Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

I could stare at her forever. She moved through the kitchen with confidence and it took all I had not to wrap my arms around her again. Her white shorts hugged her thighs perfectly and the red blouse hung off one of her shoulders to expose her freckled skin. Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail, which only showed off more of that skin that I wanted to touch so badly. When she was around, I felt like there was a magnetic pull between us that called my body to hers. Since I couldn’t touch her, I lived to make her smile. Getting her air conditioner going had made me feel like I was Neil Armstrong and I’d just stepped on the moon.

“What can I do to help you?” I asked as she rinsed off something in the sink. She turned and flashed me a smile.

“Do you want to peel potatoes?”

I hated peeling potatoes. It was probably my least favorite thing to do in the kitchen but I didn’t tell Megan that. “Sure.”

She picked up a ten pound bag of spuds and set them next to the sink before rifling through the drawer. She handed me the peeler and I immediately started ripping apart the first potato.

“How many people are coming?”

Megan looked up from the lettuce she’d just started chopping. “There should be ten including the kids. Not too many.”

I didn’t want it to be silent between us so I tried to think of something to ask that was general and platonic. The only thing that came to my mind was the weather and that definitely wouldn’t fly.

“Want to play twenty questions?” I asked as I glanced over my shoulder. Megan looked up at me and a grin flit to her lips at my question. For a moment, I could tell she was thinking about the first time I’d taken her home.

“Okay. You go first this time.”

I already had a question lined up. “You know mine but I don’t know yours. What is your favorite movie?”

“Pitch Perfect. The first one. Xbox or Playstation?

I grinned, not expecting her to ask that. “Xbox but my heart belongs to the Nintendo sixty-four. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?”

I thought she’d have to think about it but she answered immediately again. “Super speed. Imagine everything I could do in one day.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I totally expected you to say you’d want to fly. You’re such a free spirit.”

“Flying would be cool, too, but you’d basically be flying with super speed.” She leaned across my chest to rinse off her hands in the sink and I inhaled a sharp breath at the contact. I could tell it affected her, too, because she became less graceful for a moment. “If you could stop your body or your mind from aging beyond thirty which would you pick?”

“My mind. The body is easier to manipulate than the mind is.”

Megan and I played well beyond twenty questions and I helped her get the potato salad, green salad, rolls, deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese, and watermelon all set up. After everything was ready, she leaned back against the counter with a glass of water in her hands.

“Thank you. You made it so much easier.” She looked at me with a slight blush. “And much more enjoyable.”

I pulled a bottle of beer out of the fridge and mimicked her stance as I stood opposite of where she was. “I’m glad I could I could help.”

Without the prep work to do and our game long gone, an awkward silence settled over us. She drained the rest of her glass before setting it behind her and folding her arms across her chest.

“Why is it so awkward between us?”

I shrugged and took another drink of my beer as I decided to go with total honesty. “Because there’s something between us and we’re having a hard time ignoring it without the TV to distract us.”

“Yeah,” she mused quietly with a nod as she looked at her feet. “What are we going to do about it?”

“You want to be with my brother, right?” Megan didn’t answer but instead brought her gaze to meet mine. Part of me wanted her to deny it or even give me an uncommitted shrug but she remained a statue as she waited for me to go on. “Well, as long as you are then we just keep trying to ignore it. Should make for some fun family reunions ten years down the road.”

“Simon,” she scoffed, not appreciating my joke.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Megan.” I put my beer on the counter and ran my hands through my hair as frustration settled in my chest. “I’m trying, okay? Do you know how hard it is to spend time with you knowing you were just in his bed? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m jealous. I’ve been jealous. Jealous and pissed. You and I…” I didn’t finish my thought as I watched sadness wash over her face. “Look. I’m pretty sure you know where I stand and what I want. If you don’t, just think about it. I also know where you stand. I’m fucking trying.”

“Si…”

I didn’t wait for her to continue as I grabbed my beer and walked towards the stairs to the basement. Megan didn’t chase me and I was glad. I didn’t want to blow up at her and at that moment, I was ready to explode. I dropped down on my bed and turned the TV on to numb my mind for a bit.

After about an hour and a half, I heard people walking around upstairs and the muffled voices told me that guests had started arriving. I reluctantly trudged up the stairs to be social.

“There he is,” my mother said with a huge smile on her face as I appeared in the kitchen. I immediately wrapped her into a tight hug and she held me longer than she normally would, as if she could sense I needed it.

“Mom, hey,” I said quietly as she pulled back. She ran her eyes over my face, scrutinizing me for a minute.

“Everything okay, baby?”

I nodded and rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m just tired.”

She didn’t believe me but she also didn’t press. I accepted a quick hug from Phil before Kendra barreled into my arms happily, acting as though she hadn’t seen me in a year. Her reaction was always the same when she came home and always made me feel great.

“Hey, pretty. How was mommy’s house?” I tickled her armpit and she squirmed in my grasp.

“Fine.” She attempted to wiggle out of my hold until I put her on her feet and she immediately took off running towards the backyard, calling for my mom and Phil to follow.

I grabbed a fresh beer out of the fridge and headed outside, too. Everyone was in the backyard and I zeroed in on Megan. Alex had his arm around her and she leaned into him as they spoke to my parents. I wanted to roll my eyes but instead I took a long swallow of my beer before I sat down in one of the patio chairs.

“Simon.”

I turned my head and saw Megan’s father, James, step out onto the patio. I immediately moved back to my feet and held my hand out to him.

“Mr. Gold. It’s nice seeing you again.”

He smiled as he shook my hand. “Please call me James.” He gestured to the woman who’d joined him. “Simon, this is my wife, Renee.”

I shook her hand as well and offered her a genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Simon,” she said softly before cutting her gaze to where Megan was briefly. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for my daughter.”

“James, Renee,” Alex said as he approached where we were standing. I looked back and saw Megan was still speaking to Mom and Phil. “Good to see you guys again. I’d love you to come meet my parents.”

“Okay. Excuse us, Simon. Good to see you, son.”

I stayed on my feet until they’d walked away and the smile I’d been wearing instantly disappeared as I fell back into my chair so I could pick up my drink. I stared out at the happy couple and the parents as they all spoke, and I tried my best to force the scowl from my face.

“Why are you sulking?” A woman settled in the chair next to me with her own beer. She had light brown hair that fell a little past her shoulders and her eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Her body was killer and the small denim shorts she wore showed off her tanned, toned legs. The tight, blank tank top revealed a sliver of her smooth stomach and hugged her voluptuous breasts. She looked nothing like Megan but I assumed she was Kelly.

“I’m not sulking,” I said as I tore my eyes from her body and took another swallow of beer.

She scoffed in a way that reminded me so much of Megan that I had no doubt they were siblings. “Whatever. Not a fan of family gatherings?”

“I’ve just had a long day.” I turned to look at her again. “You’re Kelly, right?”

“Yeah,” she replied with a nod. “You must be Simon. Little sister meets big brother.” She held out her hand and I chuckled as I shook it.

It didn’t take long for me to decide that I really liked Kelly. She had a quick sense of humor and wasn’t afraid to play with the kids. Together, we had a water balloon fight with Kendra and Hudson had chased us with his super soaker. She also told me stories of her childhood, most of which included her getting in trouble while Megan bailed her out.

“Well,” Kelly said as the evening began to wind down a couple of hours later. “This was more fun than I thought it would be.” She smiled from the chair next to me before glancing back to the propane fire pit in front of us.

I nodded as the marshmallow I was roasting caught fire. I blew out the flame and gave her a grin. “You saved me from a boring night.” I put the hot marshmallow and a piece of chocolate between two graham crackers before calling Hudson over. “It’s hot, dude, so blow on it first.”

He thanked me and ran back to where James and Renee were blowing bubbles with Kendra, stuffing it in his face as he did. I chuckled at him as my eyes scanned the yard and found Megan easily. She and Alex were sitting at the table with Mom and Phil and someone had said something funny. Her head was thrown back as she laughed and I felt the corners of my lips pull up as I stared.

“That must suck,” Kelly said beside me and I tore my eyes from Megan to look at her.

“What?”

She smiled and gestured towards her sister. “Watching them together when you have feelings for Gan.”

I didn’t bother denying it but instead shrugged my shoulders. “It’s a pretty fucked up situation. Why do you call her Gan?”

“I couldn’t or refused to say ‘Megan’ when I was little so she’s always been Gan to me.” Kelly took a bite of her own s’more and I watched as she licked her lips to get the marshmallow off that had stuck there. That simple action had me fantasizing for a moment about taking her downstairs. I was sure I could forget about Megan while was Kelly beneath me.

And then I mentally punched myself in the face for being such an asshole. I liked Kelly and didn’t want to use her. I also didn’t want to hurt Megan. In fact, that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Damn,” Kelly murmured with a nod. “You do have it bad for her. That was some of my best stuff and you didn’t take the bait.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Trust me. The thought crossed my mind.”

“She’s very loyal, Simon. That’s why she’s still with him.”

I raised my brows, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Megan probably feels like she has to try,” Kelly explained simply. “She committed to Alex. She can’t just bow out and hurt him, Hudson, and Kendra now, even if it meant pursuing her own happiness.”

“Do you think I could make her happy?” I asked, almost scared to hear the answer, but the woman next to me didn’t even hesitate before she was nodding her head.

“She thinks she’s good at hiding the way she feels about you from me, but she’s really not. It’s obvious when she talks about you. It’s obvious in the way she’s been sneaking glances at you all night.”

I released a long sigh and put down the skewer I was using to roast marshmallows. “I wish I had given her my number on the side of the road that day.”

“You and me both. Then she wouldn’t have ever dated Alex and she wouldn’t be putting loyalty above all else. She wouldn’t be secretly pining over her boyfriend’s brother.”

I didn’t respond but instead thought about everything Kelly had said. It all made sense but just made me feel worse. I was afraid her loyalty was transforming into true feelings for my bother. Or maybe it already had.

“Can I be honest?” Kelly asked, her voice so quiet that I had to lean in to hear her.

“Please.”

She looked over to where our siblings were. “I don’t really care for the way he treats her.”

“What do you me?” A rock settled in the pit of my stomach and I immediately imagined the worst.

“He just doesn’t make her a priority unless it’s good for him. He’s never picked her up from our place, he gets sloppy drunk when they spend time together, and sometimes I feel like he’s using her because she’s too nice.”

I cleared my throat and sat back in my chair as I considered my next words carefully. “Alex got married and had kids before he was old enough to drink. I think that took a toll on him and he never grew up completely. It’s not an excuse but more of an explanation. She lets him treat her like that and that’s part of the problem. I’m not saying my brother isn’t at fault because he definitely is. He should be appreciating every moment he has with Megan and treating her like a queen. Your sister needs to find her courage and learn to speak her mind, though.”

“I definitely agree,” Kelly said with a nod. “She really does.”

Silence settled between us but it was far more comfortable than the times I’d shared the quiet with her sister.

People started filtering out not too long after that and Kelly gave me a long hug before she left.

“Don’t be a stranger. I’m rooting for you, big brother,” she whispered quietly before letting go so she could place a kiss on my cheek. “Good luck.”

I watched as she walked out the back gate and smiled. She was a cool chick. When I turned back around, I caught Megan’s eye and the hurt expression on her face told me she’d watched my exchange with Kelly. We stared at each other for a moment and she jumped slightly when her father dropped an arm across her shoulders.

After everyone was gone, I took my time cleaning up the backyard. I wasn’t sure I could handle an evening alone with her after our earlier argument. I scrubbed down the grill and folded up the extra tables and chairs we’d brought out. And just because I didn’t want to go back inside, I used my phone as a flashlight and picked up all of the pieces of broken latex from the water balloons.

When I finally did head in an hour later, Megan was alone in the kitchen. She stood at the sink and washed the dishes in silence, a concentrated look on her face as she did. I bit back the sigh that threatened to escape. I’d never give up what little time I did get no matter how badly we argued.

I walked up next to her and took the soapy plate from her hand so I could rinse it under the water. She turned to look up at me with a small smile and we finished the dishes silently. I helped her dry them and once they were put away, I sighed.

“Where’s Alex?”

She gestured to the staircase as she began wiping the countertops. “He fell asleep with the kids about thirty minutes ago. I just wanted to clean up in here before I went home.” She paused and turned to look at me. “Are you going to go out with Kelly?”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and watched her for a moment. Her cheeks were tinged with pink as she turned to finish wiping away the crumbs.

“Why?”

She shrugged and dropped the paper towel she’d been using in the trashcan before clearing her throat. “I was just curious. You two seemed cozy tonight.”

“You’re jealous,” I said softly and Megan snapped her head back to look at me with a frown.

“No, I’m not.”

I loved that she was jealous. That just proved she cared. I stalked towards her slowly. “Liar.”

Megan shook her head quickly and took a few steps back until she was up against the island. “I’m not.” Her voice was a whisper and I stopped once our bodies were just millimeters from touching.

Her hazel eyes were bright and her chest heaved as if she had been running a marathon. Her lips were parted slightly and she brought the tip of her tongue out to wet them. Her eyes dropped to my mouth and I knew she wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss her.

“It’s tit for tat, right? You date my brother, I date your sister.”

That caused anger to take over her face and her hands touched my chest as she tried to push me away. I didn’t move, though, and she tried again.

“How would you feel if you knew that my lips were on Kelly’s?” I whispered as I brought my fingertips up to touch her bare neck. They barely grazed her skin but Megan’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment before they snapped open. I knew she wanted to retort but I kept going. “What if you knew that I was downstairs with Kelly, Megan? Our bodies naked and pressed together as I slowly fucked her, made her moan?”

“Shut up,” she breathed, moving into my touch as she did. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“That’s how I feel, Megs.” I brought my other knuckle up to brush along her jaw as I leaned in closer. “Knowing you’re with Alex kills me.”

Megan turned her head so our cheeks were pressed together and she let out a long, tortured sigh. “I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you want to do?” I asked as I shifted so our noses were touching. “What do you want to do right now?”

“I want to kiss you.”

And she did. Her soft lips pressed to mine and I immediately opened, granting her tongue permission to dance with my own. Her arms came around my back and I wrapped one of mine around her neck, pulling her as close as I could while the other cupped her jaw. She tasted like cinnamon and smelled like lavender and I knew I’d never get enough. My body felt like it was on fire and she moaned when one of my hands tugged on a few strands of her hair. My hands, my lips, my brain all rejoiced that I was finally touching her.

Kissing Megan wasn’t like kissing anyone else. She ignited every nerve in my body and left me needing more. I’d never done drugs but I imagined that was how an addict felt. It wasn’t that I wanted to have her but that I needed her. Our kiss became so much that I knew I had to stop or else I was going to make love to her on the kitchen counter.

I slowed the kiss down until our movements were less frantic and more languid. I eventually pulled back, keeping my face just inches from hers. Megan didn’t open her eyes for a moment and I took the opportunity to look at her. Her swollen lips were still parted slightly and her breathing was coming out in short puffs. Her long eyelashes grazed the skin below her eyes and a small spattering of freckles dusted her nose. She was beautiful.

When she finally reopened her eyes, they were glassy and lust-filled as they met mine. She held my gaze for a moment before slowly shaking her head.

“I need to go.” She untangled her arms from around my body and gently pushed on my chest again. This time, I obliged and let my hands fall from her before taking two steps back.

“Megan.” I could hear the plea in my tone but had no idea what I was begging for. She just shook her head again as she grabbed her purse off of the counter.

She repeated the same words she’d said to me the first night she’d slept with Alex. “I’m sorry.”

I didn’t get a chance to respond as she hurried out of the kitchen and to the front door. I didn’t follow that time and when the door clicked shut, it felt like my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.