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KELSEY

“Emily, your ass better be here still. I need you. Well, really, I need your stone-cold heart.” Not that it matters.

I’ve already said yes to Deke, and I’m not one to renege on my word.

My sister is going to kill me; maybe that’s putting it too mildly.

Her tongue is as sharp as her mind, and I know just how those words can come down on a person.

After Deke asked me to go away with him back to Florida this weekend, I was already waffling.

Thankfully, he shut my brain up with a kiss that left me swinging my body up until I was straddling his waist. Yet, there was an abrupt halt to that, too, not on my part, of course.

Freaking Deacon Hart, withholding his cock.

I can’t even say he’s doing that to orgasms; it’s sex he’s holding back on.

“Where’s the fire? In your crotch? Do you have crabs or something?

” I walk into the small office, which reminds me we really need to look at renting a small warehouse.

My spare room is becoming consumed. I can only imagine how Emily’s house is looking.

Plus, that way, we can load it all up in the company van in one go.

“I assure you I do not have something like that going on. Thanks for the vote of confidence, though.” I roll my eyes at her ridiculousness.

“What? It’s nothing antibiotics can’t cure.

” If she tells me anything more about this subject, I may lose the small amount of breakfast I was able to wolf down after I left Deke’s, drove home, and jumped in the shower, doing the bare necessities, got dressed, popped a piece of bread in the toaster, grabbed an energy drink, and left for today.

“Okay, we’re not going there. Unless you have something to tell me about?

” I arch my eyebrows, coming to sit in the other chair we keep in the room so both of us can work on the computer if need be.

Where I’m the brains of the business, it’s Emily’s creativity that keeps us marketable with social marketing and, following that, keeps us in business.

“Oh no, you don’t. This conversation is about you. Now tell me what’s wrong?” I’ll definitely be circling back to that earlier comment, you can bet your ass on that.

“Deke asked me to go to Florida with him this weekend. You know he’s been hinting at making this fake relationship thing real, right? Well, I kind of said yes.” I hide my eyes behind my hands, peeking through the slots between them.

“Sister, you act like I’m going to lead you to a guillotine.

You’ve tried to resist him. I know that you know that, but these past two weeks, you have been floating in happiness.

Was I wrong about him? Probably. Were you?

Maybe. But if all Deke wanted was a quick wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, I assure you he wouldn’t be holding out on you this entire time.

” Now, here’s the thing: she’s right. I knew it all along. Emily’s reassurance is helping.

“I might have fucked up and broke the cardinal rule, though.” I look up to the ceiling, letting out a puff of air.

“Okay, well, I warned you about giving the man a blowjob. Did he ask you to Florida before or after said broken rule?”

“After. That’s not a coincidence, right? He wanted to talk before I dropped to my knees, but I shut him up, kind of like I’ve been doing all along.”

“I think you have Deke in the palm of your hand, but I also think he’s solid. I mean, even if he is an asshole, the only way you’re going to know the reason why he’s that way is to finally let him in,” Emily says.

“Okay, but who are you? Aren’t you the one and done, love ‘em and leave ‘em?” I ask. This conversation is going a completely different way than I thought it would.

“Yes, I am. That doesn’t mean you are, and that’s okay.

I say fuck it, go to Florida, see what he’s got to say, get away from the stress of this place.

The last time you went, it wasn’t as fun, and I know you were stressing about leaving me here to work it alone.

We have Natalie now, so it’s not even like I’ll be here either unless there’s a massive issue, but let’s face it.

Nat has got it going on, even with the bitchiest of customers.

” I was ready to beat my head against the counter the other day when a lady came in requesting a refund when she clearly wore the garment, left the tag on, then asked for her money back.

Our receipts clearly state we only refund if the fabric is faulty, not when there are deodorant stains as well as red wine stains down the skirt of the dress.

I let Natalie handle it. She was calm and collected.

The lady still left without a refund. We probably lost her business, but that was better than being swindled time and time again if word got around.

“Okay, I’m going. I’ll leave it open to interpretation, and maybe this time, he’ll actually fuck me.” Did I mention we’re pretty open with each other?

“There is that. Please tell me he reciprocated after you gave him the end-all be-all?” I give her a sly smile as my answer. We end up in a fit of laughter afterwards, and the stress on my shoulders is finally lifting.