Sweet Torment(4)

I hate watching her go out the door with anything that has a cock. It pisses me off, which is a ridiculous notion. Not only has she been like a little sister to me since the day she was born, she's only seventeen. I'm twenty-three. That kind of shit doesn't go over well with people. Or with the state of Tennessee.

I have no business having these kinds of thoughts about her. Owen and River would kill me. Hell, Owen would castrate me.

Claudia Laine Bliss has grown up. Everything I've ever felt about her suddenly feels new and different.

And it scares the shit out of me.





2





Bram Windsor





Claudia is home early from her date. An hour early. I'm happier than I should be about that. I'm also happier than I have any right to be about Owen and River taking the two recliners when we sat down to watch television, forcing her onto the sofa with me.

I've spent the night at the Bliss house countless times. Claudia and I have stretched out on this same couch and watched television side by side on many occasions. Lying next to her like this shouldn't feel weird or awkward …  or exciting. But it does. Nothing about being this close to her-or touching this way-feels normal. And it's confusing the hell out of me.

Owen has gone to his room and River has bedded down in the guest room. I'm not disappointed they left. I want to talk to Claudia and explore these new sensations without them in my face. 

"How'd your date with Connor go?"

"He brought me home at ten o'clock. How do you think it went?"

"Not good?" No guy brings a girl home early if he's having a good time. Or getting to do anything he wants with her. That pleases me.

"Not good at all. Connor was so weird tonight. Not his usual cocky self at all. What did y'all say to him?"

No need to feign innocence. "We explained what would happen if he didn't behave like a gentleman with you."

"I assume it's safe to say that explanation involved Priscilla since Owen had her out of the bag?"

The terror on that kid's face when he heard the swoosh of Owen's bat next to his ear was priceless. "There's a good possibility Priscilla was used in our persuasion."

"I figured as much."

Our tactic ruined her date. I should feel bad about that, but I don't. "Are you mad?"

"Nah, I didn't want to go out with him anyway. I was glad when he said he was bringing me home."

I'm surprised by how much it pleases me to hear she's not into the guy. "Then why'd you go out with him?"

"Our friends were trying to be matchmakers. Guess I thought they'd leave me alone if I went out with him."

"We scared the shit out of him for nothing."

"Not for nothing. Word got back to me that he'd made a stupid bet with some of his buddies that he'd get at least one hand in my pants tonight. He deserved whatever you gave him."

Hearing that makes me want to go find the little shit and put my hands around his throat. "You shouldn't have gone out with him. He could have tried something with you to save face with his buddies."

"You know I can take care of myself. You, Owen, and River taught me exactly what to do in that kind of situation."

We made sure Claudia knew how to defend herself, but boys are typically bigger and stronger. A girl can never be too careful. "Knowing how to twist a pair of balls doesn't make you invincible."

"I haven't been out on many dates but I'm always careful."

I don't like that she's been out on any dates. "No boyfriend?"

"A few have asked but I'm holding out for someone."

Holding out for someone? "You have a crush?"

"It's far more than a crush, Duke." I love hearing her call me that.

Claudia thinks she's in love. And I don't like it at all. "Does he know?"

"No. Pretty sure he's never seen me as anything more than a friend."

I'm wondering what kind of boy could look at Claudia and only have platonic thoughts. Maybe one who isn't into girls. "You think he still only thinks of you as a friend after seeing the way you've changed?"

She deepens her voice. "You mean my new lovely young lady look?"

Yup. She's still peeved about that. "I didn't have a choice. I had to call it that in front of Owen and River."

"Why?"

"We both know they would kick my ass if they heard me say that you were smoking hot."

Claudia twists her body and peeks at me over her shoulder. "You think I'm smoking hot?"

What the hell is wrong with me? I can't tell a seventeen-year-old girl, even if this is Claud, something like that. "It doesn't matter what I think."

She turns onto her opposite side so we're lying face to face. "What you think matters to me, Duke. Much more than you've ever realized."