Page 15 of Purity

“No, but I’m not going to just sit quietly and wait.” I pop a Cheeto into my mouth. “He agreed to keep me safe while I do the other things on my contract.” I look at Mari. “He even said he’d come out with us to the bars tomorrow night. He wants to stay sober so he can make sure I’m safe.”

Mari snorts. “‘Keep you safe’ means he’s not going to let any other guy come near you.”

“No.” My voice is firm. “I specifically told him he can’t do that. I even told him he’s gone a little overboard with his protectiveness in the past.”

Mari’s eyes widen. “No way! You really are asserting yourself.”

I smile. “I’m trying.”

“I wish I could go with you guys,” Vanessa says. “Even if it’s just to people-watch all the drunken college students.”

She hugs her knees, drawing my gaze to her Spiderman pajama shorts. Goodness, I think those were my gift to her on her eleventh birthday. An ache tugs at my chest. In some ways, she’s wiser than her seventeen years, but she’s still very much my baby sister, and it must be scary for her to see her role model change.

I lift my hand and run it through her long dark hair. “I’ll tell you every detail when I get home.”

“I invited Travis, too.” Mari’s brow furrows. “I think he likes you, Livvy. I think maybe he even liked you back when he went to First Covenant.”

I frown. “Why do you think that?”

“He remembered all kinds of things about you, like how much you love Lord of the Rings. I don’t even remember hanging out with him very much at youth group. He was friends with all the bad kids.”

I smile. “You became one of those bad kids.”

Her grin matches mine. “After years of trying, yes, I finally did.”

“Are you guys talking about Travis Anderson?” Vanessa leans forward. “I thought he was cute. I mean, not really my type, but cute.”

Mari’s nose wrinkles. “Not my type either. Too lanky. I like ’em big and burly like Cole and Zac.”

“I think he’s cute too,” I say to my sister. “Maybe he can be my first drunken make-out partner. I’d probably feel more comfortable with him than a stranger at the bar.”

“I think that’s a great idea.” Mari’s smile grows. “Cole is going to hate it.”’

SIX

Cole

I’m shaking.

It’s been hours since my conversation with Livvy, and just thinking about it makes my whole body tremble.

Ancient fantasies of her are racing through my mind. Images of those thick thighs spread open for me. Of her pretty mouth wrapped around my cock while she stares up at me with those big brown eyes. These thoughts usually only break through the darkness of my consciousness in moments of complete abandon. But they race through my head now as I stand in my kitchen while my party is winding down around me.

This isn’t good.

I need to do something, or else I won’t be able to resist her.

Fuck, who can I call right now? I should have thought about it earlier. It would have been easy to find a hot girl at the party, but I’d been too consumed by thoughts of her…

Someone I’ve already fucked won’t be distracting enough. I’d probably imagine she’s Livvy, which would make me feel like a piece of shit. I need novelty if I’m going to get her out of my head.

I glance into my living room where two of my friends are passed out. They won’t notice if I leave now. It’s only midnight. I have plenty of time to find someone at a bar, especially if I work fast.

A little while later, I’m in the backseat of an Uber and headed back home after less than an hour in a bar downtown. The beautiful brunette straddling my lap presses a kiss against my neck before inhaling softly. “You smell good.”

The words send a jolt of heat into my groin. Livvy has said that to me countless times, especially when I wear cologne. She never means for it to turn me on, but it always does. She’s even put her nose up to my chest and inhaled, humming afterward—

Fuck.

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