"I'm going to change baby," Bailey pecks my cheeks, leaving the room.

It wouldn't be weird for him to strip down to boxers right here, but he's giving me space because of today. I hate that this stupid thing is putting our physical relationship on the back burner. After removing the bra and burying it beneath my folded shirt and jeans, I prop the door open.

"Are you comfortable?" Bailey folds up jeans and sets them on my clothes. He doesn't remove his shirt, crawling into the covers, "you smell really good, you know that?"

"I must stink," I roll my eyes, "I was sweating like a fucking pig when I woke up from my nap."

"You don't stink," he chuckles, cautiously stroking hair off my face, "you are fucking beautiful, baby."

I rest a hand on his cheek and rub my thumb over his bottom lip. Thick eyelashes flutter, but he battles to keep his blue eyes locked on me. Grinning, I scoot closer and capture his mouth. Bailey breathes in sharply, taken aback, but doesn't push away. I take his hand from my shoulder and guide it around to the small of my back.

Nimble fingers immediately flirt with the hem of the shirt, skimming my skin. I rock my hips and he groans, hardening against my thigh. I break past lips and lure his tongue into my mouth hungrily. Bailey practically whimpers as I claw fingers into his hair and gently jerk on the silky tresses.

"Baby, what are we doing?" He murmurs as I curl an arm around his neck, "I don't want to hurt you."

"You can't hurt me, Bay," I whisper, rolling him over me.

Bailey brackets hands on either side of my shoulders, sliding his right knee between my legs. I lift my chin up and allow him access to my neck where he descends and nibbles gingerly. Hiking up my right knee, I roll my hips up his thigh and find his hard shaft, pulsing trapped in boxers.

"Jesus, Max... This is amazing," Bailey lowers, keeping his full weight in his arms, remaining propped on his elbows, "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah..." I moan in his ear, plunging hands under his shirt to admire the ridges and planes of his abs. He shivers at my touch as I brush his skin, "you make me feel so damn good."

Grinding my pelvis against him, I dig fingers into his abs. I want to memorize every inch and don't care if that makes me selfish. Bailey's tongue swishes across mine, stoking the embers in between my thighs. Every nerve in my body is on fire as a hand wanders down my side and the other tangles in my hair gently. My scalp tingles and skin itches to feel him everywhere.

Unexpectedly, something clamps in my gut, ripping me from the moment. Whatever had me reaching for him minutes ago, suddenly it's bottled up and out of reach. Emotion fades from my grasp and all I want to do is knee Bailey in the groin. I want to shove him off and rake his eyes out. Taking a deep breath, I retract my hands and slow my lips. I completely led him on just to take it away.

"I-I'm sorry," I whine, pushing on his pecks, "I-I can't..."

"It's okay," Bailey slides off, but keeps an arm around my waist, "do you need to stop?"

"Y-yeah..." I look away embarrassed and ashamed.

"Probably a good idea," Bailey pecks my temple, "I was getting a little carried away."

He takes the blame for me and I let him. I wipe the tear that slips out and bury my face in his chest. He wraps around me, hooking his leg between mine carefully to not disturb my knee. The brace is still in place and I should probably remove it to give my leg a break.

"I need to take my brace off," I mutter into his shirt.

"Can I do it for you?" He shifts up and stares down at my knee.

I giggle and we sit up. Bailey frowns at the cinches on the brace, so I take the time to show him how to properly loosen it. If he does it too fast, it will make my knee ache all night. He follows my instructions and then I give a quick lesson on how to cinch it up, so it doesn't cut off circulation.

"Do you get sick of this thing?" He slides it down my leg.

"It itches when it's directly on my leg," I confess, scratching the skin of my knee, "but I don't know. I know that it helps, so it only bothers me when I can't run away from someone."

"Like me?" He teases.

I hook his chin and turn his head up, "you're lucky I had this thing on or I might have kneed you earlier."

"What did I do?" He doesn't realize I mean when we were making out, so I give him a look, "Oh... You can always stop me, baby. Just because you aren't a virgin doesn't mean you can't decide you don't want to have sex."

"That's thoughtful," I blink at the awkward consideration.

He sighs, slinking into the covers with me, "I just mean you don't owe me anything. You shouldn't feel guilty for stopping us no matter how long we've been together or how often we do it."

"Wow, you really think I'm going to give you my body?" I poke his ribs playfully.

"You will give me your body," he squeezes my hip, but there is demand in his voice, "I'm not going to take anything from you."

"You and your kind words." I scoff.

"I told you that you can trust me, Max."

"You're the only person I trust right now..." I nuzzle into his chest.

"You trust my boys," he points out, kissing the top of my head, cradling me.

"I trust them enough, but I trust you even more than myself."

A cleansing lament escapes, "you don't fucking know what that means to me, Max."

💀

"Excuse me? Do you know where I am?" The deep voice is unfamiliar, "do I know you?"

I blink awake to a room that doesn't quite register in my mind and then take in a giant man, leering over me. All the oxygen in the room strips away and my head spins as I suck in, gasping, and flail backwards. The man straightens abruptly wearing plaid pajamas and a blue wool robe. About to scream, I collide with a body that grunts beneath me.

"Jesus, fuck... Max?" Bailey's arms loop around my waist, "baby? What's...? Dad?" Bailey tightens his hold and shifts me behind him, "it's okay, Max. He's just confused... Max...?" He strokes rose gold locks from my face, "you're okay, okay? Okay?"

Air catches in my lungs, and Bailey pulls the blanket around me. He kisses my forehead briefly and then hurries to get up.

"Dad, hey," Bailey coos at the giant man, who is a few inches taller than him, "your room is downstairs. Come on, I'll walk you."

"Who are you?" The man frowns, but let's Bailey steer him out of the room.

"It's alright. She will be home soon."

"June? My June?"

"Your June, yeah. She's at work, but will be home soon," Bailey closes the door, casting an apologetic glance.

Alone for several minutes, I have time to remember how I came to be in Bailey's room. My heart relaxes slightly and I lay back, trying to catch my breath. Then Bailey sneaks back into the room and cautiously crawls on the bed. He immediately cuddles up to me and brushes my arms as if to keep me warm.

"I'm sorry, baby. He woke up looking for my mom," he murmurs, "he was just confused."

"Why is he confused?"

"He's sick..." Bailey sighs heavily, tightening the embrace.

"You don't have to talk about it, baby," I rotate in his arms and run a hand down his cheek.

A hand flies to mine and he turns his cheek into my palm. He lets out a hefty sigh and kisses my palm, pressing my hand to his face.

"He had a stroke when I was fourteen..." Bailey's jaw feathers against my palm, "and he can't remember me now."

"Shit... I'm sorry, Bay... I wish I had something better to say."

"It's alright... I mean, it's not alright, but at least he's still here," Bailey closes his eyes and moves my fingers to his lips, "I'm sorry he scared you."

"It's okay," I watch him adore my fingers with his lips and work up to my wrist, "you're tickling me, Bay."

"Is it Bay now? You called me baby a moment ago," Bailey snickers, shifting lips leisurely up to my elbow.

"Do y-you l-like that?" My voice stutters when he kisses the inside of my elbow, "I like that..."

"I can tell," Bailey pulls my arm around his neck and nudges my chin down to his mouth, "I want you, baby. I want to taste you."

"W-what...?"

Bailey smirks, rolling me to my back, pitching his hand under the shirt, and grips my sides eagerly. He props up on an elbow, and molds his mouth to mine, devouring the frayed nerves. I moan and he squeezes my hip, awakening the tingles in my pelvis.

"Am I rushing you?" Bailey glides his mouth along my jawline.

"A little," I wheeze, grasping his shirt, "it's okay. It feels good."

"I'll take care of you, baby. I'm right here," Bailey shifts down, guiding the material over my ribs.

Slowly, Bailey hauls me into his chest and yanks the shirt over my head. I suck in a sharp breath when he rests me into the mattress and stares down at my exposed breasts. His mouth plants back on mine and the anxiety eases even with his warm hands exploring my chest.

"Stop me if you need to, baby... I don't want to hurt you." Bailey stares down at my naked chest, "Christ, you're beautiful. So, fucking beautiful, Max."

Then he drops down to my neck, drawing a whimper from my lips. I grip the sheets as tightly as I can when he drags lips down past my collarbone. He admires the curves of my breasts, massaging one with an open palm.

A growl rumbles in his chest as he devours my other nipple in his mouth. Tingles slither through my sternum and heat pools into my pelvis. Wet and warm, his tongue swirls around the peak before sucking gently. I press my lips together as a moan curdles in my throat. He is doing amazing things to my body, but anxiety suddenly jerks in my gut.

"Bay..." I tap his shoulder, "I don't want to..."

"Baby, I'm right here," Bailey returns his gaze to me, "what's wrong, huh? I can stop..."

"I just don't want to have sex yet..."

"No, no, baby." Bailey kisses the corner of my mouth, "I want to taste you, Max. That's all I'm doing."

"Taste me?"

Bailey smirks, and thumbs my bottom lip, "I want to go down on you, baby. Is that okay?"

Holy fuck.

I nod slowly.

Our mouths crash together relishing each other and swapping pleased moans. His hand slides from my breast and fingers curve into the top hem of the shorts and panties. He is going to strip me all the way down and he is still dressed. I hike up my right leg, stopping him from pulling off the bottoms.

"Am I moving too fast?" Bailey moves his mouth to my jaw.

"Y-yeah... It's not that I don't want to, Bay..."

Bailey takes a deep breath, and pushes up, staring down at me, "what can I do to make you more comfortable, baby?"

"I don't know... I feel better when you're kissing me, but I feel exposed..."

Bailey glances down and grins. He straightens, relaxes onto his heels, and strips off the shirt. I reach up and stroke his abs, shuddering at my touch. He lowers over me and we both laugh quietly. He covers my mouth with the Skittles flavor and resumes teasing the hem of the bottoms.

"Bay!" A loud shout comes from downstairs.

We freeze panting and aching for it to be a bad dream. The shouting continues up the stairs. My arms fly across my naked chest when the door bursts open and Riette and Zane appear suddenly. Bailey jerks the blanket, effectively covering me.

"What the fuck! Get out!"

"I'm sorry, Sawyer," Zane shields murky green eyes with his hands, "Bay, you have to get your ass out of bed. Connor needs us, brother."

"Get out!" Bailey throws a pillow at them.

"Brother, we've been texting you the last two hours," Riette stands awkwardly in the door, staring pointedly at the floor.

Shaking, I pull the sheets over my head and struggle to not cry from humiliation. Bailey can sense the battle within me, and the only way to get them out is to leave with them. He clambers off the bed, grumbling and tugs on pants. The door snaps shut and I peek out to find we are alone.

"Bay?"

Bailey hurries to me, "Baby, I'm sorry... I have to go take care of something."

"Y-you're leaving me h-here?"

"My mom will be home in a couple hours, baby." He strokes hair from my shoulders, "Dad is down for the night. I gave him his sleeping pills. You'll be alright, baby."

"No..." I wrap the blanket around me and sit up, "N-no. I can't... I can't stay here... Alone."

Bailey exhales thoughtfully and then nods, "you'll have to get dressed fast."

I scramble off the bed, keeping the sheet on me as he digs out a small shirt and tosses it over with my bra. I snap the bra into place and get the shirt over my head when he appears with my jeans and knee brace. I sit down and he slips them over my legs helpfully.

As I cinch up the brace, he ties my shoes and grabs a sweatshirt for me. Bailey's hand fastens on my waist and practically carries me downstairs where we find Riette and Zane muttering quietly, pouring coffee into a thermos.

"What's going on?" Riette asks skeptically.

"She's going with us," Bailey's jaw clenches.

Zane and Riette share a glance, and Bailey's grasp on my hip constricts. I'm getting in the middle of something, and should take it back. I can return upstairs and pretend to sleep. Maybe I can finish reading the book for English class while waiting around for him to get back. It will feel weird to be here by myself. After what almost happened, I just need to be with Bailey.

Zane touches Riette's shoulder, "brother... It's fine. She's his girl, officially. She deserves to know." He turns to face Bailey, "that's what you want, isn't it? You don't want to keep this from her."

Bailey casts me a wary look, and threads our fingers, "I haven't said shit yet, but she wants to know."

"I do?" I rasp, completely lost about what is going on.

"You'll know what I do for work after tonight," Bailey whispers as we follow the boys out to Zane's yellow Jeep Wrangler.

"Is that what we're calling it now, Bay?" Riette scoffs in the front passenger seat.

"Fuck off," Bailey smacks the back of his head, helping me into the back bench seat.

"It's more like a fucking career," Riette shrugs, rubbing his head, "that's all the fuck I'm saying, Bay."

"Maybe for you," Zane peels out of the driveway, "the rest of us plan to go to college and get real careers, fucker."

"Are you sure about that?" Riette challenges, "Connor isn't getting the fuck out of this."

"What's going on?" I mutter to Bailey.

"I'll explain everything later, baby," Bailey whispers against my ear, kissing my cheek, "I'm sorry. Tonight, might be confusing, but stick close to me. I won't let anything happen to you."

"You won't let anything happen? What are you getting me into?" I nudge his shoulder, so he knows I'm teasing.

"That's fine, Ry. You and Con can live this life forever," Zane grumbles, turning down a quiet side street with cars parked all along several abandoned buildings, "but Bay and I plan to have real careers and families."

"Con will have a family," Riette counters, "but not me. Too much fucking drama and stress."

"Not all families," Zane gives him a side glance, "all of us have shitty home lives, but..."

"Speak for yourself," Bailey retorts, squeezing my hand.

"Like you don't hate that your dad doesn't remember who the fuck you are?" Riette swivels around, eyeing our hands, "is this really official? Or fake official? I mean we know you want her, Bay, but does she want this to be real or is she just getting sex out of this?"

"Fuck off," Bailey thumps his head, "don't talk about her like that."

"It's for real, real," Zane jerks Riette to face the front as he glides into an open parking spot on the curb, "Bay pinned her the fuck up against the side of his Cheyenne."

"Christ, I did not tell you that!" Bailey throws up his free hand and then lowers his voice to me, "somehow, Zane knows everything, but I didn't say shit to him."

I giggle at all the bantering between the boys. It's fun to see this side of them. I am used to them giving each other shit, but this is on a new level. They really are brothers.

"You told Ry and he fucking told me," Zane shrugs.

"When the fuck...?"

"I saw them, Zane," Riette corrects, "and I didn't know that's what the fuck that was."

"I put shit together," Zane explains, "Ry told me he saw you two and you told me when you two finally had the damn conversation. Sure, took you long enough, brother."

"Shut the hell up..." Bailey grimaces as we all slide out of the Jeep.

"What are we doing here?" I eye the deserted sugar beet factory.