Page 152 of Five Brothers

Someone pushes into me again, and then again until I’m almost nose to nose with Macon.

His eyes don’t leave mine.

Holding me, he takes my arms and guides them around his neck, pulling me flush with his chest. Tight.

His hand covers the back of my head, protecting it, and it only takes a moment for me to get a handle on what we’re doing and to follow his lead. Hugging him close, I circle his neck with both of my arms and bury my face in his neck as the car jostles underneath us, more bodies piling in.

“Ara, damn,” Dallas groans. “You gain weight or something?”

“Dallas?” she says with a heavy accent, and I can tell she’s about to say something in Spanish. “Yo pretendi mis orgasmos contigo.”

I recognize Army’s laughter, because he, Macon, and Iron are the only ones who are bilingual. For some reason, their parents raised Liv, Trace, and Dallas with only English.

Macon’s fingers curl into my skin. Goose bumps spread down my arms. I close my eyes.This could be it.

Dallas goes on, “What the hell did she say?”

“You don’t want to know,” Army replies.

Jerome is nowhere in sight. Macon holds me, and when his arms tighten, so do mine. Someone knocks into me again, but I don’t get hurt. Macon’s got me.

The space inside the car is getting tight.

I can’t breathe.

It’s hot.

I never want to leave.

“Clay, you need to shave!” someone shouts.

“I shaved!”

“Get your foot out of my face.”

Voices, grunts, an insult about someone’s breath …

His neck is warm. I can feel the creases in the skin of his neck on my mouth. I shift, trying to press my stomach to his, but I rub against him. I stop breathing, he holds me.

“Are we done?” someone asks.

No.I close my eyes.

“Someone shout! Tell them we’re done!”

“Done!” I hear Army and Dallas shout.

“Done!” comes someone else.

“Oh my God, hurry,” Dallas bites out. “I can’t breathe.”

I inhale him, I …

The air horn goes off, and I squeeze my eyes shut tighter …

before I finally open them.

Cheering fills the air, car doors flying open and everyone starting to fall out. There’s laughter outside, but as the car empties, I pull back, lingering, though I can’t meet his eyes.