April
Iwake with a dull throb between my legs. The sun casts soft rays which flitter through the room. I blink into focus and a slow smile spreads across my face as I reflect on last night, my skin tingling as I recall his touch. Rolling over, I reach for the other side of the bed, finding it empty. I stretch my hand, brushing my fingers against the cool sheets.
He must have got up a while ago.
Deciding to freshen up, I slip out of bed and into James’s bathroom on wobbly legs—they worked hard last night.
I study myself in the mirror and find a woman I barely recognise staring back at me. I look alive. My skin is flushed with colour, and my eyes are bright. It’s as if he’s magic, breathing life back into my lungs and reviving my body. Slowly, I bring my hand up, tracing my fingers over the tender skin where James bit and sucked at my flesh. The memory of his mouth on me sends a rush of heat straight to my core.
Turning on the tap, I test the water until it’s tepid. I cup my hands under the stream, letting the water pool in my palms before splashing it onto my face. My hair is a mess, which isn’t surprising. I comb my fingers through the tangled strands,trying to tame them into some semblance of order. God, we were thoroughly undone last night.
I find a tube of toothpaste on the counter and squeeze a bit onto my finger, rubbing it over my teeth—it’s the best I can do, considering I didn’t bring an overnight bag.
I hoped we’d have sex, but I didn’t anticipate sleeping over. It wasn’t even a question, not when he heated a wheat bag to warm me before pulling me into his chest. I haven’t slept that soundly in a long time.
It felt so wonderful being held again. I was nervous, thinking I’d fall apart the first time I slept with someone who wasn’t Lucas. But there’s no sadness, not even a trace.
I do feel a touch guilty, because honestly, I can’t help but compare the brothers. Yes, Lucas was big, but James … James is bigger.Muchbigger. And he knows exactly what he’s doing.
I twist the tap on once more. Lowering my mouth to the stream, I swish the water around before spitting. “That’s as good as it’s gonna get.”
I quickly scan the bedroom in search of my clothes, suddenly remembering I undressed in the lounge. Standing at the threshold of his bedroom door, I poke my head out, scanning for any sign of James. Nothing. I hold my breath, listening carefully for any sound. But again, nothing. My brows knit together in a frown—where is he?
Straightening, I make a mad, naked dash to the lounge, spotting my clothes scattered across the floor. I quickly pluck them up and rush back into his room.
Dressed and somewhat decent, I head back to the lounge and grab my phone. My eyes widen when I see ten notifications. I open my inbox to find messages from Gemma, Anna, and—what the fuck?—Lucas.
My heart gallops as I stare at his name. Why is he messaging me? I haven’t heard from him in months. He blocked me, for fuck’s sake.
I take a deep breath in, count to four, and release it slowly.
My thumb hovers over the screen as I debate opening the message. I close my eyes and try to gather my thoughts.
It could be nothing.
Maybe it was an accident?
No. You don’t block and unblock someone by accident.
But why now?
I wasfinallydoing better.
I don’t know what it is about men, but it’s like they have some sort of radar that can sense when women are either struggling or doing just fine. And it’s not until the needle lands on “fine” that they thinkYou know what? I’m going to ruin her day. Just for fun.
I’m at a loss for what he wants, and right now is definitely not the appropriate time to find out. I just had his brother’s dick inside me, for Christ’s sake. Instead, for now, I choose to ignore it.
I open the text thread with Gemma and Anna, grinning as I read their messages. My fingers dance over the keyboard as I type out a response, then hit send.
Gemma:You’re out of litter, and Basil shat on the floor.
Anna:What? Where’s April?
Gemma:She went to James’s last night.
Anna:WTF? When? We all got an Uber together. I literally dropped you home!
Gemma:After we got home, he sent her a text because they almost kissed after the gig. After said text, she went to his house to seduce him. Judging by her suspicious silence, I think it’s safe to assume he dipped his wick in her vag.
