“So, how’s the tattoo coming along, Lexi?” Nathan asked. “Brandon said you had one more session to go?”
“Yeah, it’s going great. I really love what he did, and I’m excited to see it all finished.” It really was lookinggood. Brandon was so talented.And funny. And charming. And sexy as hell. And could fuck like a god.Bitch, get your shit together,I thought. I did not need to be thinking any of those things about Brandon. He was just a guy I was fucking, nothing more. Although that wasn’t really true anymore, and I knew it. Lying to myself was getting harder by the day. But what was I going to do, let him in? Brandon seemed like a nice enough guy, but he didn’t really want to date me. Maybe he thought he wanted that, but I knew better, and I’d be damned if I let him in only for him to leave me, too.
Meow. Coco interrupted my thoughts, pushing her head into my hand. I must have stopped petting her, and she wasn’t shy about voicing her disapproval. I resumed showering her with attention as Dylan and Brandon rejoined the party. Dylan, entering ahead of Brandon, took a seat on the couch next to me, forcing Brandon onto the remaining recliner. He eyed me, and then his gaze shifted to Dylan, who was now leaning over to give his cat some of his attention.
“She really likes you, Lexi,” Dylan said with a wink, catching me off guard.What the fuck?Don’t get me wrong, Dylan was also very good-looking, but he wasn’t my type at all. I chalked his flirty look up to him being in a perpetual state of flirting—according to Daphne, he was a fuckboy, after all.
It was then that I made the mistake of looking back in Brandon’s direction.Big mistake.The fire burning behind his glare was like an electric shock straight to my pussy. Itwas the same look he’d given me in the bar when I was trying to get a rise out of him. He was jealous. I arched an eyebrow at him. Knowing I’d pay for it later—hopefully with orgasms—I doubled down, ‘accidentally’ brushing Dylan’s hand with mine as I pet the adorable fluff ball in my lap, while looking directly into Brandon’s eyes. His nostrils flared as he slowly—almost imperceivably—shook his head.
My barely there smile tugged at the edges of my mouth.It was so on, motherfucker.I hadn’t had this much fun with a guy in forever, and I wanted to draw this out as long as possible. Whateverthiswas.Would I break his heart? Would he break mine?Signs pointed to yes on both accounts, but I didn’t give a single solitary fuck at that moment.
Daphne laughed at something Nathan was saying from her place nestled at his side.Good. That meant she wasn’t paying any attention to Brandon and my little back and forth, but Dylan saw it. He eyed me with a grin hidden from the others, from where he was now lying on the couch with his head by Coco.
I had to talk to Daphne. There was no way this was staying under wraps for much longer, and if Brandon and I were going to keep this up, I’d rather she hear it from me first. As soon as we had our next girls’ night, I’d confess, but until then, I needed to be more careful.
The restof the evening was absolutely lovely. Brandon’s family made me feel right at home, which was nice since I was missing celebrating with my mom this year. After we said our goodbyes and were safely inside Brandon’s car, away from prying eyes, he turned to me with a look I couldn’t quite place.
“What?” I asked innocently.
He raised an eyebrow and leaned into my space. I glanced back towards the house and pushed him back. “Stop it. Not here.”
“Oh,nowyou’re worried about getting caught? What about all of that flirting you were doing with my brother for my benefit?”
“I wasnotflirting with your brother.”Okay, I was flirting a little, but it was only to annoy him. And from the look that was plastered on his face earlier and the look he was giving me then, it had worked.
“Liar. You were trying to make me jealous, and you know it.” He put his arm over the back of my seat to look behind us as he reversed the car. His scent washed over me, and I almost leaned into it—into him.Almost.
I sat up straighter in my seat, trying to stay focused. “Why would I try to make you jealous? And with your brother?” I scoffed.
“Really? It’s not the first time you’ve intentionally tried to get a reaction from me by flirting with someone else, Lexi.” He side-eyed me as we drove down the lightly snow-covered road.
I rolled my eyes. “I did no such thing.”
We stopped at the end of the street; he gripped my thigh roughly, causing me to audibly gasp. “Look at me.” My eyes shot to his. His nostrils flared. “You. Are. Mine.” He ground out each word like it physically hurt him.
I started to protest, but swallowed my words when Brandon pulled me into a frantic kiss. “I’ve wanted to do this all night.” His muffled words escaped between kisses.
I pushed against his chest. “Brandon,” his name came out breathy and desperate, more like a plea than a protest.
With his hand on the back of my neck, he rested his forehead on mine. “Dammit, Lexi. I know I don’t have your heart, and I know this is just sex—” thefor youleft unsaid “—but you are mine, for as long as this lasts.”
Well, fuck.“Brandon, this needs to be just sex for you, too, or it’s not going to work. Feelings make things messy.” I sat back and focused my gaze out my window, hoping we could drop it.
Brandon let out a breath and then continued to drive us back into the city. After about ten minutes of awkward silence, I spoke without looking in his direction. “I’m going to tell Daphne.”
“What’s changed?”
“We’re both consenting adults, and lying to her is killing me.” I turned in my seat to face him. “Promising not to hook up with you was a mistake. I need to clear the air with her. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal.”
Brandon glanced back at me and then placed his hand on my thigh. “What are you going to tell her about us exactly?”
“I don’t know. The truth, I guess—that we’re hooking up sometimes?” I didn’t really know how to describe Brandon and my situationship. I’d had fuck buddies before, but we didn’t talk much and definitely didn’t hang out outside of the bedroom. The problem with my current situation was that I actually liked Brandon, and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, which was a new development for me.
I guess I could understand why Daphne didn’t want me to get involved with him. She knew I’d end up hurting him, and she was trying to protect him from her fuck-and-run friend.If I had half a heart, I’d end things with him and spare him the inevitable heartache, but I was a heartless fuckgirl, right? So why not lean into it?
Brandon removed his hand from my thigh and focused back on the road. “Yeah, we’re hooking up sometimes.”
26
