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..."

finger and whispers in my ear,

"Do not."

and

the other day I was afraid you

His smile is devastating.

been like a wild animal in bed, not that

up his

"In fact..."

so hard it almost makes my chest

meet in a

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

day we

answers that question as our legs tangle with each other and the blankets

you and I want this to

he says between kisses.

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

and kisses

messing with my

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

my shorts quickly unbuttoning his jeans and pressing me back against my childhood

this in my future, I was too afraid to hope for it

was, but now my body instantly relaxes,

even control

and looks up at the stairway like he's afraid

but fuck, it's even worse than

you have

really all there

and it makes the pressure shift just enough for his angle to hit

know

It's

Mom can never find out that the couch has joined

almost embarrassed as Easton

a mess, like a way bigger mess than we've ever made

"I got it."

wet bar with an array of paper towels and a warm

as he rubs me

do that...the only reason I have self control is fear of an

case scenario,’ I say as he tugs my shorts back

with one of his old shotguns that

"Perfect."

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

making your prophetic story actually come true.” I fall back on the

towel and walks

laugh again as he pulls me into his

can feel

is hot against mine,

as we sit with the reflection of

that I'm here, by