He was my brother Patrick's friend. His best friend. I'd known him my whole life. He was always over. They were in the same surfing crew and the same Olympic gymnastics team together all through high school and after practice they'd come back with a dozen of their friends to raid my parent's fridge and play ps4 games on the giant flat screen in our family room.
Both my brother and his best friend got into UC Berkley on scholarships 4 years ago. But they always came home for summer. They both got in on a sports scholarship but they were smart, the two of them, they switched their majors to medicine in the first semester and never looked back. Both of them want to be surgeons. They're in the top of their class.
Pat's been a pretty decent big brother, as far as big brothers go. He's always tried to include me and let me hang with his rowdy group of friends who mostly ignored me, "Pat's geeky goth sister". Even though each one of them had called me at some point to fix their computer or build them one. That's as far as my usefulness went. But it was always Shawn who was nice to me. He always talked to me. Like, actually talked to me. As a person. Not just my big brother's weird kid sister.
Shawn didn't have any siblings, and his parents were divorced. He lived with his dad who was a banker and worked long hours. Mom thought that's why he was over here all the time. Not that my parents minded. Mom loved having all the boys over. She wanted more children but was unable to after me. Dad always playfully said I broke the mould and that was that.
Shawn was impossibly tall. 6'5" and worth the climb. His dad was 6'7" and his mom was 6'3" so I suppose it was inevitable he was going to be tall. He had these dark green eyes that looked almost out of place with his Scandinavian white blonde hair that flowed in waves past his wide shoulders to the middle of his back. My brother and their friends constantly rip on him about his long hair but he didn't care. He liked his hair long, he said, and only wore it in a ponytail when he was playing sports. It was thick and lush and he let me put it into braids like on the show Vikings when I was 15, for Halloween. I think it was on that day that I fell in love with him. Or maybe I'd always loved him and finally realized it. Maybe I was just old enough. All I know is I think about him all the time. He makes my stomach flutter and he fuels all my fantasies. Every one of them involves him.
It was hot out, even now as the sun was beginning to set. And it was only a week into summer. The end of June wasn't exciting because it was my birthday, ok, maybe a little. Mostly it was thrilling because Patrick came home for the summer. And so did his best friend, Shawn Lindesson.
My dad inherited our beach house from my aunt when I was little. He packed his family up and moved us out of L.A. No more city life for the Jaxton's. The sprawling split level rancher was located on the coast of California in San Luis Obispo County in the small, sleepy town of Cayucos. We were lucky enough to be just down the road from Estero Bay, a local surfing spot that professionals raved about more than once. When we moved here, my brother fell in with a group of surfing kids and that's when Shawn started to come over. I was 2. My brother and Shawn were almost 7.
Outdoors, and in the ocean all the time, my brother and his friends were incredibly tan. Every one of them was in their prime, chiselled from granite, and beautiful to look at. But it was Shawn I loved to sneak glances all through my youth. I'd never seen someone so proportionate. So toned. So PERFECT! Shawn's been fantasy fodder for me for the better part of a decade. I'd trade a limb just to have him kiss me!
"So, birthday girl, what are the big plans this weekend?!" Patrick's booming voice breaks me out of my temporary fantasy of making out with his best friend. He and Shawn got back two days ago and were wasting no time settling back into a routine with their friends. A routine consisting of sun, surf and sand.
"Same thing I do every night?" I mutter, sipping my cherry coke.
"Try to take over the world?" Shawn comes up behind me and bear hugs me, lifting me up off the ground like I weigh nothing. Damn, he's strong!
I can't help it, I laugh as he spins me around. Finally he places me back down and turning towards him I playfully try and push him over. I'd have better luck with a mountain!
"Shawn, you can't just go picking girls up!" I feign upset.
His left side of his mouth twitches up into a small, knowing smirk.
"You're not a girl, you're his best friends sister." Dale says flatly as he saunters into the kitchen, barely acknowledging me. He opens the fridge to grab a soda.
I open my mouth to counter him but I don't even know what to say to that!
"Don't be a jerk man, it's her birthday!" Shawn says, punching Dale in the arm HARD.
Dale winces then shrugs, rubbing his shoulder and returns to the living room, soda in hand. A loud roar goes up from the room. They're playing Soul Calibre and someone must have just landed a big hit.
"Shit! BRB Cat." Patrick dashes out of the kitchen to see the replay.
I lean up against the island and try not to stare at Shawn's beautiful broad shoulders and muscular back as he rifles through his backpack on the bench, finds a white t shirt, and then pulls it on. Much to my chagrin.
The guys had just rolled in not 5 minutes from a "sick surf sesh" and Shawn's body was bronzed to the gods, all his muscles standing proud as they had been worked by the ocean and his board for hours. His hair was soaked and needed a good going over. I longed to slide my fingers through those white blonde strands again.
Turning around, his dark emerald eyes find me and bore a tunnel into me. I can't help it, I blush deeply and stare at the floor.
"So did you make plans this weekend? You gonna go out? Get loaded?" his teasing tone puts me somewhat at ease as I look back up and try not to be an awkward dork.
"Shawn..." I laugh.
"I know Kitten," he says, coming over to the island. He reaches over and chucks me under the chin gently. "I'm just messing with ya."
My name is actually Feline. Fah Leen. But because it's spelled the same way as a certain animal species, namely the cat, my brother and his friends used to tease me relentlessly. I got called Cat so much in elementary school that my whole school thought my name was Catherine. Shawn, ever the contrarian, called me Kitten instead. To this very day. Sometimes I wonder if he knows my real name.
"Mom, Dad, Pat and I are going out to dinner tomorrow." I say, suddenly excited.
"ShinJo's?" Shawn's interest is piqued.
"Yea. It's my favourite." I rub my tummy, imagining all the sashimi, sunomuno and dragon rolls I'm going to devour.
"Damn me too! I've loved it since you guys brought me there!" Shawn's eyes are gleaming. I can tell, he wants to be invited.
"For your graduation present! You and Patrick and all the guys." I nod, remembering. It was only 4 years ago. I was 14.
"Yea, before we went off to uni." Shawn turns and grips the quartz island counter, hefting himself up to sit on it. His muscles flex deliciously as he does this and I can't help but imagine those arms around me.
"How is that? By the way?" I ask, genuinely interested.
"Grueling." he smiles, turning to look down at me. I don't know if I've ever seen eyes that green before. "Med school, you know."
"No. I really don't." I say and we both share a laugh.
"This summer better be good because I'm going into fifth year and it might be the most difficult one this far." his eyes are far away for a moment before smiling, jumping down from the counter and facing me again.
"Enough about that shit. Your birthday....just dinner? Friends? Party? A date?" he raises one blonde brow on his beautiful face at that last question. His eyes almost seemed to shadow.
"Only if I play WOW online with the gang tomorrow night." I shrug. "I don't date Shawn. You know this."
"It's been 9 months since I've seen you Feline." He says my name deeply, instantly making my stomach flutter. "I was thinking things may have changed in that department." he frowns slightly.
I stand there, mouth slightly open in surprise. HE SAID MY NAME! HE SAID IT!
And then he reaches out, somewhat slowly, and cups my cheek, very gently running a thumb across my bottom lip. I gasp as his other arm pulls me in against him.