Page 124 of The Illicit Play

Take me back to the forest!

The words are screaming through my brain as Grady pulls into the driveway.

He cuts the engine, and I know I should reach for the handle and open the door, but I can’t move.

Grady turns to me. I can’t really see his face in this light, but I can sense his intensity and stop breathing while I wait for him to speak.

“Thank you,” he finally whispers.

I want to ask for more—thank you for what? Be specific!—but the opportunity is stolen away when the front door opens and Wily hobbles out onto the porch.

“Hey, guys!” He waves, his smile bright and dopey and all things lovable.

He has no idea, and if he finds out what we got up to this week, that smile will disappear. He’ll stop grinning at me like I’m his sweet little sister. He’ll be disappointed, hurt, betrayed. And he’ll be so angry at Grady.

I look to the man beside me, hoping for a short pep talk, even a quick hand squeeze, but he’s already pushingthe door open, raising his hand with a cheerful grin. “Hey, man.”

“Welcome home,” Wily booms, stretching his arms wide.

Satch appears behind him, tucking herself beneath his arm, and he pulls her close, kissing the top of her head, but obviously looking for me.

“Where’s my lil’ sis? You didn’t leave her in the forest, did ya?”

“Yeah, right.” Grady forces out a laugh. “I value my life, man.”

Shoving the door open, I order my stiff limbs out the door and wander around the Jeep.

Time to put on a show.

I can still do that, right?

I’ve had a lifetime of practice; five days of finally being myself for the first time won’t erase that, will it?

“Hey, shithead!” I wave at my brother, forcing my lips to move in the right direction.

“How was it?” He’s eyeing me with obvious interest, no doubt looking for cracks as if to prove himself right, that I couldn’t handle a five-day hike.

“Amazing!” I brighten my voice, which isn’t too hard, to be honest. Itwasfucking amazing. Every second of it.

“You’re not too sore?”

“My body might be aching a little.” I force myself to wander up the path and climb those front steps. “And I smell like a sewer, but other than that, I am just fine, thank you very much.”

Wily’s expression is comically skeptical, and he silently checks in with Grady.

He’s unloading the Jeep, his biceps curling as he takes both packs with ease.

Shit, I love his arms.

I picture my skinny white fingers trailing over his dark skin as he moved inside me and have to snap my eyes shut for a second.

“She did great. You wouldn’t know she was a first-timer.” He sounds like he actually means it, and I glance over my shoulder, my lips twitching before smiling down at him.

He winks at me, then looks at my brother.

Wily glances between us and my body stiffens, making me trip on the top step.

“Whoa.” He reaches forward to grab my arm, then hisses as he obviously twinges his knee.