“I can’t spend the night with her again,” Jude announced. Finn looked at him as though he had been possessed by aliens.

“What? Why the fuck would you say something like that?” He asked.

Jude stared him down. “Spend a night with her, and you’ll know exactly why.”

I shook my head, I knew where Jude was coming from. He liked her, and she had probably woken up curled in against him. I’d be a liar if I said the thought of it hadn’t already crossed my mind. It was what I was looking forward to. I wanted to wake up to that beautiful face. I wanted to do a lot more to make her smile.

“Fine.” I agreed. “But you can come up with your own excuse because I’m not dealing with that mess, okay?”

Jude nodded. Finn sighed and shook his head.

We were working on the far side of the house from Ellie. The living room was one of the last places that we had to deal with, and while it wasn’t the weather for decorating, we could at least get the electrics sorted, and the sanding of the old ceiling beams, the demolition of the last wall that had been put up for god only knows what reason, and make the room nice and spacious with a great view over the land to the back of the property.

There was noise somewhere in the house, and Finn started to laugh. “What’s that?” I asked, and he beckoned us both over. From the doorway, we could hear Ellie singing to herself from the kitchen.

“She’s got your headphones on again.” Finn laughed and nudged Jude.

I smirked, she was cute, and the song that she was singing was one that I had introduced her to years before, they had been my favourite band at the time. I liked that she still knew it and was singing it even now.

Before long, it was night time again, and we had spent time over dinner chatting again and having a pleasant evening. Jude glanced over at me. I knew what he was thinking about.

“Ellie, I hope you don’t mind, but so you didn’t get bored in with the same ugly mug every night, we were going to swap it around a little, so tonight you’ll be in with me, and tomorrow you’ll be in with Finn if that’s okay?”

She flushed with colour in her cheeks. “Um, sure, okay.” I stared at her across the table as she looked at Jude, a few thoughts clearly running through her mind. This was going to be torture, and I knew it. But if it kept her safe and warm, so be it.

We chatted on until Ellie admitted that she was sleepy and needed to head to bed. I simply nodded and went with her. My brothers were heading to their bedrooms at the same time. It was easier to be wrapped up in the heat of a comfy bed than sitting on a hard chair in the kitchen.

Once Ellie was finished in the bathroom, she appeared in the doorway of the bedroom as I lazed already in bed. “You sure you’re okay about having me in here?” She smiled meekly.

“Of course!” I said, flicking back the cover and patting the other side of the bed. She crept over in the soft firelight and tucked herself into bed.

“Thanks, Charlie.” She said, smiling at me. I rolled over onto my side and faced her. She turned the same way and faced me.

“How’s the book going?” I asked, needing to distract her and myself from the lack of distance between us.

“Well. It’s a little longer of a process now I’m writing it by hand with the power out, but it’s coming along nicely.”

“Are your characters still hating each other?”

She smirked. “They are, but they have chemistry you now, it’s not just a plain loathing, its more that they are hot for each other, but they’re in a situation where that isn’t allowed so that just creates sparks and fire between them, know what I mean?”

I brushed her hair back from her face. “Oh, I know exactly what you mean.” Dammit, I didn’t mean to come on so strongly, but I just couldn’t resist her. She was here in my bed. She was asking if I knew what it was like to be in lust with someone that I shouldn’t have when all I wanted was her. I have never wanted to kiss someone so much in my entire life, as I did with her that night in the cottage, or now even. She was addictive, and I wanted more.

She closed her eyes and licked her lips at the touch of my hand on her face, and I felt my cock hardening. This is why Jude didn’t want her back in his bed. She was far too easy to be comfortable around, she smelled so good, and the temptation to break all the rules that we had as kids was overwhelming.

“Well, how about some sleep.” I smiled.

She nodded, and I leaned in and kissed her forehead. The air around us was crackling when I pulled back. I stared at her, and she stared at me. I didn’t get to think about it too much before she crushed her mouth against mine.

Fuck.

I pulled her against me and returned her kiss hard. This was something that I had waited a very long time for, and I wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity now. We kissed each other hungrily. Her tongue was lapping over mine, encouraging it to plunder her mouth. Christ I was so turned on and hard it was painful.

“Jesus Ellie.” I moaned against her lips as we paused to catch our breath.

She looked at me startled. “Oh shit, Charlie, I’m sorry I...”

I crashed my mouth back against hers. Oh no, no way is she going to apologise for kissing me and try to back out of it now. I needed more, and I wasn’t about to let her regret what this was. She pressed herself against me, she responded with a passion comparable to my own. Until suddenly she pushed me back.

“Charlie, we can’t.” She panted against my face.

I got it. But I didn’t want to. “Why not?”

“I can’t, not with your brothers in the house.”

“Do you want to?” I had to know, if I was torturing myself with this, I needed to hear the truth.

“God, yes.”

I grinned. “I want it too, Ellie.”

Her mouth opened in a perfect little ‘o’ in reaction to my statement. I leaned in again and cheekily claimed her mouth again. This time she melted completely in against me. Fuck she feels like heaven against me. I allowed myself to slide my hand down towards her arse, grabbing a handful, holding her tight against all of me, letting her feel just what she was doing to me.

Again, she moaned against me and pushed me back. “Charlie.” She pleaded.

“Fuck Ellie, you’re torturing me,” I admitted. She was, I needed more, I had a taste now, and I knew that she wanted it and I just needed more and more. One taste would never ever be enough.