Always Mine (Honey Mountain, #1)

by Laura Pavlov

“Yeah. Niko doesn’t want Mabel living at the house if Dad’s going to be coming home.” My eyes bulged out of my head. “Your mom is letting him come back to the house?” “Well, yeah. He is her husband.”

“I can’t argue that. And it would be helping you out if she can pull this off. I wish I could find me a good guy best friend. It’s got to be hard spending all that time together, you know, with him being so…” She shook her head and laughed. “Being so what?” I whipped her with a towel. “Sexy. Come on, Vivi, I know you always deny it. But are you telling me you don’t find him to be jaw-droppingly attractive? And he’s so… big and muscley. I’m sure he’s got a giant package.” She wriggled her brows and laughed. “My god. That must be torture hanging out with him all the time. Although Jansen Clark was a scrawny little thing, so you obviously like them a little daintier.”

We all burst out in laughter. “You’ve always hated Jansen. Even before he cheated. Why?” “Because he’s a selfish narcissist.” She shrugged. “Are you sure you don’t want to go back to school to get your degree in psychology?” I asked as I moved to wipe down the last two tables. “I should, right? I could be a fabulous sex doctor.” I barked out a laugh. “If anyone is capable, it’s you.”

Chili peppers. Sick puppies. The stomach flu. Sex with Jansen.

I’d agreed to meet Vivi after work to get out the canoe and eat dinner out on the lake. It’s something we’d been doing since we were young, but now that she had a place on the water, it was even easier. I had a canoe, and she had a dock, so I kept it out at her place, and we snuck out every chance we got. I’d bring the pizza and she’d supply the best fucking baked goods on the planet.

“She got knocked up, but I think had I not been around, she would have gotten more mixed up in drugs and alcohol, and who knows what that would have meant for Mabel. So, I still believe it was worth it. And you know I don’t spend time looking back. I made a choice and I trust that.” “Do you think she appreciates the sacrifices you’ve made for her?” “I don’t give a shit if she does or not. I don’t do things for praise. I do things because I want to.”

“Yeah. I still remember how you were there with me that day, and how you came and slept in my bed every day for a week after she passed. I’ll be grateful forever, you know that, right? I don’t think I would have slept, let alone pulled myself together if you hadn’t been there.”

“The fuck he is. I don’t like him.”

“You don’t know him.” “I know enough. He clearly relates better to animals than people.” “What does that mean?” she hissed. “It means he probably relates better to four-legged pussies than the one between your legs.” I shrugged. She fell back in laughter, and I grabbed the oar to keep the boat steady. “That’s rich, even for you, Niko. Maybe it makes him an expert.” She wriggled her brows.

“Trust me. He’s no expert.” “So, you’re the only expert around, huh?” “Maybe. It’s a gift.” I clasped my hands together and locked them behind my head. “Well, I offered you first dibs and you turned me down.” Her tongue dipped out to wet her bottom lip. “Not because I don’t want to, Honey Bee. Because I don’t want to fuck up what we have. It’s the one good thing in my life and I’d like to keep it.”

“Why don’t you do relationships? You say you aren’t affected by what your dad did to you, so what’s the reason for you refusing to let anyone in?” My hands fisted at my sides, and I sat forward. “I let you in, don’t I?” “Sure. But you won’t cross that line with me. And the women you have sex with you don’t have relationships with. So, what’s the reason?” Was she trying to piss me off? Because she was succeeding. “The reason is that I don’t want one. I don’t want to get married. I don’t want to have kids. I don’t need to be fucking responsible for anyone but myself. And I like the way my life is set up, so I’m not sure why you have a problem with it.” “I don’t. It seems like you’re the one that has a problem with me dating Hunter Hall.” “No problem here, Honey Bee.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” she said as she lay back again in the canoe. Don’t I know it. I’m the luckiest bastard around.

“Nooooo. We want you to skank it up a little bit. You’ve been in a relationship with the world’s most boring guy for years… this is your chance to reinvent yourself. Be a little wild. And I’ll be doing your makeup.”

Her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders and her makeup was always impeccable.

“Hey, girl,” Charlotte and I said at the same time and laughed. “Dilly told me you’re going out with Hunter Hall tonight. Good for you. Time to be done with Jansen. I never liked the guy.” Everly was sitting on her couch with her dark hair in a messy bun piled high on her head.

“If none of you liked him, why the hell didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I wanted to tell you, but Charlie always made me keep it a secret. I couldn’t stand the dweeb. He was so whiny too, right?” Dylan groaned, letting us all know she was disgusted. “I hate whiny little bitches.”

“It’s to the point. We’re sisters. I would expect you guys to tell me if I was dating a sad sack in a fancy suit. Pffftt. And don’t even get me started on the fact that he’s a damn cheater. I have zero respect for the dude. You need to date a real man.” She shook the black bodysuit in front of me. “Come on, Vivi. This will look amazing. With your jeans and booties. So hot.”

“I vote yes. She’s got horrible people skills, but her style is damn good.”

“I can hear you, Ev,” Dylan hissed. “I’m aware. I thought you liked a straight shooter.”

“Please. You don’t have much to look at. Just making sure there’s no chance of a nip slip. But those little cotton balls seem to be staying in place.” Everly and Charlotte were laughing hysterically as I rolled my eyes. “They’re not cotton balls, you little tartlet. They’re pasties.” “I wonder if Hunter will think your pasties are tasties,” Dylan said in her deepest voice, and the room erupted in laughter again. “You’re so twisted, Dilly,” Charlotte said, wrapping an arm over my shoulder.

“Were your ears burning that the Thomas sisters were all together without you?”

“Dilly has me all sexed up.” “Girl.” She whistled. “You look hot.”

I was the steady Eddie of the group. The most cautious, although Charlotte wasn’t far behind.

My eyes looked sexy. Dark and smoky. My lips looked much plumper than they already were, and they were plump to begin with. She’d used a liner on the outside, which made them appear even fuller.

smiled, but I doubted it was the same. Sarah wasn’t from Honey Mountain. They’d met in college and dated. Completely different from me and Niko, but I wouldn’t point that out.

“No,” I growled. “Some strange fucker is not going to touch you.”

“I’m not going to have sex with you, Vivian, because you and I see sex differently.” She cleared her throat. “How so?” “I fuck. You make love. And you deserve that, but that isn’t me. But I can sure as hell manage to rock your fucking world without sticking my dick in you. And I want to be the first one to taste you.”

set her down on the couch, on the side with a chaise lounge, as if she were porcelain. Because in a way, she was. To me, Vivian Thomas was the most beautiful, delicate person I’d ever known.

“One time, Honey Bee. Then we go back to normal,”

Our differences impossible to miss. My fingers were rough from fighting fires and working at the firehouse, and everything about Vivi was soft. Her skin. Her hair. Her heart.

Our tongues tangled, and I kissed her like I would die if I didn’t. This wasn’t part of the plan. I was just going to make her feel good. I needed to stay in control.

“Now I’m going to taste you, Honey Bee.”

“Spread your legs, Vivi.”

“That was amazing. Do you want me to do something for you?” she asked, wide eyes and all that sweetness. My chest nearly exploded. “No. This was about you. One time, and back to business as usual.”

“Okay. Business as usual it is. I think I’ll be good for the rest of my life actually.”

“This is what you do to me. You’re fucking beautiful, Honey Bee.”

just like that, we were acting completely normal. But being near her was challenging now. I wanted more. And that couldn’t happen.

I’d had a taste of how good it could be, and now it was all I could think about. I never thought about sex before. Not really. It was more of a chore with Jansen. Something I was happy to get over with when we were together. But now. I dreamed about the way Niko touched me. The way he made me feel.

“She’s a thief,” Dylan hissed. “I’m with Dylan on this one,” Jada said, glancing over at my sister with a smirk. “I’m certain Ruby Rhodes stole my iPad right out of her mom’s bookstore last year. I had it on the table and went to the bathroom, and when I came back it was gone. Ruby was covering the store for her mom at the time, and she just said she didn’t see it and I must have left it at home.” “She’s a freaking kleptomaniac!” Dylan shouted and we all three laughed.

“I don’t know why my brother would be messing around with her.” Jada set the cleaner and the towel on the counter and reached for her jacket hanging on the wall. “Because she’s hot and a total skank,” Dylan said. “Oh my gosh. Take your hostility out of here, please,” I said, but her words sank in. He was ignoring me and probably sexing it up with Ruby Rhodes, who really was hot. Jada was hysterically laughing as she waved at both of us. “I agree. See you guys tomorrow.”

Me ~ Why are you being weird? Niko reached for his back pocket when the text went through and glanced over at me before typing into his phone. Niko ~ Not being weird, Honey Bee. I’m not the one hanging out with random dudes. No, you’re just the one hooking up with Ruby Rhodes and acting distant. Me ~ Whatever.

Donald has a tan line on his ring finger. I think the bastard’s a player. I’m going to end this as soon as he stops talking about cherry wood and brass hardware and boring me to death. And Lyle looks like he’s three sheets to the wind.

“Who are they, Honey Bee?” I rolled my eyes. “They’re guys Dylan met on a dating app. Why do you care? You’re hardly talking to me. And didn’t you just have sex with Ruby Rhodes last night?”

didn’t have sex with Ruby. I don’t know what you’re talking about. And of course, I care who you’re with.” “Ruby said she hung out with you last night.” I searched his gaze. He smirked. “She was here, and I was here. She got sloppy per usual, and sure she hit on me, but nothing happened. She’s a thief and a liar. I don’t mess around with that shit. I haven’t slept with anyone in several weeks, and I haven’t touched a woman since I touched you.”

“No one’s ever called me a tease, and I would never tease you. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to do it again, but I don’t want to do anything to hurt you. Don’t want to take anything I don’t deserve.” I groaned and put my hands on each side of his face. “Niko. I’m not a virgin. I’ve done it before. It just wasn’t very good. You wouldn’t be taking anything from me. You’d be giving me something.”

“I thought that guy would pee his pants when Dilly called him out about his wedding finger tan line,”

He wanted me. I wanted him. What was the problem?

I already loved Vivi, I had my whole life. Wanting her wasn’t supposed to happen.

“I’m positive. Nothing could ever come between our friendship. Let’s just enjoy this time together for a little bit. My only rule is that you can’t be sleeping with anyone else if you’re sleeping with me. I mean it, Niko. No hookups. No other women. And when you want to go back to that again, you just tell me, and we call this done. Fair?”