EroticReverie

Sloane Avery 

“If he comes, if he dares show his fucking face .” My sister Michelle says with a low grumble as we set the table for dinner. I don’t even pay attention to all the place settings and how many of them there are.

“You need to tell mom and dad. You need to tell HIS mom and dad” she whispers. 

“No.” I say firmly. “Just. Drop it.” I whisper and my sister just looks at me. With frustration, with pity. 

I’d been engaged to Liam O’Connor ,the brother of my brothers best friend and son of my mother and fathers best friends. I finally caved into his persistence, started dating him two years ago, got engaged last year. And now. At twenty two, Our engagement is off. Because Liam O’Connor is a fucking lying , cheating, bastard. And of course since I don’t want to cause more waves between the families than needed, I let Liam lie and say I called it off. Yup, I let him put it all on me. But it was a sacrifice I was willing to make if it meant not causing drama. But it didn’t stop my mother from constantly trying to pry and suggest I “don’t let go of a good thing”.  I told my sister the real reason. Not even the entire reason. Not only was he a cheater, but he’d put his hands on me. More than once. That, I was too ashamed to tell anyone. That I’d let him grab me and shake me like a rag doll on more than one occasion, that he’d slapped me for accusing him of cheating. When he WAS. It was the slap that did it.  What made me leave him. 

It’s crazy how “big tough” men, can turn into whining desperate man children when a woman they don’t even love says she’s leaving him.  He refused to let me go. I threatened to tell our parents he hit me. He apologized, while making attempts at gaslighting me. But I wasn’t going to accept it. I’d been stupid for too long. And cheating alone is unforgivable. Slapping me? Just another unforgivable act. 

Every year we have dinner with the O’Connors on Christmas Eve And I’m sure my parents will attempt to “repair” our relationship and try to corner us into “giving things another shot”. If only they knew the real reason. They wouldn’t meddle. And I doubt the O’Connors would even show up at all. They’d be ashamed of their “perfect” son. 

I wasn’t sure if Liam would show up. Part of me hoped he would just so I wouldn’t be given a guilt trip by my mother all night. It’d be “my fault” if he didn’t show. And everyone would think it. But not say it. Other than my sister. Part of me didn’t want him to , well because he’s a piece of shit and I already know that he’ll attempt to get me alone and grovel. 

The doorbell doesn’t even ring, the front door just opens and I hold my breath and look at my sister as we listen to the voice of Adele O’Connor ring out a cheery “Merry Christmaaaaas!” I wait and listen for the other voices. My mother greeting them. I hear Max, Liam’s father. Then I hear him. Not Liam.  But his brother, Callum. Ask me why I rejected Liam so many times before finally agreeing to date him, and you’ll find your answer, in his brother.  Callum fucking O’Connor. 

Callum O’Connor had been my crush for who even knows how many years. Two years older than me, my brothers best friend. The cutest boy I’d ever seen. And from what his social media posts show, the hottest fucking man to ever bless this fucking earth. He’d moved away at eighteen and hasn’t been home since. Not even for holidays , and now, he’s here?  Oh god, I wince. My teeth clamping my lower lip as I think about the night before he left.  That almost kiss. Wasn’t that what it was? I’d been sixteen and in my pajamas when he stopped by my room when going to leave. He’d already said his goodbye to me and my sister and parents. But he knocked on my door and I’d answered , looking up at him as he just smiled down at me. 

“Be seeing you sugarplum” he’d said. His voice had been so quiet and low and he’d made my nickname from him sound so dirty and hot. All I could do was stand there. Hoping he finally saw me as more than his best friends little sister. 

“Be good” he’d said and stepped closer and lifted his hand up behind the nape of my neck and stared at me for what felt like forever and yet not long enough. I’d just nodded. 

“Anyone gives you trouble.  You call me.” He’d said. Always playing more of a protector and big brother role than my own brother. I’d nodded again. 

“Youre gonna break so many hearts.” He’s barely whispered. Leaving me blinking up at him , his eyes on my mouth and my breath caught in my chest as he leaned down……and placed a kiss …on my forehead. 

“See ya sugarplum” he whispers against my hairline and then gave me a soft smile as he pulled back. 

“See ya” I exhaled and watched him walk away.  And then hasn’t seen him in person since. 

Callum was the bad boy of our town, or one of them. But he was a good person, he caused chaos and mayhem. But never hurt people. Just drove them crazy. All the girls wanted him, some of them had him too. But not me. And not my sister. Because we were off limits to him since he was my brothers best friend. Liam was allowed to persue us, cause he wasn’t close to my brother Aaron. 

So yeah, that’s why I constantly rejected Liam all throughout highschool and the few years after. Until I finally just gave up and gave in. And somehow started to fall for him. Guilt nagged me for awhile, of how smitten I’d been for his brother for so many years. But. I’d actually fallen for Liam. And the Callum crush , had faded into the background. But clearly had never truly gone away. Because as soon as I’d broken off our engagement. I’d started shamelessly stalking all of Callums profiles. 

Would he think I was a cold hearted bitch now too? Like everyone else who didn’t know the real story? Would he think I was a “heartbreaker” like he told me I would be, before he’d left that night? 

I hear Liam’s voice and my blood boils. My sisters eyes going wide. 

“That motherfucker”she hisses. 

“Shhh, stop. Just.  Just act like you don’t know” I whisper. 

“Fuck that.  I’m not playing pretend for that bastard” she scowls at the wall as if she can kill him with her glare through the wall. 

“Girls! Girls! Come say hello!” My mother calls and I roll my eyes. So does my sister. 

I set down the last silverware setting and take a deep breath. 

“Let’s get this night over with.” I say to my sister who gives me a sympathetic smile and a nod.