HIS STEPBROTHER

ASHLEY

I swallow hard, my cheeks flushing red. My hands are resting on Caleb's warm chest muscle.

“Yes. Definitely you and I,” he says, his smile sheepish. “If you want, it can happen now. I can quickly call up Josh for you while I have my share of fun with Mirabel.

My face quickly stiffens and the burning sensation I feel on my cheeks becomes cold. My heart squeezes a little as I remain frozen, staring at Caleb.

“Josh?”

He nods.

“Yea. Josh Rim. I know you have a crush on him since you always gaze at him during his soccer practice.”

Josh? I only ever looked at him because he knew about my crush on Caleb and always threatened to tell him if I didn't do his hard tasks.

I pull my hands away from Caleb's body so fast I nearly trip over on my own feet. I sigh, walking over to the door and opening it ajar.

“Get out,” I say, my voice a low whisper. “Now, Caleb.”

Caleb blinks, those dark, enticing eyes widening in genuine confusion. I hate him. I hate how much of a goofball he is.

He stands up slowly and approaches me. “Whoa, Ash. What's wrong again? I thought you'd be happy. I'm giving you a chance to experience how good it is with the hottest guy in college.”

That does it.

I drag his hand and shove him out of my bedroom, my expression blunt.

“Just leave, Caleb. Find someone else… probably Mirabel to follow you to Spain. Just leave me alone.”

I slam the door shut, the sound echoing in the quiet space. I lock the door quickly before he can find his way in again.

“Ash, please don't do this,” he pleads, knocking gently by continuously on my door. “Come with me to Spain, please.”

“Leave, Caleb.”

His voice softens, almost desperate. “I can't pick Mirabel over you. I also don't know Spain much, Ashely. I need you to be with me there, please. It won't be lively without you there.”

I stand by the door, listening to his every desperate word. He doesn't notice me, no matter how much I try. Yet… I give in to his needs all the time.

I swallow the lump in my throat, ready to tell him a firm ‘no.’ Ready to tell him that he can't need me when he isn't ready to understand my feelings.

“Please, Ash. I need you there with me. Only you. Please.”

Gosh!

Those words. Words that can destroy a dozen years of resistance I learnt.

I hate how his words can still make me cave. I hate how he still has a large part of my heart and mind.

And just like that, I cave.

I don't know if he's sincere with his words, but I still give in like a desperate puppy. Because I'm a hopeless romantic and a coward.

Because I can't deny that I love him. I always love him.

I exhale silently. “I'll come with you,” I say. “But this is the last time I will come to you just because you need me to pass time.” As I say it, I know it's a lie.

“Sure. See you in three weeks.”

I can feel his childish excitement from outside the door.

“Yea. Just leave now.”

I hear his footsteps barrelling down the stairs, then everywhere suddenly goes quiet.

I ruffle my curly hair. I am really going with him. Three weeks in Spain might just be the thing that brings us together finally.

~~~~

{Three weeks Later}

I look out the window of the sleek black Sedan taking us to our destination.

I keep my gaze fixed on the Retiro Park and the beautiful Crystal palace of Madrid, trying to ignore the obvious tapping of Caleb's thumbs against his phone screen.

He has talked to me only once since our flight landed in Spain. He is immersed in his own world, a small smile playing on his lips every time his phone buzzes with a new notification.

I am starting to hate myself for coming. But I'm the only one that can stay by his side whenever he's dealing with his family's complex moods. And I know that's why he needs me to come with him.

The car slows, turning into a long driveway lined with long trees. At the end of the path sits the mansion—an estate that looks like a home of presidents.

It is my first time here and it's definitely not disappointing.

As the car halts,Caleb finally shoves his phone into his pants pocket. He looks at me, his eyes bright with that lopsided grin that always manages to make me forget I'm ever upset with him.

“Come on, Ash,” he says, getting down from the car.

He walks over to my side, opens the car door and takes me by the hand, leading me out of the car. His warm hand slides against mine gently, his grip gentle and firm.

My heart does a risky somersault as I glance down at our hands pressing against each other. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe this holiday might really bring us together.

I let him lead me towards the large glass door as the driver carries our luggages, following behind.

We step onto the grand foyer. The floors are cool coloured marble. We walk further, heading for the spacious living room.

But as we reach the living room, Caleb suddenly jerks his hand away from mine.

It is so abrupt that I almost stumble. He freezes in place, his body rigid. My eyes follow his gaze to the center of the room.

Standing by a cream armchair, grinning from ear to ear is an elegant girl. She is wearing a silk body hug mini dress, her blonde hair falling perfectly over her shoulders.

“Caleb,” she says, her voice smooth, carrying a faint accent I recognize as belonging to the Spanish tongue. “I heard you will be coming today, so I waited here for hours.”

Caleb's face turns a ghostly shade of pale, before he finally blinks and moves an inch away from his position.

He turns to me, still dazed. “Ash, go upstairs and choose any room for yourself. I'll be there soon.”

I remain there, but with the tension and intense gazing between the both of them, I eventually head upstairs.

The hallway is deeply silent, lined with glass doors equally on the left and right. My footsteps are muffled as I walk past the rooms, my eyes darting towards each one.

There are up to seven rooms on this floor. I don't stop until I reach the second to last room on the left. I push the door open, step inside and shut the door behind me.

I finally let out a breath I felt I have been holding since I entered the living room. My mind instantly drifts to the unknown girl that chose to appear from wherever at a time like this.

The way Caleb had retreated and went rigid tells me everything. They definitely have a past together.

And so help me, if it's an intimate past, I'll book the next flight to Australia and start a new life there where Caleb wouldn't be able to find me.

Wanting to distract myself from his tragic Spanish romance, I start surveying the walls in the room. Rather than a feminine like space or nothing at all, I find the walls covered in basketball posters.

I walk closer, my eyes landing on a poster of LeBron James mid-dunk, Stephen Curry scoring a three pointer without looking at the net, and a picture of Bulls Team players.

It feels intensely personal. Someone… stays in this room. But before I can come to realize….

“How did you get in here?”

The voice, thick, carrying a soft charming tone echoes in the room.

I whip my head around, my eyes instantly landing on a guy.

He looks like a charming but rogue version of Caleb. His shoulders are broader, his jawline sharp.

And so help me God, I can faint from his grey piercing eyes fixed intensely on me and his wet muscular naked body—except a towel wrapped from his waist down.

“I'm with Caleb,” I say, my voice firm, yet, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest. “You are?”

“Jeremías Cruz,” he states firmly. “His stepbrother. And the one who actually likes his privacy.”