I hadn’t expected to hear back from Biscuit so soon after our call.

“Where the hell are we?” Gavin complained. “Bum-fuck-nowhere?”

“Stop complaining. You didn’t have to come.”

“And leave you to drive two and a half hours in the middle of the night to the middle of nowhere by yourself.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, you’re welcome.”

And that was how our friendship went. It was said and done.

When we pulled up, the two girls stood on the porch.

“Help me get their bags,” I said to Gavin.

He glared at me, but got out. They didn’t have much, but I wanted a second alone with Biscuit before we all got in the car.

“Is everything okay?” I whispered in her ear.

She’d texted me and said she couldn’t call but needed me to come get her. After she’d been afraid of seeing something outside, all I could think was that she was in danger or a reporter was stalking her.

“I’m fine.”

I wanted to kiss her, but movement in an upstairs window stopped me.

“Are you ready to go?”

She nodded. When Gavin tried to get in the front seat, I hooked a thumb over my shoulder. “In the back.”

He grumbled and so did Megan, but they complied. I pulled off, sure we’d been watched the whole time.

“So what was the rush?” Gavin asked.

“She had a disagreement with her parents,” Megan answered.

“No, say what it was. Mom found out about you and practically threatened to pull me out of school if I didn’t break up with you.”

“Shit, Rae, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. She can’t run my life anymore. I’m an adult.”

She stared out the window, leaving me with nothing to say. I reached over and snagged her hand. She glanced at me for a second before her gaze drifted back out the side window again.

It was the middle of the night when we arrived back. I suggested she sleep over.

“What about me?” Megan complained.

“You can stay with me.” Gavin’s response surprised everyone. “What?” He aimed his eyes at her. “You know you want to.”

She folded her arms, but begrudgingly agreed. “Fine.”

Nothing else was said. Once we were in my room, I relished the feel of Biscuit against me. I lay awake long after her breathing became long and even.

I woke feeling like I could conquer the world, and I only had one person to thank for that.

“Morning,” I said, her eyes like dewdrops. “I’m sorry I’m the cause of your fight with your parents.”

She shook her head. “I’m not. It was time for me to stand up for myself. Besides, I’m in…” Everything stopped in that moment as I wondered what she would say next. “I like you.” Then she added, “A lot.”

“I’m in like with you too. A lot.”

Her smile sent a solar flare straight through my chest. She leaned in and I went in ready for a morning taste as I realized there was more to my feelings than I bargained for. Though I decided not to name it and just live in the moment.

“I’m not keeping you from practice, am I?”

“No. It’s not mandatory and I gave the guys the day off.”

“Thank you.”

I snaked my arms around her waist. “I’d rather be with you. Maybe we can go for a sail?”

She beamed at me, which only ended with me kissing her senseless. We finally made it out of my room, only to come across a film crew set up on the lawn.

“What’s that all about?” Reagan asked.

She was trapped under my arm and pinned close to my side. As we passed behind the woman with a microphone in her hand, we briefly heard what she was saying.

“Rumor has it a celebrity is in our midst. A child now all grown up from a prominent family the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Kennedys is said to walk this way to class every day. The family has lived a quiet life, somehow separating themselves from the prying eyes of the media. No pictures of the child who is considered royalty in some circles…”

I urged Biscuit forward with a hand at the small of her back.

“I wonder who they’re talking about?” she said.

“Probably someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

She didn’t comment further. I didn’t want to lie to her any more than I had. Though I wasn’t one hundred percent sure, they were probably talking about me.

We got to the pharmacy.

“I don’t want you to think I’m forcing you to take this.”

Her eyes were full of what looked like fear.

“I’m not ready for kids. Are you?”

I shifted my head side to side. She gave me a shy smile and we walked in. Though I’d given her a hundred dollars, not sure how much it cost, I kept my arm around her as we asked for it. She’d said she could do it alone. But I’d reminded her that we were together when it happened, so we’d be together through the end of it.

Later, after Biscuit went home for a while, I called Mom to tell her about the reporter.

“I heard,” she said. “Dad’s campaign manager has people on it. They don’t know anything yet.”

“I think someone’s been taking pictures of me.” I told her about the two incidents.

“Nothing’s shown up on the internet.”

She promised to work on squashing any rumors. “Someone suggested we hint that our son is at school in California.”

“Do you think this is about my father?”

“I don’t know. But we have that covered too. And Tade?”

“Yes.”

“You can go see him if you want. There’s still time.”

I thought about how he hadn’t reached out to me over the years. He’d passed me to the half-sister he’d only just met without a backward glance.

“I’ll let you know,” I said, before hanging up.

Later that night, Biscuit’s fingers strolled up and down my chest. It felt like ages since that first and only time I’d been balls deep inside her and my dick was doing a happy dance she was so close.

“I thought maybe we could spend the rest of spring break together at my parents’ lake house.”

With reporters and cameramen around, a change of scenery would be good.

“Funny you should ask. It just so happens that Megan said she was going home after all.”

“Yeah, Gavin said the same thing.” We traded glances before bursting out laughing. “I guess you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

Her head bobbed and she lifted a hand to finger-comb through her hair. “They are so hooking up and not telling us.”

My thoughts exactly. I stroked a finger down her cheek and she bit her lip.

“Do you want to go?”

She nodded. The stare I leveled on her could have melted steel. I claimed her mouth the way I planned to claim her pussy.

I blazed a path down her neck, hitting that sweet spot that made her back arch with a squeal and then moan in delight. My hands worked her shirt high enough so I could taste her nipples. They tightened under my tongue as I worked a hand into her underwear.

A finger was all it took to let me know she was ready. Together we scrambled to get her shorts off as well as mine.

Then her phone chimed. She stopped and scooped it up.

“Hello.” Her voice came out clipped, and not worried as I’d expected.

I couldn’t hear the words from the other end, but I did hear that the timbre of the voice wasn’t sweet and feminine. It was deep with a rasp, and I swear I hoped her mother had a bad cold.

“Dad, I can’t do this right now.” Her posture was rigid as she sat on the edge of the bed with her back to me.

I placed my hand on her back and began to rub circles in order to offer comfort. She stiffened under my touch for a second before she relaxed.

“Look, I’m not alone…Yes, I’m with Tade.” More words were said. “Thanks. Is Mom okay?” Another long pause. “Yes, I understand. I love you. Tell Mom the same.”

She placed the phone on the bed a second before she placed it next to mine on the bedside table.

A soft sound left her body before a small shudder ran through it. I sat up immediately, recognizing the motion. I tugged her into my lap after I moved beside her. I cradled her against me, needing to ease whatever tensions she had.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Her response was far too quick.

“You can tell me anything.”

She sighed. “My mom thinks that the world is going to end if I continue to see you. But Dad says it’s my choice.”

Though it killed me, I said it anyway.

“I don’t want to be the cause of a fight between you and your mom.” Then, I admitted something I hadn’t even told Gavin. “I grew up most of my life without mine.”

Wide eyes turned to face me. Her cheeks were damp, and I wiped the wetness away.

“But I thought you said you spoke to her this morning.”

“Biologically, she’s my aunt. But she’s been Mom to me.”

She stared at me. “You’ve never told that to anyone before, have you?” I shook my head. “Thank you for trusting me.”

It was more than trust.

“And no, I don’t want to break up with you. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me.”

I went for her mouth, tugging her shirt off after. Maybe I couldn’t yet say the words, but I would show her exactly what I felt.