Page 73 of Good For Me

Then she takes off, heading straight to the mini ramp where she drops in like a pro then executes a perfect front side grind along the top.

The three of us stand there watching her, mouths gaping like idiots, Ash’s helmet hanging off his head on a weird angle since he stopped messing with the strap as soon as Jasmine’s wheels hit concrete.

“Holy shit,” Ash mutters. “She’s good. Like, really freaking good.”

“That is sohot,” Cade says, and I smack the back of his head. “I’m sorry dude, look at her!” he cries.

I am most definitely looking at her. And he wasn’t wrong about her being hot. Jasmine moves like the board is a natural extension of her, all fluid and confident. She exits the ramp and skates back to us, casually pulling off a perfect ollie over a stairway set. Both of the boys erupt into cheers.

“River,” Cade whispers reverently. “You have to marry this woman.” Those words have my chest clenching uncomfortably. “If you don’t,” he continues, “I’m totally asking her out.”

I smack his head again. “You’re a little young for matrimony.”

He doesn’t respond, eyes glued to Jas as she attempts the kickflip we came out to practice. She stumbles a little, grinning over at us, and somehow that’s even hotter than the tricks she did perfectly.

“Doesn’t matter,” Cade says in that same awed voice. “I think I’m in love.”

Get in line, kid.

Apparently oblivious to the furor she created, Jas calls Ash and Cade over. I watch as she shows Ash what she meant about his back ankle, while Cade gazes up at her like she’s a goddess come to life.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” I tell her, when she steps away so the boys can try the trick for themselves.

She grins at me, face slightly flushed from her efforts. “Are you kidding? That was fun. I haven’t been on a ramp in ages.”

“You couldn’t tell from looking at you.”

“Really? Felt a little rusty.”

I scoff. “If that was you rusty, I’d like to see what you look like when you’re on point.” Her cheeks pink up even more—she’s pleased by the compliment. And that makes me step closer. I want to make her blush, want to affect her in whatever way she’ll let me. The draw she has on me is strong as ever.

“It was pretty hot, actually,” I murmur, brushing a slightly damp strand of hair off her forehead. “I didn’t realize I had a skater girl fetish before.”

I expect her to laugh but her eyes widen just the slightest bit instead, her gaze dropping down to my mouth. God, I want to kiss her. Ineedto kiss her. I’m lowering my face toward her, eyes locked on her lips, when Cade calls out from a few yards away.

“I did it!”

Jas winces, taking a step back. “We missed it. Now I feel like a jerk.”

I sigh, trying to get a handle on my rampaging lust. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I have a feeling they’re both going to be more than happy to show off for you for the rest of the weekend.”

“That’s a teenager thing. I was so obnoxious at that age, wanting everyone to think I was cool.”

“I think this is more of a teenage boy with a crush on an older woman thing.”

She laughs, like she thinks I’m joking, then turns to watch Ash take his turn. He manages to finish the trick without falling on his ass, but it’s wobbly. Jas and I offer a few instructions and they try again. And then again. I worry that Jas might get bored with this, but she looks as content as I’ve ever seen her as she sits on the edge of one of the rails, swinging her feet while she cheers for the boys and shouts the occasional encouragement or correction.

“What about you?” she asks me after a while. “For all your talk of being a skater boy, I haven’t actually seen you on a board.”

“Ooh, Riv,” Cade shouts. “She’s calling you out, man.”

I stand, making a big show of cracking my knuckles and shaking out my legs and arms.

“Just get on a board, chicken,” my little brother says, and I flip him off while Jas snickers behind me.

I skate around the space a little, reacquainting myself with the feel of my board before I do any tricks. I do a kick turn and an ollie, drawing some trash talk from the boys.

“My mom can do a kick turn, Riv,” Cade calls.