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..."

whispers in my ear, "So

"Do not."

and look

so hard the other day I was afraid

His smile is devastating.

you've been like a wild animal

up

"In fact..."

my heart pounds so hard

lips meet in a

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

us, of this, that one day we really will make it through the end of the movie without

question as our legs tangle with each

and I want this to

he says between kisses.

butcher knife, I can't stop thinking about your dad coming down

and

with

dad's messing with your erection, that's new,’

my shorts quickly unbuttoning his jeans and pressing

dreamt about it but never saw this in my future, I was too afraid to hope for it as

but now my body instantly relaxes, basically

I can't even control my own

at the stairway like he's afraid then looks back

was going to go but fuck, it's even worse than

you have a magic

all there

the pressure shift just enough for his angle to hit the

don't know what I

if It's

I know is Mom can never find out that the couch has joined the soon to be long list of desecrated items

embarrassed as Easton

made a mess, like a way bigger

"I got it."

and returns from the downstairs wet bar with an array of paper towels

he rubs me

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

as he tugs my shorts back up and wipes

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

"Perfect."

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

misfire and hit my dick, making your prophetic story actually come true.”

towel and walks

again as he pulls me into his arms, kissing me

feel your stress,

against mine,

closer as we sit with the reflection

to know that I'm here, by your side, no