Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Her hand comes up to touch my cheekbone, which was totally unmolested in that fray. “Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride,” I tell her, but then my hand goes to her jaw and I twist her head gently so I can see her neck. “Figured he deserved to get a few licks in, but when he hit you, I wanted to kill that fucker.”
“I’m fine,” she says, but I’m not happy there’s a slight red mark on her neck. It was an accident, so I decide to let it go. Dropping my hand, I bend over to lace my tennis shoes.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“Going to go talk to your brother,” I tell her. “He’s not left the house and I can hear him rooting around in his bedroom. Hope like fuck he doesn’t have a gun in there.”
Simone’s hand comes to my thigh. “You don’t have to. It’s not any of his business.”
I straighten up and place my hand over Simone’s, squeezing it quickly. “It’s not any of his business, but now that he knows, I’ve got to smooth things over with him. He’s my teammate; we start the first round of the finals in four days. We can’t have anything fucking our mojo up.”
Simone’s face blanches to a pasty white and her eyes widen in horror. “Oh God…please tell me that this isn’t going to fuck the team up?”
Giving her a tight smile, I tell her, “I’m sure it’s fine. I just need to reassure him.”
“Of what?” she asks. “You and I are just having sex. That’s all there is to it.”
My smile goes from tense to amused. Leaning in, I kiss her. When I pull back, I say, “You and I both know that after last night it’s not just about sex.”
Color blooms back over her face, and her eyes go so soft on me that my chest gets tight. Her voice a hesitant whisper, she says, “I didn’t want to assume anything.”
“That’s right. Don’t assume,” I tell her. “Ask if you’re confused. But Simone…you know the worst about me. You took my cock bare. I’m man enough to admit that I’ve got my feelings tied up now too. I sure as fuck don’t know what any of it means, and I’m totally out of my element here. I don’t know what we are, but you are anything but a lay to me.”
To my horror, Simone’s eyes get misty, and I immediately shoot off the bed. Pointing an accusing finger at her, I give her a mock glare. “Stop that shit right now. I can’t handle tears.”
She grins at me and blinks her eyes, clearing the moisture away. “Fine. No crying. Except if we watch Old Yeller together. There’s no stopping the tears.”
I chuckle as I walk to the door. I’m never watching Old Yeller with her because that fucking movie chokes me up big time. No way I’m letting her see that side of me just yet.
When I get to the door, I turn back to look at her. “Get dressed. Give me about fifteen minutes, though. If you don’t hear gunshots or one of us screaming in pain, it should be good.”
Simone nods at me with a grateful smile that I’m going to make it right with her brother.
“And Simone?” I say softly.
“Yes?”
“It’s still a secret.” I don’t need to spell it out to her. She understands what I’m asking.
“Always,” she says with conviction, and that’s all I need to know. I open the door and step out to go talk to Lucas.
This should be fun.
His bedroom door is open, and I find him pulling out the last of his clothes from his closet. This is not unexpected. He’s obviously been staying at Stephanie’s apartment each night, and I figured it was a matter of time before they moved in together officially.
“Need some help?” I ask him, and his head snaps to look at me.
His voice is curt and stiff when he says, “No, thanks.”
“We good?” I ask, cutting to the chase.
Lucas’s eyes shoot past my shoulder to the door, and then he steps closer to me. Lowering his voice, he says, “Fuck no, we’re not good. You’re doing kinky shit with my sister and I don’t like that one bit.”
“Saw the butt plug, huh?” I ask him, deciding to slap him in the face with this so we can get to the root of his concerns.
Lucas’s face flames red and a vein pops on his temple. “No brother wants to know that shit about their sister.”
“Then forget about it, dude,” I advise him. “Keep the fuck out of my bedroom when you come over and we should be good. But don’t think for one minute I’m backing away from your sister because it makes you uncomfortable.”
All of the fury drains from Lucas’s expression. He scrubs his hand over his face and sighs as he looks to me. “That’s not it. I know she’s independent and stubborn and strong, but she’s also sweet and caring. She’s got the biggest heart out of all us Fourniers. I just don’t want her to get hurt.”