Page 17

16

Summer

M y stomach flutters the entire walk to the Morningstar House, and I take deep breaths to calm my nerves. I’m not good at apologizing. It’s not something I do very often, or ever, because I’ve rarely had anyone in my life important enough to apologize to. But the closer I get to his house, the more I realize I’m partially at fault here. Yes, I was running on emotions, and honestly, if I were in the same situation again, I’m not certain I’d change my actions. I needed to have those emotions. I have always been like this, unable to just push feelings away. Only once I’ve felt and processed them can I then return to some level of rational thinking and move forward with a clear head.

The Morningstar House looks very different in the light of day without dozens of students littering the front lawn. It’s a pretty idyllic house, to be honest. The light blue paneling with the white porch makes it look homey and inviting. The garden is beautifully landscaped, and the house is obviously well-cared for. A lot of thought has gone into making this house a home for these boys.

I pause at the gate and take a steadying breath. I truly hate admitting that I was wrong. Just do it, Sum. I exhale and walk up the path, not allowing myself any more moments of hesitation before I knock on the door.

Rafe, in all his broody glory, opens it. When he sees me, something lightens in his eyes, but his face remains blank. “Summer.”

“Is Connor in?” I ask.

Rafe narrows his eyes, but that sparkle is still there. He opens the door a bit wider but shifts, blocking my entry. “That depends. Are you here just to tell him to fuck off?” He’s obviously glad I came, but he is also extremely protective of his brother.

I roll my eyes and push past him. He moves easily, which I imagine wouldn’t be possible if he were truly trying to keep me out. Like his brother, Rafe is built like a brick fucking wall.

Zane groans on the couch, his face buried in a pillow. “He’s upstairs. Can you just… not be so loud?”

I flip him off and head up the stairs. The banisters are painted white, and the wallpaper is a lovely sky-blue color with the faintest pattern of clouds. The decor I can see is plush, comfortable, and completely stunning.

The stairs open up on a wide landing. There are two bedrooms to the right with silver Z ’s hanging on the door. Almost directly in front of the stairs is Luke’s room. His door has a lovely cross-stitched sign with his name on it. To the left of the landing, there are two more rooms. Rafe’s has an R similar to the one the twins have, but his is black with red reflective flecks throughout. Connor’s room is to the right of Rafe’s. His door doesn’t have a letter or a stitched sign. Instead, CONNOR has been etched into the door. It is not a skilled carving. The letters are shaky and extremely poorly executed. I knock softly on the door.

“Go away, Rafe.” Connor’s voice is barely audible, but the sadness is clear.

I open the door. Connor is no longer looking out the window, but he’s staring at the wall, which seems even more depressing, to be honest.

“I’m much hotter than Rafe,” I say, stepping into his room.

He tenses but doesn’t look at me. “I thought you wanted me to leave you alone.”

I take another step into his room, watching him. All I want is to erase his sadness and then punch his brothers hard in the balls.

“I came to give you something.”

Connor turns his head to look at me, his eyes guarded. “Give me something?”

I nod. “Let me see your phone?”

Connor’s brows furrow a little, but he stands up and pulls out his phone. He unlocks it and hands it to me. I take it and key my number into it before snapping a quick selfie to set as the contact photo. I toss it back to him, and Connor catches it easily. He looks at the new entry in his phone and then back at me, confusion clear on his face.

“Why?”

I take the steps separating us and lift to my tiptoes, kissing the corner of his lips. “I’ll see you later, Morningstar.”

I’m about to pull away when his big hand wraps around my upper arm, keeping me close. “Why, Summer? You pretty much wanted me to die earlier.”

I give him an exasperated look. “Okay, that’s dramatic. I was pissed off and being very slightly unreasonable.”

Connor strokes his thumb along my biceps. “I really like you, Summer. I like that you’re weirdly obsessed with school and that you smile every time you get near the library. I like how your eyes light up when you open your runes textbook. I like that you and Alice have bonded, though literally no one can understand why you guys are friends. But…”

His but makes my stomach sink, but there’s something about hearing all the ways he seems to have gotten to know me simply by being observant. He can only have seen those things while he assisted in that one class or maybe glimpses at lunch. How could he have seen so much in such a short time?

“I don’t think you like me that way. And I guess I’m going to have to get used to that,” he continues. His words don’t inspire truth in me. They once again prompt emotions that are completely foreign to me. I think I want him to get to know me, and that is fucking terrifying.

Connor brushes his thumb along the inside of my arm again, and I know that he’s about to pull away from me. I reach up and grasp his shirt, fisting it in my hand and pushing to my tiptoes. I slam my lips to his, kissing him hard. Connor hesitates for just a breath before he kisses me back. He snakes his arms around my waist and fits my body against his, deepening the kiss. I can taste his desperate need, but he pulls back, leaving me breathless and wanting more. He really needs to stop doing that.

“This is,” Connor pants, “very confusing to me.”

It’s confusing to me too, so fucking confusing. This is so much more than I’ve ever done for anyone. Well, almost anyone…

Show me what you can do, Summer.

The memory tugs at me, and the echo of his voice makes me want to run and hide. Everything in me demands that I throw those walls back up and never speak to anyone ever again. Yet, when I look up at Connor and his sad eyes meet mine, the panic constricting my chest seems to ease.

“One date,” I say, watching the darkness ease from his eyes. The words make me uneasy, but something is pushing me to do this. Maybe I’m longing to prove something to myself.

He blinks in surprise, gaping a little. “W-when?” he finally stutters out.

“I suppose you’ll have to text me to set it up.”

Connor wraps me in his massive arms, bending to kiss along my jaw. My eyes droop in pleasure. “I meant what I said. Last night was the best night of my life until… until it turned into the worst,” he says, squeezing me to him.

I moan softly as he moves his lips closer to my ear. “The best?”

Connor nods. “Easily. I’ve never had a girl wear my jersey, either.”

“Unwillingly,” I add, a smile tugging at my lips.

“You knew what you were doing when you wore his jersey.”

“What was I doing?” I ask, quirking a brow.

“Provoking me.” He growls softly, and it’s the most feral sound I’ve heard him make. It sends a wave of heat directly to my core.

“And why did that provoke you, Morningstar?”

Connor nuzzles against my neck, his stubble a delicious rasp against my skin. “Two reasons.”

I reach up, tunneling my fingers in his hair. “I’m listening.”

He presses a kiss to my cheek. “First, Hector is a bad guy.” He kisses my other cheek. “Second, you’re my girlfriend.”

That word is like a bucket of ice water, bringing my fucking pussy back under control. I pull back and glare at him. “I am not your girlfriend.”

“Well, I was planning to ask you that night.”

I boop him on the nose. “Okay, listen up, Morningstar. This one date thing is under the proviso that you know we are, in fact, not boyfriend/girlfriend.”

Connor pouts a little, and it’s so fucking endearing that I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. What is he doing to me? This behavior would normally irritate the fuck out of me.

“Fine, but we’re also not dating anyone else.”

Oh, here we go with the macho man bullshit.

“I didn’t agree to that.”

He narrows his eyes, and there’s a flicker of… jealousy? “Why not?”

“Because we’re not together,” I say plainly.

“So, you want to date other people?” he asks, his voice a disgruntled rumble.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Okay, I’m back to being confused.” Connor blinks. “So you don’t want to date anyone else, but you don’t want to be exclusive?”

I groan internally. I understand he doesn’t get how difficult this is for me, but…

“Connor, I’m trying, okay?” It’s all I can offer him at the moment. Maybe it’s all I will ever be able to offer anyone. This is completely unfamiliar territory for me. I can’t tell if I’m being unfair or not, but the idea of commitment makes me wish the ground would swallow me whole and burn my skin off in a fiery inferno.

“All right.” He cups my cheeks, looking down at me. Any despair or sadness has melted from his expression, and that familiar Morningstar sparkle is back in his eyes. I wonder if he inherited it from his mother or father because all the boys have it, even Rafe.

Connor bends, brushing his lips over mine. “Tonight. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

I nod and deepen the kiss a little, and I can feel his lips pull into a smile as he kisses me back, his fingers tunneling into my hair.

He tastes so good, feels so good, but I pull back when I remember Alice is still waiting for me. “Tonight at seven.”

Connor just stares at me, his eyes roaming over my face. There is a hunger there, but it’s the gentlest hunger I’ve ever seen. It’s caring and adoring, “You’re so beautiful.”

I smirk up at him. “Don’t make me cancel on you.”

He laughs that deep, delicious laugh and my smile broadens at the sound. “So, no compliments?” he asks, and the question is so earnest that I can’t help but reach up and kiss him again, moaning into his lips.

“Gods, you’re so mushy.”

Connor bites my lips. “The mushiest.”

I pull back reluctantly. “I have to go.”

“But… kisses.” Connor pouts.

I laugh, trying to pull away, though I put in very little effort. “No, I left Alice at the union.”

Connor holds me with ease and leans in again to kiss me deeply. “Well, she’s a big vampire.”

My hands are on his arms, and I am supposed to be pushing him away. Instead, I end up holding him tighter. I moan into the kiss, letting him taste my need. Connor backs me toward the bed, his lips never leaving mine. My legs hit the edge of the mattress. He breaks the kiss and gently eases me onto the bed. I look up at him and lick my lips, my chest heaving.

He pulls his shirt off over his head, and I sit back to appreciate his abs, his scent surrounding me. “Still have to leave?”

Fuck… I can’t tear my eyes away from his stupidly hot body.

“Yes.” I pant. “Fuck.” I push at him and try to wiggle off the bed but get distracted by the heat of his skin beneath my palms. Connor laughs and bends, kissing me again. I practically lay back on instinct, desperate to feel his weight on top of me.

“I’m serious, Summer. Do you want to go?” he asks, kneeling between my legs.

Say yes, say yes, say yes. I’ve finally found a friend. I need to be a good friend. Maybe we can be quick, though?

I grab his shoulders and pull him down on top of me. His mouth slams over mine, our tongues tangling. I slide my fingers into his thick hair and fist my hands, yanking hard. Connor groans into my mouth, and I answer with a needy moan.

Without breaking the kiss, Connor unfastens my sports bra and slides it down my arms. He chucks it to the side and cups my breasts, teasing the nipples before trailing his fingers over my stomach. He hooks his thumbs into the waistband of my leggings and panties, pulling them off in one go.

I lift my hips to help him. The gesture is almost futile, given the strength he puts into pulling them down. My panties are barely off before he’s plunging two fingers inside me. My core is soaked, my body ready for him. He groans at the feel of the tight, wet heat and crooks his fingers. My eyes roll back, and I gasp. I spread my thighs and reach for him, eager to get him out of his pants. My phone rings loudly, the shrill ringtone cutting through the moan-laced air.

“Ignore it,” Connor moans into my mouth. He pulls his fingers almost completely out before pushing them back in. I arch to meet the slow thrust. My phone continues to ring, and I find enough strength to push his hand away, needing some space to find some clarity. Connor curses, low and filthy, rolling onto his back as I fumble for my phone and blindly answer it. “Hello?” I gasp out, my body quivering with unmet need.

“I thought you were dead!” Alice’s voice sounds anything but concerned. She actually sounds smug. Asshole.

“No, I’m… just coming.” I try to hide my labored breathing. My pussy is so horribly empty and greedy for release that it throbs uncomfortably. I reach for my bra and start to pull it on.

“You sure? I can just meet you at?—”

“Babe…” Connor groans, his big hand grasping his rigid cock through his pants.

I cover his mouth, balancing the phone between my shoulder and ear as I fasten my sports bra. “No, I’ll be there in five.” Connor grumbles beneath my hand, and I end the call.

I pull on my panties and pants before sitting back on my heels and looking down at him. His eyes are dark, his pupils blown wide with desire. Thanks to the extremely noticeable bulge in his jeans, I can see how affected he is. I lift his hand and bring the fingers he had buried inside of me to my mouth. Connor’s eyes get even darker, and he moans when I close my lips around his fingers and suck on them. The sweet taste of my arousal explodes against my taste buds. I slide my tongue up and down the long, thick fingers, pulling them deeper into my mouth. Connor whimpers, his cock straining the front of his jeans. I hollow my cheeks, sucking hard before I release them with a wet pop.

I climb out of bed and wink at him, checking my hair in the mirror.

“Wait… come back.” Connor whines as he sits up, reaching for me.

I apply some more lip balm and blow him a kiss. “See you at seven, Morningstar.”

He groans, falling back on the bed. “Do you stay awake at night thinking of ways to torture me?”

I wink at him before leaving his bedroom and heading toward the front door of the Morningstar House. Rafe catches me before I leave, pinning me with his gaze as he leans in the kitchen doorway.

“He’s a good guy, Summer.”

I glance at him. “I’m starting to believe that,” I say, saluting him before leaving the house, feeling much lighter than I did when I arrived.