Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
Colin
18 Years Old
Walker was pissed. He had been sitting rigid in his seat at the dining table, aggressively slapping his train token down on the Monopoly board every single turn he took. Colin’s battleship token was dominating the board as usual. He had bought up all the orange and red properties on either side of the free parking space, which were statistically the most likely spots to land on, giving him the edge. Every single time Walker landed on one, everyone at the table seemed to simultaneously wince. There weren’t many times in his life that Colin knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he had fucked up, but the live auction was definitely a fuck-up.
The second Colin had gotten up on stage at their high school fundraiser, the combination of the lights and people in the crowd shouting their bids at him had been a recipe for disaster. His siblings had done a good enough job of taking over when they did, but even in his semi-panicked state, Colin could see that the entire thing was a shit show. Not because it didn’t go exactly the way he had planned it, but because Walker and Talia were much more angry about being meddled with than he had anticipated. He had never seen that murderous look on Talia’s face before, and when a creepy, balding man in the back row of the theater started heavily bidding for a date with her, Colin realized he had severely miscalculated how much money Walker would have to drop to bail her out. It was a price tag Walker was now demanding that Colin, Piper, and Carter pay him back for. They were all set to start working for Talia at Lydia’s Grocery on Monday so they couldn’t just use their parents’ funds to pay for it. On top of that, Walker gave all the household chores to them, including Pearl’s and Cooper’s, and threw in cleaning Talia’s and the Winstons’ houses because he had decided halfway through his rant that one house was simply not enough. The massive argument that ensued when Walker put them all on house arrest and took Colin’s keys had lasted for over an hour, because while Colin didn’t mind working off his punishment, he did mind not getting to see Scarlett. No one in the room knew she was the real reason Colin was so vehemently against the second half of the punishment, but Walker wouldn’t let up.
“Uh, you don’t have to pay him for that,” Piper squeaked when Walker again landed on the space to the right of free parking.
Carter shifted in his chair. “Yeah, I don’t think?—”
“Yes, he does,” Colin interrupted, shoulders held back with confidence. “Those are the rules.”
Walker said nothing, just bitterly slid a couple of bills across the table. They had both been in a sort of stand-off since punishments had been doled out. Once Pearl and Cooper were asleep, Talia had suggested a game to ease the tension, but it had had the exact opposite effect. Colin was public enemy number one in Walker’s eyes, and Piper and Carter were his two evil henchmen. Too pissed off about losing his car keys and not being able to see Scarlett for the foreseeable future, Colin played the villain. Monopoly was his strong suit, and he was planning on petulantly cleaning Walker out of all his paper cash like he always did.
“Maybe we should take a break,” Talia suggested.
“No,” Walker and Colin answered at the same time.
“Clearly, this isn’t going well, and everyone’s a little on edge.” Talia sighed.
“It’s going great for me ,” Colin said, lifting up the wad of fake cash.
Walker took Colin’s keys out of his pocket and jingled them in the air. “Same.”
“You’re treating me like a child,” Colin snapped.
“If the shoe fits.” Walker shrugged.
“You’re not my dad. You’re only nine years older than me, Walker. I’m an adult.”
“I know I’m not your dad,” Walker said. “But your dad definitely would have been pissed about this. It was morally wrong and childish behavior. So, if you want to be an adult so bad, you should have acted like one.”
Colin scrunched his nose furiously. “And you should have sucked it up and talked to Talia so we didn’t have to force you to do it. Pearl and Cooper need routine and for you two to be solid, not fighting and avoiding each other.”
“That was my fault,” Talia chimed in.
“No, it wasn’t,” Walker silenced her. “And I honestly don’t care what you have to say, Colin, because out of anyone, I would have expected you to take the direct route, not the scheming and conniving route. You could have talked to me. You could have talked to Talia. You didn’t have to sell her at a live auction to me like cattle. Do you realize how fucking insane that is?”
The plan hadn’t seemed so wrong when Colin had thought of it to begin with, but now that it was over, the alarm bells rang loud and clear. “It was… for charity,” he said lamely. Walker barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “I just thought if I could get you guys to sit down in a more intimate setting like a restaurant, you’d have to talk to each other.”
“We’re really sorry,” Piper chirped from her seat, covering her face with her hands.
Carter nodded aggressively. “Very sorry.”
“Colin?” Walker prodded.
“I’m sorry that it was the wrong way to do it,” Colin stated and then gestured between Talia and Walker. “I’m not sorry that my plan worked and you guys are talking again.”
“Jesus Christ,” Walker muttered.
“We would have started talking again on our own, without the insane parent-trapping,” Talia said. “We will consider giving you your keys back, but for now, let us be pissed off that you gave a bunch of people permission to ogle me on stage.”
“For the record,” Colin grimaced, “I didn’t really think about that because I don’t think of you as a sexual being. You’re more like a friend or an aunt.”
“That’s… nice,” Talia said, the ending coming out as more of a question.
“I mean, you’re fine, I guess. You’re not my type. You’re too old, and I’m more into redheads.” Colin shrugged.
“Redheads?” Walker asked. “That’s an interesting development.”
Given the wide-eyed look on Carter’s face, Colin ventured that he had said way too much. There was only one redhead he frequently saw, and Carter knew that. Fear crept into Colin’s throat, and he knew he was only a few seconds away from being found out, especially if Carter opened his mouth to say something about Scarlett. Before he got a chance to divert the conversation, his phone pinged. His family all watched him as he pulled it from his pocket to see he had gotten a text from Scarlett, as if he had summoned her. It had been a while since she’d texted him back, and he assumed she was probably letting him know if the vibrator worked.
Scarlett 9:57 PM
If I was a space on a Monopoly board, would you land on me?
Confused, he went to reply that he would have to roll to land on her when an image loaded that she must have sent with the original text. His knee connected with the underside of the table. “Ow, shit!” he cursed, holding the phone’s screen against his chest to block anyone from seeing it.
“You okay?” Walker asked, all anger gone from his voice.
Okay was relative. Especially when the image Scarlett had sent him was making his head swim. She was on her knees with her thighs spread atop her bed in his favorite red bra and underwear. Back arched and hands holding her wavy copper hair up, he could clearly see the tops of her breasts pushing up against the cups. The picture was taken at an angle so the mirror hanging on her far wall caught her backside. The band to her underwear was higher up on her hips than usual, and her round ass was on full display in the reflection.
“I um, I—” Colin sputtered for a response but came up short. All he wanted to do was look at the picture again. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, well, it’s your turn to roll.” Walker pointed at the Monopoly board Colin no longer had any interest in.
“Oh.” He nodded.
“You’re looking a little sick,” Carter said, head cocked to the side.
“Yeah, your face is super red,” Piper noted.
“Do you need some water?” Talia asked, concern creasing her forehead.
“It’s been a long night. I’m too tired to play now. I forfeit,” Colin declared, taking his battleship from the board and tipping it sideways like he had just sunk the Titanic.
“What?” Walker gaped. “You’ve never forfeited in your life!”
“I’m not feeling well!” Colin practically shouted. He wanted to glue his eyes to that picture for the rest of the night, and every second at this blasted table felt like a waste.
“Okay, well, good night, then,” Walker said slowly.
“Night!” Colin yelled, already launching out of his seat and jogging for the stairs to his bedroom. As soon as he hit the safety of the top stair, he pulled his phone screen away from his chest and looked intently at Scarlett’s body the entire way to his room.
Once he had locked the door, gotten in bed, and committed the photo to memory, he finally typed out a response.
Colin 10:01 PM
I don’t cheat at board games, but I’d cheat to land on you every time.
Scarlett responded immediately, only giving him a second to look at the picture again.
Scarlett 10:02 PM
What would you do once you landed on me?
Colin 10:03 PM
Are you a one-dimensional rectangle when I land on you?
Scarlett 10:03 PM
Colin, I’m sexting you. Please get with the program. What would you do with me right now if you could?
“Fuck,” Colin groaned, pulling the photo back up. His cock was thickening in his pants, and he responded without much thought at all.
Colin 10:04 PM
Sorry. Commencing sexting. Are you with anyone or are you alone?
Scarlett 10:04 PM
Kashvi just left. I’m laying in bed alone and thinking about you.
His breathing had turned erratic, his hand going to his belt to unclasp it.
Colin 10:05 PM
Have you used the vibrator yet?
Scarlett 10:06 PM
It’s between my legs right now. I wish it was you, though.
Fisting his cock, he flipped back to the picture and gave himself a few slow strokes. It wasn’t as good as her hand or even as good as watching her get herself off. He needed more. He needed to hear all the sounds she made when she was using it. The glowing phone icon at the top of her contact didn’t have to taunt him long before he clicked it and pressed the phone to his ear.
“Hi,” Scarlett answered on the first ring. Her voice was low and breathy, just like he thought it would be. “You’re not sitting at a table playing Monopoly anymore, are you?”
“I quit. I’m in my room,” Colin said. “And I don’t think I’m any good at sexting, so I figured I’d just call you.”
She let out a twinkling laugh. “You did just say ‘commencing sexting’ like you were on a top secret mission or something.”
“Am I not? I’m hiding out from my family, and my one objective is to listen to you come, Agent Red.”
Another laugh, and he was grinning like an idiot. Her laugh loosened the pressure in his chest the same way her touch did. “I have no idea why I’m into this, but I am. What are you doing right now, Agent…”
“Cox,” Colin deadpanned. It was a very literal choice, but perfect nonetheless.
“No,” Scarlett giggled. “Agent Cox sounds like a porn star name.”
“I keep looking at the pornographic picture you sent me, and I’m getting myself off, so I think it’s fitting.” Colin stroked himself twice as if to punctuate his argument.
Scarlett blew out a slow breath. “So, you like the picture?”
“‘Like’ is an understatement. Are you wearing that bra and underwear now?”
“Yes.”
Colin pressed the back of his head harder into the pillow, closing his eyes to imagine it. “God, I wish I was with you.”
“You never told me what you’d do if you were.” Scarlett’s voice cracked like it did when he went down on her or fingered her, so he knew she was back to touching herself if she had ever stopped.
“I’d want to watch you use the vibrator. I’d help you with it.” He groaned, his hand moving faster over his cock.
“And then you’d fuck me?” she asked. “Because I need you to.”
“I want to.” He panted, his hand flying over his erection now.
“Good,” Scarlett gasped, and Colin could faintly hear the buzzing of what he assumed was her vibrator, like she had turned it up. “I’m tired of waiting.”
“What position do you want to be in?”
“All of them,” she whispered. “I don’t care as long as you’re inside me soon.” Her voice was almost a whine, and he could practically picture the way her back would be arching off the bed. “It’s going to feel so good.”
“I need to see you tonight.” Colin sat up, phone pressed hard to his ear so he didn’t miss a single one of her sounds. Listening to her labored breathing wasn’t enough. He could come like this, but it wouldn’t be as good as burying himself in her heat. At this point, putting off sex felt ridiculous, and he didn’t know why he had been so scared to do it again. All of the worry paled in comparison to how desperate he was to finally rock into Scarlett like he had wanted to do so many times before.
“How?” The vibration stopped abruptly. “We don’t have anywhere to go. You can’t sneak into my bedroom.”
“And Walker took my keys,” Colin huffed, shoving his angry cock back into his pants in frustration. In all the commotion, he had completely forgotten about the auction debacle. “I’m on house arrest. They were really pissed about us meddling with them.”
“Oh.” Scarlett’s disappointed sigh on the other end of the phone drove him crazy. “That’s too bad.”
Colin could feel the goal of being with her slipping through his fingers like sand, so for the second time that day, he decided to execute an insane plan. “I’ll steal my keys. Then I’ll sneak out and come pick you up. We’ll go to the lookout. I can put the seats down so we have more room.” He hadn’t envisioned their second time being in the back of his Audi, but in that moment, he didn’t really give a flying fuck where he had Scarlett as long as it was as soon as possible. Blame the hormones and his sudden lack of self control, but he was going to hook up with his girlfriend under the stars. He was going to find a little peace.
Tonight.