After what feels like years, Caleb returns, arms weighed down by supplies and food.
Quinn sits with Casen, using his brother’s hospital bed as a shared table, while Caleb and I sit side by side across the room.
“Thank you for this,” I say quietly. “I’ll give you money for dinner.”
Caleb levels me with a sharp look that stops me cold—not because I’m scared of him, but because it heats my blood. It seems impossible that my libido would stir to life so easily when I’m dead on my feet, yet here I am, practically panting for him.
“You’re not giving me money for dinner.”
Hackles rising, I straighten. “Sure I am. This couldn’t have been cheap. They each got two burgers and?—”
“Let me provide for you, Halle.” He ducks in close, his voice low, vibrating through me. “It gets me hard.”
I snort a laugh. It feels good to find a little humor after such a shit-tastic day. “Providing for me makes you hard?” I mutter. “You’re ridiculous.”
“What? A guy can’t get off knowing that he’s providing for his woman?” He takes a bite of burger.
I arch a brow, fighting a smile. “Oh,and now I’m your woman?”
“Yep.” With his free hand, he picks up his soda. “That’s right.”
Head lowered, I give it a shake. “I think I like this side of you.”
“What side?”
“All…” I wave a hand. “Possessive. It’s very hot.”
“That’s what makes you hot? When I call you mine.”
I bite my lip, heat pooling in my belly. “Yes.”
Thank God my brothers are too busy talking about friends and crocheting with Cynthia and Thelma to be eavesdropping on our conversation. Otherwise, they’d be traumatized. They don’t want to hear about my sex life any more than I’ll want to hear about theirs when they’re older.
That thought stops me cold, and the food I’ve just consumed turns to lead in my stomach.
Did Mom ever give them a proper sex-ed talk? Doubt it. And school only does so much.
The ball of dread in my gut grows. Fuck, fuck,fuck.
I’m going to have to give my teenage brothers the sex talk.
I’d rather be put under the knife in Casen’s place.
“Hey,” I say to Caleb, heart thudding. “Would you give my brothers the sex talk?”
Caleb blinks, his hand paused in midair, fries dangling from his fingers, and bursts into laughter. Casen and Quinn look our way but shake their heads and return to their conversation.
“Oh,” he blurts out when all I can do is stare at him. “You were serious.” He clears his throat and drops the fries back into the bag. “Can I askwhyI would need to do that?”
“B-because… I’m their sister,” I say, stumbling over my words. “That would be the most awkward conversation of mylife. I can’t do it.”
“They’re almost fifteen. I’m sure they know?—”
I grab Caleb’s wrist. “Yes, I’m sure they do, but I need to ensure they understand how to be responsible. That if they’re going to have sex, they’ll use condoms, Caleb! They need condoms!”
It’s only when I snap my mouth shut that I realize that the room has gone eerily silent.
Oh, crap.
