OLIVIA'S POV
I don't know how long I stood there but the next time I was conscious of my environment, mom was looking at me weirdly.
"Are you ok? You've been staring at that picture for a very long time that you didn't notice I was here" she said after I acknowledged her presence.
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just wondering why you chose not to tell me that my new stepbrother is Dante!"
I shrieked and held my head in my hands, like my world was ending.
She, however, narrowed her eyes at me, looking confused.
"Is that something very important? I wasn't sure you knew him. You only had a friend in school and that was Alicia so I didn't know if you knew Dante" She said as we walked together into the living room.
"There's no one who went to school the same time as I did who wouldn't know Dante. He's singularly the hottest boy in school and every girl and some boys had massive crushes on him."
"Oh, really? I never knew he was the one you had a crush."
I looked at mom like she has grown a new pair of eyes.
I was feeling so overwhelmed.
How was I going to face him without making a fool of myself?
I whisper-yelled as I stared at his picture in wonder.
"How come he hasn't changed? How is this even possible? He's so hot..." I was fan-girling so hard my mom laughed at me.
"So you think I'm that hot, huh?"
I froze.
No!
No!
This can't be real.
This can't be happening.
He can't be here.
I mean it's his house but not right this instant.
I didn't hear the door so it must be my imagination.
It had been ages!
I remember how I'd fawn over him, even though he had a girlfriend and Alicia would tut and shake her head in disgust. She didn't know why I liked him. I didn't know why either. We had never spoken at all.
"Oh, hello Dante. It's nice to finally get to meet you" My mom said and stood up to greet him. It must have been a hug.
"Likewise, ma'am. You look so beautiful." He said, always the charmer.
So, he's actually here.
Someone kill me now and save me from my embarrassment.
"This is my daughter." Mom said as she nudged me to stand up. I did but stared at my shoes. I couldn't look at any of them in the face. I don't think I'll be able to leave my room in the next few years. Might as well disappear.
"Olivia, right? I know you. I used to think your name was so beautiful. It's nice to properly meet you," I saw his hand in front of my face.
He wanted to shake my hand.
Was that even real?
Dante, the object of several of my wet dreams and orgasms, wanted to shake my hand.
I stared at the hand for a while before mom nudged me again. I shook his hand, still not looking at his face, my skin tingling.
When I finally summoned the courage to look up at him, my breath seized. He was looking at me, smiling and he looked even hotter than I remember. His hair was damp and he ran his fingers through them like he was in a tv commercial. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and gulped. His Adam's apple bubbed as he drank and it was the most arousing sight I had ever seen.
He had on those kind of pants he would normally wear back then in school— loose jeans with a t-shirt damp with sweat, stuck to his chest. My eyes grew large as I saw the outline of his abs and nipples.
I looked up shyly into his striking hazel eyes and he was smiling at me strangely.
Crap! He had caught me staring at his chest.
I blushed hard.
“I’m sorry I look this way, I've been working all day.” He grinned that heart melting boyish grin that turned me to mush. He shrugged and downed what was left of his bottle.
No need to apologize, I wanted to say. I liked what I was seeing. Why should you apologize for looking hot?!
Butterflies were having a field day in my stomach. I felt faint.
“I really hope we can get along, well…” he was saying, looking at me intently as if waiting for a reply. I had nothing to say to him. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth I would tell him how much I wanted him, then and now.
But thankfully, I was saved by the bell before I embarrassed myself!
Just then, my soon-to-be step father walked in with the air and grace of one who was an important personality. My mum rushed to him like she had never seen anything precious in her life and they kissed.
“Ugh…” I and Dante groaned in disgust at the same time. We looked at each other and he smiled. I broke our gaze almost immediately and looked at the floor.
Our parents were still at it like rabid dogs in heat.
“Get a room!” Dante yelled at them and they broke it off and his dad gave an awkward laugh while my mum blushed deep red— her lips swollen from the kissing. She looked content, relaxed— more than I had ever seen her before.
Suddenly Dante's dad was in front of me, with his hand outstretched for me to shake.
“Hi, I'm Alex. You must be Olivia. I've heard so much about you…”
~~~~
At dinner, Mum made sure we ate together as a family, even though I would have preferred to stay in my room to have my dinner, so as to avoid you-know-who.
For some reason I wasn't sure of, Dante kept looking at me. Once or twice I looked up and caught his eyes and he always smiled, making me nervous. I barely touched my food as I was a bundle of nerves.
Our parents were oblivious to the subtle gazes we exchanged as they were in a bubble of their own.
I stood from the table and mumbled my thanks as I took my unfinished plate to the kitchen.
“Uh… Olivia, what's going on? You haven't touched your food.”
I cursed mentally.
“I don't feel so good. Maybe it's jetlag. I don't think I'm awake yet.”
My mum seemed like she was about to protest.
“That’s okay, I get the feeling sometimes too. It can be really uncomfortable.” Alex said and laughed. The sound filled the dinning room.
My mum had a resigned look on her face like she thought I was being rude but would let me off anyway and quickly glanced at Dante and he had a deep frown on his face like he was concentrating on something or like he was concerned for me. I didn't know why he looked at me that way. But I damn well know it couldn't be the latter.
OLIVIA'S POVThe following day, I was well rested as I stretched to a new day. It took a moment to register my surroundings. I realized then that I was in my new room, in my stepfather's house. And there was Dante too. I sighed.A wave of shame flushed over me as I remembered the filthy dream I had of my new step brother last night. It had been way too long since Dante visited me in my dreams and pleasured me and now I was back to those feelings again.In my dream, I had felt those abs I had seen through his thin shirt when we met. I ran my hand down his chest to the v that disappeared into his low-cut pants.He pulled me into his strong arms and whispered those words in my ear again and this time, I shivered in delight.So you think I'm hot?Oh, God yes!We kissed, sensually, sweetly and he had pulled me to the bed.I knew it was a dream because there was no way I would be in bed with my stepbrother in real life.I didn't want the moment to end, though.I didn't care that this was
OLIVIA’S POVIt was D-Day!We got up early to finish up everything. As we put up chairs in the garden and placed flowers on the tables, the house was abuzz with excitement.The last two days had been filled up with plannings for the wedding— decor, food, seat arrangements and all the works By now, I was physically and mentally drained. I wanted it to be perfect for my mom, the simple, romantic wedding she wanted, and she was delighted at how I and Alicia had gotten everything done to her taste.Now that everything was set up, the time we had been waiting for had come. As the visitors started to arrive, there was a lot of laughter and conversation in the garden. The hard part was yet to come and Alicia wasn't making it any easier.“So… how do you feel about walking down the aisle with your crush?”I hissed.“Alicia stop it!” I looked around to see if anyone heard her.“What!” She whispered harshly.Then she held her chest dramatically in shock and gasped, “Don’t tell me you still lik
OLIVIA’S POVThe ceremony didn't take too long because we didn't want to waste anyone's time and the reception started. There was a lot to eat since mom went all out. They were called to have their first dance and after that, they danced with each of us. I told Alex how happy I was to know that he was the one who got to marry my mom when we danced and I told Mom not to break her spine before she came back from her holiday. That earned me a smack on the arm but we both laughed.When the party ended, we packed up and helped mom and Alex get on their way for their honeymoon. They would be gone for two weeks and I know that's going to be the longest two weeks of my life. Dante and I alone in the house? I shook my head at the thought alone.Once we got home, in his Bentley, he brought out some leftover drinks and asked that we have a mini party in honor of our parents. It was a very bad idea but I needed something to aid me to sleep and I agreed. It had been a while since I drank alcoho
OLIVIA'S POVOr not.I stood up abruptly, shying away from Dante's presence that seemed to overwhelm me at that moment. I wanted nothing more than to have this—whatever this meant— yet I didn't want to because of the logical reason of how wrong it was.I walked up to the window and opened the drapes with a sigh. I sensed him walking up to me from behind.“The night sky looks incredible today…” I said in conversation. I didn't know what to say. Suddenly, I flinched as his hands ran the length of my arms. He pressed himself against my back and I could feel him… all of him— hard, solid muscle and all. He leaned his chin on my hair and my already racing heart started to beat even faster.I felt a rumble come from his chest that sounded like the beginning of laughter. He wrapped his arms around me and his closeness disarmed me.“Olivia, are you nervous?” Dante asked and I could feel him smiling.I blushed at my reaction. I must have looked stupid. “No,” I lied. “Don’t be nervous, Olivi
DANTE'S POVThe sound of snippers cutting woke me up. I groaned and held my pillow over my head, as the sound grew louder and louder, making my head ache badly. I had chosen to indulge myself in more booze after Olivia had left me last night—with that look of bewilderment and fear in her eyes. I had been confused and had pondered alot last night, on every single moment that we had spent together, wondering if I had made a mistake.Did I assume her interest? What went wrong?Did I screw up?I had thought for so long until I had drifted to a fitful sleep.I ran my hand through my hair and lay staring at my ceiling. My bed still had the faint smell of citrus and lilies that were her scent. I wondered if it was her shampoo or her perfume.It was intoxicating, and it was driving me insane.And so was that noise, coming from my bedroom window. I pulled the covers, stalked to where the sound was coming from and there, I saw our gardener trimming the bushes.“Morning Dante.” He waved at
DANTE'S POVI was thrilled to see Olivia working at The Barnes, but I couldn't help but feel that she didn't feel the same way about seeing me.Her hair was pulled into a bun, held together atop her head as she served customers with a warm smile.My thoughts were on her since then, and I couldn't get her out of my mind, even when Linda called again this afternoon to meet.“Hello??? Are you even listening to me?!”“I thought I made it clear to you. There's no chance of us getting back together! It's over, for good.” I spoke that phrase into the mouthpiece of my phone and ended the call. I don't know why I bothered with her. She was too dumb to unders
DANTE'S POVIt was a bit rough returning to school because I had to meet a certain quota to apply for the four-year program I intend to take after I was done.The community college baseball team I was a part of, was hosting a game. Some recruiters from universities looking to scout for potential players that were very good at baseball, came to watch. It was a very intense game, especially for those in their final year, who really wanted the scholarship. I didn't really need a scholarship, but it felt good to be seen and accepted on the basis that you were good at something. And baseball was what I loved. It was all, or nothing.I wasn't sure I could do it at first, because my doctor had insisted I take a much needed break. But I knew I had to, if I wanted to achieve my dream of playing baseball p
OLIVIA'S POV“Oh shit!” Alicia muttered as the restaurant door chimed and was nudged open.I frowned and looked up to see who had just come in.“Wow!” It was my turn to exclaim.Dante has been coming up with excuses as to why he came to the restaurant everyday ‘I’m just here to enjoy a burger', ‘I’m expecting someone… oh crap, the person just canceled. I can just wait for you', ‘Rhonda said I should deliver lunch to you' I had scoffed at the last one which was yesterday because Mom knew I ate at work. It was am eye-rolling week for me though.Today, however, he had come along with two of his friends I had remembered fr