Chapter 2

Lily:

“I am so sorry, Lily. We… we won’t be able to spend the vacation with you. There is a medical recruitment in Singapore and I and Dylan have to attend.”

We pulled up in front of the beach house. My cheery demeanor had been reduced to a fake smile. So what was she going to do? Send me back to New York? There was no way in hell I was…

“Your father told me that you had a rough semester and it would be criminal for me to send you back. You need to relax. I trust you enough to stay home alone for the next few weeks…”

We got out of the car and Dylan helped me with my bags.

“...We have a housekeeper and she will look after you and…”

The door flung open and I felt my jaw unhinge.

“Hi, Dad, Mildred. You’re back.”

It took a while for me to pick my jaw off the floor. Who the fuck was this man at the door?

Wait? Dad? He was…

“Lily, this is Mason, Dylan’s son. He will also be home as well.”

I stared at him like a love-struck puppy. He had dark brown hair that fell in gentle curls over his face and the deepest pair of blue eyes. His thick eyebrows and handsome lips on his sculpted face… he could have passed for a god.

He was well-built and muscular. He looked nothing like Dylan.

“It is nice to meet you, Lily. Your mom talks so much about you. It is great to finally meet you.”

He offered his hand to shake, and as I took it, I felt sparks in the air around me. The way his blue eyes stared at me like he could read my soul and all my thoughts. His smile was disarming. I could feel my heart racing. The hand he was holding went numb.

My stomach grumbled loudly. I pulled my hand away and flushed a hot pink. I wanted the ground to swallow me as soon as I saw him smile and his pearly white teeth flashed at me. He would think I was a hungry dinosaur.

“Maria just finished making dinner. Let’s go eat. I would really like to hear about school, Lily. Your mum tells me you are an amazing cheerleader.”

“Was,” I mumbled as we went inside. I didn’t want to talk about cheerleading or Adrian. Not in front of my freaking hot step-brother.

“Mason, could you please show Lily to her room? Let me go and check on Maria.”

Dylan set my bags down and fished his phone out of his pocket while my mom disappeared to the kitchen. Mason picked up the bags and I watched his muscles bulge and strain against his shirt. My mouth went dry. Fuck!

“Alright, let’s head upstairs, Lily.”

His voice was deep and soothing, like honey. He led the way and I followed. My eyes were glued to him. My mind was spinning. Why didn’t I know that I had such a…

“Oww!”

I bumped into him and lost my footing. The stairs seemed to be rushing towards me. My eyes widened.

“Gotcha!”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him, crushing me against his toned torso, saving me from my fate. I could have ended up with a broken neck like Adrian’s slut.

My heart was racing and I could hear Mason’s heart beating against my ear. His embrace was crushing and so…warm.

“Are you alright?”

I pulled myself away from him and brushed a hair out of my face. My face was burning.

“Uhmmm…yeah. I…I’m good. I just…”

My words ran out and I was looking at my feet with my tomato red face. Damn! This was so embarrassing.

“I’m glad you are okay…”

He reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear. My face burned even hotter.

“...This is your room. I think you can manage from here. We are waiting for you downstairs for dinner. I am really eager to hear about your cheerleading squad.”

He went downstairs, and I waited till he was out of sight before disappearing into my room and slamming the door behind me. Fuck! Why did he have to be so freaking hot?!

~~~

My mom and Dylan were out early. I slept in and I didn’t even get a chance to tell her goodbye. My eyes fluttered open and the rays of the sun shone on my face. My phone blared and I tossed the bed covers over my head in annoyance. Arrgghhh! Why was the alarm still set?

I fished for my phone and shut off that infernal racket. Those sweet few minutes had been stolen from me. Damn it!

I dragged myself out of bed. I sniffed my armpit and nearly puked. Fuck! I stank. I grabbed my towel to undress when I heard a knock at the door. I asked the person to come in and saw Maria standing at the door with a gentle smile on her face.

“Good morning, Lily. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Nah. I’m just getting up.”

“That’s alright. Could you please check the chicken in the oven while I dash out for groceries for a few minutes? Everyone else is gone.”

I agreed and she left the room. I undressed and went into the bathroom. As the cool spray splashed my body and hair, I remembered how I barely survived dinner and the questions my hot step-brother was asking me. I tried my best not to stare at him while he ate. I had never thought I would be jealous of the chicken he was eating.

I sighed and finished up. I got out and grabbed a second towel to dry my hair. I was grateful that I was home alone. I needed the time to think about something else and decide which bikini will…

I sniffed the air. I heard the smoke alarm go off and my eyes widened. Shit! The chicken!

I dashed downstairs to the kitchen, the smell of the smoke was getting stronger. Fuck! I hoped it wasn’t badly burnt. Maria would be so mad. Where were those damn oven mittens?!

I grabbed them and flung the oven open. I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face as the smoke belched on my face. This was bad! So bad!

I grabbed the tray and eased the chicken out of the oven. It was charred and smelled awful. As I set it down on the kitchen counter, I felt my towel unravel.

“What the fuck is happening…oh my God!”

“Ahhh!”

I let go of the tray and scrambled to get my towel off the floor. This was the worst time to get butterfingers. My face was flushed and my fingers refused to listen to me.

“Hey Mace, what is going on in…damn!” It was another voice.

My hand was over my breast and I was doubled over to hide my coochie, I screamed. I thought I was home alone.

Mason stopped trying to cover his eyes and dashed over to me, shielding me with his torso.

“Don’t come in here, Cole!”

My face was burning with embarrassment. I managed to grab my towel but my embarrassment made me drape it over my body in a weird way. This was awful. I was naked in the kitchen and my step-brother was shielding me from his friend.

“Why?” The voice got closer.

“Don’t fucking come in here!”

I felt his hand brush against my nipple, through the fabric of the towel, and my face reddened even more. Shivers ran down my spine and my grasp on the towel weakened.

Mason caught my gaze briefly with those dark blue eyes.

His friend was gone and finally and luckily hadn’t seen me naked. I pushed Mason away from me.

“Jerk! What are you doing here?!...”