Chapter 16
Chapter sixteen
“Good morning, Sunshine,” Sasha says, handing me a coffee as I walk into the kitchen, yawning.
I take the cup from his hand and grunt out a greeting as he ruffles my tangled bed hair and kisses my temple.
Sighing, I amble toward the table and sink into a chair.
It’s not that I don’t like his kisses, but his little acts of endearment confuse the hell out of me.
It’s all confusing. We live together. We sleep cuddled in the same bed every night.
We spend most of our spare time together.
Having a wonderful time, might I add. And for Christ’s sake, we fuck most days on set.
“When did this switch to where you’re the grumpy one in the morning?” Sasha asks, sitting in the chair beside me with two bowls of cereal.
I roll my eyes at him but can’t stop myself from smiling. “I think the question is why are you up so early? And already dressed?”
“Jack invited everyone over for a pool day, so I…what is it?” He stops mid-sentence, looking at me with concern.
I didn’t realize my expression had changed, but I can feel how dramatically I’m frowning.
All this acting must be getting to my head.
I’m trying to think of something, literally anything, to say as an excuse, but nothing comes to mind.
With a sigh of concession, I go for it. “Honestly, Sasha, I just miss you when you’re not around.
It’s…lonely without you. I moved across the country and immediately landed this lovely gig, which didn’t leave much time for getting to know people.
And with Amanda being unreachable…It’s going to sound pathetic, but you’re kind of my only friend right now. ”
I wince as I watch a parade of emotions cross his face.
I’m half expecting him to laugh at me and walk away.
But he doesn’t. He smiles softly, all the way to his eyes, and takes my face in his hands.
“I miss you too.” He pauses to gently kiss my head, inhaling my scent a moment before pulling back to look at me with one of his goofy grins on his face. “Come with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Come with me! There’s no reason for you to be here all by yourself.”
Come with him? I couldn’t. Could I? “I couldn’t do that.
It would be…weird! How would I explain to Blanche’s children what my job is?
” I think I would die of embarrassment if my possible siblings found out what I’m really doing for their mom.
As far as I know, she told them a vague story about me and Sasha being her assistants.
“Trust me, they know how wild their mom is. And they aren’t much better either,” he says with a chuckle. “But you don’t have to come as Blanche's employee. Come as my gir…my guest.”
He looks so sincere as he stares into my eyes, waiting for a response. When I take too long to answer, he takes my hand and laces his fingers with mine. “Please.”
I nod. “Okay, sure…I’ll go.”
The mood in the room shifts almost instantly as his smile grows. “Hell yeah! Take your time finishing your breakfast and getting ready. You’ll need to prepare yourself for your first visit with the Sinclairs.”
Today has been incredible. Sasha wasn’t wrong about them being a lot. They certainly are a crazy bunch, but so much fun. Once I got past the initial awkwardness of meeting new people, I felt right at home. I can’t help thinking that this is what a sibling bond feels like.
Of course everyone was curious about what my role is with their mom, but Sasha shifted the narrative seamlessly to make it seem like I was his roommate rather than Blanche's employee.
That brought up other questions, but he met them at every turn, giving the Sinclairs just enough insight into our relationship without revealing the more… strange aspects.
He’s been by my side for most of the day as well.
I’ve been to family get-togethers with boyfriends.
Enough to know how common it is for them to completely abandon you to hang out with their guy friends, leaving you to chat it up with their aunts.
Not Sasha. Sloane and Margot had to beg him to let go of me long enough for them to pull me into Margot’s library.
Apparently, they want me to join their book club.
I enjoy a spicy romance novel as much as the next person, but Jesus Christ, some of the things they’ve had me put on my tbr…
I film myself having sex every day, and I’m blushing.
Sasha was right about them being almost as insane as Blanche, that’s for sure.
And both women have been nothing but forthcoming about their sexual endeavors.
I almost spit out a mouthful of wine when Sloane tells me how she and Ledger met in one of Blanche’s plays.
My initial shock is short-lived when she adds the little detail about it being a church production.
Jesus, Lucy, pull yourself together. Surely, Blanche wouldn’t be conducting something like this with her own son! Surely…
I don’t think I blink once as Sloane goes on about the things Ledger did to secure her.
Apparently, after they met, he stalked her, but in a sweet way.
Sending her gifts and making sure her day went well.
Then, after their first date, he took her virginity in the church rehearsal room and moved her into his house.
It all sounds tame-ish enough for a Sinclair until she tells me about how he carved his initials into her ass.
Apparently, the man has a blood kink times one hundred.
When she’s finished, Margot takes over, spilling the tea about her and Jack. Long story short, she loved him all her life, they fucked, he left. Then two years later, they met at a sex club, and he hate fucked her disguised as a stranger.
“How did you not tell from his…dick?” I ask Margot after several glasses of wine.
“Well…we had only initially had that one night together, you know. And in the club, he took his piercings out, so that ended up being quite the surprise,” she says matter-of-factly.
At that, I choke on my wine. “His what? He’s pierced?”
“Yes…” Margot smirks. “It’s pretty fantastic, actually. I do recommend trying it out at least once in your life.”
Before I can answer, Sloane speaks up, raising her glass in the air. “I can attest to that!”
I let my mind wander, imagining what that sensation might feel like, but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure any addition to Sasha’s dick would fit. He’s thicker than anything I’ve seen in my life. In person or in porn. And it already takes a lot of prep to get him inside comfortably.
“So you really didn’t know it was him? That’s wild.”
Both girls giggle before Margot answers. “Nope! But he knew it was me alright. Ugh, to this day, I don’t know if it makes me horny or angry.”
“Don’t lie, Margot. You know that shit turns you on!” Sloane says, rolling her eyes before directing her attention to me. “Sooo…what’s Sasha’s thing?
“Um…I don’t…”
I’m saved by a squeal as Margot announces that Jack texted her to come back outside.
Both women immediately find their husbands, and I watch with envy as their men greet them passionately.
For the first time tonight, I feel silly as I stand by myself.
I could go to Sasha, but thinking of walking up with a measly hello while these couples are lost in a lover’s embrace makes me nauseous.
I watch as he covers the food that’s been left on the table, wondering what it might be like to run up to him as comfortably as I watch Margot and Sloane do with their husbands.
How it would feel for him to pick me up and swirl me in the air like I belong to him. What would it be like to belong to him?
Turning, he zeroes in on me immediately, smiling from ear to ear and pulling me into him the moment I’m within arm’s reach. It’s not the steamy make-out session of the other couples, but it makes me feel much better and less…alone.
“How about we put this hot tub to good use!” Jack calls out.
I freeze for a moment. I don’t want to ruin the mood, but I didn’t bring anything to swim in. Before I can speak up and spoil the moment, Sasha is in my ear. “I packed you a swimsuit. You have a bag upstairs.” With that, he taps my ass and tells the group we’re going to change.
He leads me to a guest room with two bags. One that’s obviously for him but also a bag containing only my things. There are several changes of clothes, both nice and casual, some pajamas, and a toiletry bag. “What is all this? Are we staying the night or something? We live just down the road!”
Sasha shrugs. “I didn’t know how much we’d have to drink tonight. Better safe than sorry.”
He starts changing his clothes like it’s nothing that he packed me an overnight bag.
Like he didn’t just rock my entire world.
It’s the little things too, like remembering to get everything from my contact solution to my retainer.
Bringing myself out of my daze, I put on the bathing suit Sasha packed, internally rolling my eyes at his choice.
It’s a skimpy yellow number that I wore on the beach back home all the time, not bothering with modesty around strangers.
My insecurity is short-lived when Sasha gets his first look at me.
His expression is sinful as he takes me in.
“Goddamn, Sunshine. I thought that would look incredible on you, but this is beyond my wildest imagination.” He pulls me into his arms and leans down to whisper in my ear. “And I have a wild imagination, baby.”
He laughs as my knees buckle, causing me to fall into him. “What will I do with you?” he asks, slapping my ass with a smile on his face. “Come on, let’s go join the others.”
By the time we get back outside, everyone is already in the hot tub. Both women are sitting cuddled up in their husbands’ laps. I have to remind myself that this very well might be my family, and that I shouldn’t ogle the men—but what is in the water here?