Page 25 of Does He Know?

We’re sitting on his back deck, watching Monroe, Emerson, Lachlan, and Maddox play a game of chicken in the pool. Legend is floating on an inner tube that looks like a donut, being the referee. At least he’s supposed to be. I think he’s asleep.

“What do you mean?” I keep my eyes on the pool. Thankfully, I’m still wearing sunglasses to hide who is holding my attention. The sun is starting to set, so that won’t be the case much longer.

“You’ve been quiet, not going out as much.”

I knew this conversation was coming with one, if not all, my friends. “Just not feeling it.” I can’t exactly tell him I jacked off while I watched his little sister getting herself off at the same time, and now she’s all I can think about. I need to find a way to let this obsession with her go.

Okay, so I’m not obsessed with her in the literal sense, but she is all that I think about and dream about, and yeah, I’ve not been going out because I have no interest to. Not if Emerson isn’t going to be there. I’m very aware I’m crossing the best friend no-go zone, but at least I haven’t taken things too far.

“Dry spell.” He nods as if he knows the feeling.

“You’ve been staying in a lot lately too.” It’s a weak attempt to take the heat off me.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “When Em is home, I try to. She’s going to be leaving to go back to school at the end of the summer. Fuck, that’s just mere weeks away, and I want to spend time with her.” He releases a heavy sigh. “Our parents haven’t even reached out to her. To either of us. We haven’t seen or spoken to them since the day I picked her up to move her in with me. I’m all she has, and I want her to feel loved and wanted.”

My chest tightens when I think about Emerson not feeling those emotions. I want that for her just as badly as Forrest does. “Makes sense,” I finally say. As his best friend, I needed to reply. As the man who can’t stop thinking about his sister, I just want to be the one to make her feel that way.

“I need a beer,” Lachlan says as he dumps Emerson into the pool. She sputters with laughter as she surfaces. “Rome! Take over for me while I sit this one out.” He shakes his head, and water flies everywhere.

“Come on!” Emerson yells at me. “We’re undefeated. I’m a sure thing.”

Something tells me we’re not just talking about a game of chicken in the pool. “You better stick with Lach,” I call back to her. Her face drops for a few seconds, but she quickly masks her disappointment.

“Oh, I get it,” Maddox calls out. “You’re scared.”

Forrest chuckles from his seat next to mine while Lachlan takes the one next to him. “They’re never going to let you live it down, saying you were too scared to get beat if you don’t go out there.”

“Legend can do it.”

“Nah, he’s toasted,” Lachlan explains. “He’s been hitting that bottle of Crown since he got here. All he can do is float.” He laughs.

I should be excited that I get to have my hands on her, and I am, but I don’t know if I can hide how much I want her. I guess my only saving grace is that I’ll be in the water, so I’ll be able to hide my body's reaction to her. We’ve played this game hundreds of times in years past. This won’t be the first time Emerson and I are on the same side. It will, however, be the first time since I realized she’s not a little girl anymore. Not even close.

Slowly, I climb from my chair, pull my phone and keys out of my pocket, toss them on the ground, and make my way to the pool. Emerson watches me the entire time. She’s smiling widely, and I can’t stop the corner of my mouth from lifting as well. That’s the effect this woman has on me.

Standing at the deep end, I dive in, letting the water cool my heated skin. I’m one of those people who can open their eyes when they swim underwater, so that’s what I do. I swim toward Emerson and sneak up behind her, wrapping my arms around her legs. I stand with her, laughing, as she tries to fight her way out of my hold. She’s wiggling so much that she manages to turn in my arms so that we’re now facing one another.

She’s laughing and smiling down at me, and my chest constricts. Carefully, I let her slide down my body and back into the water. She hisses in a sharp breath when she feels the evidence of what having her wet, nearly naked body against mine does to me.

She turns to face Monroe, and they talk shit about who’s going to win. I’m standing far enough away from her that no one will notice, so I dip down under the water to my shoulders and reach out, placing my hands on her hips just below the surface.

“You’re going down, Huntley,” Monroe taunts.

Emerson looks over her shoulder at me. “Rome won’t let me down.”

That statement, although directed at her best friend regarding the game, does something to me. I know it has a double meaning, and I’ll always be there for her, but I can’t be there for her the way we both wish I could. Forrest and the guys, we’ve been tight since kindergarten. I can’t screw that up by breaking the bro code and dating his little sister.

I just can’t.

“Let’s do this!” Maddox dips down underwater to allow Monroe to climb onto his shoulders.

I stand and move in close to Emerson, while she turns to face me. “Ready, baby girl?” I ask softly. My words are for her ears only. Legend is passed out on his donut, and Monroe and Maddox are too busy laughing as she tries to get on his shoulders to care what we’re doing, and the others are too far away to hear.

“For you? Always.” She flashes me a saucy grin before moving to stand behind me. She places her hands on my shoulders, and I dip below the surface of the water, letting her climb on. She taps my head once she’s settled, letting me know she’s ready for me to stand. Thankfully, my waist is still below the water.

We repeat this process a handful of times over the next hour. Before we know it, Forrest is calling out that it’s time to eat. I stay in the pool longer than the others, because I need a minute. I push all thoughts of Emerson out of my mind, willing my cock to cooperate. When I’m finally presentable, I climb out of the pool and grab a towel, and make myself a plate.

“Shots!” Forrest calls, and everyone cheers. Everyone except for me, that is. I’ve had three beers since dinner. Once I saw how fast Emerson and Monroe were tossing back shots, I decided it was time for me to stop drinking. The sudden urgency to take care of her, to make sure she’s okay, hits me like a ton of bricks. It makes no sense, because she’s safe here. Even if all five of us guys were passed out cold, she would be safe. Yet, here I am still sipping on a bottle of water.

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