Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
When the speech finally breaks and everyone disperses toward the dining room table where Chef Stone is bringing out appetizers, I shake my dad’s hand and give him a hug, and then promptly start searching for June.
She’s nowhere to be found, and I have a feeling it’s because she’s feeling just as guilty as I am about the secret we’re hiding. We’ve had what feels like a hundred conversations about this, and if my father’s words tonight affected her in the same way they affected me, the shame of hiding our relationship from everyone is feeling like a path that’s more than run its course.
I start at the half bath and then go out back to the pool and even down to look for her at our spot on the beach, but I come up empty-handed at all of them.
When I go back inside, I climb the steps to the second floor and start peeking inside bedrooms as I make my way down the hall.
Most are empty, with made beds and untouched knickknacks, including the one she used to sleep in every night she was here growing up, but when I get to mine at the end of the long second-floor hallway, she’s lurking in front of my bookshelf.
“Hey,” I say softly, hoping not to startle her as I step inside and shut the door behind me.
“Hi,” she replies, her teeth worrying the skin of her bottom lip.
“What are you doing in here?”
She laughs, shrugging. “Hiding from my culpability, I guess.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m feeling pretty guilty too.”
“How are we going to tell everyone, Beau?” She sinks her face into her hands. “Listening to your dad down there, I felt so bad. I love your family so much. Just as much as I’ve always loved you. I just… I feel like we’ve backed ourselves into a corner. And trust me, I know this is more my doing than yours.”
“Hey, don’t do that. We’re a team, okay?” Stepping forward and pulling her into my arms, I hug her tight. “And we’ll figure out a way to tell them. Everything is going to be fine, I promise. They love both of us, right? Why wouldn’t they want us to be happy and together?”
“Maybe they would have been okay a few months ago, but Beau, we’ve been lying,” she whispers into my chest. “We’re lying right now!”
I put my hands to the side of her face, lifting her gaze to mine and studying the cornflower blue of her irises. “I’m going to figure out how to fix it. I promise.”
She nods, and I press my lips to hers. The kiss starts out soft and gentle, but it only takes a few beats before it turns altogether heated. Her hands pull at the back of my dress shirt, and I lift the hem of her cream dress. The skin of her thigh feels warm and inviting, and I move my tongue deeper into her mouth to get more.
God, she tastes so good. Feels so good. I’ll never have enough. I could touch and kiss June every second of every hour of every day for the rest of forever and I don’t think I’d ever have my fill.
A little moan escapes her throat, and I swallow it down as passion and heat and white-hot need release themselves inside our kiss.
“I’ve been looking all over for—oh my God!” Avery screams at the top of her lungs, and both June and I startle apart as the door to my bedroom swings open so hard it bangs against the wall.
Fuck.
I thought I locked it.
But I thought wrong.
“What in the holy hell is going on here?” Avery questions, her eyes wide as they dart back and forth between us.
“Avery, I can explain,” June says immediately, stepping around me and all but pushing me out of the way.
“No need, June. I’ve got eyes,” Avery snaps. “And my eyes just saw your tongue down my brother’s throat! Why was your tongue down my brother’s throat, June?” Her voice rises in irritation.
“Avery—” I start to interrupt, but she’s on a warpath now.
“My God, are you two a thing?” Avery shouts. “Are you two, like, together?”
“We were going to tell you,” June says, her voice shaky. “I just—”
“How long?” Avery cuts her off to ask. “How the hell long has this been going on?”
June’s face is red with distress as she glances back at me. “A few months,” I respond, knowing she needs me to say the words for her.
“Months? Months?” Avery screams. “You’re telling me you’ve been lying to me for months?” she says directly to June, her voice trembling with hurt.
“I’m so sorry, Avery,” June apologizes. “So, so sorry.”
“Oh my god! All that shit with Bethany?” Avery questions, anger and pain lacing the edges of her voice. “She was right, wasn’t she? It wasn’t bullshit. All this time and you’ve had a thing for my brother?”