“What do you want on the pizza, baby?” he asks, rubbing my back. I feel like I could fall back asleep.
“Um, mushrooms, peppers, olives, and pepperoni, unless you want something else.”
“Nope, sounds good.” I feel him lift his hips and his hand leaves my back. I can hear the beeping of his phone before he places our order. After he hangs up the call, I hear the phone hit the coffee table.
“Did you have a good day?” I ask into his chest.
“No. The fire inspector wanted to close the site and Cash had to go to the hospital to get stitches.” The second the words are out of his mouth, I'm up, trying to pull out of his arms.
“Oh my God! What are you doing? You should be with him. Is he okay? Who’s taking care of him?” I yell, trying hard to pull away.
“He’s fine. Mom’s with him. He just cut his hand. Calm down.”
“How many stitches did he need?”
“Just three. Why are you so worried?” he asks, narrowing his eyes. Suddenly, he looks angry.
“He was hurt and he’s your brother,” I say slowly. “What do you mean, why am I worried?” I ask. I’m confused. He doesn’t say anything. He just stares at me then I realize why he’s asking that question and I want to kick him. “Seriously? Your own brother?” I ask, shaking my head in disbelief and again trying to pull away.
“Let me up,” I say but his arms only tighten. “I'm serious, Asher. Let me up right now. I cannot believe you would even think that I would be sitting here with you if I was even a little interested in your brother. I mean, obviously we don’t know each other very well but if you want to get to know me, you’re going to have to trust me. Otherwise, don’t waste my time.” I pull away and am finally able to stand. I leave him sitting on the couch and go into the bathroom. I hop up on the counter, wondering what the hell is wrong with him. First Nick, now his brother. I want to scream at the top of my lungs.
The door opens and I look up. He’s just standing there, looking at me, and not saying anything. I'm beginning to feel like I shouldn’t be here anymore and should risk respiratory failure and stay with my grandma.
“I think I should go stay with my grandma,” I say quietly.
He still doesn’t say anything and I start to squirm on the counter under his stare. Then I see him take a deep breath and he lunges at me his mouth crashes into mine. His hands go to my ass, pulling me to the edge of the counter.
I'm caught off guard but my body takes over and my hand goes to his back. My other hand digs into his hair as he bites my bottom lip, then lightly bites my chin and then comes back to my mouth where he devours me.
His tongue is in my mouth and playing with mine, nipping and biting my lips. I feel one of his hands leave my ass and travel around and up the front of my shirt, cupping my breast through my bra. I whimper into his mouth and try to press closer, knowing my panties are soaked. I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on in my life. Then he pulls away, kissing me softer and setting his forehead to mine.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he rumbles and I feel the vibrations of his words straight between my legs.
“I don’t want to go anywhere,” I tell him truthfully, knowing that I should leave because this situation has heartache written all over it.
He presses his forehead to mine and takes a breath. “Almost every woman that I’ve fucked has also fucked one or more of my brothers,” he says quietly.
I can feel bile crawling up my throat and a horrible pain hits my chest at his words. He is actually opening up to me but I'm not sure I want to know this.
I don’t know why, but I feel like I need to share something about me to make us even, to make him understand that he isn’t the only one with baggage.
“I was engaged and found out that my mother had been sleeping with my fiancé during the whole time we were together,” I blurt out and immediately wonder why the hell I said it like that. Why can’t I just keep my damn mouth shut? “I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have told you like that. It’s just…I know how you feel. Well, not that I have sisters but if I did I would tell them that it’s really gross. I mean who does that?”
I feel his body start shaking and I wonder what the hell could be funny about this conversation. “Are you laughing?” I feel his body still and he takes his face out of my neck. He gently wraps his hands around my neck, running his nose along mine.
“I'm not letting you go, November.” His eyebrows pull together and I can see something working behind his eyes. It looks like hope but I don’t know him well enough to be sure.