Cora ducks her head, lowering her eyes to the gray rug in my entryway. “You know what I’m talking about. It’s not appropriate. Especially because we’ve been…” She clears her throat. “Intimate.”
“Those were fucked up circumstances. We didn’t have a choice.”
“I know, but we have a choice now. We have our free will back, and it’s telling me it’s not a good idea to get in bed with my sister’s fiancé. It’s wrong, Dean.” She lifts her eyes back to me. “I’m sorry.”
I can’t argue with her. I can’t argue with any of that. I’m being torn in two directions, my mind telling me it’s not right and that Mandy would never be okay with it, and my fucking soul wanting nothing more than to feel Cora pressed up against my chest, the sound of her beating heart singing me to sleep like a goddamn lullaby.
I’m so fucked.
I nod my head slowly, pressing my lips together. “Yeah, you’re right. Happy New Year, Cora.” I shoot her a jaded smile and begin to turn around… but something stops me. Something that has been bugging me for weeks. I stop her before she slips out the door. “Hey, wait a sec.”
Cora turns to me with curious eyes. “Yeah?”
I scratch the back of my head. “That thing I said in the car that night… about the way you were dressed. About opening yourself up for unwanted attention...” I force my eyes up, noting a perplexed frown etched between her brows. “That was shitty. I don’t ever want you to think that what happened to us was your fault or that you brought it on yourself. It was a fucked up thing to say, and it’s been bothering the hell out of me. I just… you looked so fuckin’ pretty, and I guess I’ve always felt this weird protectiveness over you. I see the way men look at you and it drives me crazy.”
Cora is wringing her hands together, biting her lip so hard I’m afraid she might draw blood. “Oh. Um… thank you.”
“Yeah, you’re welcome.” I massage the nape of my neck, my chin to my chest. “Well, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Dean. Happy New Year.”
I look up at her just as she shoots me the sweetest smile that makes my heart do things it really shouldn’t, and then she’s gone. I think about that smile as I crawl into bed a few minutes later, and I know I won’t sleep well tonight, but I’ll definitely sleep a little easier.
Chapter Seventeen
T H R E E Y E A R S E A R L I E R
Mandy’s fingers are dancing across my knee under the table, making their way up my thigh. I catch her hand before it makes contact and shoot her a wink.
Little minx.
The Oar is noisy with rowdy patrons watching the game, slinging back beers and shouting obscenities at the big screen TVs. Cora and Brandon sit across from us, making googly eyes at each other as they try to decide on an appetizer. My friend, Reid, stops by the table with his new girlfriend to chat, while a waitress appears to collect our orders and refill our drinks.
Life is good.
I have a beautiful woman who I think I want to marry someday, job security, a new townhouse, and pretty damn good friends. I’m not sure why it hits me in that moment, hanging out at our favorite bar on a random Friday night in the middle of winter, but as laughter fills my ears and Mandy’s hand presses warm against my thigh, I feel content.
“Do you think the waitress is hot?”
Reid says his goodbyes and I turn to Mandy, who is leaning on her palm and twirling a piece of light blonde hair around her finger. “Huh?”
“Her boobs are really big. And her extensions look great.” Mandy puckers her lips with a sigh, deep in thought.
“You’re crazy. I didn’t even notice her.”
It’s true—I didn’t. Cora is convinced I sleep around because I’m a ‘giant jerk face’, and I guess cheating goes along with being a giant jerk face, but the truth is, I’ve only ever been with Mandy. We were each other’s firsts when I was a sophomore and she was a junior, and we’ve been together ever since. We took a three month break in college, but I still never strayed. It didn’t feel right.
Honestly, the only other woman I’ve ever even thought about in that way is Cora… which is a secret I’ll take to my grave. Neither of them can ever know I had eyes for Cora Lawson first when she ambled into English class as a doe-eyed freshman, radiating innocence and lavender.
The Lawson sisters are still the two most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on, and one of them is currently glaring at me from across the table.
“What?” I question, leaning back in my chair. “Is my breathing getting on your nerves?”
“That’s a given,” she shrugs. “And you’re such a liar. You obviously noticed the waitress.”
“I didn’t, and why would you assume that?”
“Because you’re a straight male.” Cora pauses, a wicked gleam settling in her green eyes. “Well… that’s up for debate, I suppose. We can’t forget that embarrassing incident with your college buddy last year.”
I can’t believe she went there. “You mean when you slipped me your dad’s Viagra after I mentioned I had a headache? Real cute, Corabelle. I thought it was Advil.”
She almost spits her drink out as she erupts with laughter. Damn her. That was the most humiliating night of my life, and I still have no idea how I’m going to get her back for it. Everything I think of falls short.
The waitress returns with our wings and cheese fries, and I keep my hard gaze on Cora, refusing to humor her with even the tiniest glance in the waitress’ direction. But I can see Brandon out of the corner of my eye practically drooling into his craft beer.
“Anything else I can get for you guys?”
“Nope,” I say, still staring at Cora.
She narrows her eyes at me.
The waitress walks away, and I reach for the wings, dipping one of them into the little cup of ranch dressing that was set in front of me. I take a big bite…
…and literally almost Exorcist-vomit all over the table.
“What the fuck? Is this mayonnaise?”
I hate mayonnaise. Despise it. Even the smell of it makes me want to puke.
Cora’s laughter reemerges, and I zero in on the culprit. She’s getting way too good at these pranks.
“Cor, you’re such a bitch,” Mandy says beside me, but her own laughter breaks through as she tries to hide it with her hand.
I fold my arms across my chest with payback in my eyes as Brandon leans into Cora, kissing her head and muttering, “That’s my girl.”
Mandy and Cora left about fifteen minutes ago. Brandon and I decide to stick around and have a few more beers since the game is still going on, and we’re both eager to see who wins.
“I’m gonna take a piss. Be back in a few,” Brandon says, sliding off his stool and weaving his way through the busy bar and grill.
I take a sip of my beer, my eyes on the game, when I notice the faint scent of flowery perfume floating over to me. I glance to my right. Our waitress is leaning her elbow on the bar, holding up her notepad and tapping it with her pen.