Page 2 of Forbidden Impulses

Without even thinking about it, I stick out my tongue before rolling my eyes at him. "You're right, sorry. No future worries. All fun, all the time. Who'll be fetching us from the airport?"

Suzie's smile widens even more. "I think they're sending The Jackass."

She says this just as I take a huge sip of the bottle of water I'd stashed in my cup holder. The surprised laughter had me snorting the water out all over the seat in front of us, only drawing more giggles from my best friend. "Do you really refer to your brother as 'The Jackass'?" I ask after I finally get control of my breathing again.

"Of course. He's a jackass. He's tormented me my entire life. I mean, I'm pretty sure it's a brother's requirement to piss you off from time to time, but he's made it his mission in life."

Her words, though slightly annoyed, don't match her tone. Whenever she talks about her family, talks to them even, her voice is so filled with complete and utter love.

"You don't think it's possible that he might have improved his attitude in the two years you haven't seen him?"

Suzie lifts a solitary eyebrow at me as if she's trying to tell me she thinks I'm an idiot. "He can be fifty, have awife and three kids, and he'll still be a jackass. Them's the rules, bestie-of-mine. I didn't make them."

Before both of us can descend into another fit of giggles, the captain's voice comes over the intercom informing us of the time and weather when we land. The crisp December air will be enough to wake Suzie up on its own. And when we grab our stuff from the overhead bins, I promise we’ll stop and get her the biggest coffee we can find.

Thanks to our expensive seats—well thanks to her parents really—it doesn't take us very long to get off the plane and grab our bags. After that, it takes us even less time to find The Jackass.

And that might have something to do with the huge, rainbow-colored sign he's swinging around, loudly proclaiming he's waiting for 'THE WORLD'S MOST ANNOYING SISTER'.

Jackass, indeed.

Chapter Two

Annie

I shouldn't be enjoying their bickering as much as I am. I probably also shouldn't be joining in like I'm part of the family, but it's impossible not to. Their relationship is very similar to the one I have with Suzie and falling into the same rhythm with her older brother, Ethan, is easy.

"So, jackass, how many hearts have you broken since the last time we spoke?" Suzie asks as she reaches across the console to jab at the buttons on the radio her brother had expressly forbidden her from touching.

Instead of smacking her hand away or snarking back at her, like I'd expect him to, as he'd done many times before on the numerous video calls I'd witnessed, he blushes instead.

"Oh! What does that face mean?" she teases.

Instead of responding to her, he looks up through the rearview mirror at me, his eyes searching for some kind of support. I completely understand. Suzie can be a bloodhound when she wants info on something. Unfortunatelyfor Ethan, I am just as curious as she is, and won't be helping him out with this one.

"I think lil’ ol' Ethan has a girlfriend," I sing-song instead, drawing another deep blush from the man in question.

"Oh!" Suzie squeals, hopping up and down in her seat like a bunny rabbit. "He does, he does, he does! Tell us, Ethan!" She grabs his forearm and squeezes it before pulling her feet up in front of her to hug her legs.

Ethan leans back against the headrest and lets out a gruff groan before taking a deep breath. "So, maybe I don't have a girlfriend. Let's just say I have a boyfriend instead."

The silence in the car is heavy. From what I know about Ethan, he's pretty much the perfect definition of a ladies' man. Which means this is a big moment for them. I sit back in the seat as far as I can, trying as hard as possible to make myself small.

Not that I need to. In true Suzie form, she takes it like the queen she is. "Ooh! What's his name? Have I met him? Is he hot? Will I get to meet him now that he's your boyfriend?"

"Oh my goodness, Suzie!" I interrupt her word-vomit before she can overwhelm her poor brother. "Take a breath and give the man a chance to answer a question, will ya?"

She sends a thankful wink my way before wiggling her butt into the passenger seat, settling in for a deeper conversation.

"You know him. Have known him for ages." Ethan's one hand comes off the steering wheel as he rubs at the back of his short-cropped hair. "It's been going on for a few months now, but we've been keeping it quiet. Wewere, uh, going to tell the dads over Christmas, so keep it quiet until then, yeah?"

I don't know who he's talking about, but from the delighted, yet surprised expression on Suzie's face, she has taken a guess. "No! For real? That's fucking awesome, E!"

Completely in the dark, and not wanting to interrupt their moment, I sit back and watch their interaction instead.

Suzie's blonde curls bounce around her head and her blue eyes are alight with excitement for her brother. His looks match hers to a tee, just in a much more masculine shape. And I can tell from just the set of his shoulders that he's relieved to have gotten the news out and that it went so well.

"How did it happen? When? Come on, E! How did you keep it quiet for so long?"

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