Finally His (4 page)

“That was years ago.”

“The promise still holds! What do you think will happen if
you get together and then you do the usual and break up with her after a couple
of months? I’ll have to choose between my twin sister and my best friend. I
don’t want to freaking choose!”

“Then you shouldn’t have set us up in the first place.”

“Argh! She begged me. She’s in love with you, dumbass.”

“I know she is,” Nick growled back. “I’m trying not to act
on it, okay?”

“Then try harder. And for fuck’s sake, stop flirting with
her.”

He nodded, but his thoughts were spinning inside his head.
He couldn’t help but think of Lucy and her luscious body. How her tits had felt
under his tongue only a few nights ago. And then yesterday, her eyes shining as
she tried to dunk him in the pool. The taste of chocolate in her mouth earlier
tonight, the way she’d kissed him as if he was her everything… Fuck, he had it
bad.

Who’d have thought he’d fall in love with little Lucy, his
best friend’s twin? They’d grown up together and he’d known for years that she
liked him. She’d had a big crush on him when she was a teenager, but now she
was all grown up and she was still a handful.
A perfect handful
, he
commented inwardly.

He’d tried everything to push her away. He’d thought he’d
managed to make her hate him once, but no, the feelings were still there. And
now he was stuck too. He couldn’t let her go. She was perfect for him after
all. She understood who he was. She
got
him. But he’d made that promise
to Alex and he couldn’t break it. He wouldn’t. Even if it killed him…and her.

He’d lied to his friend, hadn’t told him he’d already broken
his word and had taken her like a cheap woman on the hood of his car. She’d
felt so good though. She felt good whenever he laid his hands on her, his mouth
on hers.

His muscles hardened and he shook his head.
No.
He
had to stop this before it hurt them all. He couldn’t come here anymore. He
couldn’t see her again. Otherwise he’d do something he’d regret, like make love
to her again.

He needed to stay away. Forever. Or at least until the need
left him.

Chapter Three

“Have you guys argued or something?” Lucy asked one evening
weeks later. She watched her brother’s fork pause in the air.

“What do you mean?”

“Nick. He hasn’t been here in forever. I thought maybe you’d
had an argument or something.”

“We’re not women, Luce. We don’t argue.”

She snorted. “Right. So?”

“So what?”

Her eyes flashed. “Don’t mess with me, Lex. I know
something’s going on.”

“Is that so?” He stared back at her across their kitchen
table.

“Alexander James, answer me!”

He rolled his eyes and stood up, opening the fridge and
grabbing a can of Bud from the pack on the lowest shelf. “You’re not Mom, Luce.
That doesn’t work on me.”

“Come on, Lex, what’s going on?”

“It doesn’t concern you.” He slammed the fridge shut and
strode to the door. “I’m going out. Don’t wait up.”

Shit
, she thought as she watched him leave. She could
feel his unease deep inside her. He was hurt too. Angry. The mix of emotions
swirled, almost sending her toppling to the floor. What the hell was going on?
Afraid for her brother, she stood up and hurried to the office they shared on
the landing. She sat behind the desk and tugged the phone toward her, hitting
speed dial 1.

“Yo.” The voice rang in her ear, making her grab the edge of
the desk with clamped fingers.

“Nick? It’s Lucy.”

“Luce? What’s going on? Is there a problem?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Can you come over?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

A pause, then, “I’ll be right there.” He hung up and she
blinked at the phone in her hand, wondering if maybe she hadn’t just made a
very big mistake…

“Where’s Alex?” Nick stormed into the den, looking like a
jean-clad Viking about to go to war.

“He’s not here,” she said, standing up from the sofa where
she’d been anxiously waiting.

“What’s going on? Where is he? Why did you call me?”

“Please, sit down.”

“Luce!” he groaned. “What the fuck is going on?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you.”

He was in the middle of dropping down onto the couch, but he
still managed to send her an incredulous look. “What?”

“What’s going on? Why haven’t you been here in weeks? Did
you and Alex argue? It’s my fault, isn’t it?” she added at the end, unable to
stop herself from asking the question that had been torturing her ever since
she’d realized something was wrong. Very wrong.

Nick stared at her in silence before asking, “He doesn’t
know I’m here, does he?”

She shook her head, worrying her lower lip with her teeth.
“No. He went out. I just… I can’t take it anymore, Nick. He’s unhappy. You’re
his best friend and yet I haven’t seen you in forever. You used to be here
every day!”

“I know.”

“So tell me… What can I do? I hate seeing him like this.
It’s my fault, isn’t it? It’s because of what happened between us.”

“Nothing happened between us!” he snapped.

She jerked back in her seat, her eyes blinking. “Oh.” She
rubbed her arms, feeling cold all of a sudden. “Right. Hmm.”

“Fuck, Lucy, don’t look at me like this.”

She blinked again. “Like what?”

“Like I just shot all your dreams to pieces. Please, baby,
don’t do this. I’m trying here.”

“Trying to do what?”

“Trying to…” he paused, then sighed. His gaze focused on a
point behind her head, almost as if he couldn’t bear looking at her. “It’s not
because we’ve had sex that… We’ll never be a couple. You do realize that, Lucy,
right?”

She caught the gasp before it could explode from her parted
lips. Instead she managed to utter a weak, “Huh, sure. Sure.” A deep breath,
then, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you. I…” She stood up, wavering on
her feet, unsure of what to do next.

“Lucy,” he whispered, finding her hand, clasping their
fingers together. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, sweetheart. I don’t want to
hurt you.”

“I’m not crying.” She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, hoping he
wouldn’t see the telltale moisture on her hand.

“Baby…”

“Don’t baby me!” she shot back, tugging her fingers free.
“You should leave, Nick.”

“I can’t leave you like this.”

“Why the hell not? I got the message, okay? You don’t want
me. That’s fine. Nothing will ever happen between us. End of the discussion.”

He stood up, towering over her like he usually did. She
ignored it this time, ignored how petite he made her feel, how cherished.
Instead all she wanted to do was push on his chest and send him flying. She
wished for superpowers so she could slam him out of the front door and never
let him in ever again. “Lucy,” he said, her name barely a whisper on his lips.

“Leave, please.”

“Don’t.” His hands found her hips, holding her into place.
“Look at me.”

“No.”

“Lucy.” That’s all he did. Say her name. But it worked. Damn
it, it worked! She looked up, his gaze catching hers, his fingers tightening on
her soft flesh. “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” he murmured. Before she
could process his words, his head lowered and he kissed her.

He kissed her like he hadn’t in weeks, passion clear in
every caress of his tongue, every brush of his fingers slipping under her top.
Shivers ran up her spine, his hands soon following. He pressed her against his
body and she had to physically stop herself from rocking her hips into the
erection she could feel so hard against her stomach. She moaned into his mouth,
her fingers sliding into the neck of his shirt. His skin was soft and so very
warm. She traced circles, just as his tongue circled hers. She was falling…

“No,” he panted, pushing her away from him. “No, I can’t do
this.”

“Nick?” She blinked. Oh God, he’d kissed her again and now
he was regretting it? This was even worse than before!

“Shit, baby, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” Her voice was low, nearly unintelligible.

“I can’t have a relationship with you, Lucy. I can’t.”

She gulped. “That’s fine. I don’t want one anyway. I’m not
ready to settle down. I just…” Her brain was spinning and it suddenly hit her.
“I want sex.”

He reared back. “Sex? What the hell?”

She nodded. “What we did on your car, that was amazing. I
want some more of that. I know I’m not very experienced but…you are.”

He frowned. “You want to have sex? With me?”

“Yup. As much as possible. Of course, we’ll have to be
careful and hide it from Alex. I don’t think he’ll be happy to know you’re
banging his sister.”

“Banging his sister,” Nick repeated. “Seriously, Luce, you
want me to be your fuck buddy?”

“Yes!” That was the term she’d been looking for. “I want to
try some things out, you know, things I’ve read about or seen on TV, but I
can’t trust other men not to take advantage. I trust you.”

That did the trick. He brushed his face with the palm of his
hand, but when he looked at her again, she could see she’d won. It was there in
his eyes, in the lust clearly spelled on his face. “How?” he asked.

Shit, she hadn’t thought that far. “Well, I guess we could
go away for the weekend. I could say I’m visiting some old college friends and
you could come up with an excuse too. Even if we drive separately, we could
meet up somewhere. What do you say?”

He stared at her, unmoving for a moment, making her wonder
if maybe she hadn’t gone too far. But no, he bent his head and nipped the lobe
of her ear. “You’re on,” he whispered.

She forced herself not to shout out in triumph. She’d get
more time with Nick and she’d work on him, try to repair whatever had happened
with Alex. Oh and she’d get sex too.

The thought made her insides clench, so when he kissed her
again she was already moaning.

* * * * *

“Do you have enough cash for gas?”

“Seriously, Alex, you sound like Dad. I’m fine! I’m an adult
and it’s only a couple hours by car. Stop worrying.”

“I can’t. You’re my sister. It’s what I do.”

She rolled her eyes. “Come here, brother from hell, and give
me a hug.”

He sighed, but let her embrace him, both relaxing in each
other’s arms. “Be careful,” he said as he took a step back. “And call me if
there’s anything, all right?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Lucy!”

“I will, I will.”

“Have fun too.”

“Oh, I will,” she repeated, this time with a big smile.
“Have a good weekend, Lex. See you late on Sunday night.”

“Okay. Call me when you get there!”

She shook her head as she slid into her car, exhilaration
pumping through her. She was on her way to meet Nick. Finally!

She put her small SUV into gear and waved at her brother, a
sharp pain bursting inside her at the reminder she was lying to him.

He’d been taking care of her ever since their parents had
died in a car accident when they’d been in college. He’d dropped out and found
a job, forcing her to stay and earn a degree while he labored away so they
could have money. She’d always tried to be the best at everything, knowing she
owed it to him to lessen his worries as best she could. But now she was stuck
in this image she’d created, the shy woman who spent more time with books than
with actual people.

And now that they were in a better situation, now that they
both held jobs and had even found a nice house to live in, Alex had let go. He
was having the carefree years he should have had years ago. But he still wasn’t
happy. She knew it and she hated that she couldn’t do anything about it.

Look at her now, going behind his back for the first time…
Still smiling, she waved a final time and sped away, unease growing.

No!
She forced the thoughts away. This weekend was
for her. She wouldn’t worry about anything but what to wear for Nick or how to
pleasure him like he’d never been pleasured before. She deserved some fun. She
did. She’d been waiting years for this chance with Nick and she wouldn’t blow
it.

She focused on the coming two days. Remembering what she’d
packed in her small suitcase, she grinned and hit the pedal.

* * * * *

Nick had gone all out and rented a lakeside cabin, complete
with its own dock and whirlpool spa. The interior was luxurious, from the huge
kitchen to the fireplace in the den. It had wooden beams and thick carpet,
marble in the bathroom and satin sheets on the bed. It was unlike anywhere
she’d ever stayed before and Lucy knew how much he’d spent to make this a
weekend to remember. Her heart melted a little, and she turned around, smiling
as she hooked her arms around his neck. “Thanks,” she whispered against his
lips, letting him take over the kiss.

They’d put their bags in the main bedroom after having
explored their surroundings a little, but now she was ready for this to begin.
Her nipples were hard inside her bra; her panties were a lot less dry than on
the way over. She was ready for this, for him… So she told him.

“Fuck, baby,” he growled, his hands slipping under her shirt
to palm her waist. “Are you sure?”

“Nick, please.” She leaned up on her toes and nipped his
lower lip, loving the way his fingers tightened around her in reaction.

It took him only a few seconds to open up her shirt and draw
it down her arms. He eyed her lacy bra, the one he’d picked in her drawer that
day, and smiled. “Thanks.”

She laughed, the sound cut short when his head dipped and
his tongue found the curve of her breast. “Oh!” His turn to chuckle. His
unshaved jaw tickled her skin at the movement, the soft blond stubble making
her break into goose bumps.

“I missed those,” he growled as his thumbs dug under the
lace and her breasts popped out. He palmed them softly, his fingers spreading
out, then tensing. Once. Twice.