Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 131330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Becs narrows her gaze. “Oh shit,” she says, picking up her pacing again. “Please tell me you didn’t say what I think you said.”
I swallow hard. “I, uhhh . . . maybe suggested he could teach me the limits of my body behind Austin’s back, orrrrrrrr,” I say, dragging it out. “I could find someone else who would.”
Becs crumbles back to the grass. “Oh thank fuck,” she says. “So it’s over then?”
“Uhh no.”
“WHAT?” she shrieks, her eyes widening like saucers. “Tell me that asshole didn’t agree to that shit? Holy shit, Aspen. How could you be so stupid? It’s one thing fucking him by accident, but knowingly going there with him is going to kill you. You’re never going to be able to move past him now, and I’m sorry, but he’s never going to want you the way you deserve. Are you really sure this is a good idea?”
“No,” I admit, willing myself not to cry. “But whether I’m risking my heart or not, don’t I deserve to have incredible sex? Nobody can make me feel the way he does, Becs. And what if this is my chance? What if he’s suddenly seeing me as a grown woman instead of Austin’s little sister?”
“I don’t know,” she says. “I think it’s too risky, and you’re opening yourself up to get hurt.”
“Perhaps,” I breathe, my shoulders slumping as I distantly notice that my shirt is nearly dry. “But he also told me that when he’s inside of me, it’s never been so good for him. We’re compatible like that.”
She presses her lips into a hard line, clearly seeing that she won’t change my mind on this. “Okay,” she finally says. “If you’re sure you can handle it, then I’ll support your decision to go down this road, but just know that if shit hits the fan, I’ll be right here.”
A smile pulls at my lips, and a huge weight lifts off my shoulders. “Oh, thank God,” I breathe, crushing into her and wrapping my arms around her slim body.
“So, you two have really been . . .?”
“Yup,” I say with a wide grin. “Last night.”
“Oh my God, I feel scandalized. But also, you have to tell me every detail,” she says, her tone shifting and putting me on edge. “First though, I think it’s important to note that if you’re screwing Izaac, your reasoning for why I can’t screw your brother is kinda null and void now. You’ve got no ground to stand on.”
My jaw drops, and I pull back, gaping at my best friend. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh,” she says, her gaze darkening, clearly thinking of what it’d be like to be with my brother. “I think you and I both know damn well that I would.”
22
IZAAC
The strobe lights go off as I make my way through the dancefloor of Cherry, my gaze darting left and right as I seek out Austin. He’s going to fucking kill me, and this time it’s got nothing to do with the fact that I’ve buried my cock into his little sister three times this week already.
I’m late. Like really fucking late.
It’s his twenty-ninth birthday, and just like every year, Austin goes hard for his birthday. Guys from high school and college are here, friends we’ve met from our days thinking we could make it as professional ice hockey players, and now, people Austin has met after college.
It’s fucking insane. Even on a normal night at Cherry, the atmosphere is never like this, but when Austin wants to party, the whole fucking world parties with him. He’s just that kind of guy, and it’s one of the many reasons why I’ve always valued him as my best friend.
If only he knew just how terribly I’ve been betraying him. Hell, if only he knew how fucking easy it was for me to do it in the first place. Every time I’ve seen Aspen since we agreed to do this, it’s gotten easier to look the other way, to pretend that what we’re doing is innocent and won’t hurt anybody, but the truth is, when I see her, all of that bullshit seems to fade away.
Hell, it’s even getting easier to pretend that she’s not Austin’s little sister at all.
Breaking through the edge of the dancefloor, I search through the crowd and finally find Austin sitting at a booth with a beer in his hand, laughing animatedly with a bunch of our old friends. I make my way toward him, having to stop a few times to say hi to people I haven’t seen since Austin’s last birthday.
Finally making it to Austin, he stands from the overcrowded booth and immediately pulls me into a tight hug, clapping his hand on my back. “Where the fuck have ya been, brother?” he asks, his tone suggesting he’s already well and truly tipsy.