by Katy Kaylee
“I was a mistake, too, you know.” Eric’s expression hardened into stone, and icy prickles rippled just underneath my skin. Crossing my arms tightly over my chest, I tore my eyes off his face to stare at his perfectly starched lapel. The orbs ached fiercely, and I gulped harshly before attempting to speak again. “My mom was diagnosed with cancer before she got pregnant with me, and my dad pressured her. She already decided to decline treatment- her cancer was very aggressive, and her estimated time left was less than five years. On his wedding night to my step-mom, my dad got drunk and told me that my mom only had me so my dad wouldn’t be alone. I told you- my mom and I didn’t have a good relationship… because she knew before I was even conceived that she was going to die.”
“… Your mother was dead when you were born… oh, Delainne.” Sniffling harshly, I nodded a sharp jerk of my head, and Eric squeezed my shoulders with bruising force. The heat- the weight of the conversation- the pain of these things that I could never tell anyone was suffocating, and I hoovered up a shallow breath through flared nostrils. Forcing my pained eyes up, I cracked a watery smile at the thick redness around his own.
“The doctor’s said that my stem-cells are the reason she made it 8 years, but she was so sick all the time that she could barely get up. She had lung cancer that metastasized to her brain and liver, but it was very agonizing. I don’t remember a lot about her, honestly, and I don’t really want to know more. What she did- it’s singlehandedly the most loving and vile thing a person can do. So… I guess… I can’t stand idly by and let anyone sugarcoat what it means to love a little girl… because- I was that little girl… just like Maggie… The only difference is that my mom knew she was going to die, and Sasha didn’t.”
“That’s so much worse than just having a creep for a step-brother, Delainne.” Eric’s voice wobbled dangerously, and I nibbled my bottom lip as he leaned back on his heels to blow out a scorching breath. “God- I need a drink after that. We should both have a drink after that.”
“I’m not old enough.” He screwed his face at my pointed declaration, and I sighed heavily before reaching to run my hands through my hair. “I want Maggie to have everything that she deserves, Eric. I want her to grow up with a mother figure that loves her and doesn’t see her as an obligation. My dad said it was a miracle that I wasn’t messed up.”
“… You know what I think, Delainne?” Just like I’m sure he felt about his mother, I felt the same about mine, and Eric cleared his throat roughly. My chest throbbed dully, and a ghost of a smile tilted my lips when he forcibly shook his shoulders of the weight that crushed us. “I think that what happens in that hotel room, stays in that hotel room. One drink- no more. I won’t push you if you refuse, but I sure as shit want something.”
Delainne
“Tell me a funny story.” My brows shot up at the request, and I glanced down as Eric drew listless, feathery circles on my breast. Sweat slicked my skin, gluing us together as it slowly dried, and I inhaled deeply as he tilted his head to meet my gaze. “Tell me about your private education. What sort of crazy stuff happened?”
“Well, there was only one time I was involved-“ Smiling at the memory of it, I exhaled a gust of a sigh while Eric watched me with an intensity that bordered on glaring. “I left class to go to the bathroom, and there were these girls in there smoking. We weren’t friends, but we said ‘hey’ to each other and went about our business. I used the stall nearest to the door, and when I flushed, they were also flushing their cigarettes in the one closest to the window. But- apparently, they did it a lot because the toilet backed up. I heard them questioning what to do while I was washing my hands, but I didn’t pay much attention to it because it was not my business.”
“Like, two seconds later, and these three girls were huddled in a stall that’s overflowing when the pipes in the wall made this ominous gurgling sound. One of the girls poked her head out of the stall, looking at me like ‘you’re gunna keep your mouth shut, right’ and I was like… duh- I don’t want any trouble. But as soon as she disappeared behind the partition, the toilet exploded.” I couldn’t help giggling at the residual disgust and discomfort from three years back that still filled my chest. “I was far enough away that I didn’t get sprayed or anything, but these girls were just drenched. They started screaming and crying, covered in dirty water and cigarette butts that had backed up the toilet. The floor was flooding, and I hopped up on the sink while watching them freak out.”
“The hall monitor guy rushed into the bathroom, and he saw me huddled on the sink and these girls sloshing through waste water. They’d got cigarette butts and stuff in their hair- soaking their clothes- everything- it was bad. I was so grossed out that I refused to move, and the water was a good inch deep at this point. So, the hall monitor guy carried me out of the bathroom- it was sort of a sunken room, with two steps, because it was an older building and the bathrooms were in the basement. Anyway- he didn’t even try to go back for the other girls. School got shut down for the day, since it was a Thursday, and we didn’t go in the next day. So- that’s the story. The girls got expelled and their parents all got really hefty fines.”
“That’s disgusting.” Chuckling around his words, Eric nuzzled my breast as I nodded in agreement, and he sighed loudly. “When I was in high school, I think the worst thing that happened was some kid that was always bullied pranked the football team by giving them pastries he filled with cum.”
“With what!” My stomach flipped dangerously, but Eric only shrugged awkwardly before propping himself on his elbow. Covering my mouth in horror, I watched him grin through wide eyes. “Never mind! I don’t want to know-“
Eric’s boisterous laugh burned my cheeks, and I covered my face to peek through my fingers. Climbing on top of me, he pried my palms away to hold them on either side of my head, and my heart thundered hard from the sudden change in atmosphere. Blue eyes glittered merrily, and he ducked to kiss me hard. Stealing my breath, he nestled between my legs to grind his flaccid length against my folds.
“Lay down on your back.” A throaty groan answered my whisper, and Eric rolled easily across the king-sized bed. My nerves tingled with excitement, and I shirked all conversation and everything that happened in the past two hours as I straddled him. Bracing my palms on his hard pectorals, I sucked my bottom lip while my fingers explored the ridges of his chest. His muscles shifted under taut, tanned skin, and I ground my core against his length with sloppy rolls of my hips.
“Are you gunna fuck me this time, Delainne?” Growling out the taunt, Eric gripped my waist to stabilize my movements, and I nodded with a moan. Tossing my head back as shivers of pleasure raced up my spine, I closed my eyes to savor the feeling of him. Coarse hairs burned my thighs and calves, and his neat thatch of curls just above his dick teased my clit with each rock of my hips.
“Fuck- just like that, sweetheart… get me hard again-“ My juices seeped from my entrance to slicken his throbbing, hot length, and I moaned when he reached around to grab my butt hard. “Turn around- I want to watch your ass jiggle while you fuck me, Delainne.”
Panting harshly, I jostled around while Eric ripped open a condom, and he kneaded my butt cheek with an eager groan. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do, and I hissed when he swiped the protected head between my folds. Gripping my left cheek hard, he guided me as I slid down on him, and a shocked sputtering burst from my throat.
“Oh, my God-d-d-d-d! Oh- it’s go- good- it’s good-“ Gasping hoarsely, I tightened around Eric’s dick and ducked my head when my hips connected with his. Frosty prickles rippled upwards, all the way to my collar bones, and I ground my teeth in my efforts to fight off my release. In my narrowed vision, his toes and feet flexed, and I fisted the soiled sheets underneath weak arms.
“Just your lower back, Delainne- lift only your hips.” Grinding out the command through a clenched jaw, Eric gripped both my butt cheeks to spread them. Nodding listlessly, I whimpered as I chaotically rolled my hips, and his len
gth caressed my undulating walls. “No- up and down, not around.”
“Okay-“ My breathless rasp rode a weak wave of determination, and I squeezed my eyes shut to concentrate. Eric’s hands squeezed and kneaded, his nails raking over the tight globes as I jerked roughly. His length reached deep, and the pleasure mixed with intense shock at the unexpectedly powerful euphoria that rocketed through me.
“Fu-uck yes, sweetheart- exactly like that. Bounce just like that.” The sensations searing my nerves were different than when I was on my back, and goosebumps washed my flesh at Eric’s direction. Gripping my waist firmly, he blew out scalding breaths that weaved through the fine, peach fuzz hairs on my back. “Just like that- sweetheart-“
“Yes-s-s! D- Deep- it’s so d- de-ah-h-h!” I couldn’t stave off my orgasm when Eric tilted his hips, and my entire body spasmed around his length. Color popped behind my tightly shuttered eyelids, and my face heated as tension locked my muscles. His groan echoed in my ears, and I whimpered what should’ve been a moan that couldn’t squeeze past the lump in my throat.
Gasping fiercely when the wave subsided, I shivered violently when Eric sat up to wrap one arm around my shoulders. His hot pants rolled down between my breasts, and he reached between my legs to circle my nub roughly. Chapped lips scorched my neck and shoulder blade, and I rolled and ground as he forced another release that was more intense than the first.
“Cum on that fucking cock, Delainne- yeah-“ Clamping down on his length, I squealed from the passion that gripped me, and Eric grabbed my face to turn my head to his. Kissing me greedily, his need for me filled my lungs as they screamed for oxygen, but he didn’t notice as he shoved his tongue down my throat. The taste of him went straight to my head, and I moaned and whimpered as his tongue danced against mine.
We barely moved, entangled in this way, but each twitch and slight thrust threatened to drown me. Eric’s fingers left my nub to tangle in my hair, and he pushed my torso forward to brace himself back. My lips ached for his, a yearning clogging my already tight chest, but I couldn’t even open my mouth before he thrust with a jerk.
“Fuck!” Somehow, Eric folded his knees at an awkward enough angle to slide out from under me, and my core throbbed in protest. His voracious heat was replaced with stabbing cold, but he didn’t leave me empty long enough for me to take a shallow breath. The head of his cock plowed past my entrance, eased by the latex glove, and black spots dotted my vision. Choking on the pleasure that rampaged through me, I let out a shriek of rapture before he pulled my head back.
I sobbed from the ecstasy that flooded every cell in my body, and moan after moan wrenched from my throat. Eric’s grunts swept down my back with each, powerful thrust, and he tugged my hair with careful gentleness. His hips colliding with mine rattled my bones, and my eyes rolled in their sockets as another orgasm crashed through me. Tightening around his hard rod, my walls quivered in time to the rippling of his length, and he gasped and sputtered above me.
“Fu-u-uck yes-s-s…” When Eric pulled out, I couldn’t protest as my elbows buckled and gave way. All of the tension seeped from my body, and the sound of the condom being tossed in the trash can by the bed rattled loudly against my skull.
It was all over so fast that I didn’t know what to do, but Eric slowly laid down on his side in front of me. Watching him, face flushed and lips dry, through heavily lidded, wide eyes, I struggled for air even while he reached to caress my cheek.
“You develop dimples on your ass cheeks when you cum hard enough.” Flames licked my cheeks as Eric dragged his palm down to knead my butt cheek, and his lips twitched in a tired smirk. “It’s sexy.”
“Th- thanks…” His smile widened, and he shuffled close enough to conform our fronts and kiss my lips. Throwing his arm carelessly around my back, he held my firmly before nudging his knee between mine, and I sighed in pure, untainted content. His smell saturated my fogged mind, and his warmth and strength cocooned me in security.
For once, I was actually kind of grateful to my step-brother. If he wasn’t such a creep, I might not have this moment and all of the others like it.
Eric
Pulling into my driveway easily, I shut off my car before raking both my hands through my hair. A pang tweaked my chest as I stared at this place that’d become my home, but I knew that the reason wasn’t something that I could change.
The day after Teagen’s wedding, Delainne had called her boss to formally quit. Supposedly, Donald was very understanding about the whole situation, but I couldn’t help but worry. Delainne was watching Maggie while I was at work, and anxiety pooled in my gut every time I entered my home. I expected things to go horribly wrong, just as they had with the other babysitters. After all, it wasn’t like Delainne took Maggie anywhere, and being cooped up in the house all day must’ve been maddening.
Climbing out of my car, my legs thrummed with tension, and I locked my vehicle on my way up the walkway. Before I even opened the door, I could hear giggling, and relief slumped my shoulders. Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes briefly before pushing the barrier open, and the giggling got louder and more intense.
Delainne was standing in the middle of the living room surrounded by half a dozen partially unraveled rolls of paper towels. Markers and stickers littered the carpet, and two rolls of scotch tape and a pair of scissors sat on the sofa.
But the mess wasn’t what caught my immediate attention, and I stiffened as I scanned Delainne through narrowed eyes. She was draped in paper towels- over her shoulders, around her chest and draped in a belt of scotch tape that settled around her waist. Her face glowed red, cheeks rounded in a splitting, goofy grin, and I crossed my arms over my chest before Maggie’s rambling entered my scope of comprehension.
My daughter laid on the floor, in front of a piece of cardboard to stop the markers from bleeding through the paper towels and into the carpet. She talked fast, about what she was drawing, why she was drawing it, and some parts that I couldn’t make out because she started giggling to herself.
Rocking back on my heels, I took in the scene as my brain slowly processed the absolute magnitude of what it meant. Delainne and Maggie weren’t at each other’s throats; in fact, they seemed to grow closer and closer each day. Watching silently, ignored for the moment, as Maggie popped up with a stretch of paper towel, I rolled my jaw against the pressure that built in my skull.
Delainne twirled around slowly as Maggie taped the top of the paper towel to her, and only then did she notice me. Embarrassment swamped her features, and she gave me a small, guilty smile on thinned lips. Her freckles brightened as she flushed a deep, dark red, and I cleared my throat roughly to rid the lump that labored my breath.
“What’s going on here?” Maggie squealed in surprise, whipping around to smile wide and sheepish, and I shot her a pointed look. “I hope you plan on cleaning this mess up when you’re done.”
“I will, Daddy- but, look! Isn’t Delainne beautiful?” I smiled broadly at how proud Maggie was at what she’d done, and affection squeezed my heart. Waving her hands at Delainne, my daughter puffed up like a bird that’d learned to fly. “I made it for when you get married.”
Both Delainne and I froze at that, and my gaze flew to hers as they twinkled in panicked confusion. Almost instantly, Maggie felt the tension buzzing between the two of us, and I walked over stiffly to sit on the end of the sofa. My mind ran frantically, and she looked between Delainne and I as I tried to figure out what to say.
This was bad.
“Maggie- honey, why do you think Delainne and I are getting married?” I tried my damnedest not to sound any type of way, and my throat tightened from the effort. Maggie shrunk some, shrugging as she twiddled with her marker and stared at her bare feet. Anxiety curdled my blood, and I held my breath behind a clenched jaw as silence rang in my ears.
“Uh- no reason… I like her- she’s not like the other babysitters… and she sleeps here- that means you’re getting married. And she has a ring like Auntie Case
y’s, and Auntie Casey got married.” Grumbling through her answer uncomfortably, Maggie peeked up from under her eyelashes at me. “If you get married, Delainne can teach me how to do a backflip on the trampoline.”
Flickering to Delainne, we shared a heavy, strained look, and she knelt down next to Maggie. Her smile was soft and understanding, and I took the moment to remember how to breathe properly. “Maggie, if your dad and I were going to get married, it wouldn’t be right now. It takes a long time.”
“When I’m 7?” The hope in Maggie’s voice broke my heart, and I propped my elbows on my knees to clasp my hands tightly. “My birthday is in April- it’s not for a long time.”
“Maybe when you’re 7. We don’t know, yet. Sometimes, grown ups don’t get married for a long time, and other times, it’s not so long. Besides, if your dad and I do get married, we would all go on a trip, and we didn’t think of anywhere to go.” Delainne avoided telling Maggie an outright, brutal ‘no’, but I knew she was running out of things to say. “Plus, we’d need to go when you’re not in school, so it’d have to be summer time. Otherwise, you’d miss school and all your friends, right?”
“I guess so…” Surprise rocketed through me when Maggie didn’t protest, and she bopped her head up and down with a huge smile cresting her cheeks. “Can we go to Disney World? All my friends will be so jealous!”
“Well, we can’t go anywhere with all this mess, and I need to take this off. Can you clean up while your dad helps me? I don’t want to rip it.” My daughter nodded furiously, dropping to her knees even as mine hoisted me up stiffly. Delainne and I were silent on the way up the stairs to the guest bedroom, and I struggled to catch up to what just happened. The ominous silence was deafening, but the blood roaring in my ears told me that I hadn’t lost my mind.