Page 71 of Defensive Zone

“Did you know Max is a massive Potterhead?” Ava asked.

Gabi laughed. “Of course. He has the tattoo to prove it,” she said.

Ava straightened up in her chair. “How do you know about that? Ew, have you googled my brother shirtless?”

“What?” Gabi sputtered out. “No. He told me about it. We were talking about our favorite books.”

Max turned his head between Gabi and Ava, enjoying himself a bit too much.

“Okay. Well, I’m not in a Potter mood,” Ava said.

“Then Bridgerton, it is,” Max said, rubbing his hands together.

“This is a bad idea,” Gabi said.

“It’s fine. We’re all adults,” Ava said.

“Max definitely is not,” Gabi grumbled.

Max bit back a smirk.

“What?” Ava asked.

“Nothing. Just start it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said.

Ava turned on the TV and pulled up the show.

The opening credits started. How bad could it possibly be?

It was bad. Actually, the show was quite good, but it was hot, and he was acutely aware of Gabi shifting next to him. Especially after the third episode. The main heroine masturbates after a discussion with the hero about that very topic, and Gabi could not sit still next to him.

To make matters worse, or possibly better, his sister had fallen asleep forty minutes ago and was softly snoring, while he was trying to ignore Gabi’s short breaths and his ever-hardening dick.

“Gabi,” he whispered, his hand reaching for hers under the blanket she’d covered herself with.

He’d been itching to sneak his hands under there for two hours to touch her.

“Yes?” she asked, her voice high-pitched. She wouldn’t look at him.

He leaned closer, brushing his beard against her neck, thrilling him as she shivered, but he didn’t pull away. This was a risk, but he was dying inside.

She would not climb into his lap.

She would not.

Especially with Ava in the same damn room.

But this show had turned her on, and he was turning her on more by breathing next to her. Or maybe it was because she’d gotten a look at the tent in his lap.

At least she wasn’t on her own over here.

She turned to face him. His eyes glittered with need. His tongue darted out to lick at his lip, and she wasn’t sure if she’d groaned or if it’d been him.

Then Elise started crying and Ava popped up.

Holy hell. She’d momentarily forgotten that she was sitting in the damn living room with Ava, too.

“I can go get her,” Gabi said, needing an escape, but not truly wanting one if she was being honest with herself.

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