ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (284 page)

“Oh no,” I muttered under my breath. He was here; I had asked him stay last night. My head fell into my hands and I shook it rapidly, I couldn’t believe I had asked him to stay. I knew why I had of course, I knew that I hadn’t wanted him to leave me but still I shouldn’t have, I should never have let him take me home.

Another scream shook the small apartment walls, forcing me into action. I jumped forwards, constricted by the leather I was still wearing.  Quickly I pulled open the door, running quickly into the living room. I found Ruby first; she was stood by her bedroom door looking absolutely terrified and then I saw the other blonde in the room. “Jake,” I whispered.

Both eyes turned to me but I only had eyes for the half-sleep man with an extreme case of bed hair. I bit my lip suppressing a laugh as I took in his shaggy blonde hair and startled blue eyes. “You know him?” Ruby shouted and I could hear the slight shake in her voice.

A small chuckle slipped past my lips as I watched Jake frown. “Yeah I know him,” I said slowly, shaking my head in amusement at the two of them.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Jake groaned as he ran his hands through his messy hair, only managing to make it worse, or in my eyes much better.

“Like what?” I asked innocently, a smile twisting my lips, one I didn’t try to hide now.

“Oh you think I look bad? You should look in a mirror,” Jake grumbled childishly. He was far from right though, I definitely didn’t think he looked bad.

“I hate to break this up, whatever it is,” Ruby said, sounding less than amused, “but would one of you care to explain why there is a half-naked man on the sofa?” she finished, ironically putting her hands on her hips.

I laughed again as I watched her until her words actually hit me. I looked back to Jake and sure enough he was topless, his bronzed muscles just visible above the thin sheet he had stretched across him. “It was hot,” Jake said with a shrug.

My eyes widened a little as he stood up; thankfully he was at least still wearing his trousers. I lingered a little long on his chest than I knew I should, especially with an audience but as hard as I tried to look away it was near impossible. Jake was attractive, bed hair, crumpled trousers and all. Jake stood in the middle of the room looking between Ruby and I, clearly unsure of what to do but perfectly happy to make himself at home it seemed.

“That doesn’t explain why you decided to be hot on our sofa and not somewhere else,” Ruby said angrily.

I bit my lip, trying my hardest to keep back the laugher as it slowly dawned on Ruby exactly what she had said. Jake however was more than happy to play along. “You think I’m hot?” he asked in a fake innocent voice, a smirk playing at his lips.

I wanted to warn him that he was playing with fire and Ruby definitely wasn’t one to just sit back and take it. “You know exactly what I mean,” she said angrily but to my surprise a small blush coated her pale cheeks.

Jake turned to me, a goofy grin plastered on his face. “Apparently I’m hot,” he stated with a small smile.

It was my turn to blush now and I knew it wouldn’t be the subtle red of Ruby’s face but a full blown crimson that coated my cheeks. “You’re big headed that’s what you are,” I teased.

Jake looked offended, slamming his hand to his bare chest in mock shock. I shook my head at the outrageous gesture but my eyes still reluctantly traveled back to his bare muscles and intricate tattoos across his chest and I was thankful that I was already blushing. “I prefer hot but I suppose whatever floats your boat,” Jake said, sending me a wink. If Jake was one thing in the morning then it was definitely playful.

Ruby seemed to be watching the scene with amusement now that she was no longer the focus of the little exchange. I looked between the two blondes that occupied the small living room and shook my head again. “The showers that way,” I said to Jake, hoping he would get the idea and leave me and Ruby alone for a few minutes.

“You’re trying to get rid of me?” Jake said with a fake sadness that only made me chuckle.

“Yes sir officer sir,” I said, doing a little military salute, “now off you go,” I demanded, pointing down the small corridor that led off the room. Jake looked extremely amused but thankfully he bounded off down the corridor leaving me and Ruby alone for the first time since early yesterday evening. I looked over to Ruby and suddenly felt a little nervous; perhaps being alone with her wasn’t the best idea.

Chapter Seven

A few minutes passed where neither of us spoke but as I knew it would be, it was Ruby and her ever curious nature that broke first. “You know, he is hot. I’d never admit it to him though,” Ruby said casually as she wandered over to the coffee machine.

“I wouldn’t say he was hot,” I said, biting my lip a little, she was definitely going to see right through it.

“Yeah like I believe that,” she scoffed, ‘Who is he anyway? It’s really not like you to bring a man home,” she questioned curiously.

I groaned and collapsed down on Jake’s make-shift bed. “He’s my step-brother,” I said with a sigh.

Ruby turned to me now, her interest obviously peaking. “Ahh,” she breathed. The coffee machine buzzed in the background and in less than a minute Ruby was by my side handing me a fresh cup. “Do you mean the one you haven’t seen in five years?” she pondered.

“I only have one,” I said “but yes, that’s him,” I added, my eyes drifting off in the direction he had gone.

“What’s he doing here?” Ruby asked after a sip of coffee.

“He drove me home last night, after you disappeared,” I said, frowning at the last bit.

“Ah about that, I’m sorry Ellie, I wasn’t feeling too well. I know I should have told you but well I just felt awful,” she muttered, a blush coating her pale cheeks.

“It all worked out in the end,” I said choosing to accept her apology.

“I’d say so,” she grinned, “So did he just drive you home… or did something else happen?” she asked curiously, wiggling her eyebrows a little at her hidden meaning.

I groaned and tossed one of the cushions at her, it was just like her to assume more had happened. “He’s my stepbrother Ruby,” I muttered, taking a sip of my own too hot coffee.

Ruby wasn’t buying any of it and with a knowing look she mutter something under her breath before throwing the cushion back at me. “Ellie I saw how you looked at him and I definitely saw how he looked at you. It couldn’t have been more obvious that there is something more if it was written on your foreheads.”

“Ruby he’s still my stepbrother,” I sighed but her words still rung in my ears. There was a spark for me when I looked at him, I just couldn’t help but to smile, I doubted though that it was returned.

“The stepbrother you haven’t seen in five years,” she stated, “Look Ellie he is the first man you have brought home and I mean ever; you heard the scream that kind of proves my point. I say go for it,” she said quickly and I knew she had a point as much as I didn’t want to accept it.

“I don’t know,” I muttered. I could picture Jake’s face, his smile and his warm eyes; even the mental image made me smile.

“What’s not to know? He likes you Ellie, you just have to let him,” she finished as she climbed off the sofa.

Before I could respond steps sounded down the corridor and a second later the freshly showered and dripping wet form of Jake wandered into the room. “I smelled coffee,” he said quickly, his eyes landing on the cup in my hands.  

Dressed only in a towel that was wrapped loosely around his waist he bounded over to me and snatched the coffee out of my hands before I could make a move to stop him. In one quick move he downed the steaming cup and placed it back into my hands. “Nice coffee,” he said with a grin as I stared stunned back at him.

“Is that a habit of yours?” I questioned, still too shocked to be annoyed.

“What?” he asked innocently but the smirk on his lips easily gave him away.

Images of my stolen wine glass from last night popped into the front of my mind. “Stealing other people’s drinks,” I stated, trying not to let my growing amusement show.

Jake shrugged but his smile grew a little. “Only when they’re bad for them,” he said quickly.

I glared up at him, trying my hardest not to focus on his chest or most of the rest of him that was on display. “It was coffee,” I stated bluntly.

“And like I said, it was nice coffee, thanks,” he said with a wide grin.

I shook my head; this man was something else entirely. “I don’t think I like the new you,” I muttered teasingly.

“Well I suppose you’ll just have to get used to me,” he said with a chuckle as he went to pick up his clothes leaving a trail of water behind him.

“I knew I was right,” Ruby laughed from the corner of the room, I had completely forgotten she was still here.

“What about?” Jake questioned curiously.

“Nothing,” I mumbled, hoping the blush on my cheeks would disappear before anyone could notice.

“So what are you two doing today?” Ruby asked in a way that was supposed to be casual but was far from it.

I opened my mouth to correct her and hopefully get rid of her before she could say anything worse but of course Jake beat me to it. “Ellie is going to learn to ride today,” Jake stated as he wandered back across the room with an armful of clothes.

Ignoring everything else I gawked at him. “I’m doing what?” I demanded; this was definitely news to me.

“Better get changed Ellie, you don’t want to keep him waiting,” Ruby said in a sing-song voice extinguishing all hope I had that this was some kind of joke. I was going to learn to ride a motorbike with Jake; I didn’t know whether I was excited or absolutely terrified.

Chapter Eight

The early morning drive was a world away from the midnight ride we had undertaken just hours ago. The roads were different now and while the traffic was still relatively non-existent it was a complete contrast to the speed I had felt before. Adrenaline didn’t fuel this ride but it was still a thrill, just one in a more beautiful way. I wore the same leathers as before, I gripped Jake’s body just as tightly but I had time now, time to feel how it truly felt to glide through the streets in such a way.

It hadn’t been long before the city streets were left behind us and a new kind of road took its place, one surrounded by countryside and fresh morning air. Riding in the countryside away from the lights and the buildings of the city was utterly amazing and with Jake leading the way it was even better.

“It’s something special isn’t it?” Jake asked as he wound the bike down a narrow lane and pulled up in a small stretch of field.

I smiled widely, happy that he could see the beauty as well. “It is,” I said honestly as the low hum of the bike cut out altogether.

Jake helped me off the bike and I removed the helmet from my head, happy to be free of the one thing about riding that I didn’t particularly like. “Are you sure I’m allowed to drive it?” I questioned unsurely, taking in the monster of a bike we had just climbed off.

“If we were playing by the rules then we wouldn’t have rode like we had done last night,” Jake said with a small chuckle. When I didn’t say anything he moved a little closer to me, reading the concern in my eyes, “But yes, you are allowed to drive it, out here at least,” he added with a smile, instantly vanquishing the small amount of fear I had towards the bike, the rest however remained.

“Maybe not everything has changed then,” I laughed, always the bad boy, always the rule-breaker.

“Perhaps not, but some things have,” he said suddenly the humor was gone and he was deadly serious.

Silence descended on us and once again I found my finger traveling aimlessly across the smooth polished metal of the bike. Jake caught my exploring fingers with his hand and held them steady. I waited but he didn’t remove his hand instead he kept the pressure there, he let the warmth seep into my soft skin. “I heard you this morning,” Jake whispered his voice merely a breath on the rough country air.

I stilled more aware than ever that his hand was on mine and that his thumb was tracing soft swirls across it. I focused on the slow movements, following the small waves and tiny circles that he etched softly onto me. “What did you hear?” I said with a deep breath as the nerves I had been trying to contain came bubbling to the surface.

“Just a bit,” Jake said slowly. He was looking at me, I could feel his eyes staring intently but I dared not meet his glaze.

“How much did you really hear?” I said my voice slightly sterner than before.

Jake sighed and my worst fears were confirmed. “All of it,” he said in a breath.

I could feel my heart beat rising and the pressure on my hand was making it worse, however gentle it may be. Before I could consider my actions I pulled my hand away and clutched it to my chest; my own finger traced the same line he had run and a shiver shuddered through me. “How?” I questioned, I had been sure we were alone, perhaps he hadn’t heard everything.

“The walls are pretty thin and I don’t exactly shower for fifteen minutes,” Jake said with a little laugh. I knew he was trying to make a joke and lift some of the tension but it didn’t work, not in the slightest.

Jake pulled my hand away from my chest and gripped it tightly in his own, returning all of the warmth that had been lost. “I don’t think your friend and I will ever exactly see eye to eye but she does make some good points,” Jake said slowly, drawing me closer.