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Fuck me.

That’s what I need. I need to be fucked so entirely well that I feel the intrusion on my insides for days afterward.

I want the press and glide of a man against my chest, to feel the slam of his hips against mine, and how easily my legs wrap around his waist.

Sleep is a long time coming but the few hours I get are restful and deep. In the morning, groggy, the impression lingers—the dreams were sweet even without the details easily recalled.

Probably for the best.

Things are already awkward enough.

Soon a jittery excitement grows and occupies my thoughts. Today I start volunteering at Tase’s veterinary clinic.

The shower is over quickly and I’m out the door before the boys know it’s morning.

I’ve got no scrubs of my own, so a loose shirt and jeans will have to do.

The engine turns over and makes a horrendous clicking sound, designed to wake up anyone within a radius of miles. But it eventually comes to life and starts to warm up, with stale air blasting from the dashboard.

Better to get an early start than to wait around to see the play of emotions on Aiden’s face once he wakes up.

And Soren?—

I drop my head against the steering wheel hard, my fingers gripping white-knuckled. Soren would never forgive me for what almost happened last night with his cousin. Or maybe he’d use it as ammunition against me—and I’m not sure which of those options is worse.

I’ve never been one to shy away from jumping in feet first even when a situation might call for discretion. It’s never come up with any boyfriends in the past.

Why now?

Why does it count morenow?

I throw the car into reverse and tires crunch over gravel as I maneuver around the other two parked vehicles.

Boyfriendis a loose term. I’ve only had one long-term relationship, and it lasted for a year in high school. Since then, I’ve kept things light. Always.

I sleep with whoever I want to sleep with, and break it off when things aren’t moving in a direction that feels good to me, the right direction.

What evenisthe right direction anymore?

My caution with Aiden is strange. And necessary. I don’t want him to get hurt by any involvement with me. It’s bad enough my sisters will more than likely be a target if Maxxx8U isn’t bored of me yet.

From everything I’d read, he (or she—women can be stalkers too) is not the type to get bored.

Once he has a target in sight, he keeps at it until he either has the treasure he wants or people die.

Aiden won’t understand and I’m sorry for it. I’m sorry for leading him on and putting him in the middle of my desire for himandmy desire to keep them safe.

I navigate down the long driveway to the main road and turn towards town. I’ve got to call my sisters. Just to make sure that everything is all right with them.

Maybe I can snag an opportunity today, before the clinic opens. Or tonight, if one of the guys will let me use their phone.

I swallow over a scoff. Yeah, right. Soren’ll never let me borrow his phone again. And who knows what kind of smut is saved on Aiden’s cell, anyway.

He thinks about me.

I think about him, too. At night when I can’t sleep and I slide my hand between my legs, I imagine his fingers. Or Soren’s fingers, his beard tickling the inside of my thighs.

I think about Tase and his lanky frame throwing me over the side of the bed, because I just know there’s strength in those long limbs. I don’t even know him, but he features prominently in Gilli’s Nighttime Fantasies.