Joelle quietly peered through the hole in the fence, lost in her staring. Every Saturday morning Trevor was out in his backyard and Joelle was hiding safely behind her fence. It wasn’t like she never talked to the guy, they were friends. She just didn’t want to be caught ogling him. After all, they were friends. Friends.
“Hey Jojo bean!” Trevor called out, not even looking in her direction.
Falling backward, she landed sprawled in the dirt. She blinked in shock. How’d he know? Seconds later his head popped over the fence, looking down at her with a huge grin plastered to his face. “Whatcha doin’ down there in the dirt Jojo bean?”
“I…I…” Joelle scrambled but failed monumentally to come up with any sort of explanation.
Thankfully he didn’t push further. “Well, when you are done hanging out in the dirt come over. You are still coming over to help with my homework?”
Jumping to her feet Joelle felt her comfort zone slide into place. “I am not playing in the dirt. I fell.” His eyebrow raised at that but she hurried on. “And I will come over to help you as long as it remains me helping and not me doing it for you. I’m not one of your groupies Trev, who will hang all over you and do whatever you want.” At least, you’ll never get me to admit it.
“Says the girl I found suspiciously close to that peephole.” He scoffed.
With a fierce blush she blurted, “How on earth would you know if there is a peephole?”
Jumping over the fence in a move he made look remarkably easy, Trevor was suddenly startlingly close. “It works both ways Jojo bean.” He grinned brighter as he looked pointedly over at her favorite lounge chair by her pool where she would sit reading for hours on end whenever the sun was out.
Joelle’s face flushed even more red. Once again at a loss over what to say she shoved him. She needed time to process what he had just admitted. “Liar.”
He shrugged, moving in even closer. There were mere centimeters of space between them. Staring up at him, all she could do was blink.
“Trevor?!” A girl’s voice who sounded an awful lot like Emilia, groupie #1, echoed from over on Trevor’s side of the fence. Joelle wasn’t the only one that cringed. “Where are you baby?”
Trevor blanched every time the girl spoke, yet she still hung around.
Joelle whispered, “You have got to cut her loose, she is getting on my nerves.”
“Trust me. I have tried.” Trevor whispered back. “Emilia is persistent.”
“Then go get yourself a girlfriend so we can stop whispering. You are hiding in my backyard, from a little sophomore.” Joelle goaded.
Trevor backed away from the fence with a mischievous glint in his eye, pretending to hide behind her. “No. I don’t want to.”
Joelle almost didn’t hear what he had said. When he’d moved behind her his hands had gone to her waist in order to keep her from moving. “You do realize that you are bigger than me, right? If she looked over the fence right now she would still see you. I…are you really hiding behind me?”
She tried to turn but he kept her facing the fence. His voice came from right behind her shoulder blades and tingles raced out in all directions. “No, I’m not hiding at all. I’m holding you.” His hands went from holding her waist to completely wrapped around her.
Her breath hitched. “Trevor?”
Slowly he turned her in his arms, not letting her move any further away as he stood to his full height. She wasn’t sure if he was still hiding or flirting.
“Hi.” He whispered with a chuckle.
Flirting. Definitely flirting. With her.
Too fast to comprehend what was happening before it happened, Trevor was gently but firmly holding the back of her neck, pulling her in. The kiss seared through her body, leaving a delicious glowing warmth. As he eased away he smiled. “I don’t want to go anywhere further than right here for a girlfriend.”
“There’s no one else here.” I growled. “How does that help you find a girlfriend?”
“You’re here.” He smirked.
Joelle started shaking her head. “I am not going to pretend to be your girlfriend just so you can shake Emilia. Besides, we are friends.”
“Trevor!” Emilia shrieked from just on the other side of the fence. Way too close. Both Trevor and Joelle jumped at the sound, fully pulling apart.
Trevor nodded. “I’m not going anywhere until you say yes, Jojo bean.”
“To what?” You didn’t ask me a question.” Joelle smiled, tilting her head. “Do you have a question for me?”
“Trevor!” Once again Emilia called out, taking on a sickly sweet tone. “Are we playing a game? I love games.”
Groaning, Trevor put both hands on Joelle’s shoulders. “Stay here, little miss peeping tom…er…peeping tami.”
“No promises.” Joelle teased.
Rolling his eyes, Trevor snatched her hand and dragged her out of her backyard and into his. When Emilia spotted him she came dashing over, completely ignoring Joelle. Trevor kept a firm hold on her hand, even as Emilia wrapped herself around him. It took forever for Trevor to pull her off. Joelle couldn’t tell how hard he was trying and she did not appreciate how much of Emilia’s incredibly long black hair was getting in her face.
“Emilia.” Trevor gruffed, turning back to pull Joelle closer to him. “You’ve met Joelle right? My girlfriend.”
Joelle’s mouth dropped as Emilia’s face turned red. With a wordless shriek Emilia stormed off, once again leaving Trevor and Joelle alone.
Hands on her hips, Joelle glared him down. “Did you just use me to get rid of her?” She demanded.
“No!” He put up his hands in defense. “Yes, but no.”
“Since when have I been your girlfriend then?” Joelle stumbled slightly at the word girlfriend.
“Since I kissed you and asked you to be my girlfriend. And before you bring up the whole pretending thing, I never said anything about you pretending to be my girlfriend. I was really asking. I know you haven’t had a chance to say yes yet but will you? You haven’t said no yet either.” He drew her in. “Do I need to kiss you again?”
