Page 64 of Branded

I went to play a few holes with Finn and Caleb.

I’ll be back by lunch.

Isaac

I place the paper back on the nightstand then flop back onto the bed, sinking into the soft cushion of the mattress once again. The sheets still smell like us, of perfume, cologne, sweat, and sex.

I’ve never had a sexual experience like this before. I had always assumed I’ve had pretty great sex throughout my life, but Isaac Black has officially ruined me for every other man. The way he moves and the way he touches… the gentle tugs and harsh, sharp bites, fuck, it’s nearly indescribable.

I reach over my head and move my hand around on my nightstand, searching for my cell phone then pulling it down to check the time, finding it’s barely ten.

There are a couple of texts from my mom so I fire off a reply then decide to take a scroll through social media, finding I have a notification on Facebook telling me I have memories on this day.

Maybe I’m a masochist or just incredibly stupid, but I click on them and take a scroll toward the bottom… finding posts from over six years ago of my brother and me for his birthday. A rock forms in my gut and my throat constricts, forcing me to swallow the lump there.

I click on the photo from his sixteenth birthday and I can’t help but smile. He was so happy that day and so full of life. It’s insane how quickly things can change in just a few years. Hell, Isaac has shown me how much can change in just a few weeks.

I close out social media and start thumbing through my cameral roll, looking at photos I’ve taken over the past two days. Some of the scenery, some of the venue… a couple of Isaac being fucking adorable… and a couple of us together. His general presence makes me smile, and honestly, it kind of scares me because I feel like I’m getting really attached, incredibly fast. Sometimes, that’s just asking for a broken heart.

My phone freezes for a split second before it begins to vibrate in my hand and Olivia’s face appears on my screen, indicating she is calling me. I slide my finger over the screen and answer the call.

“Hello?”

“Why are you answering the phone? You’re supposed to be having wild firefighter sex right now,” she scolds, and I giggle in response.

“Then why are you calling me?”

“I wanted to make sure you didn’t answer.”

“Well, you called a few hours too late,” I admit.

“What?” she squeals loudly on the other end of the phone, and I have to pull the cell away from my ear.

“Ow…”

“Tell me everything! I need details. I want to know it all.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. There’s a ringing in my ear.”

“Oh, shut up. I’m excited. Don’t rain on my parade.” I can hear her shuffling around a bit like she’s settling in for a story.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Start with the beginning. Are you having fun?”

“I really am. His friends are amazing and this place we are staying, oh my God, Liv, it’s incredible. It’s basically a freaking castle with these rooms that look like royalty stays in them, and don’t even get me started on the grounds themselves. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“You better have pictures.”

“You know I do. I was just looking that them.”

“Where is Isaac? I don’t want to force you to discuss your sexcapades in front of him if he’s around.”

“He’s out playing golf with Finn and Caleb, we know him by the way. Caleb Everhart.”

I hear her coughing out something that I can only assume is coffee. “What? Caleb Everhart is friends with Isaac.”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, I knew it was a small world because we work with him, but your reaction tells me there might be something deeper in here somewhere.”

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