“I don’t think about that, Josh. It’s over with. It’s in the past.”
“It’s not over for me,” he whispers lowly. His face is etched with agonizing pain I wish he didn’t feel. “I think about it constantly. I think about how he lured you away from me. I think about how they separated us. I think about his hands touching you.” His eyes lose focus, and his hands turn into hard fists. “I think about how much damage he could have caused you if I was a second late. But mostly, I think about how I broke my vow that night.”
I tentatively reach out and stroke his face. “You didn’t break your vow.”
His somber eyes are sharp on mine. “Yes, I did. I promised no one would touch you. He touched you, December. It’s my fault.”
“No, Josh Carter,” I whisper, tracing his nose and brows. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t break your vow.” I give another careless shrug, but this one hurts more. “Shit happens. You need to let that fury go, Josh. It isn’t healthy to hold on to it.”
His jaw hardens. He glances at me and then looks away. “Is it that easy?”
My hands curl into his soft-as-silk hair. I move in front of him, practically sitting in his lap. His entire body is taut and trembling. His anger is a physical presence, threatening to smother everything within range. “You can give it all to me.”
His irises are blue flames when he looks at me. “How do I do that?”
I lick my lips nervously, and his eyes drop down to my mouth. My heart stutters, my stomach swimming with butterflies. “Kiss me.”
He cups my jaw, sliding his thumb up the curve to my ear. Josh’s fingers slowly trace the shape of my ear as if it’s the most fascinating thing on earth. It causes me to shiver. He leans in close to rest his forehead on mine, staring directly into my eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Close your eyes.”
I do, and then I’m bathed with the fiery heat emitting off him when he leans closer. He skims his nose along mine, and I groan. His hand tightens on my jaw, his thumb now grazing my bottom lip. He breathes on me, and it’s enough for me to shudder.
“Josh—”
“Hush, December.” His tone is authoritative, demanding complete obedience.
I tremble, rocking side to side and fisting my hands into his shirt.
“Stop moving.”
My movements cease.
His hand releases my jaw, sliding down my neck, and his fingers dig into my skin. He presses his lips to mine gently. I’m stunned with how soft and full his lips are at first. His lips are unbelievably soft and taste of apple and lemon from the hard candy he was eating. I’m so stunned that I don’t realize he’s waiting for me to take what I want.
I cradle his jaw with my hands, sliding my tongue into his mouth. His flavor is even sweeter inside. Josh moans, and I push him on his back and straddle him. My hands move into his hair. I grip it hard between my fingers. I lick and bite at his lips, finding the perfect balance between pain and pleasure, between biting and kissing.
Josh is just as bold. His hands settle around my hips, his fingers clenching me tightly. He devours my mouth with reverent kisses. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and nips me hard enough my breath hitches. I’m swarmed with wave after wave of sensation. I’m sharing my first real kiss with Josh.
I relish in him kissing me. I like him kissing me. This feels right. “Josh,” I murmur, rocking my hips to his hardness under me. He’s impossibly hard. I can feel the heat of him under me. And it’s amazing. It’s what I want. It’s what I need.
“I can’t.”
“Please.” I can’t stop grinding down on him. I feel him through my clothes, through his clothes.
“No.” He pants against my mouth. His voice is thick and gruff. “We have to stop.” But he doesn’t stop, not even a little. He moves with me, thrusting up when I’m pushing down.
“I want you, Josh. Please.”
“No,” he orders firmly, kissing a trail of fire down my neck.
“I need you, Josh. I’m aching all over.”
“Welcome to being a teenager. Hormones are a bitch. We just need to cool off and everything won’t seem as bad.”
“Just touch me.” I move his hand under my shirt, over my bra.
“Fuck.” He groans, his hand on my bra squeezing hard enough I gasp. It feels strange to have someone touch me here. I like this strange, though. It feels unbelievably good. His finger pinches my nipple through my thin cotton bra.
I shudder and moan on top of him. The sensation is almost overwhelming; sparks of forbidden pleasure pulse heavily throughout my body like a drug. The ache between my legs gets worse. I shift on top of his hard-on, panting breathlessly.
He grunts, sliding his tongue into my mouth. We both take from each other, and we both give to one another. I feel close to him right now. It’s like I can reach out and touch his soul. That’s how connected I am with Josh. He bends his head to capture my nipple with his hot mouth. He licks and bites me there.
“Josh,” I whisper in a surprised squeal.
“You said you were ready,” he replies darkly with a smug grin that looks good on him. He holds my gaze and leans away. “Are you still ready for me, December?”
“Yes.” I say solemnly, shivering fiercely.
Josh pushes me into his warm chest. He wraps me in his big arms, holding me as close as close can be. His supple but firm lips skim the curve of my jaw and neck, all the way to my ear. “I’ll go slowly, December. We’ll go slowly. But you have to tell me if I hurt you. You have to tell me if you don’t like something. You have to tell me if I move too fast. I don’t want to hurt you, December. Never do I want to hurt you.”
“Okay.”
He stares into my wide eyes, and his lips press together. His expression gets serious. “Promise me you’ll tell me if I hurt you.”
“I will,” I answer a bit too eagerly. I can’t help it. I need this. I need him. It feels like I’m going to die without him.
He lifts his brows, skeptical of my quick reply. “Okay. Let me see you.”
“See me?”
“Take off your clothes, December.”
“You only have to tell me once.” I’m tossing off my shirt and reaching for the top button of my jeans when his bedroom door opens. I scramble to reach my shirt, but Josh holds me close to him, shielding my body with his.
“Can you fucking knock?” he shouts angrily.
“Oh my God.” His sister screams. “I’m so sorry, Josh.”
“December?”
I go completely still, recognizing that deep rumble.
It’s Danny.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
This is bad and embarrassing.
“Close the door,” Josh orders irritably over his shoulder.
Danny ignores Josh. He pushes the door wider and gives me his best death glare. “December, you have about three seconds to come out from under him, and you better have your shirt on when you do.”
I clutch my shirt tighter to my chest and look between Danny and Piper and then back at Josh.
“One,” Danny mutters, his jaw strained.
“You can’t be serious,” Josh mumbles, gritting his teeth.
“Very,” Danny replies. “Two.”
I hop off Josh’s lap as if he caught fire, tugging my shirt over my head and moving to Danny’s side with my head hung low. I don’t think I did anything wrong, so why am I ashamed? Danny grips my elbow, leading me from their house and to his truck. He sits me in the passenger seat and slams the door once I’m fully inside.
I watch from under my lashes as he rounds the hood of his truck, cursing things that I can’t hear. When he’s behind the wheel, he stares at me with those brown eyes I’ve grown to crave every day.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
“Why? It’s not like you care.”
“I care, December. Sometimes I think I care about you more than you care
about yourself. Why were you with Josh? Why did you have your shirt off?”
“Because I like Josh. Why were you with Piper? I know she’s your wife. Josh told me the first day I met him. What were you two doing?”
“That’s none of your concern,” he snaps, driving off from Josh’s house.
I cross my arms over my chest and pout. “Why not?”
He looks at me and then back to the road. “Because what Piper and I do is between me and Piper. We are adults. We know what we’re doing. You and Josh are just kids. You both have no idea of the repercussions of your actions. You act with your brain, December, not off the feeling between your legs.”
Oh, hell no.
He has no right to say that to me.
“Stop the truck and let me out.”
He gives me a wary glance and frowns. “No.”
“Let me the fuck out of here,” I yell, balling my fists up tightly at my side.
“No. It’s late and it’s dark. Let me drive you home. You’re not walking anywhere.”
“I swear if you don’t stop this truck and let me out, I’m going to punch you in the face. I’m going to punch you so hard you’ll feel it in your sleep tonight.”
“Do what you have to do, but I’m not stopping.”
Without another warning, I sucker punch him in the jaw. My punch is hard enough that all my knuckles crack against his jawbone. “Ow. Shit. That hurts.” I grumble, waving my aching hand to shake the incredible pain off. Jesus Christ, hitting him hurts. Hitting Danny is like punching a sheet of metal.
He merely blinked when my fist connected with his jaw. I hurt myself more than I hurt him. Danny should frighten me, but he doesn’t.
He turns to me without a smile or grin. “Do you feel better?”
“Yes.” I sink back into the seat and stare out the window. “FYI, I’m going to see Josh again and make sure he follows all the way through next time. I won’t be a virgin forever.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
“We’ll see.”
Danny glances at me and smiles. His smile is an arrogant one. It makes me want to punch him again, but I can’t because his steel-hard bones nearly broke my hand. “We will see,” Danny says.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
THE PRESENT
This is our fourth day at the cabins. It’s been all about family for the past few days. We eat together and we play together. It’s nice to spend time with my family without any outside interferences. May made us all turn off our phones and dump them into a basket until the Tying Ceremony is over. I didn’t mind because I was going a little crazy from staring at my phone screen, waiting for Josh’s name to pop up.
It’s night. We’re all in May and Mile’s luxury cabin. Miles has pimped the shit out of their cabin. This cabin was once subtle and comfortable. That’s not the case anymore. He’s replaced the old fireplace with an elaborate glass one that burns crystals, and the crystals change color. And he’s traded the regular ordinary rugs with expensive Asian rugs. Miles has replaced every single piece of furniture with something more sleek and modern. This man has a taste for every opulent thing the world has to offer.
I walk over to Miles, who sits alone by the burning crystals in his leather armchair with a glass of bourbon in his hand. His wavy hair is sleeked away from his classically handsome face. He looks like a man fresh off a cover of GQ magazine, dressed in a dark-green cashmere sweater and denim jeans.
He looks up at me with rich dark eyes that seem to penetrate through all my façades. I reach up to touch his face. Miles keeps his eyes on mine as he rests his cheek in my palm. I caress his face before I slide my hand down the front of his hard chest. I stroke the soft cashmere in wonder.
He brings the crystal glass to his lips and sips at the whisky, grinning faintly. “You’ve bitten the forbidden fruit, December. Now your eyes are wide open.”
“It’s your brother’s fault,” I reply, smiling at him.
Miles lifts a brow. “You seem to like cashmere. I’ll get you one in your size.”
“Thank you.”
He stares at me for a long moment and shakes his head, fighting a smile. “I could get used to compliant December. Danny must have really worn the protests right out of you.”
“You could say that.”
Miles takes my hand off his chest and presses an innocent kiss on my fingers. “I’m going to feel guilty if you keep touching me and I get hard.”
“She’s horny when she drinks,” Gray interrupts, sipping from his beer.
“I haven’t drunk that much,” I mumble, glaring at him and his golden irises.
“You had how many glasses of wine?” Jarvis adds, joining the conversation.
“Three and half,” Danny answers, coming to stand by me. “And two shots of tequila.”
Two sets of brown eyes are aimed at me, and Jarvis’s striking mismatched irises are studying me closely. I shudder inwardly. Having all of the Oliver brothers stare at you is a woman’s dream fantasy. Miles has the powerful businessman vibe to perfection. Gray is the beautiful silly guy with a heart of gold. Jarvis is darkly attractive and highly appealing with his tattoos and piercings. And Danny is a statue of flawless beauty and muscle.
“Everyone’s been drinking.” I pout, narrowing my eyes at all of them. “Why are you guys picking on me?”
Miles laughs into his drink. Gray and Jarvis look at each other, grinning. Danny leans down to my ear. “Not everyone gropes when they drink, but you do.”
A fierce shiver takes over when his warm breath hits my ear. I reach up to hook my arms around his neck and press close to his sculpted body. “I’m sorry.”
His hands slide down my sides, gripping my hips firmly. “No more drinks tonight.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want you sick in the morning.”
“I’m not going to drink anymore tonight,” I promise into his neck, my fingers running through his thick hair.
He leans back to look into my eyes. “Look at you being Danny’s good girl.”
I shudder from his husky voice and playful words. “Shut up.”
“I see all the feistiness hasn’t left you.”
I’m about to say something smart when January pulls me away from him. She leads me to the plush, velvet-soft oversized couch where the rest of my sisters await. “Okay, people, gather around. I have a little game we should play.”
The Oliver brothers join us. Danny sits next to me, Jarvis sits next to July, Miles sits next to May, and Gray stands next to January. He peers down over her shoulder at the pile of papers she’s clutching.
“No peeking, Gray,” she says, pressing the papers close to her chest. He whispers something low in her ear and yanks on her long ponytail, and then he leans away. She flushes deeply and clears her throat. “Okay. You all know I write a lot of yaoi fanfiction, so I wrote one about the Oliver brothers.”
“Oh, hell.” Gray groans.
She glares at Gray. “Anyway, it would be a dream come true if you guys acted it out for me.”
“What’s yaoi?” Danny asks.
I burst out laughing. Of course I know what yaoi is, but I’m not going to tell him. This is going to be too good.
“You know, boy on boy,” July tries to explain.
“Boy on boy?” Danny asks, his brows furrowed.
“Oh, fuck. We’re brothers. This is so wrong,” Gray says, pleading with his eyes to January.
“If you do it, I’ll have a very big surprise for you,” January says.
Gray lifts his brow. “How big?”
She whispers in his ear and his eyes widen.
“I’m in,” Gray yells.
“Good,” she replies, handing him a script. January passes them to all the brothers. “There’s nothing extreme, like kissing or anything. It’s mostly just very naughty dialogue.”
Danny flips over the script, scanning the pages.
“Oh, shit.” Gray’s face pales as he reads over the pages. “I have
to be Danny’s bottom. Oh, fuck. Why do you like to abuse me, January? Why couldn’t I be Miles’s bottom or top Jarvis?”
“It’s only a few lines. Stop your complaining and take it like a man,” January responds.
“But Danny is cruel,” he counters. “If I’m going to bottom, I need a top that is tender and sweet. I need a top that will spoil me, not bruise me.”
“You know I love bottoms more,” January whispers sweetly, brushing her cleavage-baring chest against Gray. He’s helpless against her and her little ’50s-style dresses. She’s in a pale-blue one tonight. “The top is more physically dominate, but the bottom holds all the power. That’s why I put you there, because you’re powerful.”
“Let’s make a wager,” Miles begins. “If we complete this task of man on man, then we get to create a girl-on-girl script and you all have to act it out for us.”
My sister and I stare at each other and shrug.
“We’re in,” January answers. “Who’s going first?”
“Don’t be scared, baby brother,” Danny tells Gray, reading his first line. “I’ve done more research. It won’t be as painful this time.”
Gray releases a deep breath and stares down at the page he clutches in his hands. “That’s what you said last time. I couldn’t sit down for a week afterward. You made it so rough.”
There’s a lot of muffled laughter and giggles. I’m not laughing. Danny has all of my attention. He’s focused on genuinely reading his lines. He rubs soothing circles over my lower spine as he reads, and his gentle touches cause me to convulse.
“I’m not going to hurt you, baby brother,” Danny vows to Gray.
Gray scans his paper before looking up to meet Danny’s eyes. “You have to promise.”
“I’d lay down my life for you, baby brother,” Danny declares seriously. “I’m not going to hurt you again. I’m never going to hurt you again. Trust me.”
“Okay,” Gray whispers, lowering his thick lashes at Danny. January audibly sighs and shivers at the both of them. “I trust you, so I’ll try out your handmade barstool again. I hope my butt hurts less this time.”
“What? This scene is about a barstool?” July asks, perplexed.
December (The Oliver Brothers Book 1) Page 18
