She would like that but Madison is simple.
She doesn’t go for the romance.
Our first time proved that. She’ll choose spontaneity every time.
“Fuck, she has to say yes.”
“She’s practically married to your dick already.”
“Come on, man,” I shove his shoulder. “Don’t be nasty.”
“Hey, I’m just jealous. A little. Not really, but Jesus, you’ve been with her for like forever. And she gave it up a lot sooner than Lex and Macy did.”
“I can’t believe talking about marriage got you talking about sex. Is that where your mind is always?”
He sighs pretending to be crushed by my observation. “Pretty much.” His frown cracks into a smile that I know him for. “That and football.”
Then he shifts in his seat and his face grows serious again. For a moment I think he’s going to talk about the game tonight but then I realize this is Steven. “How old were you?”
“Are you a fuckin’ girl?” I roll my eyes. “What is wrong with you?”
“I’m just curious.” He holds up his palms when Mr. Benner glares his direction. “For my own knowledge.”
I wasn’t going to answer him. But then he just kept it up. For twenty minutes.
“Fourteen.”
He lets out a breath fanning himself and then pulling his game day jersey away from his chest like he’s too hot. “Lucky bastard. I was sixteen.”
“That’s only two years. And we were almost fifteen.”
“Still.” His eyes went wide. “That’s two whole years. TWO.” He whisper shouts. “Like dog years, in teenage boy years, I’m sure that two years is closer to fourteen.”
“You don’t age like a dog, Steven.” I turn in my seat and face the other way when I see Mr. Benner approaching us. He doesn’t care that we’re playing in the championship game tomorrow. We’re just troublemakers in his class. Well, Steven is.
Mr. Benner tosses Steven’s book on the floor and makes us both jump in our seats. “Pay attention, boys.”
“You better be ready for later.” Steven says, whispering so Mr. Benner doesn’t hear him, his blue eyes sparkling with the same mischief he had when we were seven and he filled water balloons with pee. “I have some next level shit planned.”
I don’t turn toward him but I do look at him. “Next level shit?”
“You’ll see.” He shrugs. “Madison showed me some tricks.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah. And you’re totally jealous, aren’t you?”
“No.” My smile breaks through. “Who’s to say she didn’t show me something too?”
That gets him thinking. And nervous. Two things Steven hates to be or do.
Next level shit came at the pep rally. We’d been training for this damn pep rally for two weeks. Two goddamn weeks and we still didn’t know if we were going to be able to pull it off. You can’t teach football players to dance. You just can’t. But my girl tried despite that.
“I’m supposed to do what with my hips?” Steven wasn’t waiting for an answer and laughed. “Oh man, that’s like I’m fucking someone. Cool!”
Madison looked to me and rolled her eyes. “It’s like teaching monkeys. I can’t do this.”
Landon grabbed his chest, offended. “Bullshit. I’m a better dancer than both of them any day. Don’t lump me in with them.”
I raised my eyebrows, and that might be true but I would never admit it. I was just about to show him when Madison put her hands on my chest. “We know you got moves.” She reached down and smacked my ass. “Now do the damn dance.”
When the bell rings for class to let out, I see Madison for a brief moment but the boys and I rush to the gym so we’re not late. I know if I had a minute alone with Madison I would have wanted one more, and then, well, we wouldn’t be at this pep rally. We’d be in my truck fogging up the windows like we did most days.
We’re standing outside the gym with the boys waiting for the pep rally to begin when Madison approaches us, running down the hall in her skinny dark jeans and navy blue Cougars hoodie with my name and number on the back. She’s fucking beautiful. Fucking and beautiful don’t really seem like the perfect words for her but how else do I describe her? Soft ivory skin, bright blue eyes and thick long brownish blonde hair that I wrap my hands in every chance I get.
She stops in front of me, grins and jumps in my arms slamming me against the wall and pinning Landon Hayes there too.
Landon laughs. “As much as I wouldn’t mind a threesome, Cash just isn’t who I had in mind, Madison.”