Mister Dick

“You are definitely not my sister.”

“This isn’t right.” What wasn’t right were the very un-brotherly thoughts running through my head along with a healthy dose of panic. “My dad will kill you if he finds out you’re here with me and we’re…” I blushed so hard, my cheeks felt like they were on fire.

“Naked?” he said, that wicked

grin still in place.

Axel Mansfield would have a fucking coronary. “Nothing can happen between us. Like never.”

Boyd slowly shook his head. “Don’t worry, Echo. You’re not my type.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Okay. My mouth needed to learn when to shut the hell up. What did I care if I wasn’t his type?

“I don’t date little girls.”

My chin jutted out. “I’m sixteen.” Well, I would be in a couple weeks.

His eyes dipped again, and I knew he could see my breasts. I should have covered them, but I didn’t. Instead, something inside me, something wicked, made me push my chest out until the water barely covered my nipples. When he glanced up, the expression in his eyes made my stomach turn over. Hot flames licked between my thighs as a sharp throb began to pulse.

He was so far off-limits, I’d be crazy to consider the things I was thinking. But I couldn’t help myself. I wondered what it would feel like to have his body slide against mine. To feel his hard chest, those smooth muscles—to have his hand between my legs.

We treaded water, staring at each other, and for a long time, neither one of us said a thing. When he began to drift away, I exhaled the air I’d been holding and felt dizzy. I watched him reach the edge of the swimming hole, and when he was about to haul himself out of the water, I might have squeaked and turned around. He was naked. He laughed, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Like I said. I don’t date little girls.”

“I don’t date assholes.”

“Then you’d best stay away from me.”

After a good long while, I turned around, teeth chattering and storm clouds gathering. Boyd was gone, but the idea of him consumed me. The look in his eyes. The heat between my legs. The thought of his hands and mouth on me.

By the time I made it back to the house for dinner, I had one thought running through my head and five weeks to accomplish it. I was going to lose my virginity to Boyd Appleton.

In the end, it only took two.

4

Boyd

I slept like shit, and the reason for it was outside trying to navigate the flagstone that led up to the main house. Normally, I wouldn’t give a crap—it was Echo, after all—but there wasn’t a clear path, and the silver heels she wore weren’t helping her any. Neither was the workout gear. It was a ridiculous getup that would look damn crazy on anyone but Echo. On her, it looked like something straight out of fashion week in Paris.

I watched her for a few moments, contemplating my move, admiring the view (I was a guy, after all), but when she nearly fell on her ass for the fifth time, I pulled on boots and grabbed a jacket. I had no time to deal with her bullshit, but even less time to deal with the fallout if she fell and broke a leg. Or worse.

I yanked open the door and was hit by ice pellets the size of golf balls. The wind was fierce and moaned loudly as I yelled at Echo. She didn’t turn around or give any sign that she’d heard me. Still pigheaded, I thought darkly as I took off after her.

By the time I reached her, she was nearly at the front porch of the century-old home. It was a sprawling Victorian with a huge veranda, double stained-glass doors, and the kind of charm you could only find in the country. At least that was what the brochure said.

“What the hell?” she practically spat at me when I grabbed her shoulders and spun her around.

Her lips were blue and her teeth chattered as much as her body shook.

“There’s no one inside.” I braced myself against the wind, wincing at the sting from the ice pellets.

“What are you talking about? Of course there is.” She tried to pull away, but I wouldn’t let her. It was cold as hell, and damned if I was going to stay out here arguing with her. Why couldn’t she just listen for once?

“No,” I ground out. My grip tightened. “There’s not. Davis is gone until next week.”

“But…” She glanced over her shoulder at the darkened house. “There has to be a way inside.”