“Let me take you to dinner, whenever you’re free…” he suggests as we make our way down the corridor towards the stairs.
He drops my hand from his so he can bend to refasten his shoelace that he has almost tripped over and then a nearby door comes flying open to reveal a very hot and bothered looking Liv and Mase. Clearly, he wasn’t joking about the linen cupboard. Liv looks stunned to find us there, or maybe it’s the fact that we’re together but more than anything she looks uncomfortable as she figures we know why they were in a cupboard. Mase leans in to kiss her and I think whispers something that makes her blush and giggle before he turns to Dec.
“You and I need to discuss something before I go away,” Mase says. “Baby, this will only take a moment, why don’t you take Anita back to the reception.”
Liv doesn’t bat an eyelid as she kisses her husband and then links her arm through mine to lead me away but not before calling to Mase, “Don’t be long or I’ll have to dance alone.”
Chapter 4
Declan
Mase is calling after Olivia, warning her about dancing alone but she completely ignores him which makes me laugh. He is seriously whipped. As his head snaps in my direction, I regret my laughter that has drawn his attention towards me.
“Mase,” I begin, preparing to apologise, but he interrupts.
“Do not tell me it was another accident because the tiny grip I have on my sanity will slip completely if you do,” he says with an anxious disposition I have rarely seen in my brother.
“Okay. It wasn’t an accident, but it wasn’t planned. I needed to talk to her, to explain that I didn’t mean to make her feel shitty after last time.”
My brother is staring at me expressionless, and the truth is that I have no idea if he is going to punch me or laugh. He does neither. With his fingers pushing through his hair, he shakes his head.
“I assume she bought whatever you said judging by how naked you both were when I came in?”
I feel guilty again as I realise that I didn’t even achieve my objective when I sullied my brother’s honeymoon suite. Not that I think anything Anita and I did would or could be classed as tarnished in anyway, but I can see that Mase might disagree. If he does, I hope he won’t be too disparaging about Anita because she doesn’t deserve his judgement or disdain and if he does, I will defend her.
“We didn’t get around to talking,” I admit warily and attempt to soften that particular blow. “We’re going out to dinner though, you know, like a date.”
I sound ridiculous to myself so am in no doubt that Mase will reach that conclusion too. He sighs with another shake of his head and leads me to the top of the stairs where he sits down and gestures for me to do the same.
“Dec,” he begins as I sit beside him. “What are you doing? She’s my wife’s sister. You can’t fuck her and then drop her like you normally do. This really is a case of crapping on your own doorstep, or at least mine.”
“I know,” I admit. “Did you tell Liv? Anita was worried about her finding out.”
Mase stares at me once more. “If you continue to fuck her sister, she will find out and if you mess Anita around and hurt her, my girl is going to be pissed and if she finds out that you both enjoyed our honeymoon suite before we did, she is unlikely to be impressed. The fact that you are still standing suggests I haven’t told her though.”
“Thanks.” I’m grateful that he hasn’t told Liv about Anita.
“What do you plan on doing, Dec?”
It is a simple and fantastic question, and I wish I had an answer for him. I don’t. Not a clear or concrete one anyway.
“I like her, but I like a lot of girls,” I admit, knowing this is nothing newsworthy to either of us. I am, after all, a man whore. “That time in the club was amazing and today I wanted to talk but once we were alone…shit, the sex was inevitable and it was fucking superb, better than the first time which I didn’t think was possible.”
My face is a grimace, frown and scowl that amuses my brother judging by his grin.
“You’re disappointed it was good?”
“Gutted.” I attempt to explain myself. “I wanted it to be no better than good so that I could put it behind me. Since that day in the kitchen, every time I’ve had sex has been mediocre because it wasn’t like it was with her. Today was the best…how the fuck am I going to go back to meaningless sex if my own hand whilst thinking about Anita is better than actual sex with any other person who isn’t her?”
Mase is agog at my words. I’m pretty stunned myself because those words were not what I was planning to say and yet I said them anyway. My brother’s laughter breaks my silent misery, but I fail to find anything amusing and my sullen expression confirms it. The same expression that seems to increase Mase’s amusement.
“What?” I cry, irritated by his continuing laughter and my own words and thoughts.
I do not do this. I am not looking for permanence and I know that Anita is not a fuck buddy kind of girl, so what the hell am I doing? I am taking her on a date, and I called it that even though I don’t really date either. I do nights out but usually with the forgone conclusion that the night out will be hot and satisfying but ultimately meaningless long term.
“You, little brother, are seriously fucked!” he states with more laughter.
Picking up on his inference, my irritation rises further, and my response confirms my mood. “Yeah, I was seriously fucked in the honeymoon suite before you were. In fact, I am two for two over you for shagging a Carrington girl first at your engagement and now your wedding.”
