Page 36 of A Lonely Road
“You know you don’t have to go, if you don’t want to. Shopping with Sam, I mean,” I mumbled sleepily.
Nora seemed to consider it as she traced abstract shapes across the muscles of my abdomen with one finger. I knew she liked to watch the way they rippled under her hands, to feel her effect on me in such a tangible way. In fact, she seemed to enjoy seeing my every reaction, just as I enjoyed hers—the woman held nothing back when it came to our time together.
“I do want to go. I think. I’m just even more out of practice with the girls’ day kind of thing than I was with this.” She waved her hand vaguely over our bodies.
“Jesus Christ, Nora, if you’re this goodoutof practice, it’s a good thing you weren’tinpractice. I probably would've died of a heart attack by now.”
She laughed against my shoulder. “That’s not what I meant, you jerk.”
Tugging on a lock of her hair, I waited until she met my eyes and said, “Look, Sam might blow through a room like a tornado, but she’s a good friend. She may talk your ear off or try to convince you to buy thigh high boots—which would be absolutely fine by me, in case you wondered—but she’s notgoing to pry into your life. Not about us, and not about anything else you don’t want to discuss.”
“Thigh high boots, huh?” she mused, snuggling closer against me. “Well, now I’m looking forward to this shopping trip.”
With a growl, I took her mind off of shopping for the remaining hour before she needed to get ready. Her peals of laughter bounced around us, dancing like the sunlight coming through the window, until the giggles faded into the soft, throaty moans that made me wish I were the one spending the entire day with her.
Since she insisted on going back to her apartment to shower and dress for the shopping trip, I decided I might as well get some yard work done. No way would I miss seeing whatever cute outfit she threw together for a day out with my sister, especially knowing how she’d dressed up just for their coffee date.
It was only fair that I get to see it too, or so I told myself as I worked at a snail’s pace so I wouldn’t be caught standing around doing nothing when she came out to meet Sam.
My sister’s red Mustang pulled into Nora’s driveway right on schedule. She gave me a jaunty wave, which I returned with a sardonic smile, then both of us caught sight of Nora coming down the stairs at the same time.
If I’d been able to photograph our matching reactions, I might have laughed at them in the future, but I was too busytrying not to embarrass myself with an epic erection in front of my twin.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
“Holy shit, indeed,” Sam concurred through the lowered car window. “You are one lucky son of a bitch, no offense to our mother.”
Nora was wearing a cropped, pumpkin-colored blouse with a flouncy floral skirt that made my palms itch to run along the back of her thighs, to hook around her knees the way she liked. Short black boots left a long stretch of bare leg visible—I was almost willing to rank them higher than the fantasy boots we'd discussed only hours ago. Her hair was pulled half up, the rest falling in loose, enticing curls around her shoulders.
Sam shot me a sideways glance as she bit back a grin. “If your mouth is watering like a garden hose even after spending all night with her, you must really have it bad, brother.”
“Oh, believe me, I do.”
I gave Nora a smile, one I hoped could convey all the things I had in mind for the minute I got her to myself again, and opened the passenger door of Sam’s car for her. Before she slid into the seat, my hand sank deep into the hair at the nape of her neck and I bent down to kiss her. It was a deep, thorough, mind-numbing kiss that left her blushing brilliantly in front of my sister.
“Have fun,” I murmured, winking at her dazed expression as she got in the car.
Sam’s burst of laughter filled the air as I forced myself to back away. Still, I couldn’t quite make my feet lead me into the garageuntil the Mustang finally disappeared from view at the end of the street.
“You are one lucky son of a bitch.” I repeated my sister’s words in a whisper, let them waft over me, and another tendril of warmth curled around my heart.
Hell, yes, I was.
Chapter Nineteen
Nora
“Damn,girl,”Samsaidas we pulled away. “First off, you look smoking hot. Second, he is absolutely infatuated with you, in case you didn’t know that yet. And third, we are going to have a freaking fantastic day.”
I laughed, feeling my anxiety evaporate as classic rock poured from the radio. Despite the differences in their personalities, the Lincoln twins both possessed that surprising talent of setting me at ease no matter how nervous I might be. It wasn’t long before the two of us were chatting comfortably about a dozen different things, including Sam’s love life, though somehow we carefully skirted around the topic of my own.
As it turned out, both Jake and Sam had been correct on all counts. Sam was a blast to shop with, despite the fact that she encouraged me to try on every sexy little outfit we came across.She didn’t pry, though she did give me a few knowing looks whenever Jake came up in conversation.
I didn’t end up buying any boots, but I somehow let her talk me into purchasing a lacy black bra and matching thong.
Without thinking, I said, “I don’t see the point, if I’ll just end up naked anyway.” Then, utterly mortified, I slapped a hand over my mouth while Sam roared with laughter.
Once she finally got control of herself, she gasped, “Oh, Nora. You are a treat. No wonder my brother is hooked on you.” She saw my expression start to drop and shook her head quickly. “Oh, sweetie, it’s not a bad thing, I promise you. He’s a good guy and he’s clearly crazy about you. And I can tell you right now he’s going to be salivating when he sees you in those, no matter how quick he is to tear them off you.”
