Life was a series of decisions. Some good, some bad. Others hard, others easy. And right now, I was on the verge of making the hardest good decision I’ve ever had to make—letting her go. But I’d do it for three reasons.One, she needed time. I always gave her what she needed.Two, if she didn’t leave, nothing would stop me from pushing her up against that wall over there and fucking the shit out of her. Everybody else and Ma’s towels be damned. And the third reason? Call it intuition. Instinct. I knew women. I knewthiswoman. I’d spent a long time watching her, whether it was through the lens of a brother-like figure, a friend, a confidante, and a partner-in-crime. And she would come back. So, I kissed her again. “You should probably go.”
Demi bit down on her bottom lip. “Are you mad at me?”
“No. But it’s not a good idea for us to be in dark places together.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “Right.”
“And because I can’t stop imagining your mouth around my dick.”
“Oh,” she gasped. “I should go then.” She turned the doorknob. “I’ll see you later.”
Then, she left. And I let her go.
* * *
Demi
I spentthe rest of the morning in hiding, away from Dallas and everyone else. Especially Duke. Although I’d been there for breakfast, I hadn’t eaten much because I couldn’t stop obsessing over how everything had changed between us, much to my stomach’s dismay. Instead of enjoying his fluffy, buttery pancakes, I’d been forced to pick up fast food on the way back to my hotel room. Now, I was eating Chicken McNuggets while thinking about Duke McHotLips.
What the hell is wrong with me? It was just one kiss.And a whole makeout session. Okay, it was foreplay.It was hot. So hot, in fact, that I wanted him to put his talented mouth somewhere else. In my defense, though, he also had one very impressive, very hard dick imprint.That I wouldn’t mind sitting on any time. It wasn’t just the physical closeness, though. It was him. His words, that linen-closet confession, had replayed in my mind continuously.
For crying out loud, it was Duke. The same cocky asshole who’d once asked me to pretend I was his wife to get rid of one of his dates. The same muthafucka who’d forced me to watch cooking shows instead ofDivorce Court.
In a few short weeks, he’d transformed into a man. A man who’d shown up every single time I needed him with no questions asked. A man who made me laugh even when I wanted to cry. A man who smelled like vanilla and cinnamon and leather and whisky and… sexy-ass male.
A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts, and I sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the distraction.
“Hey, girl.” Bliss held up two pizza boxes and pushed her way in.
Dallas followed seconds later with chicken wings. “You need to eat.”
Blake brought in the rear, lifting a bottle of wine and a fifth of Don Julio 1942. “You also need a drink. Or three. No chaser.”
I grinned as they set up for the impromptu pizza party. “Y’all are a trip. You just want me to tell you what happened with Duke.”
“Yeah, pretty much,” Bliss said, pulling out a speaker.
“Aht aht,” Blake interjected. “I would’ve just called. I don’t swap liquor for tea.” She poured four shots in the shot glasses they’d brought with them and gave one to me.
Dallas hugged me. “I noticed you didn’t eat a single pancake, which isn’t like you. So, I figured you needed food.”
Bliss glanced at her phone. “Tyn is mad she won’t be here until tomorrow, so we’ll FaceTime her in.” Seconds later, we had music.
Holding up her shot glass, Blake commanded, “Drink up.”
After my stomach was full and I had a sufficient buzz, I told them everything, from the moment I assumed Duke’s feelings had changed to the first kiss at his Airbnb to Chastity walking out of his room. They listened intently, offering appropriate facial expressions and commentary at the right times.
Dallas blinked. “Sis, you better keep going. That’s not the end of the story.”
“I know that’s right.” Blake gave Dallas a hi-five. “You know we could hear some shit through the door.”
Shrugging, Bliss added, “And your hair… Sis, it was obvious his hands were all up and through your curls.”
I blew out a deep breath. “Fine.” I paused because…Can I really tell Duke’s sisters that I almost let Duke fuck me in their parent’s house? I bit down on my thumbnail, considering my next words very carefully.
Dallas threw a pillow at me. “Stop overthinking it!”
“It’s okay if you want to have sex with my brother,” Bliss said with a shrug. “You’re still a woman.”
