Rapture (McKenzie Brothers, #2)

“What about a goodbye hug,” I ask. This is nothing unusual as we always say goodbye, the only difference this time is that we’re alone, usually we’re standing at the front door and throwing hugs around left, right and center.

“Okay,” she agrees and takes the step needed to stand directly in front of me.

Dropping my jacket, I take hold of her shoulders and bring her flush against me and feel her arms go around my waist. In my arms she sighs against me as I pull her even tighter into my embrace.

“Carla.” I close my eyes and breathe in her scent, thankful that I can have these five minutes with her. I caress up and down her back feeling her quiver under my hands as her hand starts to caress south down my back. Having her hands on me has me rock hard, which I’m positive she can feel and with her hand caressing over my ass, my cock jumps as I hear her moan. I catch my breath.

“Sebastian, why does this feel so good? Being in your arms. Never wanting to let go.” Pulling away abruptly, Carla picks her jacket from the floor, looks at my groin before turning away with a flush along her beautiful cheekbones. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry, but I need to leave.”

I reach out and take hold of her arm, preventing her from slipping away. “You didn’t say anything I wasn’t thinking. Don’t be embarrassed Carla. I’m not sure what we’re going to do about this thing between us, but we can’t just ignore it. Not anymore – please Carla. Let me talk to my brother. You can’t be in love with him when we have, whatever this is.”

Pain fills her eyes and her lips go tight fighting the emotions overcoming her as she replies, “We have to ignore it.” Breaking free of my hand, she gives me one last, heart wrenching glance before she races from the room.

What the fuck!

Without another thought, I grab my jacket and storm out the door just missing Ramon, who looks surprised before I ignore him and walk out onto the back porch to try and catch my breath. Resting my arms on the porch railing, I breathe deeply as I hear the door open behind me.

“I’m not going to ask what that was about, but we’re heading out so I’ll catch you later,” Ramon says to my back.

I glance over my shoulder and meet his worried eyes, “Okay.”

He doesn’t move and continues watching me. “Are you okay?”

“I will be.”





Chapter 9




Carla



Ramon has been acting weird ever since we left his parents’ house. Usually we’d talk or listen to music, but neither of these things took place on the way home tonight. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s sulking.

Why he’d be sulking was anyone’s guess because the day has been good and I thoroughly enjoyed the time with the women when Lily was opening her ‘naughty’ presents, which the guys couldn’t stop looking at. Ramon seemed to enjoy being with his family, but at the end, as we were leaving he seemed in a funk and hasn’t snapped out of it now that we’re home.

Even now, I can hear him slamming around in the kitchen. Loud thumps as he closes cupboards, bangs as he sets things down on the counter top and crashes as he moves around the room. I wince with each noise, a headache slowly building. Okay, enough is enough.

Walking out of my room and towards the kitchen, I stand in the doorway and watch him as he slams around the kitchen. It takes a few minutes before he sees me. He stops and stares at me with what I’d call a guilty look on his face.

“What’s happened Ramon? You were fine at your parents’ house. Have I done something?”

He looks away and won’t make eye contact with me before turning his back and leaning against the counter. “What’s going on between you and my brother?”

I’m stunned. I shouldn’t be, but I am. That was the last thing I expected him to ask me. “I don’t know what to say.” Taking a seat at the breakfast bar to the side of me, I rest my elbows on the counter top with my face in my hands.

Before I even realize it, Ramon is standing in front of me and peeling my hands away from my face. As I look at him leaning over the breakfast bar towards me, he doesn’t look angry, he looks…resigned.

“Carla…I’m not angry with you. I am with Seb, but not you. You know this thing between us, which we’re showing to the world, isn’t happening, but he doesn’t and he’s coming on to you as my girlfriend and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel.”

He sighs and rubs the back of his neck in agitation. “Sebastian is my brother and if I thought he was looking at you as the next notch on his bed post then I’d be pissed as hell, but he isn’t. He says he hasn’t been with anyone for five months, which was when he first met you, and I believe him.” He grins. “You have my brother tied in knots…I was debating letting him know we’re just friends to put him out of his misery, but I think he needs to suffer some more for poaching what he believes to be mine.”