Chapter One

James' POV:

I have never been labeled the smartest guy in the group. And that was ok. I was definitely the best looking, probably the best dancer, and the tallest. But I will admit, there are times that I get myself into situations that never seem to happen to Logan or Kendall, situations that require you to choose the right thing to do. I am not good at choosing the right thing in a flash. I think on my feet and regret it later.

"Abigail is looking for you," Kendall announced as I jogged past him. I gritted my teeth. I had been trying to shake that blonde for two weeks now. It took one night of drinks and sex that didn't fulfill to decide that she would not be getting a call back. Unfortunately she was tenacious and always seemed to pop up at the most inconvenient times.

"You didn't see me!" I shouted to back to Kendall over my shoulder and stopped at the entrance to Palm Woods Park. I looked around. Where could I lie low for an hour or so while I had the guys get rid of Abigail? My eyes scanned the field and zeroed in on Katie. She was sitting on a bench, reading something. Good enough. "Hey, Katie Bear." I dropped down on the bench next to her. She turned a page of her magazine without looking up.

"Hiding from Abigail?" she guessed. I hid a smile. She was twenty years old in a sixteen year old body. It was always amusing.

"I don't like confrontation."

"Clearly." She scoffed, but she smiled as she judged, making me feel safe. "Which is fine if you never want a relationship that lasts more than three days."

"I dated Lucy for a year." I defended my longest relationship yet.

"I admit, that was impressive." She conceded and looked up at me. I grinned down at her and slid my arm behind her on the bench.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." I chuckled. She rolled her eyes. "Who else would stop me from getting away with the crap I do?"

"Not nearly enough people." She elbowed my arm back to my side and shifted her legs down off the bench and crossed them. Her magazine was lying forgotten in her lap. "You are one of the lowest people I know."

"I always wonder how much of that is a joke when you say it," I responded to the familiar phrase she muttered at me at least once a week since she was thirteen.

"I wouldn't want to think about that." Katie admitted. "You probably wouldn't like the answer." She grimaced teasingly.

"Look who's avoiding confrontation now."

"Heads up. Abigail, twelve o'clock." Katie's voice hardened. I looked up and confirmed Abigail's annoying teal purse. She was far enough away to not recognize us, but she was coming closer. And now is going to become one of those moments that I told you about. I'm going to think on my feet and regret it later. "Good luck getting out of this one, Ace," she challenged and moved to get up. Before I could second guess, I grabbed her back and pulled her on top of me. She yelped, but I silenced her with my lips. I held her face turned into me so Abigail could only see my features. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a blue bag disappear. And then I tuned in to the situation on my hands. Or my lips. I sat us up and Katie slipped off of me, falling back into her place on the bench. "James, wha-"

"Thanks, Katie. I owe you one." I winked and left before she could react. I didn't want to get beaten up. But it was Katie. She could take a joke. It would be fine. She wouldn't say anything.

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Katie's POV:

I had had a crush on James since I could remember. He was the perfect amount of family, but not DNA. He was beautiful, had a perfect body, a secret kind streak. He was strong and protective and sang like an angel. And of course going through puberty with a guy like him under my roof was not going to help matters. But I was Katie Knight. I could keep a secret. I knew that the five year age gap was something that would kill a dream. I could act. So I played the part of James' wingman. Or winggirl. Or something. I was his kid friend. I got him out of trouble. Was it perfect? No. Could I live with it? If it meant I got to have James in my life, yes.

I touched my lips. Traced them with my fingers. He had kissed me. He had pulled me onto him and kissed me. He had held my face. His lips had been soft, tasting like oranges. My first kiss, though I would never admit it out loud. I felt my heart begin to race as the truth sank in. James Diamond had just kissed me in Palm Woods Park.

"Stop it, Katie." I muttered to myself as I grabbed my magazine and stood up. "It didn't mean anything. He was using you. He used you because that's what you are. You're their yes-man. He knew he could get away with it and you wouldn't freak out." Well I was freaking out. I could pretend like I wasn't, but it changes when things get physical. He had just stolen my first kiss without asking and he would have to answer for that someday. Though he was probably sauntering around town right now, forgetting all about the whole thing. Because that's what James did. He didn't worry about anything.

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James' POV:

Dinner in apartment 2J was always an event. Big Time Rush was still a group even though we graduated so we had stayed situated at the Palm Woods.

"How was everyone's day?" Mama Knight asked her usual questions to start conversation.

"Camille buys too many shoes." Logan complained. "My credit card is screaming."

"Jo buys more." Kendall sighed.

"So I see you had a productive shopping day?" Mama Knight laughed at the boys. They just groaned and focused on their food.

"I was recording some harmonies for Gustavo." Carlos shrugged. "Usual stuff. I get my day off tomorrow."

"You deserve one," Kendall nodded. "You took a bullet for us today so we could just go get buried in shoes."

"Seems like a noble cause." Katie spoke up, causing me to look at her for the first time in the meal. She had been quiet until then.

"How was your day, sweetie?" Mama Knight focused on Katie. Katie shrugged and I could have sworn she glanced my way for a millisecond.

"Underwhelming." She answered with a single word. I had not been expecting that. She continued to pick at her food.

"Weren't you in the park?" Kendall turned to her.

"Unfortunately," she sighed.

"I saw James run that way," Kendall laughed. "How's your girlfriend, buddy?" the guys looked at me and raised their eyebrows. They loved to see my misfortune.

"She's not my girlfriend." I muttered.

"I don't think she knows that," Mama Knight took a bite of salad. "Though, it probably isn't her fault." She gave me a pointed look. I held up my hands in defense.

"Hey, I never signed a contract."

"Sleeping with someone kind of implies one." Katie muttered from her end of the table. Carlos busted up laughing. Kendall looked at Katie in disgust.

"Don't say that again." Kendall shook his head. "My baby sister is turning into a teenager."

"News flash, Kendork, I already am one." Katie beamed. "And for the information of the table, you guys were all worse at sixteen." There were loud protests and alibis stated, a night of secrets almost revealed. But all I could think of was Katie's word 'underwhelming.' Is that what she thought of me kissing her? Underwhelming? Was she trying to hide it, or did she actually feel disappointed in my kissing skills? And why did I suddenly care?

"James, you really should tell that girl that it's not going to happen so you stop wasting her time." Mama Knight brought the conversation back.

"I don't think she'll be coming around for a while now," Katie stated. Everyone looked at her. Her eyes widened slightly and she stood up quickly.

"What?" Kendall clarified.

"I said may I be excused?" she answered quickly.

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Katie's POV:

I was on my bed when he knocked on my door. I already knew it was James because he knocked. He had walked in on me changing once and it had scared him into knocking every time.

"What?" I called in response to the knocking. He opened the door. "I'm doing homework." I pointed to the Calculus that was laid out on my bed.

"This will only take a second," he promised, and closed the door behind him. I crossed my arms and sat up a little straighter. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say. I always seemed to. He sat on the end of my bed. "Listen, Katie-"

"Relax, player, I won't tell anyone." I cut him off. I couldn't stand to hear him tell me the rules like I was gonna blab everything or something. He looked surprised for a minute, then nodded.

"I just don't want people reading into it. They don't understand that you're…" he was searching for the right words. I frowned. It wasn't new, but it hurt.

"That I'm your little sister." I filled in. He nodded again.

"Yeah. And you really helped me out of a jam today. Thanks." He flashed me his million dollar smile. I couldn't smile back.

"You didn't really give me much choice." I shrugged. He looked confused by that. Good.

"Ok well, glad that's settled." He stood up and dug his hands in his jeans pockets. I looked up at him, waiting for him to leave. He didn't.

"I have a lot of work to do," I hinted to the papers that covered my bed. I wanted him to take his ego and leave. I couldn't be his little person at the moment. I was a girl. A girl with feelings that he had hurt. And I didn't want to show him that. So he needed to leave.

"We good, Katie?" he held out his hand. I really didn't feel like reassuring him right now when I couldn't even reassure myself, but I reached out and slapped his hand and fist bumped him.

"Yeah." My throat was tight. "We're good."