning you on."
What the what?
I try to fight the unexpected pull his nearness seems to have created, but apparently my eyes have a mind of their own, and I can't stop myself from glancing over my shoulder, the move bringing my lips even with his.
His eyes are sharp and warning as his tongue sneaks out to flick my lips.
All I can think is thank god for padded bathing suit tops.
My traitorous nipples pebble without permission.
This guy...
The breathy "dang" that leaves Mandy has my head snapping toward them.
"I just got hot," Mandy admits.
I gape at her, but she simply shrugs.
Kathrine gives her a high five. "Same. I'm going to find my man for a little ocean water rub down."
I can't help but laugh when she runs off to do exactly that, the rest of the girls laying their towels out and piling beside us.
Hero shifts behind me, and then suddenly his shirt is at our sides, the natural heat of his naked skin now pressed firmly against mine, nothing but the tiny strings of my top between us. While tension swims deep in my stomach, my body decides to settle into his.
"See how easy it is, J," Hero murmurs for only me to hear. "No one will question us."
I wish I was as sure as he seems to be, but hey, if he insists on sitting behind me, I might as well use him.
I lift my hips so I can shimmy my shorts down and kick them to the side, allowing my upper body weight to be fully held by his.
"If you don't put those back on--"
"Quiet," I cut him off, not bothering to keep my voice low as he did. "I need your body, not your words."
Cassie laughs beside me, slipping her glasses in place.
Hero's chest vibrates with his groan, but after a second he leans back some, so I'm angled just right, the bright California sun beaming down on me.
Not a second after I'm settled in completely, accepting of my makeshift chair, Hero's whispered words find my ear yet again.
"Use my body however you want, J. As far as everyone is concerned, it's yours now." He pauses a minute before continuing, "But remember, if you do, it'll go both ways."
Both ways. Meaning if I use him, he'll use me, but how or in what ways?
Dirty ways?
An involuntary shiver runs through me and his chest shakes with silent laughter.
Asshole.
"Damn, this is gonna be fun."
I'm not sure fun is the right word, but I'll worry about that later. Right now, I'm enjoying the heat of the sun's touch too much, almost as much as his warm body on mine.
I fall asleep.