Tease: A Stepbrother Romance (7 page)

I entered my room, which was connected to hers, and opened the door between our rooms, revealing the door on her side. Checking the knob, I found it locked.

“Sierra,” I said quietly. “Please let me in. We can figure out whatever’s wrong. Right now your mom is really worried about you.”

“Go away.”

“I’m coming in.”

The door was much lighter than the one facing the hall. I jiggled the knob and saw how the door wobbled in the frame. I pulled back and then pushed my weight into the door. The door rattled.

“What are you doing?!” she shrieked.

I backed up, lining myself up to the door. I knew I could get through with enough force.

“I told you,” I said. “I’m coming in.”

“Okay, okay, I give up.”

She unlocked the door and opened it. For a moment, she was just standing in the doorway. Her hair was loose and wild around her. She had on a simple dark purple dress with thin straps that hugged her in all the right places. I was frozen for that moment, unable to do anything but look at her, until she moved out of the doorway.

Sierra stood near the window, looking down at the wedding area, with her arms crossed over her chest like I had seen her do a million times before.

“Your mother sent me to find you.”

“I can’t go down there. She’ll be so disappointed.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t tell you, you’ll think it’s stupid.”

“The wedding is supposed to start soon. There’s no time for this, Sierra.”

As she turned to face me, I could see her eyes were a little red from crying. She walked past me and grabbed a flower from the table.

“This is the problem,” she said, holding up the flower. “My mom wanted me to wear a dahlia in my hair. She had a stylist here earlier who did my hair up with it, but I’m such a klutz that when I ran back here, I knocked it loose and couldn’t get it back in place. I ended up making my hair even more of a mess.”

“That’s it?”

“See, I told you you’d think it was stupid. Mom loves this ridiculous flower and if I came back with my hair down like this and without it, I know she’ll be really upset. It’s a bride thing.”

I took the flower from her and flipped it over to look at the clasp.

“And you said your hair was up?”

“Yes, there’s about a million bobby pins in the bathroom. I tried to fix it, but everything I did just made it worse. I didn’t realize how long I’ve been gone.” She entered the bathroom and shook her head in the mirror. “I need to just get back to my mom.”

Sierra’s eyes watered as she took the flower from me. I couldn’t bear to see her so upset.

“I can help you.”

“What?”

“I can fix your hair.”

“You’re crazy.”

“No, really, I can,” I said as I gathered the bobby pins from the bathroom counter. “My mom is a stylist. You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve helped her through the years.”

Sierra eyed me suspiciously. I took the flower, the bobby pins, and a bottle of styling product she had and set them on the desk and pulled out the desk chair.

“You still don’t trust me, do you?”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m not that stupid kid you knew years ago. I’m the guy who saved you from Dex the other day.”

“I didn’t need saving.”

“No? So you always scream no and fight? I’ll have to remember that.”

“How do I know that wasn’t a set up? Maybe you two planned it all so you could get some this weekend.”

“If I wanted to get some this weekend, I wouldn’t need my buddy to force himself on you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You think I don’t know? You think I don’t see how you look at me? You saved those pictures I texted you, didn’t you?”

She blushed and quickly looked away, folding her arms over her chest again.

“I can’t believe you! When did you see my phone?”

“I didn’t. But I think you’re looking at me the same way I’ve been looking at you.” I waited to see if she would say anything, but she didn’t. “If you sent me any picture of you, dressed or undressed, I would save it and look at it whenever you weren’t around. Especially if you were naked in it.”

I gave her my half smile as our eyes met and she laughed.

“Really?” she asked, moving closer.

“Yeah. Not only that, but they’d be looking for me today and not you.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I’d be having too much fun by myself with your picture.”

She laughed again and slapped my arm.

“Pervert,” she said.

“Now let me fix your hair. I promise you’ll look mahvelous, dahling,” I said, faking a European accent.

I pulled her hair back into a loose up-do so that some of her curls would frame her face the way I liked it. When I thought it looked good, I added the flower on the side of her hair, but towards the back where her hair was gathered. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough.

“What do you think?” I asked as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“Thank you so much, Jag. It looks even better than before.”

She hugged me, then grabbed her clutch and slipped her shoes back on. As we walked to the bride’s room, I slid my hand against her hand. I waited for her to pull away, but when she didn’t, I threaded my fingers between hers and moved closer to her so our shoulders were touching.

“Remember the day I left? What I said to you?”

Her body stiffened. She tried to pull her hand away, but I held it tighter.

“I was an idiot,” I said. “I let Dex coming over ruin what I thought was my last chance to tell you I thought you were pretty.”

“I hated you,” she said quietly. “All you ever did was make me miserable.”

Still holding her hand, I stopped walking and forced her to stop with me. I turned to face her as she looked at the ground, but I couldn’t get her to look at me. Gently, I touched her chin and lifted her face up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how bad I was until that day. I thought you knew I was joking around. You had no reason to think you were ugly, you were always one of the prettiest girls in school.” Her eyes widened, and I thought what a shame it was if no one had ever told her that before. “You’re beautiful, Sierra. I put the flower towards the back because people should see how gorgeous you are, not some dumb flower.”

I cupped her face with my hand and bent down until my lips touched hers. Her lips trembled then melted against mine. I wanted to pull her closer and to deepen the kiss, but it wasn’t the right time. Not when our parents were going to get married in a few minutes.

Pulling away, I softly stroked her cheek before we started walking again. Neither of us said a word. She smiled at me before entering the bride’s room and I continued down the hall to my dad.

~ Eight ~

Sierra

Holy shit!

I couldn’t believe what just happened. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it as I entered the bride’s room. My heart pounded in my chest and if I didn’t have the door to lean on, I was sure I would have dropped to the floor.

Mom came over to me with a look of relief. Her brow wrinkled for a moment as she touched a wisp of my hair by my cheek.

“You changed your hair,” she said. “I didn’t know you knew how to do that. It looks great. Sorry I had to send Jagger after you, but I was getting worried.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I lost track of the time.”

“You didn’t have to run back though.”

“Run?”

“Your face is flushed and your breathing is a little fast.”

“Oh that, yeah, I ran to get back as quickly as possible.”

If only she knew it was the effect Jagger’s kiss had on me. I wonder what she’d say?

Once we were outside, I spotted Jagger standing beside his dad under the floral canopy. I was wrong about him, really wrong. He was nothing like the stupid kid I remembered.

The guests turned in their seats to watch as I walked down the aisle. I glanced around for any familiar faces, but they were all blurred. Ahead of me was the wedding canopy, and I settled myself by focusing on Jagger’s blue eyes. Jagger smiled and held my gaze the entire time.

The ceremony was a blur. Whenever I looked back at Jagger, his eyes met mine. We exchanged looks and smiles throughout the ceremony and when it was over, we walked back up the aisle together with my arm through his.

I didn’t know what happened between us, but one thing I was sure about was that we would never be the same.

***

Phil and my mom had their reception in a small ballroom in the resort’s main building. The tables were small and surrounded a dance floor with a DJ. Jagger and I sat at a table with our parents, who looked very much in love.

Neither of our parents wanted to do the usual traditional thing, so I was surprised when the DJ came on and asked them to have their first dance together. As Phil stood to take her onto the dance floor, Mom leaned towards me.

“You have to get out there, too. I want everyone to dance with us,” she said.

I stared at her blankly as Jagger slipped his arm along the back of my chair.

“You heard your mother,” he said, grinning.

Mom and Phil quickly went to several other tables and recruited some other people to dance. When the DJ started a ballad, Phil took my mom in his arms. As he spun her, the other couples joined in and she pointed at me sternly.

Sighing, I stood and Jagger took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I was still confused about how I felt about him until I felt his hand firmly on my lower back. The warmth of his hand seeped through my dress and as much as I didn’t want it to happen, my body reacted and my nipples hardened.

“Are you chilly?” he whispered.

“Shut up.”

“You should have lied.”

He pressed me tighter against him, and I felt his stiff manhood against my abdomen. The image of him naked shot through my head as he chuckled. I moved back to make distance between us.

“I can’t believe you,” I said.

“What can’t you believe? That you want me as bad as I want you? Or how big I am?”

“Shut up.”

“I could go all night. And I’m not talking about dancing.”

“Shhh! Someone will hear you.”

His hand slid down to my ass and he pulled me closer against him. I knew he was just teasing me, I knew I shouldn’t like it, but I did.

“Are you wet?” he whispered. “Don’t play games for once, just answer me.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

I looked up at him, and he grinned back as he raised his eyebrows. I didn’t push him away this time. Instead, I kept an eye on our parents. Luckily they were too consumed with each other to notice us.

When the song ended, Jagger stepped back and a surge of cool air wrapped around me. I rubbed my arms to warm myself and cover my already obvious nipples.

“Coat check in five minutes,” Jagger said.

He didn’t wait for a response or give an explanation. He walked off the dance floor and out of the ballroom. He didn’t need to. I’d have to be an idiot to not understand what he was saying.

“Thank you for dancing with Jagger,” Mom said as I returned to the table. “I know how conflicted you are about him.”

“It’s okay. I might have been wrong about him.”

“See, I told you to just give him a chance.” She hugged me, then Phil whispered something in her ear and kissed her cheek. “You know I’m not big on tradition, but I do like the idea of the bride and groom slipping away quietly.”

“You’re leaving?”

She nodded. “Phil took care of all the arrangements for you and Jagger. We’re taking a plane to a more private island where we’ll spend the rest of our honeymoon. I’m sure you and Jagger will be fine on your own. You’re both adults.”