Semua Bab CRAVING MY FORBIDDEN STEPBROTHER: Bab 71 - Bab 77

The cars come at five. Everyone does the final sweep sunscreen left by the pool, a book on the porch, Amelia’s mother’s ceramic dish. Marcus has the keys. My mother has her cardigan. Both families are in the driveway doing the extended goodbye, the one where you say it four times before anyone actually moves. “We thought we’d make a night of it in town after dropping them off, stay at a hotel,” Marcus says to me and Cain, with the look of a man who would like an evening alone with his wife and is slightly embarrassed about it. “Dinner, a walk. You two will be all right?” “Fine,” Cain says. “Of course,” I say. More than fine. I get to do what I’ve been wanting all week. My mother pulls me into a hug and holds it longer than usual. She smells like her perfume and sunscreen and the whole week and I close my eyes and hold her back. “Be good,” she says against my hair. “Always,” I say. She laughs and touches my face and gets in the car. Ryan comes to me last. He hugs me with both

I move around him slowly, trailing my fingers across the surface of the water near his skin without touching it, and I hear his breathing change. I come back around to face him and step close and let my body brush his under the water, barely, just enough and feel him against my stomach, already hard, and I step back before he can grab me.“Layla.” Warning.“Three more minutes,” I say.“I don’t have three more minutes.”“You do,” I say. I tilt my head. “Unless you can’t manage it.”His eyes go dark.I step close again and this time I wrap my hand around him under the water and stroke him once, slow, base to tip, and feel him twitch hard against my palm. I lean up to his ear.“You feel that?” I say quietly. “That’s what I did to you just by walking down a beach.”The sound he makes is not patient.I let go and step back and he reaches for me and I duck away.“Time,” I say.He moves.His hands find my waist and he lifts me in the water and I wrap my legs around him and his mouth finds mi

“Let Cain drop you off at Zara’s. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Mum chirps as I lift my bag down the stairs, heavy on my shoulder despite the clothes inside being the flimsiest, most provocative things I own. Cain mentioned the resort has a lake and after last night, seeing what little clothing and a lot of teasing got me, I plan to give him significantly more hell when we’re alone.The hickey on my neck tingles under the concealer. Good thing I know stage makeup or I’d have a lot of explaining to do.“Um, I’m not sure—”Mum sighs, putting down her coffee. “Layla, he’s your brother. I know things are tense but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving you a ride, right Cain?” Her eyes flicker behind me and my stomach responds before my brain catches up.“Sure, Linda.” His voice comes out low and rough and I bite the inside of my cheek. “Layla. Don’t you want me to give you a ride?”I turn around.Black tank top clinging to everything. Arms bare, the snake tattoo wrapping up and around, disappear