by Linda Barlow
“Listen, babe,” he said, the voice of reasonableness. “Enough of the good girl act. I’m not going to beg. Either admit that you want me, or I’ll walk out of here and never ask again.”
There was something in his tone that told me he was serious. That was good, right? He would leave and this agony of yearning would be over. It wasn’t as if he was going to force me.
I rolled over to face him again. He was right there, lying on his side on my bed, his long body relaxed, his head propped up on one hand, his blue eyes gazing seriously into mine. Admit that you want me. I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t. He was my stepbrother. My father was fucking his mother.
I gathered breath to say the words, “I don’t want you,” but it would be such a lie. And he knew it. How could I lie to that beautiful face that was so close to mine? My body sure as hell wasn’t going to lie to his body.
“I hate you,” I said, because that was, in a way, true. I hated him for making me feel things I didn’t want to feel. That I shouldn’t feel.
His thumb brushed the surface of my bottom lip, and my words turned to an abject moan.
That was all it took. He moved his mouth closer and then he was kissing me. And I gave in. I surrendered. I couldn’t give this up…not now…not yet. I kissed him back with every bit of the yearning that had been dammed up for so long. I’d wanted him so much and now he was here, in my bed.
At last.
Everything happened quickly after that. Clothes were mutually shed and tossed aside. Our mouths engaged, our tongues teased, our fingers explored and our limbs flailed. The first time he rocked his hips against me, the bed squeaked loudly and I panicked.
“Oh no, they’ll hear us!”
He had the nerve to laugh softly. “I doubt it. They’re down the hall, not underneath us.”
“What if they wander by?”
“I locked the door.”
“Stop laughing. You’re talking too loudly.”
“I don’t wanna talk at all.”
“I think you’re getting off on the idea that this is forbidden and we might get caught.”
He laughed at that, too. He kissed me into silence. The only sounds were the gasps of our breathing and the tearing of the condom wrapper before he lifted my hips and impaled me on his cock.
It might have been wrong, but it felt so good, so hot, so right. My legs wrapped around his waist and we slammed together in rough, wild rhythm. I rubbed my clit against him, desperate for more pleasure and feeling it arc through me. When I felt like screaming, I pressed my mouth against his throat to gag the sound. My fingernails dug into his ass. I was probably hurting him, leaving marks. Good. I wanted to leave my prints on his hide.
“Say my name,” he whispered, “and I’ll let you come.”
I moaned something, but not his name. He had already won one victory tonight and I was damned if he’d win that one.
He laughed softly. “Okay, babe. I’ll let you off easy this time. But only because I want to hear you scream my name, not just whisper it.”
I think I laughed a little, too. Even when we were both nearly out of our minds with pleasure, he was still a cocky badass.
He lapped and sucked at my nipples, not missing a beat of our rhythm. I was close, so close. As his cock drove hard into my clenching pussy, he said, “Come for me, baby.”
And I did. I would have cried out if his mouth hadn’t pressed down on mine. I shot over the top and lost myself in bliss.
Shane let himself go right after. I felt his balls tighten and his cock turn harder still. My pussy was still bearing down on him when he erupted, our bodies thrashing together and then quietly melting into stillness as we both tried to catch our breath.
As soon as I came down, I started feeling bad about it.
I tried to push the feelings aside. Couldn't I just experience the sheer erotic skill of the man I was nestled against, my face on his chest and my legs entwined with his? Couldn’t I just have this moment? This night? The gift of his body in my bed on Christmas?
My arms tightened around him. I didn’t want to let him go.
There was a light tap on my bedroom door. I stiffened. Shane must have heard it, too, because his body switched instantly from lazy, relaxed mode to tense and alert. Neither of us moved.
After a pause, the tap came again, a little louder this time. “Cassie?” said my father’s voice.
Chapter 17—Cassie
I was horrified, embarrassed and ashamed all at once. We were going to get caught and everything would be ruined!
I pushed Shane off me. At least he moved quietly. But he also clapped one hand over my mouth and leaned up on his elbow beside me. He put one finger to his lips, which was hardly necessary. What did he think I was going to do—scream?
I mouthed the words, “Did you lock the door?”
He nodded, looking impatient. He had told me that when he’d first come into the room.
I pushed up on one elbow, too, and signaled for him to remove his damn hand. He did. I whispered against his ear, “You should hide. In the closet…under the bed…somewhere.” I was looking around the dark room, panicking.
Shane rolled his eyes and whispered back, “Fuck that. I am not hiding. What the hell is he doing out there?”
“Cassie?” my father said, again, his voice still very quiet. “You sleeping, sweetheart? I didn’t want to miss our Christmas Eve carols.”
Oh God. Tears pricked my eyes as I realized. I wanted to throw open the door and hug him for remembering. But I couldn’t do that.
Every Christmas Eve when I was a child, Dad and Mom used to come into my room as I waited for Santa, all excited and restless, and sing me Christmas carols. Daddy had a really nice tenor voice.
The Christmas carol lullabies had stopped when I’d declared them “cheesy” as a teenager. But after Mom died, Dad started coming to tuck me in when I was home from college for the holidays. Mostly we would just hug each other and cry for Mom, but sometimes he would sit down on the end of my bed and sing. It was good for both of us—taking us back to happier days when she had still been alive.
On Christmas Eve, my father would always sing O Little Town of Bethlehem and Silent Night, two of my favorite carols.
He had done it last year.
Now he was here to do it again, and part of me yearned for it. I guess I’d figured that now that he was with Molly, he would forget.
Shane seemed far more relaxed about this disaster than I was. He had lain back down again, looking smug. I don’t think he’d really give a shit if we did get caught.
He pulled me down, too. “Just pretend to be asleep. What’s he gonna do—break down the door?” he breathed in my ear. Then he started fondling my breast again. When I squirmed, he murmured, “Don’t make a sound.” He stroked my nipple with his fingertip, sending pleasure shooting through me again. “Better control yourself, babe,” he taunted, adding a little pinch to my pebbled breast. “Don’t want Daddy to hear you.”
Dammit! What was wrong with him? If we were caught it would be terrible. Embarrassing. Worse than embarrassing—it would horrify both my father and his mother. It might even ruin their plans to get married. Tear up Dad’s relationship with the only woman he’d loved since my mother had died.
Was that what I secretly wanted?
No! I missed my mom—I ached every time I let myself think about her—but I’d already come to like Molly a lot, and I wanted my dad to be happy.
All this went through my head at lightning speed, making me even more ashamed for not kicking Shane out the moment he’d entered my room. He probably thrived on risk, stealth, living on the edge. He didn’t care about our parents’ happiness. He just wanted to get his rocks off. Sexual fulfillment. Gratification. That had been all he wanted from the start.
And I’d surrendered. Just because he had those merry blue eyes, that roguish smile and the best male body I’d ever seen naked. Not to mention a certain natural talent for fucking my brains right out of my
head.
There were no further knocks on my door. I heard Dad’s footsteps moving away down the hall. He hadn’t wanted to wake me up.
When I heard his door click shut, I sat up and glared at my partner in crime. My pussy was still clenching from the nipple play and his nearness, but I couldn’t let him win this round. He was so smug. He didn’t give a damn. This couldn’t go on.
“This can never happen again. I mean it, Shane. It’s over.”
He rolled his eyes. He pulled away, but not before giving me another long, sweet kiss on the lips.
I watched in silence as he gathered up his clothes, dressed. He even took the used condom with him, wrapping it in a tissue and stuffing it into the pocket of his jeans. He wasn't leaving it in my bedroom to incriminate me.
God, I felt like a guilty teenager.
“And don’t let my father see you or hear you. If he knew what we were doing, it would break his heart.”
“I don’t give a shit about your father or his heart. But I do care about my Mom, so don’t worry.” He did not say this in a comforting manner, but rather in a snarky one. He laid one finger over his lips. “This’ll be our little holiday secret. Merry Christmas, Sis.”
He exited my room as stealthily as he had entered it.
I rolled over, punched my pillow furiously, and tried to go to sleep.
Chapter 18—Shane
The next morning, I woke and showered. I headed across the hall to the living room. Cassie was sitting on a white leather sofa. I remembered her legs spread on my sofa, my face buried in her pussy, her fingernails running through my hair, pulling me closer to her core as I edged her to pleasure.
My mom and Henry emerged from the kitchen and placed a platter on the coffee table. I was starving so I helped myself to some bagels and orange juice.
I handed Cassie a bagel. “So, do you live here?”
“No. Just during winter break. Campus is closed so I thought I’d come spend the holidays with dad.”
Well that was convenient. I could come fuck her on my lunch breaks. Or she could run over to base and blow me in the compound. The possibilities were endless.
“So Shane, how did you sleep?” my mom asked.
I smirked. “Great, best night I had in ten months.”
Cassie fidgeted and avoided eye contact with me.
“Well, you’re welcome to crash here whenever you like.” My mom placed her hand on my back. “I hate that you drive across the bridge after working all-night shifts.”
“Maybe I should just move in? We can be one happy family.”
Cassie choked on her orange juice.
My mom leveled me with her eyes. “Shane, stop. I just worry about you. It would be nice to spend some time together.”
Cassie quickly changed the subject. “Time to open gifts.”
She played Santa, dispersing the gifts. My mom gave me a leather bound sketch pad and a new set of pencils. I noticed Cassie focusing on that present and I wondered if she remembered the framed sketches I’d had at my place. I offered my mom a simple thanks and looked away from Cassie.
After opening all the others, she paused and glared at me before unwrapping mine.
She smiled when she viewed the title. “Oh Shane, how thoughtful. The Proper Care and Feeding of Sea Lions.”
“Glad you like it.” I ripped open the small box she handed me. A fucking barnacle scrapper. “Thanks Cassie.”
She smirked. “You’re welcome, thought you could use it for your SEAL boats.”
Smartass. I loved the way she teased me. I wanted to teach her a lesson, put her in her place—under me.
Our parents seemed a tad baffled, looking back and forth between us.
“Why did you buy him a barnacle scraper, sweetheart?” Henry’s tone was tense. “I’m sure these men have professionals cleaning their boats for them.”
“Barnacles can cause damage to their zodiac boats. I thought this could help him.”
Old man was catching on about the vibe between Cassie and me.
My mom pursed her lips. “Shane, I know this is short notice, but we’ve set the date for the first weekend in January. I’m hoping you’ll be able to get the time off to come to our wedding.”
“What’s the rush, Ma? Are you pregnant?”
My mom blushed. “That’s enough, Shane. We just don’t see the need to wait. It’s January and we all have a little time off, so we thought we’d seize the opportunity. I’m not getting any younger.”
Whatever. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to know the details. “Sorry. I can’t make it. We just started a new training phase.”
My mom put her hands on my shoulders. “You haven’t taken any leave since your last deployment. It’s on the weekend. In Cabo. You can fly in Friday night and be back to work by Sunday. I’d really like you to be there.”
Cassie couldn’t resist getting a word in. “Shane, it's our parents’ wedding. All you have to do is show up.”
I could tell this was important to my mom, and I didn’t want to disappoint her, but I was damned if I’d be treated as a family obligation by Cassie. I’d never had a sister and I didn’t want one—her, least of all. “The only person I take orders from is my commanding officer. I won’t be there. Enjoy your picture-perfect family Christmas—without me.”
I walked right out of that mansion, and slammed the huge door. I didn’t fit in their world, and I didn’t want to. Before I could run back to the compound, I heard the door open behind me.
Chapter 19—Cassie
When Shane stormed out of our Christmas celebration, I went running after him. I couldn’t believe he was being such a jackass. “Look,” I said when I caught up to him. “This is not about you. Why are you being so cruel to your own mother?”
“Poor little rich girl. It’s about you, then? Your feelings, your wishes, your demands? Forget it, babe. I’m no sucker for female crocodile tears.”
I V-fingered my own two eyes. “You see any tears, there, asshole? It’s not about either of us. Not you and certainly not me. It’s about them. Our parents love each other.”
“Look. I told you. This marriage will never happen.”
“You’re in some kind of denial. It’s happening. And yeah, it’s freaking me out because of everything I’ve been stupid enough to do with you, but that is over. I mean it. Stop smirking at me. It’s done, it’s history. We have to forget it and let them live their lives.” I paused for breath. “I’m not standing by while you singlehandedly sabotage their wedding. And on Christmas, too!”
“Yeah, well I’m not letting your rich-ass father ruin my Mom’s life. He’s using her. I want nothing to do with that fucking circus.”
I couldn’t believe the guy could be this stubborn. “Are you blind? Haven’t you been watching when they are together? They’ve been seeing each other ever since last spring.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s true. While you were off stalking terrorists or whatever you do, our parents were screwing their brains out, both here and in Montana.”
“Jesus! Don’t say that.”
“What, it’s okay for you to fuck everything that moves, but the ground’s going to surge up and swallow the city if your Mom gets some too?”
I knew I was pushing. I mean, this wasn’t something I wanted to think about, either. But double standards much?
There was fury in his eyes, but it was banked, as if he was counting to ten or something. I guess it was a good thing I wasn’t one of those SEAL trainees, because he’d have me down on the floor giving him twenty.
Oh no, don’t think stuff like that, brain! If he ordered me down on the floor, it wouldn’t be to do pushups. He’d tell me to kneel, and I’d do it. He’d proved that last night. Even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I probably wouldn’t even hesitate before sliding down his zipper and pulling out his big, juicy, delicious cock.
Shit! I was truly pathetic. I hated this jerk, but it didn’t stop me from year
ning to lick him all over.
“Look, Mr. Badass Navy SEAL, like it or not, you are going to that wedding. We are both going to show up and be supportive and grit our teeth and smile. We will wish them well and be polite and do everything that is expected of a stepbrother and a stepsister at their parents’ wedding.”
“Right,” he snarled. He looked incredulous. “Are you giving me orders? I don’t know what kind of fantasy world you’re living in, doll, but I am not gritting my fucking teeth and I am not going to any goddamn wedding.”
“I won’t let you ruin my father’s happiness.”
“Yeah? How are you gonna stop me?”
Clearly this approach wasn’t working. Dammit. I had to be smart about this. I thought about the various sea mammals I’d worked with….how they learned…how they taught their own pups. Lead by example was one way, but that depended on a strong mother/pup bond and the expectation that the animal wanted to learn. Positive reinforcement? Rewards? Challenges worked sometimes, too.
“You tell me,” I said. What would constitute a reward for Shane? Was there anything I could offer him as a positive reinforcement that might alter his behavior?
He stopped looking quite so aggressive. I’d finally gotten his attention, at least. “What do you mean? I tell you what?”
“You tell me what you want. What it would take to make you stop being such an ass and go with me to the wedding?”
“Oh, now you want to go together to the damn wedding?”
“No, no, I didn’t mean that.” I didn’t like the way he was smirking. “I just meant, what can I offer you to make you change your mind?”
As soon as I spoke the words, I knew I’d made a huge freaking mistake. And as the smirk grew wider on his face and the mischief lit up his blue eyes, I also knew he was going to make me pay. Just the way he had on the night we’d met. Saved you from the angry sea lion mama, girl. Now you have to show your gratitude in my bed.
And on his floor. And ass up across his coffee table. And up against his wall.
He sauntered closer to me and fisted a hunk of my hair. He pulled me right up against his hard, murderously hot body. “Tell you what, babe. I’ll behave myself all you want, show up at the damn wedding, and play my part in the farce if you road trip with me down to Mexico. And not on a plane, because I’m not spending my money on that shit and I’ll never take anything from your father. You come with me, on my Harley, your tight little belly jammed up against my ass and your arms around my chest.”
