“Ethan, I want to sleep in my bed.” I lift his heavy arm off me.
His eyes shut. A few minutes pass where I listen to him breathe before I give in to him. I can sleep next to Ethan tonight. I won’t fall for him again.
My hatred for Ethan only fuels the sexual tension between us. Will picks up on it, too, most of the time having to get between us. When I visit my brother, Ethan doesn’t usually come with the package. I purposely plan my trips to the luxury apartment they share on the Camden Waterfront around Ethan’s schedule.
My eyelids flutter. The stress of my new living situation, combined with the fact it’s now three o’clock in the morning, coaxes me into a trance. I need sleep. Without overthinking it, I close my eyes and press my palm to Ethan’s chest, cocooning myself in his warmth.
Overcome with exhaustion, I tell myself not to dwell on Ethan and the past. No longer denying the affection I have for Ethan, I fall asleep to the sound of him breathing in my ear, wondering what my brother will think if he finds us together.
Chapter Five
Ethan
When I wake up, I have a weight on my chest that digs into my stomach. One more hour of sleep, I tell myself as I slide my hand up a girl’s thigh, slowly making my way to her big tits. For the second time this week, I’m in bed with a strange girl. Anymore, my life is turning into one big party with hockey in between. The last thing I remember, I was at the bar with Will, pounding a beer with a girl on my lap, and the rest blurs together.
I prop myself up on my right elbow to lean over the woman next to me and slip my hand beneath her shirt. She backs up against my chest, and I move her hair out of her face and off her neck, allowing me access to plant soft kisses on her neck.
My dick hardens as I palm her left breast in my hand and continue to leave a trail of kisses on her skin. She feels amazing, her nipple responsive to my touch.
“Five more minutes, Mom,” she mutters under her breath.
I laugh, but then stop touching her the second I recognize Mia’s voice. I would know that voice anywhere.
Sitting up, just enough to look at her, I open my eyes and sigh. Fuck. If Will sees us together, he’ll kick my ass across the living room. I have too much of a hangover to explain why I accidentally fondled his little sister. Well, there’s nothing little about Mia anymore.
She’s wearing a black tank top without a bra and pink polka dot pajama pants that curve to the contours of her delicious body. It doesn’t occur to me until she stirs in my arms that my hand is still cupping her breast, which isn’t helping my usual morning wood that’s tenting my boxers. Slowly removing my hand from beneath her shirt, I lean against the couch and stare up at the ceiling, blowing out a deep breath.
“Ethan,” Mia growls and then elbows me hard in the chest. “What are you doing, you pervert?”
She sits up, hugging her knees to her chest as she shoots daggers in my direction. Her blue eyes are so beautiful even though they’re lidded and slightly glassy from sleep. The longer she stares, the more I wonder if she’s going to punch me or kiss me. While I’m hoping for a kiss, I’m not holding my breath. She still hates my guts and rightfully so. I would hate me too if I were her.
She holds my gaze for a few more seconds before she blows out a puff of air that I can feel on my face. “Why, Ethan? Huh? What is wrong with you?”
“It was an accident,” I admit. “I woke up with you in my arms and thought you were someone else.”
Her face twists into disgust. “You’re so gross. And who would I be… the hockey hooker of the week?”
I love her sense of h
umor, though I don’t think she’s trying to be funny this time. Ever since I walked away from her, I haven’t been able to redeem myself. No amount of apologies or explanations work on Mia. Because the stories I tell her are complete bullshit. I still can’t admit the truth about my past.
Will is the only person other than my family who knows everything, and it took me years to confess all of my secrets to my best friend. His sister is a different story. Mia used to look at me with so much love and admiration. Now, she glares at me like I’m a piece of used gum under her shoe. I hate that the secrets of my past have destroyed what we had. But I can’t lose my best friend over the feelings I once had for his sister.
“I’m sorry,” I say and mean it. “I really did think you were someone else.”
Will is going to murder me. This cannot be happening. As much as I’d wanted to hook up with Mia years ago, I always stopped myself because of her age and because of Will.
“Please don’t say anything to Will,” I add, hoping she won’t spit in my face.
Mia gets so close our mouths are several inches apart. “As long as Will didn’t see us, we can pretend this never happened.” She extends her hand. “Deal?”
A smirk touches the corner of my mouth as I shake her hand. “Deal.”
Our team meeting with the local newspaper starts in a few hours.
Her cheeks flush with embarrassment when she looks down at the tiny buds poking through her shirt.
“Ugh, I can’t believe you were groping me in my sleep.” Mia’s nose scrunches as if she’s just eaten rotten food. “You’re so gross.”