{"product_id":"2940148802983","title":"Held Deeply","description":"It’s been more than a year since John and Gia ended their secret relationship. Gia appears to have adjusted to “normalizing” her relationship with her foster brother, but John has floundered and stumbled from one failed relationship to another. When he decides to drop out of college and join the military, Gia desperately offers him anything to make him stay …\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWARNING: This 3500+ word short story contains graphic and explicit depictions of sex between consenting adults. It is intended only for mature and adult readers over the age of 18.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEXCERPT:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It was too late. I tried to do it your way, and now I know the damage was already done. I am a bitter ex-boyfriend. Only, I’m one that’s trying to be a caring brother.” I gently put my hand on her shoulder. “I can’t live this way anymore, Gia. It’s killing me very slowly. So, I think it’s just best I get away from you. That means I drop of school and go into the military.” I turned back to folding my clothes. “It would be good for the both of us. You know. We’ll always have email. And maybe in time, I can be the big brother that you want me to be.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGia burst into tears. She leaned close to my back and started wildly slapping my shoulders and the back of my head. “You can’t do this to me! I need you!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI turned, and I caught and immobilized her wrists. “No, you don’t. You got on fine after we ended things.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTears now streamed steadily down her cheeks. “No, I didn’t. I just hide it and suppress better than you do.” When I let go of her wrists, she flung her arms around me and continued to weep against my shoulder. “I need you near me. Why do you think I call you every day? Why do you think I always want to spend time with you? John, I would be lost without you. There’s nobody more I trust than you.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI returned the embrace. I fought tears back. “I’m already lost without you. I have been for more than a year. And the lunches together nearly every day – being near you – it makes that lost feeling worse.” I tried to keep my own emotions bottled. “That’s why I have to go.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer mouth twisted in a sad frown. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I was trying to respect your wishes. Now, it’s time to respect my own needs.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Don’t go! Please!” She clung to me even harder. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI eased out of the hug. I caressed her wet cheeks. “I’m sorry, but I have to.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“No!” She yanked me back into a desperate kiss that suggested she missed me just as much as I had her …\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"SmutHouse","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079456571632,"sku":"2940148802983","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940148802983_p0.jpg?v=1763708500","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940148802983","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}