All Chapters of My Affair With My Stepbrother : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The screen door creaked softly as it swung shut behind Poppi, the sound barely louder than the pounding in her chest.The air outside was cooler now, the kind that wrapped around your skin and forced you to feel something, whether you wanted to or not. The sky had deepened into that in-between shade, not quite night, not quite day, and everything felt suspended in it.Unsettled.Just like her.She walked a few steps off the porch, arms wrapped tightly around herself, pacing once, then again, like if she just kept moving she wouldn’t have to think about what she’d just seen.About the way he leaned into Anchor. How he touched her. The way he smiled.The way he looked… okay.“Don’t,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. “You chose this.”She stopped near the edge of the yard, staring out at nothing in particular, blinking hard.It shouldn’t hurt like this.They agreed.This was the plan.So why did it feel like something had been taken from her?The door creaked again behin

“Poppi…”His voice was different this time.Lower.Rougher.Almost uncertain.Like he wasn’t sure he should even be saying her name like that.Poppi stopped breathing for a second.She could hear the faint sounds coming from inside the house—the distant music, voices drifting through the open windows, someone laughing loudly enough to carry across the yard.But out here, everything suddenly felt muted.It was just the two of them.And the space between them.She slowly turned her head toward him.Madden was already watching her.His eyes moved over her face, searching for something she refused to give him.Permission.Reassurance.A reason to believe he wasn’t imagining the tension that had been building between them for weeks.“Don’t,” she whispered.Madden’s jaw tightened.“Don’t what?”She swallowed.“Look at me like that.”A faint, almost humorless smile touched his mouth.“How am I looking at you?”“You know how.”“No,” he said quietly. “I don’t think I do.”He stepped closer.Po

Everyone who was anyone, came out to Fred and Valyn’s Fourth of July party. It was the biggest party of the summer. Viva was there and of course Anchor. Anchor had become so much more comfortable with Madden. “This party is insane,” Viva said, running by with about 10 sparklers lit.“It really is. I’m just glad I’m here with my best friend and you,” Anchor said, nuzzling close to Madden. “Me too!” Madden said, rubbing her shoulder a few times as he pulled her closer. Poppi did everything in her power not to be jealous, but she was failing. She watched the fireworks instead of paying attention to Madden and Anchor. She was doing well to avoid them until Madden pulled out a gift for Anchor. It was a small box that held two beautiful sapphire earrings. “Happy one month babe,” Madden said, handing Anchor the box.Anchor lunged forward and kissed him right there in front of everyone. And that is what broke Poppi inside. She had longed for his lips to touch hers, and now here he was

Before he could say anything else, she turned and rushed back inside, disappearing into the noise and light of the party.Leaving him standing there—Still feeling her.Still wanting more.And knowing that one kiss had just made everything infinitely harder to pretend.The music hit her first.Too loud. Too bright. Too normal.Poppi pushed through the screen door like she hadn’t just had the ground ripped out from under her, forcing her expression into something neutral—something safe—as laughter and conversation swallowed her whole again.Her chest still rose too fast. Her lips still tingled.Don’t think about it.Don’t look back.“Poppi!”She froze.Anchor.Of course.Poppi turned slowly, already bracing herself—but Anchor was smiling, drink in hand, like nothing in the world was wrong.Like she hadn’t just been outside.Like she hadn’t just—“There you are,” Anchor said lightly, stepping closer. “I was wondering where you disappeared to.”Poppi forced a small smile. “Just needed so

Then, just like that, she turned back toward the door, picking up one of the coolers like this had all been exactly what it looked like.Nothing more.“Come on,” she said over her shoulder. “Fireworks aren’t going to wait for us.”She walked out first.Leaving Poppi and Madden standing there—Closer than they should be.Farther than they wanted to be.And now absolutely certain—They weren’t the only ones carrying the weight of what just happened anymore.By the time they made it back outside, the fireworks had grown louder—bigger bursts, brighter colors, the sky alive with chaos.Poppi barely noticed.She was too aware of where Madden walked beside her.Too aware of Anchor just ahead of them.Waiting.People shifted around the yard, making space as Anchor set the cooler down with a soft thud, immediately slipping back into the center of things like she belonged there—like she owned the moment.“Finally,” she teased lightly, glancing over her shoulder. “I thought I was going to have t