by Rona Jameson
“I’m sorry I caused everyone to worry. I’ve never passed out before, so it was, um, enlightening. I won’t go without breakfast again.”
“That’s my girl.” Dad smiled, which Mom and Rogan walked in on.
Mom wrapped her arm around Dad’s shoulders and he wrapped his arm around her hips, keeping her anchored to his side. Rogan smirked behind them and wiggled his brows.
Laughing, I winced when my head thumped, the pain intermittent.
“I think we should leave you to sleep through this,” Mom said, a worried frown on her face. “I don’t want to leave you, though.”
“Mom,” Rogan groaned. “I told you I would be here with her. You know she’s going to be okay.”
“I’m her mom.” Mom pushed Dad from the chair and plunked down. “I’m going to stay.” She smiled.
Rogan’s eyes widened and I met his. I wanted him to stay, and I knew he wanted to be with me, but what could we say? Dad knew this as he frowned, probably debating the wisdom of his apology, but he too wouldn’t say anything to Mom.
“Come on.” Dad slung his arm around Rogan’s shoulders. “Let’s leave the ladies with the snacks.” He raised a brow. “We’ll eat on the way home.” He grinned. “Uncle Frank can fend for himself for a change.”
After hugs and kisses, Rogan and Dad left me in Mom’s care, but I ached to be with Rogan right then. I wished there had been a way to tell Mom she could go and sleep in her own bed instead of in this uncomfortable hospital room.
I only had one mom, and I loved her, but Rogan was an entirely different matter. I loved him with every breath I took and I had a feeling I always would. It hurt being away from him, which made me wonder how I was going to survive him going away to college. We only had a few more weeks until the school year ended and Rogan graduated. I thought I was a selfish person because I really didn’t want him to go anywhere unless he took me with him.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Mom watched me and I didn’t know how to reply because I certainly couldn’t be honest. “You’re disappointed I stayed,” Mom added.
My eyes snapped to Mom’s and I found it difficult to hide the truth. My reaction said it all. “I do want you here, Mom. I’m sorry. I’m so used to being with Rogan that it feels strange him not being with me.”
She frowned. “I’m glad you’re close, but”—she tipped her head—“perhaps a bit of distance won’t hurt, considering how cooped up you both must be feeling thanks to your dad’s brother.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. It was easier than going round and round in circles with her. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”
18
Fallon
The breeze coming through my bedroom window was nice as I sprawled out on top of my bed. Mom had brought me home from the hospital that morning, and, apart from being tired, I felt okay. I’d hid my disappointment at Rogan not being at home, but it was during the school day, so what exactly did I expect?
The floorboards creaked, drawing my gaze to the open bedroom door. Uncle Frank leaned against the doorjamb. “You’re okay?”
I felt uncomfortable with him seeing me wearing only sleep shorts and a thin top. If I’d known he was around, I’d have closed the door.
“I’m fine. Trying to sleep.” Hopefully he’d take the hint but he didn’t and stared. “Did you want something?”
He stayed quiet and hearing Mom’s feet on the stairs, he said, “I hope you’re feeling better soon,” as he moved away.
I hadn’t been aware of holding my breath until I let it out once he’d gone. Mom looked in my bedroom and then at Uncle Frank’s retreating back. She didn’t say anything, although a frown appeared on her face. “I’ll close your door.”
“Thank you.”
I rolled to my side and stared out the window, waiting for Rogan to get out of school. He hated going and looked too old to actually be there. I’d even seen the double take one of the substitute teachers had done in the hallway a few weeks ago. The teacher had flirted with him and then been mortified when she’d realized he was a student. Rogan had been embarrassed too.
I’d teased him but not for long because he really had hated the teacher’s reaction. He was gorgeous, though, and I wished my eyes would go in a different direction, but they refused.
My ears picked up the sound of a familiar car engine. Peering through my window, I sighed when his blue Mustang appeared on the street, the tires crunching on the gravel of our driveway. He was home and I smiled, feeling happy to see him.
However, that happiness quickly faded to frustration when he didn’t immediately come upstairs. The clock ticking away in the room was loud while my heart thudded in my chest.
Finally, I heard his feet as he ran upstairs, then the door flew open and he was standing in the doorway. His eyes roamed over me, a blush heating his cheeks.
“Will you get in here and shut the door. Uncle Frank has been lurking around.”
He frowned but quickly did as I asked. “What did he do?” Dropping his school stuff to the floor, he kicked his sneakers off. Before striding over to me, he stopped and went to lock the door.
Rogan climbed on the bed and lay facing me. “You were about to tell me about Uncle Frank.”
“He didn’t do anything. He just stood staring at me from the doorway until he heard Mom coming upstairs.” I shrugged. “It was weird and put me on edge.”
“Christ,” he cursed and tugged me into his arms. “From now on, we keep the door locked, okay? I never thought he’d do anything like that, but I don’t want any chance of him getting you alone.”
“Hmm,” I mumbled, snuggling deeper into his arms.
One of his hands cupped the back of my head while the other stroked back and forth along my spine. His touch made my body tingle and tighten. My breasts ached as they pressed into his chest, but I didn’t know what for.
He made a funny noise and his breathing came in heavy pants as he tried to put distance between us, but I wouldn’t go anywhere. “Fallon,” he hissed, “I can’t handle feeling you against me… Oh God,” he groaned. “I feel…digging into my chest…this can’t happen.”
“They ache,” I admitted, rubbing against his hard chest as a pulse now throbbed lower in my body.
Tilting my head, I realized Rogan was losing control over the situation we were in and, right then, while he was making my body feel so hot, tight, and tingly, I wanted more.
“Rogan?” I whispered, moving so there was no space between us.
He trembled and went solid, his body, and the flesh between his legs currently pressing against my groin.
“Hmm.” He gasped and moaned when I rubbed against him.
“Will you kiss me?”
“What?” His eyes snapped open and he glared down.
“I’ve never been kissed and want to know what it feels like.”
I slung a leg over his hip and goose bumps covered my body at the feel of him, big and hard, pressing where I felt swollen and ached.
“This is wrong,” he panted. “So wrong, Fallon.” His hips slowly rocked, rubbing and building the ache while I teased him with the feel of my breasts against his chest.
Feeling daring, as we’d come so far, I tugged his T-shirt free and tossed it to the floor, letting mine follow. My hands slipped to his back and I held him close as our bared chests met. The feel of his hair-roughened chest against my smoother one caused an uncontrollable shudder to work its way through my body, and I felt Rogan pant as his flesh swelled even more.
“What’s happening to me?” I writhed in his arms.
Rogan’s eyes darkened when he met my gaze. “Your body craves the connection with mine.” He clenched his jaw tightly. “We can’t do that.” He laughed without mirth. “We shouldn’t even be doing this.”
“It feels too good, feeling you like this.”
“Fallon, we’re going to hell.”
“I don’t care, just don’t stop,” I begged. “Teach me how to kiss a boy…how to kiss y
ou.”
He flipped me over to my back, fitting himself between my spread legs. His hands grabbed my wrists and held them over my head and then he became serious. “I want to be your first kiss. You don’t know how much.” His eyes caressed my bared breasts, a flush appearing along his cheekbones. On a shuddering breath, he dipped his head and kissed each hard nipple. My breath caught and I gasped in surprise at the feel of his mouth there. He moved back up my body and his eyes moved to my mouth, his tongue slipped between his lips, licking his own in anticipation.
“I want to touch you,” I moaned. “Like you did me.”
He growled. “You touch me and this will be going too far. So far that we won’t ever be able to come back from it.” He glared into my eyes. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“I’m not sure you do,” he muttered before he dipped down and traced the soft fullness of my lips with his tongue. Then his control snapped and his mouth covered mine with a hunger that surprised me at first. But his kiss demanded a response, which he got when I thrust my tongue into his mouth. The taste of his possession burst on my tongue and I moaned while rubbing my aching body against his.
Holding my wrists with one hand, he burned a path down my body with the other, slightly hesitating before he cupped my bottom, tilting me so that I got more friction as he rocked his hips.
My young body felt alive, and all because of Rogan. A pleasure like nothing I’d felt before started to coil in my stomach, and lower. It was all too much and I didn’t know what to do with what he was making happen in my body as I pulled my mouth away from his, gasping for air.
His eyes gleamed and a flush coated his cheeks as sensations rippled through my body in a confusing cascade of need. I didn’t know what was happening inside me but I didn’t want it to stop. A pleasure started building, lower and lower, my back arched and my eyes widened when it snapped, and as I opened my mouth to shout his name, his mouth swallowed my words. My body convulsed and pressed for more until I finally collapsed back against the bed, totally exhausted.
Rogan moved his mouth from my lips, and kissed my cheek, then nibbled on my earlobe, before hiding his face in my neck. He released my wrists and I immediately wrapped my arms around him, my fingers sliding through his long dark hair.
“I’m not sure what the hell you just did to me, but I want more.”
He stilled and then he was jumping from the bed, glaring down at me. My eyes traveled over his fine body while I ignored the daggers shooting from his eyes. I noticed the large damp spot on the front of his jeans. I wasn’t sure if it was from me or him—maybe us both.
He snapped his eyes closed when I finally met his gaze. He breathed in and out a few times and then his gaze cleared. “We can’t ever do that again.”
Feeling tears close to the surface, even though I knew he was right, I asked, “So you’re okay with me doing it with someone else?”
He opened his mouth but thought better of it and clenched his teeth together. Turning, he stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
Swallowing hard, I reached for my top and pulled it on before I snuggled under the covers and let the tears fall. Exhausted both physically and emotionally, I allowed my sobs to lull me to sleep…finally.
19
Fallon
I stared around the bright room in confusion when I woke up. I couldn’t remember what time I’d fallen asleep and it felt like I’d slept for hours, but it was still light outside.
“You’re awake.” I heard from behind me. “It’s twenty minutes before we have to get up for school.”
“I slept all night.”
“Yeah.”
Rolling over, I smiled when I found Rogan stretched out on top of my bed, and then my eyes widened when I remembered everything from the night before.
He focused on the ceiling and I watched his Adam’s apple move when he swallowed hard. “I nearly disappeared before you woke.”
“Oh,” I mumbled, feeling my nose twitch as tears welled in my eyes.
“I couldn’t do it because, as much as what we did should never have happened, I wanted to be like that with you. I want a lot more. More than I should even dream of. So I stayed and watched you sleep.”
I smiled. “You watched over me.”
“I was afraid you’d wake up and be angry with me after what I did, especially leaving straight after.”
I leaned up on an elbow and cupped his cheek in my hand, and turned his face to look at me. “What happened last night wasn’t just your fault. It happened because of us both.” I crawled into his arms and heard him sigh as he wrapped me close.
“I don’t know what to do anymore,” he confessed. “I was all set to finish school and go to college, but now I’m not sure how I’m going to manage not seeing you every day. Or how I’m not going to be able to touch you, even if it’s just holding your hand.”
“I’ll always want you with me above anyone else.”
“I can’t believe I’m jealous of Julia,” Rogan mumbled.
Not knowing what else to say because I found his going away too upsetting, I said, “It’s not for a few months. We just need to figure out what we’re going to do.”
“We both want the same thing, Fallon. I’m just not sure it will ever be possible without breaking our family apart.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest. I wanted to be with Rogan, but Mom and Dad meant a lot to us both. Rogan knew what I was thinking as he held me closer, his fingers playing with the tangled mess on my head.
“Julia knows there is something going on.” I sighed. “That’s what we were talking about when I passed out yesterday. I think I just became overwhelmed with fear at hearing her words.” I finished telling him what Julia had said and he didn’t seem bothered.
“I like that you’re jealous.” He frowned. “I shouldn’t.”
“I hate the feeling.” I brushed my lips across his.
Just as he was reaching for me, I climbed off of him and felt a smack on my bottom.
“Serves you right for teasing me, and last night”—he swallowed hard—“seeing your fantastic tits, um, breasts, I can’t get the image from my head.”
It delighted me that he found my body unforgettable. “No one has ever seen me the way you have,” I admitted. “No one ever will.” I offered him a soft smile as I leaned against the dresser. “You’re my best friend, and no matter what happens, I don’t ever want to lose that.”
“You won’t.”
“Promise me.”
He searched my gaze. “I promise, Fallon.”
My head turned at the knock on the door. “Are you two awake for school?”
“Yeah, Mom. We’ll be down soon.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” Rogan said once Mom moved away from the door. “Lock the door behind me before you shower.” He frowned. “I really don’t like that Uncle Frank came in here.”
“Me either, but he won’t again.” I smiled and after giving him a hug, I locked the door.
My shower was quick. After it, I felt refreshed and full of energy. I pulled on my white-cropped jeans and pale blue tee, my belly fluttered with nerves. I didn’t know why but it became clear when I got to the bottom of the stairs.
“Why did you lock your bedroom door last night?” Uncle Frank was obviously asking Rogan.
I could almost see him narrowing his gaze at our uncle. “It was locked to keep you out,” Rogan growled.
“What?” Mom gasped.
Oh, great!
“What the hell,” Dad shouted. “Explain. Now, Rogan!”
I hovered, not knowing whether to enter the kitchen or sneak back to my bedroom.
“He stood and watched Fallon rest on her bed yesterday. So, from now on, the door stays locked, and if he doesn’t like it, then he can leave.”
Smiling at the defensive note in Rogan’s voice, I finally entered the kitchen.
Dad shook himself free. “Is what Rogan sa
id true?” The question was directed at me, but he glared at his brother.
“It was creepy, okay. So Rogan locked the door. I felt better then.” I shrugged and moved closer to Rogan, freezing when Uncle Frank pushed back.
“Don’t you think it’s strange how they’re always together, and now they’re sharing a room?”
Dad got in Uncle Frank’s face. “They are sharing a room so you have somewhere to stay because you got caught with your pants down. Our patience is wearing thin.”
Uncle Frank snapped his mouth closed, giving his brother an angry glare before he stomped out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.
My relief was only short-lived.
“What is really going on?” Mom asked.
I turned and faced her. “What do you mean? We just told you. He was just staring at me while I laid on my bed. He didn’t say anything until I turned around and even then…” My voice trailed off as I thought about how strange his behavior had been. I looked into my mother’s eyes, silently imploring her. “I mean, you saw him, that’s why you closed my door.”
She sighed. “I didn’t see exactly. I only saw him walking into Rogan’s room. I did get a weird vibe, which is why I closed your door.” She looked at Dad. “When he calms down, perhaps you need to talk to him about boundaries, and urge him to look for somewhere else to live. The sooner this house gets back to normal, the better.”
With that, everything was solved and Mom started banging around the kitchen as she returned to making pancakes.
Rogan offered me a small smile. “Breakfast, then I’ll drive you to school. No more going without.” He wiggled his brows while we were unobserved.
I moved closer and poured myself the one cup of coffee I allowed a day, but not before I poked him in the stomach. “No more going without, huh?” I whispered for his ears only.
Chuckling, I poured creamer into the cup and then joined my family at the kitchen table. It felt a lot more relaxing than it had been for a while, and some of that had to do with the easing of the tension that had been building between Rogan and me. Some of that was slacked yesterday afternoon, but I was sure it would be building again real soon. Already, I felt my body leaning toward him. After having him so close and feeling him against me, I wanted that all the time. I wanted him to show me how to touch a boy, even though he had the body of a man. I’d certainly felt his arousal pushing and throbbing against me yesterday. At this point, I would even settle for just sleeping in his arms every night, and waking up like I had this morning with him next to me.