AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Only the fact that you’ve gotten me something for my birthday every year before this one,” I snarked back, unable to stop grinning.
“Well, you’d be right, then. Except I already got you something. It’s actually from both Gracen and me.”
I grimaced because, um, no.
What I wanted from her had nothing to do with her twin’s involvement.
“Alright then,” I revised. “I want something else extra from you for my birthday, then, since, you know, I’m so generous about letting you use and abuse my body whenever you like.”
“Abuse?” she cried incredulously. “Whatever. You love the things I do to your body.”
“I do,” I had to admit with a sly grin. “I really do. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that bruise you gave me. You know that one on my wrist after you handcuffed me to the—”
“Oh! That is the lamest argument for abuse that I have ever heard. Especially since the handcuffs were your idea to begin with.”
“They were, weren’t they?” I chuckled. “Damn, I come up with the best ideas. Like tonight,” I went on. “For my birthday. I have the whole thing planned. It involves you being naked the entire evening. And me kissing, licking, and basically loving every inch of your body from sunset until dawn. You’re going to have so many fucking orgasms, you won’t know when one ends and the next—”
“I can’t.”
“Ends. I mean, seriously. Can you think of anything better than—wait. Did you just say no?”
“I’m sorry,” she gushed. “I’m so-so sorry. But I have plans. Gracen’s on his way over right now, actually, to pick me up.”
Gracen?
She was spending my birthday with her brother?
My mouth fell open, and I just gaped up at the red light I’d stopped at. “How can you have plans?” I asked before I could check myself. “It’s my birthday.”
The husky laugh that filled my ear did things to me. I think I was becoming all too obsessed with it. “You make it sound like we’ll never see each other again,” Bella cooed. “And besides, I thought you said you were already doing something tonight. Remember? You’re going to dinner at your parents’ house.” She paused, then exploded. “Oh my God. You didn’t forget that, did you?”
“No.” I frowned and petulantly mumbled, “I didn’t forget. But I was hoping I could cut out early and see you afterward.”
Except that wasn’t entirely true either because I realized I was almost to her house now. I’d been driving toward her the entire time we’d been talking to each other. So I guess I really hadn’t wanted to see her later. I wanted her now.
And later.
And every minute in between.
But she had plans.
Pulling to the curb about a block from her place, I put my truck into park and rubbed my hands over my face to force myself back under control.
That didn’t work, though, because a moment later, I blurted, “Or better yet, why don’t you just come with me?” I nodded encouragingly, though there was no way for her to see me. “Yeah. One of us could feign a stomach cramp or something right after dinner and then head straight back to your place and—”
“Fox,” she cut in quietly.
Fuck. I’d said too much. After wincing and fisting a hand against my mouth, I dropped my fingers and lifted my brows innocently, murmuring, “Hmm?”
A pause followed. I held my breath, waiting. I knew it was probably stupid for me to fish for more, but hell. It was my birthday. I wanted to spend it with her.
Bella cleared her throat briefly before she said, “You do realize you just invited me to go to your parents’ house with you, don’t you? Like as a couple. If I did that, we’d basically be telling the world we were—you know—together?”
Yes, something inside me sighed over the idea. Together. That was exactly what I wanted.
But it was obvious from her tone that she did not want any such thing, and she was giving me an out here to back away from the suggestion and say something like you’re right, never mind. I wasn’t thinking. Just ignore me.
Except that’s all I’d been doing lately. Thinking. And I didn’t want to be her dirty little secret anymore.
