Chapter 15 #2
I take a long sip of my wine and let the bittersweet flavor linger on my tongue. I hadn’t considered how I was going to explain the situation. This is Olivia’s brother-in-law we’re talking about. Do we know each other well enough to talk about these kinds of things?
A pang of sadness pierces me. This is the sort of thing sisters are for, but Clio didn’t stick around long enough to do all of the sisterly things, like give me any dating advice or swap clothes.
I learned to do my own hair from an online tutorial, and I was woefully unprepared when I got my first period.
I’ve felt her absence every day since she left.
I still miss her, though I try not to think about it too much.
“It might be TMI,” I admit.
“We read filthy books and discuss our sex lives all the time.”
“True. But Jaxon’s your brother-in-law. Wouldn’t that be weird?”
Olivia splutters into her drink. “I knew it! You and Jaxon finally f—”
I cut her off mid-sentence. “No! Well. Not exactly.”
Her face breaks into a wide grin, and she tops up both of our drinks. “Tell me everything.”
I’m not sure how I feel about the level of excitement radiating out of her right now, but I’m already in it. Might as well go all the way. “I saw Jaxon… God, no matter how I word it, it just sounds so indecent.”
“You caught Jaxon with his pants down?”
I nod from side to side and huff out a breath. “Technically, his pants were still on, he just… unzipped them.”
“Right. So, you caught him jacking off and then what?” Her matter-of-fact tone catches me off guard, but I don’t have time to dwell on it.
This is the part of the story that gets awkward.
“I might have… joined him from outside the room.”
“Damn. That’s kind of hot. Manual or assisted?”
Is she talking about sex toys?
“Manual… I guess.”
Olivia leans forward and drapes her arm across her lap like this is the juiciest gossip she’s ever heard. “Then what happened?”
“He caught me.”
“Did you at least finish?”
I roll my lips together and scrunch up my nose. “We both did. He said my name.”
Her mouth drops open on a silent squeal. “Said it or screamed it?”
This is way more detail than I was prepared to share. In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose. “More like… groaned it.”
She clinks her glass against mine. “Go, Callie. That man is obsessed with you.”
I take another sip of my wine and shake my head. “That’s a bit dramatic.”
“He borrowed my kids so he could take them to the library, just to see you. I’d say that’s borderline obsessive behavior, but what do I know? What happened next?”
“He called me out for watching him, and I bolted.”
“Callie!” She throws up her hands, jostling the wine in her glass. “That was the perfect opportunity to take things to the next level.”
“I don’t know if I want that.”
“Come on. You’re not fooling anyone. Everyone can see the way you look at each other. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.”
I shake my head and let out a resigned sigh. “It’s not like that.”
“You’re in denial.”
“Even if it was like that, we’re not on the same level.”
“You’re hot. Objectively, he’s hot. I can say that because I’m almost married to a Hayes, and they all are. Even Pops has still got it.”
I nod enthusiastically. “Total silver fox.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“Swear you won’t tell anyone?”
“Pinky promise.” Olivia holds out her hand between us, and I lock my finger around hers. It’s the closest thing to a sisterly connection I’ve felt in years.
“I’m a virgin.”
“Is it because you’re saving yourself?” It’s a straightforward follow-up; there’s no judgment in her tone.
“No. Nothing like that.” How much am I ready to tell her? My past isn’t something I like to talk about, but Olivia is so easy to talk to. I want to confide in her. “I have scars, and I’ve never felt comfortable enough with anyone to be naked around them.”
Saying the words aloud feels like a weight being lifted.
Her expression softens, and she gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Do you feel comfortable with Jaxon?”
“Maybe? I could get there.”
“Intimacy takes time.”
I narrow my gaze at her.
“Ok. There are exceptions.”
A laugh bubbles out of me as the alcohol starts to take effect.
“For what it’s worth,” she says. “I think you two would be great together. Jaxon needs someone to ground him. You need someone to help you open up. You’d balance each other out in the best way.”
“What made you open up to Wilder?”
She smiles wistfully as though lost in a memory.
“That man barged into my life like a wrecking ball. There was this ease about him. He offered me comfort when I needed it. Do you know how many people I passed that day who didn’t look twice at the girl with mascara-streaked cheeks and a broken heart?
Countless people watched me struggle, but Wilder…
he took my burdens and made them his own.
I was already halfway in love with him when the stick turned blue. ”
“That might’ve been the orgasms talking, Liv.”
She snorts. “Yeah, maybe that too. Good head doesn’t hurt, either.”
Wilder’s deep voice resonates in the vast expanse of their backyard. “Who’s giving good head?”
Olivia throws her head back and grins at him. “Always you, baby.”
“Better be.” He leans over and kisses her upside down. “Can I get you ladies anything?”
“I think I’m gonna call it a night.”
“Don’t leave on my account,” Wilder says. “You take all the girl time you need.”
“I really should get going. I have to work in the morning.”
Olivia stands and offers me a hug. She whispers, “Give him a chance. The Hayes men are worth it.”
Wilder offers me a ride back to Jaxon’s place, but I decline.
I could use the time to clear my head, and I find myself enjoying my late-night walks around the ranch.
It’s peaceful, and I’m safer here than I have in any other place I’ve lived.
I’m not taking my time here for granted, no matter how fleeting it might be.