Rock Hard: A Stepbrother Romance (Extreme Sports Alphas) (3 page)

She didn’t see the piles of debt we were barely living under. She didn’t see the darkness that I had let take over everything around me.

And after all that, after her short but agonizing visits, she came home. My stepsister, Becca Foster.

The genius girl I couldn’t get out of my damn head.

––––––––

I
watched as Becca climbed up the front steps, lugging her suitcase behind her. I sighed and smiled to myself. It was typical of her to refuse my help. At least she let me get it the first time.

The house was situated on an acre and a half of land, surrounded by dense forests. My stepdad, Jack, had bought it cheap back in the day, and when he married my mom, they moved in together. He had expanded the place big time over the years, adding on a large front porch, two additions, and a dormered second floor. It was a stylized log cabin, and because I barely remembered the houses I grew up in before it, I thought of it as home.

We weren’t wealthy. Far from it, because of the cancer treatments. But Jack worked hard and I helped as much as I could. I didn’t love living at home, but when my mom got sick, all of my plans went out the window. I couldn’t leave, not when she was suffering.

I helped as much as I possibly could. I sacrificed everything for my mother, and I’d do it all over again if I could. But nobody could know about what I did. Nobody could know about the things I did to help cover our bills.

I couldn’t even imagine where we would be if I hadn’t met Thom all those years ago.

“You just going to stand there?” Becca said, looking down at me.

I shrugged. “Rain feels good.”

“Okay, weirdo. Come on.” She pulled off her boots, leaving them by the front door, and went inside.

I stood watching her for a second. Becca, back in my life for a few months. Even after that afternoon in the van, I was still excited to see her. I loved to stare at her ass as she went ahead of me. I couldn’t help myself. The girl drove me fucking crazy.

With a sigh I followed. I stripped off my wet clothes, tossing them over a chair on the porch, and went inside after her.

It was warm, but comfortable. The rain had made the temperature drop, and my mom had lit a fire to heat the house instead of turning on the furnace. I watched as Becca disappeared upstairs, probably going to change into dry clothes and unpack. I walked into the kitchen.

“Everything go okay?” Mom asked me.

“Yeah, fine. She’s upstairs unpacking.”

She nodded and smiled. “I’m so happy you’re both back under one roof again, at least for a while.”

I shrugged. “Sure, it’ll be fine.”

She frowned. My mom had always been a perceptive person, but for whatever reason it was out of control when it came to me. She could practically read my moods like a book.

It annoyed the hell out of me most of the time, but every once in a while it felt good not to have to explain myself.

“Why are you in a bad mood?” she asked playfully.

“I’m not,” I grunted.

Unfortunately, this was not one of those times.

“Come on, out with it.”

“Just tired. Long drive into town.”

She shook her head. “We both know that’s not it.”

“Haven’t climbed in a few days too.”

“Okay. If you want to tell me, feel free.”

I shook my head. What was I supposed to say to her?
Mom, I want to fuck Becca so bad it hurts. My dick is practically hard right now from looking at her ass. My heart goes insane when she’s around. I don’t give a shit if she’s my stepsister
.

I doubted she would have liked that.

“When’s Jack get home?”

Mom sighed. “Soon, hopefully.”

Just as I was about to respond, Becca appeared in the doorway. “Cora,” she said, smiling.

“There you are!”

They hugged hard and long. I smiled and opened the refrigerator, grabbing a beer and cracking it open. I had to admit, I liked that they had a good relationship.

It didn’t bother me that Jack and I didn’t get along. He could be a fucking prick most of the time, but it was easy to ignore. Still, it would have been nice not to have to deal with a sullen adult all the fucking time.

“You look incredible,” Becca said.

“Thanks, dear. I feel perfect.”

“Seriously, are you in better shape now than you were before the cancer?”

Mom laughed. She’d never admit it, but she loved the compliments. “No, not even close. But I appreciate that.”

“Don’t be modest, Mom. Aren’t you running a 5k in two weeks?”

She nodded. “Sure am. But any asshole could do that.”

Becca laughed. “Still, you’re amazing.”

I sipped my beer and smiled to myself. What an adorable fucking reunion.

“I’m going out,” I said suddenly.

Mom looked at me. “In this?”

“It’s letting up. Just going for a short walk.”

She paused. “Take Becca with you,” she commanded.

Becca put her hands up. “No, really, that’s okay. I don’t feel like getting wet again.”

“Nonsense. You just got home, you should get out there again. Get to know how things have changed.”

That attitude was typical of people in our town. Everyone thought the forest was magical somehow. You just needed to go out into the forest if you weren’t feeling good, get some fresh air.

“Mom, if she doesn’t want to come, she doesn’t have to,” I said.

Becca looked at me for a second and I thought I saw something in her eyes. “Actually, I’ll come. Just a short walk?”

I nodded. “Just around the property.”

“Let’s go.”

I gave my mom a look and shrugged, heading back out the front door. I slipped my wet boots back on but grabbed a dry parka from the front closet. Becca laced up her boots and threw the hood up on her sweatshirt.

The rain had slowed down to barely a drizzle as we moved back out onto the property. There was a path that wound its way between the trees and circled the woods, skirting the thin metal fence Jack had put up years ago to discourage bears from wandering into our backyard.

“Looks the same,” Becca said.

I downed my beer, crushed the can, and slipped it into my pocket. “Yeah. Not much changes around here.”

“I’ve only been gone a year this time.”

I nodded. “How was school?”

She shrugged. “Fine.”

“Ace all your exams? Actually, what am I saying, of course you did.”

“I did fine,” she said, giving me a look.

I grinned at her. “Come on, college girl, we all know you’re a little genius.”

“Starting that already?”

“Can’t help myself. You’re too damn easy to rile up.”

She sighed and looked ahead. I watched as the rain damped down her hair slightly, and I loved the way she reached up to stroke it back out of her face.

All at once, the memory in the van came rushing back. It was one year ago almost exactly, but it felt completely fresh, like it had happened a day ago.

She swiped the wet hair from her eyes and laughed. We were cramped together in the back of my van, and she was looking around like it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen.

“This is crazy. I can’t believe you put this together.”

“Took a while. But you know how it is out here. There’s lots of time.”

“Lots of time for people that don’t work.”

I laughed. “You know I work. My job just isn’t a nine to five.”

“How is the climbing, anyway?”

I shrugged. I hated lying to her, hated lying to everyone, but I had to keep my story straight. “Got a competition coming up over near Seattle.”

“Far away,” she commented absently, looking at the books.

I shifted myself, moving closer to her. There was enough room for two people to lay comfortably with space to spare, but the damp air had brought a chill and it felt better to sit closer.

“I go where the money is.”

“Decent books.” She took one out and looked at the spine.

“Surprised that I can read?”

She shook her head. “Surprised that you like to read Jonathan Franzen.”

I snatched my copy of Freedom from her hands and tossed it across the car. “He’s fine. The self-sufficiency thing works for me.”

She laughed. “You’re basically a wild man.”

“That’s what the ladies tell me.”

“Good one.”

I moved closer to her. “You’re actually the first person I’ve showed this to.”

“Why? I mean, why me?”

“You know why. We’ve been doing this for way too long.”

“Reid.” Her lips parted slightly as I reached up and took her chin in my hand.

“You know what I want.”

“I’m afraid.”

“I’m not.”

I pressed my lips against hers. She kissed me back, and for a few seconds the world was right.

Until she pulled away. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t do this.” Avoiding eye contact, she pushed her way out of the van.

“Becca, wait,” I called out.

I ran to catch up with her. I didn’t want her to get lost on the way back.

We didn’t talk the whole way home.

That hadn’t been our first kiss. But it was the most recent, and it was the one that made it clear what she wanted.

“Woodpecker,” she said.

I followed her gaze, back in the present. “Oh yeah. Big one, too.”

“Your mom really does look awesome, by the way.”

“Thanks. She fucked cancer up.”

Becca laughed. “Really, she’s amazing. I think I would have just rolled over and died, but not her.”

“I doubt that. But you’re right, she is amazing.”

We walked in silence for a few steps. “How’s it feel to be home?” I asked.

“Good, I guess. Feels weird that I’ll be here for longer than a week or two.”

I nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you occupied.”

“Oh yeah? And how will you do that?”

“Splitting wood. Scrubbing floors. I’ll put you to work.”

She laughed. “I forgot we lived in colonial times.”

“It’s Ridgewood. We haven’t evolved much since then.”

“So while I’m cleaning, you’ll be out hunting?”

I nodded. “Killing bears with my bare hands.”

“Oh wow. So strong.”

“Damn right. I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”

“I forgot about that. Everyone knows you’re a famous bear killer.”

We laughed together and I took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp air. The rain had slowly let up and Becca let her hood fall back.

Up ahead I saw the fence leaning up against a tree, the wires bent slightly where I’d been pushing them out of the way. I paused there.

“What?” Becca asked.

“I actually have some shit to do,” I said. “I’m going to leave you here.”

She frowned. “Where are you going?”

“It’s nothing, just meeting some guys. You know the way back?”

“I grew up around here, you know.”

“Good. Don’t get lost, college girl.”

“Have fun doing whatever.”

“I will. See you around.”

She gave me a look like she was hurt that I was leaving her.

I wanted to tell her the truth, wished I could, but I knew that would be the end of everything. I had to keep my secrets.

It’s almost over,
I reminded myself.

She turned and walked back down the path as I moved through the fence. I watched her walk away for a minute, admiring her firm ass. I wished I could take her back farther into the forest and fuck her up against a tree, rough and hard.

Instead, I walked off, heading north toward the van, nervous excitement running through my veins.

A
s I unzipped my suitcase, my hair drying for the second time that day, I couldn’t help but wonder where Reid was going. It wasn’t like him to just disappear on a hike like that. Yeah, he could be mysterious, but that was a little rude.

I guess I couldn’t blame him. Not after what happened the last time I had seen him.

There wasn’t a single day that went by when I didn’t think about that kiss. It wasn’t our first, but it was the most dangerous one. We were stepsiblings, our parents were married, we couldn’t be kissing in a van out in the middle of the woods. It was wrong.

And it was even worse because I’d wanted it. When his lips touched mine, fire ran down my spine. I’d felt like I was going to burn up with how badly I needed him. My pussy was soaked through the second our skin made contact, and I had known that if I didn’t get out of there right away, then I’d do something I might regret.

I sighed, pulling clothes out and sliding them into drawers. I fantasized about that almost every day, about losing control around him. It was scary but exciting. I loved to picture his strong hands grasping my hips, the calluses on the ends of his fingers rubbing softly against my clit, sending waves of pleasure through my spine.

But that was all I wanted. He was such a jerk most of the time.

Instead of thinking about his body back then, I distracted myself with schoolwork. I drowned my desires in distractions, because what I desired most was the one thing I wasn’t supposed to have.

I looked around my old childhood bedroom and smiled softly. My dad and Cora hadn’t changed a thing about it, which was both great and a little sad. Old Alanis Morissette posters were still hanging on the walls, and although I knew I should take them down, there was something nostalgic and hilarious about their stupid ’90s looks.