Locke

A Rosewood High Novella

Lorraine

Contents

1. Alyssa

2. Emerson

3. Alyssa

4. Emerson

5. Alyssa

6. Alyssa

7. Emerson

8. Alyssa

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Lorraine

THORN SNEAK PEAK

Copyright © 2020

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

To the Love in Lockdown authors for believing in my crazy little project and to you, for supporting us and allowing us to to our bit to help in a time of crisis.

xo

Blurb

I’ve got two vices in life.

Basketball

My best friend’s little sister.

I’ve managed to stay away from one of them, no matter how tempting.

She thinks I hate her. It was the easiest way to ensure she kept her distance.

But suddenly we’re forced into lockdown together in her family home and for the first time in my life, basketball isn’t going to be enough to distract me.

I need her, and her brother being only feet away isn’t going to stop me from claiming what should have been mine years ago.

Dear Reader,

LOCKE is a spin off novella from my ROSEWOOD HIGH series.

It’s a little bit of fiction from my fictional world. Don’t worry, senior year at Rosewood isn’t cancelled due to a virus!

1

Alyssa

With a quick hug to Lisa and Cami, I turn toward my car, ready for my last drive home from school for a while, if not ever.

None of us saw this coming, and it’s far from the end of the senior year we’d all imagined, but there’s not a lot we can do about it now. The world is kinda falling apart and if all it takes is staying at home to do our bit to help, then that is what I’ll do.

I can catch up with all the work I’m falling behind on, watch a few classes online from the comfort of my bed, and video chat with my friends like everything’s normal.

It’ll be easy.

“Hey, sweetie. How was your last day?” Mom asks when I walk into the kitchen and find her cooking dinner.

“Fine. Weird. Do you think we’ll get to go back?”

“I have no idea. We’ve got to trust that those who control this country know what they’re doing.”

“I guess so.” Walking up to the pan she’s stirring, I peer in. “Cooking for five thousand?”

I know crazy people have been out panic-buying as if the apocalypse is really upon us, but batch cooking seems a little extreme. We’ve got a pantry full of food at the best of times thanks to Mom’s coupon addiction. We’re not going to go hungry for a few years yet, I’m sure.

“Your brother’s on his way home from college.”

“Right?” This isn’t a shock. She told me this two days ago when it was announced that all schools and colleges were closing because of this pandemic.

“Emerson’s coming with him.” At just hearing his name, my heart damn near stops.

“Why isn’t he going to his house?”

“His dad is refusing to let him in.”

“That’s nice of him,” I mutter. Emerson is a prick, so I’m not all that surprised his parents don’t want him on lockdown with them.

“It’s not through choice, Alyssa. They’re worried about his mom’s condition and with their older age.”

Regret sits heavy in my stomach. I should have realized. “What does she have again?”

“Cystic fibrosis.”

“I know that makes her high risk, but why can’t he go home?”

“They’ve taken all the advice very seriously and are refusing anything that could be contaminated inside.”

“And that includes their son who has nowhere else to go?”

“They think it’s too big of a risk.”

“So where is he… oh, no, no, no. Mom, please tell me he’s not.”

“What was I supposed to do, Lys? They’ve been our neighbors since we moved here over twenty years ago and he’s been your brother’s best friend since they were in diapers. I could hardly turn him away at a time like this.”

“So you’re happy for him to come and infect us?”

“He’s no bigger risk to our family as you, me, your dad, or brother. We’ve all got to pull together at a time like this.”

“I understand that, Mom. I was fully prepared for distance learning and only seeing friends through a screen. But does he really have to stay here? Doesn’t he have an aunt or uncle or something? What about his older brothers and sisters?”

“I don’t know, Lys. I didn’t ask. I just offered to take him in when Fred called and expressed his concerns.”

“Well, that was very generous of you.” I pull the refrigerator open in a huff and reach for a can of soda.

“I know things are stressful right now, but it will be fine. He’ll be in the guest room or with your brother. You’ll be able to ignore him. Plus, a little birdie told me just how much work you’ve got to do, so you, madam, are going to be too busy to worry about what he's doing.” She narrows her eyes at me in disappointment.

“Miss Richards called you?” I ask with a wince.

“She sure did. She suggested we sit down and work out a schedule so you can make the best of this time because it might work in your favor as far as graduating is concerned.”

“Jesus, I’m not that far behind,” I mutter.

“Really?”

“Really. I know what I’m doing, Mom. I’ve got this.”

“Well, you better had because Maddison won’t want you if you fail. That offer they gave you is dependent on you graduating.”

“I know, I know.”

Her eyebrow lifts in warning, but she doesn’t say any more. That doesn’t mean I’m unaware that this isn’t the last I’m going to hear of it.

“How long until dinner?”

“Levi said they’d be about an hour.”

“Great,” I mutter, my voice flat. “I’ll go and get some work done then while I wait.”

“Start as you mean to go on, Lys.”

I utter words of agreement as I walk away, but really, all I feel is dread. Weeks locked in this house with them tormenting me at every turn is the last thing I need.

2

Emerson

“I get it. I do. But still, don’t you think it’s kinda fucked up? They could just strip you naked and spray you down with Lysol.”

“Oh yeah, because that’s less fucked up,” I mutter, staring out of Levi’s passenger window at the familiar surroundings as we head for home.

I didn’t give it two thoughts when we got word that the university was closing and sending us all home. I thought I’d just return to my childhood bedroom and wait out the next few weeks while trying not to get into a fight with my dad, and shooting hoops in the driveway like the good old days. What I wasn’t expecting was the teary phone call from my mom telling me that I couldn’t come back.

I knew she was at risk, I’m not stupid. I’ve lived with her illness my entire life. And my parents are older, having my siblings long before I was born. We’re doing this to protect the vulnerable and she is most definitely one of them. I just didn’t think the imposed self-isolation they put themselves into when the first cases were announced early last week would extend to not allowing me inside the house with them.

She told me that my brothers and sister had offered to have me, but like fuck do I want to go and put myself in the middle of their growing families. Being the youngest by quite a few years meant I’ve never had a great relationship with any of them. We’ve always been at totally different stages of our lives and right now is no different. They all seem to be scoring as many babies as I am hoops these days, and I have no desire to go and be a live-in nanny for any of them.

When Levi’s mom got wind of what was going on, thankfully, she wasted no time in demanding that Levi invite me to stay with them.

I was grateful; of course, I was. I’d much rather be stuck with Levi than my siblings. But moving into the Perkins’ house came with one issue I really didn’t need while we’re all locked up inside like a bunch of dysfunctional inmates.

His sister.

Alyssa Perkins has been under my skin since the moment my hormones started racing as a pre-teen, and no matter what, no matter who I fuck, she’s always fucking there. Her big, innocent blue eyes, her sinful curves, and her sharp mouth. She calls to me in the exact way she shouldn’t.

I’ve managed to stay away from her over the years. I’ve snapped at her, belittled her, told her she was young and stupid—which is laughable at best seeing as really there are only a few months between us. I’ve done everything I can to make her hate me in the hope she becomes less tempting. But as I sit here approaching the house, I can’t help my cock swelling with excitement that she’s going to be in touching distance for weeks, if not months, if this plays out like the experts are saying.

It’s wrong. So fucking wrong. Levi would kill me if he knew I’d been pining after her for all these years. But fuck. I want her.

My eyes lock onto my own home the moment Levi turns the car up our street. I wonder how the two people inside are really coping right now. Dad’s always wrapped Mom up in a protective bubble. I can only imagine what he’s like right now. A part of me is glad that I’m not about to find out, but then guilt washes that away. That is until Levi brings the car to a stop around the side of his house and movement in the window above catches my eye.

It’s her usual spot on her window seat. The one that looks out directly into my bedroom and has a great view of Levi’s homemade court.

I blow out a long breath. I don’t need to be able to see her to know she’s looking at me right now. I feel it.

“I know it sucks, man. We’ve just got to make the best of it. You can shout at them through the window from a distance, maybe.”

“It’s fine. We’ll just chat on the phone. They’re doing the right thing.” I don’t want him to think it’s something else that's bothering me, so I pretend to be pissed at my parents. In reality, I understand, and had it occurred to me first, I probably would have offered to go elsewhere to protect Mom myself. I just didn’t get the chance.

“Come on then. Mom’s cooking her specialty.” The thought of Leah’s homemade chili makes my stomach rumble.

The smell assaults me the second I follow Levi in through the back door and directly into the kitchen. It’s going to be the first homemade food I’ve had in months. Living in dorms with a load of other guys who only want to play ball, drink, or fuck doesn’t really lend itself to much culinary experimentation.

“You’re here,” Leah says, bouncing over and wrapping her arms around Levi. “Emerson, it’s so good to see you,” she says over his shoulder when she finds me standing somewhat awkwardly in the doorway.

This house has been like a second home to me. I’ve always felt relaxed here, but then again, I’ve never been locked inside for an unknown amount of time before.

“Thank you so much for having me.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re almost as much a part of this house as this one.” She roughs up Levi’s hair, much to his annoyance, before walking back to the kitchen. “I’ve made up the guest room for you. Why don’t you go and drop your stuff there? Dinner will be in ten minutes. Your dad’s just washing up from work.”

“Sounds good, Mom.”

Levi bends over to collect his bags before heading for the hallway. I go to do the same, but Leah stops me.

“They’re both okay over there, you know. I’ve been doing their shopping and leaving it on the porch. They’re just doing what they think is best.”

“I know. It’s the sensible thing to do. I can take over from here on out with shopping for them. You don’t need any more on your plate.”

“It’s really no problem.”

I smile at her. I know she’s stretching the truth. Both her and Gary are going to be working from home as of now, so the last thing she needs to do is run around town trying to find toilet paper for two households.

“I want to pull my weight while I’m here. Just tell me what you need and put me to work. Levi too.”

“That would be really great. Thank you. Now get out of here while I dish up.”

I nod and collect my things before climbing the stairs toward where I know she is.

Pushing the door to the guest room open, I’m hit with memories of my childhood. This used to be Levi’s room until he used his ‘I’m the oldest so I get the best room card’ and moved across the hall to the bedroom with the private bathroom. I can’t blame him, but right now I could really do without being in the room with the connecting bathroom to her bedroom. As if temptation isn’t going to be enough, she’s only a door away.

Images of walking into our adjoining bathroom and finding her standing under the shower, her curves on display for me to feast on, fill my mind, and my cock swells once more. What would she do? Would she scream and ensure Levi put an end to the situation with his fists, or would she allow me to join her?

I’m lost in my dirty imagination when a knock sounds on the door and Levi pokes his head inside, efficiently killing my semi with one look.

“Locke, you coming?”

I jump from the bed and follow him from the room. I’m more than ready to see her in person for the first time in months.

3

Alyssa

The deep rumble of their voices echoes through the house the second they walk in and my stomach drops with the realization that Mom wasn’t lying. Not that I thought she was, but a girl can hope.

As I walked to my room, I saw that the guest bedroom, the one next to mine, was all set up for our visitor. The first thing I did when I got to my own space was to twist the lock that allowed him access to the adjoining bathroom. Like fuck was I sharing my private space with him.

“Did you manage to get some work done?” Mom asks hopefully as I enter the living room. I keep my eyes on her as she places the serving spoons into the huge pan sitting in the center of the table. I refuse to give him any of my attention despite the fact his eyes are practically burning into my skin.

“Sure did,” I lie. In reality, I sat on my window seat and reminisced on all the dickhead things he and my brother have done to me over the years. Locking me out of my bedroom; damn, even the house one time. Reading my diary when I was at dance class and telling the entire school who I had a crush on. Stealing my toys, giving my dolls an unwanted haircut. The list of bullshit pranks was endless. I was never going to beat them, no matter how hard I tried. They were two legends of the basketball team; no one could touch them. And me? I was just the little sister. The little sister who was no good at sports and mostly had zero coordination. My skills lie in the art department, and while they were both ruling the school along with the football team, I was more than happy to hide behind a canvas.

I take the empty seat at the other end of the table and reach out for a spoonful of rice.

“It’s nice to see you, sis,” Levi says with what I assume would be a roll of his eyes if I were to look up.

“You too.”

I love my brother, I do. But usually when he’s alone. He’s never quite himself when he has company, whether that’s Emerson or anyone else.

“Thank you so much for having me, Gary. I really appreciate it.” His deep rumbling voice vibrates through me and my hand stills on its way toward the chili spoon. My eyes defy me, and I find myself looking up and straight at him.

He might have just spoken to my dad who’s sitting beside me, but his eyes are firmly fixed on me.

My mouth goes dry and I fight to swallow.

“It’s no problem, son,” Dad mumbles around a mouthful of food.

“How are you, Lys? School good?” he asks, but I can’t imagine he really gives a shit.

“Fantastic.” I give him a fake smile and force my eyes away from his intense light-blue ones.

Butterflies erupt in my belly as his stare remains on me. It might be the case that I hate him for all the dickhead moves he’s made over the years, but the fact remains that he’s drop-dead fucking gorgeous and is the only guy who’s ever really interested me.

I used to spend hours sitting on my window seat watching the two of them shoot hoops down the driveway, or keep my light off and peer around the drapes directly into his bedroom at him when he’d forgotten to close his own.

There are two very good reasons that the girls at Rosewood High used to chase him around like a lost puppy: the six-pack and the V lines I’ve had the pleasure of running my eyes over on many occasions.

My temperature starts to increase as I picture him jogging around the driveway with his shirt off, his skin glistening with sweat.

Fucking hell, Alyssa. Fantasizing over him while he’s living in the room next door is the last thing I need to be doing.

“So how was your last week of college?” Mom asks, turning all attention away from me. Both Levi and Emerson chat away about what they’ve been up to and the work they’ve been assigned while they’re here. I hardly listen to any of it. Instead, I eat my dinner and make my excuse of having work to do so I can run away.

“Lys, you’ve got weeks to be doing all that. Why don’t you spend the night with us? We can have a movie night or something,” Dad says, halting my escape.

“Yes,” Mom chirps up. “I bought popcorn and ice cream. It’ll be like old times.”

The excitement on her face means I don’t have much of a choice. “Sounds great. I’m just going to change and I’ll be back down in a bit. Don’t let Levi choose the movie,” I warn, knowing his addiction to scary movies.

Everyone laughs, but no one agrees. Bunch of weirdos; they all love having the shit scared out of them. I, however, prefer to be able to sleep after watching a movie and not sit in the middle of my bed with the light on, scared out of my wits.

By the time I return, all four of them are sitting on the couches, the drapes are pulled shut and there are bowls of snacks adorning the coffee table, despite the fact we all just ate our body weight in Mom’s chili.

I glance around at my options. Mom and Dad are on their usual couch and Levi seems to have taken control of the love seat I usually curl up in.

My lips purse in anger and I storm over.

“Get out of my seat, asswipe.”

“Um…” He moves slightly as if he’s actually going to do something I say, and I start to wonder if Hell has frozen over. But before his ass leaves the cushion, he looks up at me and laughs. “No. Sit over there.” He nods his head over my shoulder toward the couch Emerson is currently sitting on alone.

“No. He’s your friend. You sit with him.” My hands land on my hips as I wait.

“This is my seat. It was mine before I went to college and now I’m back, it’s mine again. So suck it the fuck up.”

“Levi,” Mom chastises.

“You’re serious?”

“Deadly. Now sit your ass down; the movie I chose is about to start.”

“I fucking hate you,” I mutter, quietly enough that our parents don’t hear.

“Aw, I’m so glad to be spending time with you too, sis.”

Sulking, I fall down on the other end of the couch that Emerson has made himself at home on, keeping as much space between us as possible. It’s not all that easy, seeing as it’s the smaller of the two couches and he’s fucking huge.

I sit ramrod straight as the movie starts. It’s barely begun and we’re trailing some figure through a darkened room. The music is eerie and I’m instantly on edge.

Despite knowing that it’s about to scare the living shit out of me, I can’t tear my eyes away from the screen.

“ARGH, my god,” I scream when something jumps out of the shadows and launches themselves at the person holding the camera.

My brother barks out a laugh as I lift my feet up onto the couch, pulling a cushion onto my lap to hug as if it might protect me.

“You’re a fucking pussy.”

“Levi, language.”

It’s only been a few hours and already Levi looks about ready to head back to college. He ignores our parents and turns his attention back to the TV.

“It scared the crap out of me too,” comes quietly from beside me.

“You don’t need to try to make me feel better.”

“I’m not.”

Suddenly the movie has stopped, and Levi is pushing from my seat. “I need a beer. Please, tell me you’ve got beer.”

“Of course,” Dad says like it’s the most ridiculous question in the world.

“Locke?”

“Please.”

Levi’s at the door before I clear my throat.

“What?” he asks, reluctantly turning back to me.

“I’ll have one too please.”

“You can’t, you’re too young.”

“I’m eighteen. You’re only nineteen,” I point out just to piss him off.

“Right. As in, older than you.”

“Just get her one,” Dad orders, much to my satisfaction.

“You still sure you want to stay here?” Mom asks Emerson.

He chuckles. “Yeah. It might be fun.”

I scoff, successfully causing his eyes to turn to me.

“What?” I bark, spinning to look at him. His eyes drop from mine in favor of my chest. I’m only wearing a tank with inbuilt support, so as his stare holds and my nipples begin to pebble under his attention it’s instantly obvious.

“Emerson,” I whisper. “My eyes are up here.”

“Huh. Yeah, I know. You’re looking really good these days, Lys.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re actually hitting on me while Levi’s in the kitchen? Jesus.”

“What? No. I was just pointing out that being a senior looks good on you.”

“Whatever,” I say, turning back toward the TV that I don’t really want to watch. But his stare is doing things to me. Butterflies are erupting in my belly faster than I can control and like hell do I want him to know that his words are affecting me in any way.

4

Emerson

The movie was shit. It was meant to be scary, but it fell a little short of the mark; well for me at least. It was another story entirely for Alyssa, who jumped at every loud noise, let alone anything that was meant to be even a little terrifying.

I found myself watching her more than I did the movie. Her pink tank hugged her full tits and when she hugged the cushion to her stomach, it pushed them up in the most incredible way. All I could think about was dropping my lips to them and seeing if she tasted as sweet as I always imagined she might.

When she got to her fourth beer that she’d managed to sneak in after her parents cut her off at two, she started to relax. She curled her legs up beneath her and as time passed, she seemed to get closer to me and the temptation to reach out to touch her was all I could think about.

“Who wants another?” Levi asks when the end credits start to roll.

“I think it’s bedtime for us oldies,” Leah says, pushing up from the couch and collecting the empty glasses and bottles. When she picks up four from beside Alyssa, she gives her a hard stare, but instead of chastising her, she just whispers, “Don’t let your dad find out.”

With a laugh and a knowing wink, she leaves us to it.

“If you think I’m sitting through another one of those, then you must be even stupider than I thought,” Alyssa barks at Levi who innocently selects the horror section and starts searching through options. “I have no idea how I’m supposed to put up with you all this time.”

She pushes herself from the couch but much to my surprise, using my thigh as her hand rest. My muscles tense as her fingers grip slightly.

“I’m done. Don’t mind, do you?” She looks to me and then at my new bottle of beer that’s sitting on the coffee table. I don’t get a chance to answer because she has it to her lips, taking a long drag before giving me one last look and disappearing, but that’s not before I get a chance to check out her ass in her yoga pants.

“You about finished?” Levi asks, noticing what’s caught my attention.

“What?” I ask innocently. I’ve caught him checking out my sister on more than one occasion before she moved out and got married. Granted, there was not a chance in hell of him ever banging her seeing as there’s a six-year age gap, but still.

He forces me to endure another less than scary movie before I call it a night and head up to my new bedroom.

The second I step foot in the room, I know she’s still awake because the sound of soft music coming from her room filters in and there’s a light coming from the gap under the bathroom door.

Closing the door, I pull my shirt over my head and drop my jeans. I throw them both on the chair in the corner of the room beside my small bag, telling myself that I’ll unpack it tomorrow.

I walk over to the bathroom door, stop and listen to see if she’s inside but I can’t hear anything over the beat of her music, so trying my luck, I push the handle down.

Locked.

Finding something to pick the lock with, I open it as quietly as I can and once again push down on the handle, only this time the door opens.

I find her standing at the sink, toothbrush in hand, and much to my delight she’s only in her tank and a tiny pair of panties.

“I thought I locked that.”

“You did.”

She turns from looking at me in the mirror over her shoulder, but her eyes don’t stay on mine, instead, they drop down my naked torso, lingering on my abs before dropping down to my cock that’s threatening to go full mast.

“Well, then you should have taken it as a hint that I didn’t want you in here. There’s a perfectly good bathroom for you to use down the hall.”

“But I wanted to use this one.”

“Why?” One hand lands on her hip and her back straightens. I think it’s meant to be in defiance, but all I notice is how her breasts push out, her nipples tightening behind the thin fabric.

“Because it has something in it that I want.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that? My girly shower gel?”

“As much as I like that sweet smell, that wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“Oh?”

I take a step toward her and her breath catches.

“Emerson?” she asks, her voice cracking as I close the space between us.

I come to a stop right in front of her. Her chest heaves, her breasts swelling even more with her arousal. Fuck, I’d love to know how wet she is for me right now.

“Yeah. It seems I forgot my toothbrush. Do you mind?” Before she has a chance to answer, I’ve plucked the pink brush from her hand and I’ve got it in my mouth.

“Ew, there’s something fucking wrong with you. You do know that, right?”

I shrug.

“Ugh, you’re infuriating. What’s it going to take to make you leave me alone?”

I finish brushing and rinse out her brush before dropping it into the little tumbler I assume it belongs in.

I turn on her and step closer. She stumbles back a little but doesn’t get very far because she hits the doorjamb to her room. “Oh, baby. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Lifting a hand, I trail one fingertip along the strap of her tank before moving across the front, loving the softness of the swell of her breasts.

She gasps as I make contact, her nipples fighting against the fabric.

“And I don’t think you want me to leave you alone.” I lean forward, resting one hand on the wall beside her so I can whisper my next words in her ear. “I could make you come so much better than you could alone.”

“I highly doubt that. Anyone with an ego the size of yours is clearly hiding something. Maybe it’s your incredibly tiny cock.”

Taking her wrist, I press her hand to my fully erect cock.

“Fuck,” she gasps, but to my delight she doesn’t immediately pull away. Instead, her fingers wrap around me ever so slightly.

“Mmm,” I moan into her ear. She shudders as my breath tickles over her skin. “Don’t deny what you really want, Lys. When you’re ready to admit it, I’ll be in that room right there. And, I won’t even lock the door.”

“Well, rest assured, I’ll be barricading mine shut.”

“You know you don’t mean that.” Reluctantly, I release her wrist and she almost immediately pulls it away. I miss her touch instantly.

Pulling back, I look into her eyes. The usual dark blue is almost black with desire. My palm brushes over her hip, then pushes the fabric of her tank up so we’re skin on skin, coming to rest on her waist.

I search her eyes, trying to find if there’s any part of her that's actually against this. Thankfully, I find none. She might be fighting me this time, but it’s only the beginning, because before my time here is done, she’s going to find herself writhing beneath me and crying out my name.

Releasing my hold on her, I back out of the room. But at no point do I take my eyes from hers.

“Just remember, I’m only on the other side of the door when you’re unable to satisfy yourself in a few minutes.”

“You’re deluded.”

“What? You think I don’t know you’re wet for me right now?” Her cheeks heat a bright red, telling me what I already knew. “Exactly. ‘Night, baby.”

I turn, hook my thumbs into the waistband of my boxers and push the fabric down until it pools at my ankles. Kicking them away, I leave the door wide open and look back over my shoulder before climbing into my temporary bed. She’s still standing exactly where I left her with her lips parted and her chest heaving.

5

Alyssa

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my fucking god.

My head spins and my heart pounds in my chest almost as much as my clit does between my legs.

That was not what I was expecting when I discovered the news about our new lodger earlier. In all honesty, I thought he’d mostly ignore me aside from a few well-timed insults. It’s how it usually works when Levi and Emerson are together. And I guess that was true when we were downstairs. But when we were alone… fuck.

I cast my mind back, trying to pinpoint a time when we might have been left alone previously, but nothing comes to mind.

Angry with myself for how he basically just had me eating from the palm of his hands, I step forward and slam the door shut, effectively ending our little moment of… whatever that was.

My skin tingles as I recall how it felt having his fingers on me. How I immediately reacted to his touch, and how he’s totally right. I’m so wet for him right now it’s not even funny.

I make use of the toilet before shutting the door to my room, hoping that having two between us will help block out memories of what just happened.

Despite being exhausted, I toss and turn for hours, unable to get images of him lying in bed just on the other side of the bathroom out of my head. Is he touching himself and thinking of me? Or was all of that a joke?

By the time I wake the next morning, the sun is streaming through my too thin drapes and the sound of a ball bouncing outside my window takes me back a year or two. I almost missed it when Levi moved to college. But as I lay here listening to the incessant banging, I remember just how annoying it is.

Throwing the covers off, I push myself from the bed and walk over to the window. I pull the curtains open and look down at the driveway, expecting to find my brother practicing his already pretty impressive skills. He didn’t get a fully paid ride at Maddison for nothing. But I don’t find Levi hitting hoop after hoop. Instead, it’s Emerson moving around our makeshift basketball court wearing only a pair of shorts and his sneakers. He dribbles the ball for a few seconds before making a shot. He barely even looks up. Oh, to make something seem quite so easy.

Enthralled, watching his body move so elegantly and the sun shining off his sweat-damp skin, I take a seat and get my fill of him.

I lose track of time as I watch, but eventually, as if he knows I’m here, he looks directly up at me, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. Lifting his hand, he pulls his cap from his head and replaces it after smoothing his hair back.

I’m tempted to open the window and say something, but not wanting to look like he’s affecting me, I stand and walk away. It pains me to do so, especially when the sound of the bouncing ball rings through the room.

After making use of the bathroom, and once again locking his door from the inside—not that it’ll stop him, but hopefully it'll piss him off a little—I pull on my yoga pants and make my way downstairs for a much-needed coffee.

I spot Mom and Dad sitting on the swing seat in the yard. From some of the conversations I’ve overheard recently, they’re planning on digging some new flowerbeds and putting a deck area at the bottom of the lawn or something. I watch as Dad points down the yard while the coffee machine does its thing. I’m grateful they get along so well, even after all the years they’ve been together. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be stuck inside your house right now with fighting parents.

I grab a croissant from the bag sitting on the counter and take that and my coffee up to my room. I might have a load of schoolwork to do, but I plan on spending the day working on my art project. I probably should leave it until last as a kind of reward for getting caught up, but losing myself with my paint, especially after the events of last night, is too tempting.

I don’t look out the window as I pass, but I do notice the continuous bounce of the ball outside has ceased. Placing my mug and plate down, I head for the bathroom to shower while my coffee cools.

I’m busy pulling my tank over my head as I walk into the bathroom, so I don’t notice that someone is standing in the middle of the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

“And to think, I thought you were going to make it harder on me to get what I want.”

My mouth opens and closes, much like a fish as I clutch my tank to my chest, hiding my breasts from him as my eyes take on a life of their own and drop to his still shower-damp chest.

“I… uh…”

“Not content with the little show you were watching outside then, huh? Wanted a closer look?”

“What? No. I didn’t know you were in here.”

“Really? I wasn’t hiding, baby.” A warmth spreads through me at his use of that nickname once again.

“Really. I have no interest in… this.” I point to his body and he laughs.

“You’re a really bad liar, do you know that?”

I fume, my lips pursing in frustration, anger starting to lick at my insides and mingle with the desire that I’m trying to ignore.

“Can you get out of my bathroom, please?”

“Our bathroom, you mean?”

“No. I mean mine. I already told you there is a perfectly good one down the hall for you to use. There is no reason for you to be in here.”

“I disagree. I’ve got one very big reason to be in here.” He takes a step closer and the scent of his shower gel fills my nose and makes my mouth water.

He lifts one hand. I almost expect him to rip my top from my body, but much to my surprise, instead he gently tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. His fingers tickle against my skin and I’m powerless to do anything else but shudder at his contact.

“I know today wasn’t the first time you’ve watched me from your window. I’ve felt your stare every time you’ve done it. I always know when you’re looking at me. Just like I know that you know when I’m looking at you. There’s always been something here, Lys. You can’t tell me that you haven’t felt it.”

My chin drops. “But you don’t like me.” I hate that I sound vulnerable. I don’t need to look at his face to know I’ve just given too much away with that one statement.

He chuckles, and the sound hits me right in the chest. “I was only lying to myself, baby.”

I gasp and he makes the most of my reaction.

His lips brush so gently against mine that my hands almost forget about covering myself up in my need to grab him and pull him against me.

His fingers that were still lingering on my neck, slip up into my hair as he deepens the kiss. A moan rumbles up his throat and it’s my undoing.

I release the fabric my hands are clinging to, but it doesn’t drop; our bodies are too tightly pressed together.

I find the damp skin of his back as his tongue slips between my lips.

Pushing me backward, I bump up against the wall. He continues forward until every possible inch of us is touching. His hard length pushes against my stomach and a wave of heat rushes south at knowing I turn him on like this.

His lips leave mine and trail across my jaw and down my neck. He sucks and nips at the sensitive skin and I moan in pleasure.

“Emerson, is this a joke?”

He stills for a beat and I worry that I’ve just hit the nail on the head. He hasn’t even been here twenty-four hours yet, and he’s driven me to this already. Is it a bet? Am I a challenge? Did he think it might entertain him for a few weeks to see if he could seduce me? Well, that failed because apparently I’m easy when it comes to the boy I’ve had a crush on for as long as I can remember.

He pulls back and looks at me. Really looks at me.

“What makes you think that?”

“Because you’ve never come anywhere near me before. Yet one day here and… well.” I gesture at our current position and laugh.

“I’ve imagined doing this a million times, Lys. But time’s up. I can’t ignore it any longer.”

My brow furrows.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Why would I? You’ve gone out of your way for years to make it well known you can’t stand me.”

“I had to.”

“Why?”

“You think Levi would be happy with this?”

“It doesn’t seem to be bothering you right now, while you’re living in the same house as him.”

“Maybe I’ve decided that it’s worth the risk.”

“What if he kicks you out? What if he walks away from you?”

“Then that’s his decision. I can’t influence how he feels. The only thing I can do is act on how I feel, and right now, I’m fed up of pretending. Bored of convincing him that I think you’re his annoying little sister, when in reality I spend most of my nights wishing you were beside me.”

Lost for words, the silence rings out between us.

“Prove it.”

His fingers wrap around my wrists and he removes my hands from him and places them back on the fabric covering my chest. Then he takes a huge step back.

His cock tents the towel and my fingers twitch to rip it from his waist and experience all of him. I’ve watched him for years running around topless, but I’ve yet to discover what he’s hiding down there.

“W- what are you doing?”

“Proving it. I’m walking away. Showing you that you mean more to me than a quick fuck to waste some time.”

“But—”

“No buts. I could take you right now, hard and fast against that wall, and you know it. But that’s not what this is about. I want you, Lys. Not just your body for my pleasure. I. Just. Want. You.” With those final words, he walks from the bathroom and closes the door behind him.

Holy shit.

6

Alyssa

It’s been five days since he made me that promise in the bathroom and five long days since we’ve been alone together. Every morning I wake to the sound of him outside with a ball while I stay locked in my bedroom attempting to do as I said I would and catch up on my schoolwork, alongside doing all the new stuff my teachers are putting up online.

That’s not to say he’s allowed me to forget those two moments we’ve had. Every time he walks past me, he trails his fingertips across my skin. Whether it be the small of my back or to very briefly twist our fingers together, he makes it known that he's not forgotten his promise.

When we had another family movie night last night, he even managed to hold my hand behind the cushion I was hugging. It was the sweetest thing and it had me thinking that maybe it was the beginning of something else. But when I excused myself up to bed, he didn’t join me, and it was hours later when I heard him come to his room.

It’s driving me crazy knowing that he’s right there every night, but I’m not yet desperate enough to go walking in in the middle of the night.

A soft knock sounds at my door. Pulling my earbuds out, I call for whoever it is to enter. I want it to be him, but I know that he wouldn’t have knocked, he’d have just barged his way inside.

“Hey, sweetie. You’ve been up here all day. Why don’t you come and get some fresh air with me? I made smoothies,” my mom says.

“Sure.” Pushing my laptop onto the bed, I climb off.

“How’s it going?”

“Pretty well. I’m not going to fail, Mom. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I know you won’t. You’re too stubborn to allow that to happen. You just make me panic at times.”

I follow her down to the yard and we take a seat at the table where she’s laid out her promised smoothie and a huge bowl of fruit. But that’s not the most incredible sight. At the end of the garden, Dad, Levi, and more importantly, Emerson are all topless and digging Mom’s new flowerbed.

“Not a bad view from here, eh?” she asks, looking over at them. Dad might have a few years on Levi and Emerson, but as a PT he’s still very much in shape.

“Ew, Mom. One’s my dad and the other my brother.” I grimace.

“There’s a third, you know?” Something in her tone has me turning to look at her.

“What?”

“Don’t think I don’t know there’s something going on there.”

My chin drops. “Mom, I don’t know what—”

“I saw him holding your hand last night.”

My cheeks heat and I cast my eyes to the patio, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. “Oh.”

“So how long has something been going on?”

“There isn’t anything going on,” I say, almost honestly. At that moment, he looks over his shoulder and the smile that brightens up his face when he sees me makes me melt.

“Oh yeah, nothing’s going on.” Mom chuckles. “That’s not the look of a guy who’s not interested, Lys.”

“Mom,” I squeal. Not all that impressed with the topic of this conversation.

“What? I’m just saying.”

“Yeah, well don’t.”

“What are you so worried about?”

I stare at her. Is she really encouraging this?

“Um… everything. Levi for a start. The fact we’ve been forced into isolation together. You and Dad.”

“Levi just wants the two of you to be happy. If he has a problem with it, then he’ll just have to get over it. Your dad and I don’t have an issue as long as you’re discreet and sensible.” She winks and I want the ground to swallow me up. “Our house isn’t a knocking shop, you know.”

I groan. “Mom, seriously.”

“I am being serious. I think he really likes you. We’re all in a shit situation right now, especially Emerson with his concern about his mom. I don’t see something positive coming out of it all as a bad thing. Plus, who knows where it could lead. One day he could be an official part of this family.”

I drop my head into my hands. We’ve only had one kiss and Mom’s here talking about marriage.

“He’s a good boy, Lys. You could do a lot worse is all I’m saying.”

“If you’d heard some of the stories I have, then you might have a different opinion on him.”

“Boys will be boys. Your dad was one of the guys back in the day too, so I know exactly what they’re like.”

Lifting my smoothie, I sit back and rest my feet on the table leg as I take a sip, my eyes wandering to Emerson once again. The weather is gorgeous. The sun reflects off his sweat-damp skin and his muscles flex as he forces the shovel into the pile of mud he’s shifting. I bite down on my bottom lip, remembering just how he tasted when his tongue danced with mine.

“Oh, you are so gone for him,” Mom jokes, much to my horror.

“What? No. I’m not…”

“Oh, come off it. Give him a chance. You never know what could come of it.”

Regrets and heartbreak?

I manage to keep the words inside, but I can’t help but feel the weight of them pressing down on me. He’s at college and I’m just a high school kid, not to mention his best friend’s little sister. It's a recipe for disaster.

“I’m going to do some work. Enjoy the view,” she says with a wink, and after collecting what’s left of her own smoothie, she disappears inside.

Pulling my cell from my pocket, I lift it up and zoom in on Emerson. I snap a picture and immediately send it to the group chat I’ve got with the girls.

Jealous?

I’ve told them that he’s staying here for the foreseeable when we had a video chat the other night, but I haven’t mentioned anything happening.

I get a series of staring and drooling gifs back before Lisa asks for another of my brother.

Shaking my head and smiling, I take a sip of my drink when a shadow falls over me.

“Something funny?”

“Yeah, I just sent a picture of you to my friends.”

“And that’s funny, why?”

“Because all they really want is a picture of Levi.” A smirk spreads across my lips when his brow furrows.

“Good.”

My eyes widen in shock, I thought that was going to hit his giant ego on its ass.

“That means I’m all yours.”

“Um…”

“Are you busy after dinner?” he asks, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Oh… let me think. I was going to spend a little time in the living room, then maybe have a trip around the garden, before visiting my bedroom.”

“Smartass. You’re mine after dinner so cancel all those crazy plans.”

Every muscle south of my waist clenches in desire.

“O- okay.”

He’s gone as fast as he arrived and when I look up, I find that Dad and Levi have vanished as well.

I sit in the sun a while longer messaging with the girls and when I hear Mom start preparing dinner, I head inside to help.

“What’s on the menu tonight?”

“Enchiladas.”

My stomach rumbles at the thought alone.

“Awesome, put me to work then.”

Mom has me chopping veggies and grating cheese. It’s almost enough to distract me from Levi and Emerson’s voices filtering down from the living room where they’re hanging out, but I can’t help straining to hear what they’re talking about.

“I think that’s done, Lys,” Mom says with a laugh. When I look down, I notice that I’ve chopped the onion so finely it could be called paste soon.

“You said fine,” I mutter with a shrug.

“It’s perfect. Here, want to make a jug of margaritas to go with?”

“Yes,” I say a little over excitedly.

“Not too strong though.”

I pull up a recipe on my cell and follow the instructions.

“I’m going to put this out on the table and quickly check my emails. The enchiladas only have ten minutes to go. Could you take them out for me?”

“Of course.”

Mom disappears, leaving me in the empty kitchen. I bend over, resting my elbows on the counter, and stare down at my cell. I’m scrolling through Instagram, looking at various pictures of my school friends out in their yards, enjoying lockdown in the sun while working on their tans or splashing around in their pools. Living in Florida right now sure does have its advantages. I briefly think about people who are stuck inside due to cold and wet weather outside. It must make all of this so much harder to deal with.

We’re lucky; aside from school being canceled and being stuck in the house, not all that much has changed for me. Mom can still work, Dad is doing virtual PT sessions with his clients, and aside from Emerson’s mom and dad, who we’re keeping an eye on, we don’t have any relatives to worry about. We lost all our grandparents over the past ten years, and both Mom and Dad’s siblings live their own lives in different states.

Something tickling up the back of my thigh startles me and when I turn around, I find Emerson staring down at me with a smile on his face.

“Well that was some sight to walk into. You’ve got a fine ass, baby.”

My cheeks heat as I push up on tiptoes to look over his shoulder to ensure no one’s looking.

“He’s upstairs. It’s just you and me right now.”

I bite down on my bottom lip, but it doesn’t remain there as Emerson lifts his thumb and frees it.

“Mine,” he whispers, brushing his lips against mine.

“We can’t. Anyone could…” I don’t get to say anymore as he presses me back against the counter and steals a sweet kiss.

He steps away just in time for Mom to breeze into the room.

“Everything okay in here?” She looks between the two of us with amusement.

“Uh… y- yeah. I was just going to get—”

“It’s fine. I’ve got it. You two go and sit down.”

Reaching down, Emerson interlinks our fingers and pulls me from the room.

“Thanks, Mom,” I call, although I’m not sure if I’m thanking her for dinner or for being so cool about this.

Dinner is torturous at best. Emerson ensures he sits right beside me, and so close that his thigh rests against mine the entire meal. Every time he’s not eating, his fingers tickle and tease the skin that’s not covered by my denim skirt. A couple of times he got so high that I thought he was going to go all the way in front of my entire family, but just as my breath caught each time, he’d lower his fingers once again.

I refused to look at him but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t sense his amusement. He chatted away to my parents and brother like all was normal, but I’m sure they’d think very differently if they knew what was happening only feet from them.

“Meet me at the gate in the yard in thirty minutes.”

“We can’t. We can’t go out.”

“We’re not going out out. Trust me.”

I race up to my room and spend the entire thirty minutes redoing my hair and makeup while debating what I should wear.

In the end, I leave on my skirt and tank, but I do replace the underwear that’s beneath for something a little sexier. I’ve no idea if he’s intending on seeing it, but I want to be prepared just in case.

Slipping my feet into my sneakers, I drop my cell into my pocket and take a breath. Butterflies flutter around my stomach at not knowing what he has planned, but I fully trust him.

I don’t see anyone as I make my way out of the house and my heart drops when I get to the back gate and find that he’s not there.

I’m just about to run back inside and hide in my room to pretend I never showed up when I hear footsteps on the other side.

Suddenly the gate opens and standing in the gap is Emerson. He’s dressed exactly as he was earlier in a pair of grey sweats and his Maddison basketball jersey.

“Hey,” I say shyly.

He reaches out and tugs me through the gap before shutting the gate like we were never there.

My chest presses against his and his arm comes around my waist. He pulls me even tighter to him. His warmth seeps into me and the nerves and anticipation that have been running rampant in my body the last few days settles immediately.

“Are you ready for your night out?”

I stare up at him; gazing at the same gorgeous face I’ve looked at most of my life, but seeing him for what feels like the first time. His own nerves are obvious—something I’ve never seen on him before—and it makes me wonder if the Emerson I’ve experienced before has all been an act.

“I am,” I whisper eventually, remembering that he asked me a question.

Finding my hand, he tugs me into the trees behind our house. As kids we spent hours in here, making dens and playing hide and seek. It was our place.

I smile as we make our way through, twigs snapping underfoot and dry leaves rustling.

“Where are we going?” I know these woods like the back of my hand but as he maneuvers us to an unknown location, it seems that I’m not the only one, because he clearly has a destination in mind.

Some light shines through the trees beyond and I narrow my eyes to see what it might be. But as we get closer and I see what he’s done for the first time, I realize that no amount of imagination could have conjured this up.

Somehow, he’s tied up a sheet between a few trees to make it look like a tent. There are fairy lights everywhere and the floor is littered with what looks like hundreds of candles.

“Emerson,” I breathe, not able to take my eyes off the small piece of paradise in the woods he’s created. “You did all this?”

“Yes and no. I had a little help,” he admits.

I’m about to ask who when it dawns on me. “My mom.”

“She supplied me with all the props. I just did the leg work.”

“It’s incredible.”

“Coming in?” he asks, holding his hand out for me and walking toward our makeshift tent.

I allow him to pull me inside before I drop to my knees and crawl so I can lay down beside him.

“I- I can’t believe all of this.”

“Do you know how many times I’ve imagined sneaking off with you in here and having my wicked way with you?”

“No, I really don’t.”

“Hmmm,” he says, leaning toward me and brushing his nose against mine. “Maybe I should show you then.”

He moves closer still until I fall onto my back on the blankets he laid out under here. His palm cups my cheek before he lowers his lips to mine.

It starts out slow, sweet, tender, but as nice as it is, I need more. I need the man who cornered me in the bathroom the other night. I need the bad boy as well as the sweet guy who made us a little den.

Reaching out, I find the hem of his jersey and push the fabric up so I can run my hand up his bare back. His skin erupts in goose bumps and I can’t help but smile as our kiss continues.

I pull my nails down his back lightly and he growls, encouraging me to go further.

“Off,” I mutter against his lips.

I regret it the second he pulls his lips from mine, but it’s only for a brief moment as the fabric passes between us, because then he’s back. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and his hand skims up from my waist until he’s palming my breast. My back arches, trying to get more of his touch.

Moving over me, he drops one knee between my thighs, but it’s not close enough for me to get anywhere near the friction I need.

“Emerson,” I moan when he pulls his lips from mine in favor of my neck.

“Yes, baby?”

“I need…” My words trail off, not really knowing what it is I actually need.

“Tell me. It’s yours.”

“More. I need more.”

“My pleasure,” he says with a chuckle.

His fingers slide under my tank, the fabric pushing up my stomach until it’s over my bra. My breasts feel heavy and swollen in the confines of my bra and I almost beg for him to remove it.

He looks up at me. His usually light-blue eyes are dark with desire. “If you need me to stop, all you’ve got to do is say the word.”

I nod, unable to say anything. I’m too lost in his dark stare.

“Lift your arms.”

I do as I’m told and in moments my tank is on the ground and his kiss is brushing across the swell of my breasts.

“So sweet,” he murmurs, kissing lower and along the lace trim of each cup.

My fingers thread into his hair, holding him in place as his lips drive me crazy.

His eyes find mine. His eyelids are heavy with lust and I feel a bolt of electricity race through me knowing that I caused it. Fingers tickle along my bra strap and he mouths, “Okay?” before I lift enough for him to undo the clasp.

I want to sigh with relief when the fabric is pulled away from me, but the look of pure adoration on Emerson’s face as he stares down at me from his seated position distracts me from anything but this moment between us.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers, the emotion in his voice hitting me right in the chest.

I don’t get a chance to respond because no sooner has he said the words, does he lean forward once again. He circles his tongue around one of my nipples and my back arches from the blanket in pleasure.

“Oh fuck,” I moan as he ups the ante and sucks it into his hot mouth.

Moving to the other side, he gives that one the same treatment until I’m moaning and writhing beneath him.

“Emerson,” I moan, pulling at his hair impossibly hard when he moves to pull back.

“Anyone ever done that to you before?”

My cheeks heat, but I doubt he can see as I’m flushed from head to toe right now. Shaking my head, a huge smile spreads across his lips.

“Do I get to give you your firsts?”

I stare at him sitting astride my thighs, his chest heaving, his incredible torso on display, and the huge bulge in his sweats more than obvious.

I do that to him. Me. The annoying little sister I always thought he hated.

“Y- yes,” I admit.

“I don’t fucking deserve this.”

“Says who?”

“A lot of people. Most of which I hope you never meet,” he says with a laugh. “Now, where were we?” He shimmies down my body a little, dropping sweet kisses down my stomach until he reaches the waistband of my skirt. I expect him to undo the button and pull it down my legs, but when I lift my hips he just pushes it up.

“Fuck,” he groans, staring down at my white lace panties. “Could you be any more perfect?”

“I don’t know. I guess you’d better find out.” The words shock me. I thought I’d be nervous in this situation, but being here with Emerson, I’m totally relaxed about what’s about to happen. There’s only excitement, with maybe a little apprehension. But I’m not at all scared or worried about what’s to come. I already know he’s going to treat me right.

His fingers brush the outside of my thighs before they wrap around the thin sides of my panties and tug.

Nerves shoot up my spine, but the moment he parts my knees, looks down at my core and licks his lips, I forget about my lack of experience and just focus on the hands-on lesson I’m about to get.

“Jesus, I want to taste you so fucking bad.” His voice is rough and deep and it pulls at things inside me I didn’t know existed.

“Do it.”

I’ve barely got the words out, and he’s flat on his belly, sliding his hands under my ass and teasing at my folds with the tip of his tongue.

“Emerson. Fuck. Shit.”

“Oh, baby. That’s nothing yet.” His voice vibrates through, making my pussy flutter with need.

“Oh fuck,” I squeal as he flattens his tongue against my clit. He teases, circles, nips, and sucks, and it drives me fucking crazy. My hips lift in my need for more, but he never lets up. Not once.

When I feel like my body is about to shatter into a million pieces, he slows his pace, drops a little lower and gently pushes his tongue inside.

“Oh. Oh. Oh,” I chant as he slowly circles before heading back for my clit. Only a moment later, his hand leaves my ass and his fingers push inside me. The feeling of him is incredible. My pussy convulses as it tries to suck him in deeper.

“Oh, that’s so hot, baby. I can’t wait until you’re dragging my cock in like that.”

The image of him moving inside me is the last piece of the puzzle I needed to push me over the edge.

“Emerson,” I cry as lights flash behind my eyes and my body takes on a life of its own as I thrash about completely consumed by pleasure.

When I come back to myself, I find him sitting between my legs with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Proud of yourself?”

“You have no fucking idea, baby.”

He looms over me, slips his hand under the back of my neck, and fixes his lips over mine. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, and the taste of myself on his tongue mixes with his own and sends aftershocks of pleasure through my body.

“See how sweet you taste?”

All I can do is smile. It seems like it might now be a permanent fixture on my face. It certainly will be if he plans on doing that to me often.

“Here,” he says, passing me my discarded clothing. “We should get back.”

“Uh… what?”

“We don’t want Levi to come looking for us.”

I glance down at my mostly naked body and realize he’s probably right.

“But…” My eyes drop to his tented sweats.

“We’ve got all the time in the world, baby. This was about you.”

My heart swells. “Have you always been this sweet guy?”

“I hide him well.”

“You don’t say. I thought you were a bit of a dick.”

“I thought you had the hots for me,” he jokes.

“Don’t you know what they say about the bad boys?” I ask, my eyebrows wiggling.

“Yeah, they give the best orgasms.”

I bark out a laugh. “God, I was right about one thing.”

His eyebrow lifts.

“Your ego knows no bounds.”

“Baby, when you squeal like that, how could it not?”

I sigh.

“Don’t pout, it doesn’t suit you.”

“I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t get to return the favor.”

“See, this is why I love you. I—” His eyes go wide as he realizes what he just said. “I mean… uh…”

Sitting myself up, I wrap my hands around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. Tonight has been so perfect. The last thing I want is for him to ruin it by regretting what he just said.

7

Emerson

Holy shit, did I just say that?

I accept her kiss when she presses her lips to mine but inside I’m freaking out. Did I really just tell her I love her? Do I?

Shit.

“Thank you for tonight. It was beyond perfect.”

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“Can we keep it up and maybe visit again?”

“Sure.”

I help her into her clothes and then with our hands locked together we make our way back to the house. Leah might know where we’ve both disappeared off to, but Gary and Levi have no clue and I really don’t want either of them suspecting anything. Not yet at least.

I know that sometime in the near future I’m going to need to come clean about my feelings for Alyssa, but I’ll quite happily put that off for a little longer yet while I get to enjoy our little secret.

I pull her to me once we’re at the gate and give her a sweet kiss to hopefully see her through the night. What I really want to do is follow her to her bedroom and climb into bed with her, but I’m worried about taking this too fast. She’s already admitted tonight that it’s been her first experiences, so I need to allow her to take the lead—as much as it’s going to kill me to do so.

My cock is still threatening to fight its way out of my sweats when we eventually part.

“You go, I need a few minutes.”

She glances down at my not-so-little issue and smiles. As much as I might want her to drop to her knees in front of me and finish off from where we left things, the innocent little smile she gives me as she pushes through the gate is almost as good.

Fuck, when did I get so pussy whipped?

I think back and I remember the moment I walked into the Perkins’ back yard when I was fifteen and Alyssa was fourteen. She was sunbathing in the tiniest of swimsuits. I’m pretty sure it was in that moment that she ruined me for anyone else. I tried like hell to get her out of my system, but it was pointless. She’s the only girl who’s ever really held my heart in her hands, even if she had no idea.

After going back to our little hideaway and turning all the battery lights off, it’s safe enough for me to walk through the house without looking like a sex-starved maniac.

“Hey, man. Where have you been?” Levi asks when I poke my head into his bedroom and find him playing on his Xbox.

“Chatting to my parents,” I lie. Guilt assaults me instantly. They’re only next door, yet I’ve only spoken to them a couple of times since I moved in here. I did go with Leah to the store the other day so I could do their shopping. That at least felt like I was supporting them somehow.

“They doing okay?”

“Yeah, or so they say.” Thankfully that’s not a lie. Both Mom and Dad assured me that they were fine and not yet going stir crazy locked up inside their home like prisoners.

“Two-player?” he asks, nodding at the ball game he’s playing.

“Sure.”

He sets the game up and we begin to play. As always, he takes the lead, but after all these years, I can read his game plan like the back of my hand. We’ve played together, both virtually and on the real court, since we were old enough to bounce a ball. I know how his mind works.

“I fucking miss the court.”

“Not as much as sex,” he mutters, stepping up to take a shot.

“That too,” I agree, but I can’t help let a little hope bubble up inside that I might not be missing that for too much longer. If Alyssa’s keenness to return the favor earlier is anything to go by, then I should be getting some kind of action very soon.

“Motherfucker. How’d you do that?” Levi complains when I win yet another game.

“Mind games. I know how you operate, Perkins.”

“Fuck off, Locke. Get the fuck out of my room.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” I hold my hands up in surrender and back toward the door. I pull a sulky face, but in reality, I’m more than happy to be sent to my room. It gets me closer to her, even if she is asleep on the other side of our shared bathroom.

Stripping down to my boxers, I pull the covers back and slide in.

I lie in silence, desperately trying to hear if she’s awake and moving around in the next room, but all I can hear is my own breathing.

As I will sleep to claim me, I replay our time out in the woods. I picture what her body looked like beneath me. How hard her nipples pebbled when I touched her. How sweet she was on my tongue.

Fuck, I’ve only had one taste and I’m already addicted.

I’ve no idea how long I lay there with my cock once again rock-hard and the vision of her in my head, but eventually a click fills the silence and a slither of light brightens my room.

Propping myself up on my elbow, I have to do a double-take at the vision before me.

Alyssa stands with the light of her room behind her. It glows around her, making her look like a fucking angel. She’s wearing a white slip which is so see-through that it might as well not be there.

“Lys. Fuck.”

“I was lonely.” She bites down on her bottom lip as if she’s unsure of herself and it makes my cock throb. I need to feel her around me so fucking bad.

She takes a step into my room. Her hips sway, her tits bounce, and my mouth waters.

“So I thought maybe… you could keep me company?”

I sit up, the covers pooling at my waist ensuring her eyes drop to my chest. I’ve known for years what she thought of my body. I’ve always made sure to be topless as much as possible just so I could see what I did to her. I craved to know she was still interested, but equally terrified that one day she wouldn’t give me a second glance.

She smiles shyly when she comes to a stop beside my bed. My eyes drop to her bare feet and slowly make their way up her shapely legs, over the curve of her hips, her slim waist, and her full tits complete with rosy-pink nipples. Her smooth neck is on full display, her hair piled messily on top of her head.

She looks utterly breathtaking.

“Come here,” I murmur, holding my hand out for her.

She doesn’t move immediately, and I start to wonder if she’s regretting coming in here. But then her hands move to the bottom of the full skirt of sheer fabric and she pulls it up and off her incredible body, and it's then she takes my hand and climbs onto my lap.

Her legs wrap around my waist, my cock lining up perfectly with her heat.

“Hey,” she says, her arms sliding over my shoulders and her fingers diving into my hair.

“Hey yourself. This is a nice surprise.”

“Nice? Having lunch with your granny is nice, Locke,” she sasses.

“No, it’s nothing like that. It’s fucking unbelievable.” I brush my lips against hers, but pull back when she tries to deepen the kiss.

“Yeah?” I hate that she’s questioning herself right now.

I run my hands from her ass and up her bare back, delighting in the feeling of her muscles bunching as I move.

“Yeah. Now, tell me what you want.”

“Y- you.”

“What of me? My lips?” I ask, brushing them across her collarbone.

“Yes.”

“My hands?” I slip them around to her front and take the weight of her breasts in my palms.

“Yes,” she breathes.

“My cock?” I ask cheekily in her ear, thrusting up against her pussy.

“Yes. Everything, Emerson. Give me everything.”

She squeals as I flip her onto her back. I take the opportunity to plunge my tongue into her mouth and encourage hers to join in as my hands trail around her body.

I pinch her nipples and palm her breasts, making her mewl and her back to arch off the bed, before my fingers trail down her stomach in search of my final prize. I part her and find her slick and ready for me.

“Alyssa,” I groan in her ear, slipping two fingers inside her and beginning to warm her up for what’s to come. “Are you sure you want this to be me?”

“So sure. I’ve never wanted it to be anyone else,” she says honestly, followed by a gasp as my fingertips find her G-spot.

“That good?”

“Mmm,” she moans as I continue working her. “So good.”

I press my thumb to her clit as I continue to tease her most sensitive spot, desperate to feel her squeezing my fingers again as I push her over the edge.

“Oh god, Emerson,” she moans loudly. Too loudly for the fact we’re in her parents’ house with both them and her brother right down the hall.

I seal my lips over hers, swallowing down her pleas for more and her cries of pleasure when she eventually falls.

“Still sure?” I ask once she’s come back down. I’m desperate for more, but I’m conscious of pushing her. I don’t want her to think that it’s all I want this early on in what I hope is our budding relationship.

She sits up and boldly pushes her hand past the waistband of my boxers and wraps her delicate fingers around my length. It twitches violently at her touch and a groan rumbles up my throat.

“Fuck, Lys.”

An accomplished smile turns up one side of her mouth.

With her hand still firmly holding me, I push up and shove the fabric down over my hips to fully free myself. Her eyes drop to my newly exposed skin. She stares for a few long seconds, and if it weren’t for the look of awe on her face, then I might be worried.

“I guess I was wrong, eh?”

“With what?”

“My guess that you have a tiny cock.”

“My ego is fully warranted, baby.”

“Ugh, please.” She rolls her eyes and laughs. “So, are you going to show me what you do with it?”

“Too fucking right.” Climbing from the bed, and regretfully losing her touch, I dig in my suitcase for a condom and lose my last remaining item of clothing.

When I turn back around, Alyssa is lying back on my pillow. Her dark hair is fanned over the light floral sheets, her chest heaving, and her core still slick with her earlier release.

My cock twitches with the anticipation of being inside her, but the intensity in her eyes forces me to stay where I am so she can get her fill.

“See something you like?”

“Get back over here.”

She opens her legs to allow me to settle between them and I make quick work of opening the small silver packet and rolling the rubber down my length.

“You can tell me to stop at any time.”

“I won’t, but thanks.”

I kiss up her body, my fingers back inside her, making sure she’s as ready as possible for when I slide into her.

Eventually, I make it up to her lips. I kiss her deeply and I pull my fingers from her body and tease her pussy with the tip of my cock. She tenses to begin with but soon starts to relax.

Finding her entrance, I slowly push the tip inside. Her legs stiffen until I find her clit and start to circle it with my fingertip, helping her to relax and allow me to push farther inside.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper against her lips, knowing that what’s going to come next is going to hurt.

“Just do it. I’m ready.”

I hope like fuck that she’s right, but I fear she might be lying.

Thrusting my hips forward, I grit my teeth as her tight, hot heat surrounds me. Fuck, I need to move so fucking bad, but I force myself to remain still until I know she’s okay.

Her whimpers sound like screams in my ears and I hate that I’ve caused her any pain.

I kiss her tenderly while continuing to stroke her clit in the hope it’ll spark some pleasure that will help to drown out the pain.

“It’s okay. I’m okay,” she whispers against my lips.

I flex my hips to see if she’s telling the truth and the sensation blows my fucking mind. She’s so fucking tight.

“You feel so good, Lys.”

A small smile appears on her lips. “Show me.”

I do as I’m told and slowly pull out before pushing back in again. “Shit. This might not last very long.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world to do it again,” she says, stealing my words from earlier this evening.

“Too fucking right.”

It’s only a few slow thrusts later that I know my previous words were correct. My release begins to tingle at the base of my spine long before I’m ready for it to.

“Emerson,” Alyssa moans as I fold over her and take her lips on mine, wanting us connected in every way when I fall over the edge.

My growl of pleasure rumbles up my throat as my cock twitches and I release everything I have inside of her.

“Oh god,” she mutters, my own orgasm bringing her closer to her own.

Next time I take her, I’ll make her come with my cock. But tonight, while she’s sore from her first time, I settle for making her scream with my tongue again. And that’s exactly what I do the second I pull the condom off.

When we eventually fall asleep, it’s with her wrapped in my arms and tucked tightly into my body. Exactly where she belongs.

8

Alyssa

Everything that’s happened from the moment I opened his bedroom door and walked into his room has been nothing short of incredible.

We both agreed the next morning to keep what was developing between us a secret for now. We’re both aware that Mom knows something is going on, but it was important to us to be able to embark on our relationship without the opinions of others that we’re forced to spend every day with right now.

It’s far from the ideal way to begin a relationship, but equally, the sneaking around and hoping not to get caught is pretty hot.

As the days go on, the riskier we get. The little touches and the glances between us become more obvious. Mom sees most, but as far as we know, Dad and Levi are still clueless.

During the day we continue like normal. I spend most of my time in my room doing my schoolwork or talking to the girls, and he’s either shooting hoops with Levi or getting worked hard in the garden by my dad. I’ve discovered that if I sneak into his room which overlooks the back yard, I’m able to continue working while watching him get hot and sweaty with a shovel.

Life is pretty perfect despite the disaster that is the outside world right now.

The longer we’re stuck in the house, the more I crave going outside of these four walls more and more. I can’t wait to be able to go and do something as simple as enjoy a meal like a normal couple, or even just a long walk on the beach followed by a milkshake at Ace’s. I want to party at Ethan’s and take Emerson with me to introduce him to my friends properly. They all know him. Everyone at Rosewood knows him and my brother. Together they took the basketball team to the state finals last year. Their reputation precedes them. But I want them to know him as my boyfriend, not just a legend on the court.

“Mmm... I can’t wait until bedtime,” he murmurs in my ear while I’m getting the dishes out ready for dinner. Mom’s just taken the food out to the table, allowing us a few seconds of privacy before she returns for the glasses that are sitting on the side.

“Me too.”

Everything about the evening is the normal we’ve become used to. After we eat, Emerson heads outside to talk to his parents. They’ve moved from chatting on the phone to shouting to each other across our two driveways. I know it’s a part of the day he always looks forward to, knowing and seeing with his own eyes that they’re both fine.

We all watch the day’s updates with dread filling our stomachs. We have no idea how long this is going to last, but having Emerson, that unknown bothers me less every day. As long as I have him beside me, I’m sure we’ll make it through this bizarre time almost unscathed.

After excusing myself to my bedroom not long after my parents leave us to it, I strip out of my clothes and head for the shower. It’s been a hot and sticky day and I’m almost as desperate to freshen up as I am excited for Emerson to find me in here.

It’s only ten minutes later when his bedroom door shuts and a shadow appears in the doorway to the bathroom.

“I could get used to this,” he says, his eyes running over my naked and wet body.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Absolutely fucking nothing.”

In the blink of an eye, he’s out of his clothes and rolling a condom down his length. He lifts me so my back presses against the wall and pins me there with his hips as his hands glide over my already wet hair.

“I’ve been waiting all day for this.”

I don’t get a chance to respond because his lips find mine.

We’re still kissing, desperate to reconnect after a day of family and work, when he lines his cock up with my entrance and lowers me down onto it.

We moan in pleasure, but both are swallowed by the other and the sound of the running water. Every time we’re together I worry we’ll be loud enough to arouse suspicion, but so far so good. I know each time we connect we’re one time closer to being caught. This can only go on so long when we’re stuck in a house with three other people.

“Your bed or mine?” Emerson asks as he passes me a towel to dry off once he’s given me two satisfying releases in almost as many minutes.

The sound of Levi coming to bed is clear to hear now the shower is turned off and we’re no longer distracted by each other.

“Mine. I always wake up wondering where I am when I stay with you.”

“Ugh, that means I need to pack,” he jokes, hanging his own towel back up on the hook and walking butt-naked into my bedroom. I shamelessly stare at his ass as he moves.

“I can feel you looking.”

“Good,” I call back, pulling my toothbrush from the tumbler and loading it up with toothpaste.

Realizing I forgot to bring up a bottle of water, I swipe Emerson’s jersey from the floor, pull it over my head and join him in my room.

It’s huge on me. It hangs down almost to my knees and shows off way more side boob than I would usually be happy with, but I know how much he enjoys seeing me wrapped in his name and number.

“As sexy as that is, I’d prefer you naked.”

“I’m just going to grab a drink.”

“Like that?”

“It’s fine. Everyone’s in bed.”

“Okay. Be quick.”

I slip from the room and quickly make my way downstairs. I don’t turn any lights on; I don’t need to. I've lived here all my life. I can navigate in the dark without a second thought.

I’m just pulling a bottle from the fridge when the light above me illuminates the room.

“What the fuck are you wearing?” Levi booms.

I spin, the shock of the blinding light along with his voice stops me thinking of the consequences.

“Fucking hell, Alyssa.” He covers his eyes and I quickly cover up the excess boob I’m showing.

“Why the fuck are you…? Oh no. Oh fucking no. Tell me you’re not. Tell me he’s not—”

Before I have a chance to say anything, he’s moving.

“Levi, come back,” I cry, rushing after him. Both our footsteps pound up the stairs. I can only hope we’re loud enough to alert Emerson about what’s coming his way.

Levi crashes through my bedroom door seconds before me. I’m too slow. By the time I run into the room, he’s dragging Emerson naked from my bed. His shoulder connects with the wall as Levi throws him into it.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he screams, pulling his arm back and planting his fist into Emerson’s face.

“Levi, stop. Please, stop.”

I fly at him, trying to stop him from throwing another punch but he’s too strong for me. So instead of trying to stop him, I stand between the two of them, hoping that my brother still has enough sanity left that he’s not about to knock me out.

“Lys, what on earth is… oh fuck,” Dad barks, running into the room in Mom’s pink fluffy robe. He wraps his arms around Levi’s waist and successfully manages to pull him back.

I turn to Emerson, whose face is already swelling, a trickle of blood running from his cut lip.

“Here,” Mom’s soft voice rings out in my ear as my own robe is dropped over my shoulder.

I quickly use it to cover Emerson up before turning on my brother.

“What the hell, Levi?”

“What?” he seethes. “Don’t act all innocent. He was in your fucking bed. Naked.”

“Yeah, I’m aware.”

He tries jumping from Dad’s hold but is unsuccessful. Instead, he stands there with his chest heaving and his teeth bared in anger.

“I’ll fucking kill you for touching her,” he snaps over my shoulder at his best friend before turning and removing himself from Dad’s arms and leaving my room.

Dad looks between the three of us before focusing on Mom. “You knew, didn’t you?”

She shrugs. “I was just allowing them to explore whatever is between them in peace.”

“How well did that work out for you?”

“All right. There’s no need for that. You need to go and calm your son down. I’ll take care of things here.”

“I’m fine,” Emerson mumbles from his slumped position on my bedroom floor.

Dad disappears, doing as he’s told.

“Lys, go and get the first aid kit from the bathroom.”

I rush from the room as she bends down to check Emerson’s injuries. “I hope it was worth it,” she says to him quietly.

“Every second.”

With a smile on my face, I make my way down the hall to get what she needs. The sound of my brother’s shouting comes from somewhere downstairs, but I ignore it. He’s overreacting.

Mom and I clean up Emerson’s face before she leaves us to it. She pauses when she’s at the door and looks back at both of us still on the floor. “Just give him time. Don’t rub it in his face. I would tell you that maybe Emerson should go back to his own room, but I know it’ll fall on deaf ears. So… just be discreet, yeah?”

“I thought we were,” I say as she disappears, closing the door behind her.

“Come on, let’s go to bed.”

I help pull Emerson from the floor and after pulling off his jersey, I climb into bed beside him and curl into his side.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, kissing the underside of his jaw.

“It’s not your fault, baby. I knew it was coming sooner or later.”

“Did you mean what you said to my mom?”

He’s silent for a few seconds as he thinks back. “You heard that, eh?”

I nod.

“Yes, I totally meant it. He can dish out as much pain as he likes, It won’t make me regret this.” His arms wrap tighter around me and his lips press against the top of my head.

I lay there for the longest time, running the events of the night over and over in my head. It was my fault. If I’d just put my robe on to go downstairs, Levi never would have thought anything of it.

He came back up to bed a few moments ago. Every muscle in my body tensed as his footsteps paused outside my door for a few seconds too long. The last thing any of us need right now is for him to walk in and find us together.

Once I’m confident that Emerson’s asleep, I slip from his arms, pull on my robe, and quietly step from the room.

I make my way down to Levi’s bedroom and knock.

“Yes,” he barks, and I push it open and step inside.

I stay by the door with my fingers wrapped around the handle, just in case I need to leave fast.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” He’s sitting on the other side of the bed with his back to me and his head hanging between his shoulders.

“Of course.”

“Sorry you ever touched him or sorry you got caught?”

“Neither,” I say honestly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Lys,” he breathes, pushing to his feet and turning to me. It takes a moment, but eventually his eyes lift to mine. “I’m sorry too. I freaked out.”

“A little.”

“It’s just… you’re my little sister and he’s…”

“Your best friend.”

“I was going to say a dog, but yeah, that too.”

Silence descends between us.

“Is… is it serious?”

“As serious as I think it can be right now.”

“Oh god.” He looks up to the ceiling. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“Fucking hell, Lys. Of all the guys.”

“I know. It’s always been him though, Levi.”

“Well then, I guess that’s how it’s meant to be. Please just refrain from making me watch.”

“We’ll do our best.”

“Now get out of here and go and look after your… boyfriend.” The way he says that word makes me laugh.

Walking up to him, I press a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks, bro.”

“You’re really, really not welcome.”

I’m laughing as I leave his room, but I come to an abrupt halt when I find Emerson leaning against the wall outside Levi’s room with a wide smile on his face.

“What?” I ask hesitantly.

“Say it again.” My brows furrow. “I want you looking at me when you say it this time.”

“Wha—oh.” I step up to him and run my palms up his chest until I link my fingers behind his neck. He’s so tall that I end up on my tiptoes with the entire length of my body pressed against his. I stare into his blue eyes and swallow down the emotion threatening to clog my throat. “I love you, Emerson Locke.”

“I love you too, baby.” His arms come around me and I sigh in contentment; that is before the sound of my brother’s voice hits us.

“Really? Right outside my door? Fuck off.”

We both bark out a laugh as we apologize and make our way back to my bedroom to quietly spend the night proving exactly how we feel.

Epilogue

Alyssa

Six months later…

“I can’t believe you’re not taking me to college,” I say to my parents as we stand on the driveway. Emerson’s car is idling behind us, loaded with all my stuff ready to make the journey to Maddison Kings University.

“Someone can be very persuasive,” Mom says, looking up and smiling at Emerson, who’s waiting for me to say my goodbyes. It’s crazy, the university isn’t all that far away and we’ve already planned to come back the weekend after next for Dad’s birthday. It’s not like I’m moving to the other side of the country.

“I love you both.”

“We love you too.” Two sets of arms wrap around me and tears burn my eyes.

“I need to go.”

Mom sniffles, proving that I’m not the only one trying not to fall apart right now.

“Call us when you get there.”

“I will.”

I climb into Emerson’s passenger side without looking back.

“Okay let’s go.”

“It’s okay to cry, you know.”

“I know. I just feel ridiculous getting all emotional about this.”

“It’s normal. You’re leaving the only place you’ve ever known to embark on a new life.”

“Not helping.”

“Sorry,” he mutters, amusement filling his voice as he backs away from the house we’ve both spent so much time in over the past few months.

As soon as our lockdown was lifted after the scary numbers from the virus started to decline, we spent what was left of the summer enjoying time for just the two of us. We spent hours walking on the beach, chatting about what college life might hold for us. I’d managed to submit everything that needed doing and my application to go to Maddison to study art was accepted. Everything was about to change, but it all seemed so much easier knowing that he was going to be there.

I wasn’t the only one heading to Maddison. I had plenty of friends going to the same university, so I knew I had support.

Emerson chats about what to expect for my first few weeks as a college student. He talks about the parties, the drinking, and briefly touches on classes.

“Emerson, aren’t dorms that way?” I ask when he sails past what I thought was the turn to my new home.

“Yep. But we’re not going down there.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Ten minutes later and we’re pulling into a small car lot behind what looks like an apartment building.

“What’s this place?”

“Just wait. Come on.”

He jumps out of the car and my curiosity ensures I follow him.

Pulling keys from his pocket, he opens up the front door and then pulls me toward a set of stairs and up to the top floor.

“Here,” he says, coming to a stop in front of a door. “Close your eyes.”

“What?”

“Ugh, fine.” His large hand wraps around my face, efficiently cutting off my sight.

“Emerson, what the hell is this?”

The sound of the door opening fills my ears before he pushes me forward.

“Welcome home, baby.” He pulls his hand from my face and after blinking a couple of times, a fully furnished living room comes into view.

“What the hell?”

“Surprise.”

“Wha…”

I spin on the spot, taking everything in. But it’s not until I spot a couple of photographs of the two of us on a shelf that things start to register.

“This is our house?”

“It sure is, baby.”

“What about dorms?”

He shrugs.

“What about my parents?”

“In on it.”

A laugh falls from my lips. “So… this is where I’m living? With you? Just the two of us?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“Oh my god, this is incredible, Emerson. Thank you.” I launch myself at him and crash my lips to his, and right there in the center of our new living room, we embark on our future together as a couple. I can see a few more days of lockdown together in our future.

Need more ROSEWOOD HIGH?

Start the series with THORN now.

Acknowledgments

Locke was written durning a part of our lives that I don’t think we’ll ever forget. Even writing this now six months on from when it stared, it’s hard to believe we’re living through it.

As the pandemic started and we all saw the incredible things people were doing around the world to help, I knew I needed to do something.

I was lucky, I work from home anyway, I was able to look after my daughter, and with my husband being an essential worker, life kind of carried on fairly normally for us, aside from the obvious hunt for toilet roll in the early days and queuing to get into a supermarket.

The idea for Love in Lockdown hit me in the shower one morning and the second I mentioned the idea to Andie M. Long, it was happening. We wanted to do our bit to help.

Would I have written a love in lockdown story if it weren’t for wanting to help? I’ve no idea, but I found myself inspired to discover love and happiness when we least expected it, because even in the hardest of times, incredible things can happen.

Alyssa was never meant to have a story, but suddenly, there she was, shouting from the rooftops, demanding a story. So Locke was born!

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of escape while the world turns into chaos around us. And I hope you find a little bit of happiness throughout all of this, because after all, love always wins.

Love and hugs,

Tracy xx

About the Author

Tracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author. Tracy has just turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle, Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.

Be the first to find out about new releases and offers. Sign up to my newsletter here.

If you want to know what I’m up to and see teasers and snippets of what I’m working on, then you need to be in my Facebook group. Join Tracy’s Angels here.

Keep up to date with Tracy’s books at

www.tracylorraine.com

Facebook icon Facebook

Twitter icon Twitter

Instagram icon Instagram

BookBub icon BookBub

Amazon icon Amazon

Also by Lorraine

Falling Series

Falling for Ryan: Part One #1

Falling for Ryan: Part Two #2

Falling for Jax #3

Falling for Daniel (An Falling Series Novella)

Falling for Ruben #4

Falling for Fin #5

Falling for Lucas #6

Falling for Caleb #7

Falling for Declan #8

Falling For Liam #9

Forbidden Series

Falling for the Forbidden #1

Losing the Forbidden #2

Fighting for the Forbidden #3

Craving Redemption #4

Demanding Redemption #5

Avoiding Temptation #6

Chasing Temptation #7

Rebel Ink Series

Hate You #1

Trick You #2

Defy You #3

TBC #4

Rosewood High Series

Thorn #1

Paine #2

Savage #3

Fierce #4

Hunter #5

Fury (Rosewood High #6 Prequel)

Fury #6

Ruined Series

Ruined Plans #1

Ruined by Lies #2

Ruined Promises #3

Never Forget Series

Never Forget Him #1

Never Forget Us #2

Everywhere & Nowhere #3

Chasing Series

Chasing Logan

The Cocktail Girls

His Manhattan

Her Kensington

Co-written with Angel Devlin

Hot Daddy Series

Hot Daddy Sauce #1

Baby Daddy Rescue #2

The Daddy Dilemma #3

Single Daddy Seduction #4

Hot Daddy Package #5

B.A.D. Inc. Series

Torment #1

Ride #2

Bait #3

Break #4

Provoke #5

THORN SNEAK PEAK

Chapter 1

Amalie

“I think you’ll really enjoy your time here,” Principal Hartmann says. He tries to sound cheerful about it, but he’s got sympathy oozing from his wrinkled, tired eyes.

This shouldn’t have been part of my life. I should be in London starting university, yet here I am at the beginning of what is apparently my junior year at an American high school I have no idea about aside from its name and the fact my mum attended many years ago. A lump climbs up my throat as thoughts of my parents hit me without warning.

“I know things are going to be different and you might feel that you’re going backward, but I can assure you it’s the right thing to do. It will give you the time you need to... adjust and to put some serious thought into what you want to do once you graduate.”

Time to adjust. I’m not sure any amount of time will be enough to learn to live without my parents and being shipped across the Pacific to start a new life in America.

“I’m sure it’ll be great.” Plastering a fake smile on my face, I take the timetable from the principal’s hand and stare down at it. The butterflies that were already fluttering around in my stomach erupt to the point I might just throw up over his chipped Formica desk.

Math, English lit, biology, gym, my hands tremble until I see something that instantly relaxes me, art and film studies. At least I got my own way with something.

“I’ve arranged for someone to show you around. Chelsea is the captain of the cheer squad, what she doesn’t know about the school isn’t worth knowing. If you need anything, Amalie, my door is always open.”

Nodding at him, I rise from my chair just as a soft knock sounds out and a cheery brunette bounces into the room. My knowledge of American high schools comes courtesy of the hours of films I used to spend my evenings watching, and she fits the stereotype of captain to a tee.

“You wanted something, Mr. Hartmann?” she sings so sweetly it makes even my teeth shiver.

“Chelsea, this is Amalie. It’s her first day starting junior year. I trust you’ll be able to show her around. Here’s a copy of her schedule.”

“Consider it done, sir.”

“I assured Amalie that she’s in safe hands.”

I want to say it’s my imagination but when she turns her big chocolate eyes on me, the light in them diminishes a little.

“Lead the way.” My voice is lacking any kind of enthusiasm and from the narrowing of her eyes, I don’t think she misses it.

I follow her out of the room with a little less bounce in my step. Once we’re in the hallway, she turns her eyes on me. She’s really quite pretty with thick brown hair, large eyes, and full lips. She’s shorter than me, but then at five foot eight, you’ll be hard pushed to find many other teenage girls who can look me in the eye.

Tilting her head so she can look at me, I fight my smile. “Let’s make this quick. It’s my first day of senior year and I’ve got shit to be doing.”

Spinning on her heels, she takes off and I rush to catch up with her. “Cafeteria, library.” She points then looks down at her copy of my timetable. “Looks like your locker is down there.” She waves her hand down a hallway full of students who are all staring our way, before gesturing in the general direction of my different subjects.

“Okay, that should do it. Have a great day.” Her smile is faker than mine’s been all morning, which really is saying something. She goes to walk away, but at the last minute turns back to me. “Oh, I forgot. That over there.” I follow her finger as she points to a large group of people outside the open double doors sitting around a bunch of tables. “That’s my group. I should probably warn you now that you won’t fit in there.”

I hear her warning loud and clear, but it didn’t really need saying. I’ve no intention of befriending the cheerleaders, that kind of thing’s not really my scene. I’m much happier hiding behind my camera and slinking into the background.

Chelsea flounces off and I can’t help my eyes from following her out toward her group. I can see from here that it consists of her squad and the football team. I can also see the longing in other student’s eyes as they walk past them. They either want to be them or want to be part of their stupid little gang.

Jesus, this place is even more stereotypical than I was expecting.

Unfortunately, my first class of the day is in the direction Chelsea just went. I pull my bag up higher on my shoulder and hold the couple of books I have tighter to my chest as I walk out of the doors.

I’ve not taken two steps out of the building when my skin tingles with awareness. I tell myself to keep my head down. I’ve no interest in being their entertainment but my eyes defy me, and I find myself looking up as Chelsea points at me and laughs. I knew my sudden arrival in the town wasn’t a secret. My mum’s legacy is still strong, so when they heard the news, I’m sure it was hot gossip.

Heat spreads from my cheeks and down my neck. I go to look away when a pair of blue eyes catch my attention. While everyone else’s look intrigued, like they’ve got a new pet to play with, his are haunted and angry. Our stare holds, his eyes narrow as if he’s trying to warn me of something before he menacingly shakes his head.

Confused by his actions, I manage to rip my eyes from his and turn toward where I think I should be going.

I only manage three steps at the most before I crash into something—or somebody.

“Shit, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” a deep voice asks. When I look into the kind green eyes of the guy in front of me, I almost sigh with relief. I was starting to wonder if I’d find anyone who wasn’t just going to glare at me. I know I’m the new girl but shit. They must experience new kids on a weekly basis, I can’t be that unusual.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“You’re the new British girl. Emily, right?”

“It’s Amalie, and yeah... that’s me.”

“I’m so sorry about your parents. Mom said she was friends with yours.” Tears burn my eyes. Today is hard enough without the constant reminder of everything I’ve lost. “Shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s fine,” I lie.

“What’s your first class?”

Handing over my timetable, he quickly runs his eyes over it. “English lit, I’m heading that way. Can I walk you?”

“Yes.” His smile grows at my eagerness and for the first time today my returning one is almost sincere.

“I’m Shane, by the way.” I look over and smile at him, thankfully the hallway is too noisy for us to continue any kind of conversation.

He seems like a sweet guy but my head’s spinning and just the thought of trying to hold a serious conversation right now is exhausting.

Student’s stares follow my every move. My skin prickles as more and more notice me as I walk beside Shane. Some give me smiles but most just nod in my direction, pointing me out to their friends. Some are just downright rude and physically point at me like I’m some fucking zoo animal awoken from its slumber.

In reality, I’m just an eighteen-year-old girl who’s starting somewhere new, and desperate to blend into the crowd. I know that with who I am—or more who my parents were—that it’s not going to be all that easy, but I’d at least like a chance to try to be normal. Although I fear I might have lost that the day I lost my parents.

“This is you.” Shane’s voice breaks through my thoughts and when I drag my head up from avoiding everyone else around me, I see he’s holding the door open.

Thankfully the classroom’s only half full, but still, every single set of eyes turn to me.

Ignoring their attention, I keep my head down and find an empty desk toward the back of the room.

Once I’m settled, I risk looking up. My breath catches when I find Shane still standing in the doorway, forcing the students entering to squeeze past him. He nods his head. I know it’s his way of asking if I’m okay. Forcing a smile onto my lips, I nod in return and after a few seconds, he turns to leave.

DOWNLOAD NOW to keep reading THORN now.