Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Time seems to suspend itself as we travel together through the ecstasy of our climaxes. In my mind’s eye, I see us holding hands, floating through the stars, our bodies in perfect synchrony.
In perfect harmony.
I’m not sure how much time has elapsed when he finally pulls out and rolls over onto his side.
“My God, you’re amazing,” he says.
I flip to my side as well and regard his handsome face. He’s glistening with sweat, his hair pasted to his forehead and cheeks. “You’re the amazing one. Thank you for that.”
“My pleasure.”
I yawn. “I’m so relaxed right now. Your kisses and those mini massages… It was all heaven, Jesse.”
“Mmm,” is all he says, closing his eyes.
I want to close mine as well. I want to sleep in bed next to him. It’s something I’ve never done.
But I can’t. I have Maddie to think of, and so does he.
“I guess I should go,” I finally say.
He opens his eyes. “I know, baby. It won’t always be like this.”
I rise from the bed, go to the bathroom for a moment, and then return and put my clothes on. When I get back, Jesse has put his jeans on and pulled a T-shirt over his head.
“I’ll see you to your room.”
“You’re so sweet. But it’s just down the hallway.”
He brushes his lips over mine. “Nonnegotiable.” He opens his door. “Shall we?”
I walk out in front of him, look toward my room, nearly drop my jaw to the floor, and then push Jesse back into his room before he can see anything.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jesse
“What the hell?” I ask.
“Jesse,” Brianna says, “I just want to remind you what we talked about earlier. Tonight.”
“Brianna, what’s going on?”
“Remember, how you talked about you resenting my family…and how you’re over it.”
“Baby, get out of my way.”
“Jesse, please—”
“Move, or I will move you.”
She bites on her lips and steps out of the way. I walk outside the door and—
I race toward Brianna’s room, because right outside the door…
Anger curls at the back of my neck. It’s that crow pecking again. My youngest sister is in a clench, her mouth fused to David Simpson’s.
I grab Simpson by the shoulders, pulling him off my sister and knocking him against the wall.
Maddie tumbles to the floor.
Then of course I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do I pummel Dave Simpson? Or do I help my sister off the floor?
“For fuck’s sake,” I grit out.
I let Dave go and hold my arm out to Maddie, helping her up.
“Jesus, Jesse, what was that about?”
“He said he didn’t come here for you,” I say through clenched teeth. “That’s what you said, right, Brianna? That’s what you told me.”
Dave smooths out his shirt from where Jesse grabbed it. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, Pike, when you were just in your room with my cousin.”
“This is all ridiculous,” Brianna says. “We’re all adults here. But for God’s sake, Dave, why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
“I don’t owe any of you any explanation,” Dave says, keeping his voice steady. “But I was telling the truth. Neither Maddie nor I intended for anything to happen between us.”
One look at my sister, though, and I’m pretty sure she got exactly what she wanted.
When the hell did she grow up?
I hold back a scoff. She grew up the same time Brianna did, and Brianna is all woman.
Brianna caresses my arm. “Everything’s fine.”
I draw in a deep breath. I let go of my envy and resentment of the Steels earlier. But when one shows up unexpectedly and I find him with his hands all over my baby sister…
My own hands are still clenched into fists, and everything inside me tells me to propel myself toward David Simpson and knock him to the ground, punch his smug little face in until it’s unrecognizable.
But Brianna’s right. Even Dave is right, though it drives me crazy. We are all adults here.
“Sorry,” I say begrudgingly.
“No worries,” Dave says, returning to his jovial self. “I’d probably have done the same thing if I saw you and Brianna in a clinch.”
“She’s not your sister,” I say.
“Jesse,” Brianna says, “it’s the same thing in our family. We’re a very close-knit group. All our cousins are like siblings to us.”
“She’s right,” Dave says. “So I get what you’re feeling. But it was just a kiss, man.”
Maddie’s face falls at his comment. She was hoping for more. Maybe she and I need to have a talk. I could get Brianna to talk to her, but Brianna’s her same age, and I certainly didn’t plan to fall in love so quickly and completely.
Brianna takes Maddie’s arm. “Come on. We’ve got a big day tomorrow. You and I should go to bed.”
Maddie doesn’t smile, but she does give Dave a longing look before she goes with Brianna into the room, closing the door behind her.