My locker door slammed closed just as my phone vibrated in my pocket. Fishing it out, I ignored the onslaught of students bustling through the hallway as the final bell rung for the day.

Quickly dimming the brightness on my phone, I pulled the device close to my chest and thumbed back a message.

Someone bumped into me and I swore as I nearly dropped my phone. God forbid people walk normally through the corridor.

I moved to put my phone away when a sudden weight was thrown across my back. Stumbling forward, I dropped the device and it fell to the floor with a loud clang.

“Scott!” I cursed when a familiar laugh sounded in my ear. “What the hell, man? Don’t do that.”

“Sorry, dude,” Scott slid off my back. Trent came to stand on my other side, hands stuffed in his pockets. “You looked all serious glaring at your phone. I had to do something to get you to loosen up.”

Rolling my eyes, I bent down to retrieve my phone. The screen remained intact. I began rubbing the fingerprints off it with the sleeve of my hoodie.

Hand still in his pocket, Trent gestured to my phone. “What was that about anyway?”

I looked up. “What?”

“You looked like you were trying to bore a hole through the screen with sheer willpower alone.”

“Oh, uh,” I glanced down before looking back up, trying to think of an answer to give them. Pocketing my phone quickly before Dakota could text again, I said, “Mum just texted me to pick up pasta sauce on the way home, that’s all.”

“Man, I miss your mum’s cooking.” Trent sighed happily. “It feels like forever since we’ve been to your place.” He grinned at me. “Hey, why don’t we have a boys night at your house tonight? Mum’s having some clients over for dinner at our house and I’m sure she’d be less stressed if I wasn’t around. She’d just make me clean the bathroom three times over before it’s perfect.”

Scott’s grin said he was completely on board with the idea. “Great idea, man! We can get drunk and play Dark Souls III on the PS4.” He winked. “I know the girl working cash at Liquorland who can get us a discount.”

I bit my lip. This was bad. This was really bad.

“Um,” I attempted to laugh, rubbing the back of my head. “Sorry, guys. I’m actually pretty wiped. Rain check?”

“You’re tired?” Scott’s eyes widened. “It’s Friday night and you’re tired? You’re Connor Taylor! The life of every party! C’mon man, it’s been weeks since we had a night to ourselves.”

I laughed awkwardly. “Sorry, dude. Between soccer practice, Drew being in town, and studying for exams, I’m exhausted. Plus, we have our English essay due on Monday.”

Scott huffed. “Fine. Be boring and responsible for now. We’ll drag it out of you sooner or later.”

This time, I laughed for real. “Sorry, Scottie. I’ll make it up to you. Next time.”

“You’d better, Taylor.”

***

The afternoon wore on. I headed straight for the shower when I got home, changing into a clean pair of jeans and a white hoodie before Mum recruited me to help her make dinner. Drew was driving home tomorrow so Mum wanted his last meal with us to be special.

By the time I was heading upstairs, it was a quarter past nine. Mum had gone all out with dinner, preparing Drew’s favourite dishes – four-cheese pasta bake, mashed potatoes, crispy homemade bread and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. There was wine, though I’d declined any seeing as I still had to drive after.

Quickly brushing my teeth, I went back to my room and slipped a denim jacket over my hoodie, collecting my wallet and car keys on my way out the door. A small series of cologne bottles sat on my dresser, most of which were Christmas gifts I’d collected over the years. I passed by them easily. I’d never bothered to dress up for sex with Dakota, and I could only imagine the other boy’s unbearable ridicule if he ever caught a whiff of cologne and thought I’d done it for his sake. The mockery would be endless.

“I’m heading out!” I called down the hall when I reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Hold on.” Mum appeared in the doorway from the kitchen, a dish towel hanging over one shoulder. “You didn’t mention you were going out tonight. Where are you headed?”

I swallowed thickly, hoping it didn’t show on my face. “Scott wants to see the new Deadpool. I said I’d go with him.”

“Is Trent going too?”

“He’s got a family thing.”

“Okay.” Mum smiled. “Tell Scott I said hello. Have fun, sweetheart.”

I could only nod, turning and making my way to the front door. “Yeah. Thanks, Mum.”

Peak-hour was well and truly over so the drive to Dakota’s took only ten minutes. I parked outside on the street, passed through the front gates and headed up the driveway to their front door. Only Dakota’s Lexus sat in the drive which meant his parents weren’t home. I rung the bell once and waited.

Dakota opened the door, looking devilishly handsome in jeans and a black crew neck. His dark hair was tousled, as though he’d been running his hands through it. Or someone else had.

“You locked the door.” I said as I stepped over the threshold into their marble-floored entryway.

Dakota closed the door behind me and flipped the lock again. “My mum prefers it’s locked at night when I’m home alone.”

“And where are your parents this evening?”

“Don’t act like you care.”

I sighed. “You really can’t tell me one thing about yourself?”

He smirked. “You want to know something about me? Okay. I’m horny and that’s the only reason you’re here. Talking isn’t necessary.”

I rolled my eyes, giving him a mock salute. “Whatever you say, Captain.”

We climbed the stairs, Dakota in the lead. I took the brief opportunity to admire the other athlete’s ass. For how much of a jackass he was, it wasn’t fair that he was so attractive. Sharp jawline, smooth skin, defined muscles. I could stare at that mouth all day if it didn’t open and start talking.

Dakota lead me into his bedroom. He locked the door for good measure before wasting no time approaching me. Lips were on my neck in seconds, teeth grazing just below my ear as they worked their way down to my collarbone. A skilled flick of the tongue had me sighing in pleasure within moments.

“You good?” Dakota asked.

“Yep.”

“Still want this?”

“God, yes.”

Gripping the lapel of my jacket, Dakota gently pushed it off my shoulders and onto the floor. He reached for the hem of my hoodie next, pulling both it and my t-shirt over my head and tossing them aside.

Night had fallen and I now stood shirtless in his dimly lit room, the only source of light being the golden hue of his bedside lamp.

“Fuck, you’re hot.” Dakota’s lips worked over my neck again, hands on my waist.

I gasped. “I’m not the only one.”

I reached for the hem of his crew neck and pulled it up over his head, tossing it carelessly aside. Dakota responded by ridding me of my jeans until I stood in nothing but my boxers.

Dakota eyed the small lions printed on the material. “Seriously?”

“I may be wearing the lions,” I smirked. “But you’re the catty bitch.”

A startled laugh escaped my mouth as I was hoisted up, legs instinctively wrapping around Dakota’s waist as he carried me over to the bed. He dumped me in the centre of the mattress before crawling on top of me. “Catty bitch, huh? Okay, then let’s just see who purrs like one.”

He lowered his head to kiss me but I rolled over before our lips could connect, switching our positions.

“You talk a big game.” I grinned down at him. “So, you should have no trouble proving it from below.”

Dakota sighed. “Fine.”

The talking stopped after that, sound dissolving into a mixture of sighs and moans as things heated up. It didn’t take us long to fall into the rhythm we’d established long ago.

Three rounds later, we decided to call it a night. I fell back on my side and waited for my breath to even out.

“Well,” Dakota said beside me, “that worked for me.”

I side-eyed him. “You and me both.”

“Wanna go another round?”

“I don’t think you’re up for it.”

“A convenient excuse.”

Rolling onto my stomach, I grinned at him. “I won by the way.”

“Hm?”

“You were louder than me.”

“Tonight.” Dakota corrected. One arm laid across his eyes, the tips of his hair beginning to curl across the top of his forehead under a thin layer of sweat. “Don’t get used to it, Taylor.”

“I’m already used to it.”

“That’s the problem.”

Falling back into a comfortable silence, I took the rare opportunity to study the layout of Dakota’s bedroom, noting how different it was to mine. Where my room was colourful and chaotic, Dakota’s was plain and minimalist. The walls were painted a light grey with the occasional hanging art piece I was certain he hadn’t picked it out himself. Each piece of furniture was a matching shade of gunmetal black which provided a neat contrast against the flowy white curtains. Despite the room’s size, only a desk, Queen bed and dresser filled the space, each of their surfaces bare and clean. The only exception was the bookshelf in the corner, which was crammed full of books. From what I could tell, most of them were hardcover classics.

My eyes caught on a silver laptop half closed on the desk. The screen was dimmed but a splash of colour could be made out in the dark. I gasped.