Page 8 of My Brother's Forbidden Friend

I don’t move out of his arms, allowing his lips to skate across my skin. When his mouth reaches my ear, he whispers some raunchy words about what he wants to do to me tonight. We haven’t slept together yet and I’m not sure I’m ready. I like him, but there are some red flags, so I’m using tonight to feel him out since he’s a fisherman and could be gone tomorrow for a week or two.

“Let’s move this to the couch,” he says and grabs my ass, pulling me up to him, so I wrap my legs around his waist.

He drops me on the couch, but I sit up, not ready for him to lie down on me just yet. His hand slides along my cheek, his fingers weaving through the hair at the side of my face, bringing my face to his. Our lips meet and again, he’s not patient enough to wait for me to invite his tongue into my mouth. We’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks now and I feel like if I criticize him, it won’t go over well, and it’s not as if I don’t enjoy the tongue action. I just would’ve preferred a slower pace.

His free hand grabs my breast over my shirt.

“Hold on,” I say, wiggling out of his hands.

“What is it?” He doesn’t let go. Instead he leans in, his lips exploring my neck and venturing down to my chest.

“I just… we have the movie to watch, and this is all moving pretty fast.”

“Come on, you’re kidding me, right?”

The front door opens, and the lights flicker on. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mandi says.

I scramble out of his hold and off the couch. “Hey, Mandi. Um… this is Derek.”

Derek glances over his shoulder and gives a halfhearted wave to Mandi.

“Hi, Derek.” Mandi looks at me. “So, Noah is on his way home and we’re going to Glacier Point for the night. Someone gave us a gift certificate, but we have to use it tonight.”

I roll my eyes. “You know who it’s from, right?”

She nods. “The grandmas. I figure Dori’s grandson-in-law owns the resort, so they probably swindled some deal or badgered him until he finally gave in. You know what they’re like.”

All of my siblings are living their happily ever afters. And although I wouldn’t mind having someone to do fun things with and maybe be a regular sex friend, marriage and all that stuff isn’t a priority for me. But there are still those moments when I wouldn’t mind having someone who loves me as much as my siblings’ partners love them. “I hope one day I’m in the position to get all these luxury things.”

Mandi raises an eyebrow. “Luxury things? Chevelle, need I remind you of your bridesmaid’s dress?”

“Babe, I thought we were watching a movie,” Derek says from the couch.

“In a minute.” I hold up a finger.

He blows out an annoyed breath. Mandi glances at him and I see the question in her eyes. Why am I with him? He’s not exactly being nice tonight. But this is a small town and there isn’t a plethora of options for me either.

“You know they’re doing this because they think it will seal the deal,” I say.

Mandi’s forehead wrinkles. “Seal the deal?”

“I know, right? If only they were in the room next door to you guys every night, they’d know how real your relationship is.” The noises that come out of that room every night definitely make me want a permanent fuck buddy. If he could be as tall as Noah, that would make it better.

Mandi drops her bag. “You mean they don’t think Noah and I are really together?” Her face flushes like it does when she’s worried.

I shrug. “Just Dori and Ethel. They kept grilling me at dinner the other night, but I didn’t think you’d want me telling Grandma that your screaming could wake a family of hibernating bears.”

Her face grows redder, which I didn’t think was possible. “Thank you for that.”

The door opens and Noah comes in and spots Derek on the couch. “Who are you?”

Hearing the deep voice, Derek shifts to look behind him. “Who are you?”

Noah stares at Derek as if he’s sizing him up. God, this is so uncomfortable.

“That’s Derek.” Mandi motions between him and me, and Noah nods at him.

“So, let me see this gift certificate,” Noah says. Mandi pulls it from her bag, and he inspects it. “You can thank whoever this is from for your good night’s sleep tonight.” He winks at me.

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