Page 119 of Unwrapping Deviance

I use my discarded towel to clean her, stop her from changing her wet shirt and pull her into my arms.

“Can I tell you something?” she whispers, voice deliciously hoarse.

I rub her back lightly, lips at her temple. “Anything.”

Her fingers skim my chest, tips tracing my collar bone to the hollow of my throat. “My books never make it sound this good.”

Amused, I tuck a finger beneath her chin and tip her face to mine. “I promise it gets better.”

Her smile melts my heart.

I take her hand and lead her to my room to quickly pull on sweats and a t-shirt before making our way down to the kitchen where Christian is poking a baked potato with a fork. The foil crinkles as he folds it back up and sticks it back into the oven.

Roasted meat drenched in BBQ sauce and spices soak into the air, a delicious aroma that has my mouth watering.

My brother glances up and immediately finds Mira. His gaze moves over her as he dusts his hands.

“Come here, sweetheart.”

I let her go with a gentle nudge before she can look to me for confirmation. It will take time before she’s going to him on her own. It’s only day one and still new, but I want her comfortable enough not to hesitate being with him when I’m in the room.

He drags out a chair and sits, pulling her into his lap. One hand settles on her thigh. The other starts creeping under the hem of her top.

He meets my gaze over Mira’s shoulder and I give a tiny shake of my head, telling him to stop.

Christian knows. He knows the signals, the rules. He knows I wouldn’t stop him unless it was important.

He slides his palm across her belly and drags her closer. His lips brush her ear and whatever he whispers to her has Mira bursting in a fit of giggles that makes me grin.

I move to where Christian has the barbecued pulled pork cooling on a wooden board. I pull two forks from the drawer and start the process of shredding the meat.

“I would love to see Istanbul or the Greek Islands.” Mira sighs. “I’ve never been outside of Canada, but the thought of traveling also scares me a little.”

“Nothing to be scared about. You just need a good tour guide.”

I glance back over my shoulder and my heart wrenches at the sight of them, of her with her head on his shoulder, face tipped back and getting stroked lightly by his curled knuckles. Her lips are bowed in a sweet smile as he tells her about his travels.

“I’m going to Cosenza in two months.” Chris’s gaze flicks from her mouth to her eyes. “It’s an eight hour plane ride to Crete.”

Mira’s grin broadens. “You’ll bring me back a t-shirt?”

His thumb sweeps the curve of her bottom lip. “Get your own shirt.”

Her smile slips a notch. “What...?”

“Come with me,” he says quietly. “I can extend my trip a couple of weeks. We can island hop.”

Mira darts upright in his lap, eyes wide with excitement. “Are you serious?”

A damp tendril is twisted around his index finger and lifted to his nose. “Traveling isn’t nearly as fun when you’re alone. I do a little sightseeing, but it’s usually, mainly for work.” The corner of his mouth quirks mischievously. “I want to show you all my favorite places.”

“I can’t ... oh my God!” Her head snaps in my direction, face a lit beacon of unadulterated delight. “Will you come?”

Already, I feel exhausted by the idea.

Traveling isn’t my cup of tea. Sure, the odd vacation. Roasting on a beach for a couple of hours, but jetlag? Airports? Strange foods? Foreign languages and strange beds?

“Absolutely not,” I state very clearly. “You can go with Christian. You two have fun. Bring me back a t-shirt.”

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