Chapter 5
5
ANNA
I decide to sit outside for a while and read. It's one of those rare days when the heat isn't unbearable, and the breeze feels good as I flip through the pages. After a few minutes, Brody walks outside and sits down in the chair next to me.
"Hey," he says. "You disappeared after practice."
I look up from my book and smile at him. "I hung around for a little while, then went to get some lunch."
"I heard you were at the cafe with someone," he says casually.
I freeze but try to keep it casual. "Oh? Who'd you hear that from?"
"Another teammate."
I smirk, but inside, I'm panicking. "Yeah. Liam and I grabbed lunch together. You know me, never able to pass up a free meal."
"You and Liam are awfully chummy lately," he grumbles, stretching his legs out. “I heard some weird rumors about party games last night.”
"You and Liam are best friends. Aren't you chummy?"
"Yeah, but it's not like that."
"Well, it's not like that either. We're friends, Brody. Calm down. If you don't want me to hang around with Liam, I won't."
"I never said that," he says defensively. "You can do whatever you want. Just … be careful, all right?"
I sigh. "Whatever. I've got online class in a few." I pack up my book and head inside without waiting for him to respond. I know he didn't mean anything by it, but I don't have the energy to keep explaining myself to him.
I'm a fucking adult!
* * *
I'm halfway through my English class, headphones on and laptop on the futon in front of me when Brody leaves for his own afternoon classes without even saying goodbye. It bums me out, but what can I do? The thought of getting deeper into my new 'friendship' with Liam makes me sweat. I'll just be more careful, and if I'm lucky, Brody will forget about his suspicions by the time I head back home, and this can all be just a fun, hot memory to look back on.
Hm. So why does the idea of it becoming a memory make me ridiculously sad?
It's not like Liam is going anywhere. He'll still be my brother's best friend, and he's only a few hours away from home. I can see him again whenever I want.
But … that's not what I want.
I've been attracted to him since forever, and now that I know what it's like to have him touch me, kiss me, fuck me … I'm not sure how I'm supposed to go back to life as normal. I can't get it out of my mind, and I don't want to.
The doorbell rings just as I wrap up the homework for my English class, and I stand up quickly to get it.
Liam stands on the other side, and I practically pull him inside. He closes the door behind us and pushes me up against it, kissing me hard. His mouth tastes like mint, and he smells clean, like he's just showered. We don't need to speak. He's here, and I want to take full advantage of that fact.
"Hi," he murmurs as he pulls away from the kiss. "I only have an hour until my next class, but I couldn't get you off my mind."
"Well, that's good," I laugh, running my hands up his chest. "Because I've been thinking about you too."
"Yeah?" He smirks down at me, eyes flashing with excitement. "What were you thinking?"
"Lots of things," I reply slyly. "Like what I want you to do to me."
He grabs my chin and kisses me again, then lifts me up by my ass and carries me to the bedroom. My heart thuds so hard I think it's going to burst out of my chest, but I can't stop myself. I don't want to.
The futon is uncomfortable on the best of days, but when it's Liam laying me down on it, the shitty thin mattress could be a bed of nails for all I care. As long as he's here, it's all perfect.
He hovers over me and kisses me again, and I wrap my arms around his neck to pull him down. He feels so good, and he's barely doing anything. His weight on top of me, his hips pressing against mine, his hand on my stomach and sliding up towards my breasts—it's all enough to make me lightheaded.
"Fuck," he breathes against my mouth. "I've wanted this for so long."
"Me too," I whisper back. "You have no idea."
"I want to spend hours with you like this, days, months, years." He presses his lips to the sensitive spot behind my ear, his hand pulling my hair out of its loose bun so he can bury his fingers in it.
I don't tell him we don't have time like that. He has to know it, and I don't want to ruin the moment, so I simply whisper, "Me, too."
He pulls my tank top over my head and tosses it aside, then unsnaps my bra and slips it off. My breasts are full and heavy, nipples aching for his touch, and he doesn't disappoint. He licks one and then the other, sucking each nipple into his mouth while his fingers work the opposite one. My back arches up off the futon, giving him better access to my tits. It's a glorious feeling, and I want him to keep going forever.
Instead, he sits up and pulls me to a sitting position with him. He peels my leggings off slowly, kissing every inch of skin he reveals with a reverence that tells me he isn't lying about how long he's wanted this. Damn. We've wasted so much time.
I grab the bottom of his shirt and tug it off. Now we're both shirtless, and I have to stop for a second and take him in. Liam is a work of art, from the top of his head all the way down to his toes, and everything in between is stunning. I reach out to touch his chest, running my fingers over the lines of his muscles, coming closer so I can kiss the freckles on his shoulders.
Out loud, we're saying this is just sex. But I think beneath the surface, for both of us, this is something more.
His jeans get thrown to the floor to join my leggings, but when he settles between my legs, it isn't to thrust into me right away. Instead, he presses his lips to my hip bone and kisses a trail across my stomach, his hands pushing my thighs open so he can keep going.
I feel a rush of shyness when he moves down to see my pussy fully, his face hovering just inches away. He hasn't even touched me there yet, but I'm already wet and aching, my clit throbbing with need.
"Look at you," he growls, running his fingers over my slit. "You're so beautiful, Anna."
"Liam..."
He smirks, and his head drops down between my legs, and he licks me from bottom to top, swirling his tongue around my clit at the end. It's not just a tease—he keeps going, sucking and licking and nibbling, sliding two fingers into my pussy to curl them against my G-spot while he plays with my clit. It's incredible, and I grip his hair, my hips rolling against his mouth to get more friction.
It feels so fucking good, and I don't want it to stop. But I can't hold back. It's only a few minutes before I'm coming hard, grinding against his face as he sucks and licks me through my orgasm. My whole body is trembling, and he doesn't stop until I'm completely spent.
When he pulls back, he's grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He crawls up my body to kiss me, his mouth still slick from my pussy, and lies down next to me. "God, you taste so fucking good," he murmurs.
I'm speechless. All I can do is lie there and try to catch my breath. It's better than anything I could have imagined.
When I can finally speak again, I look at him and grin. "Wow."
"Good?"
"More than good."
"You know how you can repay me?" His hands skim down my body, stopping to cup my ass. "Ride me."
I swallow. I've never been on top before.
"It's okay. You'll do fine," he says as if sensing my nerves.
I move so I'm straddling him. Then, I take his dick and position it at my entrance. I slowly sink down, and once I'm fully seated, I lean forward, resting my hands on his chest.
I grind my hips experimentally, and he groans. "Good Lord, Anna. Do that again."
So I do. I keep grinding, feeling deliciously full. Liam takes my hips in his hands at one point, thrusting up into me and showing me just what he wants. I change my movements to match, feet digging into the mattress behind me for purchase.
It's slow and lazy, the time limit of an hour long gone from both our minds. Liam reaches up to play with my tits, seemingly entranced by the way they move as I fuck him, and I love the feeling of his eyes on me. It's nothing like I imagined it would be with him, but it's still so much more than I could have hoped for.
"Liam," I moan. "You feel so good."
He reaches up to pull me down so he can kiss me. I keep riding him, even as our tongues tangle together, his hands on my ass guiding me up and down his thick shaft. He bites down on my lip and kisses me hard, his hips bucking up against me.
He's thrusting into me fast now, chasing his own release, and I want it just as much as he does. I roll my hips a little bit, changing the angle, and suddenly, he hits that spot inside of me that makes my whole body quiver with pleasure.
"Right there," I gasp. "Keep going."
He fucks me faster, his grip tightening on my ass. It feels like heaven.
"I want to see you touch yourself," he tells me against my mouth. "Sit up, baby."
I do as he asks, sitting up and placing my hand over my clit. I start to rub it slowly as I keep bouncing up and down on his cock, my whole body aching with need. My orgasm is close—I can feel it building in my core—but I want him to come with me.
"That's good, Anna," he murmurs, watching me. "Just like that."
I keep going, rubbing my clit harder now. Liam takes my other hand and brings it to his mouth, kissing my palm and sucking one of my fingers into his mouth. It's so fucking hot. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold off.
I grind down against his cock, letting him fill me up completely. He keeps thrusting up into me, his hands gripping my hips hard now. His breathing is coming faster, and I can tell he's close to the edge, too.
"Come for me," I gasp. "I want to feel you come inside me, Liam."
"Fuck," he growls. "You're going to fucking kill me, you know that?"
I smirk. "At least you'll die happy."
Liam laughs and pulls me back down to him, kissing me, his hips moving faster. We're both right on the edge, and when we fall over it, we do it together. He comes inside of me, his fingers digging into my skin so hard I know I'll be able to see the evidence of his pleasure long after we're done. It's hard for me to keep any sort of rhythm when I come, but Liam fucks me through it. I feel the orgasm shivering through me, my stomach muscles spasming as my pussy milks Liam's cock, both of us panting and breathing each other’s names.
I collapse against his chest when we're done, spent, and he wraps his arms around me. I can hear his heart hammering in his chest, and I'm sure mine is just as loud. I press my lips against his collarbone, and he strokes my hair. It's … different. Unexpected. Perfect.
We lie like that for a few minutes, neither of us speaking. Finally, Liam breaks the silence. "I should?—”
We hear the front door open at the same time, and we both freeze. Footsteps in the living room, then Brody's voice. "Anna? You home?"
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
I look at Liam, and my panic is reflected right back at me in his face. "What do we do?" I whisper.
Liam sits up. "I'll just go out there. Tell him I stopped by to ask him a question or something."
"No!" I grab his arm. "He can't find you in here with me. He'll kill both of us."
Brody's footsteps are coming closer. "Anna?" he says again.
"What should I do, then? I'm not exactly dressed to leave." Liam motions to his lack of clothing.
"Get dressed!" I hiss, throwing his clothes at him. He scrambles to put them on, and I do the same.
We don't make it. Just as Liam pulls his pants on and I finish putting on my clothes, Brody opens the door. His eyes sweep over the room, taking in our half-dressed state, and I know I've been caught.
"What the fuck?" Brody says.
"Brody, I can explain," I say quickly.
Liam steps forward, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, man. Calm down."
Brody looks from Liam to me, then back to Liam. "You're fucking my sister?" he demands.
"Brody, I'm an adult." I cross my arms. “So what if he is?”
"You're my fucking kid sister!" Brody shouts.
"It's not that big of a deal."
"Yes, it is!" He runs his fingers through his hair, turning away from us.
"Are you mad because it's me or because she was sleeping with someone at all?" Liam asks.
"Both," Brody yells, throwing up his hands. "Plus, it's my fucking apartment!"
"Brody, please calm down," I plead. "I know it's weird, but?—"
"It's not fucking weird," Liam says. "We're two adults who are attracted to each other. I care about her."
"No," Brody says firmly. "No fucking way. It ends now."
I frown. "What does that mean?"
"It means you two are done."
"That's not your decision to make," Liam says.
This is flying off the handle. Is there even anything to end between Liam and me? We hooked up a couple of times. I didn't think it was that serious, but I sort of hoped it could be, in time. Did Liam think this time together was important beyond just sex? Even with Brody and Liam in the doorway arguing, I feel a warmth blooming in my chest at the thought of it.
The argument has gone down the hallway and into the kitchen, where Brody is cracking a beer open in the middle of the afternoon, and Liam is pulling his shirt over his head. I let them have at it, feeling better now that my brother's gaze isn't on me. It gives me a moment to think about what's really going on between Liam and me.
He likes me, that much is clear. And I like him.
But can we really do this? The fact that we live so far away from each other or my brother would probably murder us both if we tried to keep seeing each other. It’s all getting in the way already.
Is it worth it?
Liam and Brody are still arguing. Brody says that Liam has been his best friend for years and how much of a betrayal this is, while Liam argues that he's being unreasonable and that he needs to see me as an adult who can make adult decisions. I tune out the argument and instead try to figure out exactly how I feel about all of this.
I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on Liam and me yet. What happened between us felt real. It felt like we had something special, even if it was just starting. I don't want to lose that.
Liam and Brody have followed their argument into the living room, but they're not shouting anymore. The tone of their voices is subdued, and I'm glad I've tuned it out for the most part. Unfortunately, I can hear them now.
"Brody," I hear Liam say. "I'm sorry, okay? I really care about Anna. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did."
Brody doesn't reply.
"I know it's weird," Liam continues. "And I know you're upset. But I promise you, I won't do anything to hurt her. She means the world to me."
I freeze when I hear that. I don't know if Liam's saying it just to get Brody to calm down, but it makes my heart swell. He cares about me. He doesn't want to let me go. I press my hands to my face and exhale slowly.
I need some space away from all this masculine nonsense.
Full of anxious energy, I grab my bag and make a break for it. Liam and Brody are too busy arguing to notice, and I get out of the apartment without having to deal with either of them. I can hear the arguing start again when the door closes behind me, but I leave them to it. I'm done.
I get into my car and drive to the campus cafe, hoping Liam won't look for me there.
I order a coffee and take a table in the corner, pulling out my laptop. I might as well work on my English assignment while I'm here.
My mind keeps wandering, though. I can't stop thinking about Liam and the way he made me feel. I can't forget the way it felt to have his arms around me, to feel his lips on mine. I sigh and close my eyes. I know I'm being stupid, but I can't help it. I'm falling for him, like really falling for him. This isn't the years-long crush I've had on him. This is so much more than that.
I want to be with him.
I start typing, words pouring out of me onto the page. It's like a dam has been broken, and now everything is flooding out. I write about the feelings of falling in love, about the fear of rejection, about the pain of losing someone you love. I pour my heart out into the story, letting all of my emotions flow through my fingertips.
It feels good to get it all out. I've been holding in these feelings for so long, and now they're finally free. It feels liberating.
I finish the story and read it over, a smile on my face. It's good. It's really good. It's not something I would have written before meeting Liam, but it's honest and raw and real, and I'm proud of it.
I send it to my professor, closing my laptop and leaning back in my chair with a sigh. I feel lighter now, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I still have no idea what to do about Liam, but at least now I know how I feel about him. And that's a start.
* * *
When I get back to the apartment, Brody is nowhere to be found, and neither is Liam. I consider texting both of them but decide that it will be better to let them reach out first. Brody is probably still pissed with me, and Liam is surely still trying to figure out where to go from here with his lifelong best friend and his little sister, who has complicated everything a million times over.
I sit in my room for a while, staring at my phone and waiting for Liam to text me. I don't want to push anything, but I want to talk to him so badly. I need to know what he's thinking.
After an hour with no response, I give up and call him.
It goes straight to voicemail.
I sigh and throw my phone on the bed, flopping down next to it. I'm being ridiculous. I know I am. But I can't help it. I need to talk to Liam, to see if what he said to Brody was real, or if he was just trying to placate him.
I close my eyes and try to imagine what it would be like to be with Liam, really with him. I can picture us going on dates, holding hands, kissing in public. I can picture us laughing and joking together, spending long nights talking about everything and nothing.
But then there's reality. We're hours away from each other. We have totally different lives. How would we ever make it work?
I know I'm being stupid. I know I should just let it go. But I can't. I want Liam, and I don't want to lose him. I'm starting to drift off when my phone buzzes, startling me awake. I grab it, hoping it's Liam, but it's Brody.
Brody: Where are you?
Me: Home.
Brody: Good. Stay there. We need to talk.
Me: Okay.
I sigh and set my phone aside. Great, now I have to deal with my brother. Just what I needed. I hear Brody come home a few minutes later. He walks into my room without knocking.
"Hey," I say, sitting up.
"Hey." He sits on the end of my bed, his expression unreadable. "So … Liam, huh?"
"Yeah." I feel myself blushing, but I force myself to look him in the eye. "Yeah, Liam."
He sighs. "Look, Anna, I don't want to be the overprotective big brother here, but you know he's not going to stay around. He's going to move away after school and never come back. You're going to get hurt."
I take a deep breath. "I know that’s a possibility, Brody. But I also know that if I don't take this chance, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Brody looks at me for a long moment, then sighs again. "Okay. Well. I'm going to be a total dick here, but I don't want to see it. I'm still pissed at him. Like, really fucking pissed. If he had at least asked me first, it would be one thing, but damn it, Anna. I just think you need to go home early, is what I'm trying to say. So we can all have some space."
It's a slap in the face, but I try not to let it show. "Okay."
Brody looks relieved. "Good." He stands up. "I'm gonna grab a beer and head out. See you later."
"Bye."
When he's gone, I sit in my room for a while, trying to process what just happened. So Brody doesn't want to see me with Liam, which means I basically can't stay here anymore. That's fine, I guess. I wasn't planning on staying much longer anyway.
But it does mean that I won't be able to see Liam anymore.
I feel like crying. How could I have fucked everything up so badly? I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't mean to fall for Liam. I just wanted to have some fun, to finally get a chance with my crush. But now everything is ruined.
I pack my bags and text Liam to let him know that I'm going home early. He doesn't respond, and I try not to take it personally. I leave a note for Brody and head out to my car, not wanting to stick around longer than necessary. I know Brody will understand. He's already mad enough at Liam, and if he sees me crying, he'll only get more upset.
It's a long drive home. I put on some music and try not to think about Liam. I fail miserably. I can't stop replaying the past two days together.
When I finally pull into my parents' driveway, I'm exhausted. I drag my bags inside, say a quick hello to my surprised mom and dad, and collapse on my bed, finally letting the tears come. I cry until I can't cry anymore, and then I fall asleep, hoping that when I wake up, things will be better.
* * *
At 7 AM, my mom pounds on my bedroom door. "Get up, Anna! Someone is at the door for you!"
Groggy, I sit up, rubbing my eyes. "Huh?"
"Downstairs," she huffs. "Come on, you've kept him waiting long enough."
Him?
"Who is it?" I ask frantically, all signs of sleepiness gone, but I can already hear Mom going downstairs.
I throw on whatever clothes are at the top of the pile, then check my hair in the mirror. My eyes are bloodshot, and my face is blotchy, but it'll have to do. Whoever's downstairs can deal.
When I get to the kitchen, I see Liam leaning against the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. "Morning," he says, his expression guarded. But there's something mischievous in his eyes he's trying to hide.
My parents are nowhere to be seen, which is a relief, but Mom has to know something is up if Liam is here to see me at the crack of dawn.
"Morning," I reply cautiously, taking a few steps towards him when he crooks a finger towards me. "Why in the hell are you here, and why haven't you been answering my messages?"
When I'm close enough to grab, Liam does just that, snatching my hand and pulling me against his body. I inhale sharply, surprised, and look up at the face I've been crying over since I left Brody's apartment.
Liam, of course, doesn't answer any of my questions but asks his own instead. "Truth or dare?"
I blink. "What?"
He smiles. "Truth or dare, Anna?"
"I…" I'm so confused. "Truth."
"Do you want to try and make this thing work between us? Semi-long distance, mostly weekends together. Do you want to give it a shot?"
My heart leaps in my throat. I don't know what to say. I didn't expect him to ask that. "I do, but?—"
"But what?"
I shrug helplessly. "Brody?"
Liam pulls me in for a kiss. "We'll figure it out." His lips brush against mine. "He's reached some peace with it, but we're forbidden from being in his apartment together until further notice. Good thing I've got my own."
His hands slide down to cup my ass, and I almost jump out of my skin, making him laugh.
"So," I whisper, "are you saying that we can do this?"
He laughs. "Hell, yes, we can do this. If you'll have me."
"Of course, I'll have you," I say. "But Liam, are you sure about this? It won't be easy, and I don't want to mess up your friendship with Brody."
"I'm sure." He kisses me again. "I want this, Anna. I want you. We can make it work."
I can't help but smile. "Okay."
Liam pulls me in, setting his cup of coffee down on the counter so he can properly cup my face. I melt into him, my hands gripping his shirt as we lose ourselves in each other.