AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Rule one.” Cooper’s voice is wrecked.
It’s all he says. I sway and his grip on me flexes. I nod, then he mirrors the movement.
“Rule one,” I repeat hoarsely.
Our reminder of the rule we both agreed to—taking this slow.
* * *
Once I step through the door to my house, I lean against it, filled with a happy glow. The secret pleased smile is impossible to wipe off my face as I think about what just happened with Cooper.
I head upstairs. Every inch of my body feels alive and free.
“Where were you?”
Jackson’s voice through his open door jolts me out of my thoughts. I pause and lean in his door, nodding to him in greeting.
He glances up from his laptop and narrows his eyes. “And what were you doing that’s got you smiling like that?”
Guilt washes over me. The worst part of this whole plan is that I’m lying to my brother. I hate doing that.
And it’s not just me—Cooper’s lying to him, too. His sister and his best friend.
I’ll have to be careful. I won’t break Cooper’s rules, and I can’t slip up and let Jackson find out what we’re doing.
“Oh, uh.” I wave a hand, struggling to find a cover story. Can he see it all over my face? “Simone was craving a milkshake and fries. Period stuff. I rode with her.”
Just as I hoped, at the mention of her period, Jackson loses interest. He seems to buy it readily. Good thing, because once I’ve committed to the story, I realize I don’t have any food with me.
“You didn’t bring me anything?” A relieved breath leaves me. He’s more focused on the unspoken agreement to always bring each other food if we’re picking something up. “Jeez, what did I do to you that you’d snub me like that?”
“Sorry. I wasn’t feeling anything. I’ll get you next time,” I offer.
He smirks, appeased. His attention returns to his laptop.
“Are you watching a movie?”
“Nah, checking the open seats in the classes I need to register for.”
My brows shoot up. “Wow, you’re actually early this year.”
Jackson’s chest expands with a laugh. “Yeah. I almost missed out on a required course for my core curriculum freshman year, so I’m more on my game this time.”
Crossing the room, I knock on his skull. He grunts and wrestles me off, flicking my thigh.
“There’s a brain in there capable of rational thought after all,” I tease.
“Get out of here. You’re so annoying.”
The bite in his tone is fabricated. It's a universal sibling language to love and be annoyed by each other in the same breath.
We wrestle playfully for a few more moments, each getting cheap shots in that leave us evenly matched. Swallowing back my laughter, I back up with my palms in front of me.
“Okay, okay. Truce.” He grumbles, but nods. I circle to the other side of his bed to see his screen. “What classes are you registering for?”
“A statistics class and economics. The statistics one is going to make me regret majoring in business.”
I grin. “Sounds fun.”
