by Tia Siren
I’d heard the story of how he single-handedly won their state conference when half the team got sick the day before a million times. Still, it never got old. He smiled and laughed every single time. Plus, his smile reminded me of Kason.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Kason’s coming home for an entire month.”
“I haven’t seen Kason in years.” Mom said some other things, but I caught none of the next several seconds of conversation.
Kason. My blood flashed cold and then hot at the mention of his name. My practically lifelong crush had started early, when he’d been a tall, lanky kid, and had only grown, my schoolgirl love not seeing our twelve-year age difference. He’d always been handsome, but something had changed and his muscles became more defined each time he came home. His broad shoulders rounded out in sinewy muscles, and I hadn’t been able to keep my eyes off him.
I hadn’t seen him since the day I’d left for college. He’d come to the party my parents had hosted in my honor. Before I’d gotten in my car, Kason had stopped me for a hug—or more of an embrace. You’re gonna do wonderful, Hanna, he’d said softly in my ear. I’d never forget how it had felt to be in his arms, how his breath in my ear had made my spine shiver and how ecstatic I’d been when his hands had hit the small of my back. If I had thought I’d kicked my trivial middle school crush, that moment shattered the bubble I’d created for myself.
I still remembered his jet-black hair and how it had smelled the day before I’d left town. I remembered how his light blue eyes had seemed almost sad that I was leaving for college. Maybe it had just been my imagination, but I could’ve sworn his hands had pressed a little too deeply into my skin.
“So, when is Kason coming back?” I asked, hoping they hadn’t already said when.
“Tomorrow.”
I shoved my fork into my food and picked it up while my mother shot me a curious glance. Kason Marx was coming home tomorrow, and he would be here for an entire month. Of course he would come back during the summer I was here.
“Wow. Tomorrow.”
“Yeah! We’re so excited. You guys should definitely come over tomorrow evening.”
“Yeah. My wife here’s cooking a spread, and we’ll have enough to feed a crowd.”
“Don’t I understand that,” my father said with a laugh.
“Will you come on over, Hanna?” Mr. Marx asked.
“Well, I’ve got plans with Stacey tomorrow for lunch, but I don’t see why not.”
“Perfect! We’ll plan for all of you to be there.” Mrs. Marx smiled.
I tried to smile back, but my mind drifted to Kason. I would see him tomorrow, and my thoughts would be all about his hands and his lips on my body. How the heck could I focus on finding my right-now man with Kason anywhere near me?
Chapter 2
Kason
Fuck me. It felt wrong to leave work for an entire month, but I hadn’t been home in years, so this morning I couldn’t have gotten out of San Francisco fast enough. Ironic, considering that when I’d graduated high school with Marcus, I couldn’t have run there fast enough. I hadn’t known what the fuck I was going to do there, but I wasn’t built for college. I had refused to waste all the money I’d worked hard for during high school on more boring-ass classes. I’d been over the teachers, mindless homework, and bullshit tests. I could’ve run circles around some of those idiot IT professors.
I’d gotten screwed over a few times, once by my first business partner. We’d started a tech company in a rundown warehouse suitable for hobos to pee in, but when we hit our first big deal, he tried to cut me out. It would have worked except no one wanted the creative dick. They wanted the guy who could actually put shit together, the guy who knew what he was doing.
Then I tried working for a tech company, making shit pay for tech I created that made the company millions. I left, cutting out the middle man, and became my own boss, and the company decided to take me to court over so-called stolen ideas. Except my products were all new concepts using AI with high-end wearable tech that the company hadn’t even begun to develop. I’d started on a leading edge, and it had gotten me to almost nine billion net worth. It had also gotten me a healthy distrust of leaving my business unattended.
Still, it was good to be home. I guessed I was a rarity because I loved my parents and the strong ties of family and friends. You had to count on those when you could literally swim in a pool of cash if you wanted to. There were too many users around who only cared about that cash.
When I finally made it to my parents’ place, it was before dawn, so I didn’t keep them up long. I’d brought them gifts I had a tough time getting them to accept, a spa package for Mom and a construction package for Dad to add a deck with a hot tub. They never let me spend much on them.
After they’d gone back to bed, I headed over to see Marcus. The early hour wasn’t a factor in his case. As his best friend, it was my job to sit on him and bounce until I either broke something or he woke up. I was ready to see him anyway. He’d come to see me so many fucking times while I was in San Francisco, so I’d come prepared to pay him back by taking him out for food and booze the entire time I was here.
I walked next door and knocked on the door. I wasn’t sure if his parents would be awake yet, so I didn’t want to barge in and scare them first thing in the morning. When the door swung open, the last person I expected to see was Hanna.
“Kason?”
Dear Jesus, she’d grown up well. I had seen her off the day she’d left for college, but she’d already changed so much. Her long, curly blond hair fell past her shoulders, and her dark green eyes held a wild storm that my dick was ready for her to unleash. Her tits spilled over the edge of the tight shirt she wore, her puckered nipples visible through the fabric. I had to stifle a groan when I saw the thickness of her thighs just below her rounded hips.
Come on, get it together. This was Marcus’s fucking sister. It was little Hanna, who once had braces and acne and was always shy and had her nose in a book, the girl I’d saved from bullies and the girl who’d never dated at all during high school. Jesus Christ, I couldn’t just eyeball her like a piece of meat! She was off-limits in so many ways. I couldn’t stick my dick in her even in my dreams.
But fuck, my cock came alive at the sight of her.
Before I knew it, she had her arms around my neck, and I prayed she didn’t feel the bulge in my pants. I held her close and inhaled the cinnamon scent of her hair. For a moment, I thought the hug might never end. We held on to each other for slightly longer than necessary. Finally, we pulled apart, and I looked at her with a smile.
“Ya look good, Hanna,” I murmured.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Oh, God. Her voice was smoky with sleep, and all I could imagine was tasting her pussy, cured to perfection, with that voice crying my name.
Damn it, Kason! Shut up! My thoughts were spiraling out of control.
“Marcus around?” I asked.
“Still sleeping I think. He got in late last night, so I haven’t even seen him yet. Wanna come in?”
She moved to the side, and I stepped over the threshold. I scanned the room, and it was exactly as I remembered it. The wooden staircase that led up to Marcus’s room didn’t look like it had been polished or redone in years. I filed that away in the back of my mind for a Christmas present idea for Marcus’s parents.
“Kason? Is that you?”
“Lisa!” I strode down the hallway and took Hanna’s mom in my arms. When I lifted her off her feet, Roger came around the corner.
“Kas.” He smiled.
“Hey, Rog.” I slapped his back before he shook my hand. Just then, I heard tumbling down the stairs.
“And that must be Marcus!” I called out.
“Fucking stairs,” he murmured.
“Language,” Lisa warned.
“Hey there.” I hugged Marcus close and slapped his back, but I could definitely tell he was exhausted.
“You okay, dude?” I asked softly.
He grunted. “We’ll talk later.”
“Why don’t you come in here and I’ll make us all some coffee?” Hanna asked.
Lisa smiled. “Sounds fabulous, sweetie.”
We all made our way into the kitchen and sat down around the same kitchen table. It felt familiar to sit with them as we slowly caught up on each others’ lives. Roger and Lisa told me all about Hanna’s studies and how proud they were of her. I wasn’t surprised at all. Hanna had always been headstrong and intelligent as fuck. The moment she’d been accepted, I knew she would take Stanford by storm.
“And Marcus is getting his own company off the ground, aren’t ya, Mark?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Yeah, I am.”
“Uh huh. And, uh . . . how’s that going?” I asked him.
“Eh, boring shit. We’ll talk later,” he said.
“Language,” Lisa warned again.
“Well, there’s been a new development in my studies, courtesy of a very late email from my mentor at Stanford,” Hanna said.
“Everything all right, honey?” Roger asked.
“Apparently I don’t need an internship for the semester. I need it for the whole year.”
“Ouch.” Lisa sighed.
“An internship? A particular one? Or just one in general?” I asked.
“Just one in general, but the place I was talking to can’t take me on this semester. So, I have to start from scratch and find someone who can take me on come August.”
“Well, my company isn’t far from Stanford. I could poke around, see what I can come up with. We always need help in some areas, though I’d want to try to gear that shit toward your studies.”
“Language,” Marcus said mockingly.
Hanna giggled, and the sound made my stomach flip. My pants grew tight again, and I had to bring my coffee up to my mouth to keep from breathing deeply in front of everyone, especially her brother. I loved Marcus to death, but he was protective as fuck when it came to his sister. I knew, from him, that Lisa was constantly pressuring Hanna to have kids and settle down. Marcus had called me to rant about it many times. He talked about how his sister had more potential than just being someone’s “baby mama,” but I knew Lisa meant well.
Plus, I knew Hanna well enough to know that, deep down, she really did want kids.
“What’re you studying again?” I asked Hanna.
“Psychology.”
“Well, that’s practically useless in my company, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find you something to do. Let me make some calls and I’ll get back to you.”
“That’s very kind of you, Kason,” Hanna said. Oh, God, the way my name rolled off her tongue was nothing short of succulent. I had to adjust myself in my chair so my dick wouldn’t pop out of the top of my pants.
“Yep. I’ll place some calls, and I promise we’ll get together soon to talk it over.”
“Thank you, Kason.” Lisa patted my arm, somehow making my guilt weigh on me more. “It would really give us peace of mind that someone we love and trust is seeing Hanna while she’s away at school.” And there went a few more pounds of guilt.
“It’s not a problem.” Except it would be a nightmare to keep from seeing too much of Hanna. Naked in my fantasies.
We all finished a pot of coffee, and then I asked Marcus if he wanted to grab breakfast. At first he shrugged me off. Then I kicked his shin under the table and he changed his tune.
“Come on, my treat. Oh, and block off your evening, because there’s this new place in town I wanna take you to.”
“Oh! We’re having dinner with your parents tonight,” Roger said.
“It’s all right. It’ll be after dinner.”
“Well, in that case, have fun, guys!” Lisa waved.
Marcus and I had a lot to talk about. I needed to know what the fuck was up with my best friend. Even more pressing, I obviously needed to get laid before I spread Hanna’s legs and screwed my way out of all my close ties that kept me sane and grounded. I wasn’t sure my own parents would forgive me if I even came close to crossing the line with Hanna.
She laughed at something Marcus said, and it struck me in the gut that an outright orgy wouldn’t put out this fire. My best bet would be to avoid the hell out of Hanna over the next month.
Chapter 3
Hanna
I got dressed and left to meet Stacy for lunch, but the only thing on my mind was Kason. Dear god, he looked so hot now. His broad shoulders and arms were bursting with rippling muscles that I longed to sink my teeth into. I had seen him wiggling around in his seat at the kitchen table. I may not have dated much, but I knew what that meant. He was staring at me just like I was staring at him. At least, I hoped he was.
The look Kason had given me when talking about that internship had been nothing short of wanton. His dark eyes had been mesmerizing and his strong jawline set with a determination to save me from the idiotic bullshit my mentor had just thrust upon me. I had noticed something very different about him, something that had caught my eye the moment I’d thrown open that door and seen him standing there.
His short-sleeved shirt had revealed a sleeve tattoo he hadn’t had back when I’d left for college. Its thick black outlines were peppered with all sorts of colors and designs. I just wanted to sit there and stare at it without interruption. I wanted to finger it and ask him where the idea for it had come from, but mostly I just wanted an excuse to touch his arms. He had veins bulging from his muscles that I wanted to rake my tongue across. I couldn’t help but think about him wrapping me up in those arms and holding my tight, keeping me safe from everything.
Safe and secure was how I felt any time he was around. When he had embraced me the day I’d left for Stanford, I had known everything would be okay, that I would be able to handle whatever college threw my way.
Dear Jesus, we would make beautiful babies together.
I pulled into the restaurant and had to squeeze my thighs together to keep myself under control. I was so riled up after seeing Kason. All I could think about was that finally, after all these years of crushing on him, I was a woman. I was no longer underage or awkwardly covered in pimples. I wore contacts and clothes that actually fit. Kason had known I hadn’t been wearing a bra this morning. I had watched his eyes flicker to my chest and then back to my face with a sheepish expression on his own.
What I wouldn’t give to sit on that man’s lap.
“Hanna!” Stacey shouted.
I got out of my car and ran toward her. When I wrapped my arms around her, I picked her up and spun her around. She seemed much more cheerful than when we’d spoken on the phone yesterday. When I set her down, she was all too eager to blurt out the reason for her chipper mood.
“I’m pregnant!” she announced.
“Oh…my…god! Stacey, why the hell didn’t you tell me yesterday!?”
“I didn’t know yesterday! I woke up sick this morning, so I went to the doctor to get something because I was not breaking this lunch date, and he ran a pregnancy test as protocol. I’m eight weeks along!”
We walked into the restaurant, giggling and bouncing with glee. We were seated and gave the waitress our drink orders before Stacey pulled out the roll of black and white photographs.
“Oh…it’s the little Woods baby bean! It’s so cute!” I shrieked.
“Brad doesn’t even know yet.” She smirked.
“You haven’t called him and told him?!”
“No!” She smiled. “I wanted to do something really special this time to announce it to him.”
“Well…when were you thinking about doing it? I could come over after lunch and help you pick out something to do!”
“Well…” she said slowly.
“Stace…what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the baby? Or you?”
“Don’t talk like that, Hanna,” she hissed. “You’ll jinx it.”
My heart sank. In the past two years Stacey and Brad had suffered two miscarriages at two completely
different moments in her pregnancy. Stacey wanted to have children more than anything, and I knew Brad wanted to fill their home with as many children as Stacey could stand, but I also knew that look in her eye.
It was the look of someone who spent way too much time on the internet because she was panicking.
“Well, it says that the rate of miscarriage for someone who’s already miscarried doesn’t drop until the fourth month of pregnancy…” she said, trailing off and avoiding my gaze.
“Stace, you can’t wait four fucking months to tell him you’re pregnant. Dear god, you’ll be showing by then!”
“Sssshhhh! I know. Just…keep it down.”
“Stacy, this is so unlike you,” I said softly.
“Yeah, well, that was before I lost two children,” she spat.
“Okay. Okay. Well, how sick are you?” I asked.
“It wasn’t bad this morning, just a little dizziness.”
“So you didn’t throw up?”
“Nope.”