CHAPTER 33
Sybil
We must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke to incessant buzzing, draped naked over Nash’s chest in bed.
He’d scooped me up after sex, and taken me to the shower where we washed each other off. I took my time, laughing and smiling before he pushed me against the shower wall for a deep, steam-filled kiss.
It wasn’t long before that escalated. He worked himself into me with a renewed intensity I didn’t know a man could possess so soon.
Holding me aloft against the shower wall, it was as though I weighed nothing.
He worshiped me like the most precious thing he’d ever held in his hands, and then washed me again before taking me back to bed.
He’d exhausted me.
The buzzing returned, and this time Nash stirred, his arms wrapping across my back and hips. He breathed deep into my neck, my hair a tangled mess from lack of brushing, sex, and letting it dry that way.
Rolling us toward the bedside table, he groaned with exhaustion, finding his buzzing phone. He tapped the screen, the light falling across his face in the now darkened room. I saw the time before he opened it—8:23 PM.
“It’s Bee,” he said, sounding groggy. “She says she brought home pizza, wine and clothes. She wants to know where you are because she’s texted a hundred times and your phone is on the counter.”
I snorted.
“And she just asked if we’re fucking, because both the animals are staring at her with forlorn expressions of abandonment, despite the fact she knows we’re here.”
I laughed out loud then. “Is this what having a sibling is like?”
He nodded, brows raised. “Oh yes, they’re always up in your business. Especially with Bee. You’ll get used to it. She’s crass about it.”
“You’re going to keep me around?” I poked his side.
“Yes,” he said, as though I wasn’t joking, and neither was he. His phone buzzed again. “Okay, well. We should go see her before she comes up here and gets an eyeful.”
“I don’t have any clean clothes,” I reminded him.
He slapped my ass. “We need to get all your clothes moved here, that way next time you do.”
Nash sat up, but held me against his chest as he did. Moving to the edge of the bed, he wrapped my legs around his naked body and carried me to the closet. Setting me on my feet before him, he looked at me from head to toe.
“Shit, you look ravaged. Bee is going to know.” He reached for a few shirts that hung beside us as my gaze fell to his very erect penis.
I coughed once. “Especially if you arrive showing that thing off.”
With narrowed eyes, he gave me an amused look. “If we had more time, we’d take care of it. For now, I’m just going to cover you up and hope it goes away.”
He put his hands through the sleeves of one of the t-shirts, bunching it up his arms before motioning me to put my hands up. He slid it over me.
It fit me like a tent dress.
He stood back to assess the fit. “Nope, that’s not making it better.”
I snickered, the sound muffled by the racks of clothes. My nipples were peaked and pushing against the front of the shirt.
He pulled on a hanger containing a dark hoodie. It flipped up as it released its hold on the garment. Unzipping it, he motioned for me to put an arm through a sleeve, then the other before zipping it up.
“Better,” he said, hands on hips, erection still full mast.
After that, he pulled on a t-shirt, followed by boxers, tucked himself in, and put on thick joggers. Grabbing my hand, he led me into his bathroom.
Positioning me in front of the mirror, he rummaged through a couple of drawers until he found a hairbrush. Flipping the hood off my head, he took on the impossible task of brushing out the tangles in my hair. He was gentle as he went.
“You’re good at this,” I commented, watching him work at a stubborn tangle with practiced hands.
He glanced at me in the mirror and winked. “Having a little sister will do that to you.”
“Did you help her a lot with her hair when she was little?”
He chuffed. “I help her with her hair now, too. Lazy brat. She thinks it should still be my job.”
I laughed, my cheeks hurting with how much I’d smiled this evening. I felt unencumbered, especially in the face of an otherwise terrifying future event. It was a foreign feeling.
“Does she not have boyfriends?” I ventured.
His head bobbed. “She has too many. But they’re not the type she brings home. She’s not a serious-relationship woman.”
“And you?” I ventured.
He eyed me again. “I haven’t come across any memorable women in my life—until you, of course. You are the only woman who’s ever seen this room, let alone my bed.”
That surprised me. “Really? Aren’t you like… thirty-five?”
He nodded and shrugged. “This is my safe space. I want it to stay that way, you know?”
I scoffed. Of course, I knew what that felt like. “But you’ll let me be in it?” I pushed.
He set the brush down, caging me against the counter and placing his chin on the top of my head, both of us looking in the mirror. “Yep.”
And that was all he said on the matter. No explanation, no further open-ended quips. He gave me a playful tap on the butt, leaning back and taking my hand again. We walked from the bathroom to the stairs.
“You can sneak into your room to get some underwear.” We stopped at the top of the stairs. “But, I kinda like the idea of you staying like this all evening, too.” He brushed his hands up my thighs, facing me. They slid under the giant t-shirt and hoodie until he found my bare center.
I blushed at that. “Didn’t she say she brought home clothes?” I asked.
He nodded.
“What if she makes me try them on, then what? I’ll be naked.”
He tilted his head from side to side. “Then I’ll help you put them on.”
I laughed hard; the sound echoing down the long spiral stairwell. Nash removed his hands from me as I heard Bill bark from below. I glanced down over the railing, the black and white blur circling at the bottom with his tail wagging.
When we reached the landing, he hopped up onto me. I grabbed his paws, letting him lick my face like he loved to do.
“Well, well, well.” Bee sauntered from around the corner, white wine in hand, glass fogged with frost.
My mouth watered at the sight. “Where’s mine?” I joked in response.
She eyed me up and down with squinted eyes.
Her black winged liner made her look fierce.
With dark hair twisted into a tight bun on her head, and long layered bangs framing her face, she could have been a villain.
She wore a dark pencil skirt and matching—I think—dark turtleneck. Her feet were bare and comfortable.
Her eyes landed on Nash’s hand lacing with mine as he came up behind me, wrapping his other arm around my shoulders and placing his chin again on my head. I got the sense that this was now his go-to resting place.
A devious smile snaked across her lips. “Come this way, my dear, and I will hook you u-p,” she stressed the ‘p’ with a pop of her glossy lips, turning from the room.
We followed her as one, arriving at the kitchen island where a bottle rested in a bucket of ice with two more glasses. She poured two more, handing them across to us before popping open the top on a few pizza boxes.
I groaned and stepped forward to grab a slice, leaving the cocoon of Nash’s body in favor of food. This was my favorite guilty combo—wine and pizza.
He reached over me and grabbed his own slice, pulling me into his lap as he sat on a barstool.
“So,” Bee began, “I took the liberty of shopping for the auction.”
At the mention of the auction, Nash tightened around me, hand stroking my thigh for comfort.
My stomach flipped, but I wasn’t certain for which reason—the auction, or his touch.
Bee put down her wine and pizza, raising her hands as though on Broadway. “I feel like I hit the nail on the head!” Her eyes glittered with such excitement, it was adorable.
My laughter bubbled up, and I nodded.
“Okay.” She did a little shuffle step before popping toward the dining room, returning with a swath of garment bags and a large shoebox in her arms. She placed them on the island, well enough away from the greasy pizza that they wouldn’t risk being stained.
She unzipped the top bag and took out a hanger holding a black garment. It shocked me when she revealed something I hadn’t expected: an oversized hoodie.
“Hear me out,” she began. “This is Balmain.” She turned it in her hand, a glint of metal catching my eye.
“The entire hood is lined with these metallic grommets—super edgy, very you.” She held up one sleeve.
“Look, it even has thumb holes!” she squealed.
“You can hide your hands and cope to your heart’s content.
Plus, I just love the high-end designer meets streetwear idea, and it’s perfect for you. ”
She placed it down, reaching for the next garment bag and unzipping it. She pulled out more black.
Delight prickled my arms.
“Matching Balmain jersey leggings.” She held them toward me before pulling the pants from the hanger. “Also, with the same metallic grommets around the pockets here,” she pointed out. “Stretchy, comfy, high-low excellence.”
There was one more garment bag, and she waggled her eyebrows before opening it. “Pièce de la résistance—Brother, you’ll like this.” She unzipped it and pulled the garment out.
I would have fallen off Nash’s lap if he hadn’t been holding me up.
“Black Dolce and Gabbana sheer lace bodysuit! You can unzip the hoodie a little if you want, flash a little ooh la la.” She winked.
Nash choked on his pizza.
I giggled, cheeks flaming hot. It was gorgeous. I loved it. It’s exactly like something I’d put in my imaginary shopping cart what felt like ages ago. I finally had a place and a reason to wear something so beautiful and sexy.
Bee set it down. “Now, if that doesn’t make you feel confident, I don’t know what will.
” She pulled the shoebox over. It read Dr. Martins big across the top.
I knew what to expect from that. She popped off the lid and pulled out a pair of calf-high, chunky-sole combat boots—the classic Dr. Martins—and also my favorite.
I beamed. “Bee, I love all of it. You didn’t have to do this for me, but it’s perfect! I’ll make you my personal shopper from now on.”
Nash wrapped his hand around my belly, recovering from the bodysuit.
“I will happily accept that duty. Consider me hired!” Her smile was full of pride.
I nodded with genuine enthusiasm, and it took a moment to realize I was excited.
Mr. Beans arrived on the counter like a puff levitating from nowhere, just as I put another enormous piece of pizza in my mouth. He let out a deep yowl as Bee dove to move all the black clothing as far away from him as possible.
His white hair had a way of ruining black clothing. It ultimately didn’t matter as he went straight for the pizza instead. Mr. Beans had taken no time establishing his place here, Bee his helpless enabler.
Leaning back against Nash’s chest, I realized this is what a family must feel like—a genuine family that supported each other, was there for you, and worked to understand and see you for all your faults.
The concept of ‘home’ was taking root in my soul, and I couldn’t help but fawn over its blooming branches.