“Okay, smartass, that’s not what I meant.”
“You didn’t specify, stink ass,” I fired back.
“Stink ass? Hell, it’s been forever since I heard that,” he chuckled.
I laughed, getting up from the couch. I was tired of sitting here while my mother and Henry talked about the wedding. I was all tuckered out from going on and on about it. I was happy for her, but there was only so much to talk about before you ran it in the ground; and that had been hours ago. I took my cup to the kitchen, slipping out the back door as I did. Locating the swing that was at the edge of the wood line facing the house, I made my way to it.
I smiled when I sat down, swinging for the first time. It had been so long since I simply just let go and had a nice swing. There was something soothing about the steady rocking back and forth motion. Like you were being transported back in time to when your parents took you to the park to have some fun. There had been many times I wanted to visit a park in New York and just swing to my little heart’s content.
But I never found the time. I was always working, hanging out with Alex, or hell, working. Being in the hustle and bustle of the city, you hardly found time for yourself just to let go and relax. If only for this one moment in time, I was glad that I made the trip down here. It gave me a chance to unwind from the city. To slow down and just be. It felt liberating.
I was so lost in thought basking in the warm night air blowing through my hair, that I almost didn’t hear the heavy footsteps of someone coming closer. My swinging instantly ceased as I narrowed my eyes in the direction it was coming from. I could see nothing but the distant glow of the lights inside the house, as a silhouette of a man came toward me. I inwardly groaned. He was not going to give me one ounce of peace while I was here.
“I figured this was where you ran off to,” he whispered, coming to a stop in front of me. “Mind if I sit?”
I knew that sooner or later he and I would have to have a discussion as adults, and now was as good a time as any. We were going to be stepsiblings after all. I shuddered at the thought of Brad being my stepbrother. So much had happened between us. I didn’t think this was going to work. But I had to make an effort, if not for myself, then for my mother and Henry.
“Sure,” I breathed.
I slid over, making room for him. He sat without a word, crossing one leg and resting it on his knee. We sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the wildlife around us. Out of the last ten years, this was the last thing I expected would happen. That Brad and I could sit next to each other over an extended period of time, not killing each other. Hell, the thought never even went through my mind. I was still upset about the way he’d handled things back then, but who was I to judge?
We both did things back then that we regretted. At least I hoped he regretted what he did. I barely made out, through the night, as the house lights began shutting off one by one. It seemed that my mom and Henry were retiring for the night. She hadn’t told me that he was staying, but that was a given. However, I did think once or twice that since she stayed with him that that is where she would be staying.
At that point, I’d considered getting a hotel, because there was no way I was going to listen to my mother and Henry pork all night. She may be my partner in crime, but she was still my mother. That would just be too gross. I was about to head inside when Brad let out a troubled sigh. Leaning back, I waited for him to say something, anything that would give me a reason to talk with him. I know; it was pathetic, really. But I wanted answers to questions that have gone a decade without being answered.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
I cocked my head to the side, teasingly. “Huh? I didn’t quite hear that.”
He chuckled. “I said, I’m sorry.”
I feigned ignorance. “About what?”
“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?” he groaned, shifting on the swing next to me.
“That depends. Does it have to be difficult?”
We sat there for a few more minutes in comfortable silence. It felt so weird being this close to him and not having the urge to strangle the very life from him. I found that the advice Henry gave me the day I left had helped me tremendously. After enacting my revenge on him, three times. I didn’t feel the need to hurt him anymore. I just wanted all this to be over; and the only way to do that would be to forgive him for what he did to me all those years ago. However, that would never happen unless he admitted that what he did to me was wrong.
“I suppose not,” he tipped his head to the side, then turned to face me. “I’m just going to come right out and say it. I was an asshole the last time we saw each other. Instead of believing you, I believed someone that was just looking out for herself. Damn, I’m just so sorry.” I was about to speak when he waved his hand for me not to. Any other time I would have said what I felt, but what I felt right now was that he needed to get this out.
“So much happened in such a short time that I was scared. I had no idea how to act. I was constantly afraid of losing you. But I guess when the opportunity had risen that I could get a clean break, I took it. It didn’t matter that it was wrong, and boy was it fucking wrong as hell. I still took it. I betrayed the woman I loved, all because I was scared shitless.” His voice broke at the end of his explanation.
Finally. He apologized. About freaking time; I was starting to grow old over here waiting for him to quit pussyfooting around and get to the point. I smiled a genuine smile, happy with the fact that he finally, after all this time, apologized for his wrongdoing. I leaned over, placing an innocent kiss on his cheek. His sharp inhale of breath told me that my touch still affected him. In all honesty, having his skin against mine wreaked havoc on my body as well.
“Thank you,” I whispered, breaking the kiss.
The air around us instantly charged. My body began warming from being so close to him. My lips were still tingling from kissing his cheek. His eyes locked with mine. His dazzling blues seemed to glow underneath the silver light. My body began to hum with a heat it hadn’t felt in a long time. A deep ache began to unfurl in my lower abdomen, making a rush of crimson stain my heated cheeks. My breathing turned huskier the more he stared at me.
“Claire,” his deep, gravelly voice whispered with pure seductive intent.
His eyes flicked down to my lips just briefly, before returning to mine. Time seemed to stand still in this perfect moment. Neither he nor I made any move to back away from the other. The muscles underneath his shirt began to twitch, as if he were physically holding himself back, reigning in his lust to taste a bit more. After a few moments, my breathing turned into panting, his growing huskier. Just then it happened. He leaned forward, pausing just before his lips touched mine.
I licked my lips, waiting for the moment his would touch mine. Leaning forward more, his lips sealed themselves over mine. Just the tiniest touch of his lips set me on fire. Liquid instantly pooled in my core. It had been so long since I’d felt the softness of his manly lips. His hand came up to thread his fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck, and his tongue probed against my lips, begging for me to open for him. I gave in, sighing against his mouth. The moment my mouth opened, his tongue swept in.
I was lost.
His kiss branding me forever.
He groaned when my body melted against him. Taking his other hand, he cupped my cheek. With every swipe of his tongue, I wanted more … no, needed more. Just as his hand slid from my hair and down to my ass, his grip tightened. That’s when reality decided to rear its ugly head. This was wrong—on so many levels. Our time to be together had long since passed. There was no chance of anything between us being able to transpire. So why go through the heartbreak all over again?
“We can’t do this, Brad,” I whimpered against his lips.
“Why?” he asked, still lost in the throes of passion.
Reluctantly pulling back from him, his lips looked deliciously swollen from our kiss. “Because it’s not right.”
His eyes lost their luster from before. “Who says it’s not right?”
Shaking my head, I went to get up from the swing, only to have him touch my hand lightly, stopping me. With my front turned away from him, I replied, “It’s not right for soon-to-be siblings to kiss. Added to the fact you were a complete and total dick the last time I saw you. I’d say, it’s never happening.”
“Dammit. Stepsiblings. Step being the operative word, Claire. We are not going to be related. Not really, anyway,” he snapped, completely bypassing my words about the last time we saw each other.
With that I walked away, hearing him say into the night. “I’ll wear you down, girl. Just you wait and see.”
I had a feeling that the chase for him just began, like he was the big bad wolf and I was little red riding hood. If it was left up to him, I was sure the only thing I would be wearing was the red cape while he gobbled me up. I didn’t lie when I said his kiss had branded me; it had. I was ruined for all other men now. He’d completely wrecked my world with a simple kiss. It was going to be so hard to be around him, especially when I’d been his for so long. I was kidding myself when I thought he didn’t mean anything to me anymore.
I’d spent the last decade lying to myself, and just like the idiot I am, I believed it. But I couldn’t let this happen; it would crush my mother’s heart. I needed to keep my libido in check until I got back to New York. If only I could limit the exposure I had with Brad. Maybe then I would be able to make it out of Cedar Grove in one piece.