Page 42 of Chilled and Thrilled

The pleasure is blinding as I follow her over the edge, keeping her ass tight against me as my dick pulses, coating her inner walls with thick ropes of cum.

“That’s my girl. Fuck, sweetheart.” I hold her open with both hands as I withdraw slowly, my length coated in a combination of our orgasms. My release wells at her entrance, and for a long moment, all I can do is stare, satisfied in a way I’m not sure I’ve ever allowed myself to acknowledge.

Sighing, Sophie arches her hips higher, her cheek pressed to the carpet. I love seeing her like this, sleepy and satisfied, utterly unselfconscious about my inspection of her beautiful pussy.

“Come here.” I lay beside her and pull her into my arms, gazing up at the glittering Christmas tree above our heads. The ornaments are mostly old, relics of Honor and Leni’schildhood. There are clay stars with messy paint and pine cones covered in glitter and pom poms.

Something deep inside me pinches, as the weight of what’s to come settles in again.

When I turn to look at her, I find Sophie’s eyes on the tree as well, her jaw set. It couldn’t be more clear that she’s making up her mind about something, and never before have I so wished I could fix every single problem in a person’s life. She doesn’t deserve this, shouldn’t have to sacrifice a goddamn thing to fall in love with me, and I hate that it’s all come to a head, today of all days.

“Sweetheart,” I begin cautiously, reaching out to cradle her face in my hand, and Sophie turns to meet my eyes, offering a tight, pained smile.

“I need to be the one to tell her.”

Of all the things I expected to come out of her mouth, none of them were this. I swallow. “Soph. She’s my daughter. I’m the reason we’re in this mess to begin with?—”

“You are not obligated to tell Honor about the women you’re dating. I’m her best friend, and I’ve been keeping this massive thing from her for a year. Please, Bram. If I want any hope of keeping my friend, it needs to come from me.”

17

SOPHIE

Obviously sensing I need some space, Bram makes himself scarce, going off to shovel the front walk as I curl up against the mountain of pillows on his bed.

Just pulling up Honor’s contact, which is accompanied by a picture of her pretending to lick a crochet penis, is enough to open a pit of anxiety in my stomach.

Only a few hours ago, I was so sure that everything would work out. I didn’t know how, or when, but I knew it would. The moment Bram told me that Leni knew, however, all that confidence was gone, and I still haven’t recovered it.

My vision blurs, and I wipe away my tears impatiently, forcing myself to take several long, steady breaths. In a way, this is good. I can’t chicken out or push Bram away because I’m too afraid to face my best friend. Leni knows, which means it’s only a matter of time before she tells her sister. I have an opportunity to come clean and do the rightish thing, and I owe Honor that much.

Before I can think of another reason to delay theinevitable, I hit call and curl closer to the Bram-scented pillows, my pulse racing.

Honor picks up on the first ring, and there’s something strained about her greeting of, “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas,” I echo, trying to sound upbeat. “How’s Riley’s family? Are they being nice to you?”

“About that,” she sniffs, “we broke up.”

My heart plummets. “What?” I gasp, horrified. “What happened?”

Honor lets out a hard laugh. “She was cheating on me. Some other girl she was seeing found out about me and sent a bunch of screenshots. It was pretty incriminating stuff. Things have been off for a while now. I probably should have known.”

“I’m sorry,” I choke, barely able to breathe through the weight of guilt currently crushing my ribcage. How am I supposed to tell her now?

“It’s okay. The fact I wasn’t super upset or angry probably means we shouldn’t have been together in the first place.”

For a moment, I allow myself to imagine how I would feel if some random woman sent me evidence that Bram was cheating on me. Devastated would be an understatement. It was hard enough seeing him on a date when nothing had even happened between us, but now? I would probably die. Bitter, betrayed, and alone.

I swallow, staring blankly at the far wall. “Are you at a hotel?” I ask, and despite my best efforts, my voice sounds off.

“Oh. Uh…” She trails off and lets out a strained laugh. “I’m actually with Riley’s dad. Julian. I was trying to get a hotel when all this happened, but everything was booked or closed and he, well, he insisted.”

My eyebrows have probably vanished into my hair with how much they’ve risen up my forehead. Honor Vogel hasbeen my best friend for six years now, and I’ve never heard her sound like this before. “You like him.”

This statement is met by a feeble little laugh. “That obvious, huh?”

“Kind of,” I reply, my pulse fluttering. “What’s he like?”

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