Waves - Book #2 [completed]

28 ~ Guttitim

Guttitim
adj.
drop by drop

The front door slams shut and from my room I hear someone stomp through the living room, quietly muttering to themself. Thinking it's April who's been distant and gone more often than since our 'Never Have I Ever' debacle, I don't go check.

I'm grateful for her aloofness and that I didn't see anyone after what happened the other night, thinking it was written all over my face in neon writing for everyone to see.

Thinking about it, about Mason's face between my thighs and his mouth on me, makes me hot all over again. This man has charmed me so hard I can't seem to think about anything else than him and what he's able to do to me. It's weird. It's like he's awakened the hungry sex-beast that has been peacefully sleeping for the past three years.

Ziplining yesterday brought out a side of me I don't show people often. I was fucking scared. As long as I'm on solid ground, I don't bother with heights. For example, I can stand by a floor-to-ceiling window and look down because I know I won't fall. Sure, I have respect when it comes to edges and cliffs, but I know as long as I don't step too close to it, I'm fine. It's different when there's a gaping hole opening underneath me while I'm clinging to a frail hanging ladder or zapping down a cable line only secured by a freaking rope.

I'm never doing that again.

But I'm glad I did it anyway. I overcame a fear of mine. I risked something and I came out of it unharmed and stronger. Now I know I can afford to risk more, indulge in something that I thought might hurt me and-

"Riley?"

Sticking my head out of the room after being thrown off my train of thought, Luke stops his stomping as he closes up the space between us.

"What happened?" I grab his shoulders to assess him. He cried. I know it. His eyes are rimmed red and the thin skin under them is puffy and blotchy. He's shaking and flings his lanky body at me, inhaling deeply. "Luke, what happened?"

"Chase," he croaks, squeezing me tighter and almost crushing me.

Even though I love Chase, a wall of protectiveness for my little brother rises. "What did he do?"

"It's all my fault," he wails, pulling away and throwing his hands in the air as he spins. "I urged him to apply for this scholarship the University of Western Australia awards to students with extraordinary talent. And he fucking got it!"

"Okay." I frown. "But that's-"

"It's not good," he flails. "I only urged him to apply because I never thought he'd get it. Who does that? Who thinks so little of the man he loves?" He clasps his hands to his face, releasing a dark groan from deep in his throat.

Not knowing what to do, I drape my arms around him and pull him into a hug again. The back of his hands meet my shoulder as he keeps his face hidden, hunching over because even though he's younger than me he's taller. Chase and Luke never, and I stress, never argue or fight. They're perfect together, a team, complementing each other and a freaking goofy duo.