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Shana choked on a laugh, and I turned my attention to her. “Are you coming?”
“Lesbian, remember? I don’t have time to deal with Puck Fucks. But your man’s going to be there, so you should go.”
I shushed her, grateful that Jax had wandered off to speak with a group of girls. “Jesus, Shana. Why don’t you just lay it all out for him? That wouldn’t be embarrassing at all.”
“Well, one of us should. This whole quietly pining thing you’ve got going on isn’t a good look for you.” Shana took a deep sip of her water. “Relax. He’s already gone.” She grabbed my arm before I could head outside. “And girlie, you know I didn’t forget. Happy birthday!”
“Hey, I’d prefer it if no one remembered.” Rolling my eyes, I started toward the now empty doorway, Lucas nowhere to be found. I ignored the slight tinge of disappointment before patting Jax’s shoulder. “Alright, but I’m riding in the front.”
I’d just have to make sure not to pay attention to whoever Lucas was with. That couldn’t be too hard. Right? Who knew, maybe I’d find a hookup of my own.
I packed up my stuff and waved off a smirking Shana before following Jax outside. Of course, Lucas was already sitting in the front seat of Marcus’s lime-green Ford Mustang. My parents had purchased it for him when he won MVP at the OHL championship. Since my entire family would love to bubble wrap me, I owned a Mazda sedan hatchback that my mother had googled as the safest car of the year. Not that I would ever complain. I loved it. Luckily, I’d left it at home, opting to catch a ride to practice with Shana.
Jax and I sat in the cramped back as Marcus sped down the road. My muscles clenched in my stomach, and my fingers turned white on the handle just above the window as my brother took another hard turn. I swear he didn’t know the meaning of slow down, instead preferring to take the corner at full speed. I yelped when we drifted to the side, a loud screeching filling the air, and the putrid smell of burning rubber filled my nose. Strong fingers reached back between the doors and the front seat and wrapped around my bare calf. Lucas’s fingers kneaded my muscle in slow, purposeful motions, and I matched my breaths to the rhythm. Without words, he was telling me I was safe. That he was here, and God, it was melting me from the inside.
Jax murmured to himself, and Lucas let go of me, his hand disappearing so fast my brain wanted to believe it had never been there. I glanced toward Jax, but he stared at his phone, his thumb flying over it, sending out quick messages, probably arranging his next hookup. A lopsided smirk formed, and he bit the side of his lip, confirming my assessment.
“Don’t be gross.”
“What? Come on, Pips. You know how it is. The Hunt’s officially on.”
“You know it’s disgusting, right? Sleeping with girls just to win a stupid game?” I huffed.
Jax reared back and gave me an affronted look. “Hey now, I’m completely honest with them.”
“It’s not my fault they tend to think they’re somehow the one that’s going to nail us down,” Marcus joined in.
“Don’t their feelings matter to you?” I asked and couldn’t help but notice that Lucas wasn’t participating in the conversation.
“Don’t our boundaries?” Jax had a point.
I shoved Jax’s shoulder. “Fair.”
The thing that wasn’t fair was my lonely boyless existence directly correlated to the three of them. Marcus slammed on the brakes, turning to the side as he nearly missed the turn, and my body slammed into the door, drawing an oomph from my lungs.
Lucas snapped out, “What the fuck, man?”
“Sorry, guys, that one was a tad bit fast.” Marcus chuckled, clearly not hearing the angry undercurrent coming from his friend.
“You think?” I practically screamed at him, but he waved me off like everything was fine. He was going to get us all killed driving like that one of these days. He was the same on the ice, always a little bit reckless. It worked for him, got him out of tight spots or made impressive goals. It didn’t translate well into driving, and I hoped he grew out of it fast. He was eighteen, and eighteen-year-old guys had negative self-control, but the least he could do was keep all four wheels on the ground. Thank God my mom talked him out of a motorcycle.
The parking lot to the Elora Gorge was nestled at the edge of the dense forest, its borders defined by towering trees that reached up to the sky. The lush greenery surrounded the lot, forming a natural barrier that provided privacy and seclusion. A few trailheads, marked by weathered wooden signs, offered glimpses of the hidden paths that led deeper into the wilderness.
The parking lot was full of a mix of cars, and the second we pulled into a spot, I yanked open my door and hauled myself out of the car. “I’m driving on the way home.”
Marcus looked over the roof of the car at me. “No way.”
Jax wrapped his arm around Marcus’s shoulders. “Come on, man. That makes her the DD.”
My brother smiled from ear to ear and tossed me his keys. “Sounds perfect. Thanks, Pipsqueak.”
I rolled my eyes at the nickname, just happy I got the keys. The boys took off down the tree-lined path toward where the cliffs overlooked the Grand River. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the smell of pine and damp soil. The forest was dense enough you couldn’t see through it to where the boys disappeared. I popped the trunk open, digging out a backpack I’d stored in there with my swimming supplies. It wasn’t uncommon for us to take an impromptu trip to the beach, and it helped to be prepared.
I walked to the front of the car and crouched down where I was protected from view of anyone coming up the path or entering the parking lot. Still, I had to hurry the hell up. I whipped my T-shirt off, followed quickly by my sports bra, and froze as someone cleared their throat behind me.
I snapped my head around, covering my chest with both arms and keeping it pointing away from my intruder. I was already planning on all the ways I could escape when I met a smiling Lucas.
“What the hell are you doing here? I saw you leave,” I spat.
