The Secret (Single in Seattle 1)

“This might be the last moment I have you to myself,” Vaughn says in my ear from behind. He wraps his arms around my middle and kisses my neck. “You’re fucking beautiful, you know that, right?”

“It’s just jeans and a sweater.”

“Beautiful,” he repeats softly before turning me around and planting his mouth right on mine in a long, slow, easy kiss that has my toes curling in my socks.

“You can just stop that right now,” Stella says as she hurries past to open the door.

I didn’t even hear the doorbell.

“The party’s here,” Liam announces and hurries in, wearing silly sunglasses and a weird, old, button-down shirt that looks like something from the seventies. “Where’s the beer?”

“In the usual place.” I point toward the back of the house, and Liam hurries past me. “Keep your clothes on!”

“I have bail money,” Lucy says with a grin. “I smell pizza.”

“In the kitchen.”

Over the next thirty minutes or so, all of the cousins filter in, drift through the kitchen for food and drinks and then move out to the pool since it’s a nice night to sit outside for a while.

No one makes a big deal about Vaughn. They’re polite and welcoming, but there are no questions about movies or asking what it’s like to be famous.

They’re just normal.

Vaughn visibly relaxes next to me, and then I lose him altogether to a game of beer pong on the patio.

“I like him,” Josie says as she joins me with a lemon drop. We watch Vaughn and Keaton play for a moment. “He’s really laid-back and not pretentious at all.”

“Yeah.” I sigh and then grin when he and Keaton start to yell at each other over a questionable call.

“You like him, too,” Josie says and sips her drink. “Like, a lot.”

“Probably more than I should,” I agree. “But, I can’t seem to stop it. And I don’t think I want to. My dad’s not thrilled, but he took it better than I expected.”

“Luke’s a teddy bear when it comes to his wife and kids,” Josie replies. “I imagine he’s worried more than anything.”

“I know.”

“Come on,” Erin says, interrupting us and tugging on Josie’s arm. “Let’s go chat while the boys play that stupid game.”

“The guys are outside, right?” Haley asks, looking behind us.

“We want to know all there is to know about sex with Vaughn,” Stella informs me and passes me a fresh lemon drop. “You’ll need this because you can’t leave out any of the dirty words.”

I scrunch my nose and then realize that seven pairs of eyes are staring holes into me, and the room is dead-silent.

“No pressure or anything,” I mutter and take a big swig of the drink. “It’s…ridiculous. Like, crazy-good. I’m not saying I’m with him just for the sex, but it’s a factor because the man knows his way around, if you know what I mean.”

“Are the orgasms, like, abundant?” Erin asks.

“Fuck, yes.” I press my lips together as they laugh. “Oh, my God, you guys. I’ve had sex before, and orgasms aren’t exactly new, but holy shitballs, this guy makes it his one job in life to make sure I come constantly.”

“He’s doing the Lord’s work,” Josie says, holding her glass up in cheers. “God bless him.”

“Does he have a signature move?” Sophie asks, leaning in and gesturing with a breadstick. “You know, like a certain way he kisses? Or does he use his fingers in a particularly good way?”

“He pulls my hair,” I admit with a grin.

“I don’t like that,” Lucy decides. “A guy did that once, and I was like…I’m not a horse, buddy.”

“That’s because he didn’t do it right,” Maddie says with a laugh. “Not all men can. You really have to teach them because when it’s done correctly, it’s hot as fuck.”

“She’s right,” I concur. “If a guy just, like, pulls your hair into a ponytail and it’s all flopping around, that’s not sexy. Yuck. No. The trick is for him to make a fist in your hair at your scalp, right on the back of your head. Firm but not too hard.”

Before I can reach up to demonstrate, I hear, “Like this.”

Vaughn swoops up behind me and turns me around to face him. His green eyes are full of humor, his lips a mere inch from mine as his hand drifts up my back and he makes a fist in my hair in just that right spot.

He tugs, just a bit, and then his mouth is on mine in one hell of a kiss. I hear the catcalls and whoops around us, and when he pulls back and smiles down at me, my heart just simply stutters.

“Wow,” I whisper.

“Okay, I think I like that,” Lucy announces. “I’m next. Try it out on me.”

“Not a chance in hell,” I say, still staring up at him. He just chuckles and kisses my forehead, then pulls away.