Page 131 of The Third Baseman

I eased out, gently sliding her soaked panties back into place; she definitely needed clean ones. I could probably do with changing too. There was no way I wasn’t covered in her.

I found the delicate stretch of skin just above her collar bone and kissed it, whispering, “Marn, please don’t wear that dress. I won’t be held responsible for my actions if you do. And that includes murdering any guy who so much as glances your way.”

She took a deep breath and silently went to change, but not before I caught the smirk crowning her lips.

* * *

“That dress is so cute,” Emerson said as she forked a mouthful of birthday cake into her mouth.

We’d continued with the fake birthday throughout dinner, including presents from Emerson and Drew, and were now sitting in front of an enormous chocolate cake with candles, though we’d been strictly forbidden from singing Happy Birthday.

After two hours of eating and drinking, that suited me fine.

“Thank you. I thought so, too,” Marnie took a long sip of her wine. Thankfully, for my sanity, she’d changed into something slightly less revealing before we’d left, though she could be wearing a garbage bag and I’d still want to jump her. “I bought it a few weeks ago. I went shopping with the girls at work. It actually came with a really pretty slip underneath, the lace layered together at the neck.” She brushed her fingers across her chest, then her gaze slowly moved my way. “But when I tried it on earlier, it ripped. Guess it was too flimsy.”

I didn’t know what the fuck a slip was, but from the way she was looking at me, I should probably learn.

I coughed into my iced water and put my glass down. “That wasn’t your dress?”

She shook her head slowly as a couple of wait staff cleared our table of plates, removing all the chocolate crumbs Drew had dropped, and left with the cake and the promise of boxing it up.

“Oh.” My brows dropped in confusion. “Why were you showing it to me then?”

“I wasn’t. I was coming to ask you to fix my necklace, but I didn’t get the chance.”

“Oh, man, what did you do?” Drew chuckled, while Emerson’s hands flew up to her ears.

“Ugh, God, don’t answer that. It’s like we’re back at school again. You two were at it more than the bunnies Piper and I had as kids!”

There was a memory to laugh at. “I seem to remember you guys splitting a hundred bucks after Mom and Dad made you sell all the baby bunnies that arrived.”

The smirk was knocked clean off Marnie’s face. “We weren’t that bad,”

“Yeah, you were. All that ‘studying’…” Emerson air-quoted aggressively, “you thought you were so sneaky, except Jupiter’s bed always squeaked on the floor, and that wooden platform overlooking the sports fields…!”

Now it was my turn to look shocked. “What? No one knew about that!”

“Everyone knew about it.”

Marnie’s bright red face dropped into her palms. “Ohmygod!”

Drew’s head fell back with a loud guffaw. “This is amazing. You should see your faces.”

I grinned wide, putting my arm round Marnie so I could pull her into me and drop a kiss on her head.

“It’s all good, we got a happy ending.”

“Sounds like Jupiter’s the one with the happy ending. OUCH!” Drew rubbed his ribs after Emerson elbowed him. “What? He did.”

“Can we not talk about my brother having sex please?” she whispered aggressively as a waiter came out to refill our glasses. I stopped him from pouring anything into mine; I’d allowed myself one glass only.

“You want to talk about us having sex instead?” Drew asked with a wicked grin.

“No!” I interrupted before my sister could answer. “Subject change!”

The smile Emerson shot my way came straight from her sixteen-year-old self.

“Hey, I’m making the most of having a night away with my wife. We’re gonna get buzzed later, and spend the whole day in bed tomorrow.”

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