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..."

his finger and whispers in

"Do not."

sniff and

hard the other day I was afraid you were going to

His smile is devastating.

a wild animal in bed, not

holds up his

"In fact..."

my heart pounds so hard it almost makes my

meet in a

I ever survive without this man? These kisses? He's the

that one day we really will make it through

question as our legs tangle with each other and the blankets on

love you and I want this

he says between kisses.

the butcher knife, I can't stop thinking about your dad coming down the stairs with one of the steak knives

groans and

messing with my

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

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

my future, I was too afraid to hope for it as he guides himself between

body instantly relaxes, basically sucking him in

even control

stairway like he's afraid then

was going to warn you about how fast I was going to go but fuck, it's even worse

have a

all there is to

pressure shift just enough for

don't know what I

It's

find out that the couch has joined the soon to be

almost embarrassed as Easton

like a way bigger mess than we've

"I got it."

kisses me again and returns from the downstairs wet bar with an array of paper towels and a warm

he rubs

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

tugs my shorts back up and wipes down

his old shotguns that he probably doesn't even know

"Perfect."

towels, tossing them in the trash in

my luck, he'll misfire and hit my dick, making your prophetic story actually come true.” I fall

drops the towel and walks

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

feel your

against mine, muscular, firm, and

with the reflection of the

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