“God, you know I do. I’m craving your sweet lips.”
“Meet me at the coffee shop in a half hour?”
“Oh, bitch, you’re singing my tune. See you there.”
She hung up. I smiled to myself the whole time I got dressed.
“I don’t care if I’m a cliché,” Lydie said. “I love pumpkin spice lattes.”
“It’s not even fall.”
“The PSL can be consumed at any time, Claire. Don’t be so narrow-minded.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.”
“I’m more of a plain black myself.”
“I know.” She made a face. “Plain boring, you mean.”
“I just don’t need the thirty tons of sugar they put in that thing,” I replied, gesturing at her cup.
“First of all, I try not to think about that. And second, yeah, okay, but that’s what makes it so delicious.”
“You have a point.”
We laughed and sipped our drinks. I looked around the little coffee shop and felt calm for the first time since I’d woken up.
The shop was a little hole in the wall in the downtown area of our small town. It was pretty empty, but it would fill up soon enough. It looked like a Starbucks, except it was even more nautical-themed and was owned by local people. I loved it, and I always went out of my way to go during the summers I spent down on the shore.
“So what have you been up to?” I asked her.
“Aside from crying about you not talking to me? Not much. The usual. Had to go to work, unfortunately.”
“Please. I’m sure you’ve been clubbing hard, probably forgot all about me.”
“Yeah, right. Did you see the messages I’ve left?”
“True. You did turn into a psycho stalker.”
“I absolutely did. I’m not ashamed of it.”
“Are you ever ashamed?”
“Pretty much no.”
As we talked, I kept thinking about the night before. Nate’s strong arms, his body pressed against mine, his mouth and muscles all dominating my mind. Even though I was talking to Lydie and laughing with her, I was really still back in his bed, our hips rocking together.
It was the most intense thing I’d ever experienced. As much as I wanted to move on, I couldn’t get it out of my mind, not even for a second.
“So what about you? How’s your stepbrother doing?”
I paused for a second, sipping my coffee. I was worried that she was able to read my mind. Lydie, if you can hear me thinking this, clap your hands twice. I waited nervously for another second, but she didn’t clap. Instead, she stared at me like I was a crazy person.
“What?” she asked. “You look like I just stabbed a bunny.”
“Sorry,” I said quickly. “Just thinking about something.”
“Your stepbrother a sore point?”
Something of mine was sore because of him, that was for sure.
“No, not at all. He’s still a dick as always.”
“He seemed okay,” Lydie said, shrugging. “I mean, I’m not going to try and bang him or anything, but still. He seemed surprisingly nice, for a military guy.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Seriously, Claire, you look like you’re about to explode. Are you blushing?”
“No, not at all.”
Damn my inability to hide anything from Lydie.
“Seriously, you’re being so weird.”
“It’s nothing! Let’s just drop it.”
“The way you just said that proves something is up, and now I am going to find out.”
I groaned. “Lydie, come on.”
“Claire, no way. What did he do? He walk in on you during a shower?”
“Yes,” I said. “But that’s not the issue.”
“What! He saw your naughty bits?”
“No, I mean, we share a bathroom. And I was already out.”
“So he didn’t see your lady parts?”
“Stop saying stuff like ‘lady bits,’ you weirdo.”
“Don’t dodge the question!”
I paused, biting my lip.
Did I want to tell her? Lydie was my best friend. I hated having secrets from her, especially one as big as my stepbrother’s cock. I wasn’t sure how she’d react, though. Having sex for the first time with your stepbrother was more than a small step, it was basically a head-first dive off Niagara Falls. What if she was totally disgusted by me?
And yet Lydie had wanted me to finally lose my virginity. She’d been pushing for it for years. If anyone was going to understand, it would be her.
“Hello? Your brain lost service or something?”
I shook my head. “I have to tell you something.”