Chapter 10 - Tempting Me

Vera's POV

I woke up at 6:30 sharp. I immediately grabbed my phone to check if Liam had texted me back. I was waiting for his reply when I drifted off to sleep.

He hadn't replied and I saw another text from my best friend, Anita. I was about to open the message when I remembered that Liam might leave his room any minute from now if he follows yesterday's routine.

I pushed the blanket off and sat up, rubbing my eyes before I dragged myself out of bed. I walked to my door when a loud yawn escaped my mouth.

“Liam should be up by now.” Then I pulled the door open.

And there he was. And the sight that met me was the one I actually didn't mind waking up to see every morning.

Liam was stepping out of his room with nothing but a towel hanging low on his waist. Water dripped from his wet hair, sliding down the lines of his chest, down over his abs. My eyes followed one single drop as it rolled lower, disappearing into the inside of his towel.

I swallowed hard. I actually almost licked my lips. My fingers tightened on the door frame instinctively and my inside suddenly felt hot.

"Like what you see, stepsister?"

His voice made me snap my eyes up to his face. He wore that same amused smile, the one that made my chest tighten in annoyance and something else I couldn't place name on yet.

"Stepsister?" I hated that word from his mouth, and he knew it.

I let go of the door frame and took slow steps toward him with my bare feet quiet against the floor, until I stood right in front of him.

He was so tall I had to tilt my head back just to hold his gaze, but I didn't back down. I lifted two fingers and rested them on his chest, right on his skin which was still damp from the shower. Then I dragged them down slowly without breaking eye contact.

"Will you like to see what happens the next time you call me stepsister?"

Neither of us looked away. My breath turned shallow, and I could feel my own pulse picking up in my throat.

I let my fingers trail lower, down past his stomach, down to where the towel sat on his hips. My finger teasingly slide along the edge of the towel, threatening to slip my hand in.

His jaw tightened and his gaze became dark. Before I could think, his hand wrapped around my wrist and he pulled me against him, my back hit the wall with a soft thud.

"You," he said, with voice low and tight and his face dropping closer to mine, " are tempting me."

"I'm glad it's working." I moved my free hand lower, pressing it just on his crotch, where he was hard for me, and smiled up at him.

"I barely touched you. You shouldn't get hard for someone you call your stepsister."

A short, breathless laugh left him, more frustration than amusement. He caught my wrist and lifted my hand away from his crotch, his other hand sliding down to push my leg wider, pinning me fully against the wall. And his hips moved closer to mine.

"True. But calling you stepsister will always remind us what we are." His forehead almost touched mine. "Step-siblings."

My smile fell. I looked at him with a serious face, my chest rising and falling too fast. "I don't want to be your step-sibling."

I leaned in, my breath brushing his face, my fingers curling slightly against his chest. "I want to be more."

His eyes searched my face like he was fighting something inside himself. Our faces were so close I swear we almost kissed, but…

"Liam." That was Paul. I could hear him taking steps up the stairs each footstep getting louder.

My eyes went wide. Liam stepped back fast, putting space between us, his hand dropping from my leg like it had been burned.

"Go back to your room."

"And if I don't?" I tilted my chin up, challenging him, even with my heart still hammering.

"Just go." His voice was firmer this time, but his eyes hadn't cooled down yet.

I knew I was meant to leave as I didn't want questions, even if there weren't going to be any. But it was hard to walk away with him standing this close, his chest still rising fast and his hair still dripping water onto his shoulder.

I lifted my hand, then dragged it slowly from the back of his neck down to his chest, feeling him tense under my palm, and whispered,

"Our deal at the library, later."

I stepped back, putting one foot behind the other with my eyes never leaving his. His face gave nothing away, but his eyes stayed dark, following ever movement I made.

I moved quickly toward my door. Paul's would soon take his last step to get to top of the stairs. I turned my head, gave Liam one last wink who attention had been on me through out, then I opened the room door and shut the it behind me.

I leaned my back against it, breathing hard. I pressed my hand flat over my own chest like that could stoo my heart from beating too fast.

“A good way to start my day.” I said with a wide smile.

I knew wanting Liam like this was dangerous. But maybe that's exactly why I wanted it more.

One taste of him and I was already craving the next, already counting down the hours until we meet at the library.

I smiled to myself, and I took small steps to the middle of my room with thoughts of him. His hands, his voice, the way he'd pinned me to that wall like he couldn't help himself either.

Then my alarm went off, my head snapped toward my bed, and I grabbed my phone to turn it off.

6:45. Time to get ready for school. If I hurried, I would catch him before he tried leaving without me again, like yesterday.

***

"Good morning, mum." I walked into the sitting room and kissed her cheek.

Liam was coming down the stairs behind me, already dressed with his bag slung over one shoulder.

"How was your first day at your new school?" Mum asked, with her eyes not leaving her phone, and legs crossed on the sofa.

"It was eventful." I watched Liam reach the bottom step, his eyes flicking to me for a second before looking away again, like he was trying not to.

"I should get to school." I turned to leave, but mum's voice stopped me.

"You're skipping breakfast again?"

"Bye, mum." I immediately tried to escape her scolding me.

I kept walking toward the door, but she called my name again in a louder voice.

"Vera, you're forgetting something."

I turned back, following her eyes to the centre table. A small package sat there on a plate.

I walked over and picked it up, turning it in my hands. My eyes widened a little when I saw what it was, gourmet macarons, a snack I hadn't had in years, the kind only people with money could afford whenever they wanted.

"Ana is such a darling. Thank you, mum."

I put the package into my bag and headed back toward the door.

"See you later, mum."

I stepped outside into the morning air. Liam was already by the car, the door open with one foot about to go in.

I ran, my bag bouncing against my hip. I shouted like my life depended on it with my hands outstretched.

"Don't move. Wait, Liam."