"So how do we decide who takes him?" Holly asked Steph in a whisper."We could let him decide," Steph suggested.I couldn't hide my snark. "There's an idea."Steph gave me a sour look. "So who are you bringing to my party?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.John walked up in time to hear her question. "Me, of course," was his reply.Holly jumped in to salvage the disaster. "Kate, you always liked my older brother, James. I bet he'd take you.""We tried that once, remember?" I gave her a withering look over my coffee. "I almost never got the chocolate fingerprints off of my white shorts."Her strained smile made me want to chuckle. "Well we can't expect you to take a relative to a holiday party. That wouldn't be fair. Who would you kiss under the mistletoe?""At this point, I'd happily kiss anyone with a pulse, a job, and some kind of ambition. Do either one of you know anyone like that?" I asked, noting that John was trying to suppress his laughter.Steph barged her way back into the con

Mom flushed as my heated words flew, and then tears appeared in her eyes. "The problem? How about the late night, drunken phone calls? How about you borrowing my car to pick her up from some one-night stand, when she's too drunk to get home by herself? How about the way she uses you to front her cash when her parents cut off her allowance, despite the fact that she probably earns more than I do and her parents could buy this house out of petty cash?"I began to shake with anger. "You've never understood our friendship. She was there for me when it counted, unlike you."When Dad died, Jules had been my rock that whole year. I practically lived at her house, often sleeping over for weeks at a time, because Mom could barely get herself out of bed. They even paid for me to go to summer camp with Jules because we'd been bankrupt by Dad's cancer treatments.Mom turned to John. "I'm sorry you had to see this. I no longer have an appetite. Will you please finish cooking the eggs?" she asked t

We walked back out to the car and his hand slipped naturally into mine. My mind kept playing games with me. I noticed he was the perfect height, so I could wear heels and he'd still be slightly taller than me. Then I thought about how wonderful it'd felt when he'd carried me to bed without straining at all. By the time we'd gotten back to the car I had myself all worked up. After he seated me and got the behind the wheel, I leaned toward him, hoping to find our moment again in his kiss."What?" he asked, and the flat way he said it hurt my feelings."Kiss me?"He wrinkled his forehead. "So are we still good or is there no 'we' either?"I sat back fighting off tears. "Never mind.""All I was saying in the kitchen was that I liked being with you.""No, you said you'd always wanted this. I can't deny being attracted to you, but I can tell you I never wanted someone to make me feel this way when I can't be with them!" The words tore themselves out of me, leaving me in tears and shaking ne

"What about the dishes?" I asked and glanced at the table."Fuck the dishes, too." He pulled me close and kissed me, his hands opening my robe so he could reach around to squeeze my ass through my new panties. My knees grew weak and I shut my eyes. When he lifted me suddenly, I squealed and laughed as he carried me out of the dining room. Then he kissed me again, his skin rough against my face."My room," I whispered into his neck between kisses."No. Not drunk. Not the first time." He stood me up next to the couch, pushed the robe off my shoulders, and then drew us both down to the couch. He sat first and pulled me into the space between his legs. His left arm was behind my back, his hand in my hair again, pulling my chin up. His lips explored along my jaw, his hot breath tickling my ear."I want you," I whispered, hot, even as he made me shiver. His right hand went under my nightie and I felt him caress my bare breasts for the first time. "Oh God, I want you to fuck me.""No." He te

Mom was eating breakfast when I joined her in the kitchen. When it's just the two of us, we eat on the stools that run along the counter, between the kitchen and the living room. As I walked by the couch, I noticed John had folded the blanket over the back and sprayed air freshener again. Our scent was still there underneath it all, but I prayed Mom hadn't noticed.She didn't say anything as I made my coffee and toast, so I sat down on the stool next to hers."John left early. Did you two fight again?""No." I took a sip of coffee. "He got a job.""A job? Here?""Yes, and he was very cryptic about it."She finished her cereal and tipped the bowl back to get the last of the milk. "So did you do anything fun yesterday?"The mental image of him lying naked on the couch flashed across my mind. "Went shopping, had pot roast for dinner." I shrugged and ate a bite of toast."It was so good, wasn't it? I had some when I got home last night." She took a sip of her coffee and arched her eyebrow