Chapter Fourteen:
Braxton
What the fuck was that?
I don’t even know how to explain what just happened, and I’m not sure I want to. I mean, sure I love messing with Emerson, but this was…different. Something about her innocent nerves turned me on.
Don’t get me wrong, she’s always been a looker. It’s subtle because she’s not feminine and girly, but her beauty is all natural.
Throwing my head into my hands, I groan. I definitely overstepped today, and I’m not sure what that is going to mean for our relationship moving forward. I don’t want her to be scared of me, and I definitely don’t want Cade getting wind of this. He’d beat the shit out of me, no question.
I’m still in my towel, and unfortunately, still hard. Glancing at the door, I hop up quickly and deadbolt it, making sure no one will be able to get in with their key. I need some privacy to jerk myself off. Not to mention the fact that I basically just assaulted my best friend’s sister with my hard-on. My thoughts are all over the place.
Fifteen minutes later, I emerge from the room, showered, dressed, and feeling good. I have sound check in an hour and a half, and I still have no idea where anyone is. Pulling out my phone, I send a group text to my bandmates.
Where are you guys?
I make my way over to the room Spencer, Geo, and Red are staying in and knock. After a few moments, it’s apparent no one is there either. I grip my phone tighter, irritated that no one has bothered to let me know where they are. I’m starving at this point, and just want to get something in my stomach before sound check.
My phone finally buzzes, and it’s Tom, his text says they are at a pool hall a few blocks down from the motel, having a few drinks and playing. While I love the game, my rumbling stomach is hard to ignore. Dialing Cade’s number, I am hoping he picks up. He does on the fourth ring.
“Hello?” he answers.
“Dude, where are you?” I ask.
“I’m just getting some food,” he replies.
I sigh. “Oh, good, I’m starving. Where are you at? I’ll come meet you.”
There is an awkward pause before Cade responds, “Actually, we’re almost done.”
“We?” I repeat. “Who are you with?”
He clears his throat. “Breigh.”
I chuckle. “That didn’t take long.”
“Shut up,” he snaps.
“Hey, have you talked to your sister?” My stomach tenses up from the thought.
“No, last time I saw her was this morning in the room.”
I nod, even though I know he can’t see the small gesture. “Alright. Well, I guess I’ll see you for sound check.”
“Yeah, we’ll be back in a little bit.”
“Okay, have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I say and then hang up. I don’t know why I said it, as I know I overstepped my boundaries today.
I end up back at the room, sprawled out on the bed, flipping through channels. After finding a magazine filled with coupons, I locate a nearby pizza restaurant that delivers and place an order for a large pepperoni and sausage. They say it will be forty minutes. It’ll be cutting it close, but I’m hangry.
I hear someone at the door and then Emerson’s blond head emerges. My stomach begins doing sickening flops. “Hey,” she says simply once she’s inside and sees it’s just me.
“Did you find them?” I ask. The last thing she said she was doing was going to find Cade and Breigh. I know from talking to Cade that they were out to lunch, but I wonder if she ever did meet up with them.
She shakes her head, her long blond hair swaying from side to side. “Neither one of them answered their phones. Have you talked to Cade?”
I nod. “He said they are on their way back.”
She sits down on her bed. “I wonder what they’ve been doing all day.”
I shrug. Sitting up straighter, I glance her way. “I do want to talk about what happened earlier…I don’t know what got into me. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”
Emerson looks relieved. Anything I can do to smooth out the awkwardness between us will be helpful. “Thanks,” she says simply.
“Sometimes I forget that you’re my best friend’s sister,” I say, throwing my arm behind my head.
She stares back at me through lowered lashes. “And if I wasn’t?”
I’m caught off by her question. “If you weren’t his sister?”
She nods, shyly.
I gulp down the nerves rising in my throat. “If you weren’t his sister, then all bets would be off.”
Her cheeks are tinged pink, and she breaks our stare. “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t.”
I know she doesn’t mean it, although they bicker sometimes, they love each other more than anything else in the world. She would never trade that bond for a possible romantic connection. Cade will always come first, and I respect that. Just like Emerson will always come first for him. “You don’t know what you’re saying.” I sigh. “I’m not a good guy, Em.”
She stares back at me, doe-eyed. “That’s what you want people to believe. People who won’t take the time to see that there’s a deeper level to you. But I know you; I know that deep down you care, and you’re actually semi-decent.”
“Semi?” I ask, somewhat offended.
She giggles and then pushes her hair out of her eyes, instantly becoming quiet and reserved. “Brax, I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I think I want my first time to be with you.”
I choke on my saliva. “Excuse me? Do you mind repeating that slowly?”
She stands, taking a few hesitant steps toward me. “I think I want to lose my virginity to you.”
“Oh, God!” I cover my mouth as a shrill cry escapes my lips. “Cade would murder me…and what about that crap you said about me being like ‘your brother’?” I use air quotes to accentuate my point.
Emerson closes the gap between us, climbing onto the bed I’m on now. “Forget about Cade. He’s obviously breaking my rules right now by even being with Breigh, so I say it’s fair game. Plus, I want to lose my virginity to someone I trust, and I hate to say it, but that’s you. Plus, you can’t let me turn into the twenty-three-year-old virgin, can you?”
I’m still shocked by her words. I don’t know if she’s genuine with her reasoning or if she wants to lose it to me to prove some kind of point to Cade. Either way, I’m a guy, of course I’m contemplating every possible scenario, because, let’s face it, sex is sex.
She’s so close to me, she’s now between my legs and I can feel her breath on my face. “Don’t make this any more awkward than it has to be. If you want it to be just sex, it can just be that. If you are looking for something more meaningful, we can discuss that when the time comes. No pressure.”
I’m staring at her lips, remembering just how many times I’ve fantasized about this very moment. My best friend’s sister? Dude, that’s like the Holy Grail. I know he’ll slit my throat in a heartbeat if he walks in on whatever it is we are doing right now, but I can’t help myself. I’ve wanted Emerson since the second time I met her. I’ve wanted Emerson since she slapped me for pinching her butt in the fourth grade. I’ve wanted Emerson ever since Cade told me she was off-limits when her tits began to develop. I’ve wanted Emerson ever since she was the girl next door, and because she still is.
I can’t hold back any longer; my lips are on hers so fast, I worry I might miss them entirely. Luckily, I’ve got great aim, and it doesn’t take long to realize that although inexperienced, Emerson is a great kisser. It’s short, brief, and interrupted when I hear talking outside the door.
Emerson jumps up and makes a running leap for the other bed. She lands just as the door opens and Breigh and Cade emerge.
I don’t know what the heck I just got myself into, but here’s to no regrets.