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

"Do not."

and look

sucked them so hard the other day I was afraid you were going to

His smile is devastating.

wild animal in bed,

holds up

"In fact..."

so

lips meet in

how did I ever survive without this man? These kisses? He's the addiction your mom always

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

our legs tangle with each other and the blankets

you and I want this to

he says between kisses.

watching the whole man with the butcher knife, I can't stop thinking about your dad coming down the stairs with one of the

and kisses me

with my

with your erection, that's new,’ I tease, kissing his

unbuttoning his jeans and pressing me back against my

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

my body instantly relaxes, basically sucking him

he's right, I'm so sensitive and emotional I can't even control my own body as I get dangerously close within a

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

was going to go but fuck, it's even worse than I thought.” He bites down

you have a magic

really all there is to

it makes the pressure shift just enough for his angle to hit the perfect little magical

don't know what I

It's just

couch has joined the

as Easton

a way bigger mess

"I got it."

the downstairs wet bar with an

as he

only reason I have

say as he tugs my

one of his old shotguns that he probably doesn't even

"Perfect."

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

your prophetic story actually come true.” I fall

towel

“Hilarious.” I laugh again as he pulls me into his arms, kissing me on the top of the

can feel your

hot against mine,

closer as we sit with the reflection of the documentary on the

that I'm here, by your side, no