My Step-Dad’s Brother
Fiona Davenport
Copyright
© 2016 Fiona Davenport
All rights reserved.
Edited by PREMA Editing
Cover design by Elle Christensen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing. For permission requests, please send your email request to [email protected].
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons or living or dead, events or locales are entirely coincidental.
The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ Use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
My Step-Dad’s Brother
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Baby Steps
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Books By This Author
About the Author
My Step-Dad’s Brother
He's a globe-trotting photo-journalist.
And her new step-dad's brother.
She's 18.
He's 30.
We don't really need to say more, right?
Admit it... You're already hooked!
Chapter 1
Harrison
The rapid clicks of the camera were a comforting sound to me. It was familiar, a constant in my life when everything else was ever changing.
As a photo-journalist for a respected magazine, I spent most of my time traveling to new places. It was my job to document the events of the world through pictures. Sometimes, my assignments were full of adrenaline and danger. Other times, I immersed myself in the local cultures, an extended vacation that earned me a paycheck. I had even spent days alone with wild animals, not speaking to another soul until I left their company.
No matter the job, though, it kept me on the move and I loved every minute of it. And, everywhere I went, the purr of the shutter on my camera went with me.
Lowering the lens, I looked up at the sky and then back at the scene I was photographing. The sun was fading, and I was about to lose my light. Quickly clicking through my digital screen, I nodded to myself, satisfied that the perfect shot was among them. Carefully, I packed away my equipment, my eyes often straying to the party below the bluff where I was perched.
This small town on an uncharted island in the South Pacific had a rich culture, and I was grateful at their open and friendly manner, allowing me to immortalize them through my camera.
A young couple danced in the center of a large circle of people. Their clothes were bright and decadent, befitting a bride and groom. They gazed into each other’s eyes with such love, I felt a slight pang in my chest. My lifestyle wasn’t exactly conducive to relationships, and I’d never been interested in one-night stands. I was married to the job. And at thirty, I still had a lot of years left to devote to it. But lately, I’d begun to feel an odd restlessness, a longing that I didn’t quite recognize or even understand.
Heading down to the village, I dropped my equipment in my hut and joined the celebration. It reminded me that it wouldn’t be long before I’d be attending my older brother’s nuptials in the states.
***
I drove through the small town of Fentonville, Florida, and looked all around. My face twisted in disgust, the photographer in me noting the lack of anything remotely interesting to take a picture of. It was sleepy and boring. Perfect for my brother, Stanley.
As I pulled up to the address he’d given me, I had to laugh. Stanley had warned me that his fiancée, whom everyone called Bunny apparently, was a bit of a free spirit. Which was quite a shock coming from a man who’d spent his entire life coloring inside the lines with ultimate precision.
Now, I was even more blown away by his choice. Not disappointed, though, my stodgy brother needed some spark in his life. The small house was painted pink, not overly ostentatious, but bright enough to stand out among the drab surroundings. The yard had large, plastic flowers on metal sticks stuck haphazardly around it and . . . I blinked. Yep, there was also a flamingo.
There was also a small flower bed that was perfectly manicured, clean and organized with complimenting colors. It seemed a little out of place until I remembered Stanley mentioning that his soon-to-be step-daughter was much different than her mother.
I would have plenty of time to get to know my new niece in the coming weeks. Stanley had asked me to extend my trip here for the wedding and stay while they went on a honeymoon. Bunny’s daughter was still in high school and they didn’t want to leave her completely alone for two whole weeks. She didn’t graduate for a few months yet and like most parents, it was clear they wouldn’t see their child as an adult until graduation. I didn’t mind, though, it felt good to take a break, even if it meant being caged in this tiny town with my young, soon-to-be niece.
Magnolia Bloom. A real flower-power name, I chuckled to myself. She probably hated it. A picture of a gangly teen with wild, curly hair, ripped up jeans, and glasses that were too big for her face, conjured in my mind. It just seemed to fit the name.
I parked my cherry red, Charger convertible in the driveway, next to a sliver Prius hybrid. It was one thing I kept, along with my small studio apartment in Miami, though, I never spent much time with either. Turning off the car, I grabbed a bag from the back seat and hopped out. I shut the door and rounded the front of both cars to reach a walkway that led to a white front door. I pressed the door bell and almost laughed out loud when I heard the chime through the door playing Walking on Sunshine.
When it opened, I was greeted by a plump, pixie-like woman smiling brightly at me.
“Harrison?” she asked in a high, musical voice vibrating with excitement.
I grinned and tipped an invisible hat. “The one and only.”
“I’m Bunny. Welcome! Welcome!” She practically threw herself into my arms and hugged me tightly. “We are so glad you’re here!” When she released me, she turned and called into the house, “Stanley! Magnolia! Harrison is here!” Then she slipped her arm through mine and led me into the house.
I saw my brother first, his tall, sturdy stature, slightly graying, dark brown hair, and serious brown eyes. Except, I saw more life in them than I had ever seen before and it filled me with joy. Stanley was fifteen years older than me and after our dad took off when I was four, he practically raised me. He was strong, steadfast, and responsible, providing me and our mother with a stable home.
We’d had our disagreements about my “nomadic existence” and “unpredictable job,” but I’d seen the scrapbook he kept of my articles and published photos. He supported me, despite his constant worry. No one deserved to find love
and happiness more than he did.
“Harrison.” His smile was wide as he approached and shook my hand heartily. I was tempted to pull him into a hug, just to ruffle his proper feathers. He hadn’t ever been one for physical displays of affection, though, he showed how much he cared in many other ways.
However, my jaw practically slammed into the light wood floor when he stepped back and pulled Bunny into his embrace, tucking her into his side. I almost fell over when he kissed her temple and smiled at her like a lovesick boy. As my surprise wore off, the little devil inside me grinned evilly. Oh, man, this was going to be so much fun. All out of brotherly love, of course.
“I see you met my beautiful Bunny,” he said as he tore his eyes from her to look at me again. My eyes were still wide and, holy shit, my brother was fucking blushing. I had to bite back a litany of teasing comments, there would be plenty of time for that later.
“Seems to me like that name fits you better,” I drawled. “When did you become so soft and cuddly?” Okay, so I let one slide.
He straightened his spine and cleared his throat. “I don’t know what you mean, Harrison.” Soft and cuddly didn’t seem to have come with a sense of humor.
A noise behind the couple drew my attention and I looked up to see a girl walking down a set of stairs on my left. When she hit the bottom step, I froze. My heart stopped beating, the world stopped spinning, and time ceased to exist.
Mine.
The word reverberated in my head, bouncing around and growing until it filled every nook and crevice. When everything started moving again, it did so at an elevated pace. My heart rate soared, and I felt a little dizzy.
This close, I realized I’d been mistaken. She wasn’t a girl. She was all woman. I tried hard to keep my gaze on her shoulder length, silvery blonde hair, huge, clear blue eyes, and rosy lips. I failed spectacularly. She was wearing a wide-necked, purple T-shirt and my eyes were drawn down the long column of her throat to large, full breasts that I immediately knew would spill from my hands. My eyes continued to her white shorts that showcased her nipped in waist and luscious, rounded hips, all the way down her endless legs to the most adorable, purple painted toes I’d ever seen.
We’d be having a talk about those shorts, I thought darkly. While I enjoyed the assets they so clearly highlighted, I didn’t want any other men looking at what was mine.
She was several inches taller than her mother and her face was longer, but otherwise, they looked very much alike. Movement in my peripheral vision snapped me out of my inappropriate perusal of my teenage niece’s body. My eyes whipped up and I only hoped that neither Stanley or Bunny had noticed me ogling Magnolia. I turned back to them, trying to avoid the matching mixture of lust and shock in her eyes.
Mine.
No.
Seventeen, Harrison. Still in high school. Can’t be traveling the world if you’re locked in a jail cell, man.
Luckily, the couple was gazing at Magnolia fondly and it didn’t seem like they had noticed my reaction. I shifted my bag strategically in front of me, hiding the physical evidence of said reaction.
“This is my daughter, Magnolia,” Bunny introduced.
“Maggie,” she corrected softly. Her voice was husky and it washed over me, hardening my cock even more. “It’s nice to meet you, Harrison. Stanley has told us a lot about you.”
I forced an easy smile. “I’m sure none of it is true,” I joked. She smiled and my breath caught.
Mine.
Fuck. My shoulders slumped, I had to stop that.
“Come into the kitchen,” Bunny suggested as she waved to a door behind her. “We were about to sit down to a special dinner. I’m so glad you could be here to join us! We’re celebrating Magnolia’s”—“Maggie” her daughter interrupted to scold her—“birthday today, even though it’s not until tomorrow. With the rehearsal dinner and everything, Stanley very smartly suggested making tonight about our girl. You only turn eighteen once!” She fluttered over to Maggie and kissed her cheek, then flitted through the door she’d indicated.
“Happy Birthday,” I murmured, keeping my eyes averted as I followed Bunny. It was no use, I couldn’t keep from admiring Maggie’s spectacular ass. Tomorrow. She would be eighteen tomorrow. Midnight. Eighteen. My body started to burn as images of our naked bodies passionately entwined filled my mind. Those legs wrapped around me as I pumped my hips, burying myself inside her over and over. Making her mine.
I shook my head, trying to dispel the fantasies, but they wouldn’t go away completely. Neither would one other thought.
At midnight, she’s mine.
Chapter 2
Maggie
Oh.
My.
Hotness.
When I’d started down the stairs at my mom’s yell, I’d been excited to meet my soon-to-be step-dad’s brother. It had been just Mom and me for so long, but not anymore. Her marriage to Stanley meant we had a family. Having family meant my mom had other people she could depend on when I left home, although, I wasn’t sure how much help my new uncle was going to be since he spent so much time traveling the world. The lucky jerk. I’d never even managed to make it to Miami and it was only a couple of hours away from the small town where I’d been raised.
My best friend, Lilah, and I had always talked about taking off to see the world after graduation. But, she had moved to New York when we were fourteen so her mom could undergo cancer treatments. We still dreamed about it from time to time, but I think we’d also accepted that it would never be more than that. I was envious of this guy who’d seen the world.
All thoughts of Lilah, my mom, Stanley, and travel were wiped from my brain the moment I laid eyes on Harrison Butler. My heart started pounding in my chest. My stomach felt like a swarm of butterflies had taken flight inside it. And my panties? I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that they’d spontaneously combusted at the sight of him. But in my defense, I hadn’t been prepared for the reality of him, not when I’d been thinking of him as my uncle.
At six foot two, with a lean frame and sinewy muscles, he seemed to vibrate with an inner energy. His hair was as dark as the sky at midnight, and long enough that there was a hint of curl to it. His whiskey-brown eyes were surrounded by thick lashes that any woman would kill to have. His skin was golden brown, probably from spending lots of time outside. The only lines in his face were from laughter, and judging by the looks of them, he laughed a lot.
He was male, all male, and nothing like the boys at school. For the first time in my life, I responded like a woman. I’d never desired any of the boys at my school, but I’d read and heard enough to know that was exactly what I was feeling for Harrison. I wanted him. Badly.
If the heated look in his light brown eyes for the brief moment they’d met mine was any indication, he wanted me right back. As I followed everyone into the kitchen, my cheeks heated as I remembered how he’d yanked his bag in front of his body after his gaze had scanned mine—like he’d been trying to hide something. Only he wasn’t going to be able to hide it from me forever because I fully intended to use the next couple of weeks to their full advantage.
I chuckled under my breath as I sat down, thinking about how much I’d argued against the idea of having my new uncle stay with me while Mom and Stanley went on their honeymoon. I’d been so pissed off that they thought I needed a babysitter after all the years I’d taken care of my mom, but Stanley refused to hear any of it. Not even when my mom tried explaining to him that I’d be eighteen by then and fine on my own.
“What’s so funny, Magnolia?” my mom asked as she set the lasagna on the table.
“Oh, I was just thinking how funny it is, the way things turn out sometimes.” As in, it was a lucky thing Stanley was a bit of a stick in the mud, or else I wouldn’t have Harrison all to myself soon. Which was quite ironic when you thought about it because the odds were high that he’d throw a fit when he found out about Harrison and me.
Harrison and me. Yeah, I might have been ju
mping the gun a bit picturing us as a couple already, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. It didn’t matter to me that he was thirty to my soon-to-be eighteen. Or that I wasn’t even out of high school yet for another few months, and he was a renowned photo-journalist for a fancy magazine. Or even that he was the brother of the man my mom was going to marry this weekend. The only thing I cared about was the bone-deep knowledge that this man was meant to be mine.
She dropped a kiss on the top of my head as she placed a basket of garlic bread on the table before sitting down with us. “How so, my flower girl?”
I looked across the table, my eyes locking with Harrison’s while my mom dished food out onto everyone’s plates. “Just think about it. Harrison’s a world traveler, but he’s going to stay here with me in this sleepy town while you and Stanley head off on your honeymoon adventure. It’s like they’re trading places.”
“There’s nothing wrong with this sleepy town,” Stanley grumbled.
“Of course not, honey bear,” my mom cooed across the table at him. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be excited about our trip to Italy, now does it?”
“How can I not be when you’re so delighted by it?”
“Only because you’re taking me on my dream trip.”
The way he looked at my mom had my eyes filling with tears. When I’d first met Stanley, I’d been worried that he was all wrong for her. He was ultra conservative and my mom was such a free spirit. But there wasn’t a doubt in my mind about them as a couple anymore because he showed her—and me—how very much he loved her.
I was sniffling a little when I felt something brush softly against my leg. A quick glance under the table had my head jerking up to stare across it at Harrison because it had been his foot I’d found there. His eyes were filled with concern... and was that anger I saw, too?
“Why’re you crying, Maggie?” His voice was a low rasp that sent goosebumps along my skin.
“Happy tears,” I hiccupped, waving him off, even as my heart raced at the look he was sending my way.
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