Off Limits, My not so stepbrother

He’s off-limits. 

That’s what makes it hotter.

To everyone dreaming of someone hot as hell,

Someone who’s way too touchy, definitely trouble, and only has eyes (and hands) for you...

Enjoy 🫦🔥

~Anna

Today was the day everything changed. Our parents were finally getting married and somehow, it felt like the whole world was waiting with us.

“Daniel, what’s taking you so long with the flowers? You’re not giving birth in there, are you?” I yelled, sprinting up the stairs toward the room where the bouquet was kept.

“DANIEL! Maya’s panicking and you…” I started to yell again but stopped as I pushed the door open.

There he was, standing with his head bowed, looking totally dejected, clutching the wedding bouquet in his hand.

“Hey, Ann,” he sighed, like he was exhausted.

“Dan?” I asked, trying to figure out why he looked so down instead of excited. Today was our parents’ wedding, so his mood was definitely off because even on a normal day Daniel was usually the one running around like we were still ten, while I was the slow one. The one with so many mood swings. So Seeing him like this made me instantly worried.

“Did something happen?” I reached out, resting my hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know, Ann... it’s our parents’ wedding, I just…” he sighed again. I rubbed his arms, moving closer trying to comfort him.

“It’s okay, Dan. You can talk to me.”

But suddenly, he pushed me away and bolted for the door.

“Tricked you! Last one to the wedding ground does all the dishes today!” he shouted as he ran off.

My worry flipped instantly to annoyance but of course, I chased after him. Luckily, I wasn’t wearing heels, heels made me very uncomfortable so even though I was in a tight sea-green long satin dress I stuck with my flat slippers which was my good luck today, cause it made it easier to run.

“Daniel, that is childish!” I yelled, chasing him down the stairs. He was playing me and here I was thinking he didn't want our parents to get married.

“You’re not ten anymore, and we agreed last night. First person to get to the wedding ground in the morning wins,” I reminded him. “I was the first one this morning.”

We finally reached the ground, and Daniel stuck his tongue out at me.

“That’s unfair.”

“It’s called working smarter, Anna. But you just can’t relate.”

“I’m smarter than you.”

“You wish,” he huffed, striding off to hand over the flowers.

I tried to catch my breath and ended up laughing at myself. There was no way I could outrun Daniel, I never could, even when we were ten but I still ran anyway. Maybe because I just wanted to run with him and feel like a child today.

Even if I won anyways, I’d still have to wash the dishes later. Daniel sucked at cleaning up.

I looked up and smiled, taking in the scene before me: the beautifully decorated garden, my father, dressed in a sharp black suit, wiping tears from his eyes as Maya glided down the aisle in a flowing white lace wedding dress. My best friend Daniel, in a fitted suit matching my dress’s color, stared at the sky, clearly trying to hold back tears. The audience made up of mostly friends and family obviously soaking in the happiness.

I chuckled through the tears blurring my vision, a wide smile spreading across my face. All the happiness I felt was right there.

Daniel caught my eye, and something in his brown eyes told me he understood, this was the moment we’d waited nine years for. The moment our parents finally tied the knot.

This was my family now: Daniel, my best friend and now brother; Maya, my new mom; and my dad.

I had only ever lived with my dad, so this felt so complete even though there was one face still missing, one I'd only seen in old photos. Maya's older son the one I'd never met even though I'd known Maya and Daniel since I was ten, one who was supposed to be here but called out in the last minute, his flight got canceled because of work.

One who I was starting to wonder if he was even real.

I smiled as they waved me over for pictures, and I walked to my new family, forgetting the dishes waiting for me, the chatter around me, the other member of our family and even how Daniel had scared me earlier. Because the only thing I could see at that point was them. My family.