How We Fell in Love: Grace and James's short story by Toni Aleo

Author:Toni Aleo [Aleo, Toni]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-26T03:00:00+00:00

May 18th

“So you need me Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday?”

James nibbles at my ear as he surfs the channels. We’re sitting together in my recliner even though Shea’s is open. James said he wanted to be near me, and I don’t hate sitting in his lap. “I need you every day.”

I roll my eyes with a dramatic sigh. “James.”

“Yes, baby. Put on a pretty dress and be ready for really boring charity events.”

I close my planner. “You do a lot of these?”

“I do. I love supporting kids and their families with cancer, and then MADD. Since, you know, that’s how my family died.”

I press my lips together. Every time he brings up his family, it hurts. I can’t imagine not having my mom and dad. Or Shea. “I hear you, and I’m there.”

“Pretty dress?”

“Always. Something tight on my boobs.”

“Awesome. Good looking out,” he says, nipping at my neck.

I giggle as I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his chest in a tight hug. He holds me just as tightly, resting his head on mine as he continues to flip through the channels.

“I feel we should watch SportsCenter or at least this week’s Survivor.”

I shake my head against his. “We have to wait for Shea for Survivor, and I don’t want to watch SportsCenter ’cause he’ll make me watch it later.”

He lets out an annoyed breath. “Fine, how about SVU?”

“Well, see… Usually, I’d say yes. But I started an episode, and Shea got invested, so I need to wait for him.”

I can almost hear him grit his teeth. “Fine, let’s watch 24.”

I press my lips together. “Yeah, I don’t like that show. It’s Shea’s.”

“Well, please tell me what we can watch without Shea, or is Shea’s, or anything that deals with Shea.”

I side-eye him. “Do I hear a bit of frustration in your voice?”

“Yes, I want to watch TV with my girl. But everything is off-limits until Shea gets here.”

“Hey, he was here before you,” I snap, and I imagine he’ll snap back. This is destined for a fight, and when he throws the remote down toward the end of the recliner next to our feet, I’m ready. I turn to face him, and his eyes burn into mine. Then he reaches out, taking my face in his hands before kissing me hard on the lips. I try to resist—I’m supposed to be mad here—but it’s hard when he kisses me like this. I fall into the kiss in seconds, our tongues moving together and causing my body to burn up with lust.

When he pulls back, he runs his thumb along my bottom lip. “You are absolutely right. He was here before me, and I love your relationship with Shea. I’m jealous, not because you two are so close but because I don’t have that with a sibling. It’s special what y’all have. I would never ask you to choose me over your brother. Don’t think that.”

A silence falls between us as we stare into each other’s eyes. My earlier conversation

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