I toed off my socks and sneakers and sat down on the grass by the clay court to watch. Rafferty shucked off his t-shirt and wiped the sweat from his face. Oh, my word, his chest was a chiseled piece of art. A light tan dusted his skin and a smattering of fine hair covered his chest and twisted beneath his shorts. Licking from his chin straight down the center of his torso would be no hardship. The clothes he wore, while designer, did not do him justice. I wouldn’t mind one little bit if he walked around half-naked all day.
His tennis partner sashayed to a water dispenser and poured herself a long glass. She eyed Rafferty so seductively I thought she would pour the water over herself and begin stripping.
Rafferty, noticing me for the first time, glanced in my direction and gave me a tight wave. A frisson of heat skittered over my body and I wondered if he noticed the effect he had on me. I snorted at my foolish thoughts. There was no way he noticed a thing about me.
“Sasha, this is my stepsister Willa. Willa, this is my friend Sasha.”
“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” I stood and offered her my hand.
“Ma’am? Oh, no, honey, you did not just call me ma’am.” She ignored my hand, tilted her head and scanned me up and down. “So you’re the famous Willa. I’ve heard so much about you.” By the way her smile twisted, what she heard wasn’t good.
“That so?”
“You might know my cousin, Aubrey Tate.”
The world tilted and tears clouded my eyes, but I sniffed them back. I would not cry in front of this woman.
She twirled toward Rafferty. “Do you know she put Ray Nash in the hospital? Broke two of his ribs. She got him drunk, tried to have sex with him, and when he turned her down, she went batshit crazy.”
I balled my fists, digging my nails into my palms and gritted my teeth. “You don’t know jack, lady. I was defending myself against him.”
Glaring at me, she smirked. “That’s not what everyone at the party says. They said you danced like a slut and ground your fat ass against him all night.”
“Sasha, that’s enough,” Rafferty growled.
There was no stopping the tears falling down my face. The house was too far away so I ran toward the pool room followed by Tara and Mika.
Not even bothering to undress, I dove unto the Olympic-sized pool and swam length after length, pushing myself as hard as I could. I had to leave New York and never come back. I would never fit in with these people. Their noses were so high in the air, they’d drown in a rainstorm.
My arms and legs grew tired and I floated on my back, staring at the clouds through the glass roof. I needed to call Kimmie and tell her I was on my way.
The door swished opened. Rafferty strode in and hunkered down by the edge of the pool.
“Want some company?” His deep voice echoed around the room.
“Nope.”
“I’m sorry Sasha was such a bitch. I asked her to leave.”
“Thanks.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
“Too bad, because you’re going to.” He jumped in and swam toward me. “I don’t believe a word she said, but I’d like to hear your side.”
“What’s the point?” Still floating on my back, I turned my head to face him. “You already reckon my mom and I are pieces of shit. You heard what Sasha said, I’m a slut. The biggest ol’ slut in New York State. Better get out of this pool before you catch something.”
He ran his fingers through his dark hair; his eyes glistened with something I couldn’t quite fathom. “I don’t think you’re a piece of shit.”
“Oh, hush, you think my momma’s a gold digger. You made your feelings perfectly clear.”
“Okay, hands up, I did, but I see how she cares for my dad. She didn’t have to sign the prenup. That told me a lot about the kind of person she is.” He reached out and placed his open palm on my cheek, caressing my skin. “As for you, you’re not a slut or a whore. You think I didn’t hear the rumors? The names they called you? The circle I run in is very tight.”
I sank my body into the water and faced him. “Why didn’t you say anything to me?”
“I didn’t want to overstep the line. We’re not exactly best friends. Besides, Ms. Judo Queen, it seems you can take care of yourself.”
“Why does everyone believe I got that jerk drunk and begged him to have sex with me?”
“Who knows if they believed you or not. His dad can make trouble for a lot of people.” He ran the pad of his thumb over my cheekbone in small circles. “Don’t worry, guys like Ray will get their comeuppance eventually. You were a challenge. He wanted you and when he couldn’t have you, he didn’t like it. That’s how boys like him play.”
More tears slid down my face. Dang it! My emotions were up and down like a merry-go-round.
“Don’t cry.” Rafferty leaned forward and kissed my tears one at a time. My breath caught and all kinds of things exploded inside my body.
I swept my fingers through his wet hair and he inhaled sharply. Pulling me closer, he brushed his lips back and forth over mine. My eyes fluttered closed, and he traced his fingers down my throat to my collarbone and flicked his tongue over my lower lip.
“Raff,” I murmured against his lips.
With a harsh intake of breath, he backed away as if I’d punched his stomach. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That…I shouldn’t have done that.” The shock in his voice was palpable. “We can’t.” He swam to the edge of the pool and hoisted himself out. Water dripped from his heavenly body and the outline of his erection was clearly visible through his white tennis shorts. Without looking back, he strode from the pool room into the afternoon sun.
Cold shock trickled from my head to my toes. If my words weren’t stuck somewhere in my throat, I would have yelled at him for his out-and-out rudeness. Kissing someone then glaring at them as if they were repulsive was mean and downright hurtful. But more than anything, I was pissed at myself for how much I wanted him to want me. For a foolish moment, I thought maybe he did.
Chapter Three
Grit filled my eyes and I rolled over, pulling the covers over my head. By the time I’d fallen asleep, it was past crap o’clock and I didn’t want to wake up. For some reason—that reason being Rafferty—my mind couldn’t switch off. For two days, I’d replayed what had happened in the pool over and over. The feel of his lips. The way he tasted. The nauseated look on his face after he kissed me. Since The Kiss we hadn’t seen each other, but I’d heard him come and go, heard his deep voice echo downstairs when he was on the phone or when he called the dogs.
Going to Savannah to spend the rest of the summer with Kimmie would have been the sensible thing to do, the rational thing to do, but my heart didn’t want to leave. A part of me hoped if I stayed, he would realize how much he wanted me and that one grain of hope was enough to make me stay.
Because sleep refused to come, there was no point staying in bed. A few shots of coffee were needed to focus my fuzzy thoughts. I kicked off the covers and threw on some sweats. My reflection showed something from a horror show—matted hair sticking out at angles and dark circles on top of droopy dog eyes.
When I reached the kitchen, Rafferty stood by the island with a mug of coffee wrapped in his hand. It wasn’t fair that he looked like a GQ model when I looked like an extra from The Walking Dead. A pair of worn jeans hugged his thighs and butt, and a crisp white shirt with the top two buttons undone contrasted with his tanned skin. He didn’t acknowledge me.
“Good morning to you, too,” I said not bothering to hide the sarcasm from my voice. “What a beautiful day to be treated like scum.”
He set his cup down on the granite counter and blew out a breath. “I’m not treating you like anything, Willa. I’ve been busy. In case you’ve forgotten, I have a company to oversee. Unlike you, I can’t waste my days moping.”
“Moping?” I sloshed some coffee into a cup and took a gulp not caring that it blistered the roof of my mouth.
&
nbsp; “You’ve hidden yourself here when you should be doing stuff with your friends. This is your last summer before college. Enjoy it.”
“Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Dad.” I slammed my cup into the sink. “So we’re just going to ignore what happened the other day?
His forehead crinkled in question. “The other day?”
Despite the pain twisting my gut, I smiled. “Oh, goody, we’re playing the I-can’t-remember-game. You kissed me. In the pool.”
He looked at me as if he didn’t know what I was talking about but then a flash of realization struck his face. “That? It was just a kiss.” He gave me a dismissive shrug. “You’ve been kissed before, right?”
I gripped the side of the sink and ignored the urge to throw the rest of my coffee in his face. “You’re right; it was ‘just a kiss.’ I would appreciate it if you didn’t just kiss me again.” My heart sank to my toes and I stared out at the dogs frolicking on the grass. I couldn’t let him see how much his words hurt. It was stupid to hope our kiss meant anything to him. He’d kissed so many women their lips probably all blurred into one. I cleared my throat and made a move to leave the kitchen.
Rafferty curled his hand around my bicep. “Maybe it’s better if one of us leaves.”
“Better for whom?”
He remained silent.
I shrugged him off. “You know what, Rafferty Sean Hewson? You’re so fulla shit your eyes are brown.”
Screw him. And screw my heart for making me think he was someone special. Taking the stairs two at a time, I ran to my room, grabbed my suitcase and stuffed it with my belongings. The sooner I found someone to take my mind of Rafferty, the better. Someone like a sexy Southern beach boy who I could flirt with and kiss without worrying about what he thought of me.
A knock on my bedroom door didn’t stop me from packing.
“What?” I was too angry to care about manners.
“Can I come in?” Rafferty asked. “We need to talk.”
“Go away. There’s nothing else to say.”
The door opened. I ignored him and continued to throw clothes into my suitcase.
“I’m leaving in ten minutes, so say your piece. This is probably one of the last times we’ll see each other. Thank the Lord.”
“It was more than a kiss.”
The earth’s crust moved sending jolts up my legs. “Excuse me?”
He strolled toward me. “What I said downstairs about it being just a kiss, I lied. It was more.”
He stood a few inches from me, uncertainty and turmoil marring his handsome face.
“More?”
He stepped closer. “Do I have to spell it out?”
“I think you might. For two days, you’ve avoided me like I had a disease and now you’re here telling me it was ‘more.’”
He ran his hands through his hair then scrubbed them over his scruffy jaw. “I shouldn’t feel this way about you. You’re my eighteen-year-old stepsister. I’m almost twelve years older. Our parents are married. But, I like you, and I wish I didn’t.”
I dropped whatever piece of clothing I was holding to the floor. “Oh.” My heart swooned wanting him and only him. My mind screamed run, don’t get involved. My heart won.
I kicked my suitcase out of the way. “What now?”
He skimmed the pad of his thumb over my lips, dragging the skin and slipped it inside my mouth. I gave it a gentle suck making him moan.
“I can’t stop myself,” he said and removed his thumb. “You’re too fucking sexy for me to resist.”
Leaning forward, I swiped the tip of my tongue over his slightly parted lips. “I want this with you, Raff.”
I streaked my fingers up his back and tunneled them through his hair. I wanted to taste, kiss, bite, and touch every part of him. He skimmed kisses down my jawbone to my throat. Sparks of electricity shot up my arm, shocking my erratically beating heart.
He curved his hand around the nape of my neck and pulled me in for a long deep kiss. My body did its best to melt in his arms. His kiss was like nothing else I’d experienced—not that I’d experienced much. He paid lots of attention to my mouth, licking, sucking, nibbling. If publishing didn’t work out, he could build a career teaching people how to kiss.
“You want to know a secret?” I murmured against his lips.
“A dirty one, I hope.”
I laughed and gave him a gentle push. “Your just kisses make my heart flutter.”
He smiled mischievously. “I bet that’s not all I can make flutter.”
I raised an eyebrow and laughed.
Rafferty’s face turned serious, and his eyes darkened with a fierce intensity. “I want you.”
Chapter Four
“You’ve got me.” I meant my words to sound light and breezy, but they came out as a harsh whisper.
Rafferty sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve wanted you since the day I kissed you. Thought about nothing but you.”
I moved toward him and pressed my hands to his thick thighs. “Tell me.”
“Thought about my lips on yours.” Rafferty eased up my sweatshirt. “Thought about your skin against mine.” He nipped at each newly revealed piece of skin. “Thought about you screaming my name while I fuck you.” His mouth was a hairsbreadth from the satin cups of my black bra, which at that moment felt two sizes too small.
“Raff, I’ve never… I mean this is my first time.”
“Then, I’ll make sure it’s perfect.”
“I know you will.” Smiling, I raised my arms, whipped off my sweatshirt and tossed it to the floor.
“Cold?” he asked, brushing the back of his forefingers over my bellybutton.
“No,” I groaned.
“You sure?” He inched his lips over my cleavage. “You’re covered in goose bumps.”
I laughed, and another round of shivers shook my body. “Nope, not cold.”
Rafferty reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. When my breasts broke free from the constricting material, my nipples all but sang hallelujah. I hooked my fingers beneath the straps, let them slide down my arms and threw my bra beside my discarded sweatshirt. With a light touch, Rafferty cupped the weight of my breasts and swiped his thumb over the harder-than-concrete nipples.
“Mmm,” I sighed.
He dragged his lips over my nipples before closing his mouth over one of the tight tips. He flicked his tongue, teased and circled. Pleasure gathered in my stomach, sending a billion signals of arousal between my legs.
All too soon, he released my nipple and began abrading his stubble over the sensitive nub. To stop from falling over, I clung to his muscular shoulders. Nothing could top this feeling.
Moving his attention to my other breast, he sucked my nipple and caught it between his teeth. Swells of need shot straight to my clit, and when I inhaled, he bit down. Hard. My inner walls contracted, and my back bowed, pushing me closer to him.
A low, deep growl sounded in his chest and resounded against my skin. He continued to palm and worship one breast after the other until I vibrated with pure sensation. It felt good. Scarily good. Lifting his mouth, he placed a barely-there kiss in the valley between my breasts. “You’re gorgeous,” he whispered into my skin.
“Yeah?” My breath hitched. “You’re not so bad either.”
He hooked his forefingers beneath the waistband of my sweatpants and stroked. I was desperately close to losing it. If I’d known he’d make me feel like this, I’d have thrown myself at him the day he kissed me. He tugged my panties until the taut material nudged my clit. I moaned roughly and crumpled forward, my head pressing against his forehead. He tugged again.
“Oh, God,” I gasped, clawing at his arms.
He released my panties. “What’s hidden beneath these sweats?”
“Why don’t you find out,” I said between gasps.
He slid his fingers along the waistband. I held my breath and waited.
“I think I will.”
He lowered his head and kissed
the curve of my belly and licked his way down. We hadn’t even started and I was already on the verge of losing it. I shimmied out of my sweats and panties, kicked them to one side, and stood before him.
“Absolutely fucking beautiful. Stunning.” His words sent shockwaves through my heated body. Our gazes locked, his eyes the color of the midnight sky during a storm, and I swore I caught a glimpse of his soul. He dipped his head and touched his lips to the top of my shaking thighs. The closer he got to my clit, the wetter I got, the more I craved.
I wanted him naked. Now.
“Take your clothes off, Raff. Let me see you.” Reaching down, I pulled up the hem of Rafferty’s shirt. He helped by yanking it over his head. His clean, musky scent surrounded me, which turned me on even more. I marveled at his sculpted perfection and glanced down to where his erection stretched the material of his jeans, straining for release.
With a flick of my tongue, I moistened my fingertip, brought it to his chest and stroked it around his nipple. Rafferty tensed, and a rough groan of approval rumbled in his chest, sending ribbons of want twisting down my spine.
He stared at me and toed off his shoes and socks. I reached out and brushed my fingertips over the head of his fabric-encased erection, and helped him wriggle out of his jeans and boxers. When his cock sprang free, my breath caught, and my heart galloped.
He was flawless. Gorgeous. Big.
I stepped closer. Rafferty wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me up to straddle his hips, trapping his thick erection between my thighs. His cock jerked, and I squeezed my legs together to feel his reaction again.
“Jesus,” he hissed. “For someone who hasn’t done this before, you’re a tease.”
I giggled. “I’ve read a lot of books. Maybe watched a few… videos.”
He gave a throaty laugh and pulled me down for a kiss, and when I wasn’t expecting it, he flipped me onto my back and fastened my arms above my head.
His cock lay heavy against my thigh, the flaming heat scalding my skin. Our tongues dueled, and I struggled to escape his grasp, but he didn’t weaken his grip.
Breathless, he broke our kiss, his gaze imprisoning mine, and at that moment, I saw every part of him—knew every part of him.
Nine Steamy Step Stories Page 9