Stepbrother Backstage (The Hawthorne Brothers Book 3) (44 page)

Secondly, we agree to keep our distance for the next couple
of weeks, at least when other members of our families are around. We can sneak
off together and get up to anything we like, but when the others are watching,
we’ll keep our hands to ourselves. We’ll be back at Sheridan in two weeks’ time,
anyway. Surely we can control ourselves until then. Any interference from our
families now will just jeopardize this thing between us…whatever “this thing”
might turn out to be.

“If I know my dad at all,” Luke says, as we walk back to the
house after our long conversation, “This little fling isn’t going to last
forever.”

“Not with my mom, it’s not,” I laugh, “Since my dad died,
she’s barely kept a guy around for two weeks running. Whatever’s going on
between her and John will be kaput by the time summer is out.”

“We’ll just be patient then,” Luke smiles, taking my hand in
his. We’ve paused in the shadow of the enormous lake house, hidden from sight.
“Trust me. It’ll be well worth the wait.”

“Oh, I trust you,” I breathe, giving his hand a squeeze.
“I’ll be counting down the days.”

“This trip will be over before you know it,” he murmurs,
tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, “Who knows? We might even think it’s
funny. Someday.”

“That might be overstating things,” I mutter.

“Fair point,” he allows, lifting my chin with two strong
fingers. His smile fades as he looks down at me in the moonlight, green eyes
gleaming. “I have to say, Sophie. You impress me.”

“Impress you?” I breathe, “How—?”

“It’s not just anyone who could roll with the punches like
this,” he goes on, trailing those fingers down my throat, “I like a woman with
an open mind.”

“Oh yeah?” I smile, taking a step toward him, “What
else
are you hoping I’ll be open to?”

“You’ll see,” he grins back, bringing his mouth swiftly to
mine. He lays one firm, final kiss on my lips before breaking away. “See you,
Sophie. Try not to stay up all night thinking about me.”

“Your modesty is truly stunning,” I shoot back, rolling my
eyes as Luke turns and walks away from me into the lake house.

He’s not wrong, though. I doubt I’ll sleep a wink tonight,
knowing that Luke Hawthorne is under the same roof as me. It’s a good thing our
ground rules for this trip have some wiggle room. Now all I have to do is
figure out how to get some privacy with my ardent paramour. I look out across
the expansive lake, the sprawling forests, the acres of open space without a
soul to be found…

Who knows? Perhaps privacy won’t be so hard to come by after
all.

Chapter Seven

I’ve got to hand it to Luke, he really isn’t a shabby actor.
As the days goes by, I’m frankly stunned by how easy it is to hide the true
nature of our relationship from our families. Any time we’re in the presence of
our siblings or parents, we give Oscar-worthy performances of not having any
interest in each other. It almost becomes like a game for us… If I’m honest, I
think it’s kind of hot, having a secret like this. It certainly adds to the
anticipation as we wait for the perfect moment to sneak away together.

A couple nights into the trip, the eight of us attempt
another big family meal. Amazingly enough, not a single tear is shed from
appetizers to dessert. Tensions have died down remarkably fast around here. I
guess we’re all a lot more adaptable than we give ourselves credit for. Even
Maddie, who was so upset the first night that I thought for sure she was going
to leave, seems much calmer. Come to think of it, she seems calmer—and
happier—than I’ve seen her in years. Maybe all this lake air is doing her good?

I’m standing at the kitchen sink, rinsing off plates and
stacking them in the dishwasher. As the rest of the family disperses, I feel a
thrill as Luke strides over to me, leaning against the kitchen counter. My
spine straightens under his intent stare, and I peer around to make sure no
one’s watching us.

“Stay in character, Hawthorne,” I murmur, keeping my eyes on
the sink.

“Don’t worry,” he smiles, “I’m a pro, remember? I just
wanted to see what your plans were for tomorrow morning.”

“Oh…Uh…I don’t really have any,” I tell him, “Why?”

“I thought you might be interested in coming out for a run
with me,” he says, casually crossing his arms.

“Is that some kind of a euphemism?” I whisper
conspiratorially.

“Maybe,” he grins.

“Well then…sure,” I say, excitement rising in my belly, “I’d
love to go out for a run with you. I need a little exercise.”

“Great,” he says, thumping his fist on the counter, “I’ll
see you at 5a.m.” 

I promptly drop the plate I’m holding into the sudsy sink.

“5 a.m.?!” I splutter, “What are you, some kind of
masochist?”

“Come on, Soph,” he grins at me, “Aren’t you dancer types
supposed to be made out of steel or something? This should be nothing for you.”

“Made out of steel, maybe. But also
very
fond of
sleeping in,” I mutter.

“Hey, if you don’t want to…” Luke shrugs.

“Ugh. Fine,” I sigh, “See you bright and early,
bro
.”

That
gets to him. I laugh as his face twists uneasily
at my address. Before he can reply, his brothers appear in the kitchen behind
us.

“Cash and I are going into town for a few rounds at the
Pourhouse,” Finn says to Luke. “You wanna come with?”

“Always,” Luke replies, turning away from me without another
glance.

I return to the task at hand as the boys file out,
suppressing a smile as I imagine what Luke has in store for me tomorrow
morning.

***

Though I balked at the idea of rising before the crack of
dawn, my eyes fly open before my alarm even goes off. This is the first time
Luke and I are stealing away on our own, after all—it may as well be Christmas morning.
I roll out of bed and dig through my backpack, pulling out my most flattering
workout clothes and throwing them on at lightning speed. Mornings here at the
lake are pretty cool, so I slip into black leggings, a strappy sports bra, and
a lightweight pullover. By the time I’m lacing up my favorite kicks, it’s 5a.m.
Time to go rouse my “running buddy”.

I pad through the slumbering house, trying my best not to
wake anyone as I approach Luke’s bedroom door. My entire body is awake with
anticipation, energized and ready for him, whatever he has in store for me.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, I stop outside Luke’s door and raise my first
to give it a light rap. But before I can knock, the door swings open. Luke
appears in the doorway wearing nothing but running shorts and a small backpack.
His sculpted chest and arms are completely bare, and I can’t help but trail my
gaze all along his cut torso. The sudden, powerful urge to tackle him back into
his room and onto the bed nearly overwhelms me.

“There you are,” he grins, “Come on. Let’s go.”

As he passes me, I see that his well-loved running shoes are
already laced up. For the first time, it occurs to me that Luke was a star
athlete at Sheridan as an undergrad. Particularly when it came to track and
field. His specialty, if I recall correctly, was long-distance running. Oh
god…what have I gotten myself into?

“Luke,” I whisper, following him down the stairs, “Are
we…actually going for a run?”

“Of course,” he replies, glancing over his shoulder at me,
“What did you think?”

“Oh, nothing,” I mutter, feeling my excitement slam into a
brick wall.

We make our way out into the crisp morning, stepping onto
the wide verandah. I have to admit, I don’t mind seeing this place so early in
the day. The quiet that envelops us is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced
before.

“OK,” Luke says, moving through a series of light stretches,
“I’ll take you out on my usual path. Five miles good for you?”

I can already feel my muscles tightening in protest. Though
I’m no stranger to cardio, I’m much more of a yoga girl myself when left to my
own devices. But there’s no way I’m backing down from this outing now.

“Sure,” I say to Luke, giving my shoulders a roll. “Sounds
great.”

“Cool,” he smiles, taking the porch steps two at a time, “I’ll
take the lead.”

I watch as he sets off down the driveway, his muscles
working together in perfect unison. Hurrying to follow, I let a wry smile play
across my face. If only my movement teacher Gary could see me now, huh?

Despite my reservations about this little excursion, my body
is thrilled to get a bit of exertion. My lungs fill gratefully with cool
mountain air as I dash along in Luke’s wake. His form is perfect as he leads me
along back roads through the dense forest. With every long stride he takes, the
muscles of his back and shoulders ripple deliciously beneath his tanned skin.
His calves are cut to perfection, and his ass is positively rock hard. If his
gorgeous form could always be my view while running, I’d be a marathoner in no
time.

Little by little, we ascend up toward the tree line. A
runner’s high washes over me as we climb, and I forget that there’s anyone else
in the world besides Luke and me. I lose track of the time, the miles, and the
effort it takes to keep up with my all-star companion. I’m just happy for this
moment out of time with him—away from our families, our school, everything. And
just when I think this morning couldn’t get any lovelier, the thick forest
around us suddenly gives way to open space. We’ve reached the summit. My breath
catches in my throat as I skid to a halt behind Luke, who’s come to a sudden
stop.

“What do you think?” he grins breathlessly, sweeping out his
glistening arms.

I look past him at the rolling landscape, struck dumb by the
gorgeous view. We’ve stepped out into a wide clearing overlooking the turquoise
lake and surrounding woods. A brilliant sky arches overhead, run through with
streaks of pink and orange clouds. A cool breeze brushes deliciously against my
flushed skin as I try and take in all this beauty at once.

“…Wow,” I breathe. It’s all I can manage.

“Worth the run?” Luke asks, slipping an arm around my waist.

“Well worth it,” I smile up at him. “Thank you, Luke.”

“Just wait,” he grins, shucking off his lightweight
backpack, “There’s more.”

I look on as he unzips the pack, producing a gigantic
thermos of coffee and two tin mugs. A laugh escapes my throat as he hands the
warm thermos to me.

“How did you know the way to my heart was massive amounts of
coffee?” I smile.

“Lucky guess,” he replies, sitting down on a wide, smooth
rock overlooking the view.

I hand the thermos back to Luke, who pours out two steaming
mugs of coffee. Warmed up by our trek, I shuck off my pullover and set it down
on the rock beside him. I raise my arms above my head, shaking out my long
locks and soaking in the early morning sun. I can feel Luke’s gaze on my lithe
body, lingering on my taut, bare stomach, the rise of my ass beneath my
leggings. I’ve met plenty of guys who have liked me for my body before, but
never one who looked at it so worshipfully, as Luke does. And never one who
appreciated my mind just as much, for that matter.

“This is just about perfect,” I say softly, in awe as the
sun breaks over the hilly horizon.

“Yeah,” he murmurs, drinking in the sight of me, “It is.”

I almost feel bashful at the intensity of his admiration.
Maybe I still can’t believe that this amazing, complicated, fascinating person
is interested in me at all. I’ve always had trouble taking people at their
word, trusting them to step up and be there for me. But I’d happily be proven
wrong, if I could just keep easing my guard down for Luke Hawthorne. It still
has a ways to go, but hey—anything is possible, right?

Luke hands me a mug of coffee as I sit beside him on the
flat rock, and I happily accept. Our bare shoulders touch as we sit
side-by-side, nursing our black coffee as we look out across the expansive
forested landscape.

“So,” I say, giving him a playful nudge with my shoulder,
“Is this where you used to bring all the local girls when you wanted to score?”

He lets out a bark of laughter, laying a hand on my knee as
he replies, “It would have been, if any other girl could keep up with me.
You’re not as dreadful a runner as you led me to believe.”

“You say the sweetest things,” I drawl sarcastically.

“You love it,” he teases, edging his hand ever-so-slightly
up my thigh. My back arches as a shot of desire races up my spine. “But for
real, Sophie,” he goes on, “You are the first and only girl I’ve ever brought
up here.”

“Really?” I ask, softly, leaning against him as he runs his
hand along my thigh.

“Really,” he replies, turning his face toward mine. “I
didn’t have a lot of time for girls, back when I was a kid—collegiate escapades
notwithstanding.”

“All those hometown girls must have been heartbroken,” I
laugh. “But what do you mean, you didn’t have time?”

Luke pauses for a long moment, his hand stilling on my leg
as he sips his coffee. I can tell we’re leaving his conversational comfort zone.
I’ve never heard him mention his past before. I wonder how often he talks about
that time in his life to anyone, even his family?

“Let’s just say that there was a lot of slack to pick up
around here, back then,” he finally allows.

“I see… And who was the one slacking off?” I ask, seizing
the opportunity to learn more about Luke’s shadowy past.

He gives a gruff laugh, rubbing his sharp, stubble-studded
jaw.

“The real question is, who
wasn’t
?” he replies. “I
guess my mom was the original slacker. She bailed on us before my brothers and
I were in the double digits.”

So
that’s
what happened to Mrs. Hawthorne. I’d been
too nervous to ask, up until now.

“She just left?” I press gently, laying my hand over Luke’s.

“Yep,” he sighs, “Decided she didn’t want to ‘rough it’ out
here in the woods with Dad anymore. Wanted the cosmopolitan life or
whatever-the-fuck. We weren’t living as well back then as we are now. Dad had
only just started his construction firm, and things were tight. She just
couldn’t take it. Didn’t have any faith that he could make it work. The funny
thing is, business started picking up just after she bolted. Dad’s company has
been thriving ever since. This house here? That’s what we was able to make for
our family. That’s what she missed out on.”

“Where is she now?” I ask him, “Your mom.”

“East coast,” he says shortly, “Didn’t waste any time
starting a new family out there. Has a couple kids with her new husband and
everything. We don’t really hear from her much.”

“Damn,” I breathe, “That must have been so hard for you and
your brothers.”

“Not as hard as what you and your sisters have been
through,” he replies, his hard gaze softening, “I had no idea about your dad,
before the other night…”

“How would you have known?” I shrug, taking a long sip of
hot coffee, “It’s not like we took each other’s family histories before
deciding to hook up.”

“Yeah,” he says with a small smile, “But I’m…I’m sorry you
had to go through that, Sophie. That you’re
going
through that. I know
that kind of pain doesn’t ever fully go away.”

A hard knot starts to build in my throat. I’ve never talked
about my Dad to anyone, besides my drama school classmates. But even then, it
was only in terms of how his death was holding me back as a performer. The raw
intensity of Luke’s understanding is so new, so total, that it’s almost
overwhelming.

“You know. It’s hard,” I say vaguely, “But so are lots of
things. Like growing up in a house full of dudes, I’d imagine.”

“It could be…challenging,” Luke laughs roughly, “Dad’s not
exactly what you’d call the ‘nurturing type’. Most of his ideas about
discipline involve a smack in the face, or worse. I was only seven when he
became my only parent. Cash tried to shield me and Finn from the worst of it,
but he and my dad butted heads so much that he was gone the second he turned
eighteen. Didn’t want anything more to do with us, so he went off and joined
the army. Dad had always assumed that Cash would take over the business and
everything, being the oldest. But, it became pretty clear, pretty fast, that it
wasn’t gonna happen like that.”

“So it all fell to you…” I say softly.

“It all fell to me,” he echoes, looking up at the
brightening sky, “By the time I started high school, I was already carrying the
weight my family’s future on my shoulders. I was busting my ass to make
straight A’s, training like crazy to get myself a track scholarship, and
working part time at my dad’s firm to learn the ropes. He’d already decided
that I was going to take over the business instead of Cash. I was only fifteen years
old, but my whole life was already set in stone. Has been ever since.”