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MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 1
CHAPTER ONEI HEAR THE FOOTSTEPS BEFORE the voice. It’s my cue to jump up off my bed and lock my door before she gets too close.“Quinlan! Where are you?”I love my mom to itty bitty pieces, but if I have to sit through another one of her lectures on proper role-modeling, I’m going to move out. I swear to God, I’ll do it. Now that Teagan, my best bud in all the land, has her own apartment, I actually have options. The fact that she always declines to take me up on my roommate offers means nothing. I can wear her down; I always do. Nobody’s a match for my determination. No one.“Quinlan?” My mom checks the door. “I know you’re in there. Listen, I need to talk to you about Jersey.”My little brother. One of the three siblings I’m supposed to be setting an example for. Luckily, he’s the only one still around much anymore. The twins are way too busy with their social lives to bother with family much.“I’m busy, Mom!” I shout through the door. “Homework!”“You’re out of school and you’re n
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 2
CHAPTER TWOMY HEART NEARLY LEAPS OUT of my chest when the big boom hits. When I can breathe again, I jump from my bed and run to the door, opening it up. I expect to find complete disaster on my doorstep, but instead I just find Jersey in a pile, wearing a cape from three Halloweens ago. It’s way too small, but does that stop him? Hell no. He’d still be in his toddler-sized Ninja Turtle underwear if our mom hadn’t thrown them out last year. Jersey has a hard time letting go of the things he loves.He falls into my room, his head landing on my feet. “Hi, Sister,” he says, looking up at me, his expression pure innocence and mostly blank. He almost never smiles.“What are you doing, Jersey?” “Being invisible.”I sigh heavily. “Could you please go be invisible somewhere else? I’m really busy right now.”“Can you see me?” he asks, getting up on all fours and dog-walking into my room. He crawls under my desk and pulls the chair in as far as he can, trapping himself behind the legs.“Nope.
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 3
CHAPTER THREETHE BURBLING OF THE ENGINE outside jerks me out of my computer fog. Snatching the papers off my printer, I don’t even spare a glance at Jersey on my way out. “Stay here, turd breath. I’m going to see Teagan outside for a couple minutes.”“Put it on … lick it off ...”Two people are getting out of her Beetle by the time I get to the front porch. I fully expect to see her boyfriend with her, but instead am pleasantly surprised to see his younger brother, Mick. Holy hotness.I put on my coolest expression and add a little sway to my groove, slowing down my arrival so he can fully appreciate it. I know I shouldn’t be trying to catch his attention like that, but I can’t help myself. He makes me want to drop my panties right here on the sidewalk. I have a slight addiction to tattoos and bad attitudes, and he fits the bill perfectly. Plus, he’s gainfully employed, so that’s just a bonus.“Hey, Quin. You all done?” Teagan asks.I throw my arms around her and pull her into a hug,
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 4
CHAPTER FOURWE’RE SITTING IN THE WAITING room, the three of us: Jersey, Mick, andI. Any other doctor would probably punish us for being so late and either turn us away or make us wait until the last person left the place, but not this guy. Doc Harper is the most righteously awesome medical person I’ve ever met. He’s been treating Jersey since he was born and I hope he never retires. I’ll probably just show up at his house if he tries.Mick is sitting across the room from me, taking the chapstick from Jersey over and over and pretending to put it on and lick it off right along with him. I want to keep hating him for being nice and sexy at the same time, but that makes no sense. I’m not so confused that I don’t realize that. I also want to be mad about him being here, but he’s made that impossible. I’m starting to seriously doubt that he was mocking us earlier. What kind of guy bonds with a kid like Jersey and then goes to the doctor with him off the cuff like that? I pray he’s not a
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 5
“I don’t know for sure about anything except for one thing.” “What’s that?” the doctor asks.“I’m not going to lick that chapstick or that floor anymore. I don’t want a rash.”“Good idea.”“What about other things?” Jersey asks.I look up, not sure where this is going. Jersey has the doctor’s full attention too.“What other things?” the doctor asks. “What do you mean?” “If someone told me to lick something else, is that okay?”My heart stops beating and my throat goes instantly dry. I stand without thinking, reaching out for my brother. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mick straighten up.The doctor tucks his clipboard under his arm, his voice revealing none of the panic that I’m feeling. “Well, that would depend on what it was, I guess.You can lick pretty much any food item, but that might be the limit as far as I’mconcerned.”Jersey looks off to the side, staring at the wall for his next question. “What about a cat poo? Would that be okay to lick?”The doctor clears his throat.
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 6
I’M IN THE BATHROOM, SITTING on a closed toilet lid with my cell phone pressed to my ear. “Come on, come on, pick up the phone, Tea-Tea...”“Hello, sweetie cakes, what’s up?”I want to scream when I hear her say that. “What the fuck is wrong with all you people?” I say in a whisper-growl.“Well, that’s an interesting way to start a phone call,” Teagan says, a smile in her voice.“Since when did you start calling me sweetie cakes?” “Since today, I guess. You got a problem with it?”“No. But I do have a problem with everyone doing shit that I don’t expect, okay? So if you could just go back to being the old scowly grumpy Teagan for right now, that would be first-class. Seriously.”“Wow, who shit in your Wheaties?”“Good. That’s better. Mick shit in my Wheaties if you must know.” “Mick? Mick as in Rebel’s Mick?”“Yes. His little brother. The ass-kissing, hot sexy, liar, jerk face, … guy in my house right now, sitting down to eat dinner with my whole frigging family.That guy.”My mother’
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 7
I ARRIVE AT THE TABLE and find Mick sitting next to the only empty seat, the one I usually take. Acting like it’s no big deal at all, I sit down and put my napkin in my lap. I can feel the heat coming from his body near my arm and leg. Shasta and my other sister, Olympia, are busy whispering and giggling, glancing up at him every couple second. Idiots.My father hands me a big bowl of rice. “So, smiley face, tell us about the doctor’s appointment.”I keep my attention on the rice. Trying not to spill any of the grains helps me stay calm. “Well, let’s just say it was interesting and leave it at that.”“No, let’s just have the details,” my dad says, handing me the next dish with a stack of tortillas on it.“I talked to Doctor Harper Harper Harper and answered all his questions,” Jersey says. “He was nice. He’s always nice. I don’t want a rash. Clowns suck.”I hand Mick the rice and his fingers brush up against mine. My heart does a flip as I try to pretend like I don’t notice how warm t
MISCHIEVOUS: a new adult romance 8
She jiggles my foot some more. “I wouldn’t count on that.” She stands, but now she’s got my attention, so I sit up quickly.“What’d he say? Did he say something?” I bite my lip, wishing I didn’t sound so eager.“He said lots of things, but you’ve been too busy having a pity party to hear them. Come on down for dessert.”I flip over onto my side, hating that she’s right. “No. I’m too tired.Teagan’s coming to get Mick any minute. Tell him I said goodbye.” “You sure?” she says at the door.“Yes,” I say, not sure at all. I’m probably making a big mistake by being so rude, but my heart won’t let me leave my room. I’ve gotten my hopes up with guys before, but any of them that got close enough to be near my family never stuck around much longer after that. I’ve pretty much come to terms with the fact that I’ll never have a serious relationship with a guy until I’m grown and gone from this place. Thoughts of rooming with Teagan float through my mind again.I’m still fantasizing about what co
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