Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card (Jessie and Luke) novel Chapter 300

JOSH AND LAURA 

JOSH 

When I walked in, the house was quiet, the kind of peaceful silence that settled when it was just Laura and me. Dropping my duffel bag by the door, I called out, “Laura?” 

Her voice floated in from outside, “Out here! I’m painting.” 

Painting? At this hour? I smiled to myself, shaking my head. Of course, she was. Laura could get lost in her world of colors and canvases, day or night. 

Curiosity pulled me toward the back door, and the cool evening air greeted me when I stepped out. The pool shimmered under the soft glow of the patio lights, and there she was–sitting cross–legged on a drop cloth with a canvas propped up in front of her. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, strands falling around her face, and smudges of paint adorned her cheeks and 

arms. 

I crept closer, quiet as I could, until I was right behind her. Then, with a quick move, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her back against me. She squealed, laughing, as pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. 

“Josh!” she scolded, though there was no real heat in her voice. “Be careful! I’m going to get you full of paint.” 

“I don’t care,” I murmured against her skin, grinning when she shivered in my arms. 

Ħ 

Laura twisted to look at me, her eyes sparkling in the dim light “You say that now, but wait until you’re scrubbing it out of your clothes.” 

“Still don’t care,” I replied, leaning in to steal another kiss. 

She laughed, soft and melodic, the sound wrapping around me like a warm blanket. “What are you even doing sneaking up on me?” 

“Couldn’t resist,” I admitted, my hands still resting on her waist. “But seriously, why are you painting out here? And at night?” 

She turned back to her canvas, dabbing her brush in a swirl of dark blue and silver paint. “I’m trying to paint the stars,” she said simply, tilting her head to look up at the sky. 

I followed her gaze, my grip on her tightening just slightly. The stars were scattered like glitter against the black canvas above * us, but I was more interested in the way the light caught her face, the way her eyes glowed with determination and joy. 

“It’s late,” I said gently. “We should probably head to bed.” 

Laura pouted, and damn if it didn’t tug at something deep in my chest. “What if I don’t want to go to bed just yet?” 

“Then you’ll have to deal with me being all sweaty and gross from practice.” 

She looked at me with mock seriousness, then pointed toward the pool. “There’s a perfectly good solution for that right there.” 

Before I could say a word, she flicked her paintbrush at me, leaving a streak of blue across my arm. “Oops,” she said, her 

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lips twitching with suppressed laughter. “Guess you should wash that off.” 

I raised a brow, my lips curving into a slow grin. “Oh, you’re gonna pay for that.” 

“Josh-” 

Before she could finish, I scooped her up, one arm under her knees and the other around her back. She let out a surprised shriek, her laughter ringing out as I carried her toward the pool. 

“Josh, don’t you dare-” 

But I was already leaping into the air, holding her tight as we splashed down into the cool water. 

We sputtered, Laura’s laughter bubbling up as she splashed water at me. “You are the worst!” she exclaimed, though her ⚫ smile betrayed her words. 

I ran a hand through my hair, slicking it back as I grinned at her. “Admit it–you love it.” 

“Fair trade,” I said, wading closer to her. “But you owe me for the paint attack.” 

Laura rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed as I reached out, brushing a stray drop of water from her cheek. “And what exactly do I owe you?” 

I leaned in, my voice dropping low. “I’ll think of something.”