Chapter Twenty-Two

Harper

 

I was sitting at the breakfast table, trying my best to act like a normal human being, but every twinge and ache in my body reminded me exactly just how abnormal I was.

My mother bustled behind me, preparing another pot of coffee. My brother wandered around with his hair standing on end, looking like he'd gone through a one person tornado as he bent down and rummaged through the packed refrigerator in search of some eggs. My father was already in the living room with his newspapers, right in his customary spot. Everything was completely normal.

Except for the way my nipples were sore and standing on end, brushing the fabric of my pajamas and sending electric shocks down straight to my core. Everything was normal except for the way my ass gently throbbed, sore as hell from the spanking but loving it. Everything was normal except for the way my lips still felt swollen from their kisses. Both of their kisses. Cal's hard driving, possessive ones, and Gray's surprisingly sweet ones. Those kisses I could still feel on my skin were what made this the least normal breakfast I'd ever endured.

There were footsteps above us. "Oh, someone else is finally waking up," my mother said, pouring herself a cup of coffee into her favorite chipped mug. "Who ended up staying here last night, Everett?"

Everett shrugged, and for a second he looked embarrassed. "Not really sure. People just kinda passed out where they landed."

I studied him closely. There was something a little bit off about him — more than normal. It might have something to do with the way his hair stood on end, like he'd been raking his fingers through it.

Or someone else had.

On any other morning, I would have given him an epic amount of shit for his mystery woman. But there was no way I was going to call attention to anyone in this family getting any sort of New Year's nookie.

"I think the Grangers and the Meltons made it home fine," Rett said, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. "Cal's car is still out in the driveway so he and Gray must have found somewhere to crash.

My cheeks flamed hot enough to sear a steak but luckily my brother was still halfway asleep. "And I heard some doors this morning, so a few people who stayed must have slipped out."

"Without having breakfast?" my mother fretted.

My brother fixed her with a withering glance. "Mom, when people are hung over, the last thing they want is to look a mother in the eye."

I thought he had a point there, but my mother just leaned over and bopped him on the nose. "You're hung over and you're looking a mother in the eye."

Rett closed his eyes. "Yeah. And I'll be the first to admit that this is not normal."

He had no idea how right he was.

The sound of footfalls, like elephants on the stairs, had me looking up eagerly. It was the same tumble-bumble thundering crash — like someone throwing a piano from a balcony — that always accompanied Cal and Gray in our old house. Nothing had changed in that regard.

Except everything.

They both walked in looking all showered and fresh and my heart gave a little leap. Then it dove, seeing them in last night's clothes. I hoped like hell neither one of them had my lipstick on their collars.

"Hey man," Rett said, reaching out to shake Cal's hand. "Where did you crash last night? I was looking for you."

Cal opened his mouth, but no sound came out except a fumbling, "Uh..."

My heart started to race, certain he was going to blow the whole thing, but Gray smoothly stepped to the side.

"Well I have no idea where the hell this guy ended up," he interjected. "But I slept in my car."

It was the perfect diversion, because instantly my mother was scandalized. Her anxious voice cut off any further line of questioning. "We have more than enough beds, Grayson! You shouldn't have done that, you could have frozen to death!" she protested. "And before your big interview too, what were you thinking?"

"I guess I wasn't, Ma," Gray said, grinning sheepishly and working those puppy-dog eyes like crazy.

Fuck, he was adorable.

"I slept in a bed," Cal stood with his legs planted hip length apart, as if making a defiant proclamation. Then his eyes darted over to my brother and he mumbled something about needing coffee, lurching to the pot without another word.

Gray shot him a murderous glance as the awkward silence drew out for one beat, then two.

The heavy pause made me feel like I couldn't get enough air. I was certain that every one now knew exactly what had happened. My brother wrinkled his forehead and narrowed his eyes at his friend, then looked up at Gray, who looked casually away, drumming his fingers on the granite counter top of the kitchen island. "Got anything to eat?" he asked, just as casually as can be, but there was a tightness in his voice that was so freaking obvious to me. It was so freaking obvious to everyone here, they had to know. How the hell could I have been so crazy to think that we could do something like that in secret? My family always knew what was going on in my life, it was one of the things I could count on. There were no secrets here, how the hell could I have thought that I could keep something like this a secret? It was crazy!

But also awesome.

I looked down at my coffee and grinned a private grin, and I swear I could feel both Cal and Gray looking at me, just by the way my skin heated up.

My father chose that moment to walk back into the kitchen, his newspaper folded under his arm. "Morning boys," he grumbled.

Both Cal and Gray mumbled polite hellos, but I was too busy burning up inside to be able to look up and see what their faces actually looked like.

My father moved around the island to slide his arm around my mother's waist and pulled her close. "You boys will be at the vow renewal later, right?" he asked.

"Wouldn't miss it," Cal said.

"Absolutely," Gray said.

"And I don't really have a choice do I?" Rett interjected.

My father chose to ignore that. Instead, I heard him kiss my mother's cheek and her soft little coo. "I'd marry you all over again," I heard my dad murmur softly.

It was probably supposed to be a private moment but there was no privacy in this house. I looked up at my brother, who wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue like he was going to retch. Cal laughed and Gray started coughing into his hand. Suddenly all four of us were kids again, laughing about being grossed out by my parents' affection and for just one second, I felt like I could be normal again.

But only for a second.

*****

The church was decorated for Christmas still. The giant tree covered in paper stars made by the Sunday school, and a beautiful wreath hung from the cross at the front of the sacristy. Underneath it, my mother, dressed in white pantsuit stood holding my father's hands as he fished a pair of newly blessed rings from the pocket of his suit.

I was trying my hardest to pay attention to what they were saying, to focus on my mother's happy face, and my father's eyes as they glimmered while he blinked away tears and dabbed at them with his fingers. It was a beautiful, special moment, the start of another new year after thirty years together. My parents' marriage was rock solid and happy and I was eternally grateful for that and I should remember the moment forever.

But all I could think of was the way I was sandwiched in between Cal and Gray again.

As the priest spoke, Cal's hand wandered from his lap over to rest on my upper thigh. The heat of his fingers blazed upward, and my pussy, still throbbing and sore from — shit —— his cock last night...and — holy fuck —— Gray's this morning... immediately started up a pulse like some kind of Marimba band.

His hand slid higher, and my breath came shorter. Gray, for his part, shifted in the pew like he was uncomfortable, then reached up to stretch and casually leaned his arm behind me.

I felt like I was going to lose my mind.

Here we were, in a church, under the watchful eye of as many relatives as my parents could muster, and Cal's hand was sneaking higher and higher, closer and closer to that place between my legs. Gray brushed his hand across my neck, sending my hair swinging and igniting goosebumps down my spine. Everyone was certain to see that. From the end of the pew, I felt, rather than saw, Rett lean over and stare at us, but I couldn't meet his eyes.

I was leaving tomorrow, and that was the best thing. I was leaving tomorrow and it couldn't come fast enough.

When the ceremony was finally over, I was the first to jump to my feet and start gathering my things.

Cal stood up immediately and helped me arrange my coat around my shoulders at the same time he bent to whisper in my ear. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I don't know, I'm not sure," I babbled.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" Cal asked.

"Do you need me to help you find the bathroom?" Gray piped up.

"No!" I yelped, drawing several scandalized stares from my relatives. I ducked my head then looked up again at both of them. I tried to look at Cal's blue eyes, but my gaze kept resting on his lips, and Gray's hand was sliding up my back, drawing heat with the barest of touches and fuck....

"Do you regret what happened with us?" Gray asked softly.

I pressed my lips together and tossed my hair behind my shoulder. I had to get control of the situation. I had to get control of myself before I fell off into some kind of precipice that I couldn't climb out of. "No, I don't regret it," I said tightly, keeping my voice low. "But it's a good thing I'm leaving, right?"

Cal looked at me sharply. "You think so?"

I swallowed and then swallowed again, but I couldn't get around the lump in my throat. "Well yeah," I said, trying for casual but only sounding desperate. "I mean, we sure made it awkward, huh? I mean God, what was I thinking? Coming back to my hometown only to have a one night stand?"

"One night stand?" Cal growled.

I looked at him and faltered. "Well... yeah?"

"That's what that was you?" Gray whispered.

I lifted my chin. "It was fun, but it was a fling, right? Something to try. So you can cross it off your bucket list." I winced again. "I have to go," I said to them both. "I have to go congratulate my parents." And I turned to get away from them before I lost my goddamned mind...

...again.