I shake it off, but it’s no use. It’s already there, burrowed deep.
By the time we reach my cabin, I know one thing for sure.
I’m sure as hell going to try to keep her, any way possible.
Chapter 15: Bree
The Rusty Elk is exactly what I needed. My arms ache, my hair is a mess, and I’m sure I smell like sweat and damp timber, but Clara doesn’t care. She pulls me into a warm hug the second I step inside. Hank ran a Beers and Darts at the Elk, aimed specially at ex military to hang out, so I knew Scott would be comfortable here for what I was about to ask.
“There she is!” Clara exclaims, her silver bracelets jingling as she squeezes me tight. “I was wondering when you’d finally drag this one in here.”
Scott grunts behind me, but I catch the twitch of his mouth, his version of a smile. I saw Scott nod to Griff and Finn, ex army and ex ranger, as they set up for the darts night, before he wandered over the Hank at the bar, as I tagged behind.
Hank leaned on his forearms and gave Scott a look. “Behaving yourself, Fergus? You know Jake will string you up if you get any ideas about his little sister.”
Heat flashes through me, though it’s more from irritation than embarrassment. Little sister. Like I’m still some awkward teenager trailing behind Jake. Like I haven’t had Scott’s head between my thighs just last night, making me come so hard I forgot my own name.
If only they knew.
I peek up at Scott. His jaw is tight, his eyes locked on Hank. He looks like he wants to say something, but he just nods once. I can practically feel the tension radiating off him.
Clara loops her arm through mine and lowers her voice. “He’s always been stubborn. But he’s a good one. You just give him a little nudge, honey.”
I laugh lightly, but my stomach twists. If only it were that easy.
Scott made his move, or I made mine, depending on how you look at it. Either way, we crossed a line, and we are going to cross the final hurdle tonight.
We slide into a booth by the window and our burgers arrive, piled high with bacon and cheese. Hank winks at me as he sets mine down. “Extra fries. You need some meat on those bones.”
Scott snorts into his drink, and I flip Hank off playfully. “You saying I’m skinny?”
Hank grins. “Nah, you’re perfect.”
I laugh, but there’s a pang in my chest. Because I know what it feels like when a man doesn’t want all of me. When he avoids looking at me naked. My ex never said the words, but I saw it in his eyes every time I took my clothes off.
Scott’s not like that. He’s looked at me like he wanted to devour me. He’s kissed every inch of me like he couldn’t get enough.
And then my asshole of a brother called.
Now I’m sitting across from him, watching him shove fries into his mouth, and I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to be his little secret. I don’t want him to tiptoe around me because of some stupid pact with Jake.
I want him. All of him.
I take a sip of my drink, heart racing. He’s halfway through a mouthful of burger when I say it. “I want you to have sex with me. Tonight.”
Scott freezes. Eyes wide. Mouth still full. He coughs, choking on his food as he grabs his water and takes a sip, eyes watering.
“What?” he croaks.
I lean forward, trying to sound confident even though my palms are damp under the table. “I want to have sex with you. Actual sex. Not just… what we did before.”
He stares at me, like he’s not sure if he heard me right.
“I mean it,” I press on. “I know you’re worried about Jake, but this isn’t about him. This is about me. I’ve only been with one guy before, and it wasn’t great. I always felt, I don’t know. Awkward? Like he didn’t really want me.”
Scott’s face darkens, his jaw clenching, but he stays quiet.
“I want to feel wanted,” I continue. “I want to know what it’s supposed to be like. And you, well you make me feel things I’ve never felt before. Sparks, you know? And I want to be adventurous, I want to try things. But I don’t know how to do that.”
