HIM—A Stepbrother Romance: With BONUS NOVELLA: PERSONAL (12 page)

Hours later with the moon making its journey to the other side of the yacht signifying it was now approaching the witching hour, we had settled into a cozy element.

“Tell me something. What’s it like for the entire world to basically know your every move? What’s it like for everyone to talk about you? It’s like the time when Leonardo DiCaprio was up for another Oscar nomination for
The Revenant
. Everyone knew he should win. Everyone talked about it. Even people who don’t care about the Oscars or movies secretly wanted him to win. Some wanted him to fail, though. I feel like the whole world is buzzing about this news and I don’t know how you handle it all. The whole celebrity gossip thing. People wanting you to win or fail.”

The gentle rock of the waves cradled us together in the most romantic, sweet way. I could stay in his arms forever. I didn’t want to leave his arms. Here, out in the water, where all you see are the clouds and the occasional shooting star, and white foam, everything was peaceful and there was no distraction. There was no judgy fish or whale or sharks, but once we landed on soil, unless it was the Sahara desert, there would be no more hiding. I didn’t know if I could handle this type of fame—of people judging me and calling me sick for being with my stepbrother, for being in love. How would that play out? My stomach knotted a bit thinking about it all. Could I handle it?

The sea breeze blew my blonde locks across his tan skin. It was us. Coiled. Together.

“Come here, you.” He breathed me in and I felt so much tangible love in his arms, it felt like warm liquid covering my entire body. The feeling was unlike anything describable. The most comparable thing was to a never ending orgasmic love.
Love.

“I don’t care about what everyone’s saying or doing. All I care about this one person right here.”

His fingers swirled a circle between my breasts and I wanted his touch to never leave.

“I care about you, too.” My hand covered his as I curled up into his chest, breathing in the magic of the night.

The moon’s light shined majestically down on us, causing the light on the dark stained wood to shine. All I could do was stare. Stare and smile and remind myself to breathe because every so often I would hold my breath, knowing that this would all go away very soon.

You can’t live in a fairy tale forever.

I was Cinderella and midnight was coming, when this would all disappear and to the world we would return to being stepsiblings, even if that marriage ceased to exist.

Chapter Twenty-one

Kate

The smell of a sea breeze mixed with the scent of his light cologne was the best aroma to wake up to.

This.

Was.

A.

Dream.

In this magical setting with the aqua waters glistening, it sang a musical melody to the sun in perfect harmony with the waves that served as radio frequencies casting their song far out to sea, creating an unknown ripple effect. I felt peaceful, harmonious, at home. I wanted to freeze this moment in time and remember it forever. The sound of the yacht docked, rocking gently, the warmth of the waves, the harmony of the birds, the feeling of the warmth of the morning sun. Heaven in a dream.

He lay there sleeping with his dark lashes covering his eyes that matched the sea. I couldn’t wait for them to open again. I wondered what he dreamt of. I wondered what fantasies or problems surfaced in his mind. With both parents dead, the confession of his wanting to take the family business in a different light, he really did have a lot going on and I was glad I could be there for him. I felt almost protective of him and wanted to be his support. I never knew this type of feeling before.

I pulled the light sheet over us and burrowed my head down into the plush pillow and sighed. I could see how romantic, luxurious backdrops such as this really played with a woman’s heartstrings. It was easy to see how the billionaires always landed the younger women. Romance, grandiose gestures, yachts, private beaches, heck, it can make you feel a lot of things. Endorphins lighting up like Time Square on a MRI, no doubt.

But even in this logical thinking, I knew
this
felt different. I just wasn’t sure how this was going to pan out and I didn’t want to think about that.

The fresh salty air reminded me to leave the worries aside and just receive the gift of paradise.

I’d never in my life slept outside before. Well, sure, when camping, but this was something else.

The special bug torches kept mosquitoes and bugs at bay, leaving us to enjoy the clear skies as our ceiling before falling asleep to the symphony of the stars that, I swear, twinkled so bright we heard their music.

Or maybe it was the music of him that led to this enlightened feeling.

I sighed again in the cozy nest.

But there was one thing I couldn’t remove from my mind that I really needed to focus on—my defense. I was glad I was here. It was good that I came. Maybe he was right. Maybe I would nail it today feeling so relaxed and so, well, renovated from body therapy with Bradley.

His strong arms pulled me close to his soft skin.

“Hi love.” His soft kiss nestled into my neck. Oh, Bradley Rainshaw was a cuddle bear. Beneath this hard exterior, his thousand dollar suits, and his muscles of steel, he was a man that loved hugs and kisses, and I could just die.

Right now.

“I was just dreaming of you.”

“Of what?”

“Of finishing where we left off last night.” His hand slid down my belly and he bid me good morning, body, mind, and soul once again.

After morning sex, we were both famished and ready to eat breakfast. God knows we’d worked up quite the appetite from our lovemaking!

“Here, have some coffee. Have a baller breakfast. And then have some of this mimosa. I find when you’re tipsy, you actually say what’s on your mind.”

“You’re right. You know, you’re right.”

Thirty minutes later, and after refreshing myself up a bit, I felt a bit dizzy from the sudden heavy rocking from an incoming storm. I had to hold on to a beam for support.

Bradley held up my iPad to practicing getting a convincing shot on Skype for my professors so that they wouldn’t suspect I was on a boat. Of course not, I was in a facility getting help from the traumatic week. Which was sort of true. He was helping me overcome all that stress, alright.

But a sudden storm had rumbled in and its welcoming committee was letting us know with the heavier waves that we didn’t have much time before the entire teammate showed up. This was really messing with my plans!

“Okay, can you, like, practice just holding the screen like that? And then when the boat rocks, lightly rock with it? Try not to make it look like I’m on a boat? Oh my gosh, this is never going to work. Never! I’m doomed!”

“No, you’re not. We’ve got this. Look at me, you and me. A team. Okay?”

The Skype cloud rang across my iPad, alerting me that the panel was calling. They were ready for me. “Oh my god, oh my god. Okay, okay. Wish me luck. Now or never!” My heart raced from nerves. Maybe I should have had a quick refill of a tiny bit of mimosa.

“Kate,” he whispered. “Hurry and reposition over here. I’ll zoom in on your face to where all you’ll see is the back of the wood.”

“What?”

“Over there!” He quietly whispered as he shot the iPad down, capturing the wood floor before getting a close up on my face in our new location.

“Hello Kate. How are you feeling?”

“Fine. Fine, thank you.” I nervously tucked tendrils of hair behind my ear like an obsessed cat grooming herself. “Thank you again for allowing me to do this remotely. I really am seriously super thankful and I’ll have you know that this type of leadership and compassion is the type of thing I hope to foster myself, one day when I’m a professor and am inspiring students.” Shit, I was rambling.

There they sat all in a row like the investors on
Shark Tank
or a panel taking kindergarten applications at a prestigious school in a swanky neighborhood.

“Thank you. Well, could you please begin?”

I spoke as if I were running for President of the United States. With such passion, articulation, and yes, acting skills, I could feel the magic in the words and I just knew I was hitting a home run. I could just picture the professors arguing over who would get to mentor me. My ideas were original. I had the passion. I could be one of those students that changed the world and they could be a part of that. I felt like a pioneer.

Finally, it was over.

Over!

The Skype session exit sounded and before I could even jump up and down in elation, his strong arms slid around my waist as his hot breath tickled my skin. A soft kiss trailed down my neck immediately making me feel all warm and gooey. I leaned into his strong pillar.

“You did it. Do you feel lighter?” His kisses trailed along my collarbone sending goose bumps down my back.

My sex throbbed in need as his hands cupped my waist. I thought again of all the things he had done to me, the way he made my body come alive in life changing, mind altering ways. It was as if I had been in a coma my whole life and he woke me up.

If I couldn’t articulate my gratitude at the moment, I could sure show him.

With all the passion and desire in me, I kissed him hard, eager, and long.

More chills flowed throughout my body and my nerves jumped up and down like excited toddlers screaming, “Yes! More! More! Now! Now!”

He turned on another switch in me. He made me feel so damn good it felt illegal

He kissed me hard and passionate—one of those kisses that reminded me the way he kisses me
down below
. He sucked on my bottom lip and toyed with my gums. He left me breathless as I lifted my head for more.

He trailed his fingers down my sternum and across the lace of my bra. My nipples begged to be touched. He slowly trailed down below my stomach, over my hipbone and directly over the thin fabric covering my eagerly pounding pussy.

His fingers trailed over my very swollen clit and just at the touch of him, my hips bucked slightly at the natural reaction for wanting more

He trailed his fingers down my inner thighs and did it all over again. My collarbone, my nipples, my stomach, my hip bones, my engorged pussy, my inner thighs.

And he did it one more time.

I finally couldn’t take it anymore. The way my pounding aching inner walls drummed with a dull longing to be filled.

I kissed him harder, with greater need.

“I need you in me, now.” I barely got out as my kisses were hard, needy, intense.

His hands cupped my shoulders and he pulled away breathless with a look that read he wanted the same thing.

But there was knock at the door.

Damn door.

“It’s um…” he swallowed back the intensity and ran his fingers through his hair. “A little relaxation present for you.”

“Mr. Rainshaw are you and your misses ready for us?”

You and your misses.

That quickly sobered me up fast. I wasn’t ready to be known as his misses and I took a weak step away from him calming myself down and getting a grip of the moment.

“You okay?” he tilted his jaw. “I promise it will be worth the wait later. Promise.” He winked as his hand cupped my shoulder again in a possessive yet tender way as if claiming I was his. I needed to shake my head out of the gutter thoughts, fast.
Enjoy the moment. Enjoy the moment
.

“Yes, you may enter.”

The door opened and two women in white scrubs with massage folding beds entered the room. They had some serious strength. The ache in my lower back immediately jumped for joy.

This really was what the doctor ordered.

“Here,” Bradley draped his arm around me and walked me towards a wine bar.

He unwrapped and popped open a bottle of champagne and poured the bubbles into two flutes.

“To you, and your words.”

Our glasses dinged, and I still felt tingles all over, breathless from his touch and my need for him. I took another sip feeling more relaxed. Passion could wait, I guess.

Yet even admitting it, I knew my body disagreed against my reason.

I could feel the dampness in my panties.

Thank goodness we were about to change.

“Mr. Rainshaw, are you and the misses ready? We will step out for a moment. Please ring this bell when you two are under the sheets and ready.”

“Thank you. Excellent. We shall. Thank you.” He said faster than normal.

“Finish that drink, baby and relax.”

He downed his flute and placed the empty glass back on the mirrored bar. His hands cupped my waist so fast, I was dizzy. I nearly dropped my flute as his hungry kisses attacked my neck.

His eager hands lifted up my shirt and unfastened my bra so quickly; I was amazed at his undressing skills.

His hot kisses met my needy nipples and I cried out in pleasant frustration. Oh he was a tease. His kisses trailed down my stomach and to my skirt. With his teeth he helped pull my skirt down, along with his hands until I stood there in my lace white thong. His hands cupped my ass cheeks as his lips kissed the lacey fabric. His tongue pressing against the tiny openings in the delicate lace. My core instantly tightened as my hands slid into his chocolate locks.

Every sensitive part of me felt the warm brief menacing clobber.

Oh he was such a tease.

The hot breath of his mouth sent chills up and down my spine as my fingers dug deeper into his scalp.

I bit my quivering lip.

I loved how he wanted me; how he needed me.`I loved his passion and his playfulness. As much as I was in absolute bliss, I couldn’t help a laugh to escape my tight needy throat.

“Oh you’re such a tease, Brad.”

The nickname came out so natural and in ease.

“No one’s ever called me Brad before.” He continued teasing me with his slow kisses. His tongue suddenly grew stronger and I gasped.

My heart skipped a beat.

“It’s just something for you to think about while you’re naked and wet for me.”

It was the truth. I was now soaking. Definitely.

His finger stroked into my wetness and my knees went weak. I needed him to touch me more.

More.

I needed his touch. My insides demanded it. My outsides demanded it!

Everything in me demanded it!

My breath quickened as he lowered down my soaked panties and his tongue caressed my bareness. His finger slowly swiped into my folds and I moaned.

“Brad….” I whispered, my nipples hardening so hard, it ached.

My moan deepened and grew into something hungrier. Urgent.

He knew exactly where to kiss me, where to stroke me. My heartbeat escaladed to the level of running at a high speed on a treadmill.

I was so wet, any touch from him sent me over the edge.

“God, baby, you’re so wet for me. I love how wet you get for me.”

I couldn’t think, breathe or respond because he curled his finger inside of me and began stroking that place inside that made me see stars.

I leaned into him and moaned into his neck, muffling my noise.

He kept curling and stroking inside while slowly kissing my sex with slow twirls and delicate strokes. The leisurely tenderness was driving me wild, so wild that the orgasm I was fighting began rising, growing bigger, coming faster.