Opening up the text, a grin appears when I see a photo of Savi smiling with a black cat next to her cheek. With their black hair and blue eyes, they look like twins. I was never a cat guy, but this one reminds me so much of her I can’t help but feel a little something toward the furball.

  Sunshine

  Proof that I actually have a cat.

  Knox

  Never doubted you for a second. She looks like you.

  Sunshine

  Isn’t it crazy? It’s rare for black cats to keep their blue eyes. It was meant to be. :) On your flight yet?

  Knox

  Just got in the air.

  I glance out the window and see the Florida skyline get smaller as we rise in elevation.

  Knox

  How was your day?

  I settle back in my chair and wait for her response. Now that I have her on the phone, I’m not ready to let her go just yet.

  Sunshine

  It was actually really good. I had a full schedule this afternoon and stopped by the animal shelter after work to check on some of the new strays that were brought in.

  Knox

  Saving the world one animal at a time.

  Sunshine

  That’s the plan. How was your day?

  Knox

  Not as heroic as yours. Practice and then interviews.

  Sunshine

  Not true. You’re a hero to a lot of kids out there. I bet when the teacher asks them what they want to be when they grow up, you’re on several of their lists.

  That’s Savi for you—always trying to find the good in people even when they don’t feel they deserve it.

  Knox

  I’m far from a hero, sunshine. Not even close.

  Sunshine

  The kids at your camp would disagree.

  Sighing, I adjust my hat and run a hand over my jawline, feeling the uneasiness of her painting me as this white knight when all I ever feel are the flames of the dragon.

  As soon as I got my first big paycheck from playing hockey, I knew I wanted to do something good with it. I started a charity that funds all the equipment and fees for kids to play hockey who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it. It’s more than doubled in size and now offers summer camps as well.

  If I had something like that when I was younger, then my mom wouldn’t have had to take that second job, and maybe it would have bought her some more time. Either way, The Grace Stone Foundation has helped a lot of kids within a family and in the foster system be able to achieve their dreams, and if any of them are like me, then it’s also saving them.

  Sunshine

  If no one has told you before. Your mom would be proud of you.

  Gripping the phone tight, I let the sadness and guilt in. It’s a question that haunts me every single day of my life. It’s what drives me to push myself harder and not waste what she sacrificed herself for.

  I finally type out a response as my thumbs move slowly over the keyboard.

  Knox

  I hope so.

  Three dots appear immediately as I wait for her response.

  Sunshine

  I know so. I’m proud of you, too, and I know my family is as well.

  Emotions too thick to swallow swarm around me. She pulls things from me I don’t allow myself to feel, and it scares the shit out of me.

  Sunshine

  Just take the compliment, Stone. Don’t overanalyze it. Even if you don’t believe you deserve it, I just wanted you to know other people do. Now, what I’ve been dying to know…do you guys really take off all your clothes when you board the plane, or is that just a rumor?

  God, this girl.

  She knows exactly what I need, as I feel some of the anxious thoughts melt away.

  Chuckling, I type back.

  Knox

  Seeing as how I’m in grey sweats and a hoodie right now, I would say the rumors are true.

  Sunshine

  I knew it! So, you just drop everything right there in the aisle? The flight attendants must be in heaven with all of you taking off your clothes.

  Knox

  We’re not waiting in a long line to change in the bathroom, so yeah, right in the aisle. Most of the flight attendants are used to it and don’t even bat an eye.

  Sunshine

  I highly doubt that. Trust me, it’s the highlight of their day and something they think about later in bed.

  Knox

  Are you thinking about it right now?

  Sunshine

  Definitely.

  She inserts a drooling emoji, causing me to grin.

  Knox

  Any particular one you are thinking about? I swear, if you say Hayes or Foxx, I’m cutting you off.

  Sunshine

  I promise you, it’s only you I’m thinking about.

  Knox

  Hmmm. And what exactly are you thinking about?

  Sunshine

  Well, right now, I’m thinking about those grey sweats you are wearing. They happen to be my favorite. Then, I’m thinking about what’s under those grey sweats and hoodie.

  Fuck.

  She’s not even said anything remotely dirty, and I already feel my dick responding. Curious where she’ll take this, I type out a response.

  Knox

  Go on.

  Sunshine

  The lips. I’m definitely thinking about your lips. They are soft and full and know exactly how to kiss to make my body want more.

  Now I’m fully aroused, as I shift uncomfortably in my seat.

  Knox

  I’ve got to say, I’ve never been hard on a plane full of guys before. Another first you pulled from me.

  She types a laughing emoji with an eggplant, and I chuckle.

  Sunshine

  I’ve never been wet before from a text, so I guess we are even.

  Knox

  How wet are we talking?

  Sunshine

  Let’s just say I’ll be pulling out my toy once I’m done talking to you.

  Just picturing her pleasing herself sends a thrill and a deep need shooting through me.

  Knox

  Not a chance in hell, sunshine. If I’m going to sit here for the remaining flight with a hard-on thinking about your sweet pussy, then you are going to do the same. I’ll be landing in a couple of hours and will be headed to the hotel. I’m going to take care of you the right way, so answer when I call you.

  Sunshine

  I don’t know if I can wait that long.

  Knox

  Find a way.

  Sunshine

  And if I don’t?

  Knox

  Then you’ll miss out on what I have in store for you tonight.

  Sunshine

  That’s mean.

  Knox

  Says the girl who got me worked up on a flight filled with dicks and balls.

  Sunshine

  Okay, you win.

  She inserts a laugh emoji, and I grin.

  Sunshine

  I’ll wait.

  Knox

  Wise choice. Give me four hours, and I’ll call you at ten. And Savi?

  Sunshine

  Yes?

  Knox

  I want you naked on the bed with your legs spread wide for me when you answer.

  Sunshine

  Do I get to make demands too?

  Knox

  Depends. How dirty can that sweet head of yours get?

  Sunshine

  I eat up spicy romance books like they are candy. Trust me, I can get dirty.

  Knox

  Have you had phone sex before?

  I know physically I’m her first. I’m not counting the incident because he doesn’t deserve to be called her first. I didn’t think about the fact, though, that she could have been doing phone sex with her last guy to play it safer.

  Sunshine

  I’m a phone sex operator in my spare time. Didn’t I tell you?

  Knox

  Very funny.

  Sunshine

  No, I haven’t done it before. You?

  I love being her fucking first for everything. It adds a whole level of heightened desire to be able to open the door to new experiences for her.

  Knox

  Kind of hard to have phone sex when I don’t give my number out.

  Sunshine

  I wonder how much this phone number will get me on a bidding site…

  Knox

  That’s very cute. What are your demands, Miss Montgomery?

  Sunshine

  Oooh, that’s kind of hot, Mr. Stone.

  Chuckling, I rub my jawline.

  This girl is going to fucking kill me, and I can’t stop myself from running straight into my demise.

  Sunshine

  I want you naked, too. Hand around your massive cock, preferably stroking it long and hard, so I can see how bad you want me.

  Fuck me.

  This is where, if I had any decency left in me, I would stop this before either of us gets so far deep that we can’t pull ourselves out.

  I don’t, though.

  Instead, I selfishly take what she’s offering because, for the first time in my life, I’ve found something other than hockey that makes me feel alive. I want to soak her in just a little bit longer and ask for forgiveness later when I have to walk away.

  I type out my response, feeling her pull through the phone so strongly she might as well be sitting next to me.

  Knox

  You surprise me, sunshine. I had no idea your pretty little head was capable of such dirty thoughts. I was holding back, but now that I know how much you’ve been holding in, I’m going to have so much fun pulling it all out of you. Every fantasy you’ve ever had, I’ll give you and more. While you are mine, your body won’t ever be neglected. I’ll be calling you soon with your demand, eagerly waiting in my hand.

  EIGHTEEN

  SAVI

  Holy shit.

  I reread his text and can’t stop the rush of desire that swoops in suddenly and wants to overtake me. At this point, I don’t know how I’m going to survive the next four hours. Now that I’ve got a taste of him, it’s like years of pent-up sexual energy just wanting to break free all at once.

  I waited all day to text him, not wanting to come off as some clingy girl. I know Knox, and if he feels I’m getting my heart involved too much, he’ll back off.

  What he doesn’t know is that my heart has been involved with him for a very long time. Even before that night he helped me, I wanted him to look at me as someone other than his best friend’s little sister.

  Girl chatter coming from the living room suddenly has me leaving my chaise in my bedroom. Eve, Lyla, Sophia, and Olivia come barging into the house, wine bottles in hand and a charcuterie board of cheese and crackers balanced in their arms.

  “Did I forget about a wine night? What are you guys doing here?” I laugh, reaching for the food and setting it on the island.

  “We waited as long as we could,” Olivia says, pulling the wine glasses down from the cabinet. “You’ve been MIA for the past twenty-four hours. We decided an ambush was needed for information as soon as Knox left town.”

  “And what makes you think I have anything to report?” I ask, looking around the room as they pour their drinks and get settled on the barstools. “You drove an hour for this?” I turn toward Sophia.

  “Damn right I did,” she grins.

  “We all saw it last night, so don’t even try to deny it,” Lyla grins. “I’m surprised your brothers didn’t pick up on it, but we sure did.”

  “The vibes you two were putting out almost set the whole damn place on fire,” Eve chimes in. “After you two came back from the bathroom, we knew something went down.”

  “He was not happy to see you at Jett and Colton’s table,” Sophia says, adding in her two cents.

  “That’s an understatement,” Olivia chuckles. “I’ve never seen a man struggle so badly to hide what he wants. What we want to know is, did he finally let himself have it?”

  Taking a sip of my wine, I let them wait just a little bit longer to mess with them until I can no longer contain the grin that spreads across my face.

  “We both definitely got what we wanted. Three times, to be exact…well, I got four.” My cheeks flush at the memory all over again as the girls jump up in excitement.

  “I knew it!” Eve squeals.

  “Four? Good to know he’s taking care of you,” Lyla giggles.

  “You have no idea just how good he is,” I grin.

  “Finally, someone who knows how to treat you right, and to think he’s been there the whole time,” Sophia says, shaking her head.

  “The timing just had to be right,” Olivia says, winking at me with a grin plastered to her face as we all sit down again.

  “It feels right...so right, in fact, that it’s scary. I just don’t know if he’s ever going to decide to let me in or if he’s running in the end,” I sigh. “I know nothing of his past other than his childhood was terrible after his mom died. So bad that he’s shut himself off from love. Worse…he doesn’t believe he deserves it. I think his father had a lot to do with that. He’s painted himself as this monster who’s going to drag me into his nightmare, when he couldn’t be further from the truth.” I blink back the tears that unexpectedly appear.

  Every time I talk about his pain, I feel it like it’s my own, and my heart breaks all over again for what he’s been through.

  “Oh, Savi,” Lyla says, hugging me before sitting back down and wiping her own tears. “I get what he’s feeling. Even though our pasts are different, they are similar in a lot of ways. When you are told something over and over again for years, you start to believe it even when deep down there’s a small part of you that knows it’s a lie.”

  “Lyla is right,” Eve says, squeezing my hand. “My parents fed me lies for years, and it’s hard to get out of the deep hole they put you in…so fucking hard. It becomes the norm, and you begin to believe that’s just who you are. But…when you find the one light to hold on to, drowning in the dark doesn’t seem like the only way anymore. Ryder was my light,” she smiles. “Jake was Lyla’s,” she turns to Lyla as she nods her head before meeting my eyes again, “and you’re Knox’s light. Just keep shining for him, and his heart will find its way to you.”

  “Jesus, that’s sad and so beautiful at the same time,” Sophia sniffs as her hand swipes a tear away.

  “Tell me about it,” Olivia says softly, her hand wiping at her wet cheeks.

  If they only knew how sad and beautiful our story really was.

  I try to keep the tears at bay, but right now I don’t feel so strong anymore as I break down and cry. Maybe Knox is right. Maybe I should have told my family. Maybe it is too much for me to carry on my own.

  “Savi, what’s wrong? It’s going to be okay, love.” Lyla pulls me into her arms, and I sob harder.