by Nicole Dykes
Michael giggles, although his voice is starting to change and he’s filling out, he is still just a teenage boy.
Brooke clears her throat, “You guys, there are children here.”
She gives a look across the table to Dylan as if she’s physically kicking him and he clears his throat, “Right. Can we try to hold back on the “dicks” and the “fucks”?”
Brooke drops her shoulders and shakes her head at him, but I can tell she’s trying not to laugh. Shriller does however laugh, “Then it’s not really a Monroe dinner, is it?”
Jax chuckles, “Maybe we should just make them cover their ears before we say those words.”
Dylan laughs, “Nah, they would spend way too much time with their ears covered.”
We all silently agree and Alex turns to Gabby, “Sorry little miss. I’ll try to keep it clean.”
Gabby grins over at Alex. “It’s okay. I forgive you.”
She says it in a cute singsong way that only my ten-year-old sister can get away with. I don’t think Gabby is actually offended by curse words, and if she is she’s definitely in the wrong family, but she knows how to lighten the mood.
My little sister is very intuitive for her age and knew it was getting tense.
When everyone is finished with dinner, I help Brooke, Dylan and Alex clear the table while everyone else retires into the living room for football.
When the table is cleared, Brooke looks at Dylan, “Go. You don’t want to miss the game.”
He kisses her cheek, “It doesn’t start for thirty more minutes.”
“Go anyway,” she says, gesturing toward Alex who has started rinsing dishes. She looks to me, “You’re free too.”
I nod, knowing she wants to talk to her friend about dinner and Dylan and I both escape. Thirty minutes until the game starts.
I can work with that.
Chapter 34
Hunter
I’m sitting on the floor next to Cam, getting ready to watch the game when I notice Cassie walk through the living room and to the hallway. It’s been impossible being near her all day, but not able to touch her or even really talk to her without raising suspicion.
I didn’t want to tell Luke about us last night, if he does get really pissed I didn’t want to ruin dinner.
Cassie pauses before she totally exits the hallway and our eyes meet. She looks around, probably to see if anyone else notices. When it feels safe she gestures for me to follow her. It’s subtle and just with her eyes, but I know exactly what she wants.
She disappears down the hallway and I give it a minute before looking over at Cam. He’s completely enthralled by a story from Shriller. Luke is busy talking to Hannah and Vanessa on the couch and Dani is playing a card game with Jax, Charlotte, Gabby, and Trevor and his girlfriend.
I casually stand up and walk down the hallway, unnoticed. Cassie is standing at the end of the hall by an open door, motioning for me to hurry up. I do and without saying a word follow her down the stairs and into a room that is obviously her old bedroom.
She closes the door behind her and then wraps her arms around my neck pulling me into a kiss. I kiss her back, hungry for her mouth. For all of her. We’ve been almost inseparable since that first night, and last night and today felt like torture.
Our entangled bodies make their way toward her bed, but I pull back, my arms on her shoulders, “Cassie, this wouldn’t be the best way for your family to find out about us.”
She brushes it off, like it’s no big deal and moves her lips back to mine. Her lips sweeping across mine she says, “There are so many people in this house, no one will notice we’re gone.”
I feel her hands eagerly pulling at the buttons of my shirt, desperately wanting to remove it. She gets two unbuttoned, “They will when the game starts, Cass.”
Her eyebrows shoot up suggestively. “We have thirty minutes before that happens.”
I grin at her. I reach down and quickly unfasten the other buttons and pull the shirt from my shoulders. I throw it somewhere behind me and check to make sure her door is locked. When I’m positive it is, I stalk her like she’s my prey until her legs hit her bed. “Then why are we wasting time talking about it?”
She grins and wraps her arms around my neck, “Exactly.”
She pulls me into another deep kiss and I should resist stripping her. This needs to be quick, but I can’t help myself. I whip her shirt off over her head and unfasten her bra letting it drop. My mouth instantly goes to her hardened nipples and she leans her head back with a loud groan. “Shh…Cass, you never know who will be walking by.”
She bites her lip, “Then quit doing that.”
I laugh and we land on the bed as her hands move to the button on my slacks, quickly freeing me from them and my underwear. She slips out of her pants and the dives for the drawer next to her bed as I lay there watching. She pulls a condom out of her drawer and then moves back to me, straddling my thighs in only her lacey pink panties.
Her small hands float over my stomach and I suck in a deep breath when they reach their destination. I watch as she rolls the condom, way too slowly on my aching cock. She’s teasing me and she grins down at me, her sexy body on display.
She doesn’t waste any more time and slips out of her panties before sliding down on my cock, moving slowly. I let her take the control as I reach up and massage her breasts, paying attention to her pebbled nipples with my thumbs.
She moans and leans her head back as she rides me. This is all kinds of wrong. We both know it, if one of her brothers, or Jax, looks for her, my ass is as good as dead.
I should be more worried than I am. Cassie leans down and kisses my lips and I move my hands to her hair. Her pace increases, moaning softly into my mouth, letting it absorb the sounds. “Hunter, I’m close.”
I groan as quietly as I can, “So am I.”
I move my hands to her hips, slowing them, enjoying each thrust. “God Cassie.”
She whimpers as I feel her tense and her pussy clench around me, I move her hips with my hands as she comes and I feel my own orgasm rip through my body.
Her lips brush across mine again, “Seriously, how could we not do that?”
I laugh and kiss her lips. I just can’t resist her and I’m done trying.
We lay there like that for I’m not sure how long and then my entire body freezes when I hear a pounding on the door, “Cass, you in there?”
Cassie’s eyes widen in shock at Luke’s voice. Her breathing picks up as she turns to the door. Both of us still totally naked and with her body on mine, “Yeah, why?”
“You seen Hunter?”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
She keeps her answer simple, “No.”
“Well shit, the game is about to start. Where the fuck is he?”
I see the panic on Cassie’s face. She looks more frightened than I am and I’m the guy who is lying naked with his best friend’s sister. “Maybe he went for a run,” she suggests quickly.
I look up at her in disbelief, there are so many reasons why that excuse doesn’t work. I wore nice clothes today to start and there is three inches of snow on the ground.
Luke sounds confused, “What? It’s like ten degrees outside.”
I lay still, preparing for a beat down from my best friend. I expected that, but not to be caught completely naked when it happens. Cassie stays fairly calm, changing her attitude to irritation, “I don’t know, Luke. He’s your friend and you know how important keeping in shape is to him.”
She looks down at my chest and winks at me. I shake my head. No way is he going to buy this.
“He is a crazy fucker. All right, if you see him let me know.”
Holy shit. It worked. I hear him leave the door and his footsteps on the wooden stairs and quickly get up slipping into my clothes, “Shit, that was close.”
She gets up and puts her clothes back out, back to freaked out. “I know, I’m sorry Hunter. I just couldn’t resist.”
I laugh quietly,
“I couldn’t either. I regret nothing.”
She laughs at that and kisses me quickly after getting dressed. She fixes her hair in the mirror and then uses her hand to flatten mine. “There. You look presentable.”
I pull her into my arms, going in for one last taste of her mouth before going back upstairs and back to pretending we aren’t together. When we pull away I say, “I’m telling him tonight.”
She swallows, that look of fear still on her face. “Okay. Just promise me that no matter what you won’t hate me.”
I hold her face in my hands, searching her eyes. “I could never hate you.”
“Just don’t leave me. Whatever Luke says, we can make it work.”
“Cassie, you and I are together. I’m in it for the long haul no matter what. I promise, you have nothing to worry about.” I say hoping I get through to her.
She nods her head, my hands still enveloping her face. “Good.”
I smile and then she shows me the door that goes out of the basement. No wonder she never had trouble sneaking out of here.
I go outside and then loop around the front, walking in the door and bumping straight into Luke. “Hey man, where the hell have you been?”
I should have thought that through before coming back in. I shrug, “Thought I would go for a walk before the game. Did I miss kickoff?”
Luke studies me carefully and then shakes his head, “Damn near, but no. It’s starting now, come on.”
We go into the living room and join the rest of the guys, Vanessa and Hannah.
For the first time in a long time my mind isn’t on the football game I’m watching. It’s wandering between my latest encounter with Cassie and telling my best friend I’m dating his sister.
I look over at Luke, who is sitting up watching the game with intensity, excitedly rooting for his team.
I brace myself for what’s to come.
Chapter 35
Hunter
The game ends around nine and everyone is now in the living room. Brooke made snacks for the game and they’ve mostly been picked over. Alex’s fiancé showed up about an hour ago. Now they are sitting on the couch talking about the wedding that’s scheduled for early next fall.
Cassie’s little sister Gabby is excited about being a bridesmaid and not the flower girl. Cassie, Brooke, Hannah and Charlotte will all be in the wedding also. It sounds like it’s going to be a huge and fancy ceremony. I don’t know Alex well, but that’s not the kind of wedding I would think she would like.
Shriller stands up from the couch, “Well that was a fucking great game. Now I’m going to hit the club. Who’s with me?”
Jax shakes his head and wraps his arm around Charlotte, “Nah, I’m good.”
“Pussy.” Shriller says, but grins and points to Dylan. “I know you’re out.”
Dylan nods, holding his sleeping baby girl in his arms, with Brooke’s head resting against his chest as her and Alex talk about place settings or some shit.
Shriller turns to where Cam, Luke and I are sitting. “What about you guys? It doesn’t matter if you can drink or not.”
Cam stands up quickly, “Hell yeah I’m in and I’m twenty-one. I’m ready to party KC style.”
Shriller grins and they fist bump then looks to Luke who has his arms wrapped around Hannah who is sitting on the floor in front of him. “Hell no, man. Hannah’s heading back tomorrow.”
Shriller just rolls his eyes and then turns to me. I can feel Cassie’s eyes burning into my skin from across the room. “What about you superstar?”
I shake my head, “No, thanks though. Clubs aren’t really my thing.”
Cam and Luke both scoff and Luke says, “Don’t bother Shriller, choirboy isn’t budging.”
“All right, you guys are missing out. Let’s get out of here Cam.” Shriller searches for his keys in his pocket.
“Are there seriously clubs open on Thanksgiving?” I hear Vanessa ask from her seat next to Hannah. I’m sure Cam going out with Shriller the Thriller to a club is eating at her.
Shriller nods his head emphatically, “Not only opened, they are packed. You wanna see for yourself?”
I’m not sure if Shriller is just being nice or if he’s hitting on her, but I can see the same question going through Cam’s head. Vanessa scrunches her nose, “No way. Thanks for the invite though.”
With that Shriller and Cam thank Brooke and Dylan and leave the house.
Not long after that, Luke, Hannah, Vanessa and I all stand and say our goodbyes for the night. Brooke invites us all for lunch tomorrow before we leave and no one passes that up.
When we get to Luke’s condo Hannah goes to the entertainment center in the living room, pulling out a chick flick Blu-ray, “We are watching a movie in the bedroom, you boys have fun.”
Luke groans, “What, you guys can do that shit in Manhattan.” He pulls her to his chest, “I thought we were gonna spend some time together.”
Hannah stands on her tiptoes and kisses his nose, “We will. After the movie.”
She pulls back and smacks his ass before heading with Vanessa to the master bathroom.
Luke shakes his head and walks to his fridge, pulling out a beer, “You want one?”
I nod my head. It couldn’t hurt right now. “Sure.”
He grabs two beers and we walk into the living room to sit on the couch, both twisting off the caps simultaneously. He takes a drink and makes a satisfied sound, “Sorry about my crazy ass family. I fucking warned you.”
I laugh and take a sip of the beer in my hand. “They aren’t bad at all. I had fun. I would take it any day over my house at Thanksgiving.”
He looks slightly saddened by my honesty, “Well you’re welcome any time buddy.”
Fuck, I hope that stays true after this conversation. I can’t keep stalling, “Luke, I have to talk to you about something.”
He leans back on the couch, propping his feet up on the wooden coffee table. “Shoot.”
I take another swig of the beer and sit it down on a coaster, turning to look him in the eye. Just rip off the Band-Aid. “Cassie and I are dating.”
He laughs, actually laughs. “Yeah right, that’s not even fucking funny. Cam put you up to that?” Shit. He’s thinks I’m joking. I stay stoic, looking him straight in the eyes and they darken. His feet drop to the floor and he sits up straight. “No fucking way.”
“Luke…”
He stands up and so do I. “You’re fucking my sister? How long?”
I swallow hard. Standing near him, but giving him ample space. His fists are clenched at his side, “A little over a month.”
He glares at me, his teeth gritted. “You’ve been fucking my sister for a month, behind my back. You?”
“We’ve been dating.”
“Oh, okay. So, you haven’t fucked then?” He says it sarcastically.
“It’s more than that.”
It’s only a split second before I see Luke’s fist flying right at my face. I don’t block it or move. I take the hit right in my left eye and stumble back slightly. Feeling the sting instantly.
“Fuck!” Luke growls as he shakes his right hand and plops down on the couch.
I take a seat next to him, waiting a beat before I say calmly, “Luke, I didn’t mean for it to happen. I never thought it would.”
“Yeah, me either.” He turns to me, “How could you do that? Take advantage of my little sister like that. She’s been through total hell, she doesn’t know what the fuck she wants and now you come in and just use her.”
“How could you think that? I slept with one girl before Cassie. You know that. I don’t use girls.”
He glares over at me, “Cassie has serious issues. We lost our fucking parents when she was fourteen. Fourteen. Then Brent fucked with her head so bad she had no self-esteem. Fucking Logan and Brent tormented her in high school.”
I didn’t know that he knew about Logan, but I guess maybe he knows what goes on in this town more than Cassie thinks. “I know,
but she’s a hell of a lot stronger than you give her credit for.” I say quietly. Everyone treats Cassie like she’s a fragile doll.
“Yeah, I know you know. You know how I know that, because I fucking tell you everything. You know all of this and then you start sleeping with her anyway. I could see this shit from Cam. He doesn’t even know everything, but you. I trusted you.” That stings. “And I know she’s strong, but she’s make a lot of crazy ass mistakes.”
“Who the hell hasn’t? You’re forgetting I was there man, when you and Hannah got together. How many fucking mistakes did you make with her?”
“Fuck you.”
“It’s true though, right? You almost lost her forever a couple of times and before she came back into your life, how many girls did you use and throw away? Like they were nothing.”
“I’ve changed.”
“Exactly, because people gave you a chance to change. It was fine for you to run around screwing anything that moved, but Cassie sleeps with the wrong guy and all of the sudden she’s a fuckup. She sneaks out and drinks and she has serious issues. It’s bullshit and you and I both know it. How many parties did you go to before you met Hannah?”
“None of this excuses what you did.”
I run my fingers through my hair in frustration, “I swear to you, I tried to fight it, but you of all people know that things don’t always go as planned. It was impossible to stay away from her, she needed someone to talk to.”
“Last time I checked you don’t talk with your dick.”
I sigh, “We did talk, we still do. I told you it’s not just fucking. I’m in love with her.”
His eyes snap to mine, searching to see if I’m telling the truth. “You’re in love with her?”
I nod my head. “Yeah.”
“Does she know that?”
“Not yet, but I think she feels it too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Luke. I tried to pull away. I tried to keep it just a friendship out of loyalty and because I thought she needed to find out who she was on her own.”
“She does.” He interjects.
“That’s the thing. I thought so too, but she didn’t think that. She showed me that we can figure things out together. I’ve never had that or seen that, but she’s right. She’s changed me, woke me up from a daze of nothing but football and one goal.”