We Met Like This

by Kasie West

“My whole life I’ve been compared to her and come up short. She’s always been better than me, older, prettier, smarter, more successful.” He started to object but I held up my finger. “She excels at everything. She even had two babies at once! And honestly, it was fine because we had such different interests that I could tell myself that I didn’t want the things she had anyway. But when I found out she had you first, loved you first, I didn’t think I could get past it.” “And now?” he asked, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “Now I realize that I can’t live my life constantly trying to impress my sister, trying to live up to the bar she set. And she doesn’t get to run my life along with her own, no matter how successful she’s turned out to be.” “This is a very good realization.” His finger traced a slow line along the lace edging of my bra, the only piece of clothing left on either of our bodies, sending a shiver through me. “Also, you are the smartest, prettiest, funniest woman I’ve ever known.” His finger continued its line to the strap of my bra, where it slid beneath it and coaxed it off my shoulder. All the nerve endings in my body sang with pleasure. “Is talking about my sister turning you off?” He laughed. “It normally would, but you lying here in just your bra is having a counteractive effect on the words coming out of your mouth.” “Good.” My eyes roamed down his strong arms, then I ran a hand along the smattering of hair across his toned chest. “I missed you. I...