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."

sniff and look

the other day I was afraid you were going to bite

His smile is devastating.

wild animal in bed, not that I'm

holds up

"In fact..."

heart pounds so

lips meet in a

I ever survive without this man? These kisses?

this, that one day we really will

legs tangle with

love you and I want

he says between kisses.

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

and

with my

with your erection, that's new,’

and tugs down my shorts quickly unbuttoning his jeans and pressing me back against

in my future, I was too afraid

my body instantly relaxes, basically sucking him in and saying a small

can't even control my own body as I get dangerously close within a

stairway like he's afraid then looks back

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

have a

there is

makes the pressure shift just enough for

know what I

It's just

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

as Easton pulls

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

"I got it."

and returns from the downstairs wet bar with

as he rubs me

that...the only reason I have self

tugs my shorts back up and wipes down

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

"Perfect."

eyes and gathers the used paper towels, tossing them in the trash in

making your prophetic story actually come true.”

the towel

that funny?” “Hilarious.” I laugh again as he pulls me into his arms, kissing

can feel

is hot against mine,

with the reflection of the documentary

know that I'm