S O P H I A  H O N E Y

I’VE BEEN pacing for what feels like hours, the carpet practically worn thin beneath my feet.

Part of me wonders if Ryan is even letting Theo actually speak and explain that I’m not some lovesick idiot getting played. Yes, sometimes I have those fleeting, ugly thoughts that maybe Theo and I won’t last. I’m a freshman, he’s a senior—it’s not exactly the fairytale setup. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

I want him. He wants me. That’s that.

The punch, though? That was unnecessary. Getting angry was expected. Shouting? Fine—yelling is basically a family sport in this house. But punching him? That crossed a line.

It’s not like I’m the only girl who've secretly dated her brother’s best friend. Please. Half the romance books I’ve read have wilder plotlines than mine. Yet here I am—the one getting yelled at, the one being looked at like I’ve ruined something sacred.

Earlier, I was too hurt to even yell back. But now? My tears are gone, replaced by stubborn resolve. If Ryan lays a hand on Theo again, I’m hitting him back—probably with a lamp.

“Soph.” Harley’s voice cuts in. She’s been sitting cross-legged on my bed, but now she stands and walks over. “You’re practically radiating rage, and I don’t blame you—but you should still breathe.”

“I am breathing,” I mutter.

She chuckles, placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me mid-pace. “You’re definitely not. Look, I bet Theo and Ryan are laughing downstairs by now.”

“A laugh?” I give her a skeptical look.

“Yeah. Boys are weird—they can try to kill each other one minute and be best friends the next. You’ll see. They’ll knock on your door with matching smiles… and maybe matching bruises.”

“I hope Ryan’s is worse,” I say under my breath, right as there’s a knock at the door.

“Soph? Can we talk?” Ryan’s voice.

I fold my arms. “Oh, really? Talk, or more yelling about how blind and stupid I am?”

“I never said you were stupid.”

“But you implied it, so... same thing.” His sigh is loud and heavy through the wood. Good.

“I’m sorry, okay? I overreacted and—”

“That was more than overreacting,” I cut in, my voice sharp. “You hurt him. You hurt Theo.” Just saying it made my chest tighten. Theo must have regretted being with me in that moment, yet he still went along with whatever Ryan had to dish out.

“Soph?” Another voice joins in, and I’m at the door in an instant. I open it without thinking. Ryan’s face is there first, but I don’t even register him—I go straight to Theo, who’s holding an ice pack to his cheek.

My stomach drops. “Did he punch you again?” I demand, already stepping toward Ryan.

“No!” Ryan backs up as Theo's arm slide around my waist, holding me back. My cheek presses against his chest, my glare still locked on my brother.

“Sweetheart, he didn’t do anything,” Theo says with a chuckle, holding me tighter when I try to wriggle free. “Your dad asked him to grab me an ice pack when he saw my face.”

I stop, tilting my head back to look at him. “Dad knows what happened?”

Theo presses his lips together and nods.

“Wait—he knows about us? And he didn’t get mad?”

“Nope,” Theo says. “Apparently, he told Ryan to apologize because your pacing was keeping him from sleeping.”

“Oh.” That’s… anticlimactic.

Harley steps into the hallway, gives Ryan a small smile, then looks at me. I look away.

“Does it still hurt?” I ask Theo quietly.

“It’s bearable,” he says, which means yes, it still hurts.

“I’m really sorry, Soph,” Ryan says. His voice filled with heavy guilty, but I’m not ready to let him off. “Theo forgave me, and I hope—”

“You forgave him?” My eyes widen.

Seriously? Boys forgive that fast?

“Okay,” Theo says to Ryan, tone final. “Go downstairs. I’ll talk to Soph.”

“We’re not talking about anything,” I say flatly.

“Okay,” Ryan replies, then glances at Harley. “Guess I should take you home?”

She nods, giving me a quick goodbye before they head down the stairs.

I step back into my room, Theo following behind. The door clicks shut. A moment later, I feel him move closer.

His head rests lightly on my shoulder from behind, his breath warm against my skin. Both his hands slide around my waist, fingers linking in front of me like a chain I can’t break.

“Soph…” he murmurs, voice soft enough to feel more than hear.

“No. I won’t listen.”

“He’s sorry,” he says in a low tone that vibrates through my spine. His nose grazes the curve of my neck, and my traitorous body reacts before I can stop it—a shiver, a quick inhale. I hate it.

I pull away from his warm hands and turn to face him, ignoring the way my skin already misses his touch. “You’re not seducing me into forgiving my brother.”

He chokes out a laugh, tilting his head. “Seducing?”

“Yes, seducing,” I say firmly, even though his smile is starting to tug at my own. “Whatever you’re doing, just know it won’t work. I’m still annoyed with him.”

“But I’ve forgiven him.”

“And I’m upset for and with you.” My eyes hold his for a beat before I turn away, starting to shrug off my jacket. Today has been too much, and the only thing I want right now is a long, steaming bath.

“With me? Come on, love.” He moves in, but I step back before his hands can find me again.

“Oh, don’t love me.” Peeling off my dress, letting it drop to the floor. His gaze immediately looks down on my dress on the ground then slides up and stop my bra.

I unfasten my jewelry one by one, letting each piece clink softly. I make my way towards against my wooden desk and from the corner of my eye, I catch Theo’s gaze locked—shamelessly—on my ass as I move.

It drags over the curve of my ass, heavy enough to make my skin prickle. Heat rushes through me out of nowhere, a slow, uninvited burn that coils tighter with every second he keeps looking.

In an instant, the thick, charged air from the photo booth is back, curling low in my stomach and making my core tighten against my underwear.

The more I remember what we did, the more my core throbs.

“I don’t know if I should tell you to calm down…” he drawls, taking a slow step closer, “…or let you keep going to see where it’ll end.”

I cross my arms over my chest—not because I’m embarrassed - but because it’s the only barrier I can put between us right now. “It’ll end with me in a bath, alone.”

His mouth curves. “That’s a terrible ending.”

I roll my eyes, holding back a grin. "Whatever you're thinking. It's not happening."

"It will happen." He says with confidence written all over his face. "I'll make sure of that."

Something says he would. I know he would. I'm just being too plain stubborn to let him.

I don’t say anything to his bold response, but rather I head toward the bathroom, but his footsteps follow.

“Oh no.” I turn abruptly, placing a hand on his chest. The heat of him seeps into my palm. “You’re not following me.”

He frowns, clearly not used to being denied. “Why?”

“Because I’m upset. That’s why.”

“What did I do?” His hand reaches for me, but I shift away. He groans in frustration, raking a hand through his hair.

I smirk. “Just wait for me.”

“I don’t think I have the patience to wait.” His steps close the distance, and I swallow hard. The air feels thick with the kind of tension that makes it hard to breathe. My thighs press together on instinct.

“Something wrong?” His voice is all innocence, but his eyes are on my lips, his fingers brushing along my hip. They trail upward until his palm rests against my stomach, heat seeping through my skin.

Ugh. This guy.

I push him back, enough to break his spell. “I’m fine.”

Before he can smirk or say something smug, I slip into the bathroom and close the door but decisive click, sealing myself away before I give in completely.

There's a soft thud on the door and another withing seconds.

"Babe?" Another knock. "Open up for me, love."

I ignore him, reaching behind my back to unclasp my bra. The straps slide down my arms, and I let the lace drop to the floor. His knuckles rap against the door again, harder this time.

“Please, my love,” he says, his tone almost pleading now. "Okay, I'm still upset with Ryan, can I come in now?"

"No." That's obviously a big fat lie. “Just… rest on my bed. You’re injured, remember?” I hook my thumbs into the waistband of my underwear and step out of them, tossing them on top of the pile. His shadow shifts under the crack of the door, like he’s leaning closer.

"I’ll heal when I'm with you."

My hands pause mid-reach for my towel. God, he knows exactly which words make my heart trip over itself. I grab the towel, wrapping it snugly around me, and breathe out a long sigh. “Just bathing and we’re done?”

There’s a beat of silence before his answer comes. “Sure.” The word drips with so much false innocence that my lips twitch despite myself.

“Fine.” I tighten my grip on the towel before opening the door. “Just don’t—” My words falter the second my eyes land on his exposed chest. He already took his shirt off.

"You okay?" He asks casually as he brushes past me into the bathroom.

My cheeks heat instantly. I turn to look at him again just as his fingers work the buckle of his belt. I’ve seen him undress countless times, but this feels different.

Maybe it’s because this will be the first time we’ve ever been under the spray of the same shower.

I tear my gaze away before my thoughts run completely wild.

Ignoring the way his eyes follow me, I step toward the shower, letting the steam curl around us. I take a breath, peel the towel from my body, and drop it onto the counter.

The moment the water hits my skin, heat seeps into my muscles, loosening the tightness in my shoulders. I close my eyes, letting the steady cascade wash over me, almost enough to make me forget everything that happened tonight.

The curtain rustles, and I open my eyes just in time to see Theo step inside. Suddenly the warm water feels even hotter, the steam thicker. He moves in behind me, close enough that his bare back brushes mine for the briefest second—but it’s enough to make my body jolt, a sharp shiver running all the way to my toes.

I hear a sharp hiss from him after a minute of silence between us, like the temperature caught him off guard.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, tilting my head slightly, but he doesn’t answer right away. There’s just the sound of water pattering against his skin and something low muttered under his breath.

“What?” I turn a little, but still can’t catch it.

He mutters again, the words muffled by the spray. My curiosity turns to mild irritation. “What are you saying?”

Before I can finish, his arm snakes around my waist and spins me in one swift, sure movement. He pulls me flush against him, and I’m met with his eyes filled with a quiet triumph, and his mouth tilts in a smirk that makes my pulse kick.

“I said… finally,” he breathes, his eyes burning into mine.

And then his lips crash into mine.

The move is sudden enough that my back bumps the cold tile, a sharp contrast to the warmth of his mouth. I gasp at the chill, and he uses that moment to slide his tongue against mine, deepening the kiss until my head spins. The water streams over both of us, plastering my hair to my face, but he doesn’t slow, doesn’t seem to care. His body presses into mine, solid and insistent, until I feel the unmistakable hardness against my stomach.

My knees nearly give out.

His other hand curls gently but firmly around the side of my neck, holding me in place as his mouth claims mine again. Each kiss is harder than the last, a punishment and a reward all at once. Every ounce of resistance I had before walking into this shower is gone. One touch from him, and I’m already undone, strung so tight that all I can think about is more.

“You still upset?” he murmurs, his voice low and rough against my lips. “Hmm?”

I try to speak, but my lips part only to release a breathy moan as his mouth drags to my ear. He nips and sucks at the edge of it, and my knees nearly give out, but his grip on my waist keeps me steady. My fingers find his shoulder without thinking, clinging as if letting go might drop me into some abyss.

Then, without warning, he pulls back. The loss of his warmth makes the water suddenly feel colder, and confusion swirls through me.

“Let me bathe you,” he says, reaching for the sponge and soap resting on the small shelf.

My nipples are painfully hard, every inch of me tuned to the way he’s looking at me. He’s got me burning for him, my skin hypersensitive under the steam, and now he wants to… bathe me?

“S… sure?” My voice wavers, but he hears it and simply nods.

He works the sponge into a lather before pressing it to my shoulder, dragging it slowly down my arm in deliberate strokes. The soft fabric glides over my skin, the pressure gentle yet intimate, sending little jolts of heat through me. His touch lingers just enough at the bend of my elbow, at the side of my ribs, to keep my breath uneven.

When he moves to my collarbone, his knuckles brush the tops of my breasts, and I swear he feels the way my chest rises sharply beneath his hand. I bite the inside of my cheek, willing my composure to hold, but the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips tells me he knows exactly what he’s doing.

"I thought… we are just… ahh…" A moan slips out when his fingers flick over my nipple, his thumb pressing against the hardened peak before sliding down, tracing my waist and cupping my hips.

"We’re what?" he says, His voice is low, almost taunting. "Turn around."

I nod and pivot, my back arching as warm water trails over my spine. His fingers follow the path, mapping every curve. My nipples brush against the slick tile, and the sharp sensation makes it dangerously easy to forget we’re in my parents’ house—where he might take me right here.

No. Not might. He will fuck me here.

"Arch for me, love." His hand clamps around my hip, and I push forward instinctively.

"Perfect." He groans, rough palms sliding over my ass before giving it a firm squeeze. The motion steals my breath.

"Theo…"

"Spread your legs, Soph." The command rolls off his tongue like heat, and my body obeys before I can think. The ache between my thighs tightens, throbbing in anticipation. My legs part, and I feel the sponge move slowly across my back.

"I’m not done bathing you."

Oh Lord. When will this torture end?

I feel him pull my body flush against his, and I instantly feel the hard press of him against my ass. I gasp, and he hums low in my ear, his hands sliding up my wet sides, sealing himself to my back while his lips scatter soft kisses across my shoulders.

There’s a subtle movement behind me—his arm working as he strokes himself—and then his fingers swirl over my entrance, making it slick with something… conditioner? Soap? Who even knows? Who even cares? All I know is I need him inside me before I lose my mind.

“Tell me something,” he murmurs against my ear, his tongue tracing a slow, wet line up my neck. “Would you forgive me if I touched you here, love?”

My head turns just enough to catch his eyes over my shoulder. “Why don’t you try first, then ask?” I push my hips back into him and bite my lip, shuddering when his finger sinks almost inside me.

He laughs against my shoulder, his breath hot. “You and that mouth. Always so feisty when I want to fuck you.” He pushes his finger in deeper, and my toes curl. “Still loose from the photo booth, I see.”

“S…shut up… ah—fuck.” The words rip out of me, my head tipping back against his shoulder while his finger works me slow and steady, my body screaming for more—wider, deeper. “Theo… give me more.”

“That means you forgive me, then,” he says, teasing. “Come on, tell me you forgive—”

“I forgive you. I even forgive Ryan. Now...” I grab his wrist, guiding him harder. “—can you please fuck me already?”

“I can’t,” Theo murmurs against my ear, his hips still flush to mine. “There’s no condom.”

“Yes, you can,” I say instantly, turning my head toward him. “Do it raw.”

He stills. I feel him pause behind me, the water pattering around our bodies. Then his hand comes up to my chin, turning my face toward his. His eyes have softened, searching mine.

“Wait… are you sure? We can take this to the bedroom, you know? I’ve got a pack in there and—”

I shake my head, then lean forward to kiss him. He doesn’t hesitate, his lips catching mine instantly. “I want this, Theo. I want to know how it feels when there’s nothing separating us,” I whisper against his cheek.

“But…”

“I’m on birth control. Remember? There’s nothing to worry about.” I smile faintly, tugging him closer. “Come on, Theo, the water’s going to turn cold.”

A low chuckle escapes him, and he slowly slides his finger out of me. “Oh, we wouldn’t want that… would we?” His cock now rests between my cheeks, the swollen head nudging at my entrance. “Ready, gorgeous?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure you don’t want to second-guess this?” he teases, pushing the tip inside. I hiss at the stretch, realizing quickly this isn’t going to be an easy task—then he withdraws completely.

“Let’s do this first.”

“What—” My question dies in my throat when I feel him drop to his knees behind me, his hands spreading me open. He pushes my hips forward until his mouth finds me, and then his tongue slides inside, deep, thrusting in slow deliberate strokes that make my knees almost give out.

“Ohh fuck, Theo… fuck, fuck…” My hands slap against the wall for balance as his tongue fucks me relentlessly, each stroke sending shocks of pleasure straight to my core.

“Shhh,” he murmurs, standing again. A firm palm presses between my shoulders, forcing me to bend at the waist, my hands bracing against the wall. And then—finally—he pushes inside me, his slow thrust stretching my insides.

“Quiet, baby,” he murmurs in my ear, hips grinding against my ass. “Let me fuck you right. Will you be quiet for me?”

“Mmmph… Theo…” My voice dissolves into incoherent sounds as he sets a rhythm, slow but fierce, each thrust hitting deep. “Ahhh… harder, Theo… fuck me harder.”

He groans, slapping my ass before driving into me with a sharper pace, the sound of skin meeting skin blending with the shower’s rush.

“Look at you. Taking my cock bare. Feels so fucking good.” His hands slide around, fingers toying with my nipples, pinching until I gasp. “God, you’re perfect. I might come soon.”

“Fffuck… good,” My voice cracks. “’Cause I’m… ah… I’m probably gonna—come soon.”

“Yeah?” His chest molds to my back, hips bruising me with relentless thrusts.“You think I’ll let you come that easily?”

I nod quickly, desperate, my hand slipping down between my legs to rub my clit—only for him to smack it away.

“I’ve got you,” he says, taking over, rubbing tight circles over my clit while his other hand slides up to my throat. His fingers curl there, firm, and I whimper, because God, I’m weak for him when he does this.

“Uh… Theo… Theo… fuck, this feels so good…”

“You’re being too loud,” he scolds, though his voice is thick with lust. I hadn’t even noticed I was, but then he’s covering my mouth with his hand.

“This should keep you quiet,” he hums. “Don’t want another scene tonight, right?”

I nod frantically—truth be told, I’d agree to anything as long as he keeps fucking me like this.

“Shit… look at your nipples.” He abandons my clit just to roll them between his fingers again. “So hard. You’d love if I sucked them, huh? If I licked and bit until you were shaking?”

His filthy words make my walls clamp around him, and a moan rips from my throat despite his hand over my mouth. I can feel myself dripping around him, even if the water washes it all away.

Right there. Oh, fuck—right there. Keep fucking me. God, I’m so close.

"Come on, love." He plays with my clit again, rubbing faster until my hips start following his movements, hesitant at first, while his cock drives me insane. Then he pulls his hand away from my mouth and I bite my lip, holding myself back from coming.

"Do you want to come for me?"

"Y-yes," I breathe. "Please let me come?"

"Fuck, I love when you're so desperate for me." His thrusts slow, teasing me. "Are you desperate for me, Soph?"

"Yes, Theo."

"Then say it." He suddenly moves faster, making me cry out, though I still fight to keep my voice down. "Tell me how desperate."

"I’m desperate for you, Theo… please, I want to come," I beg.

"So you want to come?" His lips brush mine, hot breath mixing.

"Yes, please."

"Soph."

"Theo."

"Come."

I release with a shudder, holding back a scream and before I can catch my breath, I feel him pulling out. There’s movement, a low groan, the sound of water splashing between us.

“Fuck, fuck, I’m coming,” Theo breathes, and I turn to him, my hand wrapping around the hard, solid length of him. He looks so far gone that he doesn’t even notice my other hand slipping lower to stroke him for me.

His eyes finally snap to mine. He removes his arm from around me and wraps his own hand over mine, guiding my strokes. “

“Faster, Soph—oh, fuck… that’s it,” he groans, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “That’s a good girl… stroke me harder, love… oh, yeah…”

His praise sends a rush through me, and I speed up, my other hand sliding lower to his balls and plays with them. That does the trick.

“Fuck—fuck!” His voice is low but urgent as hot release spills from him, some landing on us before the rest slides down, washed away by the water.

“Oh… God,” he pants, catching his breath. But even now, he leans in, capturing my mouth in a deep kiss. I taste a hint of myself on him, and instead of making me hesitate, it only makes everything hotter.

“So…” he pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. “You forgive me, then?”

A laugh escapes me. “I forgive you.”

“Awesome.” His grin is wicked as he kisses me again.

I’m starting to think showers with Theo should be a regular thing.