I’m about to get up and head into the kitchen when Adam grabs my hand and I’m forced to look into the chocolate pools of his eyes. I gasp out loud, so loud I’m sure he hears it.
“Wait,” he says simply, and gets up as well. He comes closer to me, so close I can barely breathe any more. “Tell me why you’re here, Tessa. Tell me why now.”
So here it is, my big moment. This is where I tell him I’m totally, irrevocably in love with him. This is the moment where he most probably turns me down. I gulp down the lump in my throat.
“Um, I wanted to tell you about the project,” I say lamely. “I’ve thought about it for a long time, and I started putting it together a month or so ago.”
I really had. This was still during the time I was with Jared, not knowing whether I’d ever see Adam again. I thought I’d just drop it in the mail one day, have it shipped to him. I never thought I’d be the one telling him about my plans for his charity.
“I decided to come right to your office…didn’t feel right coming to your home after the last time,” I squeak pathetically, giving him an apologetic smile. I’m not quite ready to look at his eyes yet, because I know I’ll blurt it all out, and I’m too damn scared of his rejection.
“I’m glad,” Adam says simply, and my heart aches, begging for me to go on. “I’m glad you came here, Tessa…It’s been good to see you.”
I nod robotically, and he suddenly moves an inch closer. We’re standing really close together now. Really, really fucking close. And I’m also very close to babbling my secret.
“I decided to leave home for a bit,” I say nervously, still looking at the ground even though I can feel Adam’s burning gaze on my lips. “I wanted a bit of a break from the modeling thing…stuff didn’t work out with Jared. I know people here, you know…”
“Who?” he asks simply. I am sure he can hear my heart pounding, because it’s so loud I’m almost rendered deaf by it. “Who do you know here? Why Chicago?”
“My friends,” I mumble weakly. “Bex and Alec…and Katelyn, I guess.”
“What about me, Tess?” he asks, the hurt plain to hear in his voice. I hurt him…just like he hurt me when he left for culinary school. An eye for an eye…but now it’s time to make amends.
“Yes, you too,” I breathe heavily, finally daring to raise my eyes to his.
They’re burning; deep and so dark they’re almost black. His hand roams from mine until he’s holding my cheek and I lean into him, looking for comfort. I can’t identify the look in his face. It’s something between desire and…something I don’t know. I’m scared. So freaking scared.
“I missed you the most,” I confess, my lips trembling as I make the confession, which isn’t even what I want to tell him. “I’m so sorry I left, Adam…I was a goddamn fool, and I thought it was for the best.”
Quickly, I relay the story with Jared and Adam’s free hand clenches into a fist.
“I’m going to kill him,” he says simply, and I shake my head at his words.
“He’s fucked up enough already,” I say.
“What made you change your mind?” he wants to know next. “Why did you come back, knowing he could go to the press with this crap?”
I look right at his eyes this time around, the dark whirlpools of passion.
“I didn’t care,” I say simply. “I didn’t care who he told… said he’d save me the trouble of telling everyone the truth.”
“And what is the truth, Tessa?” Adam’s mouth is parted slightly, so fucking tempting. I want to kiss him, want to push my tongue inside those lips, remind him why we’re right together.
“The truth is,” I exhale heavily, my hands shaky at my sides. “The truth is, I’m in love with you…”
His mouth comes crashing against mine in a second. His lips are heavy against mine, breathing my name against my skin as he pulls me closer. And just like that, I’m totally gone, my heart nearly bursting with emotion as he sits down on the kitchen chair, pulling me into his lap.
“Tessa,” he breathes against my neck. “I’ve waited so long for this. So fucking long, baby.”
His breathing is as hard and ragged as my own, each breath taking more effort than it should. My heart is racing, my fingers trembling as I pull his hair. And we’re kissing again, deep, demanding, fucking furious kissing, angry because we’ve missed so much time, ecstatic because this is finally happening.
He rips my apron off and it’s there one moment, gone the next. My dress goes over my head and I’m only in my bra and panties as he looks me right in the eyes, giving me that wicked grin which means trouble.
“I love you, Tessa Silver,” he growls, and this time, I’m the one who can’t resist kissing him like it’s the end of the world. Our mouths melt together, the kiss making my heart race even faster. I need him…I need him right now.
“Fuck me,” I beg him, and he picks me up right away. I wrap my legs around his waist and he carries me into the living room, because both of us are too impatient to wait for the bedroom.
We end up on the rug, our hands exploring one another’s bodies like it’s the first time, or the last time. I don’t fucking know anymore, don’t know right from left or right from wrong.
Adam rips my bra off, my panties following next until my naked body is exposed to his watchful gaze. He groans, and I help him get his jeans and shirt off next. His cock is bigger than I remember, thick and pulsating with veins. I want him so badly, so badly it hurts.
“Show me,” I beg him, just like the first time around. “Show me you love me…”
And he does, slipping a condom on that thick dick and sliding himself inside me in one long, excruciating stroke that has me moaning his name out loud.
“Fuck yes, Adam!” I can’t hold back much longer, his hands frantic in my hair, mine clawing at his back as he takes me quick and hard.
I don’t need lovemaking right now. I need him to fuck me raw. And he’s more than happy to oblige after I express my wishes.
“My beautiful dirty girl,” Adam groans in my ear, so close to coming I can feel the tension building up deep inside him. “My sweet Tess, fuck…you’re gorgeous.”
His name is a moan on my lips as we roll off the cliff together, our orgasms takings us somewhere sky high. And I’m left staring at the beautiful chocolate brown of his eyes, more happy than I’ve ever been in my life.
We’re quiet, just staring at each other like it’s the first time we’re seeing one another’s faces. I trace his features, he kisses every exposed inch of my skin.
It’s fucking beautiful.
They’ll say it’s wrong to fuck my stepbrother.
They’ll say I’m sick to the bone for loving him.
They’ll call us out on it, I’m sure of it, say we’re going to hell for it.
But fuck it all, because I’ll gladly burn with Adam…burn bright.
22 - TESSA
2 years later
“I can’t believe we’re here,” I shriek excitedly, taking Adam’s hand in my own. “Las-fucking-Vegas, baby! Woo-hoo!”
He gives me that winning smile and squeezes me tightly.
“You better believe it, Tess,” he says with a wink as I giggle like a schoolgirl. “Now, do you want to find the others, or do you want to check out our room first?”
I give him my dirtiest look and he waggles his eyebrows, knowing exactly where my dirty mind has taken me. I do want to check out our room...but they say you should wait for the wedding night, right?
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” I breathe, looking at Adam with sudden panic. “Are you really sure you want to do this? Like, really, one hundred fucking percent sure you want to get married to me?”
Adam pulls me in, grabbing my hips and grinding them against his erection. “Here’s your proof, sweetheart,” he growls in my ear, making me shiver with the need to feel him inside me, even though we’ve already made love twice…one of those times, joining the mile high club.
“Let’
s go check out the chapel,” Adam suggests and I find myself nodding. My hands are sweaty as hell and I’m nervous but excited at the same time as we head towards the place illuminated by pointy arrows and signs.
Thankfully, we’re not here to get married ourselves. Adam and I decided we wanted to do one last party before we tie the knot and take some of our closest friends and family to Vegas for a weekend of fun. Next week, our wedding will follow, and I think it’s going to be amazing.
My mom and I planned the whole thing together. It’s not going to be too big, not after the huge scandal that happened one year ago when Adam and I made our official announcement about being together. The story’s pretty much dead by now, but I’m sure some stupid pap would try to make a story out of it.
Ex-model hottie and chef hunk tie the knot! Who knew they were stepbro and stepsis?!
The headlines that would’ve once made me cringe only make me scoff now, and I feel sorry for the people who get off on those kinds of stories.
We finally reach the chapel just in time to hear the wedding march and doors opening, revealing a shrieking bride.
“What. The. Fuck,” Adam says, his mouth hanging open as he takes in the scene before us. Surprised, I follow his gaze, and pretty soon, my jaw almost falls off its hinges as I see what’s going on.
Right in front of us, totally hammered, are our parents. My mom’s wearing a plastic tiara, while James is wearing a tie with Elvis’ face on it. They’re giggling like two high school girls and sucking at each other’s faces simultaneously.
“Eww!” Adam and I say in unison.
They finally notice us and more shrieking and hugging follows. They’re drunk as skunks.
“We had to renew our vows,” my mother giggles. “Once in Vegas, you know, honey? Oh my god, I’ve just had the best idea ever! You should do this as well!”
Adam and I exchange horrified looks.
“But the wedding’s planned now, mom,” I say gently, but she’s off on another tangent now. Adam and I look at each other again and try hard to stop the laughter that’s threatening to escape our lips.
The newlyweds soon disappear down the hallway with promises of a ‘crazy fun wedding night’, while Adam and I cover our ears. But that’s not even half of the drama from that evening.
Because in a matter of seconds, the other chapel doors open and a similar scene follows. There’s the rest of our wedding party, meaning Alec and Bex…and they’re currently very busy groping each other’s clothes.
“Ahem,” Adam clears his throat loudly and they look at us with total shock in their eyes. For a change from our parents, these two are stone cold sober and look totally embarrassed.
“Um,” Bex says, her eyes wide, half her hand down Alec’s pants. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?”
“Nope, this is going back to Chicago,” Alec says with a grin, pinching her ass while Adam and I protest loudly.
“Take this back to one of your rooms, I beg of you,” Adam makes a gagging sound and the real newlyweds do as he says, yelling out that an explanation is to follow soon.
“None needed,” I yell after them. “Knew you two had the hots for each other.”
Bex gives me the finger, but she’s laughing her ass off as Alec tickles her relentlessly. Finally, it’s only Adam and me and we give each other the most confused looks we can manage.
“Did all of that really just happen?” I ask incredulously, and he nods with a wide grin.
“Vegas makes everyone wild,” he informs me with a smile.
“How about us?” I ask, pressing myself against his body. I can already feel how hard he is against me, his cock begging to be sucked into my mouth. And I can’t fucking wait to taste his cum again.
“Oh, I have plans for us,” Adam says with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Wanna go back to our room?”
I nod vigorously, and he throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“ADAM!” I yell angrily, but I can’t stop laughing, either. “Put me down, you prick!”
“When in Vegas, baby,” he says with a laugh, and he carries me right to the elevator and then to our luxurious suite.
Ever since project Helping Hands took off, Adam and I have been doing really, really well. So well in fact, that we’re going nation-wide next year. And I’m fucking thrilled about it, but not as thrilled as Adam, who’s been grinning ever since we got the news.
Helping Hands is our baby project while Adam still works in the restaurant. With the money we’ve earned, we’ve bought the place from the owner who was glad to have it in better hands after his retirement. I’ve never seen Adam as happy as he has been these past two years, and I can’t complain either.
But a small twinge of doubt has been eating away at me for a while now…I promised myself I’d talk to him about it on this vacation, but the right opportunity hasn’t come up yet.
We finally reach our room and Adam deposits me inside, where a whole scene has been laid out…rose petals on the bed, champagne cooling in the bucket by the window. Soft music’s playing, and there’s a fire going in the fireplace. Fucking perfect.
I turn towards him with a sparkle in my eye, giving him a deep kiss.
“For me?” I ask with a shaky voice.
“No, my secret lover is coming in ten,” Adam says seriously, and I give him a playful slap before descending on the chocolate covered strawberries. They remind me so much of our first time together. And I’m strangely ravenous.
Adam walks over to the window and pops open the champagne as I shriek in delight. He pours two glasses and brings them over, but I suddenly remember that I really can’t partake in this particular whim.
“I…can’t,” I say lamely, giving him an apologetic look. My heart is already beating at a rate of a thousand beats per second, and I know my secret is about to come out.
“Sure you can,” Adam winks at me, taking a swig out of his own glass. “It’s…something, all right.”
I feel tears pricking my eyes and I curse inwardly. Here we go, I can’t keep the secret down any longer.
“I’m really not supposed to drink,” I say softly. “I can’t have alcohol.”
“But this isn’t alcohol,” Adam says with fake confusion, turning around the bottle in his hands. I’m confused as I look at the label, which indeed says ‘alcohol-free, children’s drink’. What the hell is going on here?
Before I have the chance to ask, Adam takes my hand and pulls on it so I follow him to the other room of our suite - the closet. I’m rendered speechless once he turns on the light and I look inside the room…
There’s something huge in the middle of it, covered with a big bow and a sheet of paper. Adam nudges me forward, pointing towards the hidden object.
“Why don’t you have a look?” he asks gently.
My heart is thumping so loudly I can barely hear him, but I make my way towards the item nonetheless. My fingers shake as I undo the bow and finally lift the thick paper that’s covering up whatever’s underneath there.
I take a sharp intake of breath as I see what he’s been hiding.
It’s a crib…a huge crib.
“For my darling, and our darlings,” Adam whispers in my ear, hugging me from behind. I swirl around, in a complete state of shock.
“How did you know?” I whisper, my hand flying in front of my tiny bump protectively.
“I found the test,” he says with a wide grin. “You left it on the bathtub.”
Genius. I am seriously a genius.
But…he doesn’t seem upset. Actually, he’s grinning from ear to ear…
“Are you okay with this?” I ask carefully, terrified of Adam’s response.
He raises his eyebrows before answering. “Okay? I’m fucking exhilarated, princess!”
He picks me up by the waist and spins me around and around until I’m dizzy as hell, laughing and begging for him to put me down.
“Thought you were gonna surprise me?” Adam teases me. “Take
a better look at that crib.”
Confused, I do as he says and I come up empty. The crib is enormous, though. I mention as much to Adam, giving him a suspicious look. He comes right up to me, giving me a sweet kiss as he whispers in my ear.
“That’s because we’re having twins, sweetheart.”
“WHAT?”
My shriek must echo through the entire hotel, but I’m too mesmerized by this new information to give a fuck. “How on earth do you know that?”
“Your doctor called a few days ago,” he grins. “She told me she didn’t want to freak you out, because you already looked pale as hell…but there were two heartbeats.”
I think of Adam hearing about this all on his own. I look for a sign that it’s all okay on his face, and find him beaming. I thought I’d seen my man at his happiest, but I haven’t seen him like this.
Like a miracle is about to happen to us.
And I guess that’s exactly what it is…a sweet, double miracle.
“I can’t believe it,” I whisper against Adam’s lips, our foreheads touching as I lean into him. My whole body is shaking and I’m looking for comfort only my fiancé can give me. “I can’t believe it’s happening… can’t believe you’re okay with this. I was so worried it would be too soon. I can’t believe you want this…”
He kisses me, long, hard and demanding. There’s sweetness at the bottom of his kiss though, a promise to take care of me and the twins we’re expecting. We look into one another’s eyes, and I fall in love with those chocolate whirlpools all over again.
“I don’t want it,” he says in a low growl. “I fucking crave it.”
THE END
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