by Jenny Rose
“Welcome aboard the Little Sister, little sister.” He slapped me on the ass and I looked to him and said,
“I’m not your fucking sister.” He grinned and said,
“That’s exactly what you are.” Making a face before I could slap his arm, he held up his hands to deflect the incoming blows and he took a few steps away, knowing that I would give chase and we would eventually wind up on the ground laughing while kissing and cuddling in the California sun. I missed his arms around me and the very smell of his skin and he could tell by the way that I didn’t want to let him go.
“You know, it could be like this all the time. You and me, we could live like this and be happy. We could do this.” He leaned down and kissed me and I wanted to melt in his arms but I knew that I had to stand firm and at least finish school before getting swept away with all the romance and bad choices that usually ended up ruining lives. The one thing I wanted to do right for myself was finish school and I was so close that I didn’t want to screw anything up right now since I was so close to the end.
“What are you talking about, Lance? I can’t just up and move to California.” He looked at me as he held me a bit tighter and asked why, so I replied, “Because I have a life and school back in Florida, business to take care of and even a few dreams to pursue.” Surely he would understand that last little snippet.
“Oh, of course I can appreciate someone who’s trying to make it in the world but you do know that California has schools and restaurants. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don’t want to live here with me but be truthful because I know when you lie.” There was not use in even trying to deny that because the main reason he knew when I was lying is because he’s the main one who taught me how as a teen. Hannah’s big thing was to tell me was, ‘Look me in the eye. You can’t lie if you look me in the eye’ and Lance taught me that she was lying about that. I couldn’t look him in the eye and tell him that I didn’t want to be with him wherever he was but I also had to think about my future and the goals that I had set for myself.
“Your future? Ray? I’m loaded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. You can finish school here and open your own restaurant. You could do whatever you wanted and never worry about a thing.” Slowly shaking my head, I tried to calm the racing thoughts in my head and all I could manage to say was,
“You want me to move to California?” His eyes smiled almost as wide as his mouth as he waved his arm around to the vast expanse of ocean all around us and he said,
“Yes, Ray. I want you to move to California.” All I could feel in my bones was to say yes and rush into his arms but the driven and motivated part of me could only say no. I was so confused about what to do that all I could do was smile and look at him.
“Lance, I’m almost done with school and after graduation I have a spot lined up at the hottest restaurant in Miami that could lead to a very lucrative…” his mouth found its way to mine as I was trying so hard to make a point in my favor and as I was silenced, I felt myself melt into his arms and every ‘no’ in my head were quickly turning into ‘yes’ as his arms wrapped themselves around my body.
He stood and looked into my eyes and smiled as he said,
“I don’t mean today, asshole. I’m just throwing it out there and putting it on the table for you to mull over and get back to me but for now,” he held up his finger to insinuate that he wanted me to hold on for a moment while he ducked down into the stairwell for a moment and returned with champagne. “We toast to your beautiful eyes and this wonderful day because I’ve missed your face and now I can enjoy life again for the moment.”
His words hit me like a truck and I couldn’t help but well up with tears of joy at the gorgeous sentiment and even though he was laying it on a little thick, I liked the cheesy gesture. I’d never thought of moving in with him in all of my time spent dreaming about him and our time together and I felt as if it was all becoming a bit too real, too fast. The champagne did seem to calm my nerves a bit and we spent the rest of the evening cuddling and kissing on the bow of the yacht as we watched the sun go down over the Pacific and as he held me in his arms, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be and I was starting to feel like a real jerk for not jumping at his offer to move to California but I didn’t want to be put into the position where I was dependent on someone else or relied on anyone other than myself for anything and the thought simply terrified me a little bit.
As far as I knew, Jason still wasn’t aware of what was going on with Lance and I so that was still looming in my thoughts as to how much damage it would cause to our family and I’d regretted blowing up and telling Hannah but I felt that in that moment, she deserved a bit of a pang to her heart just as she’d given me by sleeping with my boyfriend. Telling her that I was sleeping with her stepson wasn’t near the blow that Id received but for now, it would have to work. There’s no way that I was going to sleep with her husband to even the score so I would try my best to let things with her cool down over time and hope that they could be resolved in the future.
As the sun went down and the light reflected off the water like a million tiny stars, Lance and I fell into each other’s arms and made love on the deck of the Little Sister and then again below in the cabin, where we fell asleep in each other’s arms to the gentle rock and sway of the boat as she danced with the ocean in a wonderful ballet of calm and serenity. We were the only two people in the world at that moment and as long as we remained onboard, the outside didn’t even matter and I even thought of taking him up on his offer if it meant that we could have more days like that.
We spent two days on the Little Sister and as much as I hated to leave, I was a bit glad to get my feet back on solid ground and when we left the marina, I sat in the back of the car with my head on Lance’s shoulder as he gently rubbed my leg and all I could do was smile and close my eyes, completely relishing and enjoying every moment we had together and trying to memorize the touch of his skin for when I was no longer at his side. Leaving him this time was going to be horrible and even though I could stay if I wanted to, I didn’t feel like uprooting my life and moving to California was exactly the right move for me so any pain from not being with him was in part, my fault. Lance took me to his estate that took my breath away from the time I saw the large, double gate that opened to a long, tree-lined driveway and led to what looked more like a small community than a home for a single man.
“Lance! Oh, my god, it’s huge!” He smiled and gave me a cocky grin.
“I know.” I slapped him on the arm and looked out the window, leaning over him and staring in absolute awe.
“This is beautiful.” He smiled and rubbed my ass with his hand and said,
“Oh, I know.” Groaning playfully, I sat back in my seat and stuck my tongue out at him.
“I’m talking about your stuff.” He laughed and slid his hand up my thigh as he kissed me softly on the lips.
“Me too.”
He showed me around the property and I was like a kid in a candy factory at each turn, more amazed by the beautiful architecture and décor in each room more than the last. I could never imagine living in such an extravagant place and was amazed that Lance actually owned the large museum.
“Are you sure you don’t want to live with me?” He asked me this question as we stood over the pool, staring out from the balcony of his bedroom which overlooked the lavish flower gardens and lawns of the back property and the view was simply spectacular.
“You aren’t playing fair. Can’t you respect that I want to finish school before I start shacking up with my brother?” I kissed him on the cheek and he replied,
“I’m not your brother”
Technically, he was not my brother unless you asked our parents and society but the things that we’d been doing to and for each other were not typical sibling behavior and that’s where our dilemma lies. I did love the sibling bond that we had previously to our wild tryst and I was scared that if the sexual stuff stopped, I would lose my brothe
r that I loved so much before it all started but I was also anxious and excited to see what kind of love could grow from such a bond that was so strong before the romance was even a question. If given the chance, Lance and I could make Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s love affair look like nothing more than playground frolic because what I felt for him could never be matched by the love of any other in the whole duration of all history and that’s the part that scared me most of all.
Chapter Twenty Two
Stepping onto the jet that was taking me back to Florida was the hardest thing I ever had to do and I could even see that Lance’s eyes were filled with pain as he said goodbye to me. Trying not to let him see me cry, I hugged him and kissed his cheek softly as I felt his arms tighten around my waist, not wanting to release me from his grip as we said our farewells, promising to see each other as soon as possible. This time, I was glad that there would be nobody else on the plane with me because I was certain that I was about to cry over the entire country as I flew back to the east coast with a broken heart. Waving from the door before I stepped aside to my seat, I blew him a kiss and walked toward the back of the plane, keeping my eye on him through the window all the way to my chair. Immediately regretting my decision to return to Florida, I silently cursed myself for being such a glutton for punishment and stubborn fool because every twinge of pain that I felt was caused by my own pride and will. I could just as easily transfer to California and finish school while living in a glorious mansion with a full staff and my own wing if I wanted it but no, I was independent and headed back to my one bedroom apartment close to campus so that I could proudly say that I did it on my own. No other reason than that and it was killing me that I was being so foolish, possibly throwing away my chance at real love because I was worried about what people would think and what my mother would say. The tears fell down my cheeks as the engine roared to life and I was whisked away to the Sunshine State as I left my heart in California.
Classes were scheduled to start in less than a week and my mind was everywhere except where it was supposed to be. I spent most of my time communicating with Lance via message or internet, usually video chatting with him at night so that we could see each other without distraction. He liked for me to chat with him in the nude and often wanted me to touch myself or let him see me, stating that he missed me so much that it hurt. One night, we were on a chat and he was in the back of a car and told me that he was on his way to dinner but wanted me to be with him as long as he could, so while I prepared a single serving of pasta and steamed veggies, I listened to him go on about his day and how he was thinking of buying another company; all details that I didn’t really care about but nodded with a smile anyway.
“Where are you going for dinner? Do you have a date?” He smiled and said that he would be dining at Jason’s newest restaurant, Chez Noir and that he was actually on his way to pick up his date. My heart sank and I realized that I was losing him thanks to my decision to be so damn proud and all about me so I tried to force a smile as I nodded. Placing the phone on the counter so that I could drain my pasta, I told him to give me a second and as I leaned out of view of the camera, I let the tears fall down my face.
“Just one more second.” I told him as I poured the pasta through the colander and then into a bowl before wiping my face and picking up the phone. “Sorry, I needed both hands.” He must have known how the news of him and another woman would have affected me but he seemed so nonchalant about it, as if he’d just told me he chose diet soda instead of regular.
“It’s okay, I get it.” He said as he looked at me through the phone, thanks to the marvels of modern technology. His car had parked and he stepped out of it according to the flash of the night sky and quick shot of pavement. “Have you heard about Dad’s new place? I’m surprised he hasn’t told you all about it.” Jason had mentioned something to me about opening another restaurant but I had been so caught up with so many other things that I kind of put that conversation on the back burner and then forgot about it all together.
“Yeah, he may have mentioned something about it.” I tried not to seem interested in anything he was saying or doing from this point on because the less I knew about his night, the better I would sleep.
“Did he happen to mention that it’s in Miami?” I felt my heart skip a beat as I watched him walking on the screen of my phone, recognizing the background as the courtyard of my apartment complex. I ran to the door and saw him heading to my apartment, holding his phone out in front of himself as he walked and I ran straight to his arms. “I hope you’re hungry.”
As much as I wanted to take him into my bed, he actually wasn’t lying about Jason’s grand opening and I rushed to get dressed as he waited in my apartment. I returned to find that he’d eaten half of my pasta and veggies without even the slightest hint of remorse.
“I really wanted to eat that.” I told him as I leaned into him for a kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck as he kissed me back.
“I really want to eat something else but we have plans.” He slapped me on the ass. “Let’s get going.”
Arriving at Chez Noir, we were given the VIP treatment and given the best table in the house as our host informed us that the owner would be out shortly to greet us, personally. Suddenly, I was nervous about looking Jason in the eye as Lance’s date and not some sort of sister-person. The man I knew as the only father I ever had was about to find out that his princess had been banging his son and loved every minute of it and I was terrified.
“Cool it, Ray. What do you think is about to happen? I’m not going to say anything like, ‘oh, by the way, I put my face between her thighs every chance I get and I love it down there’ or whatever is running through your beautiful, little head right now. If you want to keep lying to him, we can or we can inform him that regardless of his marital status, I want mine to change because of you.”
What the hell did he just say? His smile changed and he pulled out a ring from his pocket while I stared at him with my heart about to beat out of my chest.
“I’ve already procured a place in Florida so that I can be near you while you finish school, you can even keep your apartment if that’s what you want, all I know is that I need you in my life and if I have to be the one to move to the other side of the country, that’s what I’ll do. Just say that you want me in your life until the day you die, Ray.” My eyes welled up with tears and it was at that moment when Jason appeared, holding hands with Hannah while smiling at the two of us. I jumped up and threw my arms around Lance and said,
“Until the day I die.”
Jason and Hannah clapped, followed by the rest of the patrons in the restaurant as Lance slid the ring on my finger and all of the anxieties that I’d been having about our parents proved to be completely unwarranted. Jason told me that he considered me his daughter already so daughter in law wasn’t that much of a stretch, that he was glad Lance chose me instead of some blond bimbo with fake boobs and at least he knew his son would be fed well because his personal chef had been trained by the best.
“His personal chef? No way, buddy.” I hugged Jason and even managed to be civil to Hannah, considering that she didn’t really mess up my life in any way by sleeping with Scott, only betrayed my trust and let me continue sleeping with someone who had been banging my mother. Creep factor aside, I was certain that one day Hannah and I would work things out, so I hugged her and showed off my ring, which was the single-most beautiful piece of jewelry that I’d ever seen. My mind was running a mile a minute as I realized that all of my dreams were coming true and that my happiness was about to begin but most of all, the sneaking and hiding of our love was now over and we could shout from the mountaintops if we so chose and there was nothing stopping us from being together.
He did exactly as he said and moved to Florida into a rental not too far from my apartment. It was nowhere near as lavish as his home in California but we flew back and forth as much as possible until I finished school so that he could keep an eye on ev
erything. After graduation, we decided that I would run Jason’s LA restaurant and we took everything I owned and had it shipped west and we began our new life together. Running a business proved to be stressful but it was one of the most liberating and freeing experiences that I’d ever had so it only made sense that I open my own place and before too long, with Jason’s blessing of course, I left from under the cover of his protective wing and ventured out on my own and I’m sure glad I did. Paradigm is the hottest place in all of Los Angeles and I could have never done it without Lance’s love and support and thanks to him never letting me quit, my second location is scheduled to open in San Francisco soon.
Lance and I married shortly after moving to California and the ceremony was absolutely beautiful, set in the gardens of our estate, surrounded by fragrant flowers, family and friends. Jason walked me down the aisle and everything was absolutely perfect, just as it’s been for the many years since. Landon has his father’s bright smile and Raymond got Lance’s ice blue stare but both boys have their mother’s heart and I feel such pride when I look at them both and think about how I almost let this life slip away because I was afraid of what people would say. In the end, the only person you can make happy is yourself and if you see the chance to make your dreams come true, you should definitely take it. Money aside, I’m the richest woman in the world because I have a love that is stronger than love and a bond with a man who is not only my soulmate but the one man who started out as the best friend I ever had and it’s that kind of love that is written in the stars for all time. Lance and I may never become a wonderful constellation, tossed into the heavens by the gods because of our passion and the turmoil we went through to be together but we would forever be etched into the hearts of each other and those of our boys and that was enough for me. As I rub my swollen belly, I think of the daughter who grows there and smile as I imagine brushing her hair and dressing her in beautiful things like many mothers of girls do and I feel Lance’s loving arms hug us both from behind.