“Darlin’, if we’re just friends, then I shouldn’t know the way you taste. Or the way you feel beneath me. We’re more than friends, Tor…” His lips brush lightly against mine and my eyes flutter closed in anticipation for more because, despite what my words say, my body wants him. Needs him.
“Always have been…” His hand weaves into my hair, and I exhale, licking my lips, my heart and body thrumming with need. “And always will be.”
I lean in slowly, yearning for his touch, but our intense moment is broken when someone yells my name.
“Tori, did you find the beers?” Ria calls out. Noah jumps back, creating distance between us just as Ria appears in the doorwayof the pantry. Her eyes dart from the broken glass and spilled beer on me, on the countertop beside the first aid box. “Oh my god, what happened?”
“Noah startled me, and I dropped the beers. I cut my thumb.” I hold it up as if to prove my story.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it, it was just a scratch,” I stammer.
“Let me get a broom and a mop.” Ria leaves, and I sag in relief. That was close, too close.
I wasn’t wrong; the rest of the day was hard. Being around Noah and pretending everything is fine, pretending I don’t want to be with him, to be able to sit in his lap the way Gabby sits in Brad’s, or have him kiss me so freely, like Jack does with Ria, is a new type of torture.
Jack and Ria’s girls are asleep, tucked up in bed, and Jack has the baby monitor balanced on his knee. We’ve lit a fire pit, and for the past few hours we have shared stories, played card games, and we girls have shared a bottle of wine.
“Oh my god, I love this song.” Ali declares, waving her wine glass above her head as she proceeds to hum along to it.
When my brother joins in, everyone turns to him. “What?” Harry exclaims, wide eyed. “Can’t a man love a bit of Dolly Parton?”
“I forgot how much you loved Dolly Parton. When we were kids, we’d put on shows, and Harry would always sing lead.”
“You did what?” Ali giggles.
“Yeah, he’d hit all the high notes too, didn’t you, Harry? Well, you know, until his voice broke.” Harry gives me a death stare, and I grimace.
Jack throws his head back and belly laughs, and Harry gives him a stink eye.
“Really, twinkle toes, you of all people are going to laugh at me for enjoying the arts. How’s ballet class going? Have you managed to get into second position yet?” Jack immediately stops laughing and stares at him, and then it’s Brad and Noah’s turn to fall into a fit of laughter, and then we all join in. I wipe tears that roll down my cheeks. God it feels good to laugh.
“Cheers for sharing that private information, little sis,” Harry says through gritted teeth. I lift my wine glass. “Anytime, big bro.” I bring my glass to my lips, and my eyes lock with Noah’s.
“Aww, baby, don’t worry, I still want you and think you are big and manly,” Ali says, stroking Harry’s face, and then pressing a kiss to his mouth. I scrunch my nose up in fake disgust and cover my eyes with my hand.
“Get a room,” I joke.
“Great idea,” Harry declares, and in one quick motion, he’s up on his feet, passing Ali's wine glass to me and tossing her over his shoulder before running up towards the house. She shrieks and giggles and a pang of jealousy hits me. I want that.
“The kids, Harry,” Jack shouts. “You wake them, you take them.”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to gag her,” he calls back, and then he’s gone.
“I’m so glad our room isn’t next to theirs,” Brad mumbles.
“I think we might call it a night too, guys,” Ria says, stretching as she stands.
“Yeah, me too. It’s been a long day.” I yawn, avoid looking at Noah, and wave goodnight to Brad and Gabby. Then follow Jackand Ria up to the house and say good night to them as they head to the main bedroom downstairs.
I take the dark wooden stairs, smiling as I look at all the family photos from over the years that adorn the walls.
I find my room at the end of the hall, hurrying past Harry and Ali’s room, doing my best to ignore the muffled moans coming from their side of the wall, and when I close my bedroom door, I realize we do indeed share a wall.
Good job I brought earplugs.
I shower, brush my teeth, and put on my silk pajama shorts and matching tank top, before I settle into bed, opting to keep the drapes open on my large window. My view overlooks the lake, and with the light of the moon reflecting off the water, my room has a soft silvery glow. It’s so still and peaceful, and my thoughts quickly drift to Noah and our encounter in the pantry earlier.
