The Better Brother

“At least you try,” Julie said kindly. “A lot of families don’t.”

I moved the conversation away from Josh, and soon, we were laughing and talking like we’d never been interrupted. The wine was flowing freely and, when we ordered dessert, I found Julie’s foot beneath the table. She didn’t move when we touched, but her eyes told me she felt it. She stared at me with an intensity I hadn’t seen from her yet. That look sent bolts of electricity shooting through my body. I could barely think the entire drive home.

“Walk me up?” Julie asked as I put my car in park outside of her house.

“Of course,” I said. “I am a gentleman, you know.”

“You are?” Julie teased. “I never would’ve guessed.”

“Very funny.”

I climbed out of the car and hurried around to open her door. We walked slowly toward her house. We weren’t touching, but the tension between us was palpable.

“I had fun,” Julie said. She turned to face me, and my eyes flickered down to her lips.

“Me too.”

Julie’s eyes met mine. Her lips looked soft and inviting. I couldn’t stop myself from stepping forward.

Julie inhaled sharply but didn’t move away. Her eyes were locked on mine, and when our lips touched, she melted into me. My arms went around her waist, and she sighed against my lips. The kiss was soft at first, but within seconds, my entire body was on fire.

Julie wrenched herself away from me and took a step back. She fumbled with her keys and quickly unlocked her front door. Pushing it open, she turned back to me with a hungry look in her eyes.

Without a word, she held out her hand to me. I didn’t need to be told twice. I grabbed her around the waist, and we fell over the threshold, our lips thrashing against each other with desperation.

CHAPTER 5

Julie

Michael’s lips were on mine before I could think. One second, we were staring at each other on my doorstep and, the next, we were crashing inside the house with a reckless abandon I’d never felt before. The only thing that existed was Michael. His lips on mine. His tongue sliding into my waiting mouth. His strong, rough hands gripping my hips tightly. Soon, I was out of breath, and my entire body was on fire.

A soft moan escaped my lips as I wrenched myself away from Michael to take a breath. He didn’t let me get far. He kissed my neck playfully, licking and nibbling my sensitive skin. I gasped and tightened my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his dark hair.

“Where’s the bedroom?” Michael asked. When his eyes met mine, they were full of need. My stomach burned, and a wave of desire flooded between my legs.

“Come here.” I groaned and kissed him again, my lips working furiously against his.

His tongue slid in my mouth, and I could taste the wine from dinner. It fueled my desire even more as I led him backward toward my bedroom.

I’d never slept with a man on a first date before. I’d never even come close, but with Michael, I didn’t want to stop. His hands were all over my body, cascading down my back, tightening around my waist, sliding over my butt. He had touched every inch of me, and it still wasn’t enough. I cursed the light fabric of my blue dress, hating that it separated me from his fingertips.

I kicked open the door to my bedroom and pulled Michael inside by his tie. He grinned at me slyly, his eyes trailing down my body. I could feel his gaze as sharp as a burning flame. It whipped over my breasts and stomach, down to my legs. He wanted me, and that was enough to send me reeling.

My hands flew to his tie, loosening it quickly. I pulled it over his head, leaning forward to kiss his neck while I unbuttoned his shirt. I couldn’t stop. My body had taken control, and I wasn’t complaining. The sounds that came from Michael’s throat when I kissed his chest were enough to make my legs tremble with desire.

“God, I want you,” Michael groaned.

I threw his shirt off h

is shoulders and wrapped my arms around his neck again. Our kiss was more intense, and his lips didn’t slow for a single second, and neither did his hands. He kissed me hard and fast, reaching around my back to unzip my dress. I moaned when his hands touched my bare skin. This was the moment I’d been waiting for all night.

Michael’s fingertips were rough on my back, but they felt amazing. He unhooked my bra and slipped both it and my dress down my body. In seconds, I was standing before him, wearing nothing but a pair of lacy blue panties. They matched my dress, but when I got ready earlier that evening, I never imagined Michael would see them.

Still, I didn’t want him to stop. I longed to feel his fingers and lips on every inch of my skin.

“You’re gorgeous.” Michael’s voice was low and sexy as he looked me up and down.

My lips were still tingling from our kiss, and my chest was rising and falling with every labored breath. He was staring at me with so much desire that I felt yet another wave flood between my legs. My panties were soaked, and when I glanced down at Michael’s pants, I saw that he was already rock hard.