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Brynn yawned, breaking Kelsey from her whirling thoughts, then quickly apologized.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry about waking you, B. I shouldn’t have done that. But I’ve been up since four, have tried to write my journal entry three different times, have had to reapply deodorant twice, and am making desperation muffins as a calm-your-ass-down plan. You were my last hope.”
Brynn laughed lightly. “It’s okay. You know you can call me anytime. Sometimes talking it out is the only thing that works. And for the record, I think you’re going to do great on the trip. You’re naturally good with meeting new people.”
Right. Except usually those people wanted waffles from her, not her opinion on politics or the stock market. She checked the timer on the oven. Two more minutes until the muffins were done. “I figured at worst, I can talk about food. That’s like the weather, right? Everyone loves food.”
“It’ll be fine,” her sister said, using that talk-you-off-the-ledge therapist tone of hers. “You be yourself as much as you can and follow Wyatt’s lead. He’s not going to expect you to know it all.”
“I know. And believe me, so far, I’ve been good at doing what he tells me to do.” She bit her lip, peeking at the doorway again.
“Oh, really,” Brynn said, her voice taking on a don’t-mind-me lilt. “So Jace isn’t the only Austin who knows what he’s doing in that department?”
Kelsey’s cheeks burned at the question, but before she could respond, another thought hit her. “Wait a minute, how exactly would you know anything about Jace in the bedroom, Ms. Engaged-to-Reid?”
Brynn coughed. “Don’t turn the question around me.”
“Oh, nun-uh. You’re not backing out of this one. Spill.”
Brynn sighed. “Reid and Jace are best friends, so . . . you know. It was only a one-time thing, though. Turns out sharing isn’t really Reid’s thing.”
“You trashy whore,” Kelsey teased. Up until last year when Brynn had admitted to her that she was in a D/s relationship with Reid, Kelsey had always thought of her sister as the ultimate vanilla good girl. But more and more she was realizing she and Brynn weren’t so different. Somehow Kelsey found that comforting.
“I have my moments,” Brynn said breezily. “So now it’s your turn. Dish.”
Kelsey slid off the window seat and headed toward the oven to pull out the muffins. “Well, I’m not one to kiss and tell like you are. I have some class and all.”
Her sister sniffed.
“But I will say the Austin gene pool is strong.”
Brynn laughed. And Kelsey realized how good it was just to girl talk with her sister for a change. For so many years, it was always Brynn playing parent/protector/therapist to Kelsey, taking care of her because she sucked at taking care of herself. But now they were finally getting a chance to develop a friendship. It was . . . nice, normal. Bizarre.
“Well, good for you, Kels. I hope you let yourself enjoy this then. A sexy trip with a nice guy may be just what you need. As long as you—”
“I know.” Kelsey slipped on an oven mitt and pulled out the tray of orange macadamia muffins, nearly dropping her phone in the process. “I’ll be careful. If he tries to push me too far, I’ll channel my alter ego.”
“That’s right. That’ll straighten him out. No one puts Lady K in a corner . . . or something.”
Kelsey groaned. “Lame.”
“Sorry, I need caffeine. Are you still going to be back in time to do the last-minute wedding stuff with me? I mean, if everything is cleared up with that jackass Howie Miller by then?”
Damn, was it that time already? All this drama had sprung up so fast, she’d lost all sight of what had been going on before that day in the alley. She hadn’t even broken the news to her sister that she planned to move after all this was over. Some maid of honor she was going to make. “Sure, you bet.”r: Roni Loren
And what he wanted was for her soft, warm body to be next to his all night. He didn’t want her retreating behind her fortress again. He needed her bare and exposed. Open to him. Both physically and mentally. So that she could see without a doubt that he would be good to her and never, ever do anything to hurt or exploit her.
Kelsey stirred in his arms, curling into his hold. “Where are we going?”
“To bed, love.”
“’Kay,” she said, her voice sleep-softened and content.
He smiled and kissed the top of her head as he nudged his bedroom door open. The sheets were already turned back, so he gently laid her down on the right side, removed the blanket he’d wrapped around her, and then brought the bedcovers over her.
Without a sound, he went to his side and stripped off his pants, then slid beneath the cool sheets. Already, her sweet scent was invading his space, stamping her presence there. And he liked it. He liked it a lot.
And though he hadn’t had someone sleep next to him in more than a decade, his body seemed to know exactly what it sought. He curled around her backside, her silky skin pressing into his chest and the curve of her fitting against him perfectly. Everything in him seemed to relax in sated contentment.
