Only one house has separated McKenzie Baker and twins, Luke
and Olivia Harris, since birth. After seventeen years of wearing a path across
the neighbor’s yard, Luke and McKenzie realize their friendship evolved and
deepened even before they had fully learned what romantic feelings meant.
Both have flashbacks often, revisiting the tender, emotional
moments that strengthened their bond since the age of five. However, Luke’s
twin, Olivia, doesn’t share in their happiness, worrying the new relationship
will change the ones she has with her best friend and brother. This disapproval
quickly tests Luke and McKenzie’s intense love for one another.
Luke’s life has been mapped out for him since birth, with a
sports scholarship hanging in the balance. He and McKenzie think their future
together is finally on track, when they are struck with a much more serious
dilemma.
During difficult times and a devastating accident, a bond
between a brother and sister shines through, and Luke and McKenzie’s profound
connection is undeniable. This story takes you on a journey of heartache and
joy, leaving the belief that extraordinary love exists, and some hearts are
destined to attach.
“Back to earth, Kenzie,”
Luke says.
I glance up, and he’s
smiling at me.
“Huh?” Why does he have to
appear hotter daily?
“I often wonder where your
mind wanders off to. Can you take mine with you? I’d prefer it over thinking
about all the bullshit that goes on around here.”
“Please, what bullshit do
you have to deal with?” Liv asks.
“Oh, I don’t know, Liv. How
about all the people who are on my ass daily to make sure I keep my shit
together? I’m not the only kid in this house. Someone else I know needs to have
the heat put on them for a while.” He glances up long enough to glare at her.
“Poor, Luke. You’re the most
popular guy at school because of how good you are at sports. I have a hard time
feeling sorry for you.”
“I didn’t ask for your
sympathy. What’s your deal, anyway?”
Liv pushes forward,
signaling she wants up, so I raise to a sitting position and cross my legs. I’m
now at Luke’s feet.
“I have to listen to girls
talk about you daily. They’re always using me to get to you, and I’m sorry if
that becomes tiresome for me.
“You need to date one of
them already. I’m going to see if Mom needs help with dinner.” Liv is off the
bed in seconds, flipping her long, dark hair before she goes out the door.
Luke shuts his magazine and
launches it across the room. “How have we managed to put up with her all these
years?”
“Give her a break. She lives
in your shadow, and it wasn’t like that before high school.”
“You’re too nice, Kenzie.”
It’s always awkward when he
gives me compliments. I flip my hair, like Liv often does, and look up to the
ceiling. She’s as prissy as it gets.
“It’s a gift. I can’t help
it.”
He chuckles before his gaze
averts to the other side of the room. “Um, I heard Stewart asked you out.”
“Yeah, he did.” My long hair
is everywhere now, so I attempt to pull sections to their proper places.
“Well, did you say yes?”
“I told him I wanted to
think about it.”
Luke nods his head
thoughtfully but still doesn’t look at me.
“So you like him?”
“I don’t know. He’s cute and
has always been nice to me. I thought I’d see how he is at school, when we
start next week. Do you think he’s only looking for one thing?”
Finally, Luke’s eyes meet
mine. “If you go by Stew’s history, then I’d say yes, but I’ll deny I told you
that.”
“Maybe it’s time I did it.”
Luke pulls away from his
wall and sits straight up.
“You’re considering having
sex with him?” he asks, sounding surprised.
“Not him, necessarily. I
meant that maybe it’s time period.”
Luke covers his ears. “This
conversation is done. If you start doing it, then that means Liv is or will be
shortly thereafter, and then I’ll have to kill someone.”
Grinning, I stare at his
handsome face. “It’s adorable when you get protective of your sister.”
“You’re calling me adorable?
How girly is that? I think it’s tickle time.”
Luke
McKenzie is only in a tank
top and shorts since it’s August, so it takes only a second to get to her
armpits. I tickle her there before moving to her waist. She falls back on my
bed and attempts to pull her knees up.
It’s her signature move, but
I’m on to her tactics, so I put my left arm across her thighs as she begins to
bring up her legs. She works to remove my right hand from her waist, giving me
no choice but to bring her wrists together and wrap my hand around them.
Moving them above her head,
I hold them there snugly, but this causes me to fall over on top of her. I’m
struggling to keep her legs down when it hits me that my left arm is stuck
between us, somewhat across her … you know and her smooth thighs.
Ah shit. Now that we’re
older, it’s different when I tickle her. I mean, her body keeps changing.
Kenzie is still laughing and breathing heavily. I stop moving, so she slowly
does, too. Trying to get her breath, she turns her head to cough before
swinging it back and looking at me.
Her light brown hair that’s
woven with golden strands is pretty, and blue eyes that I swear couldn’t get
any lighter gaze up at me. Will the day come when she stops getting prettier?
“You’ve figured me out. I
need new moves,” she says, appearing nervous.
I can’t stop staring into
her eyes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this close to them. I feel her
breath on my face, her body pinned beneath me, and I want to cover her mouth
with mine. Why the hell is this happening again? I buried that feeling a year
and a half ago. Well, I tried to, anyway.
Luke’s POV
I’m pulling a t-shirt over
my head when I hear the doorbell. A smile spreads across my face as I jump four
steps trying to get downstairs. I fling the door open and receive a bashful
smile from Kenzie.
“Good morning. I hope you
don’t mind that I came over early.”
“Of course not,” I say as I
move out of the way for her to enter. Damn, she looks hot today. Kenzie always
looks pretty, but it seems she made an extra effort to drive me insane today.
Her golden hair is down and curled.
“What?” she asks before she
looks down at her clothes.
“Huh?” I think I was busted
checking her out.
“You looked me over for a
long time. Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?” She glances down
again at her denim shorts and thin, lavender shirt, which buttons up.
I think I’m turning red.
“No, Kenzie, nothing’s wrong. You always look great, but today you’re extra
hot.”
She chews on her lip. “So you
still feel the same this morning?”
Panic washes over me. Is she
having second thoughts? “Yeah, do you?”
She shakes her head yes
several times and grins, her happiness spreading to those crystal blue eyes. “I
missed you already,” she says in a sexy, soft tone.
“I won’t be able not to
touch you if you talk to me that way, Kenzie.”
“Did your dad leave for
work?”
“Yeah.”
“Then touch me already, you
confusing boy.”
She’s looking at me as if
she’d let me do anything, and I desire to do everything, having waited to share
each sexual experience with Kenzie. Cupping her face, I kiss her mouth, and she
lets my tongue slip right into her warmth.
Arms circle tightly around
my waist, her body pushing against mine, and I might have to kiss her all day
and forever. I reluctantly release her lips and hug her.
“Kenz, you’re not making it
easy for me to behave,” I whisper in her ear before I breathe in the sweet
scent from her hair.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I’ve never
felt anything like this before. I guess it’s the accumulation of all the years
I’ve been near you but couldn’t admit how I felt … all the years I couldn’t
touch you this way.”
Her face is against my
chest, but her hand slides up my neck and into my hair. Shit. I pull her arm
down and hold her out away from me.
“We have to go before I lock
us in my room all day.”
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