I adjust the spaghetti straps and the hem of my sparkly pink mini dress. “Yes, come in!”
Michael enters and whistles upon seeing me. “Good God! You look stunning! Like a Barbie come to life.”
A blush blooms over my cheeks and I chuckle, tucking aside a loosely curled strand behind my ear. I’m not usually one for parties, despite my status on the cheer team, and neither is Michaela, but we decided to be more outgoing this year. My nervousness eases a bit under her compliment. “Look who’s talking. I love what you’ve done with your hair.”
Michaela usually has it tied in a bun for ballet and rarely lets it down in all its pin-straight glory. She looks beautiful, coupled with the lilac skater dress, and gentle makeup. “Thank you.” She gives me a playful twirl. “Ready to get this show on the road?”
I nod and bend down to grab my pink platform heels with one hand and my matching clutch with the other. “Ready.”
We amble down the hallway and I’m grateful Michaela didn’t spot the overnight bag I sat by the corner of the bed. She would have asked questions, I would have had to tell her the truth, andshe would have barred us from going to the party as an excuse to keep me from leaving this house.
Upon reaching the entrance, I start to put my heels on while Michaela chats about the party. But I’m no longer concentrating on what she’s saying. From the corner of my eye, I see Thane descend the stairs towards us, as if he heard commotion and stepped out of his room to investigate.
My chest twists. He looks so good, even in casual jeans and a black t-shirt stretched across his muscular torso. The ends of his hair are wet like he just finished taking a shower and I can smell his cologne as he steps closer to us, crossing his arms over his chest like a strict dad. “Where are you girls headed?”
Even his voice sends a wave of yearning through me.
I wish…I wish he wanted me for more than one night.
I’m tired of being the girl that’s only good for casual hookups. I have more worth than that. For once, I want to be for keeps.
Michaela rolls her eyes at Thane but the smile on her lips betrays her. She’s happy to be on speaking terms with her brother again. “To a party. Where else would we be headed on a Friday night?”
Thane’s eyes sweep from Michaela to me and stray on my body for longer than intended. He can try to avoid me, but one moment in my presence, his body can’t hide the way it reacts to mine.
He likes the way I look.
I mean, if the physical reaction wasn’t obvious, then the way he talked dirty in the solarium totally is. My God. I’m ashamed to say I’ve replayed those words in my head a million times at night while using a sex toy to recreate the thickness of his fingers inside of me.
“Name and address.” Thane scowls. “Andpleasebe back by 1 a.m. latest. I won’t sleep well unless you’re both under this roof, safe and sound.”
I hate the way that melts my heart. No one has ever cared for my safety. Or when I was going out and coming back home. It’s nice.
My best friend gives me a sidelong glance and I discreetly nod. We’re not party animals and it’s already 9 p.m. If anything, we’ll be back home before midnight.
“Yeah, we’ll be home by then, Thane,” Michaela replies.
“Do you need a ride there?”
Michaela shakes her head. “No, our friend Addie is picking us up. She’s the DD.”
Thane nods and scrapes a hand over his stubbled jaw. “Okay. But please call me if you need anything.”
We hear a honk outside, letting us know Addie is here.
“We should get going.” Michaela points a thumb towards the front door. “Have a good night and for God’s sake, please go out tonight. You’re too young to be home alone doing nothing, Thane. Call up one of your buddies. Hit up a bar or something.”
Thane’s mouth twitches in a smirk. “Can’t believe my little sister is giving me pointers on my social life.”
Michaela laughs. “Yeah, ‘cause you don’t have one.”
I smile at their camaraderie.
“Fine.” Thane shrugs. “Maybe I will hit up a bar.”
My smile drops at that.
In the short amount of time that I’ve lived here, I understand why Michaela calls her brother a recluse. He doesn’t go out unless absolutely needed. He leaves in the morning for work, comes home with groceries, cooks dinner, occasionally cracks a beer, and then does some carpentry projects around the house. Adding plaster to the walls, repainting the basement, fixing the wooden floorboards in the backyard deck. All while old rock band music plays on a small Bluetooth speaker.
