The Crush by Ward Penelope (best book recommendations txt) 📕

Crystal had cooked pasta for all of us, and after dinner, we hung out by the pool before we were set to watch the movie. Farrah and I were careful to stay at opposite ends of the patio, but I couldn’t stop looking at her. When she’d emerge from the pool, I’d marvel at her beauty and wonder how I’d been able to have my way with her every night. Then I’d catch her staring at me from afar, and I’d smirk. She’d blush, and it would take everything in me not to race over to her and kiss her senseless. I felt like a teenager again, without a care in the world. I didn’t want this feeling to end.

How was it fair that Nathan got to be openly affectionate with his girl, and I couldn’t be with mine? The realization that I’d internally referred to her as my girl didn’t even surprise me. She was my girl, wasn’t she? Even if I couldn’t announce it to the world.

At one point, while Nathan and Crystal were sucking face on one of the loungers, Farrah got up to go to the kitchen. She gave me a come-hither look before escaping into the house. I knew what she was trying to pull. I normally wouldn’t have taken the risk right under Nathan’s nose, but I was dying to kiss her.

I waited several minutes after she went inside to follow. Taking one last look at Nathan and Crystal immersed in each other, I finally got up and headed toward the house.

My dick was hard as I went to find Farrah. Like a game of hide-and-go-seek, I searched each room until I finally found her in my bedroom, which was at the far corner of the house. She leaned against the bureau. Her eyes were heavy, filled with lust as her chest rose.

My erection was already bursting through my swim trunks. I pressed my body into hers so she could feel how hard I was, wanting her to know what her behavior out there had done to me. Then I kissed her so hard I thought I might bruise her lips.

When the sound of the sliding door registered in the distance, Farrah ripped herself away and ran out of the room. There was no way I could reemerge sporting this stiffy, so I decided to walk across the hall to the shower.

The water rained down on me as I jerked my swollen cock, imagining everything I’d wanted to do to her. My eyes shut tightly as I came hard, shooting all over the tile wall.

I washed my hair and body, plotting how I was going to escape with Farrah later.

After I got dressed in my room, I found Farrah in the kitchen, still wearing her bikini. I got hard again at the sight of her. Our eyes locked, and she flashed me a wry smile. I was sure she knew why I’d taken so damn long in the bathroom.

Nathan and Crystal were already in the living room setting up the movie, leaving Farrah and me alone in the kitchen.

“How was your shower?” she asked.

“Very…imaginative.”

“I bet.”

“You were there in spirit.” I smiled.

She looked down at herself. “I’d better change into some clothes before the movie.”

My eyes fell to her mouth. “Do you have to? I kind of like it just the way you are.”

“I’d better—for your sake.”

I looked out toward the living room to make sure Nathan was still engrossed in conversation and whispered, “I’m gonna fuck you so hard later.”

She licked her lips. “I don’t expect it any other way.”

I loved how fast she got turned on, how wet she always was for me the second I touched her. And there I was, hard as a rock again. So much for that shower.

When Farrah left to go change, I opened the refrigerator to try to cool myself down—literally stuck my head inside.

I eventually went to the living room and offered to make popcorn for everyone—you know, to try to make up for the fact that I was fucking Nathan’s sister behind his back. Popcorn ought to atone for that kind of betrayal, right?

Back in the kitchen, I got to work popping and placed it into four individual bowls.

Farrah was already curled into one corner of the couch when I returned to the living room. I handed out the bowls and sat at the opposite corner of the sofa. It would have seemed too obvious if I planted myself right next to her. I tried to focus on my popcorn and not on the fact that I wanted to feel her body next to mine.

Throughout the movie, inch by inch, Farrah moved closer to me. As much as it pained me, each time I moved a little farther away. Then she’d move a little closer again. It was like a game. In Nathan’s eyes, there would be no reason why I’d need to sit right up against her if there wasn’t a third person on this couch. There was plenty of room for us to stretch out. Farrah smiled over at me, her eyes glinting.

Finally, she stopped, and we paid attention to the movie for a while. It was almost the end when my eyes veered in her direction. Farrah watched the final scene intently, but all I could focus on was her beautiful innocence and delicate profile. As risky as the past couple of weeks had been, these days had been the best of my life. It wasn’t just the phenomenal sex; it was the fact that I felt like I could tell her anything. We could relate to each other. We wanted the same things out of life. We just wanted peace. We wanted to be happy. And we wanted to be together.

Having lots of sex.

My stare must have lingered on her a few seconds too long, because when my gaze moved over to Nathan, his eyes met mine.

• • •

That night, Farrah took off a half hour before I