Stepbrother for Christmas

by Amy Brent

  Gage kissed Lily good night before following me out to the bedroom. He closed the door with a relieved sigh of his own before turning to look at me with hungry eyes.

  “Would it be so bad to have another round tonight?” he asked.

  Despite how much my legs ached from constantly walking after the kids, I felt that flicker of desire start all over again. I smiled at him when he leaned in to give me a dizzying kiss.

  “I wouldn’t complain,” I said. “Maybe after a hot bubble bath? My legs and feet are killing me from all this walking today.”

  The corners of Gage’s lips turned up into a mischievous smile. “Bubble bath it is, my dear. I can handle a bath with you.”

  He pulled me in the direction of the master suite bathroom. He poured a hefty amount of soap bubbles into the tub as he filled it with hot water. I stripped out of my clothes eagerly, without waiting for the tub to finish filling up. Gage chuckled deeply when I let out a moan of relief.

  “It was a lot of walking today,” he said. “I don’t know how the kids managed to keep going until we dragged them away for dinner.”

  “I don’t know, either,” I replied, my eyes slipping closed in pleasure from the heat of the water. “I’m surprised that Ethan didn’t have one breakdown today. He was pretty excited for most of the day.”

  The sound of Gage’s belt buckle hitting the tile floor brought a new sensation of heat spiraling through me. Surrounded by a mountain of bubbles that smelled of vanilla, I looked up as Gage lowered himself into the water directly across from me. Our naked legs brushed beneath the bubbles and water. I shivered in response to it as he pulled me into the strong circle his arms and legs.

  “Have you enjoyed your trip so far?” Gage asked.

  His hands rubbed at my shoulders sensually. I let my head fall back against his shoulder in pleasure as those fingers began to work their own magic on the aches in my muscles.

  “I’ve loved it so far,” I moaned softly. “It’s been amazing. Thank you, Gage. This was a wonderful surprise for everyone involved.”

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. We all needed a break from the cold in Montana.”

  “No kidding. I love snow, but I’m ready to move somewhere else.” I nuzzled up against Gage with a sigh. “Maybe here? I could get used to waking up to the Florida sunshine every morning.”

  “I could get used to that,” he agreed, hands slipping down past my collarbones to cup my breasts. “It’d be a nice place to live. Right on the beach. Go for a stroll every morning. Enjoy the water.”

  I bit my lip meekly when one of those fingers pinched my nipple teasingly. A thick haze of lust came over me then when those devious fingers slipped past my navel to cup my center gently in the hot water. My hips jerked in response when they started to rub gently.

  “Gage,” I choked out, grasping his knees to hold myself still. “The kids.”

  “They aren’t going to come walking in,” he assured, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. “They’re fast asleep. I haven’t heard a peep out of them.”

  “We’re violating our own rule here. Remember?”

  Gage’s teeth nibbled at the side of my neck. “The kids are asleep, Amber. That rule only applies if they are awake.”

  A finger slipped inside of me and began to move. I could feel Gage’s erection, hard and hot, pressing up against my back. Sweat dripped down my forehead. I had no idea if it was from the heat of the water, or from an entirely different heat that Gage was stoking inside of me.

  “I think we make a good team together,” he said. “Don’t you?”

  I licked my lips at that. “I think so. Ethan really looks up to you now.”

  “I’m happy that he trusts me. Do you ever think about having more kids?”

  “More kids?”

  I opened my eyes at the question. Twisting around, I looked up at Gage to find that his eyes were smoldering for an entirely different reason. They were filled with warmth and compassion. And love. My heart raced as I turned myself around fully to face him.

  “Are you asking what I’m thinking you’re asking?” I asked.

  Gage smirked in amusement. “What do you think I’m asking?”

  “That you’re thinking about more kids?” I suggested, and when he nodded, I continued on with one eye trained on him cautiously. “With me? Are you suggesting that?”

  “I am,” he said. “Why not? Our kids love each other. We make a good team.”

  “What about everything else?”

  “We’ll figure that out when the time comes,” Gage said, pressing a finger to my lips. “Let’s focus on what we have right now. Nothing else, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Our lips met in a heated kiss. Our slick bodies pressed up against one another’s. Water tumbled over the rim of the bath tub when I grasped the edges to lower myself onto him. A groan escaped Gage’s mouth as his hands reached for my hips to guide the pace. He reached around me to turn the water off before sitting up to kiss me again.

  The combination of the hot water and the sensation of Gage throbbing inside of me was nearly too much. I teetered on the edge of a peak. Water spilled out again from the side of the tub as our hips ground together urgently. My fingers dug into Gage’s shoulders as that delicious heat spilled over me again. I couldn’t hold on any longer when his thumb pressed up against the center of me, pushing me over that edge finally.

  Gage stiffened underneath me a moment later. I felt him spill before sinking back against the tub in relief. We sat there for a long time in lukewarm water with scattered soap bubbles all around us. My body thrummed pleasantly in the aftermath. No more aches and pains.

  “Everyone should have this,” I mumbled, resting my head against his drenched shoulder. “It’s a great pain reliever. I don’t feel my legs anymore.”

  Gage chuckled breathlessly. His heart raced beneath my ear when I rested my head there.

  “That’s a new million-dollar idea,” he said. “Sex to cure your aches and pains. I don’t know how the rest of the world doesn’t know that already.” He smoothed back my damp hair before pressing a kiss to my temple. “We should get this mess cleaned up before we tucker out. I don’t want one of the kids slipping in here.”

  Sleep tugged at my brain while we took a few spare towels to wipe up the puddles of water. I kissed Gage goodnight, reluctant to go to a separate room. I longed to fall asleep with the circle of his arms around me protectively, but neither one of us wanted to risk the kids coming into our rooms to find us in bed together. We didn’t know how we were going to address them, but keeping quiet seemed to be the best option we had.

  The next morning, a whole new ache took over. My lower stomach felt bloated, ill, and crampy. A dull headache throbbed in my temples, too. I shooed Gage and the kids away to enjoy their morning while I took some Tylenol in hopes that all of it would go away. I drifted off into an exhausted sleep on the small couch overlooking the beach, but I woke hours later to the sound of the hotel phone ringing.

  Half-asleep, I reached for the phone on the small coffee table next to the couch.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “So, it is true, then.”

  The sound of Scott’s voice sent daggers through the sleepy haze in my mind. I sat up quickly, heart pounding.

  “Scott?”

  “Yes,” he said coolly. “It’s me. Enjoying that Florida sunshine?”

  He knew where I was. The thought terrified me beyond reason. I clutched the phone tightly as I checked to make sure that the door was locked. We hadn’t even bothered with security before coming down here because we were a thousand miles away from familiar cities and faces.

  I swallowed thickly. “How did you know that I’m here?”

  “A PI that I hired. I wanted to inform you first that I’m disputing the terms of our divorce.”

  A sinking sensation filled me. “Why?”

  “You see, I’ve done some digging on your whereabouts these past few months.” Shit. M
y heart pounded furiously in my chest at the smugness in Scott’s voice. “And I know everything, Amber. I know all about your little fling with Gage Devlin.”

  Tears filled my eyes. Deny it, Amber. Deny it. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Scott.”

  “Deny it all you want,” he said, chuckling coldly. “You don’t have to be honest with me, but I know the truth. I have photos here that my PI will leak to the press.”

  “You’re lying,” I said, panicked. “You have nothing.”

  “Oh, darling. I don’t think your daddy would like this development spreading to the press. So, I suggest that you button up your adventure there with my son. Meet me Monday morning at the small coffee shop we used to get coffee at all the time.”

  “What if I don’t?” I asked, more brave than I felt. “How do I know you aren’t blowing smoke up my ass?”

  “That’s your risk then, Amber. You know I don’t bluff if I have evidence. Tracking you to Disney World was easy. Photos of you and Gage Devlin having sex on the beach? Priceless.”

  He hung up before I could reply.

  Chapter 21

  Gage

  A late spring snowfall graced the mountains again. The cold and dreary weather suited my bitter mood just fine. After dropping Lily off at a friend’s house for a sleepover, I had hoped to catch Amber for a private conversation before she went back with Ethan to her parents’ home. That hope had been dashed like everything else that happened over the previous two days when Amber bolted out of the car without saying goodbye. She prompted Ethan to wave goodbye once, before disappearing in through the front door, not even bothering to wait for her father’s security team. I had stood at the back of the SUV like a complete fool and lost.

  “What the fuck?” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “What the fuck happened?”

  The roads were slush on the way back up to my cabin. It wasn’t enough snow to create chaos on the roads, but it was enough to dampen everyone’s moods. Amber’s mood had only gotten worse over the past twenty-four hours, too. It had started that morning when she woke up complaining of a stomach ache, and after that, her carefree attitude was gone. She remained guarded, teary-eyed at times, and refused to tell me a word besides that she wasn’t feeling good.

  I pulled up the driveway to park in front of the detached garage. At least, Lily would be occupied with her friend. It gave me the time to sort out everything without alerting her that something was wrong. She already believed something bad had happened when Amber locked herself in the bathroom for three hours the night before.

  The entire cabin was chilly when I stepped inside through the sliding glass doors. Tossing my bags onto the floor, I went about opening the curtains to let a little bit of sunlight in. I clicked the furnace on as well, before picking up the phone to dial Amber’s cellphone number. The call rang once before going straight to voicemail.

  My heart lodged itself into my throat. Frustration burned my chest as I slammed my phone down on the kitchen counter. I mentally ran over the past four days of pure bliss in the Florida sunshine. Going to Florida had cemented one thing in my mind, that I was undeniably in love with Amber. I couldn’t picture my life without her in it. Even if it was going to mean losing a friendship in the long run, or a media frenzy, I didn’t care. I wanted Amber for the rest of my life.

  And I had sincerely believed that Amber’s feelings were the same. I still believed it. Something had happened to set Amber on guard again. I just didn’t know what it was.

  My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. Can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later.

  I frowned at the curt message. That had changed over the past few months, too. We talked and texted every single day. Amber never ignored my phone calls or pushed them off. I texted back quickly.

  What the hell is going on, Amber? I don’t understand what happened.

  Seconds stretched into minutes. I stared down at my phone as frustration built all over again. The last time I had felt this confused over a woman was in high school. The mind games. The confused feelings. I ran a hand over my face with an aggravated groan. When did I go back to pining after someone? I was forty-seven years old. I had a life with a child. I didn’t have time to sit around my phone wondering what happened when everything had felt perfect.

  I reached into my shirt pocket to pull out the small Tiffany box. Flipping the lid open, I stared down at the sparkling diamond ring that I had picked out for Amber the morning that her guard had gone up. I had carried this damned thing in my pocket for the past couple of days, hoping for the perfect moment to pop up again. The dinner I had planned, the babysitter to watch the kids, all of it had been dashed when Amber curled up in her bed.

  The only bit of hope that I had clung to was Amber crawling into my bed the night before, once the kids were quiet. She had kissed me hard then, pulling me down between her legs without saying a word. We had made love fast and hard underneath the cover of the blankets to muffle our breathing and moans. I still couldn’t shake the desperation of Amber’s kisses, or the way she clutched at me as though I was going to disappear at a moment’s notice. Afterward, tears had filled her eyes as she climbed out of my bed. “I’m sorry,” she had mumbled, fighting back sobs. “I’m sorry, Gage.” And she had bolted through the door without waiting for a reply.

  I shut the box to toss it onto the table. Maybe the reality of our relationship was starting to wear her down. My own heart was heavy with apprehension over what was going to happen once the news broke. I could only imagine Beau’s anger. I already knew that the press would tear apart the Roselynn name, but it didn’t matter. Not to me. Not to Amber either.

  I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the cabin and getting a fire going again to fight off the early spring chill. The forecast had predicted another couple inches of snow over the next few of days. It would give Amber plenty of time to have her space and to sort out whatever was going on in her head. There were plenty of things to keep me occupied, and to keep Lily occupied throughout the week as well, with school and her afterschool programs. There were plenty of distractions to keep the both of us busy.

  The rest of the week went by in a cold, slow blur. My phone remained silent the entire time. No phone calls. No text messages. The silence growing between us was deafening, and with each passing day, frustration mounted in me.

  I channeled that frustration into the blind hope that Amber would be attending church Sunday morning. That blinding hope ignited when I saw Ethan in the daycare portion of the church, but it was doused quickly with cold water when I found Beau in the pews, not Amber.

  “Try not to look too disappointed in seeing me,” Beau commented as he stood up to let me pass by him. We both took a seat next to one another, even though I was burning with anger. “I’m surprised to see that you’re here again. You never liked church.”

  “Lily likes to come here,” I explained. Which was the partial truth. I also came to church because of Amber. I couldn’t contain my question any longer, either. “Where’s Amber at? I thought she would be here with you and Ethan.”

  Beau looked up from the email he was reading on his phone. A frown tugged at his lips while his eyes studied me carefully. I quickly guarded my emotions, knowing well that Beau had an ability to read people.

  “Did something happen over in Florida that I need to know about?” Beau asked flatly. “My daughter has been locked up in her room for days now. She has been physically sick to her stomach.”

  I twisted my hands in agitation. “I don’t know, Beau. Everything was going well--” Spectacular. “—and then she shut down on me, too. She didn’t want to come out of the room there, either.”

  “And nothing happened that you could think of that would make her feel this way?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “I honestly can’t say that I know of anything that would make her feel this way.”

  It felt good to be partially honest, at least, with my close friend. I needed advice. I
needed to talk to someone about it, but I couldn’t. Not with Beau. Not until I talked with Amber about what was going on with her.

  The rest of church passed by slowly. I bid Beau a hasty goodbye before gathering Lily from bible study to head over to Raychelle’s house for lunch as planned.

  “Where’s Amber at?” Lily asked, scanning the crowd of churchgoers as they left the church. “I saw that Ethan was in daycare. I wanted to ask her a question about something.”

  “I’m not sure,” I replied tightly. “Beau said she hasn’t been feeling very well since our trip to Florida.”

  I sensed Lily’s gaze on me. I looked up to find her studying me with a curious frown on her lips.

  “What?” I asked defensively.

  We stopped in front of my truck. I opened the passenger door for her to climb in before walking around to climb into the driver’s seat. I turned the truck on to blast us both with warm air from the heater. A dust of snow covered the hood of my truck.

  “You like Amber, don’t you?” Lily asked quietly.

  I stiffened in surprise at the question. “Of course, I do. She’s been very close to me for a while.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” Lily said. “I see you look at her the way you used to look at Mommy sometimes.”