Chapter 1
Jade
Present Day
“Where you goin’, sugar?” Locke’s voice sounds deep and raspy from sleep.
He squeezes the cheek of my ass, hauling me on top of his body.
We’re both naked from our middle-of-the-night sex fest, the kind where you’re in a deep sleep, your man comes to bed after a callout, he tugs your clothes off, and the only reason you wake up is because his mouth is working between your thighs.
He got me off with his fingers and tongue, then I did similar with my mouth, and by the time Locke’s cock was ready for me again, well, I was on top, moving nice and slow, drawing every sensation from our bodies until I collapsed on his chest. He took over and managed to get me there once more before I felt and watched him come undone inside me.
“Bathroom and water.” My lips brush the side of his neck. I’m parched, also in desperate need to relieve the pressure building in my lower abdomen.
“Hurry back.” The tips of his fingers graze my slit before he drops his hand, making me rethink if I need to truly leave.
“Yeah.” I drag my core along his hard cock, lift my body up, and wince from being sore. Clearly, I used muscles that haven’t been put to work in a long time. Locke watches me the entire time, eyes lazy from sleep, and while he should be getting some more rest, he doesn’t.
He moistens his lips with his tongue, causing a flutter to slide through my body. The thought of leaving him for a few minutes is enough to slice me through my chest. The thought of not having him in my life forever, well, that’s a pain I’m not sure I can endure.
“Jade.” I’ve only closed my eyes for the barest of moments while on my hands and knees, breasts swaying, nipples pebbled, and core pulsing with desire.
“Yes, Locke?”
We’re playing a dangerous game.
We both know the outcome is going to break up a friendship and wedge a huge boulder between siblings.
The fallout between Locke and Jace will be catastrophic, and the blowback I’ll receive from my own brother will create a turmoil like no other.
Even my mother won’t be able to diffuse the situation; and it won’t help matters that our bond is so tight she’s my best friend, yet I’m keeping my relationship with Locke a secret.
“Want you naked when you come back to me.”
“Are you asking or telling me?” I arch an eyebrow, holding my position near the end of the bed.
“Mutually beneficial, sugar. Take it however you need to.” He knives up, flings the sheet out of the way, and cups my breast, rolling the tip with his work-calloused fingers.
“Then I better hurry so I can come back to you.” His mouth meets mine, lips brushing, and when my tongue slides out, his snakes in.
This, this right here is why neither of us is ready to break the bubble on what we’re building.
It’s more than sex. It’s more than the way he makes me feel. It’s a lot like love.
“Fuck, love your mouth. Could get lost in it,” he utters between breaths.
Meanwhile, he’s maneuvered me until I’m sitting in his lap, my chest pressed to his, and his hand at the base of my skull, holding me while he takes everything I willingly give.
We go at it, hot and heavy, until my breathing deepens, my nipples become sensitive from the light smattering of his chest hair, and his cock is definitely hard.
I’d take this a hell of a lot further if it weren’t for my stupid pea-sized bladder.
My stomach decides to let out a low growl, reminding me that I went to bed last night without dinner.
Not one of my brightest moves and one I won’t be admitting to the man beneath me.
We pull apart, sadly, and Locke says, “Go do your thing. I’ll grab you a bottle of water, make a pot of coffee, and figure out breakfast.”
“In bed?” I wiggle my hips, dragging my core along the underside of his cock.
The metal he’s sporting only increases the intensity.
His hand in my hair tightens while the other travels down my spine, pressing me in, and when I lose the heat for the barest of minutes, a sharp thwack of skin meeting skin does the exact opposite of cooling things off.
My eyes close, my head tips back, and I sink deeper into the feel of his warmth.
“Christ, every day, I discover something new with you. Don’t think I’ll ever peel back all the layers.”
“It’s a good thing we have all the time in the world,” I reply, but now I really do have to go.
“Truth. Gonna be bagels for breakfast. I need to hit the grocery store sometime today.”
“I’m good with whatever.” I shrug my shoulders, moving out of his arms and out of the bed.
We land at Locke’s place nine times out of ten.
His home is big and spacious compared to my postage-stamp cramped studio apartment.
It’s above a garage, has a small kitchen, a smaller living space which also houses my bedroom, and a small bathroom.
I’m pretty sure it’s less than four hundred square feet.
It’s also cheap, was my first big girl move.
While I love my mom and my brother, I’d lived with them long enough.
Jace with leaving his dirty socks everywhere.
When he moved out, I think both Mom and I breathed a combined sigh of relief.
This happened my sophomore year of high school, when I was fifteen and he was twenty-five.
Then last year, it was time for me to do the same, ten years later.
I would never admit this, but apparently, there are parts of me that follow in my brother’s footsteps.
“Figured you would be, since you probably only have condiments in the fridge at your place,” Locke says behind me.
“Hey, I have iced coffee and yogurt, too,” I say over my shoulder before making it to the bathroom.
“Probably expired,” I hear him mutter as I close the door behind me.
I roll my eyes, but also, he’s not wrong.
Minus the iced coffee; I keep that on hand religiously as well as the creamer.
This week, it’s toasted coconut vanilla.
Next week, it’ll be something different.
I go about my business, naked per his request, and I’m more than okay with this, because if I’m naked, so is Locke.
It also means our morning is only beginning.
I’m in the middle of brushing my teeth, bent over at the sink, when the door opens.
I see Locke’s reflection in the mirror. The look on his face is one of annoyance.
“Do eggs expire?” I ask, spitting out the toothpaste and putting my toothbrush in the holder next to Locke’s.
“Yeah. Remind me not to eat what’s in your fridge fucking ever.” His hand wraps around my waist, and his mouth meets my shoulder, lightly dragging his lips along my skin.
“It’d be hard to do since there isn’t any food in there. Plus, we always eat here.” I tip my head up and to the side, giving him more room to work his magic.
“You like it that way, too.” He cooks, whereas I keep us hydrated in the form of drinks and either sit at the bar while he creates an amazing meal or he plants my ass on the counter.
I’ve made a few things for us, mainly basics, like spaghetti, which I managed to not burn.
I can’t say the same for bacon or the chicken or the pork chops.
“Got shit news and wouldn’t usually barge into the bathroom when you’re in here. Unless the shower’s going.”
“What’s the news?” Locke spins me around, hands going to my hips, and he’s lifting me up and sitting me on the countertop. I let out a hiss. “That’s freaking cold.” He wedges himself between my thighs, opening me for his big, ambled body.
“Gotta head out. There’s a pile-up out on the interstate.” My stomach sinks with worry.
“Be safe?” I slide my hands to his chest, looking into his soft slate-gray eyes.
“Always. Want you to stay here. Like coming home to you, Jade. Like it a whole helluva lot.”
“It’s a good thing I like being here.” I didn’t have any plans for the weekend, my first one off in months.
Usually, I’m at the bar a solid five to six days a week, mostly closing, but this week is different, and I’ve never been more thankful.
I also have plenty of things to do while he’s out on a call.
“Good. Time to shower.” He drops a kiss to my lips, lifts me up, and walks us into the shower, where he proceeds to clean me thoroughly only to dirty us both up just as thoroughly.
When he does leave, it’s with his phone going off, a kiss so hot I’m nearly breathless, a wicked gleam in his eye, and a promise of more to come.