After dinner, I’d hoped to find an excuse to get away from the crowd, preferably with Kaia. Her and Avery were joined at the hip, however, and they drafted me into games with some of the other adults while the kids got out their last burst of energy and were put to bed. It turned out to be fun and there were times when we were practically in tears with laughter. Kaia, despite her sweater’s slogan for the day, behaved herself and didn’t make any suggestive comments that would rate above a PG-13.
Grandma was a good sport, staying up late with everyone else, but when she started nodding off after eleven o’clock the game was called. I followed the girls over to New House while my parents stayed behind to finish a last pick up. Kaia leaned into Avery and whispered something, prompting giggles between the two of them. I had a sneaky feeling it was at my expense, but I couldn’t imagine what it would be.
As we reached the second floor, Avery turned to me. “Thanks for taking us out on the snowmobile.”
“Yeah,” I said, slightly surprised at her gesture. “It was fun.”
She glanced at Kaia, then back to me. “You can use the bathroom first.”
“Okay, sure.” I guess I was getting ready for bed. I was a night owl by nature, so I’d probably be up reading for a while. Getting alone time with Kaia looked impossible with Avery around and squeaky stairs.
I used the facilities, brushed my teeth, and headed up to the Observatory. The girls’ rooms were both closed with light creeping out from underneath. Probably getting changed for bed. I slowed in front of Kaia’s Red Room, but she didn’t pop out just in time to give me one last show.
The drafty attic was easily ten degrees cooler than the rest of the house. Despite that, I still stripped down to my underwear, clicked on my bed’s reading lamp, and turned off the main light. After the events of the day, I knew sleep would be difficult to come by, so I tried to lose myself in a book. It almost worked, right until I heard the stairs squeak.
“Alex?” I heard Kaia say softly from the top of the steps. There was no door to the attic, just a half-wall around the stairs so people wouldn’t fall down. Her head poked up over the wall. “You decent?”
“Yeah.” More or less.
“Bummer.”
She climbed the last step and swung around into the room. Even in the dim light, I could tell she was still braless under her oversized t-shirt. It didn’t fit as snugly as her sweater had, but I suspected I wouldn’t have to wait long to refresh my mental image of her breasts.
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m topless, though? That count for anything?”
Kaia gave a laughing snort. “Ha! I’m sure you’ve got a nice chest and all, but…”
I set my book aside and raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh, and I suppose you could do better?”
She set her hands on her hips. For the first time, I got a good look at her bare legs. With her wearing leggings all the time, I had a very clear idea as to their shape, but there was something about seeing the expanse of bare skin that got my motor going. Again. Maybe it was the tease of being able to follow those legs up to what was hidden just beneath the hem of her shirt.