Shane pulled up to his sister's house, parking his truck in front of the mailbox. He stepped out, grabbing his duffel, and started toward the house.

"Three women in one house, two that aren't my sister, all college girls, and I'm here for a week," Shane said to himself. He looked up towards the heavens, mouthing "Thank you, God," before ringing the doorbell.

The door swung open, and one of his sister's roommates stood there. Kelly, he remembered seeing her in a picture, stood about 5'4", weighed around 140 pounds, and had shoulder length red hair. She had a soft, supple figure, curving slightly around the waist, with nice, C-Cup breasts. Kelly was wearing a Southern Girls t-shirt, and a pair of old jeans. "She's carrying a few extra pounds, but damn, she carries them well," thought Shane.

"Hi, you must be Shane. I'm Andrea, one of your sister's roommates." She reached her hand out.

Shane accepted the handshake. "Yes ma'am, I saw a picture that you guys took a little while ago."

"Hey now! Drop that ma'am stuff. I'm not that much older than you are." Kelly blushed, her freckles standing out against her deeply reddened face.

"I know, excuse me. It's force of habit." Shane followed Kelly inside the doorway, and sat his duffel down out of the way. He took his hat off, dropping it on top of the bag.

"Well, well. A man with manners. That's unusual in a college town." Kelly walked into the kitchen, and opened the fridge. "Do you want something to drink, Shane?"

He stepped through the dining room, meeting her in the kitchen. "Sure, got any Bud Ice?"

Kelly shut the door to the 'fridge, handing him a Mountain Dew. "Sure, here it is. It just comes in a new can, and it looks and tastes different."

Shane had to smile. "Very cool. You're quick with a quip, and you're not afraid to give a lame sounding comeback. I guess you're ok, for an older gal."

Kelly gasped in shock, and hit Shane in the arm. "What did I say about the old cracks?" She turned around and walked off towards the living room.

"God, she has one sexy looking butt." Shane thought to himself. He ran into the living room to make sure she knew he was just kidding. "Kelly, I was just joking. I thought you were a kidder, like me. I'm sorry if I upset you."

She kept flipping through the channels, ignoring Shane, letting him stew.

Just then, his sister walked in. "Shane, when did you get here? I saw your dirty old truck on the street, make sure they don't tow it with the trash, tomorrow's the pick up day." Jessica liked cracking on her brother's truck. He was proud of it, 4-Wheel drive, extended cab, the works.

"Jessica, don't make fun of my truck, just cause you drive the midget mobile." He pointed through the door to her Volkswagen Beetle. "And, there's a truck as big as mine in the backyard, looks like it just got washed. Which one of you goes out with the guy that owns it?"

"Oh, Shane, that's not one of our boyfriend's trucks. That's Kelly's." Jessica said, feeling the air Shane sucked in from his surprise.

"You mean, that... that truck... it's huge... Kelly, you drive... but..." Shane kept babbling, amazed by this bit of news. Kelly couldn't help smiling, Shane couldn't see her face on this side of the couch.

Jessica was still smiling. "Here, follow me, I'll show you where you're sleeping."

Shane grabbed his gear, still looking towards Kelly, amazed at how attracted he was to her.

Shane dropped his gear on the floor, sitting at the computer desk. "Wait, sis, that awesome truck, is Kelly's?"

Jessica simply nodded.

"Wow. Gorgeous, funny, and a killer truck. Is Kelly seeing anyone?" Shane asked, serious as a heart attack.

"Whoa now, hold on sport. Kelly is older than you are, don't get any ideas.

Shane stood up, facing his sister. "But Jessy, she's so awesome. What's so bad about me maybe asking her out while I'm here?"

"Shane, she's too old, no!" Jessica sat at the computer, booting up her E-Mail. "Besides, I know you have all the girls at school falling all over you."

"Oh bull shit!" Shane blurted out, before he could stop himself. "I... I mean, no way. None of the girls back home like me. I'm not hot enough, rich enough, sexy enough, take your pick." Shane stood almost 6' tall, but his weight was up there in numbers, too. He weighed in around 215 pounds, but filled out to a degree that he didn't look fat, just big. He had dirty blonde hair that got shaggy when it grew out, and piercing blue eyes.

"Shane, you're very attractive, those girls are just idiots." Jessica flipped through her E-Mail, turning back to look at Shane now and then.

"Yeah, whatever. So, where am I gonna sleep?" Shane sat up, looking towards his sister imploringly. "Plus, I need a shower."

"Well, I'm going to sleep on the pull out couch, and you can crash in here." She motioned around her bedroom.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no way! I'm not kicking you out of your own bed. I'll sleep on the couch." Shane grabbed his bag, standing up to walk back out of the room.

"Wait, Shane, you're a guest here, and I give my guests my room, and I sleep on the couch. I always do this." Jessica looked at her brother, seeing his stubborn side coming out.

"No way sis. Besides, I can't sleep in here anyway." Shane looked up at the walls and shelves, covered in stuffed animals and unicorns. "Your room at home always gave me the creeps, too."

Jessica punched him in the arm. "Fine, if that's how you want it, you can take the lumpy couch! But, leave your stuff in here, don't have it in the living room, cluttering it up."

Shane reached into his bag, grabbing some jeans out of it. "I just need a shower, and I'll be out of your way until it's time for bed."

"Well, we were going to go out for supper, chinese food, if you want to join us?" Jessica smirked, knowing Shane loved Chinese food.

"I'll be out in five minutes." Shane ran out of the room, and withing twenty seconds, she heard the shower running.

"That boy will never change." Jessica went back to checking E-Mail.

Five minutes later, Shane stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a pair of jeans, carrying his dirty clothes in his hands. He bumped into Andrea, the third roommate.

"Hi, I'm Shane, Jessica's little brother." He reached his hand out to shake hers.

Andrea reached her hand gingerly towards him, shaking it quickly, then wiping her hand off on the wad of clothes in his arm. "Yeah, she told us you were coming for a little bit."

Shane smiled at her, but thought to himself, "Ooooooooook, so I guess she's the uptight bitch of the bunch. No wonder Jess never talks about her that much."

Andrea walked off towards her room, slamming the door. It was easy to see why she got the room on the other end of the house, no one wanted to be around her.

Jessica walked out of her room. "I heard a door slam, I guess you met Andrea."

"Yeah, what's up with her? I just said hey and shook her hand."

Jessica crooked her finger at him, telling him to lean in. "Well you see, Andrea is kind of, ummmm... well, she's sort of a..."

"Uptight bitch?" a third voice jumped into the conversation. Kelly was standing over by her door, listening to the sibling discuss the black sheep of the house.

"Yes, that about sums her up," Jessica said with a smirk.

The trio got ready to go eat, Andrea having decided to stay home. The girls took Shane to a nice restaurant, with a huge China garden in the front of it. The entire night, he was a gentleman, opening doors, pulling out chairs. He even stood up when one of them came back to the table. Kelly could see the proper upbringing that Jessica had introduced her too shining through in Shane as well.

Shane excused himself to the restroom, leaving the girls to talk. "Jessica, your brother is so sweet! How did you get him to act so nice?"

Jessica laughed to herself. "Well, I had nothing to do with it. That was all my mom and dad's doing. They raised us both strictly, as far as manners and actions go."

Kelly, nodded, not used to this kind of treatment. She was used to college guys, having burping contests and beer bashes. "You don't supposed he'd be interested in an older woman do you?" she asked, more than slightly serious.

"Kelly! He's my little brother! Besides, you're seeing a guy, what's his name, Jeff?"

"Gene, and yeah, I am. But, he just seems to want to make out, and he's tried stuff on me before. I have a date with him tomorrow night, I don't know if I really want to go."

"Oh come on, all guys are horny at our age. He's probably sweet deep down."

"Not nearly as sweet as Shane," Kelly thought to herself.

Shane soon returned to the table. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting, there was a line. So, now what's on the agenda?"

"Well, we were just going to rent a couple of movies and go home, if that's ok with you?" Kelly said, reaching for her fortune cookie.

"That sounds good to me, don't let me get in the way of anything ya'll have planned." Shane reached out, for the bill tray, holding it up so Jessica and Kelly could both get their fortune cookies.

"Oh great!" said Jessica. "Look for enlightenment in the halls of learning. Can't you tell we're living in a college town? This fortune sucks!"

Shane and Kelly both laughed at her reaction, each breaking theirs open.

Kelly read hers out loud, "Be aware of love in the most unlikely of partners."

Jessica nodded at her, "See? What did I tell you about Gene?"

Shane opened his, and read it to himself. "You will find love, straight ahead, down life's road." He looked up, and sitting straight ahead of him was Kelly. "Does that mean... Nah. Besides, she just said she was going out with some guy during dinner."

"What does yours say, Shane?" they both asked him.

"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing. It's stupid really." He put it in his pocket, grabbing a few dollars to leave as a tip.

"Alright, let's get going. Shotgun!" Jessica said, hopping up from the table, leaving the money for dinner on the table.

Shane looked at his sister, shaking his head. "After you, Mademoiselle," he said, motioning Kelly to lead the way.

"Merci, Monsieur." she said, walking in front of him. She wondered though, why was he staring at her in such a weird way when he read that fortune?

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, with a couple of movies, some popcorn, and two stern warnings from Andrea about them being, "Too raucously loud!"

The next morning, Shane woke up to see Kelly sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of Coco Puffs, watching cartoons. She had on an old T-shirt, and some baggy sweat pants.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she said, smiling brightly, with her red hair framing her face, shining in the light from the window.

"Oh, god, don't tell me you're a morning person!" Shane laid back down, pulling a pillow on top of his head.

Kelly sat the bowl down, hopping onto the sofa bed, pulling the pillow off his face. "Now, now, you have to get up. I think your sister has a list of stuff for you to do today."

"Nooooo, I'm supposed to be on vacation!" Shane pulled the pillow back down, shutting the light out of his eyes.

"Shane, come on, get up. I'll wake you up like my mom used to do to us." Kelly pulled the pillow away, and tossed it on the love seat. She then leaned down, and planted a small kiss on the tip of Shane's nose. "There! Now, it's time to get up and eat some breakfast." She walked into the kitchen, and Shane heard bowls clattering.

"Yeah, sure, be right there Kelly!" Shane pulled the blankets over his head, and rolled back over to go to sleep.

"Oh, no! Don't roll over, mister!" Kelly hopped on top of Shane's back, and reached under the blanket, tickling him. She tickled with all she had, trying to wake him up.

"Hey, come on, stop that, don't do it!" Shane struggled under the covers, trying to grab her arms, but she had him pinned under the blankets.

Right then, Andrea stepped out of her room, dressed for class. "Kelly, will you please dismount the minor?" she said with a sneer. "Just because you can't find a guy your own age willing to fool around, don't corrupt young minds." Then, Andrea grabbed her keys, and walked out, slamming the door on her way out.

Kelly got off the sofa bed, walking slowly into the kitchen. Shane hopped up, following her. "Kelly, don't listen to her, she's just grumpy... all the time."

"No, Shane, she's right. No guys are interested in me around here." Kelly was getting the milk out of the fridge.

"Wait, what about that guy you're going out with tonight, Gene? He's interested"

Kelly laughed to herself. "Gene's interested in anything that has a vagina. And, if he's horny enough, he might just look for an ass."

Shane walked over, putting his hand on her arm, lifting her chin with his other hand. "Look, if he doesn't see that you're a great girl, that's his own fault. He's probably too stupid to find his own 'johnson' without a team of hound dogs anyway."

Kelly laughed at that. She was happy to have a guy around the house that could make her laugh, even if it was for only a short while. She looked up into Shane's eyes, and saw them, so deep, so icy and clear. She felt herself lean forward.

Shane found himself doing the same. He didn't know what came over him, but he wanted to kiss this girl so badly.

Suddenly, his sister's door opened. She came out yawning, wearing Pjs and bunny slippers. "Morning you guys. What's for breakfast?"

"Uh, cereal," Kelly said, dropping the box and walking into her room quickly. She leaned against the door, trying to get a hold of herself. Why had she done that? Shane was nice, but he was so young. She had to admit though, his solid body felt good when she was tickling him. It had been a long time since a guy had made her feel light headed like this.

Later in the afternoon, all the girls were at class. Shane was in the backyard, moving some limbs out of the way. He had gotten hot in the late spring sun, and was wearing only his jeans and boots. Sweat covered his torso and back, and he was almost done with the chores his sister "asked" him to do. He picked up the last limb, a huge piece of deadwood, and was carrying it to his truck, when he tripped over the garden hose.

"Oh, Shit!" he said to himself. He fell forward, and his head hit the branch, cutting it. He could have sworn he heard someone gasp, but he figured it was just the smack of his head. He felt the blood, and finished loading the branch, before walking towards the door to patch up the cut. He saw something move just inside the door, but he couldn't make out what, maybe a person. He walked inside, and noticed a soda sitting on the window sill, still cold. He looked into the living room, and saw Kelly sitting on the sofa, flipping through the channels.

"Hey Kelly? Where's the band-aids?" Shane asked, holding his shirt on his head.

"In the bathroom, why?" She looked up, and jumped up, running to him. "Oh, Shane, what happened?" She walked to the bathroom, grabbing the first-aid kit. She cleaned his head, and bandaged it up.

"Thanks, Kelly." Shane stood up, realizing he didn't have a shirt on.

Kelly seemed to notice at the exact same time. She looked him up and down, then said, "umm, oh no problem!" She walked back to the living room.

Shane was walking back into the backyard, when he heard Kelly talking to herself.

"I know I had a Mountain Dew, where did I leave it?"

Shane was kicked back on the sofa bed, watching TV, when he heard someone yell outside. He couldn't make out the words, but he knew it was Kelly's voice. He jumped up, running outside in just boxers and a t-shirt. He saw a beat up compact car, and it was shaking.

"Gene, I said NO! Let me out of the car!" Kelly sounded serious.

Shane walked to the driver's side, but it was locked. He didn't know what else to do, he pulled his arm back, and slammed his forearm sideways into the window. Reaching in, he opened the door, grabbing the guy by the collar. He slammed him down on the hood of the car, cracking his head against the glass. "Hey, she said back off, so back off jackass!" He threw Gene to the ground, and went over to help Kelly out of the car. She was shaking, and her eyes were red with tears.

Gene had stood up, and gotten back in the driver's seat. "Hey, she's nothing but a fucking tease anyway! Good riddance!" He slammed his door, and had just cranked the car when Shane kicked the other door shut hard enough to shatter the glass in it, too.

"If I ever hear your messing with Kelly again, I won't stop with your car, asshole!" Shane held Kelly while Gene roared off.

Kelly was still shaking, but she smelled something familiar. Metallic, strong. She smelled blood. Shane's arm was cut up, and his foot was bleeding too. "Oh, God! Shane, you're hurt! Come on, get in the truck." She fumbled through her purse for her keys, and soon, they were on

their way to the emergency room.

Shane sat on the hospital bed, the stitches standing out on his arm like an ink stain on a white sheet. He had just cut it barely bad enough to need stitches. He sat there in nothing but his Superman boxers. He had wrapped his shirt around his arm. His foot wasn't bad, he just stepped on a piece of glass.

"God, Shane, I'm so sorry this happened to you." Kelly had stayed with him, feeling guilty.

"Look, Kelly, don't worry. I've had stitches before." Shane reached out to her, stroking her arm.

The doctor walked in, telling Shane he could go home. They would be in touch to talk about removing the stitches. He could use his arm, but nothing to strenuous. Shane and Kelly walked out of the ER, and drove home. It was 3 AM before they got there.

Shane laid back on the sofa bed, and Kelly sat next to him. "Oh god, Shane, I'm so tired, I can't even make it to my room."

"Well, lay back for a few minutes Kelly, it's fine with me." Shane scooted over, making room for her.

Kelly laid down, turning to face Shane, scooting up against him. "Shane, I feel so horrible for this. I'm sorry you got hurt."

"Kelly, it's no big deal. I'm just sorry I couldn't help you fast enough." He looked into her eyes, feeling himself get lost in those emerald pools.

"Shane, you did help me. I might be at the ER right now if you hadn't come out." Kelly stared back, seeing his deep blue eyes pulling her in again. She leaned against his side, and felt her eyes getting heavier. She soon felt herself drifting off, the night catching up with her.

Shane just held her close, smelling her hair, feeling her skin against his. What if... what if that fortune cookie wasn't total bull?

Kelly woke up, the sunshine in her eyes. She looked around, realizing she was on the sofa bed. "Oh my god, I fell asleep in here!" She looked over, and Shane was gone. She turned over, and saw him, sleeping on the love seat. He was twisted around, and he didn't look comfortable at all.

"He always does that. If someone falls asleep with him, he'll move to somewhere else, so they can sleep better, and not feel crowded." Kelly looked towards the voice, and saw Jessica sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. Kelly got up, and walked over to her, sitting next to her.

"Kelly, why does my brother have blood stains on his boxers, and medical tape on his entire arm and foot?" Jessica looked at Kelly with a cocked eye, waiting for an answer.

Kelly sighed deeply, and put her hand on her friends. "Jessy, we really need to talk."

"KELLY! He's only 17! How can you tell me you that you're in love with my little brother?" Jessica was ecstatic. Her roommate had just dropped a bombshell on her. They were sitting in the back yard, talking where Shane couldn't hear them.

"I'm so sorry, Jessy. I don't know what happened, I just... he's so sweet, and great, and cute, and funny, and I..." Kelly put her face in her hands, feeling the tears welling up.

Jessica walked over to her friend, wrapping her arms around her. She had known Kelly for three years almost, and she started to realize what Kelly had been saying all along. Her past boyfriends had all been dicks when Jessica had met them, and she had thought Kelly could do so much better.

"Look Kelly, I'm sorry for blowing up. It's just, he's my little brother. I can't imagine him growing up, and especially not being a prime candidate for older women. And especially not... a sexual object." Jessica had a problem with that, but she knew it had to happen sooner or later.

"Jessy, I don't just want your brother for that. I'm not like that. I mean... I'm still... you know..." Kelly looked at the ground again.

"Kelly, you're a... virgin?" Jessica was slightly shocked at that. She didn't actually know a 22 year old virgin.

"Yes. I never found a guy that I wanted to actually go that far with. Plenty of them tried, but I didn't want to. And now, I finally meet a guy who I feel comfortable enough around to consider it, and I know it's impossible." Kelly broke down in tears, laying her head on the patio table.

"Kelly, look, it's gonna be ok. I know I can't stop you if you wanted to go out with Shane. And, besides, I'd be happy for you guys if you did go out." Jessica knew she wasn't just saying that, she really wanted them to be happy. Besides, she knew her brother was a good guy, and he would treat Kelly like she deserved, and better.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. It's not like Shane would even want someone like me anyway. He's so cute, and funny. And besides, I'm way older than he is. He's 17, he's not going to want to go out with a girl in her 20's." Kelly wiped her eyes on her sleeve.