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“Thanks.” Dani beams, her cheeks coloring slightly. “But no, actually.” She clears her throat self-consciously. “The photo’s actually one of you.”
“Really?” I chuckle, thinking about what could possibly be noteworthy of a picture I’m in. I can only imagine.
“Yeah. You know how I took a few while we were upstate?” she hedges.
I know the moment she’s referring to all too well, and my cock twitches in my pants just thinking about that day. “How can I forget you almost blinding me?” I tease.
Dani giggles. “Hey, that was as much your fault as it was mine. I panicked. What else was I supposed to do?”
Pulling her close, I enfold Dani’s tiny frame in my arms. “Know when resistance is futile, and you should give in to me,” I purr before capturing her lips with my own.
Dani melts against me, her sweet kiss addictively enticing. Our tongues tangle in a seductive dance, and I can’t seem to get enough of her honeyed taste. We stand there, lost in the moment, our lips moving and joining together in something soft, passionate, and resonating.
And when we finally break apart, I yearn to take her home with me. To hold Dani all night long.
“You didn’t let me finish,” she murmurs, her lips spreading in a radiant smile.
“My apologies. I got distracted,” I say, releasing her to step away, though it nearly kills me.
But Dani doesn’t let me go far, stepping forward to wrap her arms around my waist. She giggles playfully. “No! That’s not what I meant.”
“No?” I ask, quirking my brow as I wrap my arms around her once more.
“I only wanted to ask you if you’d be okay if I submitted the picture to a gallery. I know I would want someone to get permission to use a photo of me, and I don’t want you to feel like I crossed some boundary or anything. But… it’s really, really good, Efrem,” she says humbly, her cheeks blushing with modesty.
“Well then, I suppose the world deserves to see it,” I state quietly. “Of course, you can do what you like with the photo. I’m honored you would ask me.”
Dani’s eyes gleam, and when she leans up onto her toes, I meet her halfway, kissing her deeply.
“I should get you back before you are missed,” I murmur, though I want to keep her right here with me.
Dani sighs heavily. “Two more days. Then I’ll come see you,” she promises.
“If you don’t, I know where to find you,” I threaten darkly, eliciting another adorable giggle. “Come. I’ll walk you home.”
17
DANI
I’ve never appreciated my freedom so much as I do now that I’m free of my grounding. Traipsing down the steps of my last class, I step out into the cool September day. The trees are just starting to change, their leaves shifting to breathtaking golds and oranges, reds and purples. While the vast majority still cling to their summer green, fall is in the air.
Taking a deep breath, I debate whether to collect my car and go for a drive or if I should head over to Silvia’s house for an impromptu day of painting—something we enjoy doing together, though neither of us particularly excels at acrylics. But art is art, and some days, creative expression is more therapeutic than the best psychiatry session.
Before I can make up my mind, I catch sight of the brilliant smile blazing up at me from the sidewalk.
“Ben!” I call, picking up my pace to leap into my brother’s arms.
“Hey, Dani,” he says warmly. “You have plans this afternoon?”
“Not really. What’s up?”
He gives a casual shrug, mischief lighting his blue eyes so similar to my own. “I was just thinking we’re overdue for a sibling day, and I heard there’s a great new art showcase in town. Wanna go?”
Ben and I haven’t done a sibling day in so long, and I beam at the thought of getting him all to myself for the afternoon.
“Uh, duh,” I say and hook my arm through his elbow.
He laughs, steering me in the direction of his car.
