Page 4 of Dubious Secrets

Stassie scowls, narrowing her gaze at me. “Well you didn’t give me much time. Have you ever heard of foreplay?”

I rear back, a different type of indignation roaring inside me. “You were plenty wet enough.”

She rolls her eyes. “Thank god for biology. My vagina did all the work for you.”

Licking my lips, I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut for a second. I’m not going to attest to my skills in bed with someone who shouldn’t even have a clue about the size of my dick. “I—whatever. That doesn’t matter. Did I…hurt you?”

Before I think not to, I study her body, looking for any signs of discomfort. But I’m hit with the memory of the way her breasts molded perfectly in my palms, how soft her stomach was when I held onto her and pushed my cock in. I drag my gaze away,focusing on the fridge, the same fridge that has photos of Mary and me pinned under magnets. Overwhelmed with shame, I can’t stand to look at them and redirect my focus to the floor.

Stassie clears her throat, pulling her shirt away from her stomach and shrugs again. “I’m a little sore, but that has more to do with your…” Her hand waves toward me and my big cock twitches at the praise. I stand suddenly, needing to get away from her and the way I react around her.

“Just give me a minute.”

She stands and grabs my arm. “Wait, Ryker. I think—look, it was an accident. And obviously a one-time thing. I won’t tell her. Please don’t tell my sister, I have nowhere else to go if she kicks me out.”

I soften at the pleading in her eyes. Without thinking, I turn and pull her into my chest. Her arms wrap around my waist, and I try not to focus on how perfect she feels here. She’s only four years younger than Mary and me, but nineteen is still young in my mind. We’ve had a life of differences between those years. “She wouldn’t kick you out. Honestly, I think she expected you to move with her last year.”

Stassie sighs. “I wanted to, but I also didn’t want to burden her. She deserves to have her life without taking care of me.” She pulls away and looks up at me. “That’s why I think we should just forget last night ever happened, and keep it a secret between the two of us. If anything it’s more my fault. I should have spoken up because why would you think anyone else is in your bed but your girlfriend?”

I swallow past the lump in my throat at the nonchalant brokenness in her voice. Mary doesn’t speak a lot about herparents, but I know even two years later, her first reaction to anything is to apologize and place blame upon herself. I squeeze Stassie’s arm affectionately. “A secret then. It won’t happen again.”

Her bright blue eyes blink once and widen as they stare up at me. “Right, never again.”

Chapter 3

Stassie

It’s beeneasy enough to avoid him. After a week, I memorized his schedule and stayed locked in my room until he went to work. I got a job at the local coffee shop, making sure to sign up for the long weekend shifts when he’s off. My sister works four ten to twelve-hour shifts over the end of the week and into the weekend, so it works out because I get to spend some time with her during the weekdays before Ryker gets home. A month passes with ease, and I start to relax, hoping with more time it will just be a blip in the past and we’ll eventually forget about it. No matter the ache between my legs when I wake from dreams of what it felt like to have him between them.

Brushing up the hairs stuck to my forehead, I fan my face and glance at the clock. I still have half my shift left, and I’m not sure I can make it. Anna comes around from the stockroom and stops short at my face.

“Girl, no offense. But you look like a shit.”

A dry laugh escapes me. “I feel like it.”

Her shoulders slump and she groans. “Just go home. I’m sure you’ll gross out some customers. I’ll text Jared to see if he can get some coverage.”

I blow out a breath in relief. “Thank you so much. When I’m feeling better, I’ll cover some hours for you.”

She rolls her eyes and waves me off. I don’t waste any time and head to my sister’s apartment. It’s only a ten-minute walk, and the cool night air feels like bliss on my damp skin. I don’t even care about seeing Ryker when I unlock the door, ready to fall into my bed and sleep.

Our eyes meet as soon as I step through the door, and he mutters a quick hey as I lock it behind me. I don’t bother replying, scooping up the furry demon circling my legs. I’m halfway to my room when the smell of whatever he’s cooking hits me, and I move to cover my nose and mouth.

“Oh god,” I cry out at the same time Archibald hisses at me for dropping him. My stomach lurches and I run to the bathroom, tears gathering in my eyes as my late dinner is forcibly removed from my stomach. I vomit with such aggression that I’m sure I’m dying. Asphyxiation by puke is going to be engraved on my tombstone.

Hands gather up my hair and stroke down my back. I don’t even care who it is because it’s calming. I’m curled over the toilet, my whole body convulsing with each heave. When I don’t think another drop of liquid exists in my body and the toilet has been flushed multiple times, I collapse in the arms that have been holding me up.

“Water, Stassie. Take a few sips, please,” Ryker says softly and presses a cold glass to my lips. I don’t fight him as he pours somein my mouth. I spit it out to rinse out the taste and then take as much as I can with greedy gulps . He sets it down and brushes my hair away from my face as I roll my head to the side, staring up at him.

“You okay?”

His question makes me grimace, rubbing at my unsettled stomach.

“I think I have the flu or something.”

Ryker makes an uncertain noise from the back of his throat and I sit up straighter.

“What?”

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