by Marie Medina
“We're going to have a houseguest. My twin brother Stephen is coming in for a couple of days while he attends a conference.”
Twin brother? She had no idea he had a twin brother. “Really? I thought you were an only child too.”
He shook his head. “I often wish I were.” He turned away from her without another word and started up the stairs.
“Dominic, what's wrong? Please wait.”
“Nothing's wrong. He and I don't get along very well. We're very...different. I hope you don't mind playing hostess. He'll be here in a few hours, and he'll stay two nights. It's better if we have no interaction.”
She frowned. “Then why is he coming here? Why invite him to stay?”
He faced her. “He invited himself. It's the kind of man he is. He grew up here as well, so technically it's his home too. I can't kick him out of the house his own father built.”
She nodded her understanding. “I guess not.” She clasped her hands behind her. “Which room was his? I can get it ready.”
He scowled at the chandelier. “The one next to yours. I'll take care of it. You go eat.”
He started up the stairs again, and she hurried up to grab his arm. “Dominic, this is silly. Tell me why you don't get along. I've lived here ten years, and I had no idea you had any living relatives, much less a twin brother.”
He pushed her aside. “I don't want to talk about it, now or ever.”
His words stunned her into silence, but when he reached the first landing she found her voice again. “If that's the way you feel, then I suggest you avoid me too while he's here. You want me to play hostess, so I'll assume he's not a murderer or a rapist. Since you won't tell me anything about him, I'll judge him for myself. Meeting him ought to be interesting. Maybe he can tell me why you think expressing even one honest emotion will be the death of you!”
She watched him grip the banister until his knuckles turned white. Turn around. Please turn around and let me in. He didn't grant her silent wish. He walked to the linen closest, grabbed some sheets and a blanket, and headed down the hall. She stood there for a long time, torn between the urge to scream and the need to cry. She didn't care that she had hurt his feelings. Maybe that was exactly what he needed. If she could weaken his defenses enough by causing him pain, perhaps he would open up enough to feel the love she knew he had deep inside his frightened heart.
Sophia smoothed her hair as she went to answer the door. She opened it and actually gasped. Even if Dominic hadn't told her that his twin brother was coming, she would have known this man's identity in a heartbeat. She had never seen a picture of Dominic without his scars, but she had imagined it, and now the reality was right before her eyes.
He laughed at her reaction. “Hello, Sophia. I'm Stephen.” He extended his hand.
She shook it and liked the firm confidence of his handshake. She was so angry with Dominic she was determined to like Stephen. “Hi, Stephen. Come in.”
He put his bags down in the foyer and looked around. “It's been a long time. The place looks wonderful.”
“How long has it been?”
He moved close and looked into her eyes. “Ten years since I set foot inside, but eight years since I was here.”
“What happened eight years ago?” Was she really going to learn why the brothers didn't get along this quickly? It seemed almost too easy.
“I dropped in, and Dominic wouldn't let me in the house.”
She lowered her eyes. She had been living here eight years ago. “Why not?”
A seductive smile spread across his face. “He worried I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off his beautiful goddaughter.” He stroked her cheek. “He probably made the right choice.”
She blushed at the contact. Their resemblance might cause problems if Stephen kept acting like this. She wanted a man who wouldn't open up to her, and now his twin was looking at her like he was ready to kiss her.
“He is very protective. I'm sorry he did that because of me.” She moved out of his reach right away. “Come into the kitchen. You must be hungry.”
He smiled again. “I certainly am.”
She led the way and pulled the leftovers from the refrigerator. It was almost midnight, so to her way of thinking Dominic had forfeited his chicken. She fixed Stephen a plate and stuck it in the microwave. He sat at the counter where Dominic always sat and looked at her. “How old are you now, Sophia?”
“Twenty-four.”
“Are you still in school?”
She shook her head. “I finished up two years ago. I teach at the Episcopal school.”
“What subjects?”
“Reading, writing, French and Spanish.”
“Impressive.”
“I guess,” she said. She pulled his plate from the microwave, slid it over to him, and handed him a fork. “Water? Soda?”
“Beer?”
“Coming right up.” She got two light beers out of the refrigerator, popped both tops, and then slid one over to him before climbing onto the other stool.
He took a long swig and then began eating. “This is wonderful.” He took a few more bites and then another long drink before turning to her. “Dominic must have scared a lot of men away. It's the only explanation for you still being here.”
She ran her finger down her beer bottle. “I love living here. This house is beautiful, and it feels like home to me.”
“Even with my brother here? I can't imagine him making a home inviting for anyone, especially a woman.”
“Why?”
“He's so cold and unfeeling.”
As angry as she was with Dominic, those words didn't ring true at all. “He's not that way with me.”
He let his gaze move all the way down her body and back up again. “I don't see how any man could be cold or unfeeling to you.” He raised his eyebrows. “Is that perhaps why you're still here?”
“No. We're not...anything. I like living here. It's my home.”
He touched her hand. “That was out of line. I'm sorry. I simply can't imagine living in the same house with you and managing to behave like a gentleman.” He rubbed her fingers between his. “Dominic hates me for stealing his girl when we were in high school, so I guess he'd probably kill me for touching you, wouldn't he?”
She blinked, completely forgetting about his hand on hers. Dominic shunned his brother because of a girl? A girl from high school? “That's why he doesn't like you, doesn't want to speak to you?”
Stephen nodded. “It is.” He released her hand. “I'm glad you didn't know that. I'd like to get to know you better, and I worried Dominic might have told you horrible things about me.”
“Are there horrible things to tell?”
He shrugged. “No. We're just very different. Is there still a liquor cabinet in the study down here?”
She nodded.
He finished his beer and got off the stool, extending his hand to her. “Then I will tell you all you need to know.”
She grabbed her beer, took his hand, and followed him out of the kitchen and into the study. She glanced up the stairs as he opened the doors, hoping she would see Dominic, but the landing was empty. She sighed as she took a seat by the window and waited for him to fix his drink, wishing she could ask him the dozens of questions spinning in her mind.
Dominic came out of the shadows after Sophia disappeared into the room. Had she checked the landing because she hoped he would be there? Or had she hoped he wouldn't? He hadn't heard every word, but his handsome brother was definitely turning on the charm. The sight of Stephen touching her bothered him. Did she really believe he was still angry after all these years because of a girl? Stephen had stolen his girlfriend. He had also gotten her pregnant and abandoned her. The memory still hurt. In his mind, he could still see her crying. He'd cared for her deeply, and she had been carrying his nephew or niece inside her. She'd needed money. If she moved away, her parents would help her a little, but she would need more. If she stayed, she wanted an abortion. He and h
is mother had given her ten thousand dollars to keep the baby and leave town. She'd promised to write and send pictures of the baby, but the letters never came. His mother had been upset about her and the baby the day she had her accident. She'd missed a turn and hit a tree, making the car roll down a rocky hill. Dominic had been thrown from the car and broken his leg. It had taken him so long to get to the car he hadn't been able to get her out in time.
He knew he shouldn't blame Stephen for his mother's death, but it was too hard not to. Stephen hurt everyone who loved or trusted him. He was poison. He had charm and looks, but he was selfish and devoid of any warm or positive emotions. His only warmth came in the bedroom, and even a woman as perfect as Sophia couldn't melt his heart enough to change that. She was smart enough to resist his charm, but Dominic still felt afraid. What if his resemblance to Dominic clouded her judgment? What if it made her feel safe with him and drop her guard? He heard her laugh, and he wanted to run down the stairs and strangle Stephen.
Instead he went to his room and opened his email. He sent Sophia a message explaining everything. He told her the whole story of the stolen girlfriend, his mother's tragic death, and the numerous incidents throughout college that had convinced him to sever all connections with his brother. He hesitated for a moment, but then he hit the send button. He felt cowardly hiding behind a computer screen, but he feared they would fight again if he went to talk to her, and she had told him to stay away from her until he told her why he had such a problem with his brother. Once she read this, she would digest the information and then come to him.
Her words still hurt. In ten years, they had never fought about anything. Maybe he can tell me why you think expressing even one honest emotion will be the death of you! She hadn't said the exact words, but he believed that one honest emotion she meant was his love for her. He could think of nothing else. He sighed. He had been set and ready to tell her how he felt and see how she reacted, and then his brother had intruded. Once all this was behind them, he would have his chance to try. She loved him, and her life here was happy. Maybe she could love him as a man one day. He knew he could satisfy her if she let him touch her. Lately he could think of little else besides pleasing her and making her come.
He shook himself and got ready for bed. He would never get any sleep if he began thinking about making love to her now. He recalled Stephen saying he thought Dominic would kill him for touching her. Dominic had told him exactly that in his reply to his brother's text. Fine. Come if you must, but if you hurt her I will kill you. The threat had been harsh, yes, but unfortunately Dominic knew how necessary it had been. He got into bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying not to imagine Sophia there in bed with him.
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
* * *
Chapter 3
Sophia sat at the patio table sipping her coffee as she watched Stephen jogging around the fountain set in the middle of the expansive driveway. He had been at it for almost forty minutes, and she checked her watch again. Didn't he need to get ready for his conference? Was he trying to show off for her? He'd been heavy-handed with the flirting the night before, and she'd excused herself and even locked her bedroom door once he reached a certain level of drunkenness. He'd had so much vodka the night before she'd been amazed to see him out jogging at all. She suspected he was used to this kind of lifestyle, but he seemed very chipper for someone who had been slurring his come-on lines six hours earlier.
“Good morning, gorgeous!” he called as he finally stopped and headed her way. “Any more coffee in that pot?”
She lifted the carafe and poured him half a cup. “If you're sure you want some.”
“Oh yeah. Come on. Full cup.”
She did as he asked, eyeing him as he huffed and puffed. He was overheated, and his heart was probably pounding, so coffee seemed like a terrible idea to her, but she didn't feel like arguing. He downed half the cup, and she held her breath for a moment, half-expecting his heart to explode any second. He noticed her staring and completely misinterpreted her attention. “Weird, isn't it?”
“What?”
“You've been stuck with Dominic all this time, so now seeing me must be strange.”
“It's a little odd.”
“It was always weird for me afterwards.” He laughed. “Like looking in a cracked mirror.”
She stiffened at his words. She wanted to jump up and slap him for such a cruel remark. She'd been determined to like him because of her anger with Dominic for not explaining the situation to her, but in less than twenty-four hours Stephen had managed to repulse her so much no one could shout his praises loud enough to get her to change her mind. She doubted anyone would be able to praise him at all without lying.
He smiled down at her, completely ignoring her change in demeanor. She suspected he hadn't even noticed. He didn't seem to be very good at reading women, despite his superficial charm.
“I sure would like to blow this thing off and stay here with you.”
“Aren't you speaking at this conference?” If he still managed to say he could get out of it, she'd come up with some excuse to get away from him.
He nodded. “Four times today. Really sucks.” He finished his coffee and moved toward the door. “Dinner again tonight?”
“Sure. Any certain time?” She didn't want to eat with him again, but she refused to be rude to a guest, especially since she was living in his family home.
“I'll be back around six.”
“Okay. Have a good day.”
He put his hand on the knob and winked at her. “Not as good as I could have here, but I'll try.”
She sighed in relief as he went inside. She wanted to knock that smile right off his face. He'd spent half of the previous evening speculating as to why she was still single. She knew exactly why he was single—he was smarmy, vapid, and annoying as hell! It still bothered her that Dominic's reason for disliking his brother was such a trivial one, but she didn't blame him for avoiding him if he had always been like this. He'd dared to call Dominic unfeeling, but he was the one who was completely devoid of human sympathy and decency.
She went up to her room and sat down at her computer. She read movie and book reviews for a little while before checking her email. She had one from Dominic, and the subject line said Please read this right away, Sophia. It's very important. She thought she'd seen his car parked around back, so why had he sent her an email? She clicked on it and began reading.
Five minutes later, she was in tears sitting at her desk. She wanted to cut her own tongue out for what she'd said to Dominic, and she wanted to pack Stephen's bags for him and leave them at the front gate. She didn't need to ask Stephen if these things were true. He'd already made his character very clear to her.
She got up and went to Dominic's study. She knocked three times but got no answer, so she opened the door. He wasn't there. She heard a car pulling away, and a look out the window confirmed Stephen was gone for the day. She looked in the library and the kitchen, but she couldn't find Dominic. His bedroom was the only room she hadn't checked. She remembered what she had seen the last time she went up there. Her pulse quickened at the thought. She went up and knocked on his bedroom door, her arm shaking as she did so. He didn't answer, and she didn't dare open the door. She took a deep breath. She needed to get out of the house and get some fresh air. She knew exactly where to go.
Dominic finally met a wall at the very back of the cave. He turned and could barely see the light at the cave's mouth. He shone his flashlight up, still checking for bats, poisonous spiders, and loose rocks. The cave seemed sound and safe, which was what he'd come out to ascertain. He leaned against the wall and turned his flashlight off, enjoying the darkness. If he were honest with himself, he would admit he had also come out here to feel close to her. Had she read the email yet? What was she thinking? He prayed his warning had come in time. He wanted her to know the truth for her own protection. She'd only spent one evening with Stephen. Even if
she did like him, she would recover soon enough. He would give her time if she needed it.
He clicked the flashlight on and began to walk back to the entrance, but he stopped when he heard a sound. He moved forward a few more feet and turned the light off again. Sophia had entered the cave, so now he was trapped here. He didn't want her to feel he had invaded her private space, and he also didn't want to talk to her until he knew she'd read that email. He'd entered the cave at about nine that morning, so it was maybe twenty after by now. He had no idea how often she checked her email so he lowered himself to the ground to wait.
She spread the blanket and stretched out on her stomach. She picked up one of the novels, Jane Eyre he figured, and opened it to the middle. However, she didn't start reading. She stared at the ground and eventually put the book down. She rolled onto her back and let her breath out in a huff. Was she frustrated about something? If Stephen had done anything to upset her he'd make him regret it. He'd seen Stephen jogging out front while Sophia drank her coffee. Had they talked after? Had Stephen said something?
She let out another deep breath, and the sound was filled more with longing than with frustration. He watched her more closely as she shut her eyes and ran her hands over her breasts. His cock responded when she pinched her nipples through the material. She unzipped her shorts and pulled them and her panties off. He forgot to breathe as he watched her fingers dip between her legs. She rubbed her clit and played with her pussy with one hand while her other hand moved lazily over her breast. He wanted to emerge from the shadows and kneel between her legs. He wanted to push her hand away and replace it with his mouth. His cock ached, but he didn't dare move for fear of discovery.
“I wish you were here. I loved watching you,” she said.
His erection went away in a matter of seconds. Less than an hour ago she'd been watching Stephen, so she was obviously fantasizing about him. Why wouldn't she? He was charming and charismatic, and most important of all, he was handsome. He watched Sophia rubbing her clit. Her hips came off the ground as she increased her pace. He imagined her arching like that beneath him, raising her body to meet his. Her breathing quickened, and he could see her fingers working faster. The pleasure on her face transfixed him, and he could not tear his gaze away. She squeezed her breast hard as she cried out. As she lay there catching her breath, he thought he saw tears on her cheeks. Why would she be crying? He tried to inch closer, but he saw her go still when his shoe scraped against the wall. He froze until she began to dress again. Maybe it was sweat and not tears. The mornings were getting hotter as the summer progressed. If she were interested enough in Stephen to masturbate while thinking of him, she would probably be hurt by his email. What if she didn't believe him? What if Stephen had said other things to turn her against him? Surely she wouldn't side with a stranger and believe him over Dominic, but he knew better than to underestimate his brother's silver tongue.
