All Chapters of My Stepbrother's Secret Obsession : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

CHAPTER 81 SUNLIGHT ON THE PORCHThe air on the back porch was cool and smelled sharply of damp earth and pine needles.I sat in one of the heavy wooden rocking chairs, a thick blanket wrapped over my shoulders against the morning chill, my hands cupped around my coffee mug. Below the porch, the ground sloped down toward the lake, where small, silver ripples caught the bright August light.Xavier came out a moment later, the screen door shutting with a soft, dull click behind him. He didn't say anything as he walked across the porch. He sat down in the chair right next to mine, pulling his seat closer until the wooden arms were almost touching.He reached out, taking my left hand out from under the blanket and wrapping his long, warm fingers tightly around mine."Hands are cold," Xavier said softly, his thumb running over my knuckles to warm them up."It's the breeze off the water," I said, turning my head to look at him. "It feels good, though. It feels real.""It is real," Xavier mu

 Xavier’s chest rose and fell beneath my cheek in a slow, steady rhythm. For a long time, neither of us said a word. His hand stayed on my lower back, his long fingers pressing through my shirt, keeping me anchored against him.Every tiny touch felt magnified out here. Without the noise of the city or the constant fear of who might be watching, every breath shared between us felt entirely ours.I shifted slightly on the sofa, lifting my head to look down at him. Xavier opened his dark eyes right away, his gaze lazy and full of a soft, intense warmth."Where are you going?" he murmured, his grip on my waist tightening just a fraction to keep me from moving too far."Nowhere," I whispered, reaching out to trace the line of his collarbone with my fingertip. "Just looking at you."A low, quiet hum vibrated in his throat. He shifted his weight, rolling us over slowly until he was hovering over me on the plush cushions of the couch. Th

 The morning sun hit the kitchen like a bright yellow wave, warming the dark oak counters and illuminating tiny dust motes floating in the lake air.I was sitting on a wooden stool by the counter, wearing one of Xavier’s oversized dark t-shirts that hung completely off my left shoulder, watching him attempt to cook breakfast.For a guy who had spent years handling high-stakes deals and taking down his father’s illegal offshore accounts, Xavier was shockingly terrible at basic kitchen tasks."Xavier," I said calmly, taking a slow sip from my ceramic mug. "Pancakes aren't supposed to smoke like a chimney."Xavier stood over the black iron skillet with a wooden spatula in his hand, looking at the charred round object in the pan with an intense, deadly serious expression—the exact same face he had used when he threatened Richard three days ago."The burner setting is inconsistent," Xavier stated flatly, his tone cold and

CHAPTER 87 DRIED TOWELS AND SOGGY DIGNITYWe dragged ourselves out of the lake looking like two drowned rats, leaving a trail of dark, wet footprints all the way up the grassy hill and across the porch.My clothes were heavy and clinging to my skin, dripping lake water onto the dark oak kitchen floor. I stood there shivering slightly, wiping wet strands of hair out of my eyes, while Xavier stood beside me with his dark shirt stuck completely to his broad chest and shoulders.He looked over at me, his slicked-back hair already dropping a slow droplet of water right onto the tip of his nose."I'll admit," Xavier said, keeping his voice totally serious despite the absurdity of the situation, "the entry into the water lacked technical precision.""Technical precision?" I choked out, breaking into another sudden fit of giggles. "Xavier, you jumped off a wooden dock while holding me hostage! There was zero technical precision!""I maintained full

 The alarm went off at six in the morning.I groaned, reaching out from under the heavy blanket to slap the top of my phone. Before my hand could even reach the nightstand, Xavier’s arm tightened around my waist, pulling me backward until my spine was pressed flat against his chest."Five more minutes," Xavier muttered into my hair. His voice was rough and thick with sleep."I have an eight o'clock class," I said, turning my head on the pillow to look at him. His dark eyes were closed, his jaw relaxed, and his hair messy across his forehead. "And Professor Vance doesn't let anyone in late.""I can buy Professor Vance a new clock," Xavier mumbled, his thumb rubbing a slow circle against my stomach under my shirt.I chuckled, turning around in his arms so I was facing him. "You can't buy the whole university just to avoid waking up early, Xavier.""I could," he said, opening one eye to look down at me. A faint, lazy smirk to