Page 38 of Beautiful Sin
She licked my palm—because apparently we’re five—forcing me to release her. “Please, like anyone’s paying attention to us when there’s food. Come on, let’s make our grand entrance.”
Walking into the kitchen-dining room felt like entering a wildlife documentary. Every male head swiveled toward Bree like meerkats spotting something shiny. Not that I could blame them—even in casual jeans and a braided blond look, she had that effortless beauty that made everyone else look twice. But that was just Bree—gorgeous inside and out, and the best friend anyone could ask for. Even if she did occasionally threaten my sanity.
“Hi, everyone!” she chirped, waving like she was auditioning for a Disney princess role.
A chorus of greetings echoed back, some more enthusiastic than others. Nico and his trio of troublemakers—Ben, Chris, and Josh—were sprawled on the floor, decimating our chip supplywhile pretending to play video games. Xander’s crew—Tyler and Justin—had claimed the sofa like it was prime real estate they’d fought a war over. Meanwhile, the responsible adults—Jaxson, Colt, Wei, Scott, Kyle, and Luke—were actually being useful in the kitchen, though “useful” in Colt’s case seemed to mean criticizing everyone else’s technique.
“Hey, Bree.” Jaxson’s smile could’ve powered a small city.Not that I noticed. Not that I was specifically looking for him the moment we walked in. And definitely not that my heart did a little tap dance when our eyes met briefly.
The moment our gazes connected, that now-familiar warmth spread through my chest, as if his eyes themselves could transfer heat. His pupils dilated slightly, nostrils flaring in that subtle way I’d noticed whenever he was near me. The air between us seemed to thicken, charged with something I couldn’t name but could definitely feel.
Bree practically skipped to Jaxson, brandishing her bag like a peace offering to a particularly attractive deity. “Brought provisions for the troops! There’s cookies, brownies, and those little pastry things that made Lan cry last time.”
“They were emotional tears,” I defended from behind her. “That cream filling was a religious experience.”
“You know you didn’t have to,” Jaxson said, taking the bag anyway because he’s, well, Jaxson. The perfect host, the perfect brother, the perfect everything—except for the small detail of giving hand jobs to his stepbrother, which probably wouldn’t make it on his resume.
His fingers brushed against Bree’s during the exchange, and I felt an unexpected twinge in my chest—a sharp, almost physical pain that caught me off guard. It wasn’t just jealousy; it felt more visceral, more primal, like my body was objecting to seeing him touch someone else.
“Oh please, like I’d miss a chance to contribute to the Sinclair brothers’ feast.” She turned to Colt with a bright smile, fearless in the face of his perpetual scowl. “Congratulations on landing the dream job! Marketing for a gaming company—finally putting those perfectionist tendencies to good use?”
Colt’s expression softened slightly, which for him was the equivalent of a bear hug and tearful declaration of friendship. “Thanks.” His lips twitched in what might have been a smile in another dimension. “Someone has to make sure these games sell well enough to fund Nico’s chip addiction.”
“I heard that!” Nico called from his position on the floor, not bothering to look up from his game. “And it’s not an addiction; it’s a lifestyle choice!”
“A lifestyle choice that’s going to give you a heart attack by thirty,” Xander quipped, expertly flipping burgers like he was born holding a spatula.
“Worth it!” Nico shouted back, stuffing another handful of chips into his mouth as if to prove his point.
“Bree!” Nico called from his floor kingdom once he’d swallowed enough to speak coherently. “Want to help us destroy Ben’s dignity inMario Kart? He thinks he can beat my record, the poor delusional fool.”
“You cheated last time,” Ben protested, throwing a chip at Nico’s head with impressive accuracy. “No one gets three blue shells in a row without some kind of black magic.”
“Rain check on the destruction,” Bree called back, then turned to me with that gleam in her eye that meant trouble was not just brewing but had already boiled over and was making a mess on the stove. “Lan and I need to have a very important discussion about… things.”
Before I could protest, her arm was around my shoulders and we were heading for the door. I heard Wei’s amused voicebehind us. “There they go again. The Celestial Peach and his devoted follower off to plot against the cosmos.”
“Are they dating?” Josh asked, subtle as a brick through a window. “Because they’ve got that whole couple vibe going on.”
“Nah.” Nico’s voice carried down the hall. “They’re best friends. Lan’s way too high-maintenance for dating.”
“Says the guy who once cried because the store was out of his favorite chips,” I called back, earning a chorus of laughter and an indignant “That was ONE time!” from Nico.
“How do you know they’re not dating?” Ben pressed. “They look really close.”
Bree was practically vibrating with contained laughter beside me, and I just knew she was hamming it up on purpose.Traitor. She pressed closer, making exaggerated lovey-dovey eyes at me as we disappeared down the hall.
“Because if they were,” I heard Wei’s dry voice, “our Little Fox wouldn’t have time to spend hours staring longingly at?—”
I quickened my pace, dragging Bree along before Wei could finish that sentence and completely destroy what little dignity I had left. The last thing I needed was for everyone to know about my pathetic pining for Jaxson. I’d never hear the end of it.
The moment we reached my room, she tossed her suspiciously heavy backpack on the floor with a thud that screamed ‘contraband.’ I didn’t need three guesses to know what was in there—knowing Bree, she’d brought her entire Boys’ Love collection. Again. Because apparently one emotional crisis per day wasn’t enough for me.
Why do I have a feeling this day is about to get so much worse?
“Sit.” She patted the space beside her like a queen summoning her subject to receive judgment. “Tell me everything that’s happened with Jaxson since last night. Leave no steamydetail unturned. I want the full HD experience, with surround sound and director’s commentary.”
“You’re giving my brothers and their friends ideas,” I deflected, crossing my arms defensively. “They all think we’re dating.”
