Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“Where is she heading?” I ask.
Sadie turns around and tosses a playful grin our direction, then signs something to her mom, who waves at us and follows her.
Taylor shrugs. He doesn’t let go, doesn’t pull away, so I don’t either. We keep dancing, our bodies moving in unison.
But then Lance cuts in and announces, “We’re going to slow it down for a few minutes,” and Taylor and I just stand there like a couple of idiots.
“You want to dance with me, Bren?” Taylor asks, and okay, why do I have goose bumps from such a simple question?
“Since you asked so nicely.” I pull him closer, and we squeeze each other tightly, no space between us as we sway to the music.
“We should have tried this at prom,” Taylor says close to my ear.
“Our dates might have been a little upset. I don’t think they would’ve been as understanding as the teenage matchmaker who just left us.”
We chuckle, Taylor’s chest vibrating against mine. I inhale his scent, a heady mix of cologne and sweat, and damned if I don’t immediately feel drunk off it.
A picture of my parents dancing together in the kitchen fills my head, making my hand fist in Taylor’s shirt.
“You tensed up,” he says.
“Just thinking,” I reply, then shake my head. It wasn’t that long ago I was going to just ask him what’s going on with us, see if he’s feeling more too, but then Marty happened, and now I’m dancing all close to him and stalling. “My parents used to dance a lot like this. Dad and I were talking about it the other day.”
He pulls back a little so he can look at me. “Yeah? Then I’m glad I asked you.”
And somehow, it’s the most perfect thing in the world he could have said and prompts me to open my mouth and blurt out, “What are we?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what are we? Are we still just best friends and future stepbrothers who have sex? Because lately—and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same—but lately, I feel like we’re…”
“More,” we say in unison, and share a laugh.
Taylor says, “I wanted to say yes when Sadie asked if we’re boyfriends. The guys mentioned it earlier, and it just felt right.”
“Oh fuck yes. I was freaking out. Now that I know that the first time I want to be boyfriends with someone isn’t going to turn into me being rejected, I can breathe.”
Taylor’s brows pull together. “You thought I would reject you?”
“Well, not if you have good taste.”
“I have the best taste.”
“Just so I know I’m getting this right, we’re talking about me, correct?”
Taylor smiles. “Yes, you idiot.”
“I can’t believe you just asked me to be your boyfriend while calling me an idiot,” I tease.
“Pretty sure you’re the one who asked me.”
“I think we asked each other.” I let my hands travel up and down his back, savoring the feel of him. “Our parents…”
“We’ll tell them after the wedding. It’s in a little over a month. They’ll understand, right? They have to.”
“They have to,” I agree, though my stomach is in knots. Our concerns are still the same. Our parents are happy and in love, and we don’t want to do anything to mess that up…but we deserve to be happy too. “I’m scared,” I admit softly—and only because this is Taylor and I can tell him anything.
“That they won’t understand?”
“Yeah, that too, but also…”
My words hang in the air, but I don’t have to finish them. Taylor squeezes me tighter, and I know he knows what I mean. “I’m not going anywhere, Bren.”
“You can’t promise that. My mom didn’t expect to die so soon, but she did, and it broke my dad.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how much that must’ve hurt both of you. I don’t know how I’d even make it if anything happened to Mom. And you know I’d never want you to do something that scared you, but if something did happen to either of us, I’d rather know I took advantage of every moment I got to have with you while I could.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. I won’t walk away from this because of fear. I want every moment I can have with him. I don’t want to waste any of them.
“So…we’re boyfriends now?” The title makes my heart feel like the stupid thing could float away. And I like it. Too much. So of course I have to act like it’s no big deal. “This will be fun.”
“Be my boyfriend,” Taylor says. “Dare you.”
“Goddamn it! Why didn’t I think to say that?”
“Guess you’re not as good as me.”
“You have your moments,” I reply, feeling happier than I ever have. Now we just have to keep our relationship a secret until after the wedding, and hope all this doesn’t blow up in our faces.