Free Fusion (Explosive #5) by Tessa Teevan Page A

his hard ripple of muscles on full display underneath his tight football T-shirt. As much as I complained about him spending too much time lifting weights in the field house, I sure did appreciate the results. His body was strong and lean, and built in all the right places with broad shoulders, the solid wall that was his impeccable chest, and arms that were corded with muscle. The desire to run my fingers over his hard edges and planes was so intoxicating that I started to reach my hand out to do just that.
    “Let’s go cut some frogs!”
    Chris, as usual, had interrupted our moment. If you could have called it that. I was really beginning to hate that guy. Okay, not really. He was so oblivious to anything going on with me and Jeremy that it wasn’t his fault.
    At the reminder of what we were about to do, Jeremy’s face paled again.
    I grinned up at him. “I’ll be right there with you, Jer. Every step of the way,” I promised, giving his forearm an encouraging squeeze.
    It was his turn to swallow hard. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he gave a slight shake of his head. Then he winced. “I don’t want to cut an animal open! I think I need to go to the nurse. You can do this one solo, right?” he asked, looking hopeful. “I’m suddenly feeling ill and need to go home.”
    As lab partners, he knew I’d be there for him. He’d been dreading this day for years. My big, bad, football-playing best friend was terrified of having to dissect a frog. Not that he’d ever said the words out loud until now. Still, I had known that it was true.
    I remembered watching that episode on one of our favorite TGIF shows a couple of years ago. I had been fascinated, but when I’d looked over at Jeremy, his face had been as pale as it was now, and he’d even broken out into a bit of a sweat. I was nervous about it, too, and I wasn’t sure how I’d do with all the guts and stuff, but I could stomach my way through it. Jeremy? I wasn’t so sure. But I’d do my best to get him through it.
    After all, what were friends for?
    I pushed past him and walked towards the door. When I was about to step in the classroom, I turned and issued a challenge. “I mean…I guess, if you’re too chicken to do it, then by all means, go see the nurse.”
    He muttered a curse under his breath, but sure enough, he shuffled behind me into the classroom. When we made it to our table, the instruments were already set out for us. Somehow, Jeremy paled even further at the sight of them. I was starting to wonder if maybe he really did need to see the nurse. But, just like all those years ago when we’d faced our fear of sharks, I was going to hold his hand all the way through this. By the end of the period, Jeremy would be a master frog dissector.
    Okay, that may be stretching it, but he’d have at least passed this portion of biology.
    “It’s two hours, Jeremy. Take a deep breath, suck it up, and in two hours, the day will be over and you can go get your man card back in the field house, lifting weights with all the other muscle-head jocks.”
    He frowned. “I am not a muscle-head jock,” he protested.
    I smiled in spite of myself. Even if he thought it was insulting, at least I was getting his mind off the task before us.
    I raised an eyebrow and leaned against the lab table. “Oh really?” I reached over and squeezed his bicep.
    He flexed underneath my touch. Case in point.
    “Mr. Muscles. You didn’t have these a year ago. Ever since football season ended, you’ve spent all of your free time in the field house. You’ve added at least an inch to those biceps.”
    A huge, proud smile spread across his face. “Are you complaining?” he asked.
    Before I could answer, he stalked towards me and wrapped his arms around my body, squeezing hard.
    “The bigger the muscles, the harder the hug. And I know how much you love my hugs, Sierra.”
    Ha. He didn’t even know the half of it.
    I briefly closed my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy