Jameson: Meet me in 5 minutes.
Daisy: Where?
Jameson: My uncle’s study.
Daisy wasn’t shocked at all that by his text. They hadn’t had a moment alone since they reunited and she could tell he was becoming increasingly antsy to spend some time with just her. She looked up from her phone and saw Jameson heading into the house with that infamous smirk on his face.
Four minutes and twenty-seven seconds later, she slipped inside. He was waiting.
The second the door clicked shut, she was against it, his lips urgent and desperate on hers. Hands roamed, tongues tangled. He lifted her easily, her legs around his waist, their bodies tenderly together.
It was the most intimate they’d ever been, and instead of shyness, Daisy felt fire.
They moved fluidly together, each touch exciting her more and more. Jameson pulled back just a smidge, leaving them both panting. “I missed you.”
She nodded in agreement. “I missed you, too.”
“I wish we could stay in here all night.”
“I know, but we should probably get back out there before someone notices,” she said, lowering her legs back to the ground.
“I don’t want to hide anymore,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Don’t you want to walk down the hall holding my hand? Kiss me after shows without sneaking into dark corners?”
Her heart ached. Of course she wanted that—wanted to walk beside him, fingers intertwined, unafraid. But the thought of everyone watching, whispering, dissecting what they didn’tunderstand made her stomach twist. And then there was Sean. Her brother’s temper, his inability to see her as anything but his kid sister. She wasn’t ready to face all of that.
“Of course I do. I just need… time. Can you give me that?”
Placing his hand behind her head, he leaned down, lips barely grazing hers. “I can do just about anything for you.”
Weeks stretched into months. September turned to October, October to November, and still Daisy found reasons to keep their secret. Jameson grew restless. She could feel it in the way he stiffened when she pulled back from his embrace, or refused to hang out with all the guys because she didn’t want Sean to pick up on something.
So naturally, her brother found out about their relationship in the worst possible way.
This particular Saturday had begun like most, with Daisy working in her studio. Exhausted from the prior night at Bullets, she blared Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” to keep her awake.
Getting lost in the music, she began singing along, shaking her hips and head, air-guitaring between brushstrokes. She was halfway through the song when she noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye. Jameson appeared in the doorway, grinning. Daisy could feel her face growing red and warm. But the embarrassment subsided when Jameson began singing along too.
So she continued.
Their bodies grew closer as their voices grew louder. Covered in paint, Daisy was timid to touch him. But of course Jameson didn’t care. He wrapped her sullied arms around him and moved with her to the song. Eventually, their lips locked together ina passionate welcome. Hands were everywhere as they made their way to the worn tarp on the hardwood floor. They rolled around laughing and grasping at each other, never seeming to get enough. Jameson was on top of her, with her legs wrapped around his waist when it happened.
The music was so loud that they never would have noticed someone opening the door. One minute, Jameson’s mouth was pressed against hers and the next, it was abruptly being ripped away.
Sean held Jameson by the shirt as he shockingly took in the situation.
“What the actual hell?”
Everything froze.
Barely hearing him over the music, she hurried to turn it off. “Let him go, Sean!”
Daisy yelled at her brother, who still held on to Jameson by his now torn shirt. Fear ripped through Daisy; she didn’t want them getting into an altercation. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid.
“I told you to stay away from her!” Sean shouted in Jameson’s face.
Jameson calmly affirmed. “I tried, man, but…”
He paused and looked at Daisy, unsure of whether to continue.
