Matt
"Please tell me again why the hell you two made me come to this." I glanced over at Erica and back at Bethany. It was mid-January in Dallas, which beat Seattle for sure, but being out and shopping for wedding dresses with two very girlie girls had me wanting to fake diarrhea.
"Because we need a male perspective. Come on. It's going to be fun, and you're my only sibling. Jeez." Bethany slipped her arm into mine. "And Erica is here because the two of you are inseparable."
"And because you need someone with an eye for the arts." Erica wagged her eyebrows and slipped her arm into my other one. She glanced up at me, stealing my heart for the millionth time. "Are we inseparable?"
"Yeah. Especially when we do it like dogs. You know, they say that-"
"Matt!" They yelled together and let me go.
"Gross. Good grief." Bethany slipped her arm into Erica's as they walked to the dress shop, leaving me standing on the sidewalk by myself.
I pulled out my phone and texted my brother that he owed me big time. Him, Karen and my dad. What the fuck? Like I was cannon fodder for the wedding.
"Matt. Come on, baby." Erica held the door open and moved back. "Let's go. Bethany wants you to tell her what Damon might like or not like about these dresses."
"This is creepy." I walked toward her, grateful that Bethany was already inside. "She's my step-sister. I don't want to check her out to see what looks right and what doesn't. And where the hell is Karen."
"Right here." My step-mother walked up from behind us. "I'm sorry I'm late."
I felt like shit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that to sound like it did."
She smiled. "Sure. Get in here. You deserve this torture."
"Where are the other males in our family?" I walked in and dropped down on a rather comfy couch. I bounced a little until Erica gave me a look that warned me to chill my nuts, less she takes them from me.
"They're golfing." Karen cringed. "Sorry. I knew you'd be upset. They asked that I didn't tell you, but you know that I'm an open book."
"Unbelievable." I leaned back and let out a long sigh, pissy as hell that I was there with the girls. "Are you all trying on dresses?"
"Yeah. Here hold our purses, baby." Erica handed off all three purses and disappeared into a dressing room with Bethany and Karen.
I let my head drop back and closed my eyes. They'd wake me up when they came back out.
"You poor thing." A soft voice caught my attention.
I jerked up to find a petite blond with pretty eyes staring down at me. "Are you the purse holder for the day?"
I glanced around and laughed. "It would seem so. You guys don't have free beers for the purse holder like the bar has free soda for the designated driver, right?"
She laughed. "No, but I wish we did. We would be a lot more popular." She glanced behind her and back at me. "You here with your girlfriend?"
I realized where she was going with it. "Yeah. Her, my mom and my sister."
"Lucky woman." She smiled and walked off.
"I'm the lucky one." I leaned back, slightly uncomfortable at being hit on. Erica was the only woman I saw when I looked around, but that didn't mean she would appreciate some wedding store chick hitting on me. A smile lifted my lips.
You still got it, old boy.
"What are you smiling about?" Erica stood beside me.
I jerked up again. "Oh shit. You scared me."
"Did you fall asleep?" She moved back, and I realized she had on a pretty bridesmaid’s dress. Her curves were accentuated, but only if you really stared her down. My mouth started to water as I took her in.
"No. Some chick hit on me, but I told her to scoot on out of here. My woman is the finest thing in the world." I stood and reached for her, wanting to touch her everywhere.
She stepped back. Apparently telling Erica that the cute blond across the room hit on me was not a way to win points with anyone, least of all - her.
"Where is she?" She turned around, and I took the opportunity to encircle her waist.
"Stop it. You know I only have eyes for you." I kissed the side of her neck. "Get a dressing room to yourself, and I can help get you out of that thing?"
"This thing?" She moved out of my arms and spun around. "I love it."
"I do too." I licked at the side of my mouth. "What color are your panties?"
"I'm not wearing any." She gave me a 'gotcha' smirk and walked off.
"Not fair," I called after her and dropped down on the couch again. A few minutes later, Bethany walked out, looking like a princess.
"Wow." I stood back up. Obviously, it was going to be a long ass day for my thighs. "You look amazing. Beautiful."
"Really?" Her sweet smile captivated my heart. How did a sweet girl like her end up with a cock like my brother? Either way, I was grateful for her being in his life. She turned around slowly. "I don't look puffy or overdone or any of that, right?"
I didn't understand a word she said. "No. You look beautiful. Radiant."
"Thanks, Matt." She smiled and moved closer to me, pressing her hand against my chest. "Do you remember when we first met? Damon had upset me, and you took me out for Mexican food?"
I laughed loudly as the memory swept through my mind. "We were at mom and dad's house. You were in the bed, acting like a fucking diva."
"I was not. Damon had hurt me."
"And I saved you." I reached out and pinched her chin softly. “I'll always save you, Sis.”
"I love you." She hugged me tightly before walking back to the dressing room. I dropped back down and let the memory play in my head. It warmed me and reminded me that family was by far the most important thing in my life. My own voice rose up in my ears as a smile spread across my face.
"Oh hell no," I grumbled loudly. Bethany moved the pillow from her head and looked up, her tears having soaked the sheet beneath her.
"Go away. I'm not in the mood to be friendly."
I pounced on the bed, my hand pressing against the upper part of her back again and again. She bounced with my efforts, growing angry and swatting at me after a few seconds.
Having a sister was going to be so much fun.
"No need to be friendly. We're family. Get your ass up. I'm taking you out."
"No. I'm not interested in seeing people. I hate everyone."
"Liar. Get up. I'm going to inhale everything in the fridge. When I come back, you better be in the shower and getting ready. Jeans and a t-shirt. Get up, get dressed and let's go have fun together."
"No," she grumbled and sat up as I walked toward the door. She was upset, and I wasn't letting her stay there. She was soon to be family, and I'd wanted a sister my whole life. Bethany was going to be a great joy to me. I had no doubt. "Get up, or I'll drag your ass out of there." My voice lost volume as I walked out.
I gave her a few minutes before walking back in and banging on the bathroom door. "Hurry up. I want chips and queso. Nothing else will do!" Now I sounded like an agitated child. That was about right.
"I'm hurrying. Excuse the fact that I have to stop for a fucking meltdown every few minutes."
"It can't be that bad. Come on. We'll work through it together." I ran my fingers through my hair and pressed my forehead against the door.
"You don't want to know this Matt."
But I did want to know, and I wanted to help. Damon's happiness meant more than mine to me. Seeing him and Bethany reconciled was a huge weight off all of our shoulders. He never thought he would find a moment of peace or joy after what mom did, but he found all of that in Bethany, just like I did in Erica.
"You reminiscing out here?" She walked out in her sundress and smiled. "You look like your lost deep in thought."
I reached for her and pulled her down into my lap. "Just reliving a few memories."
"Happy ones?" She curled up in my lap like we were sitting on the couch in our Seattle home.
"Yeah. Really happy ones." I leaned down and kissed her. "Get ready to come back here again soon. Bethany and Karen are going to want to come in when it's your turn."
Her eyes widened. "Is it going to be my turn soon?"
"When you least expect it." I gripped the back of her neck and kissed her until someone cleared their throat near us.
The cute blond. Bad timing on her part.
"Yes?" Erica gave her a nasty look and turned, pulling me into another hot kiss.
I'd take them however they came, and for whatever reason, they showed up.