Chapter 39
CHAPTER 39
GAbrIEL
C aleb arrives in the middle of afternoon tea. He scoops Leah up into a hug, spinning her around.
“You made it,” he says.
The sight of her laughing, her hands resting on his shoulders, sets my teeth on edge. Why does my brother think he can touch Leah at every opportunity?
“We did,” she says, sending a smile my way, her eyes softening. She moves to sit next to me, and I place a hand on her thigh. I know the gesture screams mine , but I can’t help it.
It’s at that moment Kat walks in. She looks her usual pristine self, not a hair or item of clothing out of place.
She walks up to our mother, dropping a kiss on her cheek. Mum pulls her in for a hug before reluctantly letting her go.
“It’s good to see you, darling,” my mother says, her hand cupping my sister’s cheek. “You’re working too hard.”
Mum’s polite way of telling Kat she looks tired.
“That’s what this weekend is for, some R and R,” Kat shoots back with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes .
“Kat, no Zach?” Caleb asks.
My brother likes Zach, although I can’t fathom why for the life of me. In my mind, he’s always been too weak for Kat and too agreeable. She’s been dating him for years, but he’s never understood her, not the way someone who’s supposed to love you should. I watch my sister flinch, although she hides it well. But then, I know her tells and her secret.
“No,” Kat replies in her usual blunt manner.
“Apparently, he has to work,” Mum adds, her disappointment clear in her tone.
Kat’s gaze locks on mine, sending me a silent message before drifting lower to where my hand rests on Leah’s leg. Her lips twitch and she steps forward, holding out her hand.
“Hi, I’m Kat. These reprobate’s older sister. You must be Leah. I’ve heard lots about you.”
Leah jumps up, grasping my sister’s hand in hers. “It’s lovely to meet you.” A shy smile gracing her lips.
It’s at that moment I realise Leah and Kat are around the same age. It’s what comes from having a relationship with an older woman, but then Kat and I have always been close.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Kat says. “I’m going to get changed, and I have an urgent call to make. I want to take some time off this weekend. I’ll use Dad’s old office.”
“You go, darling. Do you want me to get Betsy to send you in some tea or coffee? She’s made some scones, your favourite.”
“That would be great,” Kat says, although her tone is flatter than usual, and I know she simply wants to escape and reset.
We all watch as she leaves the room. Leah’s eyes follow her, a crease forming between her brows. I squeeze her hand when she looks at me, a silent message passing between us. I sometimes forget how perceptive Leah is .
It’s not long before some of the staff take Mum’s attention as they prepare for tomorrow’s main event.
“Sorry,” she says to Leah. “There are a few issues that need to be addressed.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Leah asks.
“No, no. You rest up. I’ll see you at dinner later.”
Mum turns and follows Henry out. Leaving Caleb, Leah, and me alone.
Caleb jumps up. “Well, I’m going to have a lie down before dinner,” he says, shooting me a grin.
Leah bites her lip to prevent the laughter I know she’s trying to contain at my brother’s not-so-subtle attempt at leaving us alone.
“Come on,” I say. “We can go for a walk in the gardens.”
“Make sure you show Leah the water tower,” Caleb says, shooting me a wink when Leah isn’t looking.
I scowl at him, which seems to make him grin even more.
“Let me guess, the water tower is where Caleb took all his female conquests growing up,” she says, when we are finally alone.
I grunt, forgetting how well she knows my brother. Leah laughs. A sound I’m becoming very attached to. With her hand in mine when she steps in front of me, her eyes twinkling.
“Show me.” she says.
I’ll never think of the water tower in the same way again.
“Where have you been?” Elijah’s voice accosts us as soon as we enter the house.
“Lovely to see you too, big brother,” I reply, squeezing Leah’s hand and smiling down at her. “Leah, this is my older brother, Elijah. ”
She steps forward and holds out a hand, offering him her warmest smile. “I’m pleased to finally meet you,” she says, only for Elijah to give her the once over before reluctantly taking her hand.
I bristle at my brother’s rudeness.
“Don’t mind him, Leah.” It’s Harper’s voice that appears to our right. “He’s just a grumpy old bastard.”
I turn to see my youngest sister appear. Her bright purple hair is luminescent against the thick black eyeliner and white foundation, clearly her latest look.
“I’m Harper, the baby of the family,” she says, stepping in front of Elijah and clasping Leah’s hand in hers before pulling her into a welcoming hug. “Sorry I missed you earlier,” she says. “It was a late one.”
Elijah scowls down at the two women. His monster frame means the women only come mid-chest on his body. I’m six-two, but my brother is at least four inches taller.
I glare at my brother but decide to bide my time before speaking to him about his rudeness.
“Aunty Harper, Uncle Gabe,” a voice yells from the stairs.
“Hey, Princess,” Harper says, turning to face our niece.
Lottie flies down the stairs and into her arms. There are only ten years between them, and while Harper’s life is colourful, Elijah cosets Lottie.
“I love your hair,” Lottie says, twisting a lock of Harper’s hair.
“Don’t go getting any ideas,” Elijah interjects at his daughter, who pulls a face.
“When will you grow up?” Elijah says, turning to Harper. His lip curls in disgust as he takes in her appearance. “Don’t you think this rebellious stage has gone on long enough?”
“It’s called personal expression, dear brother,” Harper replies sweetly. “Maybe I’ll change the day you get a personality transplant. ”
Leah’s eyes are wide as she stares at my siblings. I tried to warn her, but it has to be seen to be believed. Elijah has got worse over the past few years. When I was younger, I remember looking forward to the summers when he would come back from college and then university, with his friends in tow. Then, everything changed. Now, the rest of us have become immune to his surly manner. Only Lottie, his daughter, seems to bring out a softer side in him.
“Don’t be mean, Daddy,” Lottie says, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Aunty Harper is an influencer. She’s cool.”
Elijah’s expression softens as he looks down at his daughter. “And what do you know about influencers?” he asks her warily.
The colour rises in Lottie’s cheeks.
“Look at the time,” I say, grabbing everyone’s attention. “We better start getting ready for dinner, or we’ll be late.”
Lottie shoots me a glance, and I wink. Her eyes widen in surprise, before shooting me a shy smile.
I pull Leah away from my siblings and towards the stairs. Leaving them in the hall.
Leah is silent as we return to our room. Walking in, she settles herself down on the side of the bed.
I run a hand through my hair. I know what she’s thinking.
“Ignore Elijah, he’s —”
“A man mountain, I’ve seen photographs, but I had no idea,” she says, laughing. Choosing to ignore the fact my brother was a rude ass. “I thought you were tall, but he dwarfs even you.”
I chuckle. “You sound like Penelope.”
I know these two will get on. I wonder if Pen will come tomorrow. She always has, but over the past couple of years, it’s got more and more awkward.
“You and she are close?” Leah asks, a hint of something I can’t quite recognise in her eyes .
“We are.” It’s then I realise what I’m seeing. Is Leah jealous of Pen? “But not in the way you’re thinking,” I say, dropping onto the bed next to her. “Pen and Elijah were at Uni together. Pen used to come down at weekends with Elijah and Darra. I’m like a little brother. I was so shy. She used to sit and talk to me. She got me into gaming and showed me the online community. Helped me build my first computer.”
I smile at the memory.
“Build?”
“Yes, build. When Dad saw the impact Pen was having on me, he told her to purchase whatever was needed. It’s not like we didn’t have the money to buy top-of-the-range, but Pen wouldn’t hear of it. She said I needed to understand the components and how they worked.”
Leah’s eyes widen. “How old were you?”
“Thirteen. It was the same computer I used to track the stock market in the early days. I’ve built every computer since, with Pen, of course. It allows us to spend time together.”
The words are out of my mouth before I realise how they sound.
“Pen is my friend, and I swear she’s only a friend. She’s like a big sister. She’s loud and boisterous.”
Leah looks at me, her expression guarded, and I don’t like it. “Does Pen see it that way?”
I smile. “Pen only has feelings for one Frazer, and he was always too clueless to notice, and even if he did. Fate had its own agenda.”
Leah nods, but I know she doesn’t understand.
“Thank you for showing me around. Your family home is beautiful,” she says.
I tilt her chin up with my finger, dropping a kiss on her open mouth. “Thank you,” I say. “You’ve given me a whole new opinion of the water tower. I can see its appeal,” I say before deepening the kiss. Leah moans into my mouth as I slip a hand under her jumper, finding one of her tender and oh-so-responsive nipples.
She shifts on the bed towards me, her hands coming up and grasping my shoulders.
I moan in protest as she pulls back.
“We need to get ready,” she says breathlessly.
“We do,” I say before sliding my hand down the front of her trousers and into her panties, feeling the evidence of our earlier encounter still sticky and oh-so wet.
Leah’s face crinkles as I slip a finger into her.
“I enjoy feeling my cum in your pussy,” I whisper against her mouth as she whimpers as my fingers continue their admiration. “Maybe you need some more?”
Before I can think, Leah has flicked the button on her trousers and is shimmying them down her hips before kicking them away, my hand still buried between her thighs. She goes for my zipper, freeing me from the confines of my trousers. I’m already hard, my crown weeping, as it always does when Leah is nearby.
She pushes me down until I am lying on my back. She kneels over me before lowering herself onto my waiting cock. Her eyes lock on our reflection in the mirror next to the bed. I slide in smoothly, biting back a moan. My cum and Leah’s desire makes my entrance easy.
“Do you like what you see?” I ask, moving our bodies so she has a better view of my cock disappearing into her.
“I —”
I move my hand, my thumb brushing her swollen clit. She bites her lip above me as she slides up and down, twisting her hips and taking all of me deep into her body.
“That’s it, baby. Perfect. Your pussy feels so goddamn perfect. Watch how well we fit together. That’s it, ride me, use me. Take what you need.” I watch the colour rise in Leah’s cheeks as she takes in my words. Her hands travel up under her jumper, and I know she’s playing with her nipples.
“Oh, no. If you’re touching yourself, I want to watch,” I say, sliding her jumper up and over her head before unclipping her bra. Leah stalls her movements before starting her ride again. I feel myself growing painfully hard. My thumb returns to her clit while I watch her tweak and twist her nipples. I sit up, pulling her hard against me, my cock finding its way even deeper. I take one of her nipples into my mouth, biting down on it. Leah explodes around my cock. Her muscles clamp around me as she continues to move up and down. Her convulsions are too much, driving me over the edge. Leah drops her head onto my shoulder, breathing hard.
“My beautiful girl,” I say, wrapping her legs around my waist before I stand up, carrying her into the bathroom. My cock is still embedded in her. “Now we better get ready before they send a search party out after us.”
Leah drops a tired kiss on my shoulder as I pull out of her, enjoying the evidence of our activity as it runs down her thighs. I flip on the shower, testing the water before stepping us both inside. I take the bar of soap and lather it up in my hands, begrudgingly washing away the evidence.
Leah repays me by washing me, first with her hands and then with her mouth.
“We really need to get ready,” she says reluctantly. “Your family will get the wrong impression of me.
“Or the one we desire for them to possess. Remember, we’re supposed to be in a relationship. This is what they would expect. Me having a hard time keeping my hands off you.”
Something flashes in Leah’s eyes, but she turns away before I can read too much into it.
She grabs her dress carrier, pulling out the dress Chloe helped her choose. She shimmies into it, showing me her back so I can zip her up. I do, running my fingers up her spine, loving the goosebumps that erupt all over her skin.
I watch Leah as she disappears into the bathroom, leaving me standing in the bedroom. A tightness crushing my chest, churning my stomach. Did I say something wrong?