Page 63 of Elusion

Even in the low light from the screen, I see her suppress a smile when I readjust so she’ll have all the access she needs. I move my hand down the length of her back, sliding it under the top of her sweatpants. I stroke up her thigh until I reach lace and then follow the curve inward. Callie shifts under my touch, sucking in a breath.

Connor groans from the other side of her. “Come on, guys. Your room is literally a thirty-second walk away.”

Upset I got her caught, she wrinkles her nose. “Watch your movie, Con.”

“Seriously, no one moves that much under a blanket unless they’re getting some action.”

She straightens up, jerking her head toward him. “What the hell do you know about getting action?”

He grins and shakes the mop of hair out of his eyes. “Dude, I’m almost sixteen. Don’t for a second think you’re the first girl to be felt up on this couch.”

Her jaw falls open, shocked by his confession. I laugh at her reaction, removing my hand from inside her pants. Connor puts his fist up over her head where I give him a well-deserved bump.

She snaps her attention back to me. “Do not encourage him.”

Shit.

An eyebrow quirks as he lifts his fist again, daring me to risk her wrath. I’m not sure if a reflection gives him away or she’s just that in tune with her sibling, but Callie whirls around and pounces on him.

Given his size, he could effortlessly overthrow her attack. Instead, he laughs and raises his hands in defeat. “Okay. Okay. No more feeling up girls on the couch.” He pauses a beat until she relaxes. “Full-on sex or nothing. Cal’s orders.” Before she can react, he shoves her toward me and bolts out of the room.

She collapses back in my arms and sighs. “He stresses me out.”

“Want me to help you relax?”

She nods, and I stand with her in my arms before she changes her mind. Connor’s entertaining himself. Cate’s asleep in her bed. After a night of kick-ass parenting, we’ve earned alone time. But when I let her down, she heads right back out of the room. “I’m going to take a quick shower. Be in bed when I get back.”

Yes, ma’am.

I change out of my shirt and jeans and pull on a pair of sweatpants. The wall diverts my attention as I put my clothes in my bag. A prom picture shows her in a low-cut red dress with the same date as the one Felicia and I saw from a different prom. The light-brown-haired, all-American-looking boy stares at her like she makes his world stop.

“I feel you, guy.”

I switch out the overhead light in favor of a lamp and check my phone, in bed, per Callie’s command. Messages from Dustin become more vulgar, the later it gets. Then I reach the picture messages. Even though I had every intention of seeing the tits in person twelve hours ago, I release my phone as if merely witnessing topless girls endangers my life.

Callie and I haven’t discussed our status, but I have no plans of letting her get the wrong idea about what I want—her and only her. I pick up my phone and send him a message.

Cool it, bro. Keep the tits in Mexico.

He answers fast.

You’re missing out though.

I have no need for a bimbo. Let it go.

Dude. No. Tell me it ain’t so.

Falling hard like I got vertigo.

But relationships be like a tornado.

She makes my heart beat allegro.

Oh. Whoa.

I know.

The last photo deletes as the knob turns. The door creaks open a little and stops. Another inch of movement, and it stands still again. A giggle comes through the crack seconds before Cate bounds in. She doesn’t hesitate to climb right into bed with me.

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