BAD LUST: A Stepbrother Romance (A Step Over the Line Book Book 1) (12 page)

14.

(Jade)

I finish my
water and wipe a
bead of sweat off my stomach. The sun is out and it
’
s  freaking hot today. But it
’
s nice to sit by the pool with
Katelyn and just not care about the world. Somewhere inside the house my father
is in a meeting about the new tech company. Yes, Hunter is there with him,
dressed in a suit, making executive decisions that will benefit his wallet and
my father
’
s. Rebecca is
shopping for a big piano, saying she wants to play again, bringing joy to my
father. He made the suggestion that Rebecca and I work together, which is the
first time ever that my father even considers my musical talent as being used
right now.

And I haven
’
t seen Jake in days.

He still lives in the house because
I
’
ve heard him in his room.
But I haven
’
t seen him
since he was touching himself and made me cry. I
’
ll
never forget the sight of his strong hand around his thick shaft.

But Jake
’
s an asshole. And he
’
s
my stepbrother. And everything is completely wrong. All I can hope for now is
more sunny days to spend with Katelyn. Things will eventually calm down and my
father is preparing to start talking politics, which will then let this image
of family go away. Jake will get his money and hopefully leave. I heard my
father telling Rebecca he
’
ll
make sure Jake is sent away and will stay away.

Even still, I can
’
t stop thinking about Jake.
There
’
s more to the asshole
guy. He was wild with me in bed, but not rough. He was thorough and filled me
with pleasure, but he didn
’
t
hurt me. He even cleaned me up
…
something I didn
’
t know
about. And then the night I got drunk. He could have taken advantage of me, but
he didn
’
t. I begged for him
and he took care of me. He tasted my body, made me come, and then stayed next
to me until I fell asleep.

That
’
s
not an asshole. That
’
s a
decent guy.

Something kept that wall up.

I look over my shoulder at Jake
’
s window. I pull my sunglasses
down and almost wish he would be standing there, staring at me and Katelyn.

But nobody is there.

“
Uh,
so Kyle called me. He
’
s
such an idiot. You know? Jade?
”

“
Yeah,
”
I say. I put my sunglasses back
on and look at Katelyn.
“
What
did he want?
”

“
Sex,
”
she says.
“
He just straight up texts me
about it. Like, oh
, baby, I need your body against mine. I need to feel you.
I want to taste your skin.
Like, what the hell?
”

“
At
least he doesn
’
t lead you
on.
”

“
Lead
me on!
”
Katelyn yells.
“
Fuck! Buy me flowers. Take me to
dinner. Pretend I
’
m
beautiful or something. Eat me out a few times before you expect me to blow
you. Right?
”

I laugh and shake my head. Katelyn
is so loud and outspoken I can
’
t
help but love her. Her attitude and mouth gets her in a lot of trouble though.

“
Well,
maybe you should lead him on,
”
I say.
“
Make him do
everything you just said.
”

“
Reverse
everything? That
’
s genius.
Make him want it so bad
…”

I nod.
“
Sounds good to me.
”

“
Jesus,
Jade, you
’
re a genius. And
you
’
re so fucking pretty.
Okay? I don
’
t say it
enough, but damn, look at you. In a two piece bikini, rocking that body. And
your boobs
…”

“
Can
we skip this?
”
I ask.

“
No.
You need to understand that.
”
Katelyn sits up and peels her sunglasses off.
“
And
if this Hunter guy is into you, go with it. Do the reverse thing on him. Own
him, Jade.
”

Own him
…

“
I
don
’
t know. I
’
m going to have to go out with
him at least once. Just to make my father happy.
”

“
Yeah,
but do you like him? I mean
…”

“
He
’
s different than when he was
younger,
”
I say.
“
Which is obvious. Last time I
saw him, he was fourteen and had big glasses and was a dork. He used to look at
my boobs all the time. It was weird.
”

“
And
now?
”

“
Well
…
no more glasses. He
’
s clean cut. He
’
s rich. He definitely filled out
into his body. He takes care of himself. He
’
s
smart.
”

“
Go
for it then,
”
Katelyn says.
“
Enjoy it.
”

“
I
don
’
t know.
”

I open my mouth and nothing else
comes out.

A black car pulls into the
driveway.

Jake
’
s car.

Katelyn turns her head and we both
watch Jake get out of the car. Jeans and a black t-shirt, hugging his arms,
shoulders, chest, and body. He
’
s
fucking chiseled even through a shirt. Black sunglasses and his messy hair, he
looks right at us. His face is scruffy and he gives a nod.

“
Jesus,
fuck,
”
Katelyn whispers.
“
That
’
s Jake?
”

“
That
’
s Jake. The asshole.
”

“
Wow.
He
’
s fucking hot. I mean
…
wow.
”

Jake walks toward the house and
disappears. I can
’
t help
but feel my toes curling a little. Just out of need of some kind of relief. It
’
s hard to hear someone think
Jake is as hot as I think he is. Because it means my attraction to him is
really real. But it also makes me a little jealous.

Katelyn could have Jake. I can
’
t. Her parents are together. She
’
s not a step
thing
to
Jake. They could go out. Do things. Fuck each other freely. Do whatever the
hell they want.

Now I
’
m
definitely jealous of Katelyn.

“
Hey,
what
’
s wrong?
”
she asks.

“
What?
”

“
You
look mad. Or hurt.
”

“
Oh,
no. I
’
m fine.
”

“
Are
you sure?
”

“
Yeah,
”
I say.
“
This house and family thing is still getting to me.
The last time I talked to Jake he said some really mean things to me. I hate
being judged because of my father and because of how I go to school. You know?
”

“
What
did he say?
”

“
Nothing.
Just dumb stuff. Rich girl, princess, blah blah. It just bothered me. I mean,
he
’
s the same. He has a
trust fund. Money. He
’
s
rich. But because he drinks and smokes, he
’
s
suddenly cool.
”

Katelyn smirks.

“
What?
”
I ask.

“
Nothing.
”

“
Tell
me.
”

“
You
’
re either trying really hard to
work the stepbrother and sister fighting angle
…
or you have a crush on him.
”

I gasp. I feel my face burning. I
shake my head.
“
You
…
it
’
s
…”

“
It
’
s totally cool,
”
Katelyn says.
“
I get it. It
’
s like a temptation thing. But
just see how the Hunter thing works out. I don
’
t
want you to get hurt, Jade. Especially by someone you
’
re not really supposed to be with.
”

I
’
m
sort of shocked that Katelyn is okay with me and Jake fooling around or
whatever. I mean, there is nothing wrong with it. We
’
re two people and there
’
s something there.

“
Listen,
I have to get going. I
’
m
going to meet up with Kyle.
”

“
Right
now?
”

“
Yeah.
Let him eye me in this bathing suit. My boobs look really good right now.
”

“
Is
he getting some?
”

“
Nope.
He
’
s going to work for it.
”

I know Katelyn though. She can
’
t hold out. She
’
ll give anything Kyle wants.

We hug and she struts across the
yard in her flip flops to the side gate.

I
’
m
alone and I look toward the house. Even outside I can feel some kind of wild
tension. Jake and I not talking should be a good thing, but it
’
s far from it. I hate that we
don
’
t talk and I hate
myself for hating that.

I need to say something to him.

I need
…
something
.

I walk back to the house, a towel
around my waist. I walk in the front door and listen for voices. They
’
re echoing down the hall. That
’
s the office area. Business
conducted and money made. That
’
s
what my father does. I can
’
t
imagine where Rebecca is right now. Maybe gone shopping with her new shiny
credit card. Maybe she
’
s
sleeping. I noticed the past few days she seemed very off. A little slow. Like
she was high or something.

I shove everything out of my mind
and walk up the main staircase. It
’
s
massive, two sets of steps on each side of the foyer that elegantly wrap around
to one big landing. From there is where the second floor splits into its proper
wings. The left wing is where my father has his master suite. The wing is all
his
…
well, his and Rebecca
’
s, I assume. The right wing used
to be something I considered mine, but now I share it with Jake.
The
asshole.

I walk the hall and stop at Jake
’
s door. I make a fist and knock.

No response.

I
’
m
not accepting that as an answer. No way in hell. I need to say something to Jake.
I need to cut the tension and clear the air. Most of all, I want to be the one
who cuts off communication. He
’
s
not getting this power from me.

In bed, sure, he won. With his
hands and tongue, yeah, that battle was easy. Trying to fuck with my fragile
heart, I know, it
’
s
pathetic that he got me.

But this is all mine.

I open his door and peek inside. My
eyes look to the bed and the image of him stroking himself pops into my mind.

The bed is empty.

“
Jake?
”
I call out.

There
’
s
no reply.

The room smells of him. Cologne,
smoke, and man. All fucking man.

It turns me on.

I need this feeling to go away too.

I need to go out with Hunter. Just
to have an excuse not to think of Jake.

I leave the room and look down the
hall.

The bathroom.

Jake
’
s
room doesn
’
t have a private
bathroom like mine.
So ha.

I go to the bathroom and knock on
the door.

“
What?
”
Jake
’
s sexy voice booms.

“
Jake.
It
’
s me. It
’
s Jade.
”

“
What
do you want?
”

“
I
want to come in.
”

No you don
’
t. He
’
s in there. Maybe naked.

“
What
’
s wrong with your private
bathroom? The golden throne dull?
”

“
Fuck
you,
”
I yell and hit the
door.
“
I want to talk.
”

“
I
’
m just getting out of the
shower.
”

“
I
don
’
t care.
”