The Right Kind of Wrong: A Brother's Best Friend Romance

by Fabiola Francisco

  @AllyinSpain: I was drunk

  @CamSteeleIT: It seems that you being drunk brings out the truth. The wedding, last night… I can’t wait to see what comes next

  @AllyinSpain: Nothing. No more damn drinking for me.

  @CamSteeleIT: Sure… Then what excuse will you use to write to me?

  @AllyinSpain: I should block you

  @CamSteeleIT: If you feel you need to block me it’s bc you’re too tempted to send me a message. You should look into the real meaning behind that

  I inhale deeply, calming myself before replying. He’s driving me insane with his know-it-all attitude and self-confidence as if I’ve been pining over him.

  @AllyinSpain: What are you? Some psychologist now? Reading into hidden actions

  @CamSteeleIT: So you admit I’m saying the truth

  @AllyinSpain: Ugh! I hate you

  @CamSteeleIT: You don’t but you’re thinking about my cock and hate that but def not me since I’m the owner of said cock

  @AllyinSpain: Cocky

  @CamSteeleIT: You see… You can’t stop thinking about it

  @AllyinSpain: Goodbye

  @CamSteeleIT: Aw come on be a sport and have some fun

  @AllyinSpain: If I were really thinkin about you I wouldn’t have been with a guy last night

  I throw that out there, a half fib. I was dancing with a guy, even if it ended right before I almost puked on him, but Camden doesn’t need to know that. All he has to know is that I’m not thinking about him.

  I smile to myself when he doesn’t respond and continue eating my pizza, happier than a pig in mud.

  chapter 9

  Camden

  @AllyinSpain: If I were really thinkin about you I wouldn’t have been with a guy last night

  I re-read Allyson’s last message, grinding my teeth. What fucking guy was she with? She’s not the kind of girl to sleep around.

  Except she slept with you.

  Pacing around my room, I run a hand through my hair. I meant it when I told her a week ago that I’d want more than one night with her. Sure, the situation isn’t ideal, and she’s not exactly the woman I should be pursuing, but damn it, I want her. I’d never paid much attention to her in this way since she’s Easton’s sister, but after having a taste of her, I know I’m going to need more to quench my craving.

  Unsure if she’s telling me the truth or not, I send back a reply with a smile, mentally giving myself a standing ovation for my smart-ass comment.

  @CamSteeleIT: If you were with a guy you wouldn’t have sent me a message about sex

  @AllyinSpain: Camden… I don’t know what you’re doing or what you think you’ll win out of this but there’s no point. I live in Spain and even if I didn’t I wouldn’t sleep with you again. One night…that’s all it was

  @CamSteeleIT: One damn good night

  Who knew Allyson Locke would wrap me around her little finger and hold on tight? I sure as hell didn’t think so. Yet here I am, convincing her of giving me another chance, albeit by ruffling her feathers a bit when she’s across a fucking ocean.

  She’s right, it’s pointless in a sense, but I can’t get her out of my mind. I don’t want anyone else to warm my bed but her. I haven’t even tried to sleep with another woman since I slept with her, and my hand is tired of pumping my own dick to the faded memory of Allyson beneath me with her hair sprawled out in a mess. She looked like sweet perfection on that bed, and I made damn sure to commit that to memory before I thrust into her hard and fast, giving us both what we were seeking.

  When she doesn’t reply again, I stand and go for a run, hoping that will calm my damn mind and insanity. I’m not sure how all this would play out if she still lived in Richmond, but I’d bet all of my money that we’d end up in bed again at least one more time.

  Shaking all thoughts of Allyson from my head, I focus on the pavement beneath me as I run down the street and make a right, sweat trickling down my neck.

  With each pounding of my heel on the ground, I tell myself to forget her. Until I almost believe that I could…

  - - - - -

  “Hey,” I smile as Charlene, Easton and Allyson’s mom, answers the door. After my run, I showered and grabbed some pastries from a shop she loves and decided to go visit her. Easton’s parents became second parents to me when I met them in college, and I spent many evenings at their house, having dinner and doing laundry when we lived at the dorms.

  When Easton’s dad passed away a few years ago, I would visit Charlene whenever I could. After Easton moved, I went kind of lax on visiting her until Easton had to come from Everton to check up on her because she wasn’t acting like herself. We discovered she was overwhelmed with grief and struggling to keep up with bills and responsibilities that Mr. Locke used to take care of.

  I promised Easton I’d come to visit her whenever I could, even though he assured me it wasn’t necessary. It’s the least I can do for all the dinners they invited me to and for making me feel like family for over ten years.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Charlene smiles, opening the door to her apartment so I can walk in.

  “I thought I’d drop by to see how you were doing and bring you some of your favorite pastries.” I lift the pink box in my hand, drawing attention to it.

  “You didn’t have to.” Her smile grows, and she pats my arm. Charlene is a professor at the University of Virginia, and a tough one at that. I once had her as a teacher, and she made sure to show zero preference because I was her son’s best friend.

  I follow her into the small living room, placing the box on the coffee table and taking a seat on the sofa.

  “I’ll make coffee.” She walks into the kitchen, and I look around. Standing, I walk to a family photo I’ve seen hundreds of times, but this time I look at it with fresh eyes. Ally smiles wide and carefree, with one hand in the air. I chuckle as I find another picture from when she was younger, dressed in some nineties get-up.

  “I always love to reminisce,” Charlene startles me.

  I turn around, putting my hands in my shorts pockets. “It’s fun to remember the old times. How are you doing?” I walk back to the sofa and sit.

  “I’ll tell you what I told my son. I’m doing great,” she emphasizes. “I don’t need you to check up on me as if I were some helpless toddler.”

  “That’s not why I came,” I shake my head, sighing dramatically, which causes her to laugh. “I was out for a run and saw Bakeology, so I decided to buy you some and head over.”

  “Thank you.” She places a tray with two coffee mugs, sugar, milk, and coffee. “How are you?” She looks at me intently. “You know… I could introduce you to a Teacher Assistant that started this semester. She’d be perfect for you,” she gives me her devious smile.

  Shaking my head, I lift my hands. “I’m okay the way I am, Char. I don’t need anyone setting me up on dates.” If she only knew the woman consuming my thoughts is her own daughter. I shrug that off and prepare my coffee.

  “Your momma is going to want grandchildren soon.”

  “Sammy could give her some,” I shrug, throwing my sister under the bus since she’s not around to defend herself.

  Charlene laughs, catching on to my game. “She’ll want some from you. Your sister shouldn’t be the solely responsible child to do so.”

  I chuckle and take a sip of coffee. I don’t know what she puts in it, but her coffee is some of the best I’ve ever had. Since my parents lived further away in Virginia Beach, visiting Easton’s family always gave me a sense of home. When my mom and Charlene first met, they hit it off and became fast friends. They still keep in touch, and I’m sure this conversation has come up more than once.

  “Think about it. I’ll be happy to introduce you to Rose if you want me to,” she nods. I assume Rose is the TA she mentioned and smirk.

  “I’ll make sure to do so, but honestly, I’m good the way I am. How’s work?” I switch topics.

  I spend the afternoon with Charlene, talking an
d keeping her company for a while. She’s felt lonely without her husband, and I make sure to pay my due since I’m close enough to drive over on the weekends.

  Just when I thought I’d spend the rest of the day not thinking about Allyson, I come to the one place that’s plagued with memories of her.

  Charlene’s phone rings, interrupting our conversation about the football season starting at the university. Smiling, she says, “It’s Allyson. Let me answer quickly, or she’ll worry something happened, call Easton terrified that I’ve fallen, and he’ll send an army over to check on me,” she jokes, but she’s not far off from the truth.

  “I should go,” I move to stand, but she firmly motions for me to stay seated as she answers the phone.

  “Hi, sweetie.” Charlene holds the phone in front of her as Allyson’s voice rings loud and clear.

  “Hey, Mom, how are you?” I inhale her sweet voice.

  “I’m good. I’m here with Camden, who brought pastries from Bakeology.” Charlene turns the phone to me, and I see Allyson on the screen. I smile and wave.

  “Oh, hi…” Her green eyes widen, and I recall the nickname I gave her, my smile growing. Her hair is thrown in a messy bun, much like my sister does when she’s home and doesn’t feel like combing it through.

  “I can call you back, Mom.” Charlene turns the phone back to her.

  “We can talk. Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I was just calling to see how you were doing. Call me later, okay?” Allyson’s voice is even, but her eyes were filled with curiosity when they looked at me.

  “Okay,” her mom agrees, and they hang up with goodbyes.

  “She’s doing so well over there, but I do miss her.” Charlene smiles sadly, taking a bite of a cream-filled eclair.

  “I bet it’s difficult having her so far away.”

  “Yes, but she’ll be home for the holidays, and that keeps me happy. Besides, technology is so advanced nowadays, it’s almost as if she were here talking to me.”

  “That does help.” I nod, picking up the conversation about the university’s football team as time passes.

  By the time I say goodbye to Charlene and get in my car, I have a notification from Allyson. Smiling like a fool, I open it and read it before responding.

  @AllyinSpain: Why were you there?

  @CamSteeleIT: Because I wanted to. I visit her whenever I can. Told Easton I would after everything that happened.

  @AllyinSpain: Ok

  @CamSteeleIT: She’s proud of you

  @AllyinSpain: Yea

  @AllyinSpain: I’m gonna call her

  I let her have time to talk to her mom. I’m no one to keep her from that, even if I selfishly want to continue my conversation with her. I turn up the music as I pull out of the parking lot in the apartment complex and drive back home.

  I’m in deep water when it comes to Allyson, and I don’t see how I can do anything but try to forget about her. She may be beautiful, smart, funny, and a bit of a mess, but she’s also Easton’s sister and lives in another country. The fact that she’s Easton’s sister alone should be enough for me to slam on the brakes of this thing we have going on, yet I find myself pulled to her like I’ve never felt before. Some kind of draw and it has to do with a lot more than her tight pussy.

  chapter 10

  Allyson

  My foot rests on the coffee table as I lean over my bent leg and paint my toes. The Spanish translation of Pretty Woman plays in the background as I continue to try to figure out why Camden was at my mom’s house the other day, and more importantly, I can’t get over the fact that it’s a recurring thing.

  After my dad passed away, it was hard to watch my mom live alone. Soon after, my job sent me to Spain, and Easton was researching the possibilities of moving to Everton—both encouraged by my mom. She always wants the best for us, but it doesn’t mean it is easy being away from her. I worry; however, knowing that Camden checks in on her makes me feel…calmer.

  I sigh and wipe a smudge of paint that landed on the side of my toe as I tried to paint the edge and look up at the television, not really interested in the movie. Lately, I’m not interested in much. I’ve been feeling weird, chalking it up to homesickness and my attempt at processing everything that’s happened with Camden since that fateful night.

  Our chats may seem playful or even annoying from my end, but there’s a deeper reason he keeps writing, and I keep responding. A reason I’m not sure I want to explore. Now or ever. I thought I’d arrive back home after the wedding and be over sleeping with Camden in a week’s time. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am style and move on. I’m still stuck on the bam part of that, and I don’t see how I can move on if I’m obsessively thinking about him.

  I switch feet, painting the toes on my right foot when my phone rings with an incoming video call. I answer Noel’s call and lean the phone against a candle on the table so I can continue my pedicure.

  “Hey,” I look over at the screen and smile.

  Noel squints her eyes. “Girl, you need to shave your legs. I can see your prickly hairs from here.”

  “Asshole, I shaved last night.” I drop my leg from the table. I’ll continue my pedicure after I hang up with her, so she won’t go on and on about how a lady should always be prepared for the unexpected, AKA sex.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Her face gets closer to the screen as if that would give her a better view of my face.

  “Nothing,” I shrug.

  “Are you staying in tonight?” Her eyebrows furrow.

  “Yeah, I feel kinda blah. I don’t know what it is. Besides, it’s Thursday.”

  “You’re grouchy…” She scrunches up her nose. “You’ve gone out during the week in the past. Maybe you should order pizza and some dessert and just pig out. That always helps.”

  “Yeah, it must be PMS, but my damn period won’t show up already.”

  “Did you have sex recently and not tell me? You’re holding out on me!” Noel’s voice rings with amusement.

  “No!” I answer automatically because that would usually be the case. Until it dawns on me…

  “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!” I jump and start flapping my arms like a wild woman.

  “What?” Noel interrupts my freak-out. “Wait… Did you?” Her eyes widen as big as saucers, and her mouth drops open. “You little skank. And you kept it a secret from me?” She slaps the table next to her laptop, her eyes bright.

  “Shut up.” I drop on my couch. “Oh. My. God.” This can’t be happening. I drop my face in my hands, leaning down on my elbows on the table.

  “Hold on…” Noel’s voice now rings with worry. “If you slept with someone, and now your period is late—”

  “Stop talking,” I cut her off. “It could just be a coincidence. It can’t be… I-I can’t be… Fuck,” I groan.

  It’s impossible for me to be pregnant. We used protection, right? I squeeze my eyes shut and try to remember the foggy memories from a few weeks ago. Between the few drinks I had and the heady feel of his hands on my hips, I can’t recall what we did in terms of condoms.

  “Who’s the father of your possible child?” She breaks up my thoughts.

  When I lift my head to meet my best friend’s eyes, I cringe. “Camden.”

  “Holy shit-balls on fire. Camden Steele?” I nod. “Your brother’s going to kill you.”

  I cover my mouth with my hand, nodding as tears run down my cheeks, and my entire body trembles as I release a shaky breath. I check the time on my phone and notice most pharmacies are closed already, but there’s always one that’s open through the night for emergencies, and damn it, this is one big emergency.

  “Ally?” Noel whispers, her voice small and concerned, so unlike her. “It’ll be okay. Take a test before you have a panic attack over stubborn hormones. When I travel, it throws my period off, so it could be that.”

  “I’m over five weeks late. I was supposed to get it right after the wedding because I remember praying it wouldn
’t come while I was on the plane.”

  “Oh, yeah, no one wants to bleed out of their vajayjay while up in the air with those tiny and gross bathrooms.”

  “I gotta go,” I leap to my feet, grabbing my phone as I search for my purse. Where the hell did I leave it? Not in my room, not on the couch. I check the hook by the front door and exhale a relieved breath when I see it. Slipping on flip-flops, I couldn’t give three fucks if I’m dressed in pajamas.

  “I’ll call you back,” I tell Noel and hang up, googling the pharmacy that’s open tonight, and wave down a taxi as soon as it drives by. Slipping into the backseat, I tell him where I’m headed and incessantly tap my fingers against my legs. My heart is threatening to leave my body and flop around on the ground, mocking me, since I feel like, at any minute, my life could be over.

  What if I am pregnant?

  I’ve never had to consider that question. I’m always careful, and I’ve only ever had a handful of partners, all guys I was dating or in a relationship with until now. It very well could be what Noel said—traveling always throws my body off, too. I’m sure I’ll get my period soon. If not, I have no idea where to even begin making decisions. Starting with, do I tell Camden? And how do I approach him?

  I swallow back my tears as the taxi pulls up to the pharmacy. Asking him if he wouldn’t mind waiting, I ring the doorbell on the outside of the door for the pharmacist to open for me. I’m all about precaution, especially in a big city like Madrid, but damn if I don’t want to wait outside.