ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (274 page)

My hands clung to his neck; I could barely spare a glance at the other dancers when he captured my eyes with such attentiveness that we could easily be the only ones in the room, the sole audience to the soft classical music. I could never have imaged how this evening would have played out as he murmured quiet words into my ear, small details about himself, about his life and his passions. I answered when questioned, providing my own little details but really as he held me tightly I was just happy for him to lead me in the endless dance.

“I thought you couldn’t dance?” he whispered into my ear, as with everything else, the words were just for me.

“I have a good teacher,” I answered with a smile.

Isaac leant in closer as the last few notes of the song drifted away and another did not take its place. “I’m glad I met you,” he said and I couldn’t doubt the honesty in his voice now.

“And I you,” I replied instantly.

A microphone crackled, disturbing the last blissful steps of our dance. “Ladies and gentleman if you would please make your way to the dining room, the speeches are about to begin,”

With a heavy reluctance I let my fingers loose from Isaac’s soft brown hair and drop away from his neck. I took his offered hand with a content smile, knowing the night was only just beginning. “I believe there are a few military personal here to promote the charity,” Isaac commented casually as we followed the other guests towards the dining room.

I barely heard his words, hardly registered there meaning as I found a pair of eyes I never thought I would see again. He was here, but there was no way, it was impossible. Yet they had to be his chocolate brown eyes, I would know them anywhere. Sure enough he was wearing the sharp officer’s uniform, the same uniform he had been wearing the last time I had seen him.

“David,” I whispered in disbelief.

The heat coursing through my hand kept me grounded, kept me from running to the man across the room.  “Who?” Isaac questioned gently. He brushed a strand of my hair away from my face, urging me to look back at him.

I couldn’t though, I couldn’t look at him. David’s eyes found mine and recognition filled them in an instant. “My step-brother,” I breathed.

Chapter Four

The room was starting to grow empty now as couple after couple followed lead and headed towards the dining room. I paid little attention to them as my body gravitated towards David, my David. For the first time since I had seen him I dared myself to look away, terrified all the while that when I would go to look back, he would be gone. Apologetically I looked at Isaac and instantly saw the concern that marked his normally bright eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whispered; it was barely audible above the heavy steps of the other guests.

With reluctance I pulled away from Isaac’s caring hold and walked towards David who, to my relief, was still watching me from the other side of the room. My feet moved faster and faster until I almost broke out into a run. Thankfully there were few people left to witness my break from etiquette, not that in this moment I would have cared.

It took too long to reach him, the few seconds that had passed felt like hours when I finally slid to a halt in front of the man I had been sure I would never see again. I had be so very sure, so undeniably certain that now I was looking into the chocolate brown eyes of the man I was still doubtful of his existence.  I reached out; brushing my palm against his stubble grazed jaw, feeling the roughness of his face. My eyes searched his, sensing the recognition but daring not to believe it. “David?” I whispered.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as he nodded gently, a small smile forming underneath my hand. “Evie,” he spoke softly.

As soon as the word passed from his smiling lips my arms were around him, crushing him with the strength of my hold. “David,” I gasped, feeling unparalleled amounts of relief pounding my body.

I held him tighter, needing to feel his body after two torturously long years of being without it. I needed everything, the familiarity of his scent, the happiness in his smile and the uniqueness of his embrace. “Evie, let me go, I need to breathe,” David chuckled and reluctantly I eased my grip just a little, just enough so I was sure I wouldn’t suffocate him.

“Sorry,” I muttered, a blush on my face. His hands caught my shoulder and gently he untwisted my body from his.

His eyes traveled down from my eyes and he smiled widely. “You look beautiful Evie,” he praised quietly, pushing back one of the curls from my watering eyes.

“I missed you,” I admitted. It was only a fraction of what I had felt but it was all I could give up without completely breaking down.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered, wiping away one of the tears I did not know had fallen, “I missed you too,” he smiled, bringing me back into a small hug. It lasted just long enough for a smile to form on my face and the hundred or so emotions that had been raking my body to melt into an amount I could handle.

David was my rock, my best friend and of course my long standing partner in crime. I had known him for twelve of my twenty two years of life and he had come home to me; in the last two years it was all I had ever hoped. “Have you been home?” I asked.

A blush formed on his cheeks and he shook his head guiltily. “You’re an ass, do you have any idea how much your mom has worried?” I scolded, batting his arm with my own.

“Don’t start,” he moaned, flicking my nose, “I only landed a couple of hours ago,”

I shook my head disapprovingly. “What are you even doing here?” I questioned.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he joked. For the first time his attention was directed elsewhere and the warmth in his eyes almost all but disappeared.

I turned, following his direction, curious as to what had made him go cold. The only other person in the room, Isaac, was walking towards us. My smile grew as he stopped by my side, placing a hand on my waist. Despite my guilt for leaving him I pressed into the warmth of his hand, glad to be back beside him. “Isaac,” I greeted him.

He looked down at me and I could see the concern still hadn’t gone from his bright eyes. Yet to my relief he was smiling, it was small, just a subtle twist of his lips but it was enough for me to nestle closer to him. “Are you ok?” he asked softly as he cleared my face of a loose strand of hair.

His fingers trailed across my skin, leaving small goose bumps in their wake. “I’m more than ok,” I breathed, hoping to ease the concern from his face. Thankfully my reassurance was met with a wide smile and as Isaac pressed a soft kiss to my forehead I knew everything would be ok.

“I’m happy to hear that,” Isaac said sincerely as his hand locked with my own, “Would you care to introduce me to your step-brother?” he asked curiously.

I visibly winced at the term and from the corner of my eye I could see David do the same. He met my eyes and we both smiled a wide grin at our joint reactions. We had never liked the term ‘step-siblings’, it was still something we hadn’t quite gotten used to and while I used it occasionally it still felt odd. We were best friends long before our parents had confessed their feelings for each other and of course we had been dragged along for the ride. “Sorry Isaac, this is…”

“Lieutenant David Mason,” David stated, cutting me off mid-sentence.

A little taken aback Isaac untwisted his hand from mine and took David’s offered one. “Isaac Williams,” Isaac responded as they roughly shook hands.

Their hands dropped and silence followed, neither one of them choosing to look away first. For the first time I felt firmly stuck in the middle of the two men, I mentally groaned, just great.

Chapter Five

After David had been led off by one of the evening’s attendants the rest of the night had completely flown by. Isaac had been a constant presence at my side of course, through the speeches, through the dinner and through the auction. He had been there when David took to the stage to surprisingly talk about his time in the army, through it all he had been a source of comfort and the person behind the fluttering in my stomach the heat in my body. It was with a heavy reluctance that I had eventually parted from his side with a kiss that still caused goose bumps to prickle my skin. The second I had left his side I had missed him; it was an odd kind of longing, one I couldn’t quite comprehend.

Now though as I found myself perched on the kitchen counter listening to David and my dad talk avidly of his time away I was content. When it had reached the early hours of the morning I wasn’t sure but I was happy none the less to be a silent participant in the conversation. It was strange to have David back, even now when he had changed out of his uniform and sat lounging at the kitchen table in jeans and a t-shirt I couldn’t quite believe it was all happening. In a way though it felt more normal that the rest of the evening had done, I felt like I belonged.

My phone buzzed on the counter and I picked up it quickly, curious as to whom was texting me in the middle of the night. A number I didn’t recognize popped up on the screen and hastily I swiped the text open. Tonight was wonderful my darling, truly a night to remember. I hope that you will honor me with your presence again soon. Sleep well, Isaac.

A smile was quick to form on my lips as I read through the words again, yes; the night really was one to remember. I touched my lips with my finger, the spot where Isaac had kissed me. It wasn’t until a hand pressed down on my shoulder that I realized I wasn’t alone in my reading; David was stood next to me. I looked up at him with a blush, rushing to close the text before he could read more than what he already had.

“What do you see in him?” David questioned with a frown. It was blatantly obvious from there short encounter earlier that David didn’t like him; it couldn’t have been more obvious if David had just came out and said it to his face.

“Who?” my dad asked curiously, cutting off the angry remark I had been about to make.

“Isaac Williams,” David sneered. I frowned at the way he said Isaacs’ name, he didn’t know him like I did.

My dad’s face dropped as if a bomb had hit. “You’re joking right?” he questioned quickly.

David frowned as he eyed my dad’s stunned expression. “No sadly,” he groaned.

“You’re dating Isaac Williams?” my dad exclaimed, his eyes on me now.

“Not exactly,” I sighed and while I wouldn’t admit it I wanted it to be true.

“Looked like a date to me,” David chipped in, earning a glare from me.

“You know who he is, don’t you?” my dad asked, barely even attempting to hide his amusement.

“A nice guy?” I responded, ignoring David’s scoff.

“Try the richest man in the city, a billionaire at 26 if you can believe it,” my dad exclaimed.

I stared at him trying to hide the shock, trying to keep the disbelief from my eyes. I was angry, despite everything that had happened I was furious; he had told me about himself but not that, nothing like that. “So?” I said slowly after a little too long had passed.

David eyed me suspiciously but thankfully said nothing more on the subject; I had enough to say to Isaac for the both of us it seemed. “I’m surprised you’re dating him Eve,” my dad said casually.

“Thanks,” I muttered, offended; to me Isaac had just been a normal guy. He was handsome of course, breathtakingly so and I knew he had money; he wouldn’t have been at the fundraiser if he didn’t but still, he should have told me.

“It’s not that Eve; you could have any guy you wanted. It just…” my dad said, his eyes drifting to David, “Never mind, my mistake,” he finished, holding his hands up in defeat without going anyway to explaining.

“Just what?” I questioned, annoyed now; it seemed I had had enough of lies for one evening.

“It really doesn’t matter I suppose,” my dad said quickly, “time for bed anyway,” he rushed, getting up from the table.

In turn he wrapped us both in a hug and left without another word, leaving me and David alone for the first time since we had gotten home. The silence wasn’t like it normally was between us; it wasn’t in any way comfortable. David wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a half-hug. “He didn’t tell you who he was, did he?” David said sadly.

I paused for a moment before shaking my head and dropping my gaze to the floor. My phone was still in my hands as I awkwardly twisted it around, hoping perhaps it may just give me the answer I needed. “You don’t like him,” I stated, knowing though that the words didn’t need to be spoken.

“No,” David said without hesitation. My shoulders slumped, I had wanted David to like him, more so than I had realized it seemed.

Sensing my disappointment David tightened his hand around me. “But if you do then I suppose I’ll just have to like him,” David muttered.

My face lit up and I pulled him into a proper hug. “Thank you,” I said gratefully, knowing his words were true and that at least he would try.

“Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. If he lies to you again I’m going to have to kill him,” David said firmly. I shivered, whether it was down to the fact that I knew David was telling the truth or the fact that Isaac had lied to me, I wasn’t sure, both were good reason to cause cold shivers to race up my spine.

A heavy yawn raked my body and I let my head sink against David’s shoulder. It was warm and comfortable, just like it had always been when I was leant against him. “To bed with you I think,” David chuckled.