Chapter 1: Does that offer still stand?

Daisy plunged deep into the swimming pool, hoping the cold water would numb her nerves. A moment later, she emerged, wiping the water from her face.

“I feel much better,” she mumbled, looking towards the entrance to the swimming pool.

Spending the entire night with him alone in the same house, on the same floor, was a torture. She couldn't imagine how it would end.

Every single night, she’d sneaked into his room while her parents slept just to watch him.

“Had enough? Can I join you?” Brody's deep voice came from the other side of the pool, making her tense instantly.

How long he’d been watching her, she had no idea.

She'd thought he'd be upstairs, playing his piano or chatting with his ever-entertaining friends.

Daisy raised an eyebrow. “That isn't necessary. You're my stepbrother, and I know that it wouldn't be proper for us to swim alone in the pool.”

Just the thought of him inside the pool with her made her mind race with all the things she wanted to do to him.

“Daisy …control…just fucking control your hormones. You’ve been living with him under the same roof for 5 years. “She scolded herself silently.

She swallowed hard, looking at the man standing just a few feet away. He was wearing nothing but swimming shorts, exposing his well-defined chest and muscular legs.

At that moment, her body felt hot. He just didn't know when to stay away.

Why couldn't he tell that she was falling crazy in love with him?

That she wanted him every night?

That she wanted him to get into the pool and bend her over.

Ever since the first day her mother married into his family, she'd nursed those feelings but couldn't dare tell him.

They weren't of the same class. She was just an ordinary girl who had come from an ordinary working-class family.

Her mother had warned her, “Stay away from him. Don't spoil what I've worked so hard to achieve.”

Her mother was right to warn her because Brody was like a walking devil. She couldn't remember how many times she'd spaced out just staring at his good looks.

Did he realise it?

Probably...

He would surely tell her, “If you want me, tell me. I know I'm handsome, and I'm used to receiving attention.”

Now he stood there, his presence almost burning her skin, yet she couldn't bring herself to touch him.

“I... I...” Her voice trembled. “Shouldn't you be out celebrating with your friends?”

It was the eve of their graduation day and Daisy wasn’t out celebrating.  Daisy had no friends. From the very first day she came into the family and joined the school, she'd been isolated.

No one wanted to be her friend. No one wanted to associate with her.

The only person she could depend on was Brody.

He leaned down and held her chin up, gazing deep into her eyes as if he could read her mind.

“Oh... no. I couldn't leave my little sister alone. Remember, I promised Dad and Mum that I'd always be there for you.” He paused, brushing her wet hair aside.

If he knew what he was doing to her, he wouldn't have laid a single finger on her.

“I know... You promised them, but you have friends waiting for you. They'll get angry with me if they find out that I was the reason you couldn't go out with them,” she added, hoping he would go away because, at that moment, she doubted she could control herself.

The moment his hand touched her, every desire in her body intensified…yearning for more, yet she wasn’t sure if she could trust him.

This was pathetic…feeling like a teenager, having her first crush show some attention.

This was a man she'd been falling for for over five years. She knew there could never be anything between them, that it was wrong and confusing to entertain such feelings for her stepbrother.

But why the hell was she feeling so hot?

Why couldn't she control herself around him?

“Not a chance,” he said, jumping into the water. He disappeared beneath the surface before resurfacing moments later, right beside her.

She moved away instinctively, clenching her hands, shutting her eyes so that what was happening could somehow be a dream.

But he was there, his burning hot stare right on her face.

“What are you doing?” she asked, panting heavily as if she'd just run a marathon.

She'd stepped into the water to avoid him, but now he was here, close enough that their skin was touching.

How the hell was she supposed to escape him?

God... please kill me.

Please don't let him see my hot cheeks.

It would be so fucking embarrassing for him to know that she'd had a crush on him all these years.

But Brody wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close so that her chest was pressed hard against his firm body. Daisy held her breath. She didn't dare struggle because what was happening wasn't part of her plan.

How did they end up at this point?

“Brody, you've got to let go,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Someone can come in and see us.” She shifted her head towards the entrance, looking around to make sure no one was there.

“Let them. We're adults. We aren't even related,” he said calmly, his hand caressing her cheek.

“Relax a bit. Our parents won't come tonight. This house is ours today.”

Why was she so foolish? Had he always known that she had a crush on him? She'd made sure to hide it so well.

“How did you know?”

“I read your diary. You like my eyes, right? I read how you’ll like to be mine even if it was one night” he whispered, his eyes fixed on hers. “Does that offer still stand?”

She snapped her head up, staring at his sly smile.

“Can I continue …” he added, when she didn’t say anything, “I read every single page and it is stuck in my head.”

Daisy lifted her hands and covered his lips, tight “Ssh…Ssh..how dare you?”

Her chest tightened as she struggled to take in what he just said. No wonder he'd been looking at her as if there was something he wanted to tell her.

How could she be this careless?

“That was supposed to be my secret. I had no intention of you finding out,” Daisy said, wondering how foolish she must be looking.

She was a twenty-five-year-old woman thinking about a man who could never be hers.

“You really think that I'm hot?” he asked, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Daisy trembled.

For so many years, she'd imagined what this kiss would be like, how it would feel to be in his arms.

He didn't disappoint her at all... but there was one thing. She knew that if she gave herself to him, she couldn't tell what would happen next.

Her mother would kill her.

And her stepdad would be disappointed with her.

He'd been nice to her. He'd even paid for her expensive school, gave her a life that she could have never imagined and even paid for her medical college.

How could she mess with his son?

She just didn't want to be ungrateful.

“Why can't we have this night together?” he asked, pressing his body tightly against hers. “We both want this, and I think we shouldn't deny ourselves this.”

Her heart almost skipped a beat.

Did he mean that he also had feelings for her?

What did that mean for them?

“No…No…No…I can’t expect something from him. I don’t want to be disappointed. “

All along, he'd just kept looking at her as if she were someone special, as if  he didn’t want to  be away from her .

So many times, she’d waited for him to say the words. But he never did. And she ended up cradling his picture.

Somehow, she could be close to him.

Somehow, she could pretend that he cared about her as much as she did to him

What was she even expecting from him?

Brody had everything. He was handsome, and he could choose from so many women.

Why would he choose her?