Page 15 of The First Time
Kit: I don't own pajamas.
Piper: Really?
Kit: Technically, I have a few pairs I bring on the road. When I'm at home, I sleep naked.
My head fills with beautiful images of Kit naked in his bed. It means something, him telling me this. Either that he wants me thinking about him naked or that he sees our relationship as so platonic that he assumes I don't care about his state of dress.
I can't tolerate the latter.
Piper: Would it be obvious what I was up to if I asked you for pics to prove it?
Kit: It would be tacky.
Piper: Just checking.
Kit: Goodnight, Piper.
Piper: Goodnight, Kit.
* * *
I wakeup to Mal making eggs in the kitchen. The entire house smells like coffee, good coffee. I get through my morning routine as quickly as possible so I can join my oldest brother downstairs.
He pours me a cup of coffee and passes over the half and half and sugar.
"Thanks." I hug him good morning. It gives me that warm, comfortable feeling. I know I can trust Mal with anything. He can occasionally be over-bearing, but he's still my family, and I still feel like I'm where I belong when I'm with him and Ethan. "Good party?"
"Wasn't exactly a party." His smile screamsit was a woman, naked, under me. "I only got in an hour ago."
Details I don't need. Ick. "Where's Ethan?"
Mal chuckles. "He texted. He's busy all morning. You know Ethan—"
"Still trying to screw his way to forgetting Violet?"
Mal nods. He looks at his phone with a frown. "Mom and Dad were supposed to call at noon." His eyes turn down.
He doesn't have to fill in the sentence.But they've canceled.
Big surprise.
He pushes his phone away. The gesture is forceful. It's not like him. Mal is usually good at hiding his frustration.
He folds his arms, his eyes filling with anger. He looks at me, taking in my expression. "I can't believe they did this again."
"I gave up on them a long time ago."
This doesn't soothe Mal. If anything, his eyes fill with more frustration. I don't know why he still has faith in our parents. It must be something I don't remember. He is seven years older than I am.
I don't want to talk about them, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't either.
I add plenty of half-and-half and sugar to my coffee then I take a sip to test it. God, that's good. It's still early and I couldn't sleep last night. I couldn't stop thinking about Kit naked in that bathroom, on his couch, in my bedroom...
Mal refills his cup of green tea. He gave up coffee years ago— bad for the vocal chords.
He looks at me with a protective expression. "How was Rory's place?"
I take another sip to buy myself enough time to recall my cover story. I told Mal I was going to my best friend Rory's place to watch the ball drop. And I really was planning on doing that, but she invited her new boyfriend over last minute, and I didn't want to watch them make out all night. She's usually a great friend but she's currently injust got a new boyfriend, he is all I care aboutmode.
