But I didn’t want to delude myself. Jeff was a serious businessman, and I was his secretary. We had separate hotel rooms. Nothing more.
After the lunch, Jeff changed from his business suit into Bermudas and a T-shirt. He wore sunglasses too, so I couldn’t see what he looked at. It was weird.
He smiled at me, and I wasn’t able to understand if it was a regular, polite smile, or a flirty one. I didn’t see his eyes, and it irritated me.
Especially when I left my room in a swimsuit and we met in the hotel lobby. Jeff was in his swimming trunks too, and I did my best not to stare at his magnificent muscles.
As for him, I didn’t know if he looked at my breasts in the new bikini or not. I wished he did, but I knew it wasn’t supposed to happen.
We went to the sea and had a swim. Then we laid on chaise longues to sunbathe a bit. Jeff’s bronze skin was covered with water drops, and I wished I took my sunglasses too. I wanted to stare at this amazing torso for ages. Without being noticed, of course.
“You look even better in your swimsuit,” Jeff suddenly said. “I loved your office dresses, but this one is gorgeous.”
I felt I was blushing again. Why did he do this to me? Why was he so nice?
“Thank you,” I said.
“But your cute little bikini won’t help you win a swim race,” he smiled cunningly.
“Want a bet?” I asked. I liked Jeff’s playful tone.
“I do!”
He got up at once and rushed to the sea. It was too quick for me, but I didn’t want to lose so easily. I followed him and dipped into the salty water. Jeff was already far away, but I caught up with him in a minute.
“You call this a race? It’s a snail's pace!” I teased him.
He gave a splash; my hair was wet.
“What are you doing?” I was jokingly angry.
“It’s your prize,” Jeff explained and winked.
He splashed me up again.
“The first prize,” he added.
I wouldn’t let him get away with murder. I did the same, and now it was Jeff’s turn to screw up his eyes.
When we got back to the beach, we were both out of breath.
“You’re so quick! I can’t believe one can swim like that,” Jeff said, panting.
I smiled.
“I grew up by the ocean. So nothing new here in the sea.”
Jeff laughed. He didn’t put his sunglasses on, so I could see his eyes. Jeff was looking at me thoughtfully, and I felt tingles down my spine.
In the evening he gave me a call and suggested having dinner. I went out of my room in a new dress; it was a bit more revealing than my usual office dresses, but not too slutty. I didn’t want Jeff to think I was flirting. Or did I? I was confused.
He took me to a restaurant by the sea, and we chose a table on the terrace. The stars were blinking in the dark night sky; the sea was quietly whispering; we were alone. The seafood smells were so inviting that I couldn’t wait to order. Jeff smiled at my haste.
“You’ll love the oysters. They are the freshest here,” he said.
“I’ve never tried them.”
“Really? You’re so cute.”
I think he enjoyed my delight about the trip; he loved my inexperienced, surprised look. I wished I could show him I wasn’t so inexperienced in something else…
Chapter 3
After the dinner, he took my hand.
“We should have a stroll along the sea. It’s very special in the night.”
I nodded, hiding my smile. He was holding my hand!
We left the restaurant and came down to the beach.
“So this is your first time in France, right?” Jeff asked.
“It is.”
“How do you like it?”
“So far it’s amazing. The oysters were delicious! And I just love listening to French people. Such a beautiful language!” I replied.
“Do you want to learn a couple of French words?”
I could hardly see his face expression in the semi-darkness of the night beach, but his tone was playful again.
“I do!”
“Je t’adore,” he said. “Do you know what it means?”
I had a vague idea.
“It means I adore you.”
He drew closer and took both my hands. Now I could see his eyes clearly.
“And I do. I like you so much, Linda,” he said, leaning over to me.
It was a long kiss, and I wanted it to last forever. Jeff caressed my back and then suddenly went on, kissing my neck. He obviously wanted more, and I… I dreamt of it too.
I didn’t want to ask myself if this affair was going to continue back home, and I didn’t want to think that Jeff was my boss and my step-brother. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. I just longed to feel Jeff’s hands on my bare skin…
We were too far from the hotels and the public beaches; I could only see the cliffs and hear the sea; nobody would see us. Jeff took out a towel (so he had a plan!) and laid it on the sand.
The next moment, I realized I lay on the towel and Jeff slipped the shoulder-strap of my dress down. He kissed me and kissed as if he couldn’t get enough, and the world was spinning around.
The whispering sea, the dark sky above us, the tiny sparkles of the stars, the faraway town lights… I just pressed myself to Jeff and wished this night never ended.
The next morning, I woke as if nothing happened. When I opened my eyes and saw the window of my hotel room, I just thought it was another usual (French!) day. Then I suddenly remembered.
Josh and I! Last night there was something between us! Between us, colleagues, and, even worse, siblings. Well, step-siblings, so to say, but…
I got up as quickly as I could. I washed my face, got dressed, put my makeup on and then panicked. What if he fires me? What if it was just a one night adventure? What if today he says it was a big mistake and he can’t look at me like he used to?
When I got down to the hotel restaurant, I was trembling. We didn’t sleep together after we returned from the beach; we parted. It was a bad sign.
I saw Jeff at one of the tables. He was drinking coffee.
“Linda! Over here!” he waved to me.
Is everything fine? Or does he want to have a big talk?
He smiled, when I came up to his table and sat down.
“It was a wild night, don’t you think?” he asked.
I didn’t know what to say. It was, but I obviously drank too much at dinner and that’s why I couldn’t remember well what happened after the beach. Or was I too tired? We came back to the hotel in the middle of the night, and the things we did at the beach were just crazy…
“Why didn’t you come to my room? You said you wanted to take a shower and then…”
Remembered it. I took a shower, put on my ‘sexy’ nightie and… just fell asleep on my bed. Oh yes, I was exhausted after the beach…
“Oh, Jeff, I’m so sorry!” I said.
“I hope it doesn’t mean that you want to dump me?” he smiled.
I was surprised. He wanted to go on!
“You see, it’s a bit complicated,” I said.
“I know. That’s why we need to talk,” he looked serious.
I made a deep breath.
“Office romances are forbidden in my company,” Jeff explained. “So we will have to keep everything in secret.”
“I see your point.”
Jeff was serious again.
“I’m sorry, I was too fast. I haven’t asked you.”
“About what?”
“What do you think of us?”
Jeff looked so cute, being so obviously anxious. A big boss was shy as a schoolboy now.
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” I couldn’t hold my smile. “Do you remember that we are siblings?”
“We are not,” Jeff looked a bit relieved by my smile. “Step-siblings, to be precise.”
“And here is another argument to keep everything in secret.”
H
e brushed against my cheekbone.
“Linda, I really want our last night to be just the first one. I’m mad about you. Mad about your smile, about your voice, about your skin… Your curves, your lips, your fingers…” he held my hand. “I was waiting for the night together since we met.”
“Wait,” I narrowed my lids. “This French trip and everything… Did you plan it?”
“Of course I did!” he smiled cunningly. “I needed to sign a contract.”
“You know what I mean,” I sounded severe.
“Well, don’t ruin all the romance. Don’t you like it here?”
“I do. And I loved the beach especially,” I admitted.
“Me too.”
He drew closer and kissed me over the table. My head was spinning again.
“Just tell me why you left yesterday. You didn’t come back to me…” he said looking in my eyes.
“I just…” I chuckled. “I fell asleep.”
He laughed too.
“I won’t let you sleep tonight,” he warned.
“Why wait?” I winked.
“Good point, Linda!”
He took my hand and got up.
“Wait, I haven’t had my breakfast!” I said.
“Are you really hungry?”
I wasn’t. Well… I was, but in another sense.
When we entered Jeff’s room, he put his hand round my waist.
“I’ve never had such an adorable secretary before,” he said, closing the door.
“Really?”
He nodded.
“And no sisters like you.”
I laughed.
“You know we are not supposed to do it.”
“I do. Forbidden fruit…” he said.
He was right. I fell for him the very moment he entered the office hall, on my first day at work. Or was it earlier? Catching a glimpse of his silhouette in our new house, I didn’t believe such a handsome guy would look at me. He must have thousands of girlfriends. And we are family, after all.
Now I saw what Jeff meant: a fire burnt inside of me when I thought of having an affair with my step-brother, my boss. I knew nobody would approve of our love, but I couldn’t but kiss Jeff again and again.
There was something unbelievably attractive in the idea of secret relationships. Something teasing. Something incredibly hot. A desire which is not allowed.
“You know, it will be difficult for me to work side by side with you after all that,” Jeff said, smiling.
“What about the lunch break?” I asked. “Forget about the food. We can find a better use for this hour.”
Jeff laughed.
“You are so right!”
***
Stepbrother: Forbidden Cravings: Stepbrother Romance Boxed Set Page 13
