I sip the wine, relishing the way my brain seems to open up more and not feel the need to repress everything, every thought, and feeling. I know it’s my inhibitions slowly being peeled away, but for the first time, I don’t mind it.
Scraping the last of my food onto my fork, I take a bite and lean back, grabbing the glass and taking another long sip for good measure. “I have to admit, guys, that was pretty damn delicious.”
“Anything for you, princess,” Drew laughs, draining the last bit of his wine.
I roll my eyes but laugh anyway.
“It’s a pretty nice night out…” Dylan begins, nodding his head toward the back door.
“…it would be a shame to waste it. Why don’t we take a quick dip in the pool?” Drew finishes, looking directly at me.
I swallow hard. It just so happens that my bathing suits are all in the washer at the moment, along with everyone else’s—I threw them in as a favor to my Mom, this afternoon. But they’re both right. It would really be such a shame to waste a nice night like this. “I’m game,” I say, finishing my wine before pushing away from the table.
We make our way out to the back deck where the moonlight is shining on the placid surface of the pool. Not a cloud in the sky and all the stars seem to be shining extra bright tonight—or maybe it’s just the wine.
Dane’s the first to shed his clothes, jumping in wearing just his boxer-briefs, letting out a loud whoop before he goes under. Water explodes upward, showering the rest of us as we shriek.
Dylan’s next, wiggling his eyebrows at me before diving in too, clad only in his underwear. I try to pretend I’m not waiting for Drew, but he’s standing closer to me than the other two were, and I can see the gleam in his eyes. He’s not getting in until I do.
My underwear isn’t so different from my black bikini. I don’t look away as I peel my shirt up and over my head. I quickly kick off my jeans and walk over to the diving board while the other two already in the pool cheer me on. Part of me says that maybe mixing two and a half glasses of wine and a large meal with diving into the deep end probably isn’t such a good idea, but my wine soaked brain doesn’t really care.
If anything goes wrong, at least I have my three big stepbrothers here to take care of me. That’s what they’ve been doing if I’m honest with myself. The driving me around. The cooking me dinner—all of it has been for my benefit.
I position myself just like Richard taught me and dive in as gracefully as I can, the water hitting me in a rush as I sink beneath it. A moment later I’m emerging slowly, flipping my head back like I always see the women do in movies, letting my long hair fan out and throw water every which way.
“I give it an 8,” Dylan jokes, swimming past me.
“At least an 8 and a half,” Dane says.
“That was a total ten and you know it!” I laugh, shoving water at both Dane and Drew who’s now hopped into the pool, too.
But I’m the little sister, and a split second later water is coming at me from all sides it seems until someone has swum between my legs and lifted me up onto their shoulders. I desperately hold on to the broad set of shoulders and look down to see Dane laughing as he carries me around.
“Chicken fight!” Dylan yells, trying to hop up on Drew, but Drew just shoves him off as soon as he makes it halfway up.
“No way, man. You aren’t riding on me like a damn horse. Besides, I bet we can knock Milly off easy.”
I put my hands on my hips and stick my tongue out at him. “That’s what you think.”
After being pushed into the water more times than I can count, I finally give up, laughing as I swim away from them. All the alcohol is thrumming through me, my body feeling heavier now after splashing and playing around so much. I shake the water from my ears and swim up to the far edge of the pool, in need of a reprieve.
Grabbing hold of the cement and tiled edge, I lean my head against it, catching my breath, enjoying the coolness against my face. The water moves behind me or maybe I’m just so tired that I imagine it. I close my eyes and tell myself it would not be a good idea to fall asleep right here.
There’s more movement behind me and this time I know I’m not imagining it. And when someone moves the swirling dark cloud of hair away from my neck, I freeze, a bolt of insane electricity coursing through me as lips kiss the soft wet skin where my neck meets my shoulder.
5
My eyes fly open wide. Everything inside of me, even the intoxicated parts of me, they all seize up. I don’t know which one is the guys it is, and as lips brush against the back my neck so softly again, I find myself struggling to remember how to breathe.
Whoever it is, brushes their fingertip across my shoulder, and then that’s when I realize. It’s Drew. His touch is the same tonight as it was in the car, and it feels amazing. My nerve endings tingle up my neck and over the top of my head. Clearing my throat, it’s damn near impossible to pretend as though what he’s doing isn’t affecting me in a million different ways. “What are you doing?” I whisper, my breath coming in erratically.
Instead of answering me, Drew just keeps kissing my neck, his warm mouth against my cold damp skin leaves goosebumps all up and down my body. My heart is in my throat. I don’t know what to do because I want this. I want it so bad I’m having to clamp my lips shut to stop myself from moaning. I ball my fists so that I don’t reach out behind me and grab onto which ever part of his gorgeous body I can lay my hands on. I’m torn between letting him continue because it feels so damn amazing, and coming to my senses and smacking the shit out of him because what he’s doing is so wrong. I’m torn because this is completely crazy and I know it, but my body hasn’t gotten the memo.
I stare straight ahead into the bushes, willing myself to do something, anything. Drew’s hands find my hips, his fingertips press into my hip bones lightly, and judging by the way he presses himself against my ass, well, he’s definitely enjoying this.
My eyes flutter shut again, even as I grip onto the edge of the pool tighter. If I don’t hurry up and do something, I’m going to lose my ever-loving mind…
He brushes the rest of my hair away from my other shoulder, his mouth leaving a warm trail along my skin, up to the nape of my neck and around to my earlobe, and there’s no sign of him stopping. When I feel Drew’s teeth graze against my ear I shudder. The boy has moves, but I knew he would. I’ve heard enough amazingly filthy rumors about him and his brothers to be pretty confident that he’d know his way around a woman’s body.
A splash behind us suddenly pulls me out of my foggy haze. What about Dylan and Dane? What would they say if they saw us over here in this compromising position? With they tell Richard and my mom? Would they even give a damn, to begin with? Maybe they’ll just hop out of the pool and let Drew carry on.
The splashing gets louder until I realize the other two aren’t just dipping out of the pool like I hoped they would. No, the water stirs on either side of me and Drew and I realize they’re surrounding me. All rational thoughts escape me as I feel both Dane and Dylan’s warm lips on either shoulder, their breath mingling with mine.
What the hell is going on? I want to say something, but I can’t find the words. My heart seems to stutter as each of them slips their hands around me, holding me in between them. I draw in a quick breath, tilting my head up to the sky, biting my lip. Is any of this even real? Even in my wildest dreams, I could never imagine how being between them would feel.
Someone, Dylan I think, skirts his hand around my waist and over my hip, grasping me tightly, while Drew behind me slides his hands up my rib cage. Dane cups the side of my face as he places kiss after kiss against my collarbone. All three of them touching me, kissing me, it’s like I’m in some sort of drug-induced fantasy. Someone’s hand slides along the curve of my ass, squeezing lightly. “Mm, Mills. You’re so sexy,” Drew mumbles from behind me.
My eyes snap open. While we were silent it’s as though I could pretend that it wasn’t really happening. With my eyes clo
sed everything felt dream-like, but Drew’s words have woken up. I swivel around, breathing hard, taking in the sight of the three of them wearing matching dazed looks, smiles wide as hell.
I swallow hard as I come to the realization of how seriously fucked this is, pushing past all three of them quickly before swimming to the pool steps, desperate to get away from this huge mistake we were making. Drew calls after me, but I don’t turn. The breath heaves in and out of my chest, my heart racing overtime. What the hell was I thinking? How could I have let something like that happened? It was the alcohol. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t thinking straight, I think. But even as I say it in my mind, I know I’m lying to myself. I wanted Drew to kiss me. I wanted my stepbrothers to touch me and that realization hits me hard. What kind of woman am I to have these desires?
I grab a towel on the way upstairs to my room, dripping water all over the floor, but I don’t care. I slam the door shut behind me and lock it even though it’s probably not necessary. Sitting on the edge of my bed wrapped in the big towel, I try to get a hold of myself.
What am I going to do? There is no way I can face them now after what happened. There won’t be any more lifts to college or friendly dinners. This shit just got real in a way that we can’t come back from. I groan, putting my hands over my face as my cheeks heat at the memories. How can something that felt so good now seem so utterly mortifying? What would mom and Richard think if they found out?
A million questions and scenarios rush through my mind and I die a little more inside with each one.
Oh god.
But as I finally find the wherewithal to get up and get showered, the recent memory of Drew, Dylan, and Dane touching me and kissing me at the same time flashes brightly in my mind and my body comes alive all over again.
I know it was wrong, but I also know that it is a memory I will carry with me forever.
6
At some point, I pass out on the bed, still wearing my towel. Stupid. My eyes are bleary as they take in the soggy covers and sheets beneath me. I groan as I strip the bed, unsure of whether or not I should take everything downstairs and throw it in the washing machine or not. Chances are if I go downstairs again I might run into one of my stepbrothers, and God knows what will happen if I do.
But glancing at my phone, I see it’s already one in the morning. Maybe I’ll get lucky and no one will be downstairs. Behind my eyes, my brain is throbbing, my temples pounding. Looks like I don’t have much of a choice in the matter. I desperately need some water and painkillers for this stupid hangover I’m already nursing. I shake my head as I find some pajamas and throw my hair up into a messy damp bun.
Before I open the door, I listen closely to make sure I don’t hear anything from downstairs. There’s no light coming from underneath my door. Maybe I’m right and everyone is already in bed.
I tiptoe down the steps as carefully as I can, not wanting to wake anyone up just in case. I even slowly pull open the cabinet to search for the aspirin I know mom keeps around here somewhere.
The kitchen is completely dark, but I fumble around until I grab a glass and reach for the refrigerator to pour some water. I didn’t realize I was so damn tired. I guess the wine didn’t help much.
Standing at the kitchen island, I look out over the rest of the kitchen and dining room, clear through to the other side of the house where the living room is. Taking a few more sips of water, I can’t help but wonder what in the world could’ve been going through Drew’s mind today.
Sure, there is always been plenty of teasing from the guys ever since our parents got together, but never anything like this before. And why me? I’m just some sophomore in college who hardly resembles any of the usual types of girls they chose. Why would they be interested in someone like me? Is this just some kind of huge joke there playing on me? Because if it is…
Suddenly a pair of eyes are regarding me from the end of the couch in the living room, and I realize I’m not alone. I nearly dropped my glass of water and trying haul ass out of the kitchen, but the couch groans as one of the guys hop up out of it, quickly following behind me. I barely manage make it to the steps when I feel a large hand take mine in it, tugging me backward.
I turn to see Drew’s face only inches from mine. The expression on it is so intense, I swear to God I can see the fire in his eyes reflected back at me.
“What are you doing, Drew? Let me go.” I try to yank my hand out of his, but it’s clear to me he has no plan to let me go just yet.
“There’s no need to get scared and run off, Mills. It’s just me.”
It might just be him, but that means something a whole lot different right now than it did 24 hours ago.
He edges me back until I’m up against the far kitchen wall, gazing up at him. Stuck between him and the wall, I can’t help but feel vulnerable. He’s so much taller than me. So much bigger. His thick arms, the ones that led him to becoming a star quarterback on the field, are like iron bars on either side of me. He’s pinned me up against the wall and there’s nowhere to go from here.
Drew’s breath ghosts across my face, his warmth radiates from his huge toned body. In the dim light filtering in from the kitchen window I can just make out the lines of his face, and his eyes trained on my mouth.
I can’t let him win again, not this time. “I said let me go.” My voice is quiet, my tone not really as definite as it should be to match my words.
Drew just shakes his head. “Don’t pretend like you don’t want this, Mills. I can feel your heart beating. I can see it in your eyes.”
Huffing, I try to look away from him, but he’s everywhere, completely taking over my field of vision. He’s right though. My heart is pounding and when I look at him I can feel the intensity in my own gaze. There is too much desire in my heart to conceal. The only way to deal with this safely is to stay the hell away from my stepbrothers which isn’t gonna be easy at all.
“I don’t get this, Drew,” I say. “I don’t get what you’re trying to do here. I’m not some toy you can pick up and play with whenever you feel like it.” The words come out cool, but on the inside, I’m shaking. With every breath, I take in his scent. Whichever way I turn, he’s there, looming over me with his huge, gorgeous chest and arms that are like perfectly sculpted marble. This close to me, in this intimate of a position…well, I don’t know if I can stand it much longer not touching him the way he touched me before.
Drew shakes his head, a frown forming between his eyebrows. “I don’t get how you can think that way, Mills. Don’t you feel this?” He bends and skims my cheek with his lips.
I feel it everywhere and shiver like a bitch in heat. I’m so mortified.
“I know you feel it,” he continues. “I know you want it too…the way you let us kiss you…” He presses himself up against me until I can feel his heart beating against me. It’s racing just as fast as mine and that scares me even more. We can’t do this. I can’t let this go further. I just can’t.
I fix my jaw, even as my hands itch to touch him. “You don’t know a damn thing about what I want, Drew. I would never… I could never…” I finally shake my head and try to slip out from underneath his arms. I need to get away but he’s not giving up. He’s not buying my argument even a little bit. My heart is pounding faster than before, and as Drew pulls me back to where he had me pinned, my body feels like it’s coming alive for the first time.
I meet his gaze slowly, taking him in inch by inch. There’s so much of him, and he knows it, too. His sheer dominance over me in this moment is exactly what I want deep inside. In my darkest fantasies, I imagine his hands gripping my wrists, his thighs nudging mine apart. I’ve seen this man on the football field. He’s a force to be reckoned with, even up against the biggest opponents. I don’t have a chance in hell if he won’t let me go. The corner of his mouth quirks up until he’s smiling down at me, melting what little resolve I have.
I pull up an image of my mom in my head. What would she think? “This is wrong,”
I hiss at him, weaker than I want to sound. “All of you were wrong. What were you thinking?”
Drew sighs, as if he’s already thought it over. “You have no idea. Ever since you moved into the house I can’t think about anything else. Just you, Milly.”
It’s damn near impossible to push away what he’s said when his voice sounds so sexy and his eyes look so earnest. He thinks about me? If he’s thinking the kind of things that I find myself fantasizing about then we are in deep trouble. Family breaking trouble.
I try and pull away again. “You can’t say things to me like that, Drew. You mustn’t.”
His eyes scan my face again as though he’s trying to read whether my expression matches my words. He must see that it doesn’t because he gently tilts my chin up again. “But I have to, don’t you understand? I want you to know how I feel about you… I want to show you how I feel about you. Just let me show you, Mills.” He whispers my name at the end and I shiver at the way it sounds. Like chocolate dripping from his full lips. We're standing so close, and as he bends down I feel myself turning to putty. The hand I have on his chest should push him away but it doesn’t. My mouth should tell him not to do what I can tell he’s about to do, but it doesn’t. I stand as still as a statue and wait as his grip on my waist tightens and his lips find mine in the half-light.
It’s too much.
It’s not enough.
Soft yet demanding. I melt against him as he takes over all control and shows me exactly what he’s been wanting to do.
My fantasies were nothing compared to this.
I moan as he pushes me harder against the wall, his hips grinding against me, his mouth parting my lips with ease. Everything about him is so damn hot, so powerful, it leaves me feeling both vulnerable and safe all at once. I kiss him back greedily, the thrill of the forbidden racing through me and lacing every touch with delicious guilt. My hands have a mind of their own, seeking out his biceps, loving the way his smooth skin is pulled so tight over his bulging muscles. As his hands slide up my waist, under my tank top, I quickly draw in a breath. They are searingly hot, blazing over my skin as I lose myself in the slide of his tongue against mine.
HUGE 3D: A MFMM MENAGE STEPBROTHER ROMANCE (HUGE SERIES Book 5) Page 3
