He may have been my stepbrother, but I never viewed him as one. He was eight years older than me, and by the time our parents got together, he had already lived the life of a college student.
We’re opposites in every sense of the word. Where I’m outspoken and a tornado of chaos, he’s quiet and reserved. You can tell just by looking at him, he’s strategic in every move he makes, always thinking and planning ten steps ahead.
Anytime we were around each other, which wasn’t often, he would act as though he couldn’t be bothered to carry on a conversation with me. I never thought he had paid much attention to me… well, until the night I found him drunk in our parents’ yard.
I swear, sometimes it feels like that night was all a dream. Some nights, I wake up from dreams so vivid, so intense, it’s almost like I’m back in that dark hallway with my back pressed against the wall. I can practically feel his fingers digging into my hips, the taste of his mouth searing mine.
Merric remained close with my mom after his dad’s passing, but that night was the last time I had seen or heard from him. When I woke up the next morning, he had already taken off back to Myrtle Beach.
I click the button to turn the speaker on and toss it onto my bed, listening to my mom talk all about my cousin Penelope’s upcoming wedding. It worked out perfectly, coinciding with the trip back home to Richmond for Christmas during winter break. The holidays are my mom’s favorite time of year, and now that she’s living alone, I know how much it means to her to have us back to visit.
When she suggested Merric pick me up on his way north, I hesitated, knowing this would be the longest I’ve ever spent with Merric alone. While I had enough money to cover my trip, I hadn’t told her I had been working at Whiskey Barrel. It would open up a slew of questions I didn’t want to answer.
I let it go, biting my tongue and accepting the offer for a ride, even if it comes with the unbearable silence of riding with Merric.
I rake a brush through my long, blonde locks, attempting to tame my unruly hair before ruffling it enough so it doesn’t lay flat on the side of my head. My makeup still looks somewhat decent from earlier this morning, despite feeling like I sweat it all off.
“Oh, honey, you should see how she has it all set up. It’s so beautiful. Penelope was so happy, too, when I told her you were coming back home. I’m still worried, though, about you and Merric making the drive. Have you seen the news? They’re saying we could get anywhere from six to eight inches of snow. It sounds like it could bring white-out conditions, too.”
Ugh.
I guess I should be thankful I’m not trying to make the drive by myself. Although I can only imagine how moody this could make Merric.
I untwist the cap of my lip gloss, swiping a bit over my lips before blotting them together, just as two knocks hit my door.
“Shit,” I mutter, interrupting my mom. “I think Merric’s here.”
I grip the doorknob, pausing to let out a heavy sigh. My nerves tingle like electric shock jolting through my system at the thought of being near him again.
Don’t be stupid, Oaklyn! I whisper to myself, trying to shake myself from my thoughts. It’s just Merric.
I open the door and find Merric standing there, dressed in a black suit with a steel-gray tie. His dark hair is longer on the top, styled in a messy “I woke up like this” sort of way. Except I know him well enough to know he’d never step foot out of his house in such haste.
His jaw is set, his face stoic and unreadable. A five o’clock shadow, ironically, is dotting his face. Time has been so damn good to him.
He looks so sexy, it’s downright sinful. I want to berate myself for even thinking it, but truth be told, I’ve always had a huge crush on Merric. Flashes of the kiss we shared are still fresh in memory. But considering he hasn’t said more than two words to me since that night, makes me feel certain he regrets it. Or maybe he hates me, and I have no idea why.
“Are you ready to go?”
He looks past me to where my suitcase lays open. There’s a subtle tic in his jaw when he finds the answer to his question.
“Actually, I am. I just need to throw a couple things in there, and I’ll be ready to head out.”
He nods, his fists sliding into his pockets. He doesn’t move, standing and waiting while I zip around my room to toss the last few items in my suitcase before grabbing my coat.
His brisk attitude has me ready to spout off a comment about the last time we were in a hallway together until I remember my mom is still on the phone.
“Mom, I’m sorry, I have to let you go.” She’s rambling incessantly about Penelope’s rehearsal dinner and how there’s the perfect little space outside for photos.
“Merric just got here, and we need to get loaded up if you want us to try to beat this storm,” I remind her.
“Okay, honey. Be sure to text me and keep me updated on how the roads are.”
I hang up, assuring her Merric will drive carefully, and we’ll stay in touch along the way.
Merric’s expression is unreadable, although the slight tic of his jaw is still there. I can’t help but think he’s annoyed over the thought of being stuck in the car with me for the next four hours.
Zipping up my suitcase, I drag it off my bed, and it falls to the floor.
“Okay,” I sigh. “I think I’m ready.”
“You think?” Merric questions. I spin around, doing one last check for anything I may have missed and turn off the TV.
It’s not exactly clean in here. My roommate, Claudia, is no better than I am when it comes to being organized. Merric sidesteps piles of clothes and reaches for my suitcase, helping to take it as I remember to shove my phone charger into my purse.
“Ah, crap! My dress, I can’t forget my dress!”
“All right,” Merric interjects. “I’ll let you grab whatever else you need, and I’ll get your suitcase loaded into my car. I’ll meet you outside.”
He doesn’t bother to use the pull-handle, instead lifting it to carry it as he disappears out the door.
My best friend and boss, Jayde, offered to let me borrow her red dress to wear to the wedding. She recently wore it for an event, and it’s stunning, with little sections of mesh along the sides, showing my hips through the material.
My reason for wanting to wear this dress specifically may or may not have something to do with the fact I knew I’d be seeing Merric.
I carefully carry the dress down the stairs and out to the parking lot, where I find Merric standing near the trunk of his car.
“I’ll just hang this in the back, if that’s okay?”
He nods, reaching his hand up to close the trunk. His black Maserati is purring low. It’s the definition of sex. Thoughts flash through my mind of Merric pushing me onto the hood, having his way with me.
I cough, clearing my throat to shake myself from my own mental images, muttering out a low “shit.”
I move my purse and dress to hang in the back seat, climbing in next to Merric.
As soon as I close the door, his scent overwhelms me. My eyes dart all over the small space, from where he’s seated to his hands firmly clenching the wheel.
“You going to put on your seat belt so we can leave?”
I peer up at him as he stares blankly back at me. His mood is annoying already. The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. “Are you going to act like this the entire drive?”