I giggle. That's true, and it tells me everything I need to know because don't dogs have some sort of internal instinct about people? They say if your dog doesn't like someone, you should stay away from them. But Trixie loved Stone the moment she saw him, which tells me he must be a good one.
I have to talk to my brother at some point, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy my time with Stone.
Nothing is going to ruin this.
* * *
Stone is amazing. We go to the beach and wade along the shoreline with Trixie. As we walk hand in hand with my pup skipping along beside us, it’s almost like we’re a happy family. I can imagine our children walking with us, and I blush furiously as I peek a glance at Stone.
Is he thinking thoughts like that? He said he wanted to keep me, so I assume he wants me to be his girlfriend, but that doesn't mean he's considering marriage or anything like that yet.
I’m certainly not about to bring it up. I don't want to be one of those overly clingy girlfriends who pushes a guy for a commitment he's not ready for.
Still, I can't help thinking that Stone is it for me. He'sthe one. From the moment I saw him, I knew he was the one I wanted to give my virginity to, but I can also picture myself settling down with him, being with him and only him for the rest of my life.
Is this too soon, or am I just fuck-struck because he gave me my first orgasm? Is this puppy love, or is it the real thing?
But as the days pass, something deep inside me tells me this is real, that what Stone and I have is a special gift. Call it intuition, but I feel it in my bones.
Now that we've shared our bodies, we're closer than ever. Now that we can touch each other freely, it seems like Stone's hands are always on me even when we're not making love. He holds my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulder when we’re out walking. He touches my face and brushes my hair behind my ear when he kisses me. He takes every opportunity to touch me, and I love it, arching my body into his hands as shamelessly as my little slut of a dog.
Trixie is right there begging for attention, too. She and I are like bitches in heat fighting over the alpha male, but Stone is more than happy to give us all the attention we seek.
We spend nearly every moment together when Stone isn't hanging out with my brother. Jeremy and I haven't talked yet. I know that I'm going to have to face him soon, and it might be shitty of me, but I'm enjoying my newfound freedom with Stone.
While I'm not talking to my brother, I can’t ignore the obstacle he presents between Stone and me. Stone sees Jeremy, but as soon as he gets home or when my brother leaves Stone's house, Stone is over at my house making love to me. Either that or we're going out for dinner or walks along the beach or boardwalk.
We're getting to know everything about one another, and we have more in common than I would have thought.
Even though Stone's parents were always around when they were alive, he knows what it's like to be without them. My parents are alive, but they’ve been absent my whole life. They've provided for my brother and me more than generously, but we never see them. Maybe once a year over FaceTime if we're lucky.
I sense the same yearning for a family within Stone. I understand his hesitance to tell my brother about us. Jeremy is like a brother to him, and I know how much it would crush him to lose his friendship.
If forced to choose between my brother or me, who would Stone choose? I don't want him to have to choose at all, soI hope my brother will get on board with our relationship—especially when he sees how much Stone and I mean to each other. I don't know about Stone, but I already know that I'm completely in love with him. Anything he asked me to do, I would do it.
Of course, I haven't said those three little words to him because I don't want to put pressure on him if he doesn't feel the same way, but they burn within my soul every time he looks at me, every time he touches me.
I know that I'm the one who proposed that Stone and I keep our relationship a secret for a while, but I only said that because I was desperate to say anything to get the man to kiss me and take my virginity.
Now that we're spending so much time together, I hate sneaking around like I’m his dirty little secret. Even if I'm not talking to my brother, I want it all out in the open. I don't want to feel like I'm doing something wrong by being with the man I love, and it's stressing me out, wondering who Stone will choose if put to the test.
I find out soon enough one day when we’re walking along the boardwalk.Stone suddenly pulls away from me, dropping his arm from the small of my back. A moment later, I see why.
"Stone, my man!" my brother greets him before casting cautious eyes at me.
My stomach plummets when Stone jumps away from me because he doesn't want my brother to see us together.
"Mia," Jeremy greets me gently as if I'm a frightened doe that will run away as soon as I see him.
"Hi, Jeremy," I greet him cordially. I'm not mad at him anymore, but I'm still a bit hurt by his reaction to me going to design school. Stone promised me he would talk to him, and he has, but I haven't been ready to speak to Jeremy myself yet.
"What are you doing out here together?" my brother asks me as his eyes flick between Stone and me curiously.
"Oh, I saw Mia walking along and offered to lend her some company," Stone tells my brother.
Jeremy nods his head approvingly."Always looking out for my little sis. I appreciate it, bro."
My heart falls. Stone just lied to my brother about our relationship, and this could have been a perfect opportunity for him to come clean and tell him about us. I know I agreed to wait to tell my brother about us, but it hurts having Stone pull away like it's wrong to be seen with me.