He distracted me by shifting his hand to rest on my stomach. My muscles jumped under the sensation, the rough texture creating the most exquisite feeling. He moved slowly, so slow it was surely registered as a form of torture, running his hand up my back until he gripped the nape of my neck. He then shifted his other hand over my stomach, moving upwards until he rested at the underside of my inbuilt bra. His fingers skimmed along the edges.
Someone needed to open a window. It was getting hot in here. Brace’s hand froze at the sound of a loud knock. Who the hell was knocking on my door in the middle of the night?
“Are you going to answer that, Red?” Brace’s voice was strained.
I shifted against him. His legs were plastered to mine, and I was having trouble concentrating.
“Um ... if ... I ig ...” I lost concentration for a minute. His hand was doing delicious things under my shirt. “If I ignore it, will they go away?” I ended breathlessly.
“No, Aribella, you and Brace need to get downstairs now.” Josian’s voice was clear through my door.
“Nothing wrong with his hearing,” I muttered.
In that moment I was too hot and bothered to even feel embarrassed at being busted.
Neither of us moved. Even if I’d wanted to move, my muscles wouldn’t respond.
“How dangerous is he; you know, if we ignore that request and stay here?” I would have no problem taking on my father to stay in Brace’s arms, close enough to see every facet of brown in his eyes.
He gave a short laugh. “We need to get downstairs.”
I sighed as we untangled ourselves. I had a sneaking suspicion that this interrupting was going to be a common occurrence.
Brace rolled over before groaning.
“What?” I said, facing him.
“You really need to discuss our situation with your laluna. I’m starting to feel like the third wheel.” He reached behind his head to pull free my blue stone.
It was quite humorous how many times the laluna appeared in my room, on my pillows generally, no matter where I took it for safe-keeping. Josian seemed to think we were cosmically connected, and that it would always come for me.
“Leave it alone. It’s my little friend, and I’ve grown fond of its blue beauty.”
Brace stood, smiling down at me.
“I can’t blame the laluna ... you are quite lovable, Abigail.”
Tears flicked at my eyes as his words hit my heart, close to that small place inside that always felt alone and abandoned. I changed the subject before I said something stupid and sentimental.
“You should go down now. I’ll throw on some appropriate clothes.” I cleared my throat as I attempted to straighten myself.
He picked up his shirt from the floor, and shrugged it over his head. It was definitely a shame to cover all that. Then with one last look that was hot enough to melt bones, he left the room.
I stepped into my bathroom to splash some water on my overheated face. Staring into the mirror, I could see I looked a little off. My emerald eyes were wide and shiny, cheeks flushed, red curls tousled around in a wild manner. My full red lips looked even more swollen. Everyone was going to know immediately; I looked like someone who’d just had some good loving.
I changed into jeans and a plain black shirt.
“Abigail Swish.” I spun around at Lucy’s incredulous tone.
She was standing next to my bed, staring down at the sheets.
“What have you been up to?” Her tone brimmed with unshed laughter.
She was dressed in jeans as well, except she wore a low-cut red cotton shirt, which definitely made the most of her awesome boobs.
“Do you have a sex radar or something?” I said, staring around the room.
There wasn’t anything that should have tipped her off.
Her blue eyes widened. “Like a sex-dar.” She laughed. “So, are you saying that you and Brace sexed it all up?”
“You look a little worried – think I beat you to the final gate?” I teased.
She raised her brows, high enough to almost hit her blond hairline.
“Don’t leave me hanging; if I have to torture you for the information, I will.” She wasn’t kidding.
Rolling my eyes, I gestured for her to move through the door first.
“Nope, Brace and I were interrupted before anything crazy could happen.” My disappointment was apparent in my voice.
“How far would you have gone?” She sounded genuinely curious as we hurried downstairs.
I knew Josian wouldn’t wait long. Something serious was up if he had summoned everyone in the middle of the night.
“I don’t know. I’d like to think I’d wait until we’d spent more time with each other. But our chemistry just knocks all rational thought from my mind.” My cheeks flushed again just thinking about it. “He kisses like he’s trying to consume me, Luce,” I said quietly, and she sighed, a small reflective smile crossing her lips.
“Don’t you want to be married first?” Her words took me a little by surprise.
I shook my head. “Nah, you know I don’t believe a piece of paper is a commitment. And what Brace and I have, being melded mates, well, I can’t think of a more definitive promise.”
“I know what you’re saying is right.” She looked wistful ... or just sad.
Why did I have a strange feeling that she was hiding something from me?
“I already feel like I’m losing myself to Sammy. I worry that if we take that last step I won’t even know who I am anymore.”