hell. I had nothing to offer this wonderful woman. I had nothing to offer this baby sister of my best friend.
That last thought should have stopped me. Should have had me breaking the kiss and running toward the door.
But it didn’t.
No.
Nothing would stop me now.
This would happen, and it would be amazing.
Damn the consequences.
Damn the fallout.
Damn everything—everything except Marj and me and this amazing kiss.
Our lips still smashed together, I explored her silky neck with my fingers, and then her lean shoulder and upper arm, lightly brushing the fabric of her short sleeve upward. I trailed down her arm, circling her wrist and then entwining her fingers with mine.
I groaned into her mouth.
This felt so right.
It was wrong, but so right.
With reluctance, I broke the kiss to inhale a necessary breath.
Breathless again.
She always left me breathless.
Then I pressed my lips to her soft cheek, her jawline, the curve of her neck, the soft part of her shoulder that was exposed.
Tonight my lips would explore every inch of Marjorie’s body. Every fucking inch. My cock was hard as a rock in my jeans, and I absently pushed it against her belly, craving more and more of her.
Damn the consequences.
Damn the fallout.
“Bryce.”
Her voice was a soft sigh, a careless whisper in the night.
I groaned again and nipped her neck, not giving a damn if I left a mark.
In fact, wanting to leave a mark.
Yearning to mark her as mine forever.
Damn the consequences.
Damn the fall—
“Auntie Marj?”
I jerked my lips away from her neck and looked up. Donny stood at the top of the small staircase that led to the large family room and bar.
Marj turned toward the little boy quickly. “Hey, sweetie. What are you doing up?”
“I had a bad dream.”
Talon and Joe had told me about the boys and their nightmares. They were coming less and less frequently, and they tormented Dale more often. Tonight, though, apparently little Donny was affected.
Marjorie pulled away from me, not missing a beat. If Donny had noticed what we were doing, he didn’t let on. She took the little boy’s hand and squeezed it. “Let’s get you some water. Then I’ll read you a story. Would you like that?”
He nodded, trotting along at her side.
I drew in a breath, trying to will my cock back to normal size but having no luck. As much as I wanted Donny to sleep peacefully, I was slightly thankful for the interruption. I could fix this mistake I’d been about to make.
As if she’d read my mind, she looked over her well-kissed shoulder, arching her eyebrows. “Make yourself at home. Don’t even think about leaving.”
I sat back down on the couch with a thud. “Now what?”
Leave. You should leave.
Absolutely.
Somehow, though, I stayed glued to the couch.
My head spun a little, though not from the drinks I’d had earlier. They’d long worn off.
No. This was Marjorie Steel’s doing.
The woman made me crazy. I didn’t know up from down when I was with her. And damned if I didn’t enjoy it.
She’s your best friend’s sister.
She’s thirteen years younger than you are.
You remember when she was born.
Pink and yellow unicorns.
You’re a mess, Bryce Simpson.
You have no business getting involved with anyone, especially not Marjorie Steel.
She means something to you.
Don’t hurt her.
Over and over, I played through the myriad reasons Marj and I could never happen. Every single one, and I even invented a few for good measure.
And still I remained glued to the damned couch.
I sighed. Fact was, I wasn’t leaving.
I didn’t want to leave.
“Damn the consequences and damn the fallout,” I said aloud.
I rose and walked up the stairs and into the kitchen where I poured myself a glass of water and downed it. Then I stood, leaning against the granite countertop on the island.
I am not my father.
A mantra I’d repeated since I’d discovered who he truly was.
All the men, women, and children he’d abused…and Tom Simpson had never once laid a hand on me—his only child. He hadn’t abused my mother either, as far as I knew. I felt certain she’d have told me by now if he had.
In a warped way, I’d come out of this smelling like a rose. I was truly lucky.
I felt anything but.
I was determined not to lose myself to self-pity. I had no reason to pity myself. I’d been through nothing. Nothing. Talon Steel had been through everything. That little boy Marj was currently comforting had been through everything.
Me?
Nothing.
Yes. I was the lucky one.
How fucked up was all of this?
My feet seemed glued to