Page 41 of Filthy Sweet

“Reggie!” I interrupt as panic shoots up my spine. “Shit!”

Fox nods, his face serious. “We’ll talk to Reggie as soon as you’re ready.”

I fumble for my clothes, which are scattered across the floor. “It’s not that. He’s supposed to be coming by my place this morning. I just totally forgot with everything else happening.” I tug on my boxer briefs. “I’m so, so sorry. But my phone is dead, and I really have to go.”

“No problem.” Fox leans back on the armrest of the couch, his gorgeous body on full display as he messes with his phone. “I’m calling you a car.”

“Thank you.” I pull my shirt over my head. “For everything, not just the car. Last night, and inviting me over, and everything.”

Fox hands me my suit jacket. “See you Wednesday?”

I press a kiss to his lips. “Wednesday,” I agree.

On the car ride home, I have just enough time to float back down to reality. Fox and I are doing a thing. I’m not sure what to call it. I guess we’re hooking up, and I did my best to make it clear to him that I’m not asking for anything more. I’m not delusional enough to think Fox will want to be my boyfriend, and even if that were in the realm of possibility, the thought is so overwhelming, my head spins.

But if I limit my conception of our relationship to sex and focus entirely on this exceptionally good feeling that I get when I’m with Fox, that’s at least theoretically manageable.

When the car pulls up to my apartment building, I see Reggie outside, talking into his phone as he leans against the stone building. He’s dressed in basketball shorts and a T-shirt, and it’s only then I consider the fact that I’m still wearing the rumpled suit from last night.

“Whoa ho ho!” Reggie crows loudly when I step out of the car. “Look who’s just getting home.”

I push a hand through my hair, trying to fix it. “Hi, Reggie. Sorry I’m late.”

My older brother grins at me, and his big voice bellows out. “Getting lucky? Fox hooking you up with the available men?”

I glance up and down the street. “Not quite so loud, please?”

Reggie throws his arms around me and pulls me into a hug, reminding me of the cum that’s dripping out of my hole.

Oh god. This is not how I would have planned things.

“Really, what’s up?” He pulls back but keeps his hands on my shoulders. “Get a little cock? Or butt? Or whatever you’re into.”

“Oh my god,” I push past Reggie as I laugh, horrified in several ways at once. “Can we at least go inside first?”

“I had a feeling something like this might happen,” Reggie muses as he follows me up the stairs to my second-floor studio. “The first time Fox took me shopping, I got laid, like, immediately. I don’t even mean that weekend. I mean I met someone on the way home, no joke. I never do that.” Reggie pauses for a second while I yank the door open. “Man, I should start wearing suits again.”

“Or at least not so many sweatpants,” I offer.

“I love sweatpants, though,” Reggie continues as I lead us into the apartment. “And if I’m going to meet my future Mrs. Reggie, wouldn’t I want to meet someone who would like my sweatpants? Mrs. Reggie has to like the real Mr. Reggie if it’s going to work.”

I walk into the apartment, trying to think while Reggie rambles. I love my brother, and I hate the idea of keeping something from him. But he’s always been bigger and louder and more outgoing than me. I’ve always felt small in comparison, and after Mom passed, it seemed easier to just keep my mouth shut and let Reggie be Reggie. I was already an adult and off to college, and he isn’t that much older than me, but he seemed to want to take care of me like I was a kid again, and maybe, at the time, I wanted that a little bit, too.

I’m grateful for him. But I need this thing with Fox to be just ours. Only for a little bit, while I try to understand what’s happening, I need to not hear my brother’s very loud thoughts, reactions, and opinions.

“Do you mind if I hop in the shower quick?” I ask, adjusting my glasses. “We can make coffee and walk around the neighborhood when I’m done.”

“Sure.” Reggie steps closer to me. “Just one thing first.”

“What’s that?”

He grabs me and throws me under his arm, trapping me there like he used to do when we were kids. “Who’d you have sex with?” he asks, then laughs and messes up my hair. “You pick a stranger up at the party with Fox?”

“Reggie,” I groan, going limp and refusing to struggle. “Seriously.”

“I’m your brother. It’s my job to make sure no man hurts you.”

I remember the trick from when we were kids and pinch his side, which causes Reggie to laugh and jump back. “Hey.”

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