“Why not?” He asked against my lips as I felt my heart break all over again.
“You’re my family. They’re my family and I can’t hurt them this way,” I murmured as he took a harsh breath.
“We’re consenting adults. We always were, Celia. Didn’t your mom talk about us ending up together when we were older like mine did?” I crumbled, dropping my head against his chest. Melinda did it too.
“That doesn’t mean anything. They weren’t talking about us fucking until we were sick of each other.” He stroked my hair, and I closed my eyes.
“It might be more than that. We should see it through.” Remy told me as I laughed weakly.
“Have you ever had a girlfriend? Is it possible for you?” I asked him as he fell silent. “I am not a one-night-stand for you… not anymore. That was the one time when we both needed it, Remy.”
His hands dropped away from me as we stared at each other. Remy looked tortured as he backed up and then turned to walk away. I watched as pain ripped through me at the hopeless fantasy that it seemed both of our mothers had. They didn’t know that little Remy would grow up to be a player and they would never want that for me. I wouldn’t want that for me.
I turned to wander towards some rocks, a place that I came to think after the car accident. Well, both now. I slid onto the rounded one, crossing my legs as I stared out at the water. My lips still tingled from the kiss and I would never be able to put out the fire in my body. I would just replace it with another one, a smaller one. Something that burned this bright could never last. That was only in books and movies.
I composed myself and headed back to the house. Long walks on the beach were nothing new for me but I needed to prove to myself that I could handle this. I walked towards the house, seeing two figures on the deck talking with a lot of hand movements. The closer I got told me that it was Brinley and Remy and I wondered if they were fighting over me. I drew closer and caught the echo of her words on the wind. “You’re twenty-six now…still acting like the manwhore you always were…we’re here to figure out our lives.” It was the usual thing with them and I licked my lips slowly.
Brinley glanced down and saw me, shutting her mouth as she glared at her brother. I didn’t want to point it out, but she had a lot of the same habits that Remy did. She claimed it was a college thing for the last few years but what would she say now? Remy stared at me for a long moment as if he wanted to say something but turned and walked inside. I let out a breath and walked up the stairs, feigning indifference. “Did he listen this time?”
“He never does. Remy is so stubborn.” She told me as I smiled weakly. He was. “When is he going to grow up?”
“Maybe he won’t.” I sat down in a lounge and brushed my hair back from my face. “Some men never do.”
“He shouldn’t be walking in here like that in the morning, not in front of Mom.” She continued, and I laughed.
“Your mom gets it with both of you,” I told her as she closed her mouth and stared at me. “It’s fine. I’m not judging you, but you can’t turn and judge him. Everyone works differently, Brin.”
“Why are you so damn innocent?” She mumbled as she sat down across from me.
“Not innocent. Just different.” I argued. She had no idea what her brother could do in bed and who was I to make her nauseous? “He probably feels the same way about you. I know he does. Remember him at that party?”
“I think he’s just being grumpy. Mom said things went down in Seattle and he’s here early because of that. I mean, he’s always been protective. That night was over the top and I think he gave Kevin a heart attack.” She laughed and dropped back as she closed her eyes. “Someday, I will be at his wedding and he will be at mine. I’ve always known that.”
I looked at the door that Remy disappeared through, wondering if he was looking to me for comfort again. I couldn’t offer it. I needed to make him get through this on his own even if it was with other women. I couldn’t risk my heart.
“We’ll see.” I hated the idea of being at his wedding and watching him give himself to somebody else. I couldn’t even imagine my own at this point.
CHAPTER SIX
Remy
I looked in the mirror on Monday morning, straightening my blue tie. I was told that it brought out my eyes which I deemed my best first impression. I knew how to charm people. My hair was carefully styled to look messy, and I slipped my suit jacket on carefully. I looked right for the job even if it wasn’t as big a company as the one I worked for in Seattle. It was a start.