by Adair Rymer
Even the bedroom that I took was too extravagant. Everything was either cream or light brown colored; the bed, the walls, the carpets, fucking everything. I laughed at the thought, but the most restful sleep I’d gotten in the week I'd been here, was in the exercise room.
I did another pull up. If nothing else, the view is damn impressive. I guess that could be said for every room in this condo, but for some reason I could appreciate it more when I felt the burn in my arms as my chin cleared the pull up bar.
I kept the lights off, the ambient light flooding in from the city around us was more than enough for me to see. It was still early, about several hours before sunrise. Hell, even Romeo was asleep beside one of the treadmills. I'd heard that the obscenely wealthy walked their dogs on those things, because they're too afraid of the world outside. It'd have made me laugh if it wasn't so sad.
The next time I cleared the bar I could see the multitude of bumpy, uneven white scars along my knuckles. They were little reminders of the countless fights I'd won over the years. With every impact, and new scar that formed, I tried to push her name farther and farther from my mind.
What the fuck was I doing here, really? I told myself it was protection, but within half an hour of seeing her again I had to struggle just to keep my cock in my pants. Were we really that close back in the day, or was I just like every other fan that jerked off to a picture of THE Valentine Dawson?
I dropped down, dried the sweat off, then started wailing on the heavy bag. Romeo's ears stirred, but he was used to my noises. He just shifted positions, yawned and went back to sleep.
I was here because my mother asked me to be here, not because I missed Val. That and the security guard Hugh hired for her were a joke. What the fuck was he thinking with those clowns?
The punching bag jerked from the impact of my right cross. I was here because I could keep her safe, not because she's the last thing I thought of every time I got into the ring. The chain holding the bag up, whined under the strain of my barrage, popping back and forth on the hook holding it.
'You're lying to yourself,' the heavy bag seemed to say. Rivulets of sweat ran down my face and burn my eyes with all the exertion. I didn't mind the sting. Pain was the only real constant in my life, I came to depend on it to keep me sane.
My fists connected faster and harder, as I tried to drown out the sound of accusation in the creek and whine of the chain. 'You're here for something else,' the chain said, mocking me to tell the truth.
My mind and heart traveled back to my eighteenth birthday and the conversation with Hugh in front of my house. I'd gone over it so many times in my head that I could recite what was said. I hated her father, but he was right. I had to leave.
I don't owe Val a fucking thing, I left because I had to!
'You came back,' the chain squeaked as it swung the heavy bag away from me. 'Because you still love—'
I hit the bag so hard that it finally popped free of the hook holding it and smashed against the ground. The chain fell blessedly silent.
My fists radiated from the strikes. It was the guilt that ate me up inside. I felt stupid and exhausted, both mentally and physically. I just wished things could've been different between me and Val.
“That thing owe you money?” Came a groggy voice behind me.
Startled, I whirled around, fists raised and ready. Seeing that it was only Val, I lowered them.
She wore a short sleeved shirt with loose fitting pajama pants and her hair was a fluffy mess. It wasn't the designer sleepwear that you'd imagine superstar Valentine would wear. It looked comfy and worn in, like she had it forever. It looked like something old Val would wear.
Maybe the girl I remembered was still in there somewhere.
The light spilling in from the hallway allowed me to look her over fully. Maybe the shirt, I thought. But there's no way she sleeps in those pants. That was just because she had company over. I imagined her rolling into bed in just the shirt and a pair of white cotton panties.
Then my mind stripped away her shirt too.
Romeo let out a grumbled bark, then lifted his head and looked around. It was more of an annoyed 'Keep it down, I'm trying to sleep' than 'Hey! Intruder', but I was happy for it either way. It kept me from visualizing Val completely naked, and the giant fucking hard on that came with that image.
“That's some guard dog you got there,” Val wiped the sleep from her groggy eyes. Satisfied that Val and I got the message, Romeo lowered his head and went back to sleep.
“I gave him the night off,” I wiped the sweat from my eyes and drained half my jug of water. “I couldn't sleep so I figured I'd burn off some energy.”
I didn't tell her that it was being so close to her after all these years, that made it tough for me to sleep. A man could only jerk off so much.
“I can see that. I hope that villainous punching bag learned his lesson,” Val said, motioning to turn the lights on. I waved her off. I liked it dark. She just shrugged.
“He won't be giving you any more trouble.” I stretched and basked in the condo's central air conditioning for a moment before grabbing a towel. The chill felt good against my naked skin. “Did I wake you?”
“Nah,” Val yawned. “The earthquake woke me.”
“Earthquake?” I asked, trying to remember if I felt anything. How long had I been training for? Val smiled and shook her head, she was joking, obviously. There was no earthquake. I smirked, burying my face in a towel. “I'll try to keep it down to a dull roar.”
I wiped down my chest and stomach as well. When I looked up, Val was gawking at me. She'd finally woken up enough to see that I was half naked and glistening with sweat.
“Do you always train in just your boxers?” Her tone was a mix of disbelief and dangerous curiosity.
“Cuts down on laundry. What is the dress code in this gym? Is it more...” I asked, slipping my thumbs into the waistband of my underwear. “Or less?”
I was just teasing to return the favor for that earthquake joke. Something about her, even dressed like that, made my cock begin to swell. Maybe it was just in remembering the gorgeous girl I left behind those years ago.
Wearing just underwear like this, there'd be no way for me to hide my massive erection if I got one. Hell, at this point it was just a ticking clock before she saw how big my cock actually was. Even in the low light I could see her face light up like a Christmas tree.
“More!” She declared as firmly as she could, before glancing away. She could try to hide it, but I could always spot embarrassment on her. I knew that she liked what she saw. She swallowed and stumbled over the rest of her words, “And, uh, keep it down. It's late, some of us are trying to sleep.”
“Stay,” I told her, against my better judgment. But I couldn't resist. Old habits died hard. Tormenting Val was always my favorite past time, it brought a mischievous smile to my lips. “I'll run you through a full body workout.”
Chapter 5
Valentine
Past
I'm out of breath and sweaty from running when I shove open the gymnasium doors. I slipped through the screaming fans and made my way to the bleachers to get a view of the floor.
I hope I'm not too late.
I sat down just in time to see Arsen get flipped onto his back. I cringe at the painful-sounding thud. His opponent was so much bigger than Arsen, how was that allowed? Maybe that was how it was done, I didn't know the first thing about wrestling. It still seemed super unfair to him.
What am I doing here exactly? I don't even like sports.
Arsen glanced up and saw me. My heart raced at being picked out of the crowd. That's why I'm here...
Arsen slid out from beneath the larger boy, and with lightning quickness latched onto his opponent's neck. Everyone in the audience gasped at the unlikely turn of events. The large boy thrashed making it look like Arsen was riding one of those mechanical bulls.
They eventually collapsed onto the mat. Arsen rolled off the large boy and was de
clared the winner. It must have been an important match, because when Arsen's arm was raised by the ref, the crowd went crazy.
I thought about joining the rush of people on the floor congratulating him, but decided against it. I didn't mind crowds when I performed before them in plays, but I couldn't stand them otherwise.
I texted him instead. “Good job beating that guy up.”
When he found out that I went to his sporting events he started calling me his good luck charm. He told me that if he lost and I wasn't there, that it would be my fault. I'd asked him what I'd get out of that deal. Without skipping a beat, he said that I'd get to see him in his spandex onesie.
I remember scoffing at him for that, but looking at him now, I knew he was right. He looked ridiculously good in his red skintight singlet. It had a big, U-shaped opening at the shoulders, which exposed his toned arms and most of his chest. The fabric was so snug that it showed off his every muscular curve and ridge.
My neck flared with heat, as I let my eyes roam down his abs to the bulge in his crotch.
Stacy and her clique of popular girls stole glances at it too when Arsen's attention was pulled in another direction. They swarmed around Arsen, swooping in to taking selfies with him like brightly colored vultures.
I seethed at the sight of them, I couldn't help it.
I didn't even know why it bothered me so much. Arsen and I weren't dating. He also wasn't dating any of them, but that was because Arsen didn't date anyone. That didn't stop him from sleeping his way through that whole group and who knows how many other girls.
Arsen was an experience. He was hands down the most popular guy in school, and you had to marvel at how confident he was. When Arsen set his sights on a girl... I swallowed hard.
Why was I jealous?
I saw the way he looked at all of them. He had this, I'm-here-so-impress-me attitude that drove all the other girls nuts. He didn't ignore me at school, or anything, he was just always surrounded by so many people that I never felt like approaching him. I didn't want the looks I'd get from the other girls, the ones that told me I didn't belong there.
Besides, I had the walks in the morning with him. I'd never tell him, but they were the best part of my day. We talked about music and movies and our families. Being around him made me feel warm inside.
I watched the girls giggle and bounce near him. Arsen didn't look for Stacy or the other girls when he wrestled, he looked for me. I was his good luck charm, not them. The thought swelled me with pride. Then it struck me like a truck.
Oh God, am I in the friend zone?
My phone buzzed, “UR late. Almost missed it.”
I searched the mob on the mats and found him again. He was looking up at me, his mischievously smiling face had a slight blue glow from the text he just sent me. He didn't look at any of the other girls like that.
“I was busy.” I lied. “My world doesn't revolve around you.”
“Yes, it does.”
My reply cursor blinked, as if it was Arsen himself, daring me to say otherwise. I typed half a dozen replies, all of which I erased before sending. What a cocky prick! Still, I couldn't wipe the grin from the corner of my mouth. How did he do that to me?
I looked up just in time to see him wink at me, before he turned away and headed into the locker room.
Maybe, I wasn't friendzoned after all. Maybe I was something else altogether...
Present.
Smooth, Valentine, I scolded myself after escaping out into the hallway and leaning against the wall. My was heart was doing a drum solo in my chest, there was no way in hell I'd be getting back to sleep after that interaction. I walked down the hall back to my room and grabbed my robe.
I needed a shower to clear my head. A very, very cold shower.
What the hell was I thinking? I knew what was happening, it wasn't like a robber would break in here and use my damn gym. I knew he was working out I should've just ignored him like I did some of the other nights. All my walls were sound deadening, so it wasn't like he was being too loud.
The lights turned on when I walked into my bathroom. I wish they hadn't, I could mess with the features, but I hadn't gotten around to it. It took me a month to figure out how to heat the tiles on my floor to the right temperature.
I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was poofy and parted stupidly, there were bags under my eyes and my PJs might as well have had My Little Pony print on them. They looked like something I'd been wearing since high school! I was a mess.
And I walked in on him looking like this? Ug...
I'm a movie star! It's my job to look good and to be confident. And then he comes around and I turn into that shy, silly teenager again.
Arsen of course, looked incredible! He was the epitome of rugged, manly and handsome with his five o'clock shadow and his rippling muscles and tattoos. It was too dark to make out the individual designs, but his arms and chest were covered in them. They made him look so dangerous in so many ways.
And those boxers... Jesus! He looked great when we were younger, but this wasn't even fair! He looked like a Men's fitness magazine, not just the cover, but the whole damn thing!
Think about something other than your hot stepbrother!
I stepped into my shower and pressed the button to turn it on, closing the glass door behind me. It was only when I got in that I remembered the glass wall still wasn't working right. It functioned as a wall and door just fine, but it was supposed to turn opaque immediately when the water was turned on. Instead, it came on randomly.
I'd been meaning to have maintenance come up and take care of that for a while now, but kept forgetting because it was usually such a non issue. When the hell would anyone else be in my bathroom?
But that was the least of my worries with Arsen around tempting me like the devil. I just needed to stay strong and remember the consequences. I carved this life out myself, without the help of my father. If word got out that I even thought about sleeping with my stepbrother, the career I'd worked so hard to build would be ruined.
He's still just a man, I thought. One of the streams grazed my inner thigh, just the right way. He was Arsen, the boy I fell for, before he was my stepbrother.
I worked the detachable showerhead down my stomach. I pushed my palm into my breast, then rubbed over my perky nipples. Have they been this hard since I saw him in the gym? I disregarded the thought and pinched them.
We'd gotten so close at the end, If only he hadn't disappeared. I thought he was actually going to ask me out. My mind flickered to the new image of him just moments ago, snapping at his underwear. His long cock perfectly outlined. I didn't know if it was just my imagination, but it seemed like it was getting longer and harder before I fled into the hallway.
Hands, that I imagined were his, brushed between my legs to where the heat was flushing to. I pulled in long drags of air and worked my fingers over my clit, dreaming up scenarios where touching him was actually alright. What if our parents never got married, or if he didn't abandon me and we became lovers instead of just friends?
I've had a thousand different fantasies of him over the years and that was before I saw him all jacked and tattooed up. He made the Arsen of my memories feel like just a handsome little boy by comparison.
I slid two fingers into my slick opening with a a rougher touch than usual, because his hands were much bigger than mine. My stomach crunched forward just a bit. Pretending that it was Arsen's finger, was really doing it for me.
My mind lingered on the scent of masculinity from his workout. The fresh sweat, the glossiness of his slick skin from the diffused city lights, all of it gave me a heady rush. I pushed my palm into my clit and was teetering on the edge of climax. One hand pushed hard circles into my pussy, the other squeezed my breast tightly, almost to the point of pain.
“Val...” The back of my imagination conjured Arsen's voice like it had so many other times. This time it was deeper and even more manly sounding to go with the older image
of him in my head. I moaned in response, wishing for the real thing, wishing for him. I closed my eyes and saw his strong features staring back at me.
“Val?” The voice came again, but it was far too loud, far too real. And it had a hint of a smile in it somehow.
My eyes snapped open wide enough that it was a wonder they didn't roll out of my head. It felt like the shower rained chipped ice down on me.
You have got to be kidding me!
Arsen stood by my freestanding crescent bathtub clear as day. He was stripped of everything, but a long white towel that carelessly hung over his shoulder, barely obscuring his... Oh my God. His cock was so huge!
“Fuck! Arsen?” I clutched my naked body and turned my back to him. I immediately thought of my piece-of-shit, shower wall that wasn't opaque.
“Didn't mean to interrupt,” he said so smoothly that if his words were physical things they'd be made of silk. Any normal person would be embarrassed or at least apologetic for just walking in on someone, but not Arsen. The world was here for him, what did he have to be bothered by? “Don't stop on my account.”
I slapped my head into the tile wall, fucking mortified. I wasn't nearly as timid as I was in high school, but I still wanted to die of embarrassment. “There's five bathrooms in this condo!”
“And you usually use the one in your bedroom,” came his easy reply. “I figured it was free. Or that you wanted me to come in.”
Oh, my God! He was right, I haven't used this bathroom since he's been here. It wasn't even on my bedroom's floor. I wasn't thinking straight earlier, I had just woken up and... Was I hoping this would happen?
“It's my house!” I was in full defense mode, It was the only thing that kept me from crying. “I get to use whatever bathroom, I want!”
Right when I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, Romeo yelped and trotted in to see what the commotion was all about.
