Page 61 of The Rowdy Ones

Rowdy grumbles about having Scout in his bed, but he doesn’t outright say no. A few minutes later, we’ve shucked off our shoes and are stretched out on his bed, listening to the audiobook. Scout scoots around until his head is resting on my thigh where he can get plenty of scratches behind his ear. Rowdy’s body, though not touching mine, burns with heat.

“I think I like this one best,” I say to Rowdy, turning my head and opening my mouth so he can see the half-chewed sour gummy worm. “What color is it?”

“Half green, half orange. The flavor is orange lime.”

I nod as I finish chewing and swallowing. The next one I try is different. “I like this one too. What color is this one?”

“Red and blue. Strawberry grape.”

“Ooh, this one is yummy. What’s this one?”

“Red and yellow. Cherry lemon.” His hands brush over mine as he takes the bag from me. “There are only three different variations. Which one is your favorite?”

“All of them.” I grin at him. “Do you like them?”

“Kind of grossed out seeing them half chewed.”

I cram a handful in my mouth and playfully chew them with my mouth open to taunt him.

“Don’t be disgusting,” he growls.

All my shifting around has Scout grunting and moving away. I roll toward Rowdy and open my mouth to show him my worms.

He covers his hand over my mouth. “Chew and swallow.”

I laugh but obey him. When I finish, instead of moving his hand away completely, it slides along my cheek to the side of my neck. The sudden change from us being silly to this has my heart pumping wildly. His touch feels too intimate, but I don’t hate it.

His thumb strokes over my jawline so reverently it makes my head spin. I reach up to touch his wrist, intending to pull him away because it makes me dizzy, but end up just holding on to him.

We’re both silent, but the roaring in my ears is so loud. This closeness feels wrong—like we shouldn’t be doing this—but I selfishly don’t want to end the moment. My body throbs with forbidden need.

He slides his thigh between mine and it settles against my pussy. Memories of Jace, face buried between my thighs, try to steal away my happiness. He was always so desperate to “get me off” but never could. Rowdy moves his leg, rubbing against my pussy, and I let go of a sharp breath. Pleasure zings from where he’s touching me through every nerve ending in my body.

Why isn’t he saying anything?

Why am I so quiet too?

It’s as if we’re both afraid to speak. Like we both want to pretend this touch isn’t inappropriate. I mean, we could chalk it up to just cuddling. Regular sister brother stuff.

Rowdy’s hand grips my neck like he’s claiming me. My heart hammers and butterflies flutter like crazy in my stomach. I part my lips, aching for more. Of what? I have no idea.

“Dez,” he hisses, voice filled with so much pain, it cuts me deep. “Why?”

Such a loaded question.

I don’t know why. I also don’t know why not.

He moves his thigh again and I gasp. It feels good. His touch isn’t innocent, and I can’t pretend it’s anything other than intentional.

I wish it were like the other night when we were both hardly dressed. I’d felt his cock against me, large and thick and pulsating. How good would it feel to have that rubbing against my pussy instead of his leg?

His breath tickles over my face. I close my eyes and pray he’ll press his lips to mine. The grip on my throat tightens, sending a thrill down my spine.

“I want…” He curses under his breath. “I want what I can’t have.”

I think I want that too.

Scout barks, flying off the bed and toward the door. As if we’ve been caught doing something awful and terrible, Rowdy and I scramble away from each other. I sit up and reach for my gummy worms, then cram more into my mouth.