StepBrother: New Rules (Stepbrother Romance) (4 page)

“So I told you I’ve been seeing Will.”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind going a couple of rounds with him myself—if you weren’t seeing him, of course.”

“Things are really cool with him. I can be myself, and he still likes me.”

Lynda looked at Evelyn as if she’d lost her mind. “Why wouldn’t you be yourself?”

“You don’t know my mother. Little miss prim and proper every second of every day. Women should be polite, discreet, and professional. Like always.”

“I get it when you’re on the clock, but a girl’s gotta unwind, right?”

“Not according to Ella. She’s never rattled. Always perfect. And sometimes it’s just too much to live up to.”

“She can’t be all that bad, Evelyn. She supports you, right? She’s putting you through school and just wants you to be successful, right?”

“The problem is she can’t see anything other than a business degree—working in an office and wearing a suit every day—as being successful.”

“Well, you’re going for a business degree, right?”

“Yeah, but only because I can’t figure out how to tell her that’s not what I want to do.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know exactly, but I think I want to go into some kind of physical therapy—maybe sports rehab or something.”

“So just tell her. It’s your life.”

“You sound like Will.”

“So he’s hot and smart. Killer combination.”

“Well, William’s part of the problem now. So my mom has been casually seeing Will’s dad—or at least I thought it was casual. This morning they told us they’re getting married.”

“Holy shit!”

“Exactly.”

“Don’t they realize that’s kind of weird for you and Will?”

“They don’t exactly know we’re seeing each other.”

Lynda looked at Evelyn, narrowing her eyes. “Why?”

“Because it was kind of fun to have a secret. And I feel like Will is the only person I can really be myself with, and I didn’t really want to share that with anyone else. Like my mother.”

“What does Will have to say about all this?”

“Well, he’s been wanting to come clean for a while. He thinks I’m crazy—or stupid—for hiding so much from my mom.”

“Wait a minute. You have a gorgeous, smart guy who doesn’t want to keep your torrid relationship a secret anymore, and you’re hesitating why?”

“It’s going to sound crazy, but the secret is part of the fun. Think about it—when he and his dad move in, I’ll be able to sneak into his room.”

“You’re planning to sneak into your stepbrother’s room?”

“Absolutely.”

“That sounds kinda sick, to be honest.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Um, yeah.” Lynda shook her head. “That’s like borderline incest, isn’t it?”

“No! It’s not like we’re related. It’s not even like we grew up together.”

“I don’t know. Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth. I think you should just tell your mom.”

“Hm. I wonder though…” Evelyn’s voice trailed off.

“What?”

“What if they didn’t end up getting married? If I could somehow convince my mom that it’s a bad idea?”

“No way. You cannot sabotage your mother’s relationship.”

“It wouldn’t be sabotage, exactly. I just might point out the fact that she said she’d never get married again after my father died. It nearly killed her to lose him, and she’s just setting herself up for more heartache.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

Evelyn stood up. “If they don’t get married, then he’s not my stepbrother. There won’t be any reason for things to change, and we can just all go on living our lives.”

“You mean go on lying to your mother.”

“It sounds so ugly when you put it that way, Lynda.”

“It is ugly.”

“I’m not going to break them up. I’m just going to encourage her to be cautious.”

“Evelyn, be honest with yourself. This has nothing to do with your mother and everything to do with you. You’ll be much happier if you stand up for yourself and are honest.”

“Jesus, you sound just like Will.”

“Smart guy. Listen, I’m going to hit the treadmill. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Yeah.”

Evelyn sat on the bench after Lynda left, refusing to think about her advice. It was easier to focus on anything other than her own life.

After Evelyn threw her stuff in her bag, she called William to see where they could meet. She was hot, sweaty, and horny as hell. He told her the coast was clear at his place, so she headed straight there.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he greeted her when she walked in.

“I’m all sweaty and gross. Mind if I shower before dinner?”

“Of course not. Healthy fare tonight,” he said. “Salmon, quinoa, and asparagus.”

“That sounds like heaven. I’ll be back.” Evelyn headed down the hallway toward the bathroom, dropping her bag on the floor and shucking her gym clothes. She adjusted the water and sighed with relief when she stepped underneath the hot spray. When she heard the bathroom door open, she smiled. “Need a shower too?” she asked, watching through the wavy glass block as William dropped his jeans.

“I’m merely here to help out,” he said, joining her in the shower. “I thought you might need someone to wash your back … or your front.”

“How considerate of you.” Evelyn got her hair wet and opened her eyes, enjoying the sight of water running down William’s lean, muscled body. “You know, I was talking to Lynda today at the gym. She’s got the hots for you.”

“Hm,” William said, reaching for a washcloth. “You’re more my type.” He poured body wash onto the cloth and motioned for Evelyn to turn around.

“So you have a type?”

William slowly soaped up her back, lingering as he ran the cloth over the curves of her ass. “Absolutely. My type is smart, sexy, fit…” He reached around her, pressing his erection into her slippery body. “With perfect breasts.” He ran his hands over her tits, squeezing her nipples. “And a hard body.” He let his hands wander over her flat stomach, running his fingers along the muscles there. His hands dipped lower, fingers moving between her legs. “And a wet pussy.”

Evelyn bent over, putting her hands on the ledge and spreading her legs. She turned to look up at William. “Fuck me. Please.”

She didn’t have to ask a second time.

William slid his hard cock inside her slowly, filling her. He grabbed her hips, pulling her toward him and burying himself deeper. He took his time, slowly stepping up his rhythm as he watched Evelyn put her hand between her legs to finger her clit.

“I want you to come for me, Evelyn,” he said, pounding deeper inside her, watching the water run off her back.

She did, throwing her head back and crying out as her muscles contracted, bringing his climax as well.

Evelyn straightened up and turned to kiss him, long, dark hair streaming water down her breasts and belly. “I think I needed that.”

“I think we both did.” William took her face between his hands and kissed her softly. “I’ll go finish up dinner while you clean up.” He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. “And then we need to talk.”

He left the bathroom, and Evelyn washed her hair and rinsed it, standing under the water until it started to run cold. She knew what William wanted to talk about wasn’t going to be light and casual.

“Wine?” William asked as she came out into the kitchen at last.

“Yup. I earned those calories today.” She shivered as she sat down at the little table in the breakfast nook. “Brr. Guess I should have dried my hair.”

“If you want, I can hold dinner for a few more minutes.”

Evelyn shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine. I’m starving, and I guess I shouldn’t put this conversation off any longer.”

“You make it sound like a chore.”

“Well, I strongly suspect we’re about to disagree.”

William set a perfectly plated dinner—complete with fresh parsley—on the table in front of her. “Evelyn, sooner or later, we’re going to have to have a conversation about our relationship. Given the fact that our parents are about to get married, I think now is the time.”

She sighed. “You’re right. I won’t pout. Let’s do it.” She was dreading the encounter, but clearly she couldn’t avoid the topic any longer.

William sat down and poured them both a huge glass of red wine. “So here’s the deal.” He reached out and squeezed her hand as Evelyn took a drink of the wine. “And I want you to promise to hear me out, okay?”

“Okay.” Evelyn wasn’t quite sure why, but she felt a flutter of anxiety about what was to come.

“I remember the first time I met you like it was yesterday, even though it was more than a year ago. It was at that terrible Christmas party in January. Remember?”

Evelyn laughed. “I do. I still think it’s crazy to call it a Christmas party, but when everyone’s so busy during December…” Her voice trailed off and she shook her head, smiling. “You were there with your dad, and I could tell right away when Mom introduced me to Malcolm that she was interested in him. There was something about the way she looked at him.”

“I remember it too. Mostly, though, I just remember how beautiful you looked. You were standing next to your mother, and you could have been sisters, both of you in elegant, red suits, both with your hair up, looking like you’d just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. You were the prettiest woman in the room.”

Evelyn was uncomfortable, and she looked at her plate, rather than at William. “And you were horrified at how terrible the food was. Remember that?”

“Not as clearly as I do you. Your mom and my dad left us there by the bar, and I was almost too nervous to string two words together, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of you getting away.”

Evelyn put her fork down. “Wow. I never realized I’d made that much of an impression.”

“And when we finally started talking, it was like I’d known you forever. You were sweet and smart and funny. And you were so sexy I wanted you right then and there.”

“You never told me.”

“I had to play it cool. Do you know how much restraint it took to wait three days before I called to ask you out?”

“I was so glad you called. I was even happier when you asked me out to a sports bar for beers. I was afraid you were going to be stiff and formal, like your dad.”

“Evelyn, I felt like you were almost too good to be true. How could I have met a woman who was as comfortable in heels and a suit as she is in sweaty workout clothes?”

“You’re making me blush, Will. I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

“That’s the thing, Evelyn. This … thing … we have has been so easy, so right. I’ve never felt quite this way about anyone else, and I think it’s time.”

Evelyn was apprehensive. “Time for what?”

“Time for us to be honest and open about our relationship. I want everyone to know I’ve found the woman I love.”

It was as if his words had fallen onto the table between them. Evelyn looked from William, to her plate, to her wine glass, to the window. She felt trapped, excited, and emotional, all at once. He’d never said he loved her before. Evelyn hadn’t even really allowed herself to think about their official relationship status before. She’d wanted to keep things light and frivolous. She’d enjoyed their clandestine meetings, and she was afraid if everything were out in the open, William wouldn’t find her as appealing. Worse yet, she was afraid she wouldn’t find him as appealing.

She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.

William picked up both her hands, waiting until she made eye contact with him. “I know you’re afraid of going public. And I think you’re afraid of a commitment, though I’m not sure why. But I needed to tell you how I feel. I love you, Evelyn, and I want us to be together. There’s nothing to gain by continuing to lie to our parents, especially now that we know they’re getting married. We need to tell them.”

Evelyn finally found her tongue. “But what if it changes things?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will, I kinda like having a secret. Knowing that you’re going to be sleeping just down the hall turns me on a little. Thinking about finding ways to sneak off and fuck you while we’re under the same roof as our parents is just hot.”

“But there’s no reason why we can’t have hot sex even if people know we’re together. What are you really afraid of?”

“You’ve seen me around my mother, and you’ve seen me when we’re alone. I can’t really be myself around her, and somehow having you makes that okay. I don’t know. I can’t really explain it, but I don’t want things to change.”

“What if they changed for the better? Evelyn, I really think you’re being a little childish about your mother. You don’t give her enough credit. I think she’ll understand if you tell her you have goals different from hers.”

“Like the way your dad understands you?” Part of Evelyn knew changing the subject to William’s relationship with his dad was unfair, but she didn’t know what else to do.

“That’s totally different, and you know it. I was a fuckup a few years ago, and my dad just doesn’t understand that I’m not working as a line cook in a dead-end job. He knows fine dining, but he doesn’t believe I have what it takes to stick it out.”

“So, what you’re saying is he doesn’t respect you.”

“Quit it, Evelyn. I’m going to prove him wrong, but this has nothing to do with you and me, or even you and Ella.”

“I think it has everything to do with it.”

“Evelyn, I’m telling you I love you. I want us to be together. Is that so terrible?”

Evelyn stood up, flustered and frustrated. “I don’t know, Will. I can’t do this right now.”

“So what are you going to do? Just walk out?”

“That depends. Can you drop it?”

He shook his head and stood up, taking her face in his hands, just as he’d done in the shower not long before. “No. I can’t drop it. This is too important to me. You’re too important. I feel like if I don’t push you on this, you’ll just be content to leave things the way they are, and I want more.”

Evelyn stepped back, feeling like she was on the verge of a panic attack. “I have to go,” she said, knowing it wasn’t what William wanted to hear. “I need some time to think.”

William watched her gather her bag and clothes. “I’ll be here, Evelyn. You’re going to have to make your decisions, and so will I. I want you, but I won’t wait forever, and I won’t be your dirty little secret forever. I love you too much for that. I want more.”