I woke up to the feel of kisses being pressed along my rib cage and stomach and wiggled a little. "Morning, Sleepyhead." Arms crossed and rested on my stomach.
"What time is it," I mumbled and peeked an eye open to see Alex's head propped up on his arms and looking at me.
"Eleven." It was then that I noticed he was dressed, his face was lacking stubble, and his hair was wet from a shower. "I was about to go make lunch."
I closed my eyes and smiled. "I could get used to waking up like this."
"I could get used to waking you up like this." A gentle poke to the side made me jump. "Get up and come help me. I have to decide on what to do with Eli when he gets home, too."
I sighed and leaned up on my elbows, considering telling him about Eli. He waited, seeing the conflict in my eyes, but I finally decided I couldn't betray Eli like that. I'd never told anyone of our private conversations before and I wasn't about to start now. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just worried about him is all. Did you get a hold of JT?"
"No. He left his phone in his room." He didn't look happy with his younger brother and I raised a hand to his cheek to get him to relax. "I'm fine. It's just odd to have the one I was always punishing following rules and the other two avoiding me or disobeying me."
I smiled. "But I'm the most important, so it's okay."
He pressed a last kiss to my abdomen and rolled off the bed. "I'm obligated to say you are all equal." The absence of his warmth had me tugging my shirt back down before crawling out of bed. I was happy I'd taken off my bandage and that my boy shorts covered the small heart. That or Alex wasn't paying attention. "You taking a shower first?"
I rubbed my cheek sleepily and looked up at him. "Nah. I'm hungry. I'll shower after."
He wrapped me in his arms and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You're adorable when you first wake up."
"Shut up," I mumbled and pulled away. I felt his presence behind me as I walked out of his room and paused as I hit the stairs. Just as I expected, his arms came up to my waist at the sudden stop.
"Go."
"I'm too tired for stairs." I dropped down a step and stopped again. Arms went under my knees and back and I smiled, lolling my head back before looking at him as he descended the stairs carrying me.
"You're spoiled." He had a smile on his face as he said it right before he sat me down on the ground floor.
"You're the one who made me this way." I pulled my shirt down as I straightened and he looked down at the movement. "Oh, I suppose I should have put shorts on."
His gaze lingered a moment before he turned toward the kitchen. "Drew is busy today anyway."
"Is he really or are you just using that as an excuse to let your eyes prey on me?"
"Both actually." He headed straight for the fridge and I leaned against a counter. "How do you feel about chicken and mashed potatoes?"
"Sounds great." He shut the fridge after taking out chicken and butter, and raised an eyebrow at my scrutiny. "I still think I should buy that apron and make you only wear that."
He smiled and pulled out the pot and pan he needed followed by two knives. He handed me one and headed to the pantry to grab the sack of potatoes. "I don't think the other two inhabitants of this house would appreciate that."
"Maybe if you had raised us as nudists they would be more accepting. I blame you."
"Because you walking around here naked would have produced so many pure thoughts in your brothers." He gave me a joking condescending look.
"Maybe you would have gotten used to the sight and stopped being affected by it." I grabbed a potato and started peeling it. "Or maybe I wouldn't be a virgin." I paused as I said it, not completely sure if I could claim that anymore. Technically, I was still vaginally a virgin.
"I think I like how things turned out."
I scrunched up my nose. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But the point is you'll hear no complaints from me if you start walking around without clothes." I smiled as he glanced at me and started on another potato. "I like it when it's just us."
I must have jinxed it because the door slammed and leisurely steps headed towards the kitchen. I tugged on my shirt even though it covered everything, and fidgeted as the steps ended at the kitchen doorway. "What're you cooking?"
Alex turned to look at JT, but I stayed facing away. "Chicken. Would you mind staying until Eli gets home?"
"Why what happened?" He walked into the room more and entered my peripheral vision. I concentrated on finishing peeling the potatoes.
"He decided to sneak out to a party. He mentioned something to Holly about following your example. I figured it might help if you sit down and talk with him. I still haven't decided what to do with him."
"What did he say, Holly?" He moved closer again and I glanced at him.
"Just that he didn't see why it was okay for you to act that way when he couldn't. I made it clear I wasn't going to let him fall into that, but maybe if you said something it would sink in more." I finished peeling potatoes and started washing them off, handing them to Alex to set on the counter next to the pot so we could cut them into squares.
"I'll talk to him. I'll let you know what he says. Maybe we can do this without grounding him very long since his senior year starts soon." He paused and the only sound was the water running before I shut it off. "Why aren't you wearing pants, Holly?"
"I just woke up and Alex said Drew wasn't coming over today." I glanced at him and tugged at the end of my shirt again where it hit just past my panties. "I'll go put some on. I'll be back in a minute, Alex."
JT followed me up the stairs and into my room where he closed the door. I went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of shorts, quickly pulling them on. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." I adjusted things on top of my dresser to keep from looking at him.
"Why won't you look at me?" I turned and looked him in the face with a blank look. His forehead crinkled and his tongue peeked out to wet his lips in between the two rings he had in. "I told you we shouldn't have." I started to walk past him and he caught me around the waist. "Wait a minute."
"No. It wasn't a mistake. You going back to normal is. You going back to staying out and fucking girls all hours of the day is."
"I haven't been with another girl since I was with you." I looked at him with a look that said I didn't believe a single word. "I've been going to the park and walking the paths. I haven't been with another girl."
"Sure. Whatever. You can let me go now." He pulled me closer instead and bent his head down until I felt his breath on my neck.
"What do you want, Holly?" He kissed my neck and rested his head on my shoulder as he held me. I slowly brought my hands up and pulled them through his soft dark hair. I didn't have an answer so I stayed silent until he pulled away a minute later. "Go back down and help Alex." I leaned up and pecked his lips before walking towards the door. "I'll be in my room tonight." I glanced back at him and smiled.
-
"What did Eli say," I asked as I slipped into JT's room that night. Upon Alex's request, I'd gone to Amy's so that he and JT could talk to Eli and deal with him without my intervention. I quickly pulled the covers back and slipped in; I'd just gotten out of the shower and the cold air conditioning made me shiver.
His arms made me jump as they pulled me to him before I'd finished lying down. "Did you say anything to him?"
"About what?" I shut my eyes and sighed as I felt his lips rest against the back of my neck.
"I love the smell of your hair." I smiled in the darkness until he continued on, "About you and I."
"No... Did he say something? He has this idea in his head that I'm screwing everyone but him because I haven't been as close to him lately."
