I swayed back and forth slowly, holding her. Music must have been playing, but I paid it no attention. With Kylie so close, I could think of nothing else. I enjoyed the moment, and it made me think, once again, that I should tell her. That I should just confess and get it over with. But as many times as I’d pictured telling her, it ended in disaster every time. I knew if I told her, she would never talk to me again. I’d lose her forever. I couldn’t take the chance. Better to enjoy moments like that, so close, than to risk losing her.

She yawned and touched her forehead. Always a sign. “Let’s sit down if you’re tired.”

She nodded and let me lead her back to the table.

“I’ll get us something to drink. Cookies?”

“Sure,” she grumbled, and set her chin in her hand.

I headed over to the refreshment table and poured two cups of spiked cider. Cooper walked over, and I slapped his shoulder.

“Hey man!” I said. “How’s married life been treating you so far?”

He glanced at his watch. “Well, after three hours, I’d say I’m a regular pro.”

We shared a laugh. “Seriously, though, congrats. Alexis is great.”

“She is.” Cooper stuffed a cookie in his mouth and beamed in the direction of his bride. “Maybe one of these days it’ll be your turn.”

I shrugged. “You know, wild hearts can’t be broken.”

“I don’t think that’s a thing. You just have to find the right woman.”

“She doesn’t exist, man.” I knew it wasn’t true, but it was part of my mask. I had a certain role to uphold in our clan. Pining longingly over anything was not part of my reputation as the clan playboy.

Let alone our Alpha’s sister.

“I’m sure there’s someone special out there for you. Hey, is Kylie okay?”

I looked over at her, sitting miserably at the table, killing time on her phone. A slow smile spread across my face. “She’s good man. She’s okay.”

Cooper shot a concerned look her way.

“She’s still getting adjusted to things, you know?” I added. “Give her time.”

“I know and that’s what worries me. I want her to be able to be herself.”

I nodded. “She will be soon.”

“Well, thanks for sitting with her. I know she always appreciates her ‘other brother’ being around to support her.”

I laughed, but the comment stung. Her other brother. I sure as hell didn’t want that title.

“Oh, and by the way, thanks for not trying to bang all the bridesmaids. I know Alexis has some good-looking friends and all—”

“Come on, dude.” I waved a hand at him. “What do you think I was doing after the rehearsal?” I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

He rolled his eyes and blew out a sigh. “I should have known. Which one? No, wait. Don’t tell me. I’ll just wait to see who comes to Alexis in tears in a few days when you don’t call.”

“The Jace Man never calls,” I replied with a wink.

“Yeah, I know. That’s the problem.”

“Well, nothing to worry yourself over. You’d better get back to that bride of yours before I steal her away from you.”

He smiled and headed back to the sweetheart table where Alexis and their infant son Kodi waited for him.

I piled a plate high with cookies and couldn’t ignore the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. All the lies; so many years of them. But if I told them all the truth, I didn’t know who I would be anymore. How did I tell my friends that I wasn’t the person they thought I was all that time?

I hadn’t slept with any of the bridesmaids. Maybe I would have back in the day, but after the rehearsal, I went home alone, drank a few beers, and watched a survival show on Netflix. And that was what I did most nights, even if I’d told people I’d been out screwing some chick. I’d gotten bored with that life a long time ago, and any trace of it vanished after Kylie’s accident. Everything seemed to have changed that night.

I carried the plate back to the table.

“Thanks.” Kylie stuffed a whole oatmeal raisin cookie into her mouth and looked dejected.

A thought came into my mind; a crazy, reckless thought. No, no. But once it was there, I couldn’t deny it. Maybe it was all the spiked cider I’d been drinking, but I had to act.

“M’lady,” I stood up and held out my hand. “I request your presence.”

She raised an eyebrow and didn’t budge. “Uh, you already have it.”

I sighed. “Obviously.” I picked up her hand and pulled her to her feet. “I request your presence…elsewhere.”

She reached for her crutches and walked with me, wincing every now and then, but trying to hide it. I led her outside where there was a garden, and we walked along the path for a time. The garden wasn’t so big that we could get lost in it, but the tall shrubs and flowers provided some privacy.

I stopped by a Sitka spruce and looked up at the Alaskan moonlight peeking through its branches. I took a moment, knowing there was no going back. That moment would define the rest of my life, for better or worse.

I was shaking. She looked at me, confused.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I… I…” I couldn’t do it. The air deflated from my lungs. I couldn’t tell her. But maybe… “Kylie…”

She looked at me expectantly, and a moment later, I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to hers. At first, she jumped in shock and pulled back. She met my eyes for a few seconds, then returned the gesture, locking her lips with mine.

I leaned her back against the spruce for support and ran my hands through her hair, while hers roamed over my chest. My head spun. Is this really happening? Her lips were so soft, her mouth, so warm. My heart raced, thinking at any moment, she’d realize what we were doing and stop. But she never did.

“Come upstairs with me?” I murmured along her neck. My hotel room was so close. Just a few hundred feet back inside, then a short elevator ride up to the third floor.

She didn’t respond with words, but grabbed her crutches, turned and took my hand. I followed her to the elevator, and when it closed with only us inside, our lips crashed once again. We made it to my hotel room, barely, and once inside, I felt like I could devour every inch of Kylie and still wouldn’t have enough of her.

I quickly yanked off my shirt, tossing it onto the floor. Struggling with her dress, Kylie fumbled for the zipper at her back, so I turned her to unzip it. She let the dress fall to the floor in a shimmering puddle and turned back to me. When we were awkward young kids, we had accidentally seen each other naked once. Then, it happened again a few more times as we got older—which may or may not have been accidental. Her generous curves weren’t new to me, but having them presented to me for the taking most certainly was.

I reached out for her waist and pulled her close once again, kissing her as she moaned softly. My hands caressed her soft breasts, rubbing my thumbs over the firm peaks of her nipples, and my own hardness begged to be free. I pressed my body against her, allowing her to feel my arousal, and her hand trailed down to fondle me. My mind kept freaking out, shouting, This is Kylie. This is Kylie! Sometimes it was an expression of awe, sometimes of warning. What would Cooper have done if—or when—he found out?

Kylie slowly sat back onto the bed and unzipped my pants, pushing them down with my boxers, and finally, my erection was free. She slipped me into her mouth, swirling her tongue around my shaft, and my eyes rolled back into my head with the sensation. I had to pull back from her quickly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, still sitting on the bed.

“You don’t have to do it anymore.”

“Aren’t you enjoying it?”

My face went hot. “I do. Maybe a little too much?”

“Oh.” She gave me a cocky smirk and tilted her head at me before she motioned for me to help her up. “So, the boy next door finally wants to have his way with the neighbor girl.”

“When you say it like that…” I pulled her close again and nibbled gently on her ear. She gave a breathy sigh and I reached down, pressing my throbbing head against her for a moment, enjoying her moaning as I rubbed against her clit before she grabbed me and guided me toward her entrance. It was an awkward position, standing with her injured leg wrapped around me. Yet, somehow, I slipped inside her easily.

I held her ass as she slid up and down my length, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. I picked her up and moved forward a few feet so that her back was against the wall for support. From that position, I could get a much better thrust.

I pounded into her and she dug her fingers into my hair. She felt so good, and every time I looked into her eyes, I wanted to melt. Kylie. My heart felt so full that thrusting so hard didn’t seem appropriate any longer.

I pulled her back from the wall and lay her down on my bed, climbing into place over her as she opened her legs for me. Kissing along her thighs, I made my way up toward their apex, taking a while to flick my tongue over her clit and make her moan before I entered her once again.

I slipped inside her and moved at a slower pace, kissing her lips and along her jawline, around her earlobe and down her neck, then playfully nibbled on her shoulder and her breast. I held her gaze as I pushed inside her and watched her eyes close in pleasure as I pulled back.

The gentle, deliberate lovemaking might have done more for me than the fast pounding had, to be honest. I had to slow down or pause a few times to keep myself from finishing too quickly; I wanted to savor every moment. But when I just couldn’t hold back any longer, I exploded inside her, and it felt like a privilege. After feeling the last jolts of my orgasm, I withdrew myself and lay beside her, my face down in the pillow.

I’d never felt like that after sex. I’d just get mine, come and then I didn’t want to see the woman again. That’s usually how it played out.

That time, though…it felt right in a way that I’d never felt before. There was more than just a physical act that had happened. There was so much emotion behind it. It was so much more than just sex.

I just had sex with Kylie—while not in a relationship, while not married, and, now that I think about it, without any sort of protection at all. Wasn’t that exactly what Cooper did? And hadn’t his parents—Kylie’s parents—been disappointed that he’d had sex out of wedlock? His parents will hate me, especially if she becomes pregnant.

That thought gave me a strange pang in my chest. Kylie pregnant. With my baby? I’d never thought I was the kid type, but really, I’d never imagined having them before, and picturing anything with Kylie brought everything else into focus. There was a longing I’d never felt, and it brought tears to my eyes.

Her hand was on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I rubbed my face on the pillow and turned toward her. “Your parents and Cooper are going to fucking kill me.”

She laughed. “Nah. I’m sure they’re used to this sort of behavior from you.”

I pulled her close to me, her back against my stomach. “But you’re not used to this sort of behavior from me.” I kissed along her neck.

“No,” she breathed. “I really like it, though.”

“So do I.”

We fell asleep wrapped up like that—something I’d never done.

Hours later, I woke with my arm under her, and the reality of the situation hit me. I pulled it back gently, but she didn’t stir. Slowly, I managed to slide out of the bed. I watched to make sure I didn’t wake her in the process, but she was fast asleep, so I gathered my things as quickly as I could and rushed out to my car.

What the fuck did I just do? I just slept with my best friend’s sister—the Alpha’s sister—who I’ve known my whole life. Well, hopefully, she doesn’t think of me as a brother any longer…

I drove home, worried and ashamed of myself for letting it go down like it had.