Lucky Number Eleven

Chapter 10

Layla

"Come in." I watch the doorway to see who is on the other side. My heart starts to race as I hope it might be Branch coming in for round three.

Round one, on the patio, was the most voyeuristic sexcapade I've ever had. Round two, almost an hour later, was a quickie with my hands against the refrigerator door. It was an impromptu bang session that resulted from him coming down in a pair of boxers and me bent over picking up a piece of ice off the floor.

Although my body aches, and my neck apparently kinked at some point and is beginning to scream in discomfort much the same way I was screaming his name just a little while ago, I would totally, absolutely, with no hesitation say yes to round three. And four. And five.

The thought of Branch's hands touching my skin makes me shiver as I await the opening of the door. I love the way they feel rough, almost like a fine sandpaper, against me and the way his stubble scratches along my skin.

Poppy trounces in, a wide, jovial smile parting her pinked cheeks, ruining my daydream.

"There you are!" she says, almost skipping to the side of the bed where I sit. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Did you guys just get back?" I ask, glancing at the clock. "You were gone forever."

"I didn't think you'd mind. Besides, you can get lost on backroads, you know."

Even if she wasn't my best friend, I'd know that look in her eye. "Don't even tell me. He's my brother," I gag.

"Who else am I supposed to talk about it with? You're my bestie."

"You're out of luck on this one. There's not a detail in the world I want to know about Finn," I flinch. "Just the thought makes me ill."

"If he weren't your brother, the things I'd—"

"But. He. Is."

She giggles, her happiness contagious, as she sits on the bed beside me. "Tell me what you were doing while we were off back-roading."

"I got some work done. Made a few calls . . ."

"Got in a fight with a cat and it clawed the top of your boobs . . ."

"What?" I look down to see red marks from Branch's fingers and lips marking my chest. "Shit."

"And, just like that, the Illinois Legends lose a wide receiver at the hands of a very tight end."

"Shut up," I laugh. "I'll just put on another shirt. Finn will never know."

"He will never know what, exactly?" she asks, tapping her chin with a fingernail.

"That Branch just made me come five times in the span of less than two hours while telling me how beautiful I am and how much he loves my body and . . ." My face heats and I look away. "Best afternoon of my life, pun intended."

In a very un-Poppy-like way, she says nothing. After a long pause, I turn to look at her. She's watching me agape.

"What?" I ask.

"Five times? Are you fucking serious?"

"Oh, the fucking was serious all right, and yes, five times. I mean, a couple of them sort of ran together so that's not a scientific number or anything."

"But five times. Damn."

"I was hoping you were him," I sigh.

"I have never been happier that I let you talk me into something I didn't want to do before. Coming up here was the best decision we ever made."