The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection

by Alexis Winter

  I watch as she finds her clothes and walks back into the bathroom to dress. With her no longer in sight, I go back to my food and watching TV. However, when that door opens again and she comes walking back out, it’s not any better. She’s wearing a short pair of cloth shorts and a tank top that’s so thin, I can practically see her nipples under it. No bra, of course. Her long dark hair is wet and hanging over her shoulders as she brushes it. It’s soaking one side of her shirt, the cold water making her nipples harden.

  “Your key is on the table here,” I tell her, trying to keep my mind on anything and everything that’s not her body.

  “Oh, thanks.” She bends over right in front of me to pick it up.

  “Do you always dress like this around the house? I mean, what does Brad think?”

  She snorts. “Brad is never here or awake when I am. This place is practically mine. Well, until now, I guess.” She moves over to her purse to put the key back on its loop.

  “Well, it makes me uncomfortable,” I admit.

  “Oh, really?” she challenges, turning to face me with a look of surprise on her face.

  “Yes, really.”

  She rolls her dark eyes. “You didn’t seem to be all that uncomfortable when my naked ass was bent over in front of you.”

  “Shhhhh, keep it down.”

  Her arms move out to her side. “He’s not here. He can’t hear us.”

  “I know, but I don’t want us to get comfortable talking about what happened with us openly. We’ll end up fucking up and saying something in front of him.”

  She scoffs and shakes her head. “Then keep your eyes to yourself. This is what I sleep in. Deal with it.” Without another word, she heads into the kitchen. Based on the sounds of pots and pans banging around in there, she’s fixing dinner.

  Thirty minutes later, she’s sitting down next to me with a plate full of mac and cheese. “Who bought all that food in there?”

  “I did,” I reply, keeping my eyes on the TV.

  “Damn, rich boy. I haven’t seen that much food since I was placed in that detention center for young girls.”

  Slowly, my head turns in her direction. “Detention center? What did you do?”

  She snorts. “I got caught tagging a building with some friends. Well, first, I got caught underage drinking—that got me probation—then I got caught tagging a building. Since I was on probation, I was sent to the detention center for ninety days. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Sounds like a big deal.”

  “Yeah, that’s because you’ve never broken a rule in your life. I’m free and clear now.”

  I scoff. “I have broken a rule,” I argue, feeling attacked.

  “Oh yeah, what rule have you broken?” She quirks one eyebrow.

  I snap my mouth shut, trying to think. “I fucked you,” I throw in her face, but that only causes her to laugh.

  “You didn’t know that I was off-limits then, so that doesn’t count. Try again.”

  “I skipped school once.”

  She frowns at me.

  “It’s true. My buddy, Jeff, and I skipped last period to use our fake ID cards to get into a strip club in the city.”

  She gives me a look that says, yeah, right.

  “Okay,” I confess. “We skipped to go volunteer at the church. It looked good on college applications.”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “See, things that are bad to you aren’t so bad to me. We’re different people, you and I.”

  “We’re not that different.”

  “Yeah? Then why can’t we pick up where we left off?” She smirks. “I know you want to. I saw that tent you were sporting when I came out of that bathroom in a towel.”

  “Why were you kicked out of your mom’s house?” I ask instead of answering her question.

  “It wasn’t my mom’s house. It was her boyfriend’s and I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Looks like we have something in common. You don’t want to answer my question, and I don’t want to answer yours. We’re not that different.”

  She snaps her mouth shut and turns her attention to the TV instead of giving me shit. We spend the rest of the night not talking or even looking at one another. We both just sit, watching TV until ten o’clock rolls around and I excuse myself to go to bed for the night. Inside my room, I strip down to my boxers and throw back the blankets. I flip the bedside lamp off once I’m beneath them and comfortable. When I close my eyes, all I see is her. That tight, damp towel that’s wrapped around her naked body. The way her big, brown eyes landed on mine. The way water glided down her neck, over her collar bone, and disappeared under that towel. I wish I could’ve licked every bead of water off her sweet skin. I wonder if she knows how badly I want her. Or does she just think that I had my fun with her once and now I’m done? I am done, but not because I’m done with her. I’m done because I can’t allow myself to touch her. Brad would break my face if he knew what I did to his little sister. And I’d have to let him because I’m wrong and he’s right. I need to find something about her that I hate, something I can focus on to keep me away.

  I try thinking, but for the life of me, I can’t think of anything. Everything about her is perfect. Everything except who she is, but even that isn’t enough to keep my body under control. I guess I have no choice but to keep looking. She has to have something that’s imperfect. Everyone does.

  When I wake in the morning, I’m relieved to find Brad sitting on the couch, still dressed in his work clothes, Deven nowhere in sight.

  “Hey, how’d things go last night with my sister?” he asks as I walk through to the kitchen for some water.

  “What do you mean?” I shout.

  He comes walking into the kitchen, watching as I stand at the sink and fill a glass of water. “I mean, did she give you shit and drive you crazy last night?”

  I shake my head. “No, we hardly talked.”

  He nods. “That’s a relief. I thought for sure she’d try to fuck you.”

  I spit my water out and cough. “What?”

  “Yeah, she’s been a little fucked up since dad died. She has daddy issues, if you know what I mean. She’s always looking for another guy, someone else to approve of her. She means well enough, but she gets herself into some shitty spots. Anyway, just try to ignore her.”

  I nod once. “If you say so.”

  “Look, I know she isn’t perfect, but she’s my sister and I love her. Whatever she does, just tell me and I’ll put a stop to it. You are in no way, shape, or form allowed to touch her. You got that? She’s my baby sister, and I’ll defend her honor with everything I have. Deven is off-limits.”

  “I know, man. I’d never even think of it,” I lie. All I can do is think of it.

  Four

  Deven

  “Have a good day,” I tell the customer as I hand over her bag of purchases.

  “You’re doing such a great job, Deven. Have I told you that already?” Destiny asks as she walks out of her office.

  I smile. “Only about a dozen times today, but it’s always nice to hear.”

  She leans her hip against the counter and crosses her arms. “All jokes aside, you really are doing a great job. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. I really do appreciate everything you do around here, even if I don’t always have time to say it. I mean, you’ve made me obsolete around here for the past week.”

  “I can’t believe it’s already been a week,” I gush. Time has been flying by—at work, at least. Home, that’s a different story. I don’t know what happened with Hudson and my brother, but they’re closer than ever while he completely ignores me. He won’t look at me at all. He won’t even talk to me unless I talk to him when my brother is around. When Brad isn’t around, he won’t reply at all. It’s like he has to keep up appearances in front of Brad. But when he’s gone, he no longer has to act.

  The night Hudson and I spent together at the bar, I pray for just one night with him. I didn’t expect to ever run into
him again. I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. But then he moved in and now I have to see him every day. I have to see him walk sleepily out of his bedroom in his loose pajama bottoms. They hang deliciously from his hips, and I can’t keep my eyes off that toned six pack. I have to sit next to him on the couch, pretending that I’m watching whatever stupid guy show he put on. I end up watching him more than the TV. And I have to watch him move about the kitchen, cooking delicious meals like he was born to be a chef. I know they say food is the way to a man’s heart, but it’s the way to mine too! These last few years, a full stomach has happened less and less. I usually have little to no money, so I end up grabbing something quick and cheap from whatever gas station I’m at. And I’ve lived this way for years. I asked for one night with him, but now, every night, I ask for one more night with him.

  “The week has flown by with you here,” Destiny says, folding up a pile of clothes that people tried on but decided against.

  I stand back and watch her work while my mind drifts off to other matters, like how I can get Hudson to see me as something other than his friend’s off-limits kid sister.

  “Destiny, can I ask you something?”

  “Shoot.”

  “It’s kind of personal, but I’m needing advice…in the love department.”

  She nearly squeals. “Juicy! Let’s hear it.”

  “Okay, well about a week ago, I had a one-night stand with this guy I met at the bar. It was amazing. Mind-blowing. Probably the best I ever had. But the thing is that I knew the guy. He was one of the hot older guys in town when I was little. I never thought I’d have a shot with him. But he hadn’t seen me since I was a kid, so he didn’t recognize me.”

  “Good for you. You finally bagged your dream guy.”

  “Yeah, but things got complicated. Really complicated.”

  “What happened?” she asks, concern paining her features.

  “Well, this guy, he was friends with my brother. Once he found out who I really was, he deemed me off-limits. I can’t do anything but think of our night together. I want more nights like that. So, how can I get him to see that I’m more than just his friend’s sister? That I’m not a child anymore?”

  “Hmmm, that’s a tough one,” she says, still folding clothes as she thinks it over. “Maybe just make yourself available to him. Get close, but don’t be pushy. Let him get to know you, this you. If the chemistry was as good as you say, it’s only a matter of time. Guys suck at holding themselves back from something they want. He’ll give in eventually.”

  “And if he doesn’t think it’s as good as I thought it was?”

  She shrugs. “Then at least you have one night to look back on. That’s more than some people get.”

  I nod. I guess she’s right. If the night we shared meant anything at all to him, he’ll eventually come around. I can only imagine the mental struggle he’s going through about this. He’s always been the do-the-right-thing type of guy. He’s never broken a rule in his life. I’m sure this is weighing on him as much as it is me.

  Destiny and I work the rest of the day together. She flips off the lights while I lock up the register, safe, and then the door behind us.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, and good luck with that little problem you have,” Destiny says, pulling her purse up on her shoulder as she heads toward her car.

  I offer a small smile and a wave as I climb behind the wheel. I’m back home within minutes. I walk into a dark apartment. I turn the light on and lock the door behind me. About time I have the place all to myself. It’s been a while. I throw myself back on the couch, enjoying the peace and quiet. Deciding to enjoy my alone time, I plan to take a shower and then hunker down on the couch in my pajamas and eating enough junk food to fuel an army.

  I spring upward, almost jogging to the bathroom, excitement coursing through my body at the thought of getting to use all the hot water. I strip quickly and step into the shower. The hot water feels like heaven on my skin. It’s so hot, my skin reddens, but that’s how I like it. I wash my hair twice with my favorite rose-scented shampoo and conditioner it just as many times. I take my time shaving my legs and washing off. I even use my in-shower lotion that I rarely have time for. By the time the hot water is running out, my skin feels like it’s been set on fire. I shut off the water then gather my hair over my shoulder to wring it out.

  I pull the curtain open and stick my head and arm out to reach into the cabinet hanging above the toilet where we keep the towels, but the cabinet is empty. I look at the towel rack on the wall and the one on the back of the door, but both are towel-less. I guess Brad went to go do some laundry today and forgot to put it away. Not completely unusual.

  Standing in the shower, I wring my hair free of as much water as I can. I fling my hands through the air, trying to shake the water off them. It only hits me now that I also didn’t grab clothes before I came in here. I’m so used to going from bathroom to bedroom that I completely forgot. Again. With a groan, I step out of the tub.

  I open the door just a crack.

  “Brad! Hudson! Anyone here?” I shout into the apartment, but there’s no answer. I quickly pull the door open and dash across the hall into the living room, where my things are now being stored. I start digging through the box in the corner, finding a pair of black lace panties. I quickly pull them on. Just as my hand touches a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, I hear the lock on the front door turn. I grab the pants to make an effort to put them on quickly, but the door opens only a second later, and Hudson comes walking through. I spin around to face him in a panic.

  His eyes go wide with shock, and his mouth drops open with the corners turning slightly upward, like he can’t wipe the smile from his face at seeing me. I take the pair of pants in my hand and hold them up to my chest, covering my bare breasts.

  “I’m sorry. I took a shower and forgot to bring some clothes…again. And this time, there weren’t any towels in the bathroom. Nobody was home, so I didn’t think it was a big deal,” I ramble.

  He lets out a quiet chuckle and gently shakes his head. “It’s fine, Deven. Just…get your clothes and go get dressed,” he says, turning his back to me.

  I quickly grab a sweatshirt off the top of the stack and head back to the bathroom to put my clothes on. I know I’ve already slept with the guy, but being caught naked is never fun. Embarrassment heats up my face and stains my cheeks a bright red. I brush out my hair and move back into the living room, collapsing on the end of the couch.

  “Sorry about that,” I say again. “I wasn’t trying to tease you or seduce you or anything. In fact, I think you’re right. Nothing good could come from us being together behind my brother’s back. I mean, sure, he’s never home, and it would be totally easy to mess around without him knowing”—I’m babbling again—“but he already thinks that I’m a slut without a cause, so I probably don’t need to be screwing his friends to confirm his suspicions. Plus, you seem to have gotten whatever interest you had in me out anyway.”

  He looks at me confused, his brows pulled together and his blue eyes narrowed. “What’s happening here? Are you drunk? Why do you keep rambling?”

  I shake my head clear. “Something I do when I’m embarrassed or nervous. Don’t mind me, I’ll just…go die now.” I slide off the couch and head for the kitchen to make something to eat and to put some space between us. I place my hands flat on the counter and hang my head, trying to control my racing heart and erratic breathing.

  “What are you now, embarrassed or nervous?” he asks, stepping into the kitchen.

  I spin around to face him. “Both.” I laugh out loud. “I mean, you caught me naked. If that’s not embarrassing, I don’t know what is.”

  “Why are you nervous?” His eyes are intensely locked on mine. His eyes are usually an ocean blue, but now, they seem darker, like they’re clouded with fear, worry, or lust.

  I shrug, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I don’t know. It’s just when we’re alone together, I feel ne
rvous.” I roll my eyes. “I also feel stupid because I still want you, but you couldn’t care less.” I let out a nervous laugh. “You’re probably not even attracted to me. I was probably just the first girl that showed you attention since you got back, and I mean, hey, who turns down the easy girl, right?”

  He takes a slow step forward, and the butterflies in my stomach take flight. “I am attracted to you, Deven. In fact, that night in my truck was the best night I’d had in a long time, maybe even ever. If I hadn’t run into you here the following day, I probably would have gone looking for you. I got a taste of you. That’ll never be enough,” he says, looking down at me now that our bodies are only an inch apart. I can feel his warmth radiating off his body. Mine is absorbing it like I’m frozen to the core.

  His eyes are burning with emotion, passion, and lust as he looks down at me. His jaw is tensed. like he’s holding back, but his arms are limp at his sides. “As much as I’d love to pull you against me right now and fuck you senseless on your brother’s kitchen table, I can’t. I’m not that guy. Brad specifically asked me to keep my hands off. I can’t ignore his wishes. There’s a hard line between you and me. There is no crossing it despite how badly I want you, how much you tease me, or how much you beg.”

  I’m lost. I’m lost in his words, his eyes, the way he makes my every hair stand on end and vibrate. I feel like I’ve floated up out of my body and I’m watching things unfold from the sky. I don’t even know what I’m doing. My body is controlling itself. “We can’t cross the line. That doesn’t mean we can’t push it,” I say, stepping forward and pressing my mouth to his.

  His lips part for me on instinct, his hot tongue grazing against mine. For a moment, he seems frozen or surprised, but after a second, his hand moves up to cup my cheek as he deepens the kiss. He sucks on my tongue and explores every inch of my mouth. He releases my jaw, and I think he’s going to pull away, but instead, his hands land forcefully on my hips, picking me up and setting me on the counter in front of him. He moves between my knees while our kiss grows more urgent. His hands tour my body: my thighs, hips, breasts. My whole body feels like it’s been set on fire. My skin tingles and burns, metaphorical flames lighting along the trail his hands are making.