Mine - A Stepbrother Romance

by Daire, Caitlin

  I rolled my eyes. Of course she was. I was ninety-nine percent sure she was fucking him, but I had no hard evidence of it. Otherwise I’d go straight to Roy and tell him. Unfortunately, without proof there was no point. She’d deny it all, Roy would believe her, and I’d just be the bastard of a son who tried to destroy his own mother’s supposedly happy marriage.

  “I think…I need to go to bed,” Arizona said from my side, clutching at my shirt.

  “She drank a little too much at dinner,” I explained.

  Jan raised her eyebrows and gave me a knowing smile. “Right. Well, have fun, kids. Don’t get into too much trouble.”

  I escorted Arizona up the stairs, and she continued to cling to my shirt, each footstep uneasy.

  “That was our housekeeper,” she announced a moment later.

  “Er…yeah, I know,” I replied, my forehead creased with confusion. “I live here too, remember?”

  She giggled into her palm. “I know. I just meant…like…I have a housekeeper!”

  “You are literally the drunkest person I have ever seen,” I said. “No more wine for you, ever again.”

  She broke away from my grip and sprinted up the hallway, and I dashed after her. Stopping next to an old painting by some long-dead French guy, she turned back around and looked at me, her legs wobbling.

  “See? Look at all this stuff! It’s like I live in a palace now!”

  I chuckled. It was kinda cute how after all this time she was still so enthralled by the trappings and comforts of having money and living in a big house. Everything seemed to amaze her. It was like she was a baby seeing the world for the first time. In a way, I guess she was seeing the world for the first time; the elite world, that is. Most people never got the chance.

  She did another twirl in the hallway and almost tripped over, and I held my hands out to steady her.

  “I think I might need to be carried again,” she said.

  “I figured.”

  I picked her up and pushed her door open with my foot, once again trying to ignore the fact that my hand was cupping her ass. Unfortunately, my dick was all too aware, stiffening and straining against the zipper to my pants as I lifted her onto the bed.

  “Wait,” she said weakly. “I can’t sleep in my damp clothes. Where are my pajamas?”

  She propped herself up on her elbows and blearily looked around, and I held my hands up. “It’s okay, stay there. I’ll find something.”

  I stepped into her walk-in closet and switched on the light, quickly rummaging through her clothes. I couldn’t find a nightie or any other kind of sleepwear, but I did find a pale blue silk kimono robe. Good enough.

  “Hey, will this do?” I asked, stepping out with the robe.

  Holy shit. Arizona was naked.

  She’d pulled off all her clothes and tossed them to the side of the bed, and now she was standing up on the floor to the side of it. I opened my mouth a couple of times to say something but nothing came out, and I stared at her like a mentally-challenged goldfish for a full minute. I’d seen plenty of naked chicks before, but none of them had affected me like this.

  Christ, she was perfect. Her tits were round and especially perky for their size, but not so much that they looked like the fake bolted-on silicone things that so many chicks had these days. Her nipped-in waist curved out to perfect hips that I desperately wanted to grab, and I resisted the urge to stride over, throw her on the bed and spank her curvy ass for being such a tease.

  My cock practically felt like it was about to explode right then and there, and I averted my eyes, trying to look anywhere but at her. “What are you doing, Arizona?” I asked.

  Fuck, it was so hard to keep my eyes off her. I slowly approached her, holding the robe out in front of me so that her body was hidden behind it, and she murmured breathlessly.

  “I know you want to kiss me again…just like you did at that party,” she said. “So why don’t you?”

  She wasn’t wrong, but it would be wrong for me to do it. I wanted nothing more than to touch her, feel her, taste her…but I couldn’t bring myself to even entertain the idea of actually doing it while she was this wasted. She was a virgin, and while she wasn’t acting like it at the moment, I knew there had to be a reason behind why she’d held onto her virginity for so long. It was obviously something she considered special, so I wrapped the robe around her and gently rebuffed her.

  She pouted. “What’s wrong?” she said. She was still slurring her words, and it sounded more like ‘whatsshh wrong?’

  “It’s not going to happen,” I said. “You’re drunk. You need to go to sleep.”

  I gently pushed her back towards the bed, and she grumbled and climbed under the sheets, staring up at me. Her expression was pure disappointment, like I’d just rejected her because I wasn’t attracted to her, which wasn’t the case. Hell no.

  “I know you’re mad at me now, but trust me, you’d be even madder with yourself tomorrow if I did anything to you tonight,” I said.

  She reached out, trying to grope at my crotch in the hopes that it’d change my mind, and I captured her hand in mine and then sat down. “Sleep it off, Arizona.”

  “Fine,” she replied, yawning and curling up in a ball. Even with her eyes closed, she still looked pissed. Oh well. The price we pay for doing the right thing…

  “Hey, I forgot to ask,” I said, squeezing her hand. “You were meant to tell me what I did to rub you the wrong way when we first met.”

  She opened her eyes again and half sat up. “How about you rub me the right way and I’ll tell you?”

  I chuckled and shook my head. Even while absolutely wasted, she was still capable of coming up with witty one-liners.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow instead,” I said.

  “No, it’s okay,” she replied with a sigh, lying back down and closing her eyes. “I’ll tell you. Remember how we met at the benefit for the hotel I was working at?”

  “Yeah?” I said, quickly checking my watch. It was only 8:30. Talk about a wild night…or not.

  She didn’t answer, and I turned back to face her. “Arizona?”

  But she was already dead to the world, her perfect chest slowly rising and falling as she breathed in and out. One arm was splayed out by her side, and her lips were slightly parted. Even though she was snoring a little bit, she still looked and sounded like a sleeping angel, and I sat and watched her for a moment before gently moving a loose strand of hair off her face and tucking it behind her ear. Then I pulled the blankets up over the sheets, making sure she was nicely tucked in before leaning down and lightly touching my lips to her forehead.

  “Night, Arizona.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ARIZONA

  Sunlight crept through my curtains, and I groggily opened my eyes. Thank god it was Saturday and I didn’t have to work. As memories from the previous night flooded back, I groaned and sat up, searching my room for Mason. He wasn’t there.

  “Oh, crap,” I said out loud, my cheeks flushing as I recalled what I’d done.

  We’d had a perfectly nice dinner, and Mason had been surprisingly great. He’d spent hours listening to my problems, offered up advice and even shared intimate details of his own life. I’d found myself wondering whether or not Ewan had even been right when he’d thought Mason had insinuated I was a prostitute all those weeks ago at the Rosewood. Surely someone who could be so nice in person wouldn’t go around soliciting random women at functions like that. Besides, I hadn’t even seen Mason with any girls in the entire time I’d been living here in Newport, let alone any ladies of the night.

  While I’d gotten wildly drunk last night, he’d taken care of me. He’d dragged me out of the pouring rain when I’d insisted on dancing under it like a loon for a ridiculous period of time, and then he’d carried me to the car and brought me all the way here to my bed. And what had I done?

  I’d totally humiliated myself.

  I’d stripped off all my clothes while he was hunting for pa
jamas for me to wear, and then I’d practically begged him to kiss me…and more. A lot more. It was absolutely mortifying. I doubted I would even be able to look him in the eye after that incident.

  I lay back down and buried my head under my pillow, never wanting to leave my bed again. I didn’t even feel all that hungover; it was mostly just regret making my head pound. What the hell had I been thinking? I couldn’t believe he’d turned me down, but I was sure as hell glad he had. Otherwise I would have waited all these years only to drunkenly lose my virginity on a whim…to my stepbrother, no less.

  Imagine telling that story to the grandkids fifty years from now.

  I finally sat up again and turned my head to the side. There was a silver tray sitting on one of my bedside tables with an almond croissant and a glass of orange juice, along with two Advils. I reached over to grab the glass when I noticed a little note behind it.

  A – Hope you aren’t too hungover. Roy needed some help at the office, so I’m heading up there for a bit. Talk to you later. – M

  I downed the juice before attacking the croissant, and getting some food in my belly definitely improved my mood. As I chewed, I wondered about that night at the Rosewood again. Could Ewan have really gotten something so wrong? I’d never actually asked him exactly what Mason had said that night. Maybe he’d meant something entirely different and Ewan had simply misinterpreted. After all, Mason had really shown himself to be a decent guy last night. He could’ve had me, but he’d stopped short of claiming me in the most intimate way a man could, all because he cared. Not many guys could leash their desire like that.

  My phone buzzed a few minutes later, and I picked it up and looked at the screen. Speak of the devil. It was Ewan.

  “Hey!” I said. “What’s up? I was just thinking about you.”

  “Morning,” he replied. “I was thinking about you too. Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I’m in Newport,” he said. “Had to visit my aunty, and she lives here. Wanna hang out?”

  “Of course!” I said. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

  “I invited Tina along too, seeing as I figured you’d wanna catch up, but she’s sick again. There’s yet another flu making the rounds in Leyton at the moment.”

  “Aw, poor Tina. I spoke to her the other day and she did mention she was feeling a bit off. Anyway, there’s this little diner I’ve discovered near Washington Square. Do you want to go there for brunch?”

  “Sure. Do they have milkshakes?”

  “Yup. I’ll text you directions and meet you there at say…ten-thirty?”

  “It’s a date. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”

  I wasn’t sure if I could really handle too much dairy right now after all the gelato I’d had last night, but I was sure as hell going to try. I hadn’t seen any of my old friends for ages, so catching up just like we did in old times would be great, even if it meant downing a malted milkshake on a weak stomach.

  I felt considerably better after showering and brushing my teeth, and by ten o’clock it felt like the previous night’s excesses were a distant memory. I was still going to stay away from wine for a while, though. Apparently it turned me into a horny maniac.

  I arrived at the little café ten minutes early, and as I sat there waiting, my cell phone vibrated. It was a text from Mason: Where are you? Just got back from the office.

  Out at brunch with Ewan. Used to work with him at the hotel in Leyton. He’s visiting, I replied.

  My phone immediately buzzed again with his reply: Is that the tall curly-haired dude I gave the note to that night?

  What note? What are you talking about? I replied.

  The one I asked him to give to you at the Rosewood. Remember?

  I still had no clue what he was talking about, and I was about to text back when I heard a familiar voice.

  “There she is!”

  I looked up to see Ewan, and I squealed and jumped up. It was so great to see a familiar old face in my new world. “Oh my god! It’s so good to see you!”

  “You too.” He grinned and sat down across from me at the booth. “Cool place.”

  “Yeah, I discovered it the other week. It’s one of the only non-pretentious cafés I could find in this town. Is it too much to ask that I don’t want truffle oil infused into everything I eat?”

  He chuckled. “Won’t find much truffle oil back in Leyton.”

  “Yeah, thank god. Although I have to say, I don’t miss it much. Aside from you guys, of course.”

  “Well, we miss you too,” he replied. “But I can understand why you’d wanna stay here. New Dad and all. So how’s that all going?”

  The waiter came and took our orders, and Ewan and I caught up while we waited for our milkshakes and fries to arrive. When they did, I sipped on my straw and then looked up at him.

  “It’d be so cool if you and Tina both lived here too,” I said, dreamy expression on my face. “We could all hang out just like old times. Remember how we used to go to the diner and get milkshakes like this after school? Before I worked there, anyway.”

  “Yeah. Well…you know, I was actually thinking of moving here,” he replied.

  “You were? Why?”

  He leaned in closer. “Like you said, it’d be awesome. Even if Tina isn’t here, just the two of us is fine. I hate not being able to spend time with you anymore.”

  I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable. I was getting a vaguely ‘interested’ vibe from what he was saying, but surely I was mistaken. I’d known him for years, and not once had he ever expressed an interest in me. Suddenly I remembered the text message Mason had sent to me, and I changed the subject.

  “Hey…remember that night at the gala? Mason just said the weirdest thing. He said he gave you some note to give me. What’s that about?”

  Ewan looked flustered. “Hmm? Oh...err…yeah, he did,” he said.

  His tone was reluctant, as if he were uncomfortable with me bringing it up. That couldn’t be good…

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me? What was it?”

  He shrugged. “Guess I can tell you now. It was his number and some note saying he’d love to hear from you. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to see you running off with some rich douchebag like him. I know what guys like him are like. But now…well, now he’s your brother, so you can’t anyway.”

  A beatific smile spread across his face, and I knitted my eyebrows together. “Wait. All that stuff you said about him calling me a hooker and trying to buy me for the night or whatever. Was any of that true?”

  He had the good grace to look slightly ashamed. “No. But you know what guys like him are like. It was implied.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” I replied through gritted teeth.

  “Look, can you just get over it? Like I said, he’s your brother now anyway. It’s not like anything would ever happen between you. And I’m here now.”

  He reached across the table and grabbed my hand, and I jerked away from him.

  “No! I can’t believe you lied to me. All because of…what?”

  I already had a more-than sneaking suspicion, but I wanted to hear him say it. There was a pregnant silence for a moment, and he finally spoke.

  “Because I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time,” he said, each word careful and measured. “And I didn’t want to see you get hurt by getting involved with some sleazy, rich asshole.”

  “Oh, so you like me so much that you lied to me and trashed a guy who didn’t even do anything just to keep me away from him? That’s bullshit, Ewan. You know, Mason is actually a pretty decent guy.”

  “I’m sorry, okay? Really. Can we just move on?”

  “No, I can’t just ‘move on’ from being lied to for no good reason. I’ve been treating Mason like garbage for weeks now, and it’s all because of you. God, he must think I’m insane!”

  “Please?”

  He went to grab my hand again but pulled it back quickly when a fist slammed down in
the middle of the table. The sound startled me, and I looked up to see who it was.

  It was Mason. And he looked pissed.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MASON

  “Get away from her,” I snarled. “Or I’ll snap your fucking neck.”

  Okay, so that was a bit of an overreaction, but seeing the way this guy was all over Arizona and pressing her for more set me off. She’d clearly said no multiple times, and the douchebag was still pushing it.

  He stood up. “This is none of your business, man.”

  “This is my fucking business,” I said, my hands curling into fists by my side. “When I see some guy harassing my stepsister after she’s quite clearly said no, then it’s my job to step in. Arizona, do you want him around?”

  Arizona looked stricken, and she shook her head.

  “Leave,” I said, jerking my head towards the entrance.

  He glared at Arizona. “Fine. Have fun living in your rich little snob world. I knew it’d change you.”

  With that, he grabbed his jacket and stalked out, and I heard him mutter ‘bitch’ under his breath.

  “You wanna come back here and say that, you little pissant?” I called after him, my fists still balled up.

  “Let it go, Mason,” Arizona said. “Can you sit down?”

  I sighed and sat across from her, and she put her face in her hands for a second before looking up at me, her cheeks tinged pink with shame.

  “Mason…I’m so sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry. I’ve treated you so badly, and you didn’t even do anything to deserve it.”

  She looked down at the table, and I leaned forward and frowned. “What exactly happened? I mean, when you texted me saying you had no idea what note I was talking about, I figured he must have never given it to you and filled your head with some bullshit. Figured that’s why you’d acted the way you did. It was the only thing that made sense. Y’know, up until now I’ve been going crazy trying to figure out what I supposedly did that was so wrong.”

  She took a deep breath. “That night…he came and told me that you pulled him aside and pretty much asked how much it’d cost you to sleep with me. Like I was some sort of prostitute. I didn’t think he’d lie, so I was really mad. But if I’d just spoken to you about it when it happened, this would have all been cleared up weeks ago. I’m such a bitch.”