42. Skyler

I’m having an out-of-body experience, floating so high on her sweet body that my mind, body, and soul are orbiting farther and farther apart.

It’s not just because we skipped the condom, even though she does feel amazing. Tight and warm and slippery wet.

There’s something else going on here, something I’m not sure I’m ready to examine. I just know that she’s busted down my walls. Taken down the barriers I usually keep between myself and the rest of the world.

For once, I’m being honest about what I want.

God knows if it will be the same tomorrow, but just admitting I want anything at all is hard for me to do.

She comes with a little cry, her face so beautiful, it’s a masterpiece.

The pleasure of being with her, of being inside her, blends so seamlessly with my own climax that I almost miss the sweet, aching build up. Pulling out at the last second, I come across her soft tummy, spilling white ropes of my release across her smooth skin.

I’ve made a mess of her, but she’s ruined me, and I don’t think things will ever go back to the way they were before. Her hand slides up my sweat-slicked arm, gliding over my shoulder to cup my jaw.

The only sound is our harsh breathing.

Then the front door opens. A set of keys hits a hard surface.

Our gazes snap together, and I look over my shoulder, realizing the door is wide open. I’d dash over to lock it, but Cody’s footstep can be heard in the hallway. “Skyler? You still here, bud?”

“Hang on.”

I call out.

With wide eyes, Reese spins onto her stomach, covering her head with the pillow just as Cody steps into the doorway. “Oh. Shit. Sorry! Didn’t realize you had company.”

He ducks out, a look of pure embarrassment on his face.

I slide to her side, sitting up. I’m gathering the sheets around my waist when Cody reappears. “Is that…?”

I throw an arm around Reese, as though that’s going to do any good. Even though her lower half is covered by the blanket, her bare shoulders and tumbling hair give her away.

Cody’s eyes widen. “It is! Reese Olson, is that you?”

Her groan is muffled by the mattress. “No.”

Cody looks like he’s had the shock of his young life. “You have a tattoo?”

She squeaks, pulling the blanket over her head.

He pulls his gaze away from the blanket-covered mound to stare accusingly at me.

I scrub a hand over my face. “Just give me a second to get dressed.”

Tearing his gaze away, Cody shakes his head, shutting the door behind him.

“Is he gone?”

Reese’s voice is still muffled.

“Yes.”

I hop up and lock the door. “It’s safe.”

She sits upright, her hair spilling over her shoulders. Pink-cheeked with messy hair, this is quite possibly a whole new low for her. And I can’t stop thinking about how pretty she is.

Her lower lip pushes out slightly. “We’re fucked, aren’t we?”

I pull my boxers on, locating my pants hanging off the dresser. “Not necessarily. Cody is a reasonable kid. I’ll talk to him.”

It takes a second to find my shirt in the tangle of sheets.

Reese is up, shimmying back into her skimpy white dress. If he was shocked by seeing her bare shoulders, that dress isn’t going to help matters. I hand her my shirt. “You better put this on.”

She winces, nodding. Pulling my shirt on, it skirts well past the hem of her dress. I can’t decide which one looks better on her. Both versions are sexy as hell.

“Skyler!”

She hisses. “Desperate situation.”

“Right. Yes. Damn, okay.”

I hesitate by the door. “Give me a second with him. He’s my cousin, I should be able to get him to understand.”

She nods, sitting on the edge of the bed. I push into the hallway, not feeling at all confident. Even though he’s the youngest cousin, we never could push him around. He was never as easy to manipulate as Mitch was and, unlike the rest of us, Cody has a very firm, unbending moral anchor.

That’s not to say he’s old-fashioned, because he’s not. But once he makes up his mind, it’s hard to get him to budge.

I find him sitting on the couch, elbows leaning on his knees. He looks up at me with disappointment in his eyes.

Not good.

He opens his mouth, but closes it again, shaking his head as he sits back. I sit down in the chair across from him. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Cody huffs a laugh. Leaning forward again, he lowers his voice. “Really? Because it looks like you banged poor, sweet Reese Olson. And I know you wouldn’t do something like that because she is your best friend’s little sister. And also… that’s sweet, little Reese Olson.”

“I didn’t bang her.”

His eyebrows fly up. “Really? Were you just playing doctor?”

“I didn’t bang her.”

I reiterate, keeping my voice down. “I made love to her.”

We both turn a little green around the gills at the use of that phrase, but there’s no other way to describe the way that felt. And I won’t have him belittling it because he’s in a state of shock.

“I knew you were a womanizer, Skyler. But I figured you still had a sense of honor. This is fucked up. Like, amazingly fucked up.”

Reese’s voice cuts through the tension. Clear and unconcerned. “Thanks for the compliment.”

She circles the couch, batting his legs aside. “Scoot.”

She sits down and turns to face him. “Cody.”

She smiles sweetly before glaring at him. “Calm the fuck down.”