Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

COOKIES

LUKE

Darkness swallowed me whole.

The water was frigid, cutting into my skin like shards of broken glass. I fought to find the surface, my arms thrashing through the black abyss. My chest burned, my lungs clawing for air, but no matter how hard I kicked. I couldn't tell which way was up. I was lost.

Panic wrapped around me like chains, dragging me deeper. The cold pressed in on all sides, suffocating and relentless. Jess's face flashed in my mind-her smile, her laugh, the way she looked at me like I was worth something. I'd never see her again.

The thought was more suffocating than the water filling my lungs.

I was drowning.

My chest seized, my heart pounding like a drum, faster, harder-until suddenly, everything stopped.

I jerked awake, snapping back to reality like a ripcord yanked too hard.

Air rushed into my lungs, sharp and hot, and I doubled over, my palms finding the wooden floor. It was cool beneath my palms and real. Rock solid and real.

My chest heaved as I fought to breathe, my skin slick with sweat.

17.560

COOKIES

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nightmare's

It was a dream. No, it

it in through my nose and blew

trying to shake off the lingering echoes. of

warm, sweet smell.

Cookies?

the couch and looked around. It was dark outside. I must have passed out on the couch, so I made a mental note to drag Jess back to this couch for something other than sleeping. The reality of my surroundings settled in slowly-Jess's touch everywhere, from

This was home.

the couch, I stood and made my way toward the kitchen. The sound of her humming softly reached

clutching a spoon to her chest

made me grin, and the tension in my chest eased a little. "I didn't mean to

set the spoon down. "You didn't scare me okay, maybe just a little. But what are you doing

COOKIES

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cookies," I replied,

eyes sparkling with

I teased, arching

it seems. Even with her pregnant

leaning over the dining room table. Jess blushed and fuck if

the sound wrapping around me like a balm. "If you want cookies for dinner, you can just say so-no need

are not a human incubator - well, technically - but that's not what you look like to me. I'd choose