Page 52 of The Brave and the Reckless

“Fuck,” I grunted again, for a very different reason, and fumbled in the dark to turn the water off.

The shreds of light coming through the milky window indicated that the other houses still had power. While I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, I had an inkling that Esra’s kitchen skills were responsible for this blackout.

After finding my phone and turning on the flashlight, I jumped into my jeans commando real quick before Ileft the bathroom to investigate. I didn’t bother with any other room and beelined for the kitchen. Austin had his flashlight pointed right at Esra, who was yelling aboutnot knowing what was wrongandnot having done anything. I slipped right past her. I couldn’t look at her. Not when I’d just been jerking off to memories of her.

I turned the oven off and unplugged all kitchen appliances, as well as the phone and tablet she had been charging. I checked the switches on the exhaust and the AC, and turned those off as well. That girl had been sucking enough electricity into this room to power a whole town. Even though the staff buildings weren’t too old, they hadn’t been built to house a dozen people with multiple supercomputers each.

I wordlessly made my way to the basement. As expected, the breaker for the kitchen had triggered the main one. Both clicked back into place, I waited a moment to see if they’d blow again, but they seemed to hold.

The light flicked on, and I turned to find Esra standing in the door, hand on the switch.

“What on earth were you doing?” I asked.

“Baking.”

“Take this as your sign to look for a different hobby.”

“Like what?” She propped her hands on her waist, elbows jutted outwards. Maybe that pose was supposed to look intimidating, but it only drew my eyes down to her loose tank top, which was thin enough to expose her lack of a bra. The curves of her breasts were perfectly outlined under the white fabric, and the basement was clearly a few degrees cooler than the kitchen.

“Oh, come on,” I huffed and ran a hand down my face,too aware of the denim grazing over my naked skin as water-drops fell from my hair to my shoulders.

Esra seemed to catch on, her own gaze raking over my bare chest, down my stomach and to the jeans hanging low on my hips. Her throat bobbed. Unlike her, I didn’t parade around half-naked, but judging by the way she sucked air through trembling lips, she might have preferred if I did.

“I’m going back to my shower.” I stepped around her, careful not to brush even a single hair on her, because if she kept looking at me like that, we wouldn’t make it upstairs anytime soon.

Chapter Sixteen

GOODE’S GENERAL STORE

Goode’s supplies you with paraphernalia to make your stay at Bravetown the best it can be. Need to replenish your sunscreen stock? Searching for a rain cape to keep you dry? Goode’s got you covered.

ESRA

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and ran a hand over the buckle around my waist. I wasn’t entirely sure how safe it was to wear my leggings over the harness instead of under it, but I was in thefuck around and find outphase of my summer. Literally.

Maybe this was the wrong call, but when I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Noah’s tongue between my legs, the internet had stupidly suggested baking to clear my mind. My singular attempt at that had only shown that I was not meant to have a clear mind. I was meant to stare at my brother’s best friend’s glistening wet pecs, completely entranced by the dribble of water from that one white streak above his left brow, and feel the overwhelming urge to lick his stomach.

Screw making sound decisions.

Embrace chaos.

Especially when it felt as good as Noah Young’s mouth on my clit.

I just had to adjust my wardrobe. Since I only had two pairs of leggings in tones that worked under the costume, I couldn’t let Noah rip up both of them.

I wasn’t even sure if he would.

Maybe what had happened in Ace’s Hideout had been a blip. I wasn’t about to confuse a man pushing his gloved fingers into me with a declaration of love. More like a quick hate-fuck, of sorts, just to get all the frustration out. I still wanted a repeat.

Last night, the moment in the basement had been tense,sure, but he’d reverted to treating me like a nuisance.

How on earth did you tell the man you despised that you still wanted his head between your legs?

I know you like me as much as a pebble in your boot, but the way you licked my pebble…

We don’t have to tickle each other’s fancy to tickle each other’s privates.

You might think I’m a pain in your ass, but why don’t you slap my—

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