You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Harper

 I'm exhausted.

Mom and Dad have finally gone to bed, but I wouldn't put it past them to do room checks like they used to at summer camp.

I'm still downstairs with Easton bingeing some murderous documentary about a crime of passion, and some creepy stalker who always pretended to be her work friend but secretly cut pieces of her hair and slept with them in his pillow.

Ryan and Sadie are upstairs doing who knows what in the kitchen.

The creepy man on the screen continues his stalking.

Gross.

I shudder.

"Are you cold?"

Easton asks, pulling me close.

I frown.

"Is it just me or are you way too into the part where he almost gets away with it.” He shakes his head like he's disappointed in the mass murderer.

"I mean, he's an idiot, he could have made it, but noooo, he has to go back for one of those creepy pieces of hair like he didn't just kill her for rejecting him."

I scrunch up my nose.

"Weird that the husband ended up living."

"Poor guy probably wishes he were dead, imagine someone standing over you while you sleep with a butcher knife."

"Yay, what a great Christmas, so merry and bright,"

I tease and give him a hard shove.

“I'm going to have nightmares tonight about knives.” He laughs.

I turn to him and grip him by the shirt.

"I will end you if you sneak into my room, hover over me with a knife and scare the shit out of me.

I'll take that same knife and chop off both balls.” "Wouldn't that make me a eunuch?"

"Yes,"

I seethe.

"With the giant dick but a severe lack of testosterone and desire to have sex."

"Should I be scared that you just gave me an exact definition?"

He smiles.

"Chill, I won't scare you, I actually like my testicles and um..."

and whispers in my ear, "So do

"Do not."

and look

so hard the other day I

His smile is devastating.

like a wild animal in bed,

holds up his

"In fact..."

leans in, my heart pounds so

meet in a hungry

this man? These kisses? He's the addiction your mom

thinking he's going to get tired of us, of this, that one day we really will make it through

tangle with each other and the blankets on the

you and I

he says between kisses.

I can't stop thinking about your dad coming down the stairs

groans and

messing with my

messing with your erection, that's

my sides and tugs down my shorts quickly unbuttoning his jeans and pressing

never saw this in my future, I was too afraid to hope for it

was, but now my body instantly relaxes, basically sucking

he's right, I'm so sensitive and emotional I can't even control

and looks up at the stairway like he's afraid then looks back down at

but fuck, it's even worse than I thought.” He

have a magic

all there is

and it makes the pressure shift just enough for his

know what I

if It's just

out that the couch has joined the soon to be long list of desecrated items in

embarrassed as

a way bigger

"I got it."

kisses me again and returns from the downstairs wet bar with

as he rubs

to not do that...the only reason I have self

say as he tugs my shorts back up and

chases you with one of his old shotguns that he probably doesn't even know how

"Perfect."

the used paper towels, tossing them in the trash in the corner, taking one look at the wash-—rag and

prophetic story actually come true.”

drops the towel and

he pulls me into his

can feel your

is hot against mine,

we sit with the reflection

to know that I'm here, by your side,