27. Lake

LAKE

I'd beena mixed bag of emotions.

Bronson loved me. I loved him. And we'd been open and honest about that. During the week following the accident, after those words were out, things had changed around my house. Our house. I no longer just thought of it as mine and Stormi's because Bronson was so much a part of it.

I couldn't imagine him not staying there but I hadn't asked what he planned to do about his apartment or even his father"s house now that he'd been back there. We just went on with our daily lives, him there with us every day and night, but he wasn't sneaking out of my bed in the morning anymore.

Stormi was thrilled and very okay with the change. She and I had a very extensive talk about everything as we always did whenever things came up, especially as big as my relationship with Bronson.

Bronson made me so flipping happy, I felt cherished and loved.

But a light shadow fell over the joy of finally being with Bronson because of the man who wanted to rain terror on me and others in my path. I couldn't stop thinking about who I may have not saved or what would come next.

Next time it will be a lot more personal.

Those words kept replaying in my head and I couldn't let them go. The man wasn't done and I couldn't fathom the thought of Stormi, Bronson, or anyone close to me getting hurt. And he wanted to hurt me, that was clear in his voice.

No, I think what he truly wanted was to wreck me beyond repair.

I almost jumped out of my skin when the doorbell rang. It was Friday, late afternoon, and we were having a movie night. Bronson and Stormi went to get pizza, snacks, and drinks. I wasn't expecting anyone and hated the fact that I got a bit scared in my own home just because someone stopped by.

The guys had gone all out on security and cameras. That should have made me feel safe but that was hard to do with someone hell bent on making my life miserable. I moved to the monitor in the living room and checked the view on all the cameras. My gaze landed on the person at the door and I was shocked.

River stood there waiting.

After unlocking the door, I pulled it open and there she was, traces of concern in her eyes but a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Love the look," she said.

I glanced down at myself, then back up to her, and laughed. It was all about being comfortable when I was at home. I had on black yoga pants, a pink tank top and fuzzy pink kitty slippers. Stormi and I had the same ones and we wore them proudly any chance we got. I was pretty sure it was the slippers that River was smirking at.

"Thanks," I told her. "What are you doing here?" I winced. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound rude. You are welcome here any time, but I'm just surprised."

River and I had been talking a little here and there since finding out we were related but we hadn't seen each other in person recently. I was a little shocked she had come over.

"When we were on the phone last night, I got the feeling you could use someone else to talk to."

Had I sounded that bad?

River waved her hand in the air when she spoke. "Not professionally, but as your sister."

I got the feeling that with her career she was confident, tough, and caring. But when it came to her personal emotions she was a bit unsure of herself. Talking with her hands seemed to help her push her point across.

Now she was going to make me cry. Damnit, I hadn't been a big crier until Bronson came back into my life, stirring up all these feelings I'd shoved down deep. And now River. Her coming to my house and commenting on being there in the sister capacity was a big deal for her.

And for me too.

I opened the door wider and moved to the side. "I could definitely use my sister."

"Great because I wasn't leaving until we talked," she said as she moved past me, another smirk on her face.

Interesting. River could be sassy too.

I was looking forward to getting to know her better.

The short time we spent together that day was definitely a start.

The credits rolledon the first movie.

Stormi hadn't made it through the whole thing. She was out cold on the pile of blankets and pillows she'd made into a makeshift bed on the floor. I was so close to following her into slumber as I lay curled up on the sofa, my head resting against Bronson's thigh.

His fingers tenderly sifted through my hair lulling me to sleep better than any lullaby. My last thought before my eyes drifted shut was how perfect the evening had been with my two favorite people.

With my family.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

Bronson's featherlight kiss left my lips tingling and his deep voice sent goosebumps breaking out across every inch of my skin. When my eyes fluttered open and I stared into his mossy green gaze, my body sparked to life.

Just one look could do that.

Turning my head to the spot on the floor where Stormi had been sleeping, I noticed she was gone.

"I put her in her bed."

My head swiveled back to the man I had known almost all of my life and I felt like I should pinch myself. I couldn't believe he was mine. It wasn't a dream, it was real.

As real as anything could get.

He waggled his brows. "I'm happy to put you to bed too."

I shot him a seductive smile. "As long as we don't have to sleep. I'm well rested now."

He scooped me up off the couch and headed down the hall.

"Sleeping was definitely not on my agenda," he said.

Death by orgasmjust might be real.

I was halfway to being completely comatose after being thoroughly ravished. The sexual bliss I'd experienced had worn me out in the best possible way and I was ready to sleep again.

But there was something to be said about cuddle time afterward. It wasn't something I truly thought I'd experience. It felt so good.

And I didn't want to miss a moment of it.

So not to close my eyes, I rattled on like Stormi always did, about anything and everything.

We talked for hours as I lay curled up against Bronson's side, my head resting on his chest. Nothing seemed to be off limits. He told me about his time in the military and when he joined the police force. We reminisced about our childhood together. And we talked about my parents passing and having Stormi alone.

After all that, we talked about the change in our relationship and where our future might lead.

"The sky's the limit, Cupcake, as long as we're together," Bronson said as he ran his large, warm palm up and down my side, sending shivers racing across my bare skin.

Could it really be my life? Stormi, Bronson, and me, together as a unit. Instead of pinching myself like I'd thought about earlier to make sure it was all real, I decided I'd let Bronson have the honors. Reaching out, I pinched his side instead.

"Ouch, woman, what was that for?"

He rolled over the top of me, pinning me under him and piercing me with his stare.

"I wanted to make sure this was all real. That we're real."

"Oh, we are real, sweetheart. What's between us is the one thing in my life that has never been anything but real." He pressed down as if doing a pushup and kissed me, before raising again.

I'd promised myself to move forward. That I wouldn't keep getting stuck in the past and the way I felt when Bronson left me.

What mattered is that we were together now.

"I feel the same way," I whispered.

"You, me, and Stormi, forever," he said before capturing my lips with his again.

One kiss turned into two, and two turned into three. It wasn't long before we found ourselves both racing for the finish line, chasing another orgasm that had us both seeing stars.