Page 57 of Runaway Bride's Guide to Love

Emmett: I assure that you did no such thing.

Simon: Oh. Shit. My bad.

Oh. Shit. My bad.That’s his answer? Can I use that as my response if Simon ever finds out that I slept with his sister?

Emmett: She’s fine. We’ve actually gone to dinner and hung out a few times. She even got me to thebeach.

Simon: No shit! You? On the beach? I thought you said the beach was a sandbox cesspool?

Emmett: Eh. It’s not so bad.

With Stella. It’s not so bad with Stella.

Which is giving me an idea…

Simon: Well I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.

Emmett: I am. And actually, do you mind if I take a few more days? You were right, this was what I needed.

You know I’m pulling out all the stops when I tell Simon he’s right.

Simon: I’m right? Did you just say I’m right? I’m going to print this text out and frame it. Put it on my desk.

Simon: And hell yes you can stay a few more days. You’ve earned it.

For some reason, that compliment sends a pang of guilt straight to my gut. Simon suggested I get away because I hadn’t taken a vacation since I started working for him. It was actually years, but he didn’t need to know that. He wanted me to clear my head, decompress, and blow off some steam. In none of those instructions was “blow off steam with my baby sister.”

Emmett: Thanks. I’m going to get going. I’ll call you when I’m back in town.

Simon: Sounds good. Give Stella my love.

Emmett: Will do.

I drop my head and lean my elbows on my knees, regret washing through me.

How could I do this? I slept with my best friend’s sister. There has to be some sort of bro-code rule that I broke. I made her scream my name and fucked her until she passed out. I remember the taste of her on my tongue and can still feel how she tugged at my hair.

I look over my shoulder as she starts to wake up, her blonde hair a mess, naked underneath the white sheets.

Maybe the guilt isn’t that we did it, it’s the guilt that I want to do it again. It’s that I can come up with a dozen reasons why what we’re doing isn’t so bad. Or maybe it’s that I know in my heart of hearts I’m never, ever going to tell Simon about this. Or that I’m selfish because I want all of her while we’re here, but I know this is temporary.

God, I’m fucked in so many ways. Because I know this is wrong for an abundance of reasons. Yet, I still don’t care.

I want her. For as long as I can have her.

“You stayed…”

Her words come out like a purr as she opens her eyes, squinting a bit as she adjusts to the light coming past the curtains.

“I did.” I crawl across the bed and drop down next to her. “Sleep well?”

She nods and lets out the most adorable yawn.

Since when are yawns adorable? Get it together, Collins.

“I did. Who knew a day and night full of smashing, screaming, crying, and fucking would tire you out?”

I can’t help but laugh at her sarcasm. “You’re pretty funny, you know that?”

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