I turned back to Rachel who was practically on the floor laughing. “What?” I asked, giggling even though I had no idea why.

Oh crap, I think I may be a little tipsy! I blinked a couple of times, looking round at the now very busy room.

“You are sooooo badass,” she hissed in my ear, still laughing hysterically.

“Yeah, Clay taught me.” I shrugged. “Let’s get another drink and go outside for some air, okay?” I grabbed her hand, not waiting for an answer and pulled her to the kitchen; we downed a shot and grabbed another to take outside.

Clay caught hold of my hand at the door. “Just like I showed you, huh?” he said, with a proud smile. I just nodded and kissed his cheek as Rachel and I staggered out of the door, giggling.

We sat on the swing set in the yard. “So how old is Blake anyway?” I asked Rachel who was leaning so far back on her swing she looked like she would fall off.

“Er, I think he left two years ago. So that would make him…..er…. twenty I guess?” she replied, making it sound more like a question.

“Clay and him didn’t really seem to like each other.” I winced, thinking about the tension that I’d felt radiating off of Clay earlier when they met.

“I think they played together on the football team when Blake was still at school. Blake played running back position too, and I think that Coach was riding them both pretty hard, making them compete for the spot. I don’t think they ever got on because of that,” she slurred, hiccupping at the end.

Clay came out then, looking at me, smiling. “Hey, Riley Bear, you ready to call it a night?” he asked, pushing me gently on the swing from the front. I smiled happily. He used to push me on the swings all the time. He’d even built me a swing once for my birthday using a piece of rope and a big stick and hung it from the old oak tree in my back yard. He had fallen out of the tree trying to tie the rope and broke his arm. As soon as his plaster cast was taken off he’d gone straight back into the tree and finished tying it. It still hung in my garden. “Rachel, you want a lift home?” he asked, shaking his keys at her to get her attention off of his body.

She giggled. “Hmm, do I want to ride with Clay Preston?” she purred suggestively, narrowing her eyes, looking him up and down.

I giggled, and Clay rolled his eyes. “Come on you two drunken girls, get in the car,” he instructed, reaching out a hand for me. I took his hand and danced to the car drunkenly. We dropped Rachel at her house and Clay walked her to the door. The next thing I knew someone was pulling on my jeans, trying to get them down.

“Hey!” I squeaked, pushing the hands away from my half off jeans and trying to sit up. Shit, what the hell? Am I going to be raped? I started screaming and panicking.

A hand clamped over my mouth. “Riley! Riley Bear, it’s just me! Jeez, calm down,” Clay said loudly, pushing me back down. I opened my eyes and saw his beautiful green eyes inches from mine. I started to cry tears of relief. Oh thank God it was just Clay! I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

“It’s okay. Shh, sorry. You fell asleep in the car. I was just putting you to bed, that’s all,” he murmured in my ear, smoothing down my hair. I looked around curiously. I was in my room, in my bed, he had already taken off my boots. Realisation dawned on me; he must have carried me from the car and was trying not to wake me. Bless him, that’s adorable!

I giggled, feeling stupid. “I’m sorry.” My heartbeat started to slow as he rubbed my hair. “You scared the crap out of me,” I admitted, pushing my jeans further down but I was obviously drunk because they didn’t really move anywhere. He laughed and pulled them off for me, then stripped out of his clothes and climbed in the bed with me.

He settled down on his side, facing me, but didn’t touch me. This was the first time we’d been in a bed together since he’d kissed me, and he looked really unsure of what to do. My eyes were starting to droop again and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was asleep. I pushed hard on his chest to get him to roll onto his back and lifted his arm around me as I nuzzled onto his chest. I heard him laugh quietly, and I fell asleep listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

Chapter 3

The following week passed in a blur, Clay and I were completely back to normal, no awkwardness at all now which was great. I was loving my new school, Rachel and I had become great friends and I started hanging around with her group of friends too, they were all really nice. Everyone was nice to me at school since I was friends with Mr Popular. Clay was his usual charming protective self around me I had a feeling he was warning the guys away, but I was still getting hit on a lot! I turned them all down nicely. Today was Friday again. I was perched on the bleachers with Rachel and Reece, wearing Clay's shirt again, we were happily tucking into hotdogs. I was really trying to watch the game this time, Clay had been trying to teach me some of the rules ready to watch but everything was going so fast I couldn't keep up.

"Hey, you never called" a sexy voice said as someone sat next to me, I recognised his voice immediately, Blake. I tried not to look at him I didn't want to have to look at his hotness again, he was too old for me! I smiled to myself, well that doesn't mean I can't do a little flirting!

"Hmm, I had better things to do" I said waving a hand dismissively.

"Better things? What can be better than going out on a date with me?" he asked a little shocked, wow he really wasn't used to rejection! Not that I'm surprised with the way he looks I bet he has girls falling at his feet everyday.

"Washing my hair, walking the dog, cleaning the house, you know that kind of thing" I said turning to him for the first time. Oh dear God he is even hotter than I remembered! His blue eyes were shining with amusement.

"Well you don't know what your missing out on" he said with a cocky smile.

"Hmm, I could probably guess actually, some crappy food, maybe a crappy movie where you would insist on sitting in the back so we could make out, and then depending on how well the date went there may be a little action in the car as you dropped me off, am I close?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

He laughed, "Pretty close" he said shaking his head amused.

He lent in close "You know I really like a challenge" he whispered in my ear sending shivers down my spine again.

"Well then your definitely in the right place, I can be quite challenging" I whispered back with a seductive wink.

"Hmm, I can see that" he said slinging an arm around my shoulder, I elbowed him in the side quickly and stood up,

"Come on Tom move your skinny ass! That ball's not gonna catch itself!" I shouted, giggling as he waved and shook his head at me, I really liked Tom we teased each other constantly, he was a really nice guy.

As I sat back down I was careful to put a little space between Blake and I, but it didn't matter, he moved up next to me again as soon as I was on the bench. "You busy tonight?" he asked with a smile, I nodded slowly fighting a smile. "And tomorrow?" he asked I nodded again, "And I suppose the day after that?" he said with a sigh. I nodded again and hid a smile at his playful annoyance, I could tell that he was actually quite enjoying the chase, especially if this was his first one.

"I'm not giving up, I'll come here every week and ask you out until you say yes" he said running a finger up my leg slowly.

"Blake honestly, you're wasting your time, I mean do you even remember my name?" I asked looking at him he nodded his head and looked a little hurt.

"Of course I do Riley, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since last Friday" he said frowning as if he was admitting a weakness.

I smiled a little inside, Oh my God that's so sweet. No Riley, he's a player he's trying to get into your pants that's all. "Look Blake, I don't know how old you think I am, but I'm only 16" I said shaking my head, he gasped a little taken aback.

"Oh Shit! Really?" he asked shocked looking at me with wide eyes, "I thought you were 18, your so close with Preston, he's a senior so I thought you were too" he said shaking his head slowly looking at the floor.

"So like I said, your wasting your time" I said shrugging and turning back to the game expecting that to be the end of the conversation, it wasn't.

"So you just turned 16 or....." he asked trailing off looking at me hopefully.

"Err no I'll be 17 next month, on the 25th" I said confused, he looked a little more pleased

"Ok well then your only a year off" he said with a wink. What the hell did he mean by that? A year off of what? I gave him my best 'what the fuck' face and he laughed,

"A year off what?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"You know what I'm gonna call you from now on?" he asked ignoring my question, I smiled great what the hell is this gonna be about? "Jailbait" he said with a smirk.

I laughed "Jailbait?" I asked shaking my head,

"Yep, because if you keep looking so damn hot your probably gonna get me thrown in there" he said not smiling anymore, was it just me or did he look sad when he said that?

I frowned "You'd better stop talking to me then" I said watching the game again but I couldn't get my mind off of his sad expression,

"Yeah maybe I should" I thought I heard him mumble as he stood up and walked away, again I watched his ass as he walked away biting my lip.

* * *

A month later it was my birthday, I really hated birthdays. Not getting older or anything but I didn't really like the whole fuss that came with it, the singing, the cake everyone knowing. Ugh, today was gonna be a bad day. I rolled over about to get out of the bed but Clay wrapped his arms tighter round me pulling me back to him. "Happy Birthday Riley Bear" he chirped in my ear, I smiled and he reached over the side of the bed and came out with a small rectangular present.

He had a huge grin so I lent over and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you Clay but you shouldn't have bought me anything" I said taking the present.

He rolled his eyes "I know, I know, you don't like birthdays, but I like buying for your birthday so suck it up" he said laughing. I laughed too and tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a rectangular red velvet jewellery box.

I looked at Clay, "Tell me you didn't spend a lot of money" I said pleadingly,

"I didn't spend a lot of money Riley just open it" he said sighing.

I took a deep breath and opened the box, inside was a beautiful gold bracelet it had a small gold heart that hung at the clasp with what looked like a little diamond set in it. I couldn't talk, it was so beautiful it was perfect. I felt my eyes filling with tears, "Oh Shit! You don't like it? I can change it! Don't cry Riley bear" he said pulling me to him and rubbing my back.

I pulled back and looked at him, "Of course I like it! I love it! Thank you Clay its beautiful, it's just so perfect, so me, thank you" I said kissing him on the cheek, he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I thought you'd like it, I saw it and I just had to get it for you, I actually bought it about three months ago, I wanted to give it to you then" he said blushing a little.

I smiled and pulled the bracelet out of the box holding it out to him, "Will you put it on for me?" I asked giving him a smile, he put the bracelet on me, his fingers lingering around my wrists. I could feel heat coursing up my arm as my breathing sped up I looked at him he had his jaw clenched tight in concentration. I held my breath and looked away from his beautiful face to try and stop my hormones from going crazy. Why the hell can't I stop lusting after my best friend?

He clipped it on and then moved away from me quickly as if I burnt him. "I'm gonna go make you some breakfast ok?" he said getting out of the bed not looking at me.

"Why don't we go out for breakfast? I'm in the mood for a chocolate doughnut" I said smiling as he turned his nose up in disgust,

"Jam doughnut!" he said looking at me with a smile. This was an old argument no one ever won, so I just laughed, "And seen as it's your birthday I'm buying" he said as I got up to shower.

* * *

I walked out of the school to see a huge group of girls all standing around gossiping near the door.

"I can't believe it! He is sooooo hot!"

"I think I've died and gone to heaven"

"Mmm he is yummy" they were all staring in the same direction.

I assumed Clay or one of his friends was standing there but instead I saw Blake, he was leaning against his car. He was wearing a white t-shirt, black leather jacket, low slung jeans and his black boots again, and he looked so hot my mouth started to water. I shook my head and walked out to go find Clay, he was at a long football practice tonight so I had over an hour to wait for him.

As I crossed the car park headed towards the field Blake shouted me. "Hey Jailbait" he said jogging to catch up with me.

I turned and smiled "Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked politely whist trying to discretely check him out again, my God he is hot! I could see the planes of his chest and abs through his t-shirt, my mouth was watering again.

"I wanted to wish you happy birthday" he said simply smiling his sexy smile.

"You what? How did you know it was my birthday? We've only met twice" I said confused and looking around quickly to make sure no one heard that it was my birthday today, no on was close enough so I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You told me last time I saw you" he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small material bag.

"You remembered that? From a month ago?" I asked my mouth hanging open in shock.