AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sem takes his time to explain everything to me when it's my turn, and when I finally take aim and hit the target, Sem looks mighty proud.
I puff up a little.
“This is turning you on, huh?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.
Sem just subtly adjusts himself in his pants.
After lunch, Del ushers us outside for a hike. Luke, Liam, and Caleb are roughhousing as they jog down the trailhead and are almost out of sight as I glance down at my Converse.
“I was not prepared for this,” I say.
“Want me to carry you?” Sem asks, stepping up next to me and grasping the back of my neck. He squeezes it lightly, and I stare at him with a small smile.
“Absolutely not,” I reply and then look over at Del, who’s approaching from the right.
She lifts her hands and motions for Sem to move along.
“Go on, Sem. No need to hang back here. I’d like to chat with your man,” Del says, and Sem looks down at me, brushing a finger over my cheek. He seems reluctant to leave me alone.
“I’ll be fine. I said I wasn’t prepared for this, not that I can’t do it.”
He looks unsure, but after another second, he nods and jogs forward, slapping his brothers on the back as he rushes past. I watch that round ass and muscular legs for a little too long, then turn with flushed cheeks to face Sem’s mother, who’s watching me with twinkling eyes.
“I’m glad you could make it this weekend,” Del tells me as we make our way slowly down the path. I can feel every bit of rock against the soles of my feet. I’m going to be sore tomorrow. “Sem was so excited when you agreed to join us. He even called and told me.”
My mind conjures up images of what Sem was doing to me the day I agreed to go camping with him, and my cheeks burn hotter. “Yeah, I’m glad I could make it. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Del looks at me with a kind, open face and then leans toward me. “I know you and Sem got off to a rocky start.”
“Yes, well, it was an unconventional beginning, I admit,” I begin, clearing my throat. “But the more time I spent with him, the more I got to know what an exceptional man he is.”
Del reaches out and squeezes my arm lightly. “He is wonderful, isn’t he? Though, he struggles to see it.”
My brow furrows at that. “I know. It blows my mind. I mean, he’s incredibly talented. He has to know that. I’ve seen his drawings and his woodworking. He’s amazing.”
Del beams at me. “It’s true.” And then her smile fades. “But, you should know he had a tough time as a kid. He was bullied a lot growing up. He’s not traditionally smart like his brother Liam. He struggled so much in school. Broke my heart.”
“He was bullied?” I ask with raised eyebrows. The way he’d reacted to my father and brother, the man in the bathroom, it all makes so much more sense now.
“Yes, it was pretty consistent until he grew taller than them all. Liam and Luke were fierce protectors, but they couldn’t shelter him from it all. And then, when he got older, he tried to compensate for his inadequacies by being incredibly reckless. Got himself into a lot of trouble and got kicked out of school. Had to finish high school in a continuation program.”
“I never knew.”
“He’s probably embarrassed to share it. He always talks about how smart you are.”
“I’m not that smart.”
“To him, you are. He thinks you’re brilliant. And I worry….”
I lean toward her, needing her to spit it out. “What?”
“I worry that he feels inadequate around you. Like he doesn’t deserve you.”
Our earlier conversations filter back into my mind, and I inhale shakily. Oh my god, the things I’d said to him about my dream guy.
“I had no idea he felt that way, but I promise I won’t ever let him feel like that. I’ll tell him how amazing he is every day until he believes it.”
I press a hand against my aching chest and look forward. I see Sem glancing back at me, looking worried. I just wave at him and force out a smile, and he relaxes instantly.
