The relationship between brothers is tricky when they are both best friends and fierce competitors. Thomas and Tristan knew this all too well. They had a close bond as they were only fourteen months apart in age, but they showed love and dedication to one another through hasling each other.
"No, I am headed home in a little bit," Thomas answered Tristan's question. Then he lowered his voice and said, "Unless I need to stay and make sure you don't get in trouble with Tracy's friend."
"You know I don't date Tracy's friends. They are all the same." Tristan found it easier to say than to believe and the look on Thomas' face said he wasn't convinced either.
Both men watched Jennette, admiring the way her jeans hugged her sculpted butt, as she hurriedly made her way to the office, but neither of them was willing to admit it. She closed the door to the hallway, and the brothers turned to go to the kitchen.
Thomas changed the subject, "I was planning on using the computer to print off some invoices real quick, but I guess it will have to wait. The guys are in the garage with Dad. Why don't you come hang out for a bit since you blew us off earlier?"
"Man I had to get away from Monica. I thought I had finally got through to her that I wasn't interested."
Thomas laughed loud and hard without any concern that everyone in the house could probably hear him. Through his hearty chuckle he apologized but without any sincerity. "That's my fault! I took one look at Tracy's new friend and figured you needed a distraction. I told Moany that you were SURE glad she was here this weekend." Thomas caught his breath and laughed some more. "She took it from there."
Tristan playfully punched his brother's shoulder and the two men made their way to the garage.
Meanwhile, Tracy and Monica were good enough friends that one small spat didn't stop them from talking things out.
"Tracy, I'm sorry. I want to stop feeling the way I do about Tristan, but when I see him I can't seem to stop saying dumb things. I'm really sorry."
Tracy had heard the same apology so many times in the past but she wasn't ever able to stay mad at Monica very long. Monica had been there through her insecurities with Marcus. It had been Monica who help Tracy rebuild her self-esteem.
Marcus had been Tristan's friend first as they were the same age and graduated in the same class. He wasn't ever the best looking guy but he made up for it with charm. He made sure to tell all the girls how beautiful they were and he was an insatiable flirt.
Tracy had never thought of herself as pretty as she was always taller, thicker and stronger than her peers.
On Halloween night almost two years previously when Tristan and Marcus were both high school seniors, Marcus made advances towards Tracy, even though he had a different girlfriend at that time.
It happened outside of Tracy's house. Monica and Tristan had gotten covered in shaving cream so they had gone to the backyard to wash off with the cold water hose before sneaking into the house.
Tracy and Marcus had avoided the playful attack from their classmates so they found themselves standing in the driveway laughing at their friends as they ran off, dropping white puffs with every footstep.
"Guess I'll have to find a pretty girl to help me clean my car out tomorrow. You wouldn't want to do that with me would you?" Marcus teased Tracy as he reached to her face and ran his finger along her cheek and then down her neck.
Tracy knew how he was, but felt flattered all the same. "Maybe," she teased back. His eyes glistened in the moonlit night air and they were completely fixated on Tracy. She had never had anyone look at her so intently before.
Marcus ever so smoothly stepped into Tracy's personal space before she realized it, and placed his lips against hers. It was Tracy's first real kiss and she didn't expect the flood of warmth that started in the center of her chest and spread out to her shoulders and dpwn to her fingers.
Marcus slid one hand behind her neck and the other curved around her waist to the middle of her back. The way his hands slid over her clothes and moved across her body made her feel small and comfortable in his touch. He moved his lips over her lower lip in a gentle nibbling fashion and then moved deeper like he was hungry to taste her. His lips were soft and his wiskers tickled at her chin.
Marcus kissed her a little harder with each rhythmic movement and Tracy seemed to forget everything she know about him. His hand on her waist was massaging down her back. Tracy was mesmerized by the feel of his body pressed against her.
She found herself with her back against his car and the way Marcus was touching her made her feel electric and desirable. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he began kissing down her neck and toward her ear.
"Let me..." he wispered.
Tracy suddenly came to her senses. He was asking her a question - a serious question. His hands where beginning to roam towards places she had never been touched and she was suddenly acutely aware that she was letting Marcus have too much control over her feelings. She wanted to be loved and desired, but she was hesitant to believe this was it.
"No. I'm sorry. I have to go." Tracy pushed Marcus away and ran into the house where she found Tristan and Monica giggling and dripping wet in the kitchen, but much cleaner.
The girls scurried off to Tracy's room and got Monica into dry pajamas. Tracy told Monica what had happened, but had sworn her to secrecy. She was afraid to think of what Tristan would do if he found out, which he never did.
For nearly three months after that Marcus would sneek around kissing Tracy every time no one was looking. Tracy even enjoyed the thrill of their clandestine meetings. Finally his pressuring her to go to the next step became too much. It was Monica who convinced Tracy to hold to her morals and not do something she would regret.
Tracy had a few other boys interested in her in the last two years, but she had never experienced someone who could kiss her with such passion. She often wondered if it was because she and Marcus were fated to be together.
She would often fantasize about Marcus holding her and kissing her again. Monica was the voice of reason repeatedly telling her that Marcus was "love 'em and leave 'em" kind of guy. Monica wanted better for Tracy and she was quick to remind her of that.
Monica bothered Tracy sometimes, but Tracy had come to believe Monica had save her from a terrible heartbreak. It was hard for Tracy to be too annoyed when she felt she owed Monica so much gratitude. Now that Marcus was showing an interest in Tracy again, she began to wonder if it would have been so bad to give into his advances.