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36 || Sweet and Tender
Oh.
I’m not impressed.
Calum departs from my side and I follow him to the front of the crowd. There’s a man on the bench. He has a guitar. His body is bent over the guitar he’s hugging to his chest. The guitar case is open on the floor for onlookers to drop money in it. Calum wanders off to the man, leaving me alone to watch and wonder. What’s his plan?
They exchange words for a while and the man gives a curt nod. Dew coats the bench, my eyes follow the moisture, then move back to the man’s threadbare outfit. The thin shirt hidden under his black coat can barely keep the cold of the night away.
On Calum’s return, he rocks on his soles. “So…I don’t think we will be having our concert tonight or anytime before we leave.” I pout. He barks out a laugh. The small crowd thins out after hearing him. When I count again, we are less than ten. “Except you’re up for perf
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 37 || Can I see?
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 38 || Order in
Finally. The weight is off my chest. I feel like a brand new person in Calum’s arms. We will be fine because I won’t push him away again or try to control things outside of my control. I steal a kiss from him, he laughs but palms my face to kiss me better. Soon, I’m under him, his knees bracket my hips and he takes my breath away.Eyes shining with love for him, I twirl his hair around my finger. “What time is the meeting?”He glances at the wall clock. “4:30,” he replies. I trace the line between his abs. He hasn’t put on a shirt since taking his bath. I’m dressed in one of his shirts because he thinks I look better in it. He sits up and tugs me back onto his lap. This is my new favourite position. “Do you want to join me?”I thought he would never ask.“Yeah, I would love to.”Dragging the hem of my shirt, Calum grins when I raise my hands
To Tempt My Stepbrother 39 || The true superstar
“Bubble gum?” Calum asks. I nod again. The hand holding the bubble gum hangs in the air, he stares at it, then at me. “Good luck charm?”“Well, yeah. Since I won’t be going with you, you need it. My mum always gave one to me every time I had to sing or go on stage or just do...”Calum covers the foot of space between us and braces one elbow on the door of the wardrobe. I keep still. Well, I try but he looks too gorgeous with his hair messed up stylishly and I want to keep him inside the room with me forever. I pry open his palm and dump the bubble gum on it.“Who says you won’t be going with me?” he asks.“Well, who says I’m going with you?” He points a finger at his chest. “You didn’t say anything.”“Because we were headed to your room anyway and you would have gotten a chance to change .” My lips pucker. Part from anger, h
To Tempt My Stepbrother 40 || New York
It’s quiet. Nobody is talking.We have been in Calum’s car since the end of his meeting, which consisted of him singing an original and one of Mending Hearts singles. If I wasn’t on my period, I might have creamed my pants from listening, watching him sing about us. I used to think our guitar moments were lit but Calum in that room with his headphone plugged in was a new dimension I want to always see.Scott and Caleb bore shit eating grins throughout Calum’s singing. I get it. My boyfriend is a star but New York? I thought London studio meant staying in London. The fear of Calum leaving me so soon wraps around my neck like a thick cord.“You’re going to New York?” I finally ask.Calum is stiffer than I am. Rock solid. “Nothing has been concluded. Just talks for now.” I spare him a glance and his throat bobs as he swallows hard. “Sam and Luc were thinking we could get back
To Tempt My Stepbrother 41 || Last day
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 42 || Too perfectly well
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 43 || Stop hiding
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 44 || Simple biology
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