December (The Page Sisters Book 1) (17 page)

“You’re right,” I say, pushing to my feet. “You are overstepping your boundaries. You don’t have the right to tell me anything when it comes to Josh. Especially when you and Danny keep your relationship shielded. I can do whatever I want.”

“December, please—”

“No, I’m out of here.”

My hands are trembling when I make it to my car.

What the hell has just happened?

T
HE
P
RESENT

The Huntersville resort is just as beautiful as I remember. It’s a resort with ten cabins. The log cabins are lined with radiant twinkle lights that shimmer on the surface of the mirror-smooth lake. I’m in the first cabin. I’ve been in the first cabin since I can remember. It’s me and Danny’s cabin. Danny and I are rooming together. I don’t really know how it’s going to work when we aren’t in a good space right now.

The cabin is spacious and rustic with earthy tones of green and brown, decorated with wood fixtures and thick cushiony furniture. But the large picture windows in the living room are my favorite. I can sit on the couch and stare out at the enormous pines towering over everything. I love being surrounded by the woods and nature. It gives me clarity.

Danny has been here. His clothes are already folded and put away in the closet of the large bedroom. The refrigerator and kitchen cupboards are packed with food and bottled waters and other refreshments. And Chloe is here, asleep by the stone fire place. We are alone. I’m the first one to arrive at the resort. I drove straight from work to here. It’s only an hour and half commute outside of town. Papa Pete and Mom should be on their way up here, then my sisters and the rest of the Oliver clan.

I unbutton my wool coat and grab the thick soft blanket from the bed and snuggle on the couch with it. The wood in the stone fireplace crackles as the flames roast it. It’s silent and I’m left alone with my thoughts. I don’t like the thoughts in my head right now. They feel like poison. My thoughts are wicked and doubtful. They do more harm than good.

Instead of thinking anything, I stare down at my phone. I have no missed calls. No text messages. No voicemails. There’s nothing. I’ve been calling and texting Josh nonstop for the past two days. I’ve gotten nothing in return. He’s still ignoring me. I’m going to force him to see me after the two weeks, when this is over. I power my phone off and close my eyes to take a nap.

There’s a lot of giggling and snorting. I crack an eyelid and see three faces staring down at me with massive smiles. July, January and Gray are all crouching down in front of the couch, watching me a little too intently. Their faces are pressed close to mine.

“What have you done?” I ask them as I stretch my entire body like cat. 

“Nothing,” January says.

I lift a brow and they all have to stifle their laughs. “If you all did something to me, you have about five seconds to tell me. If you don’t,”–I give them my best sadistic smile–“you’re going to wish you had when I’m through with each and every one of you.”

“You don’t scare us, December,” Gray says, attempting to brave in front of January.

My smile broadens and January’s face pales. “Really? What’s your phobia, Gray, snakes? And beetles for you January, right? As for you, July, you seem to get really squeamish around blood. You know, blood, beetles, and snakes never bothered me.”

“Oh, shit,” January whispers. “Let’s just tell her.”

“What? No way,” July replies. Her smile is impish and exciting.

“I’m with July,” Gray adds, shivering slightly. He really hates snakes. They freak him out since he got bitten by a measly garden snake a few years ago. 

“Fine,” I say. “Have it your way.”

Danny catches my attention. He’s dressed casually as always in a plain black sweater, stretching across his broad shoulders and dark jeans and boots. He leans against the wall with a beer dangling from his hand. He stares at me, his Hersey-brown eyes thoroughly taking me in. I gaze at him just as boldly. Danny has grown a beard.

Warmth settles low in my stomach and a tingle hits between my legs. I shudder. Jesus. He looks feral and wild as the forest around us. I think I have a new fetish. All I want to do is tear off my clothes and jump him. My lips part and my heart flutters in my chest. He gives me a slow smile like he knows what I’m thinking.

The arrogant bastard.

He does know he can cause my heart to race.

“We have more scheming to do,” July says as they all push to their feet. They’re still laughing when they leave out the door.

“You look like a mountain man,” I tell him when everyone is gone.

He locks the door behind them. “And you look like you’re hungry,” he says without irony or a teasing smile.

We look at each other again, having a staring contest. Danny wins. I look away first. “Piper and I had quite the chat.”

“She’s only trying to help.”

“There you go yet again,” I groan, rolling my eyes. “You always take her side.”

“I’m not taking any sides.”

“You’re such a fucking liar.”

His jaw gets tight, then he makes his way over to sit next to me on the couch. He sets his beer bottle on the low coffee table and reaches up to gently take my face in his hand. I try to break away from him, but his hand becomes firm on my chin. He gives my head a slight shake in his hold. “Be Danny’s good girl and listen to what I have to say.”

I wrinkle my nose at him.

He grins. “You can be my good girl and listen. For a little while at least.”

“Say what you have to say.”

“You’re going to have to let that poison go, baby,” he whispers, looking tenderly into my eyes and stroking my bottom lip with the pad of thumb. “I understand that I fucked up. I understand that I hurt you. But you’re hurting yourself more than I ever did. I see the resentment and nasty bitterness when I look into your eyes. It’s going to eat you alive if you don’t let it go.”

Shit.

He’s right.

The bitterness and anger is a burden I no longer want to carry. I just don’t know how to let it go when it’s become all I know for all these years.

“How do I do that?” I murmur, looking to him.

“Forgiveness,” he answers, his thumb still running along my bottom lip. “Forgive me, December. That’ll be a great start to something new, something better.”

I stare into his irises and I’m flooded with sincerity. He’s genuine about everything. I’d be a fool and extremely selfish if I didn’t forgive him. “I forgive you, Danny.”

“Do you truly?”

“Yes.”

He leans in and presses his lips to mine. I don’t fight him. I’m weakened when his soft lips molds to mine, but I’m really lost when his tongue touches mine. I release a groan into his mouth, my fingers curl into his thick soft brown hair. Danny is hovering above me. He wedges his hips between my legs, shoving my back into the cushions of the couch. I’m spread out underneath him, helpless and wanting.

His hands slide down my sides and his fingers gripping at my ass. He bites me on the pulse point of my neck. One of his hands shoves down the front of my jeans, gingerly caressing me through my panties. I melt under him like sugar in the heat. His deft fingers draw tiny languid circles that have me on the verge of an orgasm. He slips a finger into me, feeling me squeeze him.  

Danny laughs darkly in my ear. “You’re a greedy girl.” He’s toying with me. “Let me make you come, December. Will you let me?”

“If you stop now, I will kill you,” I pant.

He grins at me, moving lower. He lifts my shirt, his firm lips grazing the skin of my stomach on his path down. I close my eyes and shudder when his hot tongue touches my navel.

“Eyes open, December,” Danny orders huskily. “Watch me.”

I open my lids, breathless.

Danny pops the button of my jeans free and pulls them down my legs. He tugs them off my ankles, spreading my legs wide. I gasp, shivering fiercely when his hot mouth covers my entire sex. He licks me over my panties.

“Danny,” I moan as I claw at the cushions beneath me.

“Shh.”

He peels off my panties, rubbing his rough beard across my inner thighs. The heavenly sensation has me squirming. His coarse beard scrapes against my bare sex. My hips surge forward and I almost fly off the couch. He has to pin me down with his heavy palms pressing on my hips.

Danny’s tongue spreads my folds, lapping at me with such tenderness and slowness. He licks where I ache the most. My body is desperate and needing under his teasing mouth.

Danny doesn’t let me come right away. He watches my face as I whimper and moan. His jaw is working relentlessly between my legs. His licks are long and slow strokes, promising unbearable pleasure, yet denying me everything. I push hard against his mouth, unashamed of my excitement and enjoyment.

A warm tight knot of pleasure builds low in my belly, in my sex, in my entire body. He sucks and bites, shoving two fingers harshly into me.

I come with a crying moan instantly, gripping and pulling at the roots of his hair. Danny doesn’t stop. He cradles my backside with punishing force, pushing me even more into his hot mouth.

His fingers press into a soft spot inside of me that has me seeing every spectrum of the rainbow. Everything is unbearably sensitive and incredibly swollen. But his tongue constantly teases, his lips sucking, his teeth grazing.

He fucks me slow with his fingers and mouth, leisurely drawing pleasure out of me with every tremble and moan. I orgasm too many times to keep count. He reaches up to entwine our fingers together. His tongue slides into me, tasting my quivering flesh. It’s a beautiful kind of strange to feel my muscles involuntarily convulse against his tongue.

Danny leaves wet trails of kisses as he moves up my stomach. He kisses my neck and chin before pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “My bad little kitty loves my mouth.”

I release a hysterical laugh into his neck.

He pulls my jeans up my legs and laces my boots up.

I watch him too spent to say anything.

“We have to meet our parents for dinner. Everyone will be waiting on us.”

“I don’t have any panties on,” I say, my joints seem boneless when he lifts me up.

He gives me a smirk I feel in my chest. Danny cups me between my legs and I gasp from the sensitivity. “That’s how I want you. Now let me grab your coat and wet washcloth.” He helps me into my coat and buttons it up, then he rubs the damp washcloth across my forehead.

“You’re washing my face?” I ask, looking up at him confused.

“You’re sweet after you come.” He smiles before he leans in to kiss me. I kiss him back, wanting more of his lips and heat. We break apart and stare at each other. “I can’t let you walk out of here with dicks sketched across your forehead.”

I laugh some more, leaning into him. “I’m so going to get them back.”

Everyone is having dinner in the main cabin. Pans of food are lined against the wall into a buffet-style selection. My sisters and the other Oliver brothers and my niece Bliss are seated at the table together with Mom and Papa Pete. Papa Pete looks young and energized at age sixty in his suede vest and snug jeans. Papa Pete has the best cowboy boots I’ve ever seen. 

“How’s my girl,” Papa Pete says when Danny and I walk through the door.

“Fine,” I say, leaning into Danny when he puts his arm around my shoulder.

He smiles at me, then at Danny. “I’m glad. Come sit with me. You can tell an old man about your life.”

T
HE
P
AST
 

December age fifteen

Josh age seventeen

Josh and I play video games in his room. I don’t see much of Josh anymore. We’re always too busy to hang out, but not tonight. Danny is busy doing the secretive things Danny does, so he couldn’t be with me tonight. It just happened that Josh was free.

So here I am.

Playing video games with him.

Josh sits on his floor with the controller between his legs, his eyes focused on the screen. I stare at him. I’ve been staring at him for the past two hours I’ve been here. He’s beautiful. All I think about is touching his long blonde hair and kissing those pink lush lips for some reason. I’ve been getting more curious about the opposite sex. I like boys, but I like Danny more and there is no way he’ll give me what I want. And what I want is to experience what all the other kids at school have.

I want sex.

How does it feel for someone else to touch me, to love me?

“You’re doing it again.” 

“What?” I ask, pretending to be clueless.

He keeps his gaze on the screen, blowing up little blue aliens. “You’re staring at me, December. Do I have something on my face? Just wipe it off. My hands are a little busy right now.”

“No, there’s nothing on your face. I just like your face.”

He gives me a glance, then smiles. “Thank you. I like your face too.”

“I like your lips too.”

His blue eyes get big when he aims them at me. “You’re aggressive. I like it. It’s usually the guy who makes the first move.”

“Well, I know what I want.”

He hits a button on the controller to pause the game, returning his scrutinizing gaze to mine. “Which is?”

“Sex.”

Josh’s golden brows lift, his eyes expanding bigger. His mouth opens and shuts a few times. It’s almost comical. “You want sex?”

I keep his leveled gaze, my face serious. “Yes.”

He grins slowly. I feel that grin in my stomach. “Have you even been kissed before?”

“No.”

“Then, don’t you think you should start off with baby steps,” he suggests. “Sex is a leap and hop and plane ride away from kissing. You haven’t even been kissed by anyone. What makes you think you’re reading to jump into full-blown sex?”

“How hard can it really be? You touch me. I touch you. We keep touching each other and see where this goes. Your sister’s gone. We have the house to ourselves. We can have sex. You and me, Josh. I’m ready.”

His grin broadens and he gives his head a slight shake like it’s the silliest thing he’s heard. “You’re ready? And you want to have sex with me?”

I square my shoulders. He’s not taking me serious. “That’s what I’ve said.”

He stares into my eyes for a brief eternity, trying to read my emotions. I look into his clear ice blue irises, never wavering from his head-on intense gaze. I attempt at being transparent. I let him read me.

“You mean what you’re saying, don’t you?”

“I do.”

His brows furrow. “Why?”

I shrug. “I know what I want.”

Josh’s expression is contorted with confused bewilderment. “I don’t understand why you would want sex after what happened to you.”

“I don’t think about that, Josh. It’s over with. It’s in the past.”

“It’s not over for me,” he whispers lowly. His face is etched with agonizing pain I wish he didn’t feel. “I think about it constantly. I think about how he lured you away from me. I think about how they separated us. I think about his hands touching you,”–his eyes lose focus and his hands turn into hard fists–“I think about how much damage he could have caused you if I was a second late. But mostly I think about how I broke my vow that night.”

I tentatively reach out and stroke his face. “You didn’t break your vow.”

His somber eyes are sharp on mine. “Yes, I did. I promised no one would touch you. He touched you, December. It’s my fault.”

“No, Josh Carter,” I whisper, tracing his nose and brows. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t break your vow.” I give another care less shrug but this one hurts more. “Shit happens. You need to let that fury go, Josh. It isn’t healthy to hold on to it.”

His jaw hardens. He glances at me then looks away. “Is that easy?”

My hands curl into his soft as silk hair. I move in front of him, practically sitting in his lap. His entire body is taut and trembling. His anger is a physical presence, threatening to smother everything within range. “You can give it all to me.”

His irises are blue flames when he looks at me. “How do I do that?”

I lick my lips nervously and his eyes drop down to my mouth. My heart stutters, my stomach swimming with butterflies. “Kiss me.”

He cups my jaw, sliding his thumb up the curve to my ear. Josh’s fingers slowly trace the shape of my ear as if it’s the most fascinating thing on earth. It causes me to shiver. He leans in close to rest his forehead on mine, staring directly into my eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Close your eyes.”

I do, then I’m bathed with the fiery heat emitting off him when he leans closer. He skims his nose along mine and I groan. His hand tightens on my jaw, his thumb now grazing my bottom lip. He breathes on me and it’s enough for me to shudder.

“Josh—”

“Hush, December.” His tone is authoritative, demanding complete obedience.

I tremble, rocking side to side and fisting my hands into his shirt.

“Stop moving.”

My movements cease.

His hand releases my jaw, sliding down my neck and his fingers dig into my skin. He presses his lips to mine gently. I’m stunned with how soft and full his lips are at first. His lips are unbelievably soft and tasting of apple and lemon from the hard candy he was eating. I’m so stunned that I don’t realize he’s waiting for me to take what I want.

I cradle his jaw with my hands, sliding my tongue into his mouth. His flavor is even sweeter inside. Josh moans and I push him on his back and straddle him. My hands move into his hair. I grip it hard between my fingers. I lick and bite at lips, finding the perfect balance between pain and pleasure, between biting and kissing.

Josh is just as bold. His hands settle around my hips, his fingers clenching me tight. He devours my mouth with reverent kisses. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and nips me hard enough my breath hitches. I swarmed with wave after wave of sensation. I’m sharing my first kiss real kiss with Josh. 

I relish in him kissing me. I like him kissing me. This feels right. “Josh,” I murmur, rocking my hips to his hardness under me. He’s impossibly hard. I can feel the heat of him under me. I can feel the treat of him under me. And it’s amazing. It’s what I want. It’s what I need.

“I can’t.”

“Please.” I can’t stop grinding down on him. I feel him through my clothes, through his clothes.

“No,” he pants against my mouth. His voice is thick and gruff. “We have to stop.” But he doesn’t stop, not even a little. He moves with me, thrusting up when I’m pushing down.

“I want you, Josh. Please.”

“No,” he orders firmly, kissing a trail of fire down my neck.

“I need you, Josh. I’m aching, all over.”

“Welcome to being a teenager. Hormones are a bitch. We just need to cool off and everything won’t seem as bad.”

“Just touch me,” I say, moving his hand under my shirt, over my bra.

“Fuck,” he groans, his hand on my bra squeezing hard enough I gasp. It feels strange to have someone touch me here. I like this strange, though. It feels unbelievably good. His finger pinches my nipple through my thin cotton bra.

I shudder and moan on top of him. The sensation is almost overwhelming, sparks of forbidden pleasure pulse heavily throughout my body like a drug. The ache between my legs gets worse. I shift on top of his hard-on, panting breathlessly.

He grunts, sliding his tongue into my mouth. We both take from each other and we both give to one another. I feel close to him right now. It’s like I can reach out and touch his soul. That’s how connected I am with Josh. He bends his head to capture my nipple with his hot mouth. He licks and bites me there. 

“Josh,” I whisper in a surprised squeal. 

“You said you were ready,” he replies darkly with a smug grin that looks good on him. He holds my gaze and leans away. “Are you still ready for me, December?”

“Yes,” I breathe solemnly, shivering fiercely.

Josh pushes me into his warm chest. He wraps me in his big arms, holding me as close as close can be. His supple but firm lips skim the curve of my jaw and neck, all the way to my ear. “I’ll go slow, December. We’ll go slow. But, you have to tell me if I hurt you. You have to tell me if you don’t like something. You have to tell me if I move too fast. I don’t want to hurt you, December. Never do I want to hurt you.”

“Okay.”

He stares into my wide eyes and his lips press together. His expression gets serious. “Promise me that you’ll tell me if I hurt you.”

“I will,” I answer a bit too eagerly. I can’t help it. I need this. I need him. It feels like I’m going to die without him.

He lifts his brows, skeptic of my quick reply. “Oaky. Let me see you.”

“See me?”

“Take off your clothes, December.”

“You only have to tell me once,” I say, tossing off my shirt and reaching for the top button of my jeans when his bedroom door opens. I scramble to reach my shirt, but Josh holds me close to him, shielding my body with his.

“Can you fucking knock?” he shouts angrily.

“Oh my God,” his sister shrieks. “I’m so sorry, Josh.”

“December?”

I go completely still recognizing that deep rumble. 

It’s Danny.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

This is bad and embarrassing.

“Close the door,” Josh orders irritably over his shoulder.

Danny ignores Josh. He pushes the door wider and gives me his best death glare. “December, you have about three seconds to come out from under him and you better have your shirt on when you do.”

I clutch my shirt tighter to my chest and look between Danny and Piper, then back at Josh.

“One,” Danny mutters, his jaw strained.

“You can’t be serious,” Josh mumbles, gritting his teeth. 

“Very,” Danny replies. “Two.”

I hop off Josh’s lap as if he caught fire, tugging my shirt over my head and moving to Danny’s side with my head hung low. I don’t think I did anything wrong, so why am I ashamed? Danny grips my elbow, leading me from their house and to his truck. He sits me in the passenger seat and slams the door once I’m fully inside.

I watch from under my lashes as he rounds the hood of his truck, cursing things that I can’t hear. When he’s behind the wheel he stares at me with those brown eyes I’ve grown to crave every day.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

“Why? It’s not like you care?”

“I care, December. Sometimes I think I care about you more than yourself. Why were you with Josh? Why did you have your shirt off?”

“Because I like Josh. Why were you with Piper? I know that’s your wife. Josh told me the first day I met him. What were you two doing?”

“That’s none of your concern,” he snaps, driving off from Josh’s house.

I cross my arms over my chest and pout. “Why not?”

He looks at me, then back to the road. “Because what Piper and I do is between me and Piper. We are adults. We know what we’re doing. You and Josh are just kids. You both have no idea of the repercussions of your actions. You act with your brain, December, not off the feeling between your legs.”

Oh, hell no.

He has no right to say that to me.

“Stop the truck and let me out.”

He gives me a wary glance and frowns. “No.”

“Let me the fuck out of here,” I yell, balling my fists up tight at my side.

“No. It’s late and it’s dark. Let me drive you home. You’re not walking anywhere.”

“I swear if you don’t stop this truck and let me out, then I’m going to punch you in the face. I’m going to punch you so hard that you’ll feel it in your sleep tonight.”

“Do what you have to do, but I’m not stopping.” 

Without another warning I sucker punch him in the jaw. My punch is hard enough that all my knuckles crack against his jawbone. “Ow. Shit. That hurts,” I grumble, waving my aching hand to shake the incredible pain off. Jesus Christ, hitting him hurts. Hitting Danny is like punching a sheet of metal.

He merely blinks when my fist connected with his jaw. I hurt myself more than I hurt him. Danny should frighten me, but he doesn’t.

He turns to me without a smile or grin. “Do you feel better?”