Page 69 of Brittle Heart

“It would still be inside me if you’d let me suck you off.” He smirks.

“Stop it, brat, or this will take even longer,” I say, letting go of him, my head falling back.

I need a minute before we go inside. I’m not sure walking is possible at the moment.

After a minute of silence, he asks, “So, crazy weather today, right?”

I look at him, my eyebrow raised, and we both chuckle.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Carolina

Sophia’s house is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, but it’s not a single house. It’s a duplex. Both doors, one on the left and one on the right, are white and charming. On one side, there’s a cute welcome sign while the other door remains bare.

I step onto the porch with Sophia’s gift in hand and examine the doorbells, only to find that both have ‘Lee’ written on them.

Does Sophia own both sides of the duplex? Or is one of them her parents’ place?

Which doorbell should I ring?

The whole situation fills me with anxiety, and I’m tempted to just turn around and head back home. It’s cold outside, and the wind cuts through my leather jacket. It looks like it might snow soon.

“Fuck it,” I mutter to myself, planning on texting Sophia that something came up or making up an excuse. Just as I’m about to walk away, heading back down the street toward the subway station, I hear car doors opening and closing.

Clay’s voice echoes through the air. “Kitten! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

I freeze in my tracks and turn around, spotting Clay and Xander a few steps away.

“The party’s this way,” Clay says, pointing to the door without the welcome sign.

I walk over to them and nod to Xander, who holds two champagne bottles in one hand and dips his chin to me in greeting.

Clay wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to his side. “Look at us, spending a Sunday together like the best friends we are,” he says with a smirk.

I simply huff in response. Xander walks up to the door before us and opens it, and as we walk in, we’re greeted by muffled music and laughter.

“We’re home!” Clay yells while Xander helps me take off my backpack and jacket.

As soon as I have it off, Clay nudges me down the hallway to a big open kitchen and living room, where some people are sitting on an oversized U-shaped couch and others sit on bar stools at the kitchen island where Sophia and Josh are standing. There are only maybe ten people here, but I am already uncomfortable and steeling myself.

The house is open and beautiful, though.

“Look what the cat dragged in! A little kitten,” Clay says, smirking down at me. I glare at him. “Oh, don’t be a mean little kitty. We are here to party,” he says, reaching out to boop my nose, but I take a step to the side.

“I am not as mean as I could be right now. You should be grateful for that,” I warn in a soft tone, not wanting others to overhear it, but I hear a chuckle behind me.

When I turn, Josh is smiling down at me with his stupid dimples. “Hey, so glad you could make it,” he says, pulling me into a hug.

I am so stunned I freeze against his chest, my cheek pressed against his soft, gray sweater. He smells like a mix of cinnamon and other spices. It is delicious.

He swipes his hand down the back of my head along my hair before he releases me, stepping back just as Sophia comes sweeping in and nearly crushes me. “You came! Yes! Now the party can start,” she exclaims, happily giggling.

“Happy Birthday,” I say shyly, and she smiles at me.

“Happy Birthday to you too. I hope you’re down for cake because I baked a lot.”

“Sure,” I say, already realizing that I won’t escape without at least trying some of her cakes.

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