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“I know your proposal wasn’t meant for me, Hal, but here’s the thing… it went to the wrong brother, and I’m sure as fuck not letting it go. You asked me, and I’m taking you up on your offer.”
Because the truth is, sure, she thought her damn proposal went to the wrong Collins brother, but little did she know it went to the right brother. There’s no one else in this damn house putting their hands on Hallie Edwards unless it’s me. I’ll make sure of it.
I’ve spent years wishing that I was the brother she wanted, and now that I know her true feelings, that she has no inclination to actually want Eli, it’s game over.
Pretend that you didn’t take care of me when I was drunk and that I accidentally asked you to… sleep with me.” “Fuck no.” She blanches, panic written on her face. “Please?” “Nah, you might have meant for that proposal to go to my brother, but it went to me, and I signed it. Which means it’s a binding legal document.”
“I mean, honestly, you have more girls here than a brothel, and trust me when I say every single thing about me pales in comparison to them.” I turn to face her. “Don’t say that shit.”
“All of it. Don’t compare yourself to anyone, Hallie. You’re fucking perfect, and I don’t want to hear you say shit like that ever again.”
“You can’t just s-say things like that.” “I can say whatever I want, and I said I don’t want to hear you put yourself below anyone else ever again. You can come up with as many excuses as you want in your head, like this went to me instead of Eli like it was intended or that I’m ‘me,’ whatever the hell that means, but you can’t take it back. Not when all I’ve been able to think about for the last week is what it would be like to have you.”
“You have no idea how good it can be, how powerful sex can make you feel, how good I could make you feel.”
“There’s so much that I could show you, so many things that I could teach you. How to pleasure yourself. How to bring any man to his knees. That’s what you wanted, right? I want to do this because I’m attracted to you, and why not?” I bring my thumb to her lower lip and drag it over the soft flesh. The barest of touches. “You got your signature, and now you’ve got me.”
“Your first kiss isn’t going to be this, Hallie. It’s going to be when you come to me, when you know without a shadow of a doubt that this is what you want. When you give yourself to me. When I can give you a first kiss that you’ll never forget, the one that ruins you for everyone else after me. You know where to find me if you decide that’s what you want.”
“We doin’ this, Hallie Girl?”
“I want you to take my virginity. I want you to teach me.”
“I’ve never been one for rules, Hallie,” he whispers, low and hoarse, but his eyes soften, and he adds, “But for you, I will be. Tell me your rules. Tell me how you need this to happen, and maybe I’ll add some of my own.”
“So… if we’re being… intimate, does that mean that you’re not going to b-be with anyone else? I just want to be safe, an—” “I would never put you at risk in any way, Hallie. I’m not going to be with anyone else. I’m exclusively… getting to know you and how I can please you.”
Not sure if you know this, but I really know how to woo a girl. Get ready to be wooed.”
“Thank you for trusting me with something as special as this, Hallie. I promise I’ll take care of you.” I’m speechless. At the soft tone of his words, at the fact that he’s thanking me for this, and because of how ridiculously sweet it is.
I realize that I don’t think I made a mistake giving that proposal to the wrong brother. I think it was the right thing all along.
She’s wearing a short purple skirt and some type of T-shirt bodysuit, one that makes me practically fucking drool with the way it hugs her chest, dipping low and offering me an eyeful of her ample cleavage. I’m so fucked. Way more fucked than I realized.
I smirk. “I love that I make you nervous.” “Yeah, well, you can’t look like… that—” Eyes still squeezed shut, she gestures up and down my body with her hand. “—and expect me not to be nervous.”
I lean in, my lips centimeters from her ear. “How am I going to touch you?” I whisper, my voice low and hoarse as I place my hand along the dip in her waist, trailing my fingers downward to the hem of her skirt. “Kiss you…” I bring my nose down the line of her jaw, tracing her soft skin, inhaling as she lets out a breathy, sweet sigh that shoots straight to my dick. “Taste you…” I bring it a step further and drag my tongue lightly along her neck, tasting her skin, and this time, she moans. Quiet and so fucking sexy that I almost kiss her. Right here, right now, first time be damned.
Is that a hint of jealousy I hear? Mmm. My Hallie Girl might have claws under all of that sweetness.
“Nah, you see, I’ve got my hands full. I’m not interested in anyone whose name isn’t Hallie Jo Edwards. I signed a proposal, and as we discussed, the only thing I’m worried about is finding out all the ways I can please you.” Leaning forward, I plant a chaste kiss along the soft spot beneath her jaw that has her shuddering. “See ya later, Hal.”
I know that I want all of Hallie’s firsts, and I’m not stopping until I’ve got every single one of them.
“Hallie?” She drags her gaze back to mine, her thick dark lashes framing her wide eyes. “When it comes to you? I want to know all of it.”
“I’m a great teacher, Hallie.
He smells like… home. The kind of place that I want to burrow in and never leave. Bergamot and cedar.
“That’s my girl,” he breathes into my ear, the words sending a shiver down my spine. It’s late fall, but we’re in the South, and it’s not even close to cold, yet goose bumps erupt on my arms. “Just like that.”
“You hit the fucking ball, Hallie Girl.”
“Hallie?” Lane murmurs, his gaze roaming down to my lips and back up to meet my eyes. “Yes?” “I really want to kiss you.”
“You do?” He nods. “Yeah, I do. I can’t wait another second without knowing what you taste like.”
In the middle of his baseball field, soaked from head to toe, I get my first kiss from the only boy I ever wished it would be.
Then I’ll spend forever kissing Lane Collins.
I care about her, and I respect her, and I’m not going to do anything to hurt her.”
knowing we’ll be watching a horror movie where someone inevitably dies in the end. Anything for my girl.
“Babe, not gonna lie, you look hot as fuck in those,” Lane whispers against my ear as I slide onto the barstool at the back of the bar.
“You’re a douche, you know that, Landry?” He clutches his heart. “Fuck, I love it when you verbally abuse me, baby.”
“I’d rather have my gynecologist scrape my cervix with a Q-tip.” “I volunteer as tribute,” Reese says, raising his hand. She scoffs with another eye roll. “See? Literally a pig.” “It turns me on when you reject me. Please continue.”
People call me dedicated.”
“I’m good wherever you are, Hallie Girl.”
“Let me take you home, Hallie,”
“You’re shaking,” he says simply, causing my eyes to fly open. “Hallie…” His head shakes, and he blows out a breath. “Listen to me. I have no expectations. Absolutely none. I’ll never pressure you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you want to go upstairs and go to sleep, I’ll respect that. This thing between us goes at your pace, always. Okay?” I nod. “Okay.”
“I just… I-I just don’t want to disappoint you,” I whisper, my gaze downcast. “I know I’m going to be the worst anything you’ve ever had, and it’s a bit daunting,” I admit.
“Hal,” he rasps, his finger tipping my chin, dragging my eyes back to his. “Nothing about you will ever disappoint me. And sure as fuck not anything that comes with sex.”
This kind of thing doesn’t happen to girls like me.
“You’re you, and that’s more than any of those girls will ever be.” He drags his nose along my jaw, his voice low and hoarse. “They could never be you, Hallie Girl.”
“You had a crush on me, Hallie Girl?”
“Call it a cock, Hallie.”
“I’m going to come in my pants like a fucking teenager just hearing you say the word ‘cock.’ Fuck.”
This makes me feel… powerful.
“Fuck yes you can touch me, Hal. Anywhere you want.”
