Flock (The Ravenhood)

Opening the fridge, I grab two bottles of grape juice and again glance outside. When I was seventeen, I had a horrible crush on Brad Portman. The feelings that stirred in me when the attraction was returned were some I knew could never be topped. Later, when he kissed me for the first time and fire exploded in my chest and belly before trickling to my core, I was sure nothing could come close to that euphoria, nor the feeling of when he closed his eyes tight with pleasure and pressed inside me, claiming my virginity.

Those feelings and memories, I swore would remain the hottest moments of my life, until I walked outside, juice in hand, to see Sean lift his sunglasses.

“BLUE MADONNA” BY BØRNS CROONS from my cell phone on the lounger as I wade through the water at the deep end. Sean stands propped against the wall on the opposite end. His powerful arms stretched along the concrete behind him, his eyes trained on me as mine drift to the midnight ink on his arm.

“So, what’s the deal with the tattoo?”

“Deal?”

I roll my eyes. “Some of your friends have it too, a lot of them. What does it mean?”

“It’s a raven.”

“I’m aware of that,” I say, my thighs and calves starting to burn from lack of exercise. “But what does it symbolize? Is it like a…best friend thing?” A giggle escapes me.

“You makin’ fun of me, Pup?”

“No, but you don’t think it’s a little weird you share a tattoo with that many grown men?”

“Nope,” he pops the ‘p’ sound. “Think of it as a promise.”

“A promise of what?”

He shrugs. “Whatever promise it needs to be.”

“Do you always answer questions in riddles?”

“It’s the truth.”

His eyes dip as I swim to the middle of the pool, my chest inches above the waterline, before lifting back to mine, the look in them enough to have me taking a mental picture.

“You want to tell me what you’re thinking all the way over there?” His question dries my tongue.

“I’m thinking I don’t know a lot about you.”

“Not much to tell. I told you I moved here when I was young. It’s a small town. As you can imagine, we came up with creative ways to occupy our time.”

“That’s when you met Dominic? When you were kids?”

He grins. “I was wondering when you’d bring him up again.”

“Is he always like that?”

“Like what?”

I wrinkle my nose. “Abrasive?”

This earns me a chuckle. “I think you know the answer.”

“So, what’s his problem? Mom didn’t hug him enough?”

“Probably not. She died when he was young.”

I wince. “Shit, I’m an asshole.”

“So is he. And he doesn’t apologize for it, so you shouldn’t either.”

“So, you’re all just friends with a promise? Why a raven?”