I sit down beside her and slowly release the breath. She watches me, quiet.
“I’ve never felt about you the way I should have,” I say slowly, meeting her eyes. “My feelings were . . . far from brotherly. There was always an attraction there, one that I fought hard to turn off. But I never should have acted on it. I know that now. I was only trying to protect you.”
“From what?” She blinks.
“Me.”
Maren shakes her head ever so slightly. “I’m a big girl, Hayes. I don’t need protecting.”
She’s right, I realize. She’s an adult. We both are. We can make our own decisions.
Suddenly, the tension that’s been building between us all night snaps. Everything else fades away, and it’s like we’re back at the lake house. All that matters is the two of us. And there’s too much room between us.
I lean closer and she falls into my arms, her hands grasping at my chest as our mouths collide, all heat and desperation. This is what I’ve wanted from the moment I spotted her on that beach. This is what I’ve wanted from the moment I let her go.
I guide her into my lap and lose myself in the moment. My hands in her hair, her hands on my chest, our bodies intertwining. Everything is exactly as it should be, as it always should have been.
And then it hits me.
Rosie.
“Not here, dove.”
I scoop Maren up in my arms, and she squeals and buries her face in my neck. That’s the kind of sound I want to hear more often. I’ve got a few ideas about that. I carry her into my room, making sure to close the door gently behind us, and lay her down on the bed.
Nothing else matters now. Not Wolfie. Not my grandma. Not even what I thought was right or wrong just this morning. Nothing that feels this good, this perfect, can be wrong, can it?
I take off my shirt, and she does the same. Our eyes are locked as we watch each other undress, me standing at the foot of the bed, Maren splayed out before me. She tosses my sweatpants in the corner, and a small smile forms on her lips. My body responds instantly as my cock springs free from my briefs, pressing up against my abdomen.
“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur.
She props herself up on her elbows to watch me move closer. My cock twitches in anticipation, and this time, she definitely notices. Her smile widens, and her eyes grow hungry as I lie down next to her on the bed.
We kiss again, deeper and more intensely than before. I reach between her legs and brush lightly over her center. She shudders, smiling into my mouth, and responds by giving my balls a gentle squeeze.
“Careful, dove,” I growl.
She kisses me harder and takes my cock in her hand. Pleasure spreads throughout my body from her touch. When I push her away, she looks up at me with confusion in her eyes.
“You first,” I say, placing my hand between her legs.
Maren moans, and I draw circles over her sensitive spot, watching the pleasure rock through her body. When I know she’s ready, I slide inside her, and we make the kind of love I’ve only ever heard about in songs. The kind of love so good, so in sync, it’s hard to imagine ever doing it with anyone else.
After we finish, she cleans up in the bathroom and stands in the doorway, looking hotter than hell in one of my T-shirts.
Holding a strand of hair between her fingers, she says, “So, should I—”
“Stay,” I say before she can finish asking. “Please. I want you to stay.”
She climbs into my bed next to me and curls into my side. The moment we’re settled, I can feel myself drifting off to sleep, content knowing that she’ll be there in the morning when I wake up.
“Oh, Maren! I didn’t know you were still here.”
Nothing makes me feel more like I’m sixteen all over again than surprising my grandmother with a girl in the morning. But this isn’t just any girl. This is Maren. And the fact that she’s still here right now, sneaking out of my bedroom? Well, that’s pretty much our smoking gun.
Rosie gives us both an amused smile, and Maren blushes so hard, her whole chest turns red.
“Good morning, Rosie,” she says meekly, taking a mug of coffee and sitting down at the table.
Rosie chuckles and pats her on the arm. “No need to be sheepish around me, sweetheart. I was young once too, you know.”
I shoot her a look, and she shoots one right back at me. I live here too, Rosie’s eyes are telling me, and don’t think I don’t know what’s going on here.
“So, uh, Rosie, any big plans for the day?” Maren asks, clearly desperate for a change in subject.
“Probably another day of soaps and your favorite books, right, Grandma?” I ask.
Rosie shrugs. “Am I that predictable?”
“You should come to Riverside,” Maren says, half to herself.
“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to impose,” Rosie says.
“No, you wouldn’t be an imposition at all. Guests are always welcome at the community center. It’s bingo day today, if you’re willing to try your luck.” Maren smiles widely at her, and I can’t help but smile watching her.
“Well, I do love bingo,” Rosie says.
“So you’ll come?” Maren’s practically about to fall out of her chair.
“All right, I’ll come.”
Maren squeals and pulls Rosie in for a hug. It’s nice, seeing them like this.
“I’ll drop you both off,” I say.
“Well, I need my car,” Maren reminds me.
“Okay, so I’ll drop you both off at your place so you can drive, and then I’ll come pick Rosie up when bingo’s done.”
“Okay.” Maren gives Rosie a smile. “Bingo will be done at eleven. And don’t worry, Rosie, we’ll take great care of you at Riverside. We’ve got
