“I just don’t want to see you making the same mistakes I did, son,” Dad said. “Learn from my mistakes.”
“Trust me, I have,” I told him.
Of course, I left out the part about how I’d never marry a cheating user like Mom. That was his biggest mistake.
Katherine seemed like the opposite of my mother in every way. Where my Mom was all about materialistic shit, Katherine seemed like money didn’t matter to her. Where my Mom really didn’t care much about the people in her life, Katherine seemed like she cared deeply.
I made up my mind right there that Katherine was going to be mine at all costs. Fuck what our parents thought. They weren’t married yet. In fact, it was still over two weeks until their wedding. That gave me two weeks to make her fall in love with me. Two weeks to make her mine.
I drove straight back to campus to wait for her, and I was straddling my motorcycle when she exited the building, chatting with two other chicks. I pulled off my helmet, and she froze.
“Luke?”
“Get on,” I told her.
She cast glances to her two friends, who giggled and encouraged her to do it. I could feel the reluctance as she threw her leg over my bike, but I handed her a helmet and she put it on and slid her arms around my waist.
I slid my own helmet back on and pulled the bike onto the road, driving straight to the little Mexican restaurant where we’d had our first “date”, if you could call it that. I certainly did.
When I turned off the bike’s engine, she removed her helmet and asked, “What are we doing here?”
“I’m buying you dinner,” I told her.
“It’s only three-thirty,” she said. “I just ate lunch a couple of hours ago.”
“Shut up and live a little,” I told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the restaurant.
I could feel the tension in her hand as I dragged her into the building. Maybe she didn’t want her friends to see her hand-in-hand with her soon-to-be-stepbrother, but I no longer gave a fuck. I wasn’t going to waste any more of my life worrying about what other people thought. The only person whose opinion I cared about was standing right beside me, her eyes flitting around nervously as thought she might be spotted at any moment.
“Katherine!”
The restaurant’s owner greeted us and took us to the same booth we’d sat in the day we met—before the crash changed everything. The one she’d crawled across after I pissed her off about her sundress. The one I’d sat in and watched her cute little ass sashaying toward the restrooms. My cock had twitched for her then, and it was throbbing for her now.
I nudged her into the booth and slid beside her.
“Mariana will be right with you,” the owner said. “So nice to see you, as always, Miss Katherine!”
Katherine had slid down in her seat and was nibbling at her fingernails. She was definitely anxious, and definitely trying her best to disappear behind me.
“Good afternoon, I’m Mariana, and… oh, hey!” the waitress said. “You’re Katherine’s stepbrother, right? Luke?”
“That’s me,” I answered. “Only I’m not her stepbrother, yet.”
“Oh, right,” the waitress said. “I was meaning to get your phone number before…”
Katherine shot up and made her presence known immediately, the fire in her eyes flashing so brightly I’m surprised the waitress’ hair didn’t ignite.
“Mari,” Katherine said coldly. “How have you been?”
“I... um… fine,” the waitress stammered. “I’ve been good. Yourself?”
“I was better before spending eight months in the hospital in a coma,” she glowered darkly. “My mother doesn’t recall seeing you there.”
“I’ve been… really busy with work,” the waitress said. “I meant to stop by. I really did. I just…”
“I’ll have my usual,” Katherine interrupted her.
“One order of beef empanadas and a Coke,” Mariana said, scribbling on her pad. “And for you?”
“Carnitas,” I told her. “And a Coke.”
“Coming right up,” Mariana said. I noticed her bubbly demeanor had shifted considerably.
“Everything okay between you two?” I asked Katherine.
“No,” she glowered. “I’ve been upset with her since the day you and I met, and now… now I just don’t like her very much.”
“May I ask why?”
“None of your business,” Katherine shrugged.
Could The Duchess be jealous? Her temper had flared immediately when Mariana had mentioned asking for my number. I had to suppress a grin of hope.
“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” I told her.
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she turned her head to study the fountain in the courtyard. I touched my finger to her chin and turned her head back toward me.
“You’re always beautiful,” I told her, capturing her gaze with my own.
“Luke, I…”
I moved my finger from her chin to her lips to silence her.
“You don’t get to argue with me tonight,” I told her. “Tomorrow, fine. But tonight, you’re going to do what I say.”
Her body twitched as a shiver captured it, and I noticed tiny goose bumps scattering across her delicate flesh. She sucked her lower lip into her mouth and nibbled at it, but she didn’t argue.
After we ate, I drove to this little beach I knew of that wasn’t as crowded as a lot of the others in the area. It was kind of rocky, and there were a lot of undercurrents there with signs warning of the dangers. It kept a lot of people away, but I wasn’t taking her there to swim.
I parked the bike and grabbed her hand.
“Remember, you do what I say tonight, got it?”
She nodded meekly and peered up at me through her eyelashes. God she was adorable when she was acting all shy and innocent. I was fighting one hell of an erection already.
I pulled her along the beach until we reached my favorite spot. The rocks formed a small cove that was tricky to get to because you had to climb over the rocks to reach it, but once there, it was quiet and private. I held her hand tightly and helped her over the rough rocks until we were hidden from the world.
“What are we doing here, Luke?” she asked.
I stepped toward her, and she backed away until she bumped against the wall of rock behind her. I caged her between my arms, one hand on either side of her head so she couldn’t escape.
“Tell me you haven’t been thinking the same thing I’ve been thinking,” I demanded.
“Wh-what?”
“Tell me you haven’t been thinking of this,” I said.
My lips crashed against hers. I’d meant to kiss her softly, tenderly, as first kisses are meant to be, but I was so overwhelmed with passion that I must have bruised her lips with the intensity. I heard a little squeak of surprise from her, but she didn’t push me away, so I slid my tongue across her top lip, and she parted her lips for me.
God her tongue was soft and warm, and I slowly circled it with my own. My hands moved from the rocks to capture her face, drawing her more deeply into the kiss. Her own hands raised to my chest, and then upward to circle around my neck. She actually pressed her little body against mine, and my hardness throbbed against her.
I pulled away from the kiss, but I kept her face in my hands. Her breath hitched, and she stared at me, wide-eyed and blushing.
“I brought you here because I know you’re worried about people seeing us,” I told her. “But we have two weeks until our parents are married, and we’re going to make the most of it. I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks, Katherine. I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you, and I mean to have you.”
“But… why did you call me a stuck-up bitch?” she asked.
A lump rose in my throat. I was hoping she’d forgotten that.
“You were so beautiful, Katherine,” I told her. “I wanted you to be attracted to me the way I was to you, but you refused to shake my hand. I was… hurt.�
��
“Oh, Luke,” she gushed. “I’m sorry. I was so overwhelmed by you that I was nervous and I couldn’t move. God, you were so sexy. I wanted to take your hand! I just couldn’t!”
“Really?” I asked her. She nodded. “I’m sorry I called you a stuck-up bitch. You’re anything but that.”
She smiled and fluttered her lashes at me, and I leaned back down to capture her lips again. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close against me as the waves crashed around us, sending a mist of salt water over us that I was nearly oblivious to.
“God, I could take you right here and now,” I told her.
“Do it,” she told me. “Take me. Here. Now.”
My cock twitched in response, but I backed away from her.
“No,” I shook my head. “Not here.”
“Please, Luke,” she said. “I want my first time to be with you.”
First time? She was a virgin? Oh, shit.
“Okay, then definitely not here,” I told her.
“Then where?” she asked. “Let’s get a room.”
I caressed her cheek and ran my thumb along her jawline and then her soft lips. As much as I wanted to fuck her silly right there on the rocks, she deserved better. She also deserved better than some sleazy by-the-hour motel room.
“Be patient, Duchess,” I told her. “You’ll have your first time.”
“Duchess?”
I chuckled and said, “Sorry, it’s a nickname I’ve had in my head for you since we met. I thought you were a pretentious little rich girl. Boy, was I wrong.”
She laughed merrily and said, “Clearly I was wrong about a lot of things, too!”
“This may get complicated,” I said. “Are you prepared for that?”
“I don’t care anymore,” she said softly. “Who cares what anyone thinks? This is our life, not theirs.”
I hooked my hand over her shoulders and guided her back toward the rocks. I tugged her close to me and planted a kiss on top of her head.
“Let’s get you home,” I told her.
“My car’s still at school,” she objected, pausing. “I’ll need it to get to work tomorrow.”
“I’ll take you to work tomorrow,” I told her. I didn’t leave it open for discussion, and she didn’t try to argue.
I helped her scramble over the rocks, and we made our way back to my bike and donned our helmets. Then I drove her home.
It was a long, agonizing ride. Her arms were wrapped around me, and I could still taste the sweetness of her kiss lingering on my lips. I cock was aching painfully, and I half wished I’d just taken her right there on the beach, but I just couldn’t bring myself to regret it fully. She was a good girl. She deserved better than a fuck on the beach. That was for people like Ashley—and with some other man than me, because I’d had enough of fake bitches like her.
I’d told myself I was going to stay single—that I didn’t need anyone. I was certain all women were going to be like my mother, or like Ashley. But Katherine was proving me wrong. Not only were all women not like my mother or Ashley, but I did need someone. I needed her.
Chapter Seventeen
Katherine
My arms were wrapped around his waist, and I had my head leaned on his back, my eyes closed. I was wishing I didn’t have to wear a helmet so I could feel my cheek against him.
I wondered what he would do if I slid my hand up his shirt to feel the ridges of his abdomen, or slid them further down to grab his package. I blushed at the thought.
We pulled out outside my mother’s house, and I was reluctant to let him go. I could have ridden there behind him, feeling his body against mine, forever. I removed my helmet and handed it to him.
“Thanks for dinner,” I said. “And for the beach, and the ride home.”
Just as I turned to move toward the door, he grabbed my wrist. I froze, afraid to turn around. I didn’t want him to kiss me. Not there. Not where my mother could see.
“What time should I pick you up tomorrow?” he asked.
“I have to be at work at eight-thirty,” I answered. “If you pick me up at eight, you can take me to pick up my car by eight-fifteen.”
“I’ll be here,” he said. He still hadn’t released my wrist, and I still hadn’t turned to face him.
He slid off his bike and stepped in front of me, tilting my chin upward with his finger. My cheeks flushed, and I couldn’t help but glance toward the house to be sure we weren’t being watched.
“Relax,” he said. “Your mother’s car isn’t here.”
“But the neighbors…” I objected.
“The neighbors can’t even see us,” he pointed out.
It was true. We lived at the end of a very long drive. I could barely see one neighbor’s house on the hill in the distance, but they’d have to be using binoculars to see what we were doing.
The truth was, I was scared to death. Oh, sure, I’d been big and brave at the beach, but we were hidden there. I’d said I didn’t care what people thought, but I did. I was terrified at what our parents would say. Would it cost me Berkeley?
But most of all, I was terrified that I’d fall for him—really fall for him—and something terrible would happen. What if we broke up on bad terms? Not only would I have to deal with the heartbreak, but it would make every family gathering an awkward nightmare of epic proportions.
“Something else is bothering you,” he said. “Tell me.”
“I… I can’t…”
He grabbed my shoulders, holding me at arm’s length and capturing my eyes with his own.
“Tell me,” he insisted.
“It’s just that I…”
The honk of a car made us both jump, and we each stepped away from one another, putting distance between us. I turned to see Mom’s car barreling up the driveway. She pulled up beside us and got out, approaching us with a broad grin.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see you two together!” Mom beamed. “Are you getting along?”
“Um, sure,” I said, heat rising to my cheeks.
Luke jammed his hands in his pockets and said, “Yeah, just fine.”
“Wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Luke, your father will be thrilled! Come on in, you two. I’ll make us all dinner!”
“We just ate,” Luke said. “And I better be going.”
“Nonsense,” Mom said, wrapping one arm around each of us. “Now’s the perfect time for us all to get to know one another.”
She dragged us toward the door, and once she unlocked us, she waved us inside. She tossed her keys onto the table in the foyer.
“I’m going to order some Chinese food, because I’m starving,” she said. “You two sure you’re not hungry?”
“I’m fine, Mom,” I told her, and Luke agreed.
“Alright, I’ll just order my usual,” she said. “Have a seat, and we’ll watch a movie or something. Family time! Yay!”
She disappeared into the kitchen to locate her menus, and Luke and I sat on opposite ends of the couch. I propped my elbow on the arm of the couch and stared at the wall.
“I’ve decided something,” Luke said.
“Oh?”
“I’m staying here tonight,” he said.
“What? Why?” I gasped.
No, no, no. Not a good idea. Nope. I couldn’t even be trusted to sit on his bike without wanting to grope him, much less sleep in the same house!
“Why not?” he shrugged. “If I’m going to be staying late to watch a movie, and I have to be here early tomorrow to take you to your car…”
“Are you staying here tonight?” Mom asked as she entered the room with a menu in her hands and a phone pressed to her ear. Then she said into the phone, “Yes, I’ll hold.”
“I was thinking about it,” Luke said. “That is, if you don’t mind.”
“No, I don’t mind at all!” Mom said. “I think that’s a great idea!”
Great. Thanks, Mom.
“Yes, I’d like delivery, please,” Mom said. “Yes, that’s righ
t. Same address. Okay, I’ll take one order of crab Rangoon, one order of egg rolls, and an order of sesame chicken. Yes, that’s all. Okay, thank you very much.”
She hung up the phone and slid off her shoes, flopping down onto the chaise lounge and scooping up the remote.
Crash: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance Page 8