Infatuation: A Rebel Stepbrother Romance (4 page)

“What the hell was that?” she explodes as soon as we’re alone.

I open my mouth to ask what she’s talking about, but she cuts me off. “Don’t try to play innocent. You deliberately embarrassed me. Why?”

“I don’t like you flirting with other men.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re mine.”

“I’m not yours,” she whispers.

I back her up against the door.

“See, there’s where you’re wrong.”

Chapter Four

I need to put distance between us. Because right now, I can’t decide if I want to punch Flynn or fuck him.

Except, there’s nowhere to go. Everything inside me screams in frustration. He’s got me backed up against the door. Caging me in with his beautiful arms. Tattoos and muscles on display.

Normally, we would have lost our nerve and gone our separate ways by now. Not this time. No, he’s staring at me as if he wants something he knows damn well he shouldn’t have. Can’t have. His eyes roam over my body and his breathing picks up. Words need to be said, but instead he’s quiet.

My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and his eyes follow the movement. Before I lose my nerve, I ask, “Do you want me?”

He closes his eyes for a second. Avoiding me. Avoiding my question.

“So much it kills me, Ella. I’m tired of pretending. We’re adults. There’s nothing our parents can do to us now.” The words come out like a caress, touching every part of my body. I hate that I still respond to him this way.

“We’re all grown up now, Ella,” he whispers while tracing his fingers down my cheek.

“It doesn’t matter. Your father will ruin you.”

A smile plays at the corners of his mouth. There’s something he’s not telling me.

I don’t have a chance to ask.

His lips brush against mine, soft at first. My arms wrap around his shoulders and my fingers dig into his ebony hair. “I like the longer hair.”

“I always knew you would.”

He lifts me, wrapping my legs around his hips and cradling me against his hard chest. His hands slide down, gripping my ass. Our tongues glide together. The taste of him brings back both sweet and awful memories.

“Ella, forget about our family.”

I move in to kiss him again. I don’t want to hear more excuses. His mouth moves over my jaw, nuzzling and kissing down my neck. He easily nudges my bathing suit straps to the side.

One hand slides up, freeing my breasts. His thumb rubs over one nipple until it’s an aching point, then he sucks it into his mouth, lashing his tongue back and forth. The hot wetness of his mouth makes me gasp.

This is so
wrong
.

My fingers clutch a handful of his hair, pulling him away. Sharp teeth graze my nipple in warning, but I have to ask my question.

“Are we doing this for real?”

His lips brush my ear as he leans in. “I’ve got you pinned to the wall, your swimsuit half-off and your tits in my hands, so yeah, I think we’re doing this, lil’ sister.”

It’s like pouring ice water on my crotch. “Ugh, stop calling me that.”

The corner of his mouth pulls into a smirk. “Why? The forbidden makes it hotter.”

I press my hands against his shoulders—his rock hard, broad shoulders—and shove. Why bother? It’s impossible to move him.

“Yeah, well it makes my vagina dry as a desert when you say it.”

I should’ve known he’d take that as a challenge.

“Oh, my sweet lil’ Ella, I doubt that very much.”

This needs to happen. I’ve never gotten Ella out of my system. But I also need to explain things better to her.

And then someone knocks on our door. Again.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding.

It’s awkward since we’re standing right up against the damn door.

Ella’s big, blue eyes stare up at me in fear. She’s so sweet. Too damn sweet for me. Gently, I set her down and help her fix her bathing suit. Since my dick’s harder than a sledgehammer, I step into the bathroom and let her open the door.

We’re stuck sharing a room together, yet so far it’s been impossible to enjoy it.

Stu’s voice comes through loud and clear. Once my dick’s under control, I step out and join them.

“What’s up, bro!”

I haven’t seen him in forever, so we slap each other’s backs. I offer my congratulations and silently will him to leave.

But no, we’ve got bachelor party shenanigans to take care of tonight.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ella gathering clothes and heading for the bathroom. I reach out and snag her hand. “We’re not done talking.”

The way she trembles gets my dick all excited again, so I let her go. She closes the door with a soft click.

Stu raises an eyebrow at me. “Everything cool?”

“Yeah, just got stuck sharing a room together. It’ll be fine.”

“I hear Lena’s looking for a roomie,” he says, waggling his eyebrows.

“Fuck that. I’d rather sleep on a bench on the boardwalk.”

“Can’t blame you there.”

Ella walks back out fully dressed.

“We’ll talk after the rehearsal dinner, buddy,” Stu says, slapping me on the back.

I shut the door quietly, then turn and face Ella. “Take your clothes off.”

“What? No.”

“Ella, you have me worked up. We need to finish what we started.”

She props her hands on her hips and stares at me. “No. Maybe us getting interrupted all the time is a sign that this is a bad idea.”

I know her well enough to know she’s not only referring to today’s interruptions.

Her mouth turns down and I’m distracted. My cock swells, thinking about her fuckable lips giving it a hug.

“Don’t do that, Ella. You want this as much as I do.”

“What I want and what’s good for us are two different things.”

“You’re good for me.”

“You don’t know that.”

I risk moving a few more steps in her direction.

“I’m good for you.”

“No. We’re bad for each other. We’ll both end up hurt.”

“How?”

Tears shimmer in her eyes, and it seems a little extreme. Yes, we’d been caught by our parents when we were teenagers. It had been embarrassing for everyone. Worse for her, since she got shipped off to boarding school. But we’re adults now.

“Ella?”

“Just let me go. I should check on Summer.”

The air between us has shifted. Playing games won’t do the trick.

“Okay. But we’re still not done with this.” I move away from the door.

“You might not be. I am.”

Chapter Five

Thank God I brought my dress and train case to Summer’s room earlier. This way I don’t have to see Flynn again before the rehearsal dinner. My body wants to give in to him every time he’s within two feet of me, no matter what my brain thinks.

Summer’s happy chatter helps keep my mind off the way Flynn’s hard body pressed into my soft one. The beautiful ink that hadn’t been there six years ago. The chiseled, defined muscles he’s obviously been working hard on the last few years.

“Ugh, my mother’s staying with me in here. She’s a light sleeper too. No pre-wedding nookie,” Summer grouches as I dab concealer under her eyes.

“You’ll have plenty of time for post-wedding nookie after tomorrow,” I tease.

“Speaking of nookie—”

“Were we?”

“Yes. Stu said you and Flynn looked cozy when he stopped by earlier.”

“We were having a . . . discussion.”

She closes her eyes while I sweep eyeshadow on her lids. This is good practice for tomorrow, when we’ll be in a time crunch. An awful thought enters my mind while I’m working. What if Flynn’s all revved up, after our make-out session, and decides to help disentangle Lena from her teeny-tiny bathing suit to ease his suffering?

Perish the thought.

As if she’d heard me pondering her swimsuit mishaps, Lena knocks and enters before anyone invites her in.

“Hi, girls.”

“I think you’re all done, Summer.”

Lena runs her gaze over my work as if she’s the makeup inspector. “Nice work, Ella.”

Oh. Now I feel like an ass. “Thanks.”

“Think you can do me tomorrow?”

“Sure. Summer asked me to do all the girls.”

“Thanks.”

We chat almost normally, bringing back memories of times before everything got out of control and messed up. Before I was sent away and lost everything.

It’s nice, but it also reminds me why Flynn and I can’t risk getting too close again.

Never again.

Ella never returned to our room before the rehearsal dinner. Sneaky girl. I waited until the last possible second, then joined the guys for the party. I’m still half-hard from our kiss. Still dying to put my mouth on every inch of her body.

An elbow to my ribs kicks me out of those thoughts.

“What?”

“Dude, you’re drooling.”

Without thinking, I swipe my hand across my chin, making Stu laugh like an idiot.

“Just fucking talk to her.”

“We did.”

“Without sticking your tongue down her throat.”

One corner of my mouth curls up. I hadn’t even told Stu about our up-against-the-door makeout session. “Worry about your own tongue.”

He responds with a lewd grin. “My tongue and other parts are in lockdown until tomorrow night. Summer’s mother decided to bunk with her in case we got any pre-marital sex ideas.”

The water I’d been in the middle of sipping shoots up my nose. “A little late for that one,” I choke out between laughter.

“No shit. My balls are bluer than my fuckin’ eyes right now.” He jerks his chin at Summer, who waves at him. “Look at her. How am I supposed to stay away for another twenty-four hours?”

There’s a joke lingering at the tip of my tongue, but I reel it back. The love my two friends have for each other is enviable for sure. Makes me determined to work on Ella this weekend.

“I’m sure you’ll find time for a closet quickie or something,” I finally answer. What? If I let the jokes go by, he’ll be up in my business in record time.

“Good idea.” He slaps me on the back and stalks across the room to pull his bride-to-be out the door.