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

ICE CREAM? JOSH

We stepped out of the restaurant into the warm Texas night, the air thick with the scent of freshly baked dough and city life. Vivien was still smiling, her eyes bright as she glanced up at me.

"That was fun," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah. It was."

And it was.

It had been a long time since I'd sat across from someone and actually enjoyed myself without guilt clawing at the edges. Vivien was easy to talk to, easy to be around. And fuck if that didn't scare me a little.

The waitress had asked if we wanted dessert, and before I could even consider it, Vivien shook her head. "No, thanks," she said, then turned to me with a playful glint in her eye. "I have ice cream at my place. It's not far if you'd be more interested in dessert... there." I almost choked on my last sip of wine.

She grinned.

I set my glass down and nodded once. "Yeah. Sure."

Deep end it is.

15:05A

ICE CREAM?

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occasional car passing by, headlights sweeping over us. Vivien walked beside me, hands tucked into the pockets of

Comfortable.

been

I hesitated. Not because I didn't want to go inside-I did-but because something about this moment felt big. Bigger than

her

my throat and nodded. "Yeah. I'm

me for a second, then

And I followed.

hesitated for half a second before following her inside, closing

was... not what I

was the complete opposite of my place, where Asha's toys were everywhere, and laundry always seemed to exist in some half-folded limbo.

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back of a chair. I did the same, my fingers lingering on

watched as she moved through the space, unhurried and completely at ease. The sound of her shoes hitting the floor echoed softly as she stepped into the kitchen barefoot, her dark hair swaying with each step. She stretched up on her toes, reaching into the freezer, and pulled out a

Two spoons.

No bowls.

was making

wine and followed her

Not too close.

Not too far.

a spoon without a word, then popped the lid off the ice

first bite, moaning softly as she closed her

I clenched my jaw.