My dress is now scrunched up into a round piece of fabric around my stomach. I realize Brady has entirely too many clothes on. I unbutton his shirt while I stare into his gorgeous brown irises. If my eyes have as much fire in them as his, I know this night will be one I will remember for the rest of my life. He’s going to ruin me for all others.

I place both my hands on Brady’s toned shoulders and push his shirt off, exposing his bare chest. He leans back, resting on his arms to let me admire him. I bend down and give him small kisses across his stomach and chest and he whimpers when I pull away. Scooting up, he brings me with him and slides his fingers behind my back to relieve me of my bra. Before it hits the bed, Brady’s mouth devours my left breast while he massages my right nipple between his fingers, pinching slightly. My body arches to him, desperate for more.

He rolls me over so my back rests on the bed, him on top, making his way down my body. Pulling my dress down over my legs, he tosses it onto the chair with his coat, his eyes never leaving my body. I lie there with my head on the pillow, torn between closing my eyes to enjoy his touch or watching Brady consume my body. He starts to explore me by kissing hip bone to hip bone and pulling my panties down little by little. He cherishes me as though I’m his last present at Christmas.

After he disposes my wet panties, his lips travel up my inner thighs and an electric current travels up to my stomach when his tongue swipes along my inner folds. My reflexes kick in instantly and I place my hands on his head to keep him there, but he takes my hands and holds them out to my sides. “Lose all control, baby. Just relax and enjoy.” I stare down at his eyes between my legs and I have no choice but to listen. I lean my head back, closing my eyes. Hearing the little groans coming out of Brady’s mouth makes it unbearable for me to hold off. The pressure inside of me intensifies and builds higher and higher. Right when all I need is his fingers in me, he raises his mouth and makes his way to me.

“Sorry, baby. I want us to come together.” He positions himself right at my entrance and I can’t think of anything but having him inside of me. When I place my hands on his ass, I feel his pants. I tuck my hands between us and push the sides down, first with my hands, finishing with my feet. “I want nothing between us,” I whisper.

“Me either, Sadie. Nothing…Between…Us,” he says back, staring with such intensity into my eyes, I can’t help but feel he is talking about more than just this moment.

He slowly moves into me, taking his time, like he said he would. As he moves in small circles and kisses me gently, the build-up happens so fast I clench harder, willing myself to hold on. Brady’s hips start to move more frantically and his tongue more urgently. “God, baby…you are killing me.” Brady tips his head back and closes his eyes.

“Please, Brady…I won’t be able to hold off much longer,” I breathlessly plead for him to tell me it’s okay to release the pressure.

“Look at me,” he says. He thrusts deeper in me and I oblige. “Go ahead, baby…but I want you to look into my eyes and say my name.”

Instantly, I say, “Brady.” Staring into his eyes, I watch him come unglued as well.

“Sadie…,” he whispers and collapses on top of me.

I wrap my arms around his chest, not wanting him to leave my body just yet. He seems more than willing to stay. He rests on his forearms and gives me small kisses. “You okay?” he asks.

“Better than okay,” I respond.

“Me too,” he says before he slowly pulls out of me. Rolling me on top of him, he curls me into his body. His hands lazily slide across my arms with his breath tickling my neck. Keeping his promise, I’ve never felt more cherished and loved.

Brady keeps me naked for the rest of the night. We stay in bed, entwined in the sheets while fingers graze across each other. Our talks have started to bring up more questions regarding our pasts, so I don’t know why I’m surprised when he asks me about Theo. I should have expected it.

“Sadie, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but what happened to Theo?” Brady asks while his fingers flow through my hair with my head on his stomach. The way he refers to Theo by his first name and not as my brother or my twin, makes me realize how much Brady cares for me.

I sit up and Brady follows, leaning against the headboard. Releasing a couple breaths, I finally start to tell him the story of that fateful night.

“Let me start by saying that Theo was the charismatic one. Where I was shy, he was outgoing. He was funny, smart, and good-looking. A combination for disaster,” I say, glancing up at Brady. He holds all three of those characteristics as well but holds himself together much better than Theo. “Anyway, Theo was the younger twin but anyone who knew us would think differently. He protected me in every facet of our lives. In high school, when we started going to parties, all the guys knew not to touch me because of Theo. He was Mr. Popularity and the spineless guys wouldn’t dare cross him. So I spent most of my high school holed up in an artist studio with a couple of true friends.” Brady pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head.

“I wanted to go to a different college than him. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Theo, but I wanted to spread my wings without him near. My parents wouldn’t hear of it, demanding we both go to Drayton, their alma mater. Of course, I agreed and Theo and I attended there. I told him before we went that I wanted my space and he reluctantly agreed, but warned if anyone hurt me that it would be the end of him. Luck was on my side when we got placed in dorms on the opposite sides of campus. Other than a few run- ins, Theo and I co-existed in college amicably. But when we both pledged our parents’ fraternity and sorority, things got tricky.” I pause for a moment. I know I have to tell him my whole story. I would want the same from him.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet.” I pause, trying to get the courage to tell him. I take a deep breath and continue, “I was kind of overweight in high school and college. Probably about thirty pounds heavier than I am now. So, it’s not like the guys were in line waiting for me.” I peek my eyes up to him. I want to see his expression. His eyes are filled with sympathy. “So after pledging, we started running into each other more in social settings instead of the planned dinners we would schedule on our own. I don’t want to give you the impression we never saw each other. Theo and I were close; we talked about everything, except dating. Well…my dating. We talked about his girl issues plenty.” I smile, remembering Theo’s revolving door of girlfriends.

“Siblings…I get that,” Brady says, making me believe he must have at least one. I smile up at him and bring his hand in my lap to play with his fingers.

“There was this guy, Craig McKnight, who was in Theo’s fraternity but he was older than us by two years. He was the first guy to show interest in me, which I thought was the best thing ever. He asked me to a formal and I accepted, which pissed Theo off and he came over to my sorority house, asking me to decline. He told me that I could date anyone, but not someone in his fraternity and definitely not Craig McKnight. I can still recall our conversation,” I whisper and a tear falls from my eye.

“Please, Sadie, he’s a jackass,” Theo begged.

“No, Theo. I told you, you have to let me date.”

“I will set you up with anyone else, Sadie. He is only looking for one thing,” he argued.

“Am I not attractive enough for a guy to want me, Theo? Am I not hot enough that Craig might actually want to take me on a date?” I spat back, angry that he didn’t think a guy would want me for anything other than sex.

“God, Sade, that’s not it. There are tons of guys who think you’re hot and would love to go out with you. I just get to them first,” he joked. I walked over to him and placed my palm on his cheek, “Let me handle it, Theo. If he gets handsy, I will call you…like always.”