Page 26 of Haunted Love

She’s Austin’s little sister. I need to forget how fucking wet she was for me, need to forget how sweet she tasted on my tongue.

After finally unlocking the door, I shove it open and collect Austin, who’s half asleep against the wall. He sways and trips over his feet as Aspen tries to muffle her laughs. I get him through the living room and past the kitchen where Aspen stops and starts rifling through the cupboards.

After what feels like a fucking hike through the Grand Canyon, I reach Austin’s room, shove the door open, and let him tumble right in. He crash lands against his bed and within seconds, he’s sound asleep.

I shake my head. This is why he can never take a girl home when he’s been drinking. The second his head hits the pillow, it’s lights out.

Glancing over him and deciding he’s going to be just fine, I switch out the light and turn to step out of his childhood room when I walk right into Aspen. She lets out a soft yelp as she tumbles back, and I quickly reach for her, catching her around the waist.

“Holy shit,” she breathes with wide eyes, the glass of water in her hand sloshing around and splashing over the rim. Her gaze rests on mine, and with each burning second between us, my hand tightens. We’re locked in each other’s stare, and the tension quickly thickens in the air around us.

I feel my heart booming out of my chest, daring me to make some kind of move, and I inch closer, watching as her chin tilts higher, welcoming me in. God, what it’d be like to feel her lips against mine.

“I, uhhh,” she starts, her voice low and breathy. “I was just gonna get Austin some water and Aspirin for when he wakes up.”

“Austin. Right.”

The sound of his name coming out of her mouth is like having a bucket of ice water poured over my head, and I hastily step back, my hand dropping from her slim waist. “Umm . . . yeah. Good idea. Knowing him, he’ll need it.”

Disappointment flashes in her eyes, but she quickly recovers before giving me a beaming smile and rocking right into the wall, reminding me just how much she drank tonight. Fuck, when the Ryder siblings say they’re getting fucked up, they mean every damn word.

“Give me that before you spill it everywhere,” I say, reaching out and taking the glass from her hand. I walk back into Austin’s room as Aspen follows me in, and I set the glass of water down on his bedside table. She drops the Aspirin beside the glass, and I shake my head, watching as they roll right off the table.

I quickly scoop them off the floor and put them back on the table before finally walking out of Austin’s room. Aspen strides out into the hallway, and I close the door behind me. “You good to get to your room without hurting yourself?” I ask.

A smirk stretches across her face, and she steps into me, her hand falling to my chest as she looks up at me, those big green eyes lingering on mine. “If I didn’t know better, it would sound as though you were asking if I needed you to take me to bed.”

I blanch. “I uh . . . no. I umm. That’s not what I—”

Aspen’s shrill laughter cuts off my panic, and as she pulls away, I gape at her. “Holy shit, Izaac. The look on your face is priceless. I’m only teasing,” she says, turning around and sashaying down the hall. Only she glances back over her shoulder, her gaze hooded and filled with a fire that has a burning desire pumping through my veins. “Unless I’m not.”

What the ever-loving fuck?

Aspen disappears down the hall and into her room, and all I can do is stare after her. Did she just invite me to her room?

Holy fuck.

My cock springs to attention, and realizing I’m standing in the middle of the Ryders’ hallway with a raging erection, I scurry across the hall and lock myself in the guest room.

She’s Austin’s little sister. Austin’s little sister.

The words play over and over in my mind, yet they do nothing to ease the intense hunger within me. How the fuck does she keep doing this to me? It was one night. I shouldn’t want her this way, yet the thought of never getting to taste her again leaves me in physical pain.

After dropping my shirt to the ground and stepping out of my pants, I crash against the mattress, listening to the soft sounds of Aspen moving around in the room directly beside mine. She fumbles and catches herself against the drywall, and as she peels off her boots, there is a familiar thud as they hit the ground. The memory of last night floods my mind again, and I can’t stop picturing her dark silhouette propped up on the table as I took those very same boots off her quivering body. A few groans and grunts sound from the wall we share, and judging from the tone of her voice, I can only assume she’s trying to get herself out of her dress.

I wonder if she needs help.

FUCK! I need to stop.

Grabbing the pillow from under my head, I yank it out and slam it over my face, trying to block out the sounds coming from her room, only when I hear the familiar sound of her flopping against her bed followed by a low groan, I find myself listening more intently.

She tosses and turns, clearly trying to get comfortable when a soft hum sounds through the room . . . some kind of vibration.

My whole body stiffens. What the fuck is that?

Aspen groans and my dick turns to fucking stone. Either she’s brushing her teeth in bed with an electric toothbrush . . . or she’s using a vibrator.

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

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