Inevitably Yours

Chapter Eight

The next couple of weeks were filled with much of the same. Michael came over to my house to hang out a lot. He never seemed bothered by always being around my house either. We didn’t really go anywhere, and half the time didn’t do much of anything at all.

Sometimes, we hung out downstairs, watching movies. He always sat close to me. I felt awkward, not knowing exactly what to do but never uncomfortable by his proximity.

One afternoon, he came over, and I was lying in the hammock reading. He scooted me over a little and laid right next to me. He just closed his eyes and enjoyed the sun while I laid there with my eyes glued to my book. I internally panicked and didn’t manage to read another word.

Most nights, he would call me, and we would talk late. There were a couple of nights he fell asleep while I couldn’t. I always waited until I could hear snoring before hanging up and sending him a good night message.

A couple of times, he would send me a message that he was busy and couldn’t talk, and I wouldn’t hear from him until the next day. He never really explained why he would disappear all of a sudden, and I didn’t want to question him to make him uncomfortable.

Michael quickly became a part of my routine. It was easy to be around him, and if we didn’t find something to talk about, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. I was the only awkward part of us. I never knew what to do or how to act. Michael always seemed at ease and comfortable, giving me hope that I masked my insecurity well.

About a week before practice for both marching band and cross country were set to begin officially, I started running every day. It was just easier to come to practice already sort of in shape than to deal with conditioning.

I tried to get up early and go so I could shower and eat before Michael thought about showing up at my house. I was not a morning person, but it was much cooler outside in the mornings.

One morning, I got back and stood at the kitchen counter, scanning the training schedule that the coach had sent out while I munched on some toast. The packet he sent team members explained that summer practices were four days a week with an optional ‘fun run Friday’ workout. Each practice was somewhere else around the pack to take advantage of training on different terrains. I got a little nervous when I read through the workouts we would be doing and suddenly felt very unprepared for the season.

My doorbell rang, and I frowned. As usual, I was expecting Michael to text me or show up by lunch, but it was still super early. My brother was at a friend’s house, so it was just me until my parents got off work.

When I opened the front door, I was shocked to see Michael standing there smiling. “Morning,” he said, but his words dropped as his eyes traveled down. I looked down at myself and realized I was still wearing my workout clothes. Our uniforms consisted of spandex tanks and shorts, so I usually trained in similar shorts and a t-shirt to be used to it. The problem with those types of shorts was they had a tendency to ride up your legs.

I immediately grabbed at the hems and pulled them down. Michael swallowed and met my eyes again. “I didn’t expect you to show up so early,” I said quickly.

“We didn’t get to talk last night,” he said. “I just thought I would come by earlier. I can go….”

“No, it’s alright!” I said. “I just got back from running. I haven’t had a chance to shower or change.”

“I would have run with you,” he said. He licked his lips a little as his eyes flicked down momentarily.

“That’s alright,” I said. “Practice starts in less than a week.”

“So, do you want to hang out or…” Michael trailed off.

“Yea,” I said. “Do you want to wait in the living room while I clean up?”

“Sure,” he said, perking up. Michael came inside and headed to the living room while I ran upstairs. When I got in my room dug through my drawers, looking for something more decent. When I found some clean shorts and a shirt, I ran to the bathroom. Stripping down, I grabbed a rag and tried to wipe the sweat from me; it was the best I could do to make myself less smelly without a shower. I pulled on my clothes and pulled my messy hair into a bun. I didn’t want to be rude and keep Michael waiting, so it would have to do.

I hurried back downstairs. Michael was standing in the living room, looking around. “Is anyone else home?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Not until later. My brother is at a friend’s house.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Your parents let you have people over when they aren’t home?”

I shrugged; they never said I couldn’t, but I was also never a kid to do anything to get in trouble. “I don’t see why not. So, what do you want to do?”

Michael smiled. “if you’re up for it, there is somewhere we could go,” he suggested.

“Sure,” I said. “Where?”

“Got a bike?”

MICHAEL

When I first realized that we were alone in her house, Eros and I got excited. It felt like the Moon Goddess had blessed me with the perfect opportunity to take things further with Quinn. That came to a screeching halt when I thought about one of her parents coming home and finding their daughter alone with me. Her dad already gave me unsavory looks every time I was around when he returned from work.

Then I thought about getting out with her. If we went out to the dam at the far end of the river, we probably wouldn’t run into anyone I knew, and we could spend the afternoon swimming. Not knowing if she was comfortable shifting or not yet, I suggested we take our bikes.

I ran back home to get swimming trunks and my bike and was back in Quinn’s driveway in record time. Her bike was already out of the garage, and a backpack was sitting next to it. I got off my bike, and Quinn stepped out of her house with another bag on her shoulder. She locked the door behind her before she noticed I was back.

“Ready to go?” she asked. She looked the same as when I left except for her bikini straps poking out of the collar of her shirt now.

“Yea,” I said. “What’s the two bags for?”

“Oh,” she said. “I didn’t know how long we’d be gone, so I packed some lunch.” This day was looking better and better. Quinn in a bikini and now food.

“Why don’t I carry that?” I offered. She smiled, handing me the bag. “Got everything you need?”

“Yep,” she said. “Let’s go!”

-

I couldn’t help but thank the Goddess for today. I was away from home, and my day was peaceful with nothing to worry about but being seen with Quinn before we got out of the more densely populated area of the packland. It wasn’t that I didn’t want anyone I knew to see me with her because I was embarrassed; I just didn’t want my dad to know about her. More importantly, I didn’t want him to see me and make me go home to do some menial chore that my days were filled with if I didn’t manage to escape the house. Luckily, Tyler was mostly left alone, and he just had to deal with them arguing. I could never figure out why, but my father’s rage was almost entirely directed at me. I shuddered at the thought of another day spent with a toothbrush, being told I hadn’t cleaned the bathroom well enough far past when everyone else had gone to sleep in the packhouse. My father loved his white glove tests and making my life miserable. I guess I shouldn’t complain; I’d rather clean than the alternative. There had been somewhat less of that lately.

“You okay?” Quinn asked, looking over her shoulder from slightly ahead of me. I hadn’t realized I was being quiet, lost in thought about my stupid family.

“Stop thinking about the stupid Alpha. Talk to the pretty girl. You’re lucky she wants to spend time with you at all,” Eros chastised.

“I know,” I answered him in exasperation. He was right; I couldn’t believe Quinn gave me the time of day. With who I’d let myself become with other girls, I didn’t feel like I deserved it sometimes.

“Yea, just thinking about how I finally get to see you in that bikini again,” I deflected with a wink.

Quinn’s cheeks reddened, and she averted her eyes. I was glad because her clumsiness mixed with not watching where she was going scared me. Making her blush was becoming a new favorite pastime of mine, too. The deep green in her eyes almost sparkled against the contrast of her crimson cheeks, and it sent pleasant needling down my spine as I admired her. I knew we weren’t of age to know who our mates were yet, but even when I was doing literally anything else, I couldn’t keep my mind off of this girl who came out of nowhere into my life.

It wasn’t long before we’d reached the river, and we continued biking down the trail next to it until we reached the dam. I looked around, and it appeared we were the only ones there. I breathed a sigh of relief, and I dropped my bike, ripping my shirt over my head as I kicked my shoes off. As my head pulled free of my shirt, I saw Quinn’s eyes lingering and her cheeks ablaze again.

“Do you want me to put it back on?” I asked in confusion. We’d met in a pool; why would this be any different?

“No, it’s fine,” she squeaked out. “Sorry, I just, uh, never been around a guy stripping like that.”

I sometimes forgot how inexperienced she was, and it was… adorable.

“So, keep the trunks on then?” I asked, unable to hold back the laughter as I tried to make her do the same and ease her nerves.

“Yes!” she yelled, her eyes a bit larger and turning away to look at the water.

“Would it make you feel better if I got in the water and let you get your clothes off without me looking?” I asked a bit more gently, stepping up behind her and speaking close to her ear. I could see goosebumps spread across her neck, and her ears now matched her cheeks. I loved doing that to her. She just shook her head yes without a sound, so I turned and waded into the water.

I dutifully looked at everything but her, but she was still the only thing I could pay attention to. Once I was still, I could hear the sounds of nature around us. I could hear frogs and crickets, birds and the wind rustling through the trees with a warm summer breeze. Then, I heard Quinn lightly put down her bag beside her before dropping her shoes and stepping onto the grassy shore. As I heard her pull her shirt over her head, my heart quickened, and I could feel myself stiffening in my trunks.

“How does she do this to me, and we haven’t even kissed?” I asked myself, truly not understanding. She was in a bikini. I’d seen it before, and I still wanted to see it again.

“Stop being so nice,” Eros reasoned. “Kiss her. Let her know she’s yours now.”

I wondered if he was right. If she wasn’t into me, we wouldn’t be spending all of this time together, and she wouldn’t get so overwhelmed when I flirted with her. Still, I wanted this to be perfect, and she deserved not to be rushed. If she was my mate, I wanted to create memories with her, not push her too far too fast. She wasn’t like any other girl I’d been with.

I heard her step into the water, and I counted to twenty before turning around. I’d waited too long because when I turned, I almost knocked her over. She was right behind me, and her unexpected proximity sent butterflies churning through my stomach and warmth spreading through my body from her touch as she reached out to me to catch herself. I pulled her closer, and she ended up floating with me supporting her hands. Her face was much closer to me than I was ready for, and her lips were parted slightly. It was less than a foot to cross, and I would finally know what she tasted like.

“Want to go deeper?” she asked, breaking my singlemindedness and looking over my shoulder to the broader part of the river behind me.

“Yes,” Eros answered lewdly as always. I kicked him into the back of my mind, and I wondered if it was possible that hurt him. I hoped so.

“Yea, whatever you want to do,” I answered, trying to breathe and respond normally. I turned away from her. “Want to ride on my back?”

“Sure,” came the reply from behind me as I dropped to her level and felt her arms wrap around my neck. I realized I hadn’t thought this plan through as I felt her chest press against my back, the cold water causing her stiffened nubs to poke through her top and into me. I helped her wrap her legs around me, pushing them towards my waistline and hoping they wouldn’t trail further down. I’m not sure either of us could handle her reaction to what was straining against my trunks.

As time went by, we both relaxed a bit more and swam, splashing each other and talking like normal. We explored the dam, and I enjoyed Quinn’s scream as I dove under the water to reappear behind her. Once she was calm again, I was standing with my chin above water while she treaded in front of me. Her hands lightly touched mine as I helped her stay afloat again, and I could have stayed there the rest of the day like that. Unfortunately, my stomach had other ideas as it growled loud enough for us to both hear it through the water. I laughed in embarrassment, and she joined me, her giggle

“Want to get out for lunch?” she asked, motioning towards the shore.

With a sigh, I agreed. I was hungry, but I was enjoying her proximity and didn’t want it to end. We dried ourselves off and then laid our damp towels out on the ground. She’d set hers a few feet from mine, so I decided to take a chance. I wanted her near me again, so I pulled her towel, overlapping mine as she went to grab her bag. I’d placed the second bag with our food on the towel next to me. When she turned around, she paused as she saw our towels and c****d her head inquisitively.

I just decided to be honest, “I just wanted you close to me. Is that okay?”

There it was; her cheeks were ablaze, and my heart fluttered as she walked over and sat down next to me. She leaned towards me a bit, letting her cool skin touch mine as she pulled sandwiches from her bag and handed me one. Her head rested against me, and I looked out over the water as we ate in comfortable silence. Why couldn’t this be what we did every day?