Page 80 of My Not So Wicked Stepbrother (My Not So Wicked 1)

“Em, I’m never happier than when I’m with you.”

“The feeling is mutual. You’ve helped me more than you know this past year, even if I was in love with you and thinking the entire time that you only wanted to be my friend, but I totally forgive you for that.” I grinned.

He leaned over the table and kissed me. The back of his hand ran down my cheek. “Had I known that’s how you felt I wouldn’t have wasted a second.” He sat back down. “You know what? Let’s not waste any more time talking about our parents right now because I’m not going to let their decisions affect mine anymore. I don’t care who they marry or don’t marry; they aren’t going to keep me from you.”

“Well, then I think we should get out of here.” I pulled the bandanna out of my bag. “You’re going to need to wear this.”

His mouth dropped. It took him a second to compose himself. “I always knew dating you was going to be a lot of fun.”

I tossed him the blindfold. “We’re not going to have that kind of fun . . . yet.”

“Em, I meant what I said earlier. You and me, this is a forever kind of thing for me, and I want to do it right.”

Every butterfly in the world took off in my stomach. The one he didn’t find repulsive at all. It felt like a dream, but I knew I was awake because as good as my dreams of him had been over the last year, this was better than I could have ever imagined. “I better keep my promise to you then.”

I drove us in his truck all the way out to Carrington Cove. I would have loved to do this in Shannon’s Meadow, but we would have had to wait until winter for that to happen and I was done waiting. My life with Sawyer began now.

I helped my blindfolded man out of his truck.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“You’ll see. Hold on tight to me.”

“Your wish is my command.” He pulled me closer.

We entered the establishment of one of my favorite places growing up. The owner, Marvin, was there waiting for us at the door to unlock it since they had been closed for a few hours.

“Emma.” Marvin grinned at me with his old, stained teeth. “Who do you have with you?”

“This is . . . my boyfriend, Sawyer.” Holy crap, I loved saying that.

Sawyer held out his hand even though he had no idea that Marvin was nowhere near him. “Nice to meet you.”

Marvin shook his head at us and laughed. “I’m not even going to ask what you’re going to do, but the place is all yours. I’ll be in my office not listening to or watching a thing; just let me know when you leave.”

I had a feeling there were going to be some kinky rumors about us going around Carrington Cove very soon, the least of those being that we were stepsiblings. Though hopefully not for long.

“Thanks, Marvin,” I called out to his retreating figure.

“It’s kind of cold. Where have you taken me?”

“Don’t worry, I plan to warm you up very soon.”

Sawyer groaned. “If I haven’t mentioned it before, I really love you.”

“Good, because I really love you. Now take my hand and be prepared to learn my ways.”

“Now that you’ve officially introduced me as your boyfriend, will you change your Facebook relationship status?”

“There’s totally room on there for you with all my other loves. I’ll even put you above Poppin’ Fresh.”

“What about Betty?”

“We’ll see how good you are tonight and then I’ll decide.”

“Consider it a done deal then.”

Dang, he was sexy. I shivered, and not because it was chilly.

“It’s getting colder.” Sawyer pulled me closer.

“Be careful.” I led him around the benches to one of the entrances. “Are you ready for this?”

“Yes, but I’m still not sure how anyone can walk on water.”

“You have good balance, so it will be easy, I promise.”

“Okay,” he sounded skeptical.

“Are you ready?” I reached up to take off his blindfold. When it dropped, he looked around at the small ice-skating rink and started to laugh.

I pulled him onto the ice with me. “Look at you walking on frozen water.”

He wrapped me up in his arms. “Very clever, Em.”

I snuggled into his chest and breathed in his clean scent. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. “Me too, Em. Me too.”Epilogue“Hey, let’s go easy on the teasing, there.” I batted Marlowe’s hand away from my hair. My sisters insisted on playing Barbie Doll with me before the Farewell to Summer dance. It felt more like a new beginning to me, or maybe a reset. This dance wasn’t going to be any black-tie affair. It was going to be the way my mother would have wanted it.

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