by Rose Harper
“I couldn’t find the right dress to wear for lunch. I wanted to have it with me so I wouldn’t have to return to the house after our fitting. I was only thinking about the lunch, and how I wanted to make a great impression with it being our first family outing,” I lied, closing my eyes because I knew sure as the world I was going to go to hell.
I heard her sigh over the phone. “Well, at least you were thinking of later.” I blew out a breath at her believing my lie.
If anyone were to find out what transpired in the house before we got here, there’d be no way that I would live it down. Hellfire, he fucked me over worse than any man ever could a woman. Add that to the fact we were about to be siblings. That’s a damn bomb just waiting to explode.
I saw the seamstress coming toward me, so I ended the call. “Mom, I have to go. They’re here to get me into my dress and see if anything needs to be done.” Without waiting for her to say good-bye, I ended the call.
She stopped in front of me, a smile on her warm, aged face. “You Claire?”
I nodded, “Yup, that would be me.”
She beckoned me to follow her. I rose, taking one last glimpse at Brad. He caught my gaze in the mirror, giving me a panty melting wink, licking his lips. He was so crude sometimes, but his intent had the desired effect. My mind was instantly transported back to the house this morning. I blushed, as he began chuckling. God, he was such an ass.
“You two seem to be getting along quite well,” the older woman, I now knew as Gloria, stated.
“We get along all right,” I agreed.
“Your stepbrother seems protective over you. He hasn’t taken his eyes off you that much since you’ve been here,” she said.
I blushed. “I’m sure he hasn’t been looking at me that much.”
She quirked her eyebrows, then busted out laughing. “Okay dear, whatever you say.”
We got back to the dressing rooms, where I assumed my dress was. She led me to the second room on the right and told me to take everything off except my panties, which was the only way to wear the dress. I groaned when I pulled the dress out of the bag. There was nothing left to the imagination. Don’t get me wrong; it was a beautiful gown. However, this gown was completely backless and dipped low in the front where a line of diamonds held it together between my breasts.
The only thing keeping the gown on my body were the straps that swept over my shoulders and connected with the gown right at my armpits. The back dipped down low enough to show the dimples above my ass, where it tightened so it wouldn’t go lower. The bottom flared out as it swept to the floor, a small train on the back. The gown was a gorgeous light blue color, almost silver.
When I finally got the dress to cooperate, I stood back, a gasp slipping past my lips. I looked like an ice princess, the only thing I was missing was my tiara. The silk of the dress caressed my body like a lover would. It felt fantastic. I noted the diamond studs I had in my ears and the diamond teardrop necklace fit perfectly with the dress.
As I came out of the dressing room and stepped onto the platform, I heard someone gasp behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Brad standing there in his regular clothes, gaping at my body with wide, lust-filled eyes. He ran his hand through his hair, his muscles twitching under his shirt. I smiled innocently, catching his eyes. There was a dangerous glint in them, like he could just fuck me right here on this platform and not care what they’d say.
“I’m going to go check on things at the site,” he growled in a sex-fueled voice, pulling his phone out of his jeans.
My nipples pushed against the fabric of my dress, his words wreaking havoc on my body. I need to douse the reaction my body has toward him. It’s being a traitorous bitch right now, which will only get me in trouble and my heart broken once more.
I turned my head around, trying not to meet his eyes in the mirrors. That lasted all of two seconds. Half shutting my eyes, I looked through my lashes at him. I grew wet at the sight of his eyes glued to the reflection of my chest, his breathing becoming harsher as his eyes darkened with desire. The more I’m around him, seeing the way he looks at me, becomes harder for me to control myself around him. I’m going to look like one big fool if I let my body override my brain.
Silently, I watched him start to walk away, and then, as if he were second-guessing himself, he stopped. But he shook his head, visibly fighting an inner battle I knew nothing about. I knew the moment he made his mind up because he began walking the rest of the way toward the front door, pushed it open, and stepped outside.
Just watching him walk was foreplay, or at least it had been in high school. What the hell am I saying? It fucking turns me on to see him strut around like he’s the king and everyone is his loyal subjects. He’s cocky in his gait, which is a turn on if I’ve ever saw it.
I would say that it was fucked up beyond compare. I couldn’t keep my eyes away from him, watching him walk back and forth in front of the storefront window. It seemed he was upset about something. His brows furrowed as anger riddled his face. Whoever it was on the other end of that phone, I was sorry for them. I’ve never seen him this upset before—if ever. Not even that time I left years ago. He’d showed more hurt than anything. I wondered who it was on the other end of the phone. He said he was calling the site, so maybe something was wrong. I watched silently as he put the phone between his shoulder and head as his right hand came up to twist the ring that was now missing from his left ring finger.
I cocked my head, perusing him. It was like he forgot the ring was no longer there. The only thing I could come up with was that the divorce had been recently. In truth, I didn’t want to think of him married to someone else. It always got me in a terrible mood when I did. Especially that he had married Cherish. The one girl that I couldn’t stand in school.
Just hearing that when my mother told me a few months ago still ate at me. I didn’t know when he had gotten married to her, or divorced her, for that matter. I’d asked my mother several times when he’d taken the plunge, but she would never tell me. She would just tell me that it was none of my business, and if he wanted me to know about it, he would tell me.
If anything, by my asking, it could piss him off I was dragging up the past. I spied at his reflection as he grabbed his finger, and he turned and looked at me through the window. Averting my eyes, I looked at the old woman hemming the bottom of my dress. I watched as her old wrinkled hands made fast work of pinning the bottom. When she was done, she moved up to where my back had been left unclothed. I shied away from her touch when her fingers grazed my back. I was never good with someone I didn’t know touching me—never had been.
Every time I would shy away from her, she’d meet my eyes in the mirror, a small smile playing on her face. But she didn’t stop her work; she kept pinning and marking the areas that needed to be fixed. It was good she was fast at her job. It was already almost time for us to meet my mom and Henry for lunch. That was going to be fun. It was already a little weird being around Brad after the incident at the house this morning, so lunch is going to make things even more complicated.
I was stepping off the platform when he came back inside, a weary look on his face. I wanted to ask him what was wrong but thought better of it. If he wanted to tell me, he would. If not, then, oh well. The truth would come out later; of that, I was sure.
Gripping my train, I made my way to the dressing room. Shutting the door, I leaned back against it. Everything going on was confusing me. I missed the easy life I had in New York, yearned for Sunday to come faster so I could return. I missed being able to be myself, and not reminded of the girl that had everything ripped away from her when she thought it was all hers for the rest of her life.
I missed cock. There, I said it. It’s been a week and a half since the last time I was with anyone, and it’s starting to get to me. I’m ogling Brad Titan for goodness sakes! That is a no-no at the top of my list of ‘don’t fucking do ever’.
My body wanted Brad with a fierceness I’ve never fel
t before, but my mind was screaming for me to run—to run and never look back. He’d hurt me, and I wasn’t in the market to be hurt like that ever again.
I was in the process of changing out of my dress when someone knocked on the door. I put the gown in front of me as a shield before opening the door, immediately regretting it. Brad was standing there with a cocky smirk on his face, his eyes lit up with devilish intent. I tried to breathe past the lump that formed in my throat from him being so close to me, but nothing I did helped.
“Need any help?” he seduced, pushing through the door.
Forcing himself into the small dressing room, my breathing picked up, turning to a slow pant. My body was already beginning to thrum with threads of desire my body should not be feeling right now. Backing up to the wall, he locked the door, walking toward me with a slow predatory grace, a wicked smile on his face. He stopped inches in front of me, lifting his arms next to my head, caging me in. He deeply inhaled, closing his eyes and groaning as he exhaled.
“Brad … You have to leave,” I breathed, a shaky rattle taking over my once strong voice.
He eyed me, his eyes darkening further. “Is that what you really want, Claire? Do you want me to leave?” he whispered, running his nose along my jaw before breathing in my ear. “If so, I will. I’ll leave and never bother you again.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I closed my eyes, cursing my body. I wanted him. Down to my very bone marrow, I wanted this man. Just the sound of his voice got me wet but having him this close made me want to explode with pleasure. Feeling the heat from his body did wild things to me. I wanted to say that for a split second I went insane, but that would be laughable. I was just a horny woman trying to get a fix.
But … I couldn’t do this, could I? What if he looked further into it than what it really is? Hell, what if I looked further into it?
I don’t want to be hurt again. I don’t want to drown in a sea of hurt, pain, and deception. Still, no matter if I didn’t want that, my body still called to press against his. It still called to become one with the first and only man I’ve ever loved.
What the hell am I going to do?
“We … Brad,” I groaned, shutting my eyes. “You’re making this very hard for me.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” he seduced, his voice dropping an octave. “All you have to do is feel.”
Knowing I’ll hate myself later, I dropped the dress, allowing it to pool around my feet. Within seconds, the force of him barreling into me, pushed me back against the wall as his lips sealed over mine. His erection evident as he pressed his hips against my lace covered mound, I groaned into his mouth. He nipped at my bottom lip, dragging it between his teeth, pulling a whimper from me. His arms came around me, pulling me closer to him as he sat down in the only chair in the room. He broke the kiss as he sat down, patting his lap.
I stood looking down at him, while he began kissing and licking at my stomach. I closed my eyes, as my head fell back. The wonderful feel of his lips against my overheated skin was almost too much to process. I gasped in surprise when I felt his mouth cover my drenched mound. Licking my lips, I opened my eyes and looked down at him. I whimpered, my breathing becoming huskier at the sight and feel of him against my flesh.
Taking my clit between his lips, I almost fainted from the sheer bliss coursing through my veins. He lifted back all too soon, pulling me down to straddle his lap. He gazed into my eyes, his breathing just as rough as mine. I brazenly rubbed the tent in his pants. He inhaled a shaky breath, his eyes going to half-mast.
“Claire. You’re killing me here.” His whole body shivered between my legs. He grabbed ahold of my hips, forcefully pulling me against his long, thick cock.
“You slayed me,” I breathed against his lips.
My words made him snap. He fused his mouth to mine, kissing and nibbling. His sudden forceful kiss surprised me, my lips opened and he attacked. Sweeping his tongue in, he began fucking my mouth with it. Trying to get deeper with every duel of our tongues. It was beyond hot when his restraint broke like this. My nipples hardened into unbearable peaks. I started grinding against him, little whimpers and moans escaping between our lips.
His zipper was loud throughout the small room. But there was no way that I was going to be able to stop. If it could be possible, I wanted him more than my next breath. Hesitantly breaking our kiss, he sheathed himself. The condom seemingly coming from nowhere. Before I could get another word—let alone a whimper—out, he pulled my thong to the side and thrust in to the hilt. My mouth opened in a silent cry, as a growl came from him.
“You're mine, Claire. I don’t give a shit what you say, you’ve always been mine.”
My body heated up against his; I began trembling. With every pump of his cock into me, I was lost a little more. Grabbing his shoulders for stability, he began pumping into me faster. His hands tightly gripped my hips. The only sounds in the small room were our cries of passion, and the steady slapping of our skin as he thrust his hard cock into my tight pussy.
“Brad. I’m not going to last,” I cried out.
“Love, you’re going to have to be quiet or everyone is going to hear. Bite me if you have to. Just be quiet.”
Doing as he said, I put my face into his neck. His hands slid around to my ass, jerking me toward him harder with each thrust. Two more strokes, and I felt my orgasm coming over me. My pussy clenched and unclenched around his thick length.
The pleasure was too much to deal without screaming, so I bit the cords of his neck, he growled and thrust harder. His fingers dug into my backside, which I knew were going to leave bruises. But I couldn’t bring myself to care, he just felt so damn good inside me. I felt him swell inside me, forcing me into another smaller climax. He threw his head back as his release overtook him, eyes closed and mouth open in pure ecstasy.
Lying against him, I let him wrap his arms around me. The shakes overtaking my body from the euphoric high leaves my body. The smell of sex permeated through the air. I listened to the jackhammering sound of his heart, trying to steady my own breathing. His dick began softening inside me minutes later. I reluctantly got off him, grabbing my dress to slip back into it. I was zipping the back up when he came up behind me, meeting my eyes in the mirror, he kissed my shoulder then took over the zipping.
I was about to give in to the pull of his lips, to surrender my body to him. But just as I was about to, a timid knock came from the door, a woman’s voice following. “Brad, is your sister okay?”
That’s when it all hit me. I just had the most explosive sex ever, with my soon-to-be stepbrother, a guy I’m supposed to loathe … in the motherfucking dress shop. How could I let this happen? It wasn’t supposed to get this far with Brad. I instantly felt guilty for what we just did. It was something that couldn’t happen again. I couldn’t allow it to happen. It would never lead to anything. Never. So why was I putting myself through this? I would just have to deal with the hurt later, something I was not looking forward to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
After I was dressed I opened the door, the act scaring the old lady. “Yes, I’m fine. I just saw a spider. He helped me, but thank you for asking,” I grumbled, walking past her.
I was at the passenger side of Brad’s car before he caught up with me. I was sure that he was blindsided by my cold brush off. But hell, we almost got caught fucking in the boutique dressing room. The same boutique where I just got the last fitting for my Maid of Honor gown, a gown I would be wearing to our parents’ wedding in two days.
“Are you okay, Claire?” he asked, coming around to open my door.
“That can never happen again. Ever,” I forced out.
I expected him to go off on me right there, but he surprised me. He shut the door after I seated myself, walking around the car and got in on his side. We sat there in a tension-filled silence, until he couldn’t take it anymore. He rounded on me, shooting a seething look my way.
“Why? What is so wrong with us
doing that? For us to be together?” he asked coolly.
“Did you not just hear that woman? I am about to be your sister, Brad. Seriously, you know how fucked up that is?”
“Step, Claire. You are about to be my stepsister. We’re not bound by fucking blood. Motherfuck! I’ll never see you as my sister,” he seethed.
What he said was true, I knew this. But that still didn’t make it all right. It would absolutely crush my mother if she found out about what we just did. I was nauseous just thinking about it. Nothing good would come from anyone finding out about this.
“That’s just semantics, Brad.”
He growled. “Dammit, Claire. You’re thinking about this too much. I always get what I want; you just need to accept the fact that you are mine. The sooner you do that; the sooner we can get to the fun stuff.”
“Not going to happen, stink ass,” I said dryly.
He took my chin between his pointer and thumb, forcing my eyes to his. “Believe what you want, Claire Bear, but I know the outcome of this. You. Are. Mine. I’ll have you, make no mistake about that. I. Always. Get. What. I. Want.”
“You’re so fucking cocky it’s unreal.”
“I may be cocky, but it got me you, didn’t it?”
“Just like it got you Cherish Sharp,” I stated, defiance lacing my words.
His fingers dropped from my face as if he’d been burned, his face paling as the news sunk in. He hadn’t known that I knew about his former marriage. He thought this whole time that I was dumb to the fact he had let some other woman have his last name. That he let some other woman steal his heart. Bullshit. I was no dumb woman; he should have known. He wears that tan line around on his ring finger. Who the hell wouldn’t know from that? I mean…seriously.
“How did you know about that?” his voice echoed his horror.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe because of the tan line you have on your ring finger.”
