Page 9 of Pretty Nightmare

“What the fuck are you doing?” I ask.

He shakes his head at me and smiles. “I’m gonna show you that this new good thing we’re building here, it’s not gonna kill you.”

I don’t move. Just stand there as he makes his way around to my side of the island.

“So I’m gonna help you out a bit, OK?”

“What are you talking about?”

He reaches me. But he doesn’t stop. Just comes right up into my personal space. I put both my hands on his bare chest and push him back. It’s a hard push too, one that says I mean business. And Donovan might be all muscle, but he’s lean, and I’ve got at least thirty pounds on him. So he takes that step back.

“We’re gonna kiss.”

“We are not.” I laugh.

“We are. Think of it as practice.”

“Donovan—”

“McKay? Shut the fuck up. I’m just gonna kiss you and we’re gonna get it over with. OK? That way you’re prepared. And when you go to kiss Adam—”

“I’m not kissing Adam. I’m not doing anything with Adam.”

“When you go to kiss Adam, it’ll be part of the plan. And then you don’t have to be afraid.”

I pause and look at him. “Are you… into dudes?”

He shrugs. “Whatever. You’re not just any dude. And look, one day, pretty fucking soon—like tonight maybe—you and I are gonna be in a heated moment with Adam and Indie. She wants it, McKay. Adam wants it. I want it. It’s going to happen. So I’m gonna kiss you eventually. And you’re gonna kiss me. And I’m gonna touch you. And—”

I guffaw again. I cannot believe I’m having this conversation.

Donovan reaches for my cock.

I stop laughing and push him back.

“Too soon?” He grins. “Noted. But you need to get over this. Because your only other option, McKay? Is to walk out. Like you did the day of Indie’s twentieth birthday. But if you do, you should know that Adam won’t come after you again. He’s in a different place now. We all see it. He’s got a new good thing and her name is Maggie. And I’m sure he wants you to be here for it—but if you walk away this time?” Donovan shakes his head. “He’ll let you go. You two have been in a relationship for nearly three decades. He’s been patient. He’s respected you and your beliefs. He did his part and now it’s time for you to do yours. Or just move the fuck on. Because Indie doesn’t belong to you. She belongs to us.”

I blow out a long breath of air filled with words I was gonna say back, but can’t.

Because he’s right. Everything he fucking said was right. I love Adam. I don’t know if I’m in love with Adam. It might be more along the lines of infatuation. But I can’t deny that he and I have something between us. And it wouldn’t be very hard to turn it into more.

When I don’t say anything, Donovan takes another step towards me.

Then his hands are on my face. His fingers thread up into my hair and he leans forward.

And then he kisses me.

CHAPTER THREE - ADAM

Indie gets up from the couch and lingers in the middle of the outdoor living room for a few moments like she’s waiting for me to notice her.

“Something on your mind, Indie?”

She walks over to me and sits on my stomach. I laugh. Then give her a shove to make her get up.

She doesn’t though. She lies down on me, resting her cheek on my chest. I put my hands behind my head because I suddenly don’t know what to do with them and she’s always had a talent for making me nervous. “What’s going on?”

“Hm. Just thinking about stuff.”