They're right.
But they don't have to act like I'm driven solely by my libido. Yes, Oliver is too handsome for words, and sexy as fuck, and I do want to come on his hand and his face and his cock—
But I love him for all sorts of reasons.
His ability to make me come is only one of them.
And…
Shit, Daisy and Holden are still right there.
And I, uh…
"Luna." Daisy pulls me back to Earth. "Let's send the boys to make drinks. Talk." She motions to the couch.
It's not far from the table. Ten feet maybe. But it's enough space we can whisper.
It's familiar. The place we watched a million hours of TV.
The place I fucked Oliver too many times to count.
Ahem.
I stand. Grab my coffee and follow Daisy to the couch.
She folds one leg over the other. Smooths her skirt. She looks the same as always—a coral dress, tan boots, flowing hair—but different too.
A little more grown-up.
A little more worldly.
And—"The ink suits you." I motion to the temp on her forearm. "You should do it."
"I will." She runs her fingers over the letters. "Just not yet." Her gaze shifts to my tattoo. "I still forget. Then I see it. And it's just…"
"This reminder that everything is different."
"I can't believe you let him do it. You were already together."
A laugh escapes my throat. "You wouldn't let Holden?"
"I don't know." Her gaze shifts to her boyfriend. He and Oliver are teasing each other about something, fighting over who uses the kettle first.
It's so much like old times. Like six months ago, before Daisy and Holden kissed, before I fell in love with Oliver.
But it's different too.
She's just visiting.
And, after this—
Well, after this, I'm going to fuck Ollie senseless. And maybe I'll spend the night. But, at some point, I'm going back to my place.
The room I rent in Brentwood, a fifteen-minute walk from school. It's small and crowded and shared with two other college students, including one who plays Beck constantly (it's even worse than Nirvana), but it's mine.
"I did try the tiramisu." She takes a long sip of her chai. "It is good."
"Too strong?" I ask.
She nods. "Dessert is supposed to be sweet."
I laugh. "We'll have to agree to disagree."
"You eat one hundred percent chocolate when I'm not looking, don't you?"
"Ninety is as high as I go."
"Uh-huh." She laughs too. "Ollie join you?"
"He lost his taste for bitter. Now that he's sober."
She nods, accepting the explanation, not looking to elaborate.
It's weird. This is common knowledge now. Oliver is an alcoholic. Oliver is sober. Oliver is trying.
Sometimes, it steals all the focus in the room.
Sometimes, it's too much for him. Or me. Or everyone else.
But it's easier. Not keeping it a secret. Putting it into the universe.
"How is he?" She drops her voice to that tone that means not drinking.
He told everyone at Thanksgiving. When he felt confident, he was going to make it to three months.
"He's good," I say. "Really."
Her eyes flash with a familiar expression—what, no way and of course.
That was everyone's reaction to Oliver's news.
No way did you stop drinking. No way was it that bad. No way were you really more than a guy that liked to party.
And, of course, you stopped. Of course, you had a problem. Of course, you needed to figure out your shit.
I guess it explained a lot. About why he'd been avoiding everyone and everything for two months straight.
He's eased into the world. But…
It's different. Everything is different. The world isn't built for sobriety. Hell, when I go to a party with him, and choose not to drink—
It's really no fun, at all, hanging out with drunk people.
I've tried it.
And I don't have that extra who did I used to be, what am I doing, can I really do this forever baggage.
"We're good," I say. "And I'm good. Thanks for asking that last."
She smiles. "You look good. I don't have to ask."
"Tell me more about my beauty."
"Happy. But that dress is fierce. And with the combat boots." She makes a show of fanning herself. "We're going dancing this weekend, right?"
"Of course," I say.
"You're going to have to bat the guys away," she says.
"I like it. I get to come home. Tell him. Make him jealous and protective."
She makes that too much information face. Moves on from the topic of her brother's primal need to claim me. "So I can lock down the whole we're really going to be sisters thing?"
"I have to promise to marry him?"
"How else will we be sisters."
I laugh. "Maybe one day."
"No. Promise. I, Luna Anushka Locke, will marry Oliver Gabriel Flynn."
"He hasn't asked."
"Minor technicality."
My laugh gets louder. Wider. So it fills the backyard, the sky, the world. "You're more like Holden every day."
"Probably. But I'm going to keep asking."
"I know. I love you for it." I hug her.
She hugs me back.
"Now. Tell me everything about last night. Did he actually give you—"
She nods yes.
"Details. All of them. Right now."
"He's going to come out and bring you coffee."
"So make it fast."
She blushes. But she still slips into the story of her and Holden celebrating Christmas Eve at his place. He bought her lingerie (really, a present for him) and a new rabbit style vibrator (still kind of a present for him, but I appreciate the devotion to her orgasm).
And, of course, they tried both out right away.
He really has turned her into a filthy pervert.
I don't tell her that I bought Oliver my own set of lingerie (for myself. It's a present for him).
Or that I found a way to get Gabe out of the house for the rest of the night.
With Holden and Daisy on their way out (their next stop is Chase and Ariel's place, though I'm not sure why. Isn't it late enough the kid is asleep?)—
Well…
Daisy doesn't need to know about my plans to fuck her brother senseless.
So I listen to the rest of her story. Trade my own gossip (the Beck loving roomie also loves loud, dirty talk). Let Oliver and Holden join us with fresh coffee.
Then I walk my bestie and her boyfriend to the door, wish her goodbye, take my boyfriend upstairs.
Make do on my plans to fuck his brains out.
After, I fall onto the bed next to him, curl into his chest, let my eyes close.
He traces the lines of my tattoo. The one he did two months ago. And the new one.
ignis aurum probat
Fire tests gold.
Because I'm fighting too. For myself. For him. For us.
Because I'm wildfire and he's strong enough to take it.
I don't know if we'll get married, if I'll end up Daisy's sister, legally speaking. But I know I want him by my side.