Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
AIDEN
Dropping my head against the sofa cushion, I drum my fingers on my thighs as I wait for Nova to finish getting ready.
The party is already in full swing on the other side of town.
I’m not worried about showing up late; I couldn’t give two shits about the people there or making an appearance to appease the acquaintances who are hosting it.
It’s the waiting part that’s killing me as I wonder what Nova will wear for the night.
When I got home an hour ago—from torturing Kyle to blow off some steam just so I wouldn’t pin my sister against the nearest surface—I tried to go into her bedroom. The door was locked, and she told me to be patient.
Patient.
Rolling my eyes, I fish my vape out of my pocket.
I have patience. Way too much, in fact, for people who don’t deserve it and continue to treat my kindness as weakness. But it can be hard to find that sort of patience with Nova when all I want is to be around her.
I should beat my own ass for how desperate I’m coming off. I thought it was bad before last night, but after tasting heaven between her thighs, I’ve become a rabid dog unleashed from its chain.
Taking a drag from my vape, I glance at my phone, tempted to open the security cams.
It’s just to check on her. Definitely not because I’m dying to see her naked again. Patience, Aiden. Have some fucking patience.
Light footsteps break me out of my thoughts. I stand, slip the vape into my pocket, and round the sectional couch to meet Nova halfway.
“Are you—” I stumble a step and grab the edge of the sofa to steady myself as I stare at her, completely taken aback. “That’s not a dress, pretty girl.”
Nova grins and raises the hood of the light-pink bunny outfit. “You’re right. It’s way better and will get the job done.”
My gaze drags down her body, and I don’t hide that I’m checking her out.
The outfit’s long sleeves hug her arms and flare wider at her wrists.
She fiddles with the silver heart zipper in the middle of her chest that stops at her stomach, tucking into a bikini bottom and leaving her hips and legs exposed.
My eyes dip to the pink over-the-knee ruffled socks.
She’s worn them before, and like all the other times I’ve seen them, an image flashes in my head of her wearing them while locking her legs around my naked waist as I fuck her.
Nova’s laugh snaps me out of the fantasy, drawing my attention back to her face. She takes a step toward me and bites her bottom lip.
“Should I change?” She tilts her head, a flash of doubt crossing her features.
Fuck. I’m too stunned for words. I’m thinking with my dick right now.
I shake my head and smirk. “Like you said, this is way better than a dress.”
Nova lets out a relieved sigh, her smile softening. “Okay, good. I really don’t want to mess this up for you and figured, why not go for something super obvious that we’re ‘sleeping together’?”
“There are better ways to show that we’re fucking.” I tuck my fingers beneath her chin and tilt her head back.
The traces of humor flee from her face, leaving behind a softer, more guarded expression. “Oh yeah? How so?”
Nova doesn’t need me to spell it out for her, just like she didn’t need me to explain what I’d do with my head between her thighs. But this back-and-forth teasing is foreplay for both of us.
I brush my thumb along her bottom lip, stroking back and forth and loving how soft it is. Her eyelashes flutter, and I watch her thoughts spin up different scenarios behind her eyes. I hold my breath, wondering if she’ll stop playing hard to get and lean into whatever this is between us.
She doesn’t love me. Not the soul-crushing, can’t-fucking-breathe-without-hearing-her-voice type of love I have for her. Maybe more as a brother, but I intend to fix that.
Nova’s wobbly smile is so fucking sweet that it makes my chest ache. “Care to find out how we can show them we’re more than just friends?”
She eases her chin out of my hold and fidgets with the long pink bunny ear flopped over her chest. “You’re funny.” She steps back and waves a hand toward the front door. “Are you ready to party?”
I drop my arm to my side and keep my expression relaxed and open, not wanting to spook or upset Nova with my displeasure.
“I’ll braid your hair before we leave.” I step around her. My gaze falls down her back and lands on her exposed ass cheeks. I bite my fist, thankful she can’t see my reaction.
Goddamn, I didn’t expect to get reacquainted with her ass so soon.
My eyes widen.
Is that a rabbit’s tail in the center of the thong?
Blood rushes between my legs, hardening my dick.
“Aiden?”
“Yeah, sorry. Let’s get you ready.”
The song’s bass pulses through my chest like a drum, the vibrations echoing through the rest of my body.
A large crowd gathers in the wide living room, their bodies moving as one as they dance and wave their hands above their heads while the DJ mixes songs on the turntable.
Drunk college kids stumble-jog from the gathering, their faces lit up with drunken grins.
I tuck Nova against my side and step out of the way as two women rush toward the front parlor of the frat house.
My sister clings to me, her fingers digging into my back the further we walk into groups of people.
Glancing at her, I check to ensure she’s not overwhelmed.
Her eyes rise to mine, and she flashes me a smile, letting me know she’s fine.
I adjust the noise-canceling headphones I gave to her before we walked inside.
Loud noises and confined spaces full of people can trigger a panic attack for Nova.
It’s the last thing I want to happen. Not because it’s an inconvenience—which it’ll never be, because her mental health is just as important to me as it is to her—but I don’t enjoy seeing her relive the trauma she can’t fully remember.
I’d notice the instant she regresses. After years of helping her during panic attacks and drawing her out of her head from dissociating, I’ve memorized the signs. Oftentimes, I notice before she does.
So, the moment her eyes lose focus and she’s pain stimming more than usual, I’ll drag her out of here. She may fight me about it, given how badly she wants to help me, but she always comes first.
We pass four guys circling a keg, chanting for the upside-down man to chug as two other guys hold him in place. He sucks on the end of the long tube, gulping as much beer as he can while fighting gravity and the blood rushing to his head. Nova leans forward as we go by them, her eyes wide.
I fight to suppress a grin. Her curiosity is adorable. She’s lost in some new world.
We leave the room and enter one with less of a crowd. I make a beeline for the loveseat tucked against the wall, the earlier occupants walking away hand-in-hand. It’s a perfect spot, allowing people to see what I plan to do with Nova, yet secluded enough so she isn’t overwhelmed.
“Aiden!”
I keep moving like I didn’t hear a chick calling out my name. Nova’s grip tightens, meaning she heard it too.
I guess there’s no avoiding this. It’s showtime.
“Aiden!” the woman screeches again.
Ignoring her, I walk with Nova to the sofa. A light touch on my arm stops me. My fingers clench Nova’s side, and I slowly turn toward the two women gathered on my other side.
“I was hoping you’d come,” the blonde purrs, her lips tugging into a sultry smile.
“And you are?” I drawl, not giving a single shit who this bitch is. I glance at her hand on my arm and raise an eyebrow when I return my gaze to her face.
Her friend is quicker to catch on to my subtle insult. Panic flashes in her eyes, and she looks at the blonde still touching me like she has every right.
“I’m Mackenzie,” the blonde says, her smile tightening. “You promised we’d link up.”
I don’t remember her or promising anything. The women I’ve been with all blur together. They don’t mean anything to me and don’t even exist in my memories.
Nova steps away from my side. I snap my arm out to catch her and freeze when she moves in front of me and hugs me. Her breasts push against my chest, and bunny-tailed ass sticks out.
“Are they bugging you, pretty boy?” Her head tips back, her chin pushing into my sternum as she looks up at me with a pout.
My cock twitches. “If you keep calling me that, I’m gonna fuck you until your ass turns red and your hips bruise from my fingers.”
Nova’s eyes widen before she schools her features and flashes me a mischievous smile. “Promises, promises. You said that last time, and it never happened.” Her gaze slips to the two women who’ve been watching our interaction in stunned silence. “Oh, you’re still here.”
Mackenzie folds her arms over her chest and pops her hip out as she looks over Nova with a fake smile. “You’re with her?”
I scowl at the bitch.
“How cute.” She drops her gaze to the bottom of Nova’s bunny outfit and lets out a dry laugh at the fuzzy cotton tail. “I didn’t realize you were taking on charity cases, Aiden.”
Her friend snickers, feeding into the bitch’s ego as they insult my sister.
Wrapping my arms around Nova, I hug her against me, settling my hand on her bare ass cheek with a squeeze. “The only charity case here is you,” I say to Mackenzie. “Go find someone who’s feeling charitable and choke on their cock.”
I release Nova and lead her to the sofa. Sitting on the chair, I force her to sit on my lap before she can take a seat beside me. She squeaks and peeks at me over her shoulder, eyebrows raised in question.
I tilt my head and smirk. “You ready?”