Part 50 (2/2)

I pull my phone to me, see the notification light blinking, and slowly pry Pierce's arm off my body. He rolls onto his back.

Unlocking the phone, I see that I've got an email from dad.

f.u.c.k, I think to myself. Last night I was supposed to call him on Skype. I had completely forgotten.

I tap through the screens until I bring up his email. My heart stops dead.

It reads: I proposed to Isabelle and she said yes! We're thinking of having the wedding in Melbourne so you and Pierce can attend. Hope you're well. Love, Dad.

Chapter Twenty One.

I stare at the email on my phone. The blood in my veins has gone cold. All my hairs are standing up on end.

I'm so angry at myself that all I can think about is how this affects me. I should be happy for Dad! But all I can think about is myself.

And Pierce.

He is beside me, still asleep in bed. He's thrown all the sheets off, and he's just lying flat on his back, naked, sleeping. His hard muscle looks oddly relaxed, completely lacking in any kind of tension.

I take a moment to look down his body, and that's when I notice he's got a f.u.c.king erection.

”Oh my G.o.d,” I groan, rolling over.

Even in his sleep!

I refocus on the email, and read it again, and again, and again. I can't believe it. This has got to be a joke. Pierce and I are going to become stepbrother and stepsister?

That's so messed up. I don't want to deal with that. The phone slips out of my hand and lands loudly on the floor, thudding on the wooden tiles... and waking Pierce.

He rolls over, looks at me, looks down at his naked body, and his erection, and then back at me.

He grins, sliding a hand over to my breast. I slap it away, irritated.

”Okay,” he says in a quiet voice, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He gets out of bed, and walks to the bathroom without looking at me. His d.i.c.k bobs with every step.

I hear him running a gla.s.s of water, he downs it in one go, and then starts brus.h.i.+ng his teeth.

”Whas yerr pwobwem dis marning?” he asks, dribbling toothpaste onto the floor. He grins and shrugs, and picks it up with a finger and flicks it into the sink.

I grimace. ”Pierce, check your email.”

Some minutes later I hear him spitting out his toothpaste and rinsing his mouth.

”For what?” he asks, emerging at the door to the bathroom, toweling off his face. His hair is a little wet in front, and it sticks to his forehead. He brushes it to the side, giving him a goofy side-parting.

”Would you do something about that?” I ask, pointing at his erection.

”Nothing to do,” he says. ”Got to wait.”

”For what?”

”It to go down?”

”Why?”

He shrugs. ”Morning wood. Just a guy thing.”

”You mean there's no way you can get rid of it?”

”There's one way,” he says, grinning and winking at me.

”Oh, please.”

”But I wouldn't recommend it.”

”Why?” I ask, curious.

”Because I really need to f.u.c.king p.i.s.s, not sure it would even work if you tried.”

”I'm not trying anything,” I say, frowning. ”Can you check your email please?”

”For what, Penny?” he asks, sitting at his computer.

”You sit on your chairs naked? That's so disgusting.”

He turns to look at me, an annoying look on his face. ”You're a bit b.i.t.c.hy this morning. Let me guess, you hate waking up. You're one of those kinds of people.”

”Oh would you just f.u.c.king check it, Pierce? Please?”

”Jesus Christ, okay,” he says, frowning. ”What the f.u.c.k is the email about anyway? Why can't you just tell me?” He shakes his mouse and the screen comes alive.

”You have to read it yourself.”

”Well, I don't have any new f.u.c.king emails, Pen.”

”What?” I ask. ”Doesn't your mother email you?”

”No. She prefers to write, even over calling.”

”Write?”

”Yeah. I think they call it a letter. It's something from ye olde days.”