The cold war with my mother ended in the oddest of ways.

"Charles is in the hospital," she cried out. She was panicking, pacing back and forth, a gibbering mess. "I find someone, I find him, and then this happens, why does this..."

"Mom?" I came down the stairs to her. I hadn't heard anything from Case or the others in quite some time.

She pushed right past me. "I need to go to the hospital he's at. Now."

In her panic, she rushed to her keys, grabbing her jackets. She was a mess, that much was clear.

"Calm down, Mom. I can't let you drive like this."

"I need to get to him. I need to be there. In case... In case..."

"Chill. I'll drive you. I'll get you there, Mom. Don't worry." It was more than a simple kindness of being her chauffeur. If something worsened, I needed to be there for her.

I needed to be there for Case.

He would be there as well. I had no doubts about that.

We were on the list, the people allowed to visit the patient in this most tense of times.

Through the hallways I followed my mother who was surprisingly sprinting toward the room.

She never did that for anything. How much she cared for him was surprising me.

It made me doubt what I was doing more and more. Was what Case and I agreed to, even beyond the whole step-sibling thing, just a mockery of the love my mother and his father had?

We reached the outside of the room we were told to go.

My mom didn't even bother to knock. She just turned the handle and bolted straight in "Charles. Charles are you still with us?"

"Woah, calm down a tad." Case was already in there. He took note of me coming from behind.

I wasn't the focus right now.

My mother needed a man's calming hand more than I did.

Case approached her, and wrapped his arms around her. "He's doing okay. He had a minor episode of cardiac arrest."

"A minor heart attack? Heart attacks aren't minor!"

"They aren't. But as heart attacks go, my Dad took the full brunt of it and is still standing."

Charles Williams was lying in his hospital bed. He was hooked up to the EKG machines and the like, but the lines were stable. As well as I could tell, I wasn't much of a doctor.

My mother took his hand. "Charles, can you hear me?"

"Nope. He can't." Case was calm. Apparently he had already been through all of his panic already and had come back down to earth. "They knocked him out cold. Said he needs to take it easy for awhile. It's the same old story of too much stress at his age doesn't make for a healthy ticker."

My mother grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it across the floor, and immediately sat in it. "I didn't want to be that naggy wife who told him to watch what he eats and shoved steamed broccoli in his face."

I took a breath myself and approached her, holding her on the shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mom."

"They said with the amount of morphine they gave him, he'll be out for the rest of the night." Case continued. "There's no worry of it turning south from the doctors. They just rather be safe than sorry when it comes to sending him home, and given the circumstances, Dad wasn't in any rush to leave."

"You two go off and do whatever," my mother said. "I'm going to stay here and be there for Charles when he wakes up."

"They don't think that's necessary, Marissa."

"Too bad. I'm staying. They can escort me out if they think it's an issue."

Case went to open his mouth again, but I was quick to whisper in his ear. "I know her at this point. You're not going to move her, and I pity security if they try."

He chuckled. "Alright. You have my number if you need to call me, Marissa."

I sighed, and handed my mother the car keys. "Here you go if you want something besides hospital food. Or if he wakes up and wants something that's not hospital food."

"Yeah, I'm doubting a heart attack is enough to get him on the steamed vegetable train."

"How will you get home?" My mother asked me.

"I'll just call for a ride. Don't worry. I want you to be prepared to keep yourself, and your fiancé, comfortable as you can."

Mom nodded. She gave me a hug, a tight one, the first one I'd had from her in quite some time. "Be good, Sage. I love you."

"You, too, Mom." Our embrace broke, and Case poked me, gesturing for the door. I nodded his way, and followed him out the door.

Then I was suddenly struck that once again, I was alone with Case, for the first time since we found out we were on the path to sibling-hood.

His hands took mine into his, and he pulled me closer. His face was dangerously close to my own. "I haven't been able to get you off my mind, Sage."

I was struck with the sudden realization that in my haste, I had shown up to meet Case in not the most fashionable options.

My hair was a mess, and I was in a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. All the other times I'd been decked out and looked like someone who should have been dating millionaires.

Now I was just me. Some girl with a degree that fell more and more useless by the year.

All that did was make him pull me closer, his hands on my ass in a way that was very much not professional.

"With all of that happening and everything spinning out of control, God, Sage, seeing you is more of a relief than I deserve."

"Do you really think you should be pressing this right now?"

"I don't know. My father almost died today. It reminded me that I want to make him proud. I want him to get what he wants. They say he's not going to suddenly keel over, but I don't want to take any chances."

"So you're going to go through with a fake relationship?"

"Maybe I don't want it to be fake."

"It is fake. You laid it out. We have a show wedding. We're never even legally married. We feed him something about a split, we move on with our lives."

"Yeah, do you believe all that yourself?"

"That's what we said we'd do." I was more and more nervous when he was holding me like this. It felt so wrong. "I don't want to make a mockery of my mother's relationship anymore than I have to."

"What's making a mockery of it?"

I pushed him away. "This. All of this. The pretending to get married. I hear all this nonsense about the sanctity of marriage being under attack in the last few years, and you know what? We're attacking the concept way more than two dudes ever can."

"So you don't want to go through with all of this faking, then?"

"No. We need to stop it."

He sighed. "I don't think I can let you do that, Sage."

"What, are you still so concerned about your company?"

"No. Because the more time I spend with you, the more I see you care for others, the more I see you having a spine, the more I realized I don't need to pretend."

"Pretend what?"

"That I have a thing for you. That I'm starting to think that we don't need a sham of a marriage at all."

"I'm not following..." I was following. All too well. That was what terrified me.

"Then let me make it plainly obvious then."

He kissed me.

Right there in the middle of an empty hospital hall.

Just like the first time, it was hardly a brief embrace. There was more to it. A whole lot more to it.

Sparks were flying within, and soon I was kissing him right back. Lips, tongues, everything, I wanted to feel more of him.

I just wanted to stay there, enjoying him for everything that he was.

I couldn't stay in the bliss of ignorance forever, unfortunately.

Pushing him away, I stood my ground. "We can't be making this all complicated now."

"It already is complicated, Sage."

"Well this will just make it more complicated!"

"Fine." He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe I wasn't instantly dropping my panties for him. "Let me give you a ride home then. I shouldn't let you have to call for a ride when your fiancé is here and ready to roll."

"I guess. Thanks." I wanted to protest on calling him my fiancé, but I was too distracted by everything to push it.

It was another silent, awkward ride home.

There were a million things I wanted to say to him, and I was completely aware there were a million things he wanted to say to me.

"We're here. Need anything before I head back to the office?" He broke the silence so matter-of-factly.

"Guess you're in charge since your father's heart kicked his ass?"

"That's how it usually is."

"Well, hoping he doesn't think the other guy keeps the ship steadier than you do."

"Yup."

I got out of the car and headed to my door. He didn't immediately drive away like someone usually would.

The desire to turn around and run back to him was there, and it was so very strong.

I had to stay professional. There was no reason for me to show him any affection right now. No one was watching. No one would know, and if it’s all a show, isn't that counter-productive?

With some drive, I managed to go into my house, and close the door behind me.

Maybe he was just worried that something would happen before I got in? It wasn't like I was in a bad neighborhood though.

I guess maybe it was bad compared to whatever he was used to?

Whatever. I had escaped his temptation. I didn't have to worry about his lips on mine, and being terrified of what might follow.

Before I could even sit down though, there was a knock on the door.

I opened the door to see Case.

He wasted absolutely no time in rushing through and putting his lips on mine.

The lightning of bliss shot through me again.

This was more intense. More needful.

We weren't in a restaurant with dozens people around us now. We weren't in a hospital hallway where we were seconds away from a wandering nurse discovering us.

No, with the door closed, we were in the privacy of my own home.

That privacy meant he didn't have to hold back.

We stumbled back over the sofa, and he was still on top of me, still kissing me.

I thought about telling him to stop. Protesting.

And yet? I completely realized the situation we were in. I wanted it too. God, did I want it too.

I was free to enjoy him, and I wasn't going to interrupt that. I clawed at his shirt, and he quickly obliged me by stopping and pulling it up and over his head, tossing it to the side.

Seeing him shirtless for the first time I only made me thirstier for him.

This wasn't my first time, yet I never felt need for a guy like I had with Case.

His body pressed against mine, his hands exploring my form, pushing my own shirt up. Scrambling I was in a rush to strip myself too.

Pure passion. That's all I cared about. Not about all my anxiety over this, not about whether this right or wrong, true or false, whether I'd made a terrible mistake or not.

No. After all of the job hunting, the shitty dead ends, the interviews and everything else, I needed something. I needed that release.

Case was more than ready to give me that release, and was already in the process of bringing me there.

Electricity rushing through me, my heart beating a thousand times per minute, it was in pursuit of something good. Something greater.

Tickling my nipples through the bra, my hedonistic pursuit didn't let me wait for him to do something about it. Instead, I squirmed around, ready to drop my bra and show him the goods.

Without any fabric between us, he was right on me to take full advantage of what I could offer him. His fingers ran circles around them, and his kisses on my lips broke away to descend my body.

Gooseflesh formed wherever he went, whether he was using his fingertips or his tongue.

He didn't stop, going down my body. He wanted all of me, he wanted to devour me whole.

I wanted nothing more than to be delicious for him.

Squirming under him, wanting nothing more than to undress myself and give everything to him. Shoes being kicked off, jeans rolling off my legs, Even my socks weren't spared. I didn't want anything between us.

If I was going to be a giant freaking idiot, I was going enjoy it as much as I possibly could.

Case wanted to be as fruitful as I was. That business suit wasn't long for this world, and whenever he had to put it back on, it was going to be a wrinkled mess.

I'd bet the entire $75,000 that he didn't care one bit.

Every bit of his flesh that he revealed to me was more and more tempting to me. I'd seen plenty of good looking men before, but when one is in front of you, in the flesh, it brings with it a whole new cocktail of emotions and needs.

Reaching out, feeling him in front of me. He was absolutely real. His muscles so tempting, his chest so toned. If he wasn't already set for life, he could have damn sure made a living as a model.

In our hurry to strip ourselves, he hadn't left himself any modesty either.

God, his cock.

It was throbbing. The way he was looking at me told me that it was all my fault too.

The temptation was so strong to reach out, wrap my fingers around it, and bring him closer to me. To taste him, enjoy him, solve the very problem I had caused.

I didn't get the chance to strike though.

Case was faster.

He was on top of me, kissing me again, going down my body, reminding me of the bliss he could inflict on me. I slid down the sofa, and he urged me to spread my legs, his fingers running over my thighs and building anticipation to what was to come.

Case's lips went lower and lower on me, and I started to wonder if he was thinking of doing what I had to beg for so many times with other men.

I didn't need to ask this time.

His fingers running across my nub, a jolt of electricity rushing through me.

That was just the start. He kept the pressure on, and kept the energy building inside of me. The energy was jutting out all through my torso, making me yearn for more.

It wasn't going to stop with fingers, oh no.

He kissed me right down there on my clit.

I damn near came from that alone.

Yet I don't think that would have stopped him one bit. He kept going, kept kissing me down there, kept the tide rising through me, the fire inside me roaring hotter as he went.

Tongue and finger united, and he was full bore in pleasing me, eating my pussy as a path to my heart.

It was a pretty damn direct way of getting at it, all things considered.

I grabbed him by those dark curly locks, holding on as he continued. I whipped myself back and forth as the bliss rushed through me, trying to resist it in some vain attempt to get him to try even harder.

Because really fucking good apparently wasn't good enough for me, the cunnilingus glutton.

I laughed for a moment, and then moaned. Loudly.

He took any sound I made that wasn't of complete pleasure and enjoyment as an insult.

Case's hands left his tongue and lips to it, massaging my thighs, my hips, my ass. Everything felt so warm, so loved as he worshiped it.

He looked up and over my body with an intent vision. His determination was all too clear and he going to get what he desired.

What he desired was me to be a blubbering orgasmic mess.

His tongue fucked me, he rubbed my nub, he pushed me harder, hotter, and I was tossing and turning with him beneath me.

My legs closed around his head as he pushed me, and I was so damn ready for that final release, but dreading it ending at the same time.

Nothing good lasts forever, and at least this was going to go out with a mighty bang.

I think I screamed. Keyword is think. Everything seemed to go silent as it felt like my senses were overloaded, my entire being feeling as if it were nothing more than pure bliss.

Tightening myself around him, I enjoyed everything as the pleasure tore through my body. Even after the initial shock was done, my body throbbed, reminding me of the joys of what I had just experienced.

We weren't done. Oh, no, we weren't.

Even as I laid there in a sweaty mess, he rose up. There was still that need, that ferocity in his eyes. He wanted to give me everything.

Which was convenient. Because I wanted everything.

I rose to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning in. "I'm ready to pay back some good head with the same."

"Oh ho. As much as I'd love that, I don't think I'm going to be able to wait in getting what I really want."

"That would be?"

"I gotta have you. Fully. Carnally. I need to be inside you, Sage."

My eyebrow raised. "Then shut up and take me. Take me before I realize how much of a bad idea this really is."

I didn't need to ask him twice.

He swept me off my feet, and planted my back onto that sofa again. His pecs against my breasts, his girth rubbing against my thigh.

Briefly, I considered the incredible dangers and risks that were going on between us.

I reminded myself not to care. To embrace this release to the fullest.

He moved his cock between my legs, tickling the outside of my clit with it as he lined himself up.

I was moments away from verbally begging him to give me it. This teasing was just too much.

Before I could open my mouth, he gave me exactly what I wanted.

His throbbing girth pushed my folds apart as he entered.

A tidal wave hit me, it was so powerful that I almost came from that alone.

I held myself together as he let me adapt to this invader, and slowly started a rhythm.

So I set my rhythm back into him. Sliding myself into him as he pushed inside me, making every little movement all the more intense.

We weren't virgins. We weren't completely inexperienced. To top it all off we were learning what one another wanted so very quickly.

He was learning just how I liked to be fucked, where exactly to thrust himself within.

I was squeezing him back, urging him to go faster. What can I say? Guys are easier to please sometimes.

Not that I was complaining, mind you.

We rolled with one another, becoming one, our only united goal was the absolute bliss of the other person. Even as he fucked me, his finger slid between us, to my clit, rubbing it in time with his penetrations.

A flare of delight shot through me with every stroke, the fire inside me growing more and more violent. Sweat on my brow, I was coping with such incredible energy flowing through me again and again, ready to burst.

Then he just went deeper. Harder.

His arms behind my knees, locking me into a ball who he pushed himself in. My legs closed around his hips, urging him and pushing him to push the limits as far as he could.

Case was breathing heavily, struggling with what I was doing to him. I knew that he was almost at his limit, and I was right there with him.

I yearned for that final release, that final explosion between us. It was coming, but I wasn't entire sure when.

Anticipation was even more extreme when you weren't sure when the train was going to hit you.

When it did though, God, it really did.

It was everything from him eating me out sent over to a whole new level. Screaming for him, my legs locked around him tighter. I was going on pure instinct now, and pure instinct told me to hold onto him and never ever let go.

Orgasms savaged my body so potently, and had me screaming at the top of my lungs so much that I was afraid of being hoarse tomorrow.

His fingernails dug into my back as his thrusting became more erratic and driven. Until finally, he let out a long, primal groan.

Deep within, I could feel everything. Every little twitch, every little spasm of his cock inside me. Feeling it's pulse. Feeling his seed rush into me. Splashing inside me. Filling me with his warmth, and making my own sounds of praising him just a little bit louder.

We had both made it to the summit, and we were both savoring our arrival.

As my voice went silent and his did too, all that was remaining was our ragged panting.

There was no rush to break up our embrace.

He slipped to my side, so he wasn't bearing down on me as much as he was, instead, bringing his arms around me, holding my abdomen, my breasts resting on his hands.

"Damn... just... damn."

"That's all you can say?" My voice was strained as I thought it would be.

"What else is there to say? I've had a half chub ever since I've seen you, Sage, and you more than lived up to my anticipation."

I laughed. Was that the best I had ever had in my young life?

No contest.

He moaned next to me. It was almost a purr. I'd drained him of everything. Seed, energy, will to do anything but hold me while drifting off to sleep.

If only I could be as guilt free as he seemed.

This wasn't something I should have done. Not one bit.

Now, he technically wasn't my step-brother yet.

He would be soon.

Fucking my brother in any context is something I had been raised to think is a bad thing, even if I never had the hint of a brother before now.

The fallout would come. For now, I tried to enjoy the sweet afterglow.

As I also tried to ignore the mess inside me and the dangers that posed all its own.

I just needed to savor this, and trick myself into believing that it would truly be alright.

No matter how much I believed, I was lying to myself.