Page 53 of Make Us Yours
Veronica gazes down at my sister with a tender smile. “You’re very beautiful, Trinity. I bet you made your brother’s life hell growing up, with all the boys that must have been running after you.”
I snort because she has no idea how true that is. I feel like all my youth was dedicated to batting away all male species from my sister. They were drawn to her like moths to a flame.
She leans in closer to her and says in a whispered voice, “So, tell me. Do you have any embarrassing stories about Noah when he was younger? Maybe some bad acne when he hit puberty? Trying to do the dirty with a pie and burning himself? Making out with his cousin before finding out she’s related to him?”
I laugh, unable to hold it in. “Where are you getting these ridiculous ideas?”
“Shush, this discussion does not concern you. It’s between me and Trinity.” She bats me away with her hand.
I step closer to them and sit on the edge of the bed. “Actually, I’m pretty sure it does. Since I’m the main topic.”
She rolls her eyes. “Ugh, men.”So, I guess we aren’t exactly done withthe eye rolls for me either.She grabs my sister’s hand and gives it a small shake. “Come on, girl. Don’t leave me hanging. You need to give me something I can tell all our friends about. Just one story. I refuse to believe he’s this perfect.”
“You think I’m perfect?” I ask, shocked.
She opens her mouth to say something but then shakes her head and lifts her free hand at her side. “I plead the fifth.”
I chuckle as she looks at me with a smile.
“I think you and I are going to get along great,” she whispers to my sister and touches her hair delicately. “I’ll be able to tell you all about your brother and the things he probably doesn’t mention to you. Like how he’s a pretty messy guy. Well, actually, I think it’s just laziness, but we’re working on it. Which makes absolutely no sense because he keeps his car squeaky clean.”
I zone out from there as she keeps chatting to my sister. I love the way she talks to her as if she’s really here. Like she might answer or make a comment, laugh along with her. It’s beautiful to watch.
I was nervous about bringing Veronica here this morning, but now I realize it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Watching them together makes my love for Veronica grow a thousand times stronger.
After an hour of the two girls talking—well, Veronica talking and pretending my sister was answering—she stands from the chair and comes in front of me, her hand falling on my shoulder. “Do you want some time alone with her? I can wait outside in the hall.”
“No. That’s okay, Kitten. Are you ready to go?”
“I think so.” She bites her lip and looks back at my sister. “Would it be okay if I came back to see her some time?”
I watch her for a second. “You mean alone?”
She nods. “Only if you’re comfortable with that.”
“Yeah, I think that would be okay.” She smiles in response. “We’ll go fill out the paperwork on our way out.”
I place my hands on her hips and slowly bring her body between my spread legs as she places her other hand on my shoulder as well and looks down at me. “I’m sorry for calling you my girlfriend.”
“It’s okay,” she whispers.
“I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to bring someone, and I thought it would pass better if they thought you were with me,” I tell her truthfully. I hadn’t planned on saying it; I know how Veronica feels about dating. But I can’t hide how amazing it felt to call her mine.
“It’s okay, Casanova. I understand.” Her hands move along my shoulders, slowly going down my arms, then back up. She traces her movements with her eyes, no longer meeting mine.
“It’s just a word… it means nothing… right?” Finally, she looks back up as she swallows, and I see an inkling of fear in her eyes.
I nod slowly, even though every cell in my body is telling me to deny her claim, to tell herthismeans something to us. That she means something to me. But I know she needs me to agree with her, to reassure her. “Yeah, Kitten. It’s just a word.”
She nods and takes a step back as I stand. I walk over to my sister and lower, kissing her forehead. “Bye, sis. I love you.”
Veronica stands behind me, smiling at my sister. “Bye, Trinity. I’ll be coming to see you again soon.”
I take her hand as we make our way over to the nurses’ station to fill out the forms. A little while later, we head out to my car together, still hand in hand. When we get to the passenger door, I go to pull it open, but Veronica leans against it, eyes searching mine.
I can tell something’s running through her mind; I’m just not sure what exactly. Until she presses her hand to my chest. I take a step closer and place one hand on her hip, the other coming up to cradle the side of her face as her eyes widen, lips parting slightly and pupils dilating.
My gaze falls to her lips momentarily, then back up to hers as I take another step, pressing our bodies together. Her hand that lies on my chest slides up to my nape in the process. I give her a second to come to terms with what I’m about to do, what is about to happen between us.
