Page 27 of Branded Hearts

Kat turns the camera to show Millie sitting on the floor with her ears covered while still watching the TV.Oh, bless her.

I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself. “He was... in the shower, but I’d thought it was Liv… so, I’d lingered, and then…”I trail off, feeling my face heat up.

Her eyes widen in amusement. “So… was itbig?”

I blush furiously, shaking my head. “Kat, come on!”

She bursts into laughter, Millie joining in, though she doesn’t quite understand the joke. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist!” Kat manages to say between giggles. I cover my face with my hands.

“Well, at least it’ll make for a good story,” Kat says, still chuckling. “You’ll laugh about this one day.”

I nod, trying to see the humour in it. “Yeah, one day.”

As I picture him in the shower, rippling muscles, water dripping down his body, his member on full display, my whole body shudders.

But the image lingers, haunting me, tempting me with thoughts I shouldn’t entertain. I shake my head, trying to dispel the thoughts. This is wrong, I remind myself. He’s my best friend’s brother, for crying out loud. But the more I try to push the image away, the more vivid it becomes.

His deep voice, his piercing gaze, the way his wet skin glistened under the water...Stop it, Amelia, I scold myself. This is not what I should be thinking about.

But the butterflies in my stomach continue to flutter, betraying my resolve.

9

Work Song - Hozier

The midday sun beats down on the town’s park, casting harsh shadows and highlighting the graffiti scrawled across the benches and playground equipment. The colourful paint clashes with the park’s muted tones, a glaring reminder of the vandal’s audacity. As Daniels and I approach, a familiar sense of weariness washes over me. Another day, another mess to clean up, but hell, I wouldn’t trade this job for anything.

We survey the scene, and it’s a damn mess. Graffiti sprawls over everything—benches, slides, you name it. A chaotic mix of colours and shapes, the work of some punk with too much time and no sense. I glance at Daniels, already pulling out his notebook to start documenting. We’ll need photos, paint samples, and maybe even a witness or two if we’re lucky.

Daniels starts babbling about his weekend escapades, as if we aren’t standing in the middle of a vandalised playground. His cheerfulness grates on me, but I let him talk. Sometimes, it’s better to let him ramble while we get the job done.

“Man, you should’ve seen her,” he says with a grin. “Best blowjobof my life.”

I roll my eyes, unimpressed. “Yeah, I’m sure it was,” I reply, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “You know, it truly baffles me that you’re older than me, considering the way you carry on.”

Daniels laughs, undeterred by my jab. “Age is just a number, Bradley,” he says with a wink. “You should try living a little.

“Speaking of living a little, mate, when was the last time you had a good fuck, Brad? Can’t be a recluse for the rest of your life, you know.”

I raise an eyebrow, irritation bubbling up inside me. “That’s none of your business,” I snap, my tone icy. “And I’m not a recluse. I just value my privacy.”

Well, isn’t that the truth.

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Sure, sure. Just remember, life’s too short to be alone all the time.”

Alone.

Those words hit a nerve, stirring up a mix of frustration and resignation. He’s right, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I glare at him, a familiar annoyance rising.

“Drop it, Daniels,” I growl. “We’ve got work to do.”

But that doesn’t stop him. “Wait! What about that girl from the flower shop? Anything going on there? You seemed pretty hung up on her the other day.”

His words stop me in my tracks, my heart skipping a beat. We’re at work; I don’t need to be thinking of Amelia right now. I try to play it off, masking my surprise. “Nah, nothing going on there,” I reply,my tone clipped and dismissive, hoping Daniels doesn’t notice the slight tremor in my voice.

Daniels eyes me for a moment, clearly not convinced by my response. “Uh-huh. No worries, mate,” he says, his tone teasing.

As we finish up at the park, satisfied with the evidence we’ve gathered, Daniels and I head back to the car in silence. The occasional passerby smiles at us, and an elderly couple strolls past, waving cheerfully. I nod in acknowledgement while Daniels drawls, “G’day folks,” with a salute and that charming smile of his.

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