“That’s all? Christ, Cleo, from your reaction I was starting to think he was a mass murderer, or had gotten a really ugly tattoo of something… or… I dunno, had taken up something dull, like golf.” She wrinkled her nose with a giggle. “Ugh. Can you imagine? My hockey playing big brother taking up something mind-numbingly boring.”
“You’re so judgmental, Mia.”
“Bitch with a smile, that’s me. I’m mean, but people think I’m joking.”
Cleo cracked a smile, though her eyes were still watery.
“This is your deepest, darkest secret, brother dearest? This is as ‘bad’ as it gets? I’m kinda jealous. Surely there’s more? How long have you been hiding this? Years? Dude. What did you think would happen if I found out?”
“Not you… Dad.”
“Ah, yes, well… time away from hockey is no good thing.” She puffed her chest out and lowered her voice, tilting her head in the same way their father tended to do.
“I won’t tell him though, you should know me better by now.” Pointing her index finger at him, she took a drink with her free hand. “I get it though. I didn’t want to tell them when I got my piercings.”
“Yeah, that’s totally the same thing.” Linc rolled his eyes at how blasé his sister’s attitude was. It was different for her. Their parents didn’t expect the same things from her as they did from him.
“Can you keep it under wraps please, Mimi?” He used his childhood nickname for her in the hopes it would help his case.
“Oh, Winky.” She sighed. “You know I’ve got you, boo. Now… Miss Cleo.” She leaned forward onto her elbows, cradling her face in her palms. “Tell me what other dark and dirty skeletons there are lurking in my brother’s closet.”
***
“Your sister seems nice.”
“She’s a force of nature. I thought I adequately prepared you for the inquisition, but I’m not convinced you can prepare for… well…that.”
Linc had taken Cleo back to her apartment on his bike after dinner, and they were cuddled up on her bed.
“I really didn’t mean to tell her.”
He tipped her head back, fingers tangled in her long, dark waves. “I know, Lizzy. I wish you hadn’t, but I’m not mad that you did.”
She pulled her lip between her teeth, and he freed it with the pad of his thumb.
“Try not to worry too much about it. Whether or not she tells my dad is on her, not on you. She’d better not though.”
She giggled. “Sounds to me like you have your own dirt on her you could share with your folks.”
“I do. I’m not one for playing dirty, but I can hold my own.” He winked at her and kissed the tip of her nose.
She tilted her head back so her lips met his. Her fingers clawed at his shirt as their tongues collided in a hungry dance. “Lincoln…”
Had his name ever sounded sexier? Had any woman ever made him so hard with nothing but one word and a kiss? He wrapped his arms around her, shifting her into his lap. She pressed herself against the erection straining in his pants and leaned her head back.
Dragging his tongue from her collarbone to below her ear, a low hum of approval rumbled in his chest. “Naked.”
She burst into giggles, unbuttoning her shirt. “I gotta say, Lincoln, I kinda like this caveman version of you.” She kissed him, nipping and biting at his lips as she wriggled out of the blouse. It slipped from her shoulders, revealing a red, lacy bra.
He dotted kisses down her chest while reaching to unhook the catch, pinching the skin of her breast between his lips in frustration as he struggled to open her underwear.
“Damnit! One of these days I’ll get this fucking thing off first try.” His pained groan would have made him laugh if he wasn’t excruciatingly hard and desperate to get inside his girl.
As she took over and undid her bra, he pulled his shirt over his head and unbuttoned his jeans. Maybe it would at least ease the pressure building in his pants.
She trailed her bra off in slow motion, rocking her hips against his.
“Who knew Miss Bennet was such a tease?”
