TWENTY
Colby
I’d just had sex with Rip.
Sex.
And the first thought that came to my head was damn it, I wished Monica was still alive because she would be the first person I’d call.
And she’d always known I had a major crush on her brother. She’d made fun of me but always encouraged me, like she knew that we were perfect for each other. I swiped a tear from my cheek as I remembered our last serious conversation about Rip.
“He needs someone like you. Just don’t give up,” she said, sipping her wine in the living room while the kids ran around screaming as Brooks played hide-and-seek with them.
I frowned. “He needs perfection.”
“Nah.” She patted my hand. “Girl, he needs a big giant mess that shows him how messy love can really be. He needs sinks to fix. Snotty noses to wipe. He needs the simplest moments in life that would normally pass him by if he stayed inside the box he’s made for himself. He needs you.”
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked away. “He won’t ever see me as his perfect mess.”
“Who ever said perfect was part of it?” She clinked her glass against mine.
“Besides, he thinksperfect means control when it means the opposite. I’m pretty confident you can remind him of that, and one day he won’t be able to help himself.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, OK.”
A knock sounded at the door, and then Rip was walking in, holding a bottle of wine and saying hi to Brooks.
Rip’s eyes roamed the room and landed on me. His jaw clenched.
“Remember this if you remember nothing else…,” Monica whispered. “That’s not anger I see on my brother’s face.”
“Oh yeah, then what is it?” I swallowed.
“Desire,” she finished. “Now drink the rest of your wine, we have hide-and-seek to conquer.”
And right now that major crush was naked in the bathroom, disposing of the condom. My heart and brain were not prepared for this! Breathe, just breathe.
I pulled the sheet up to my chest and peered into the door.
“I can see your reflection, Colby, it’s creepy when you stare without saying anything.”
I scowled.
“Saw that too.”
“Nothing wrong with staring at a naked guy you just slept with when he has an actual real-life six-pack,” I pointed out wisely.
The bathroom light flicked off. “How about establishing some rules?”
“Boo, I knew it, you’re reverting back.” Disappointment had tears forming in my eyes, and then I looked up just in time to see him pounce on me and jerk down the sheet until I was naked to the waist.
“Better.” He nodded like he was proud of himself. “I have a lot to make up for, so I think that it’s only fair the rule is, if I’m naked you’re naked. Hey, if you get to stare, I get to stare, that’s the rule. I’m naked, you’re naked, I missed out on this for years… never again.”
I pretended to think about it, but I wasn’t an idiot. He was offering me himself. “I accept.”
“Shall we shake on it?”
I held out my hand. He took it, then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss across my lips that had me wondering how many hours we had before the kids were up.