When I reach for the door, his hand covers mine.
Clay grabs my neck from behind and pulls me back against him, tipping my chin up for a hard kiss that feels as good as the orgasm.
I’m breathless when he pulls back.
“Yeah, I fucking might.”
20
NOVA
“You’re filthy.”
Mari’s voice tears into my thoughts, and I snap my head up.“Excuse me?”
My sister crosses the solarium to where I’m bent over my sketchpad.
I close the cover as casually as possible as she reaches for a piece of my hair, pulling out a leaf.“What were you up to all day?”
“Secret mission.”I showered when I got home from the camp but didn’t do my hair.My breath sticks in my chest as she scrutinizes my appearance.
I want to tell her about Clay because she’s my sister and sharing these feelings seems right, but we’re still getting back on good terms.I just got out of a yearlong relationship with Brad.Hooking up with my future brother-in-law’s grumpy all-star doesn’t seem like the way to demonstrate sound judgment.
“How was work?”I ask instead.
Mari makes a face and kicks off her heels, sitting on the window seat opposite me.Her feet brush mine.“My boss brought in a new campaign for a huge client.I want to direct it, but two of us are competing.”
“Tell her you could do it better.She promoted you.This is your chance to remind her why.And if that fails,” I go on, “the bachelorette is this weekend.Massages and relaxation.”
She nods slowly.
“You’re right.What are you drawing?”
I hold out the sketchpad.
On the page is a drawing of the altar, plus the back of Mari’s dress.
My sister’s mouth parts softly.“This is beautiful, Nova.I love these flowers.”She gestures to the ones draped across the altar.
“They’re ranunculus.Like roses but rounder, tighter.Kind of squished looking.”I mimic their shape with my hands.
“I’m still figuring out how to replace the roses I wanted.They’d be perfect.”
We share a smile.
“I remember when you got into art school,” she says after a moment.“You were so excited.Do you wish you’d stayed?”
“Sometimes.”
“But you’ve kept drawing all this time.”
“A little.More recently.”It feels good.I feel like part of myself I’d buried is waking up.
“What changed?”Mari asks.
“You want to keep me for yourself?”
“I fucking might.”
