He grunts as my knee collides with his gut.
“Sorry,” I sputter. How in the hell did we end up so close with my leg thrown over his and our heads inches apart?
“It’s fine,” he assures me, rubbing the spot on his stomach where I kneed him. “I’m just glad you slept okay. Or I’m assuming you did since I didn’t sense you wake up at all during the night.”
“Yeah, I slept great.” As images of my dream creep into my mind, heat rushes to my cheeks. Foster notices, his brows dipping, and my embarrassment increases. Please don’t let him be able to feel what I’m feeling down the link, that his brother turned me on in my dreams. “How did you know I slept all through the night, though? Unless you were awake all night, watching me sleep?” I ask with teasing accusation.
He assesses my blushing face, the crease between his brow deepening. “Maybe I was.” He pauses, then gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and climbs out of bed.
My heart flutters and my head spins. He just kissed me on the cheek. His lips were so soft and felt so good against my skin.
He feels so good.
“Easton messaged me a couple of minutes ago and said my mom messaged him,” Foster says, stretching his arms above his head.
His shirt rides up, giving me a view of his lean abs and the lightning tattoo inking his flesh.
Stop staring at him like a perv, Sky. Get your head out of lust land.
I yank my gaze off him, relieved he hasn’t noticed I was just eye fucking the hell out of his stomach muscles. “What’d she say?”
His hands fall to his sides. “That she still hasn’t been able to get ahold of the headmistress, so we have to stay in the house still. But Easton and I thought maybe we could help you practice using your powers while we’re stuck here.”
“That sounds really great, actually.” Although the idea of using my powers on purpose has me nervous. “Is it safe to do that in the house, though?”
He drags his hand over the top of his head, making strands of his hair go askew. “We’ll probably stick to the pool house since there’s limited things in there that we can ruin, but you practicing is more important than a few things getting broken.”
Maybe he’s right, but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel bad if I ruin something. Emaline and Gabe have been so nice to me that the last thing I want to do is set their house on fire.
“I’ll make sure your powers don’t get too out of hand,” he adds.
“Okay, let’s do it then. But, while we’re at it, can you teach me how to block out what I’m feeling from flowing down the link? It’s starting to really become a pain in the ass.”
“Maybe it is for you, but I think some of my brothers find it amusing.” When I grimace, he chuckles, his eyes crinkling around the corners. “Yeah, I can show you. Just know that the link’s still there if you ever need it. You never have to be alone in this, okay?”
“That still applies even when the link is a bit broken? Or altered, I guess.”
He nods. ‘No matter what, you’ll never be alone in this.”
I nod, my heart constricting at his words. I’m not alone in this.
I’m not alone anymore.
My heart starts doing really weird things, but I shove the feelings aside, silently telling my heart to quit being a dumbass.
After Foster leaves, I get dressed, putting on a pair of black, stretchy jeans and a matching shirt. Then I pull my hair into a ponytail and head downstairs to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. When I get there, though, plates of bacon and eggs are already on the kitchen island.
“Good morning,” Charlotte greets me as she wipes down the countertops with a dishrag.
“Hey.” I peer around the empty kitchen. All the appliances look polished and sparkly and the air smells like bacon with a hint of lemon cleaner. “Where are Foster and Easton?”
“They haven’t come down here yet.” She moves on to wiping down the stove, giving me a smile from over her shoulder. “They’re worse than a couple of girls when it comes to getting ready. Well, either that or my girls just got ready quickly.”
“You have kids then?” I ask, plopping down onto a barstool.
She nods, tossing the dishrag down and turning to face me. “Three actually. But they’re grown up now and married with their own kids.”
“Where’s your husband?” I wonder as I shovel up a forkful of eggs.