Page 28

twenty-seven

C lay is fuming. I didn’t want him to find out this way, but part of me is glad it’s in the open.

I didn’t expect Martha to give me a call today, but the paperwork went through. I’ll start my part-time job after the break. Then in May, I will quit school and go full-time.

That’s what Clay overheard. The quitting school part.

I’ve been on edge all night trying to come up with the words to tell them that this is what I want. Now that tension has popped, leaving me with the room to breathe.

“We should go back into the dining room. I’ll tell everyone at the same time,” I tell Clay.

He glares at Kellan before turning and stalking back into the dining room. He takes his place at the table, but no one is eating.

Kellan and I also take our places. I stare down at the plate of food that I wish I could eat, but I’m too keyed up to even try.

“What’s going on? Why are you two yelling? It’s a holiday. Can’t you two get along for two seconds?” Mom asks, looking at both of us like we have lost our minds.

“Ask Cora why we were yelling. Trust me, Mom. You’ll be yelling too.” Clay crosses his arms over his chest.

Grace reaches out, pulling his arm down until she can hold his hand.

Kellan reaches under the table, taking my hand as well, calming some of my nerves.

“I’ve made a decision about my future, and Clay doesn’t agree with it. I’ve enjoyed the work I have been doing at the center, and they have offered me to apply for a full-time job. If I take it, I won’t be able to go to school and work at the same time. Not the way I am now. So I’ve decided that after next semester, I’m putting a pause on school. Until I figure out what I really want to do with it.”

You can hear a pin drop with how quiet it is at the table. The guys are all acting like their food is the most interesting thing in the world. For once, not one of them has a joke.

I look at Mom, but she is staring at her plate, zoned out. My heart aches at the look on her face. She’s disappointed in me.

Then Clay opens his mouth. “I think this is a mistake. You need to stay in school and get your degree. Why are you doing this anyway? Do you need money?”

“No, it’s not about the money. It’s about the fulfillment I get doing the work that I’m doing. I’ve thought this out. Martha said that if I get hired on, I can work there and gain experience. It’s a foot in the door. Once I decide which area I like most, I can narrow down what I need to go to school for. After a few years, they will pay for my entire college education and work my schedule around school. They promote from within when they can, so the opportunities are endless for me.”

“You support this?” Clay glares at Kellan.

“Do I support Cora in whatever she wants to do to make her happy? Yes. Yes, I do. Just like you better do the same for Grace.” Kellan keeps his tone steady.

I’m impressed with the way he is keeping his temper in check. I know he hates that they are talking down to me. I can feel it in the way he is holding my hand. I only hope it’s not about to trigger an anxiety episode.

“It doesn’t matter if he supports it or not. This is about me, so stop talking about me like I’m not here. I made a decision. I’m an adult, and it is my life. This is what I want to do. I would love it if you supported me as well, but if you can’t, I get it. I know you both feel like college is the path for me, but I don’t. This isn’t what I want.”

Clay sighs, shaking his head. “Cora, I have busted my ass to make it somewhere so I can pay for your college. I wanted to get drafted in June for the sole reason of providing for you and Mom financially, so you have to excuse me if I cannot accept that you want to give up college and go work yourself to the bone like Mom does. I want better for you. I expect better from you.”

That one hurt. My heart breaks a little at his statement, and I can feel my eyes tear.

“I understand your position. You’ve had your life planned out since you were a kid. You always knew that it would be hockey for you. I didn’t have that. I lived in the shadow of the great Clayton James. I was good in school because I was expected to be. I went to college because you and Mom asked me to. Not once did anyone ask me what I wanted. I understand that college is important to some people, but it’s not to me. Not right now. You don’t want me working myself to the bone, but I won’t be. The pay is competitive, and the work is rewarding. Will I be making millions? No. Not a chance, but will I be happy? That’s the only question that matters to me, Clay. And the answer is yes.”

“Cora,” Clay starts, but Mom finally speaks up.

“Enough, Clayton.”

I swallow at her stern tone.

“Sorry, Mom,” Clay mutters.

“Cora.” Mom turns to me. “I can’t say I approve, because I don’t. I work as hard as I do to make sure you kids have a better life. I feel like you are throwing that away, but you’re right. You are an adult and can make your own decisions. Only you know what’s in your heart, and if this is the journey it is telling you to go on, then you go. I will always be here for you, no matter what. Clayton will be too. That’s what family does. So stop your arguing.” She turns to Clay. “I understand you feel responsible for her. You are her older brother, but more than that, you have been like a father figure to her at times. You were the man of the house, and I think I put too much pressure on you to help me parent Cora. That wasn’t fair. We will support your sister in this because she has always supported you without complaint. She gave up the opportunity for her to have her own thing because she wanted you to be able to pursue hockey, so I want you to show her some respect and support her.”

Clay nods at her, turning to face me after a moment. “I’m sorry. I love you, and I don’t want you to struggle anymore. I’m worried the path you have chosen will be hard. I don’t want that for you.”

“I respect that, but I’m not scared of the rougher path, Clay. We are survivors. All three of us. We have fought through hell and made it out on the other side. So while you see a difficult path ahead for me, I only see the sunshine at the end. I can do this. I know I can. It feels right.”

“Okay then, I will support you,” Clay concedes.

“Me too. We love you, Cora.” Mom reaches over, grabbing my free hand.

“If my opinion matters at all, I am proud of you, Cora. You have looked happy when you talk about work, so I’m glad you found your passion,” Grace adds.

“Thank you, Grace.”

“Okay, enough of that. Who wants dessert?” Mom asks, getting up from the table.

I frown at her as we have barely eaten, but I see it for what it is. She needs a moment. She is acting strong for me, but I think I broke her heart.

Kellan leans closer to me. “It’s going to be okay. I’m proud of you.”

His whispered words help ease some of the hurt in my chest, but not all of it.

I hope I’m making the right decision.

* * *

“Well, that was eventful,” Cora says as she shuts the bedroom door behind her.

“Are you okay? Really?” I ask her, pulling her into my arms.

She snuggles in closer to me. “I think I broke my mom’s heart.”

“She is disappointed right now, but when she sees you go out and kill it, she will know you made the right decisions. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the dream you had, especially when it’s for someone you love.”

“You are so wise.” She smiles, pushing me back toward the bed.

“What are you doing?”

Once I’m seated on the edge of the bed, she straddles my lap.

“I’m checking in on you. How are you doing?”

I shrug. “I have an appointment next week to see if medication is the best route for me or if there are other options for me.”

She nods. “Meditation can help. Staying active too, but you are already so active. Oh, they also say eliminating caffeine and alcohol intake will help.”

I smirk up at her. “Did you do some research?”

She looks bashful now. “I did. I don’t like not knowing how to help you.”

I pull her closer, kissing her softly. “You being here helps me. You bring me peace when the world is chaos.”

She leans down, taking my lips with hers. I let her lead the kiss, enjoying having her in my arms.

Tonight was tough. With the way Clay reacted, I thought I was going to have to knock him out. Thankfully everything calmed down, but that energy is still in my body.

“You know what else helps with anxiety?” Cora whispers against my lips.

“What?” I ask, nipping her bottom lip.

“Serotonin.”

Then she grinds on me.

I groan, my lips falling to her neck to suck her skin in. “We are in your childhood bedroom, beautiful. You can’t grind on me like that.”

That only makes her do it again. Fuck, my dick is awake and ready to work.

“Today was kind of shitty, hotshot. Make me forget,” she whispers to me.

That I can do.

Flipping her, I wince when the bed springs squeak. “Everyone is going to know what we are doing,” I warn her.

She scrunches her nose. “Get creative then.”

I sit up, looking around the room. I could fuck her against the wall, but her brother’s room is on the only wall free. The other wall is against the outside of the house, but there is a desk against it.

Picking Cora up, I smile when she squeals. I walk her over to the desk and set her on the edge.

“I like how you think.” Cora leans up, kissing the side of my neck.

“You have to be quiet. I don’t want to come to blows with your brother today,” I warn her, pulling her pants and underwear off in one go.

“Yes, sir.” She mock salutes me.

Oh, she’s going to pay for that one.

I pull off her shirt next, then her bra. I leave her sitting on the edge of the desk naked, then spread her knees.

She is glistening already.

Stepping back from her, I take my time stripping, and she watches my every move. I don’t miss the way she licks her lips as she watches me strip down until I’m standing in front of her naked.

“I want to taste you,” she says.

I smirk at her. “You already had dessert, beautiful.”

“I need more.” She gives me a coy smile.

“Greedy.” I kneel down on the floor, licking her pussy, making her gasp.

“You want my dick?” I ask her.

“Yes.” She looks at me with pure lust in her eyes.

“Come sit on my face then,” I tell her, lying on the floor.

She doesn’t hesitate. She jumps off the desk, turning until she is facing my dick. Then she lowers herself over me. I grip her hips, moving her until she is where I want her. Then I suck her clit into my mouth.

She moans loudly, making me smack her ass.

“Better fill that mouth with my cock before we get caught. I didn’t see a lock on that door.”

“Because there isn’t one,” she pants before sucking me into her mouth.

My own groan threatens to spill out, so I bury my mouth in her pussy. It doesn’t take her long to start grinding down onto my face while she sucks my dick like it’s the best damn thing in the world. When she comes on my tongue, her moans only muffled by my cock, I nearly find my own release. I withhold it, barely though.

I keep licking her until she pulls off me with a pop. Then she lays her head on my thigh.

“Up, beautiful.” I tap her ass twice.

She does as I ask, flopping onto the floor next to me. I wince at the red rug marks on her knees.

Helping her up, I rub them softly. “You okay?” I ask.

She nods. “You didn’t come.”

“It’s okay.”

She shakes her head, turning to bend over the desk. “Fuck me, hotshot. Make me come again.”

Who can resist a demand like that? I sure can’t.

Moving to my pants, I grab a condom and roll it on. Then I move back behind her.

At first, I push in slow. I’m already on edge, so I don’t want to lose it too soon. She asked for another orgasm, so she will be getting one.

Reaching my hand around, I cover her mouth as I pick up the pace. It seems we end up in situations that require me to keep her quiet. I think she secretly likes the idea of being caught.

“Such a dirty girl,” I whisper to her. “Taking my cock so well. Look at that greedy pussy sucking me in like she can’t get enough.”

She clenches against me, a moan slipping out.

“That’s right. You love the idea of being caught, don’t you? The door is unlocked. Anyone could walk in at any time. You want them to see you taking my cock? You want them to know how much you love it when you are filled to the brim with me?”

I think she tries to moan out my name, but I can’t hear it.

“Fuck, Cora. You are so fucking tight, I can barely get inside of you. You want me to fuck you till I come? You want me to mark you as mine inside and out?” I taunt her.

It’s really a taunt for me. I wish the condom was gone. I want to do what I said.

She must too because she comes at my words, her pussy squeezing my own pleasure out of me. She nearly collapses from the exhaustion, but I hold her up, kissing her back.

When I pull out, I carry her over to the bed before finding a box of tissues to dispose of the condom. Pulling on my sweats, I walk over to kiss the side of her face.

“Be right back, beautiful.”

I sneak out of the room to the bathroom. I throw the condom out in the trash, hiding it under some other tissues inside, hoping her mom doesn’t see it or, if she does, she blames Clay. Then I take a washcloth and wet it.

When I get back to the room, Cora is half asleep. I clean her up before putting some sleep shorts and my T-shirt on her.

Once under the covers, I pull her into my side. “I love you, Cora.”

She mumbles back to me. “I love you, hotshot.”

All is right in the world with those four simple words.