Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Your brother means the world to me, Fallon. He fascinates me, and excites me, and every day we spend together feels like an incredible gift.” I grinned and added, “I also think he’s super sexy, and he makes me want to do all sorts of filthy things to him.”
He got up and sneered at me. “You’re a frighteningly good liar.”
Actually, all of that was true. As he started down the path, I called after him, “It’s your choice, Fallon. You can push Bryson and me away, or you can let us care about you, and support you, and be a part of your life, the way a family should. One of those options is a lot lonelier than the other one.”
Fallon didn’t look back or say anything else. After the door slammed shut behind him, I turned my attention to Dusty. He was sitting patiently by my side, and he wagged his tail when I muttered, “Well, I tried.”
14
Bryson
The past couple of days had been an absolute mind-fuck.
We’d arrived at my great uncle’s house on my birthday, and Embry and I followed through with our plan. We made everyone believe we were a real couple. This involved a lot of touching, kissing, and handholding. The fact that I thoroughly enjoyed it was confusing, to say the least.
Then, to add to the confusion, we shared a bed every night. Embry insisted, and what was I supposed to say? No thanks, I’m afraid I might like it too much?
Both nights started off with the two of us separated by three feet of mattress. It was a king-size bed, and Em was tiny, so we had plenty of space. But then in the morning, we woke up with me wrapped around him, as if I was a giant squid and he was a little fishing vessel I was trying to drag into the deep.
Okay, so that was a weird analogy, but I really did feel like some sort of clingy, multi-armed tentacle monster who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
Not that Embry complained. Just the opposite. He cuddled me right back, and when I tried to apologize, he smiled and made light of it.
It just added to an already baffling situation. I knew I truly liked and cared about Embry. But I was also finding myself more and more attracted to him as time went on, and that was throwing me for a loop.
Was I actually bisexual, like I’d told my grandfather? Was it possible to go thirty-seven years without knowing that about myself?
I didn’t feel like I was, though. Overall, men still grossed me out. So, what was I, Embrysexual? Was there a name for only being attracted to a single member of my own gender?
I hid in the bathroom with my phone on Christmas Eve, trying to Google it like a clueless kid hitting puberty. It turned out there was actually something called demisexuality, which I’d never heard of. It basically meant being attracted to individuals regardless of their gender or physical features, but only after forming a strong emotional connection to them.
Had that always been the case? I tried to analyze the handful of pseudo-relationships I’d had in my life, but then my cousin Raya’s obnoxious husband knocked on the bathroom door and yelled, “You’ve been in there a long time, dude. Did you fall in?” He had the sense of humor of a not particularly bright third grader.
I pocketed my phone, got up from the edge of the tub, and flushed the unused toilet. Then I washed my hands for no reason and opened the door, shooting him a look as I said, “There are literally nine other bathrooms you could have used.”
“This one is closest.”
I fought back a sigh and rejoined my family in the living room. We’d finished dinner almost an hour ago, but we’d eaten early so the kids could dine with us, since it was Christmas Eve. How much longer before we could claim to be tired and escape to our room?
Embry was sitting in front of the fireplace with my cousins Raya and Gabby, and Dusty was on his lap. I crossed the room and perched on the arm of his chair, since all the seats were taken. Then again, even if there’d been a place to sit, I still would have chosen this spot.
He idly began to stroke my thigh as he said, “We were talking about your grandfather’s birthday bash in Sausalito next month. It sounds like it’s going to be quite the event.”
“Yeah, he goes all out every year and rents this same inn for the weekend. Ninety percent of the guests are his clients, so more than anything, it’s an excuse to wine and dine them. But it’s also a time for the family to gather and celebrate Granddad, and the inn is gorgeous. I think you’ll like it.”