Appointed Read Online Free PDF Page A

G-rated.”
    â€œIt’s the principle of the matter. I need to go now, but I’ll see you later tonight. Love you.”
    â€œLove you too,” he said, then hung up the phone. He felt around for the base charger, missed it, and decided to just let the phone sit on the end table for the time being. There was time to fix it later.
    Jewl was playing with his fingers, touching their tips and outlining his hand with her index finger. He loved it. She had to know how it made him putty in her hands. “Mommy dearest?”
    â€œYeah, she’s coming home early.”
    â€œI figured that out since I could hear about ninety percent of the conversation.”
    â€œThe other ten wasn’t all too interesting,” he said.
    â€œDoes she still think I stole your innocence?” Jewl laughed, and he couldn’t help but smile when he heard the sound. She didn’t do it often, but there was something about it he loved. Maybe because it meant she was genuinely happy, and in a way, he could see it.
    He laughed with her. “She has a vivid imagination and probably thinks she interrupted us doing something X-rated that’s illegal in thirty countries. If only she believed the truth.”
    â€œThat we aren’t there yet in our relationship?”
    â€œRight,” he said, and swallowed. How long would it take for them to get there now that their biggest hang-ups were being resolved?
    Anj had made a decision a long time ago, before he’d met Jewl, that he wouldn’t ever have sex unless he was in a long-term relationship with someone he loved and trusted. He had what he was waiting for now, but did she? Not something we should rush anyway. The last thing I want to do is jump the gun. We need to make this last. Hopefully forever. I just hope she kept waiting like I did.
    He was pretty sure she had. Neither of them had dated anyone else on any of their breaks. A few girls had tried to take advantage of his single status, but he had brushed them aside. There hadn’t been any rumors of Jewl with anyone else, but he did notice things. Like how some days she was awfully close to Denver, and he’d said something about them exchanging blood on multiple occasions. What did he mean by that? And of course there was her friendship with the new boy, Teague. Anj had been jealous of him for a while too, when they first met. Jewl didn’t make friends with the new kids often. There must have been something about Teague for her to make an exception even before she found out they were related.
    But she said he’s her brother, and I need to believe her. He hadn’t gotten a good enough look at the boy to see the family resemblance yet.
    â€œSo,” Jewl said, filling in the silence for him. “I suppose this means cuddle time is over?”
    â€œYeah, I should probably let Zes know so we can do any cleaning.” Anj sat up.
    â€œThe house is spotless, hon.”
    â€œI’m sure it is, but you know how she is. One thing out of place, and I could ‘break my neck.’ We need to be sure.”
    â€œMommy meltdowns are bad, I know. I’ll help make sure everything’s up off the floor for you.”
    He leaned down to kiss her face. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
    Anj stood and took a moment to mentally familiarize himself with the room again before making his way downstairs, counting the steps as he went. Four, five, big landing, turn left, one, two… He hated the basement, mostly because it was his brother’s domain and messy. It was the one place in the house that didn’t need to be spotless, which meant there were a number of potential hazards for Anj to maneuver around. He couldn’t complain about it, though, or his mother would take away the haven Zes had built for himself. He needed his own private space to escape to as well.
    The twins had made a deal. Anj would have a clear path to the laundry room and Zes’s bedroom door,