“No, you didn’t. Where is everyone?” I ask, walking into the giant kitchen and finding it silent.
“Derek’s at the hospital, he should be back soon. The others are still in bed, they all went out last night so I thought I’d make breakfast. Waffles and pancakes.” She points to the disaster that is her attempt at cooking and I groan remembering all the burnt meals I had to endure as a kid.
“Would you like some help?”
“Is it that obvious that I don’t know what I’m doing?”
Eyeing the batter covering the wall and cabinets, I smile. “Just a little.”
In less than thirty minutes we have the kitchen cleaned and the batter ready to go.
“What would I do without you?” Mom asks, wiping down the counter.
“I often wonder.”
She narrows her eyes at me, but I can see the humor dancing in them.
“Do you mind if I go and freshen up. I didn’t have time for a shower this morning,” I lie.
“Of course. Just go and choose one of the guest rooms at the end of the hall. Take your time. I’m sure the others will be a while yet.”
Grabbing my case, I make my way up the stairs and find door after door along a long corridor.
Walking to the end, I push a door open and find an empty room with a perfectly made bed. My muscles ache to curl up in the middle of it. The hotel I stayed in last night was okay, but it wasn’t luxury by any stretch of the imagination, hence the cold shower this morning.
Placing my case on the chair sitting in front of the window, I already feel like I’m making the place a mess. Everything seems to have its perfect place and my exploding suitcase certainly doesn’t fit in.
My need for a shower overrides my concern, I pull out everything I’ll need and make my way into the adjoining bathroom. Steam begins filling the room the second I turn the shower on, and I let out a happy sigh.
Feeling fresh and smelling of my usual vanilla shower gel, I step out from the spray and wrap a towel around my body.
I slather myself in moisturizer and do my makeup once the steam has cleared so I’m prepared to meet my new family.
Pulling the door open, I tug the towel from my body, ready to get dressed when I walk into something solid in the middle of the room.
“What the—oh fuck!”
My eyes lift from the sweaty chest I just ran into until I find a very familiar pair of dark blue eyes. My insides tingle with awareness while my head tries to figure this out.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snap, not wanting to accept the inevitable.
“I should be asking you that seeing as you’re in my room.”
My stomach drops when he confirms what I already knew. Callum wasn’t just a one-night stand. He’s…nope, I can’t even go there.
“This is your room?” I look around at the floral wallpaper and matching curtains and comforter with a raised brow.
“Well, it is temporarily, and you’re in it…naked.”
His eyes drop to take the bare skin that I’d totally forgotten I had on show.
Panicking, I drop and pull the towel back around me.
“Too late for that, sweetheart. I got a taste of every inch last night.”
A shiver runs down my spine as heat floods my core.
Fucking hell, this is a disaster.
8
Callum
I was hoping going for a run in the early morning sun would help relieve the tension that’s been keeping my muscles bunched up since walking away from Vaughan first thing this morning.
The second I step back inside the room I’ve been staying in for the past two days, any progress I’d made is shot to shit. At no point did I consider that the Vaughan I spent last night fucking was my stepmom’s daughter…my stepsister.
“I can’t fucking believe this,” she mutters, taking a step back from me. Her knuckles are white where she’s gripping the towel tightly around her body. It’s pointless though, I remember every single mole and freckle I found on her skin last night. I run my eyes over her, picturing every alluring curve she’s trying to hide. “You need to stop that right now.”
When I make it back up to her face, her eyes are wide, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted as she tries to catch her breath.
“Why? You can’t tell me you don’t want a repeat of last night.”
“I…uh…no?” Her voice lifts and it makes it sound like a question.
“You want to know what I think?”
“No, not really.”
“That’s a shame because I’m going to tell you anyway.” Turning to her, I step into her body. She immediately takes one back, but she soon hits the wall behind her, running out of space to escape. Resting my forearms on the wall on either side of her head, I drop my lips to her ear. “I think you’d do just about anything to get a repeat of last night. I can practically taste your need. And now you know who I am, you want it even more because you know you shouldn’t.”
“You…you knew?” Her eyes find mine, they’re begging me to tell her that I didn’t deceive her.
“No, sweetheart, I had no idea. It doesn’t change anything though.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Want me to prove it to you?” I don’t give her a chance to answer. Dropping my hands, I rip the towel from her body and let it pool on the floor. My hands skim down her sides and my touch causes goosebumps to prick her skin.
“Callum, we can’t—” Her words are cut off the moment my fingertips find her clit. “Fuck.”
“So wet for me. I knew you wanted it,” I whisper in her ear before trailing my lips across her jaw and taking hers.
Sliding two fingers inside her, she rides my hand while I fuck her mouth with my tongue.
“That’s it. Let go. Show me how much you needed me.”
At my words, her body trembles as her release washes through her. Her eyes roll back, and she bites her bottom lip.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful when you’re falling apart.”
I didn’t intend on taking her, but after watching that little show, I’m powerless to resist. Dropping my shorts, I hike her leg up around my hip and guide myself to her entrance.
“Jesus, Callum. Fuck,” she grunts as her walls ripple around me.
“So fucking good.” I suck on the sensitive skin of her neck, intending on leaving another reminder of who she belongs to when she next looks in the mirror.
It’s all too soon when I feel my balls draw up and my orgasm rips through me. My swelling cock pushes her over the edge again and she milks me for everything I have.
“Try telling me again that you didn’t want that.”
Her eyes narrow, but she doesn’t deny my words are true. “You’re an asshole.” Her palms come down on my chest and she tries pushing me away.
“Now, now that’s no way to talk to the man responsible for your previous orgasms now, is it?” My fingers circle her wrists and I stare down at her. Waiting for her to admit that this thing between us is more than last night.
Movement from outside the room has her fighting to get away from me. I allow her. For now.
9
Vaughan
Callum disappears into the bathroom. The moment I hear the shower start, I make quick work of pulling some clothes on, gathering my stuff and getting the hell out of his room.
I find another closed door and once I’m as confident as I can be it’s a guest room, I slip inside and shut the door behind me. Dropping my bags to the floor, I rest back against the door and blow out a long breath.
How the fuck did I end up here?
More movement outside the room has me jumping into action. The last thing I need is Mom coming to find me and digging into why I’m up here hiding.
I find a hairdryer in one of the drawers and take an extortionate amount of time smoothing my dyed red hair until it’s perfect.
Realizing that I can’t put off the inevitable any longer, I slip on a pair of flip-flops and hesitantly make
my way back down to the kitchen.
Coming to a stop in the doorway, I take in the laughing faces in front of me. Mom’s standing at a man’s side who is basically an older version of the man who was in my bed last night. He’s got his arm wrapped around her waist as he looks up at her with love and longing in his eyes. For the first time ever, I actually wonder if she got it right with this one at long last. Ripping my eyes from the happy couple, I glance over at his two daughters who are also hanging off their father’s every word.
“Oh here she is,” Mom announces when she spots me hovering awkwardly. “Are you okay, sweetie?” she asks much quieter when she comes over and grabs my hand.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” I lie.
“Come on, I’m so excited to introduce you to everyone.” She pulls me farther into the room and we come to a stop at the table. “Derek, Lizzie, Jess, this is my baby, Vaughan.”
My cheeks heat as they all turn to look at me with welcoming smiles playing on their lips. “Hi.” My voice comes out as an awkward squeak.
“Vaughan, it’s so good to finally meet you. Your mother has told me so much about you,” Derek says, getting up and heading my way. He doesn’t stop at what I would consider a respectable distance for someone you’ve just met and instead pulls me in for a hug. It’s a weird feeling, not only because I’ve never really had any kind of father figure in my life who ever cared but also because he really is just an older version of Callum. I can’t deny that it’s not freaking me out a little.
“All good, I hope.”
“Of course. She misses you though.” His words are like a stab to the heart. Not seeing her very often isn’t intentional. I just work, a lot, and she’s always off flitting around finding men and marrying them in exotic countries, just like the one who still has his hands on my upper arms.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
“I’ll shout for Callum.” My entire body stiffens at the mention of his name.
Mom either doesn’t notice my sudden tension or just ignores it because she places her hand on my back and guides me toward the table. I pull out a chair, sit down and wrap my hands around the mug of coffee when it gets placed in front of me. I hold onto it like it’s a lifeline that’s going to help me through whatever the next few minutes and hours might hold.
I keep my head down, staring at my coffee like it holds all the world’s secrets, but I still know the second he appears. His presence is enough to make my breath catch and for my heart to start racing.
“Good of you to join us,” Derek says lightly as footsteps head my way.
There are four spare seats around this colossal table, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised when Callum chooses the one next to me.
“Callum, this is Paula’s daughter, Vaughan. Vaughan this is my eldest, Callum.”
My skin tingles where his eyes burn into me. As much as I don’t want to look at him, I’m aware that everyone around the table is also staring at me right now, probably wondering why I’m so socially awkward when my mom’s made me out to be normal.
Lifting my eyes, I run over his skin-tight white t-shirt, over his scruff-covered chin, and to his sparkling dark blue eyes. They hold mine captive the second they connect. I can’t quite believe my eyes when he reaches his hand out to shake mine.
“Jesus, Callum. She’s your new stepsister, not a work colleague,” Derek says with a laugh, taking his seat at the head of the table once again.
10
Callum
Her eyes narrow like I’m crazy, but the second her small hand slides into mine, electric sparks shoot up my arm and I know from the widening of her eyes that she felt it too.
Everyone around us continues with their previous conversations, but our eyes don’t leave each other. This might be all kinds of fucked up, but one thing is for sure, I’m not letting her walk away without a fight.
“Vaughan, are you okay? You look a little pale,” Paula asks, and it’s the distraction Vaughan needs to rip her eyes from mine.
“I’m fine, Mom. I just didn’t get much sleep last night.”
I cough to try to cover the laugh that rumbles up my throat but when every set of eyes in the room turn on me, I know I did a shit job.
“So Vaughan…” Dad starts. “Your mom says you’re an ER nurse. I’ve always admired anyone who works down there, not knowing what’s about to come through the door.”
My chest swells with pride at the fact she does such a job. My mum was a nurse back before she got sick. She was so kind and gentle, the epitome of what I believe a nurse to be. Vaughan definitely has more attitude, which I guess she needs working in accident and emergency. I know the kinds of situations they have to deal with on a daily basis. I’ve watched enough ambulances race away from car accidents and burning buildings in my time on the job to know how challenging a job like that must be.
“We’re always in need of good nursing staff, have you ever considered moving back home?”
Now that question gets my attention. I’ll be honest, I haven’t really paid all that much attention when Paula talks about her daughter, probably one of the reasons why her name didn’t spark any concern last night, but I do know that she left for college and makes every effort not to return all that often.
“I love St. Louis. It would take something extra special to make me leave.” Her eyes flit to mine and my heart damn near stops beating. Surely she’s not saying…
The rest of breakfast is…an experience. I can’t remember when we all sat around as a family like this. Since Dad moved us to the States after Mum died, I wouldn’t really call us what I’d considered a ‘normal’ family. Dad worked every hour he could in his quest to forget his grief. I found myself in an American college, not knowing which way was fucking up while I attempted to support Lizzie and Jessie as they embarked on a new life in high school. It was beyond fucking crazy, but I knew Dad was only trying to do what he thought was best for us.
Paula has been the first and only woman he’s ever introduced to us, so I know he must be serious about her. I’m happy for them, he’s been alone a long time now and he deserves someone who’ll be able to keep him from that damn hospital for a few hours at least.
“Well, if you ever change your mind, I can put a good word in for you. I know your mum would love it if you moved closer.”
“That’s enough, Derek. Vaughan doesn’t need us nagging her,” Paula says, surprising me that she’s not also fighting to have her daughter closer. “So Jessie,” Paula says, turning the attention to my sister. “Are you all set for the summer?”
That soon changes the direction of the conversation because Jessie’s face lights up at being able to tell someone new about her summer working on a ranch in Montana. My sister has been obsessed with all things cowboys since the first day Mum put Toy Story on when she was about three-years-old.
“Yes. Only a few weeks to go now. I spoke with the lady who owns the ranch again last week, she told me all about the accommodation and what I’ll be doing. I’m so excited.” Jessie continues to talk, but I zone her out in favor of slipping my hand onto the thigh of the person beside me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her head snap over to me and her body tenses, but everyone else around the table continues to focus on Jessie and her excitement.
“Don’t,” Vaughan whispers, trying to push my hand away, but all it does is encourage me to go a little higher.
11
Vaughan
“So I guess it’s a busy day for you with the fireworks and all,” I say, narrowing my eyes at Callum when there’s a break in the conversation. Sadly, turning everyone’s attention our way isn’t enough to make him remove his hand like I was hoping for. Instead he continues to creep it closer to the juncture of my thighs.
“Yeah…uh…I’m expecting to have my hands full.”
Sucking in a breath, my back stiffens as he cups me over the top of my shorts.
“I should probably get going actually. It was…lovely meeting you,
Vaughan. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you later for fireworks.” He winks before turning to leave and my face flames red.
My skin tingles with awareness and when I turn back around, I know why every set of eyes are focused on me.
“This is really good, Mom.” Reaching out, I grab a waffle and some bacon before stuffing my face, even though eating is the last thing I want to do right now.
The curious stares continue throughout the day but at no point does anyone ask, for which I’m grateful. I’m not sure what the correct etiquette would be for explaining that I accidentally slept with my new stepbrother multiple times, both when I was and wasn’t aware of our connection.
I spend most of the day catching up with Mom while Lizzie and Jessie head to the store to pick up the food for the barbeque tonight before the fireworks start. Derek’s home looks over the town below so we’ll have the most incredible view later. I was a little disappointed to hear we weren’t heading into town to experience the show with the rest of the town but now the sun’s beginning to set, I’m kind of relieved that I don’t need to move from the lounger I’m currently occupying.
“Refil?” Mom asks, getting up from her seat beside me.
“Sure.” She takes the glass from me and disappears inside.
Silence surrounds me and I try to relax, but every time I so much as blink all I see is Callum. I see him at the bar last night, I see him on top of me, and behind me with his hand twisted in my hair as he pounded into me.
Eventually voices filter from the house and when everyone comes out, it’s with armfuls of food and drink.
Derek immediately kick starts the grill while Mom, Lizzie, and Jessie start laying everything out on the table. I go to join them to offer my help when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Seeing Cherry’s name, I make my excuses and head back inside and into my room.
Flirty Ever Afters: A Flirt Club Collection Page 21