I lean forward to try and pick up my wine, but I’m unable to take my eyes away from him and end up knocking it over onto the coffee table. He smirks at me as I can hear the wine droplets slowly trickling onto the floor.
Jake laughs as Aria grabs a towel. “Geez Steph, you can’t hold your wine like you used to.”
My face flushes with embarrassment. “I can too! I was distracted.”
“I’m quite the distraction, aren’t I?” He grins at me as he pops open a beer.
“You think you were distracting me?”
“I know I was. You’ve got a bit of drool down your chin.” He takes a swig of his drink.
“If you think you can handle all of this, you’re sadly mistaken, but I’m happy to take you up on the challenge.”
Jake
My beer flies out my mouth, across the bench and on to the breakfast seating in front of it.
Damn waste of a good beer.
If she thinks having her in bed would be a challenge, she’s the one mistaken; and I’m quite tempted to take her up on her offer.
I haven’t seen Stephanie since the night of James and Riley’s wedding, and in truth, I’ve wanted to. I overstepped my boundaries that night and opened my big mouth about her boyfriend, and how I think their relationship is a sham. She didn’t speak to me for the rest of the night although she did dance with me. Holding her close made my heart ache even more. The little black dress she had worn had given me a glorious view of her body and made me think of all the dirty things I wanted to do with her. To her.
I dropped her home that night and tried to be a gentleman. She was drunk, horny, and she tried to kiss me. I pushed her away, and the pain of doing it hurt more than I’d expected it to. I’m not saying I didn’t want to kiss her because I sure as fuck did, and my cock wouldn’t have minded going further, but she’s dating someone and I’m not about to be the one she cheats on him with. I’ve seen that happen to buddies in the army and it never ends well.
It doesn’t negate the fact I can’t get Stephanie out of my head. I dream about her, think about her every day, and every morning. I wake up with a raging hard-on, desperate for her touch. I swear, I can smell her perfume in my dreams. It’s intoxicating and also infuriating because it seems to linger in the air after I wake.
Something within me changed the last time I’d seen her. I saw her as more than another sister. Stephanie now appealed to me as a potential partner; someone who would challenge me—my thoughts, my opinions—someone that would laugh at my silliest jokes no matter how lame they can be. My stone-cold heart cracked just a little as the woman I used to view as a sister seeped into my veins, calling me to her like a siren. I want her the way I’ve never wanted another woman before.
What am I fucking thinking?
She’s my sister’s best friend! I shouldn’t even be entertaining these thoughts, and yet, they won’t leave me alone.
I try to move away from the bench, but it seems my dick has joined the party going on in my head and trying to move around with a hard-on in jeans fucking hurts. I put my beer down on the bench and lean on it. My palms are resting flat upon the granite surface as I’m wishing my rock-hard cock to fuck off. I’m grateful the bench is there because if Aria knew what was happening in my pants right now, she’d tease the shit out of me. That is something I really don’t want to deal with.
“How have you both been?” I ask, hoping to distract myself. Easier said than done, though.
“Not too bad. Busy with work. What about you?” Aria asks, sipping her wine.
“Same. We have a wave of new recruits and they me want to help train them. When I’m not working, I’m usually being attacked by Toby’s bloody cat.”
Aria laughs. “You probably deserve it.”
“I’m covered in scratch marks,” I retort.
“Where?” Stephanie asks a little too gleefully, and I cast my gaze to meet hers. Our eyes lock, and it’s as if she sees through the armour I’ve built up around myself.
Her brown eyes watch me expectantly as she awaits my answer. I need to think of something witty to reply with, but right now, my brain has turned to complete and utter mush as I get lost in her eyes.
I’m screwed.
I want to see her naked about as much as she wants me to be naked too if her gaze is anything to go by. Additional note...this is not helping my current hormonal state.
I need to think of something to make it go away.
“You just want me to remove my shirt so you can see me naked.” I laugh. I’m egging her on when I shouldn’t be.
She shakes her head. “No, thanks. I don’t think Aria needs to see her brother without a shirt on.”
There it goes!
The idea of my sister seeing me naked is certainly not a turn-on, nor should it ever be. Thank you, Stephanie. Smiling to myself, I manage to walk over and sit down next to her. I’m expecting a whiff of her usually sweet perfume, and instead, I get chlorine.
What the hell?
“What’s that look for?” Stephanie demands.
“What look?”
“The one that says you think I stink.”
“No offence Steph, but you do. That chlorine is overpowering.”
She blushes. “Damn, I thought I’d washed it off at the pool. Maybe the staff put too much in today.”
“You swim?” I ask. I didn’t know she swam.
“Of course. How else do you think I keep myself looking this good with all the wine I drink?” She waves a hand down her body.
“Don’t forget all my cookie dough and chocolate,” Aria chimes in.
“Shh.” Stephanie places her index finger over her lips. I wish I was the one touching those.
I burst into laughter as Aria casts a strange look at me which I ignore. “How often do you swim?” I ask.
Stephanie arches an eyebrow. “Why do you want to know? Are you planning on turning up to gawk at me in my bikini?”
She wears a fucking bikini in the pool.
Jealousy wells within me at the thoughts of other men getting to look at her in that outfit, and I clutch my beer tighter. The idea of her prancing around the pool in a flimsy swimsuit makes my mouth dry. If she was mine, there’s no fucking way in hell I’d let her wear a goddamned bikini to a public pool.
That shit would be for my eyes only and probably living on the floor of my room while she was in my bed having the time of her life.
“Actually, I was wondering if I could join you. Perhaps we could have a race,” I suggest.
“Race? Jake, I swim for fun and pleasure.”
What else does she do for pleasure? Would she do me?
“Are you scared you’ll be beaten?” I quip.
“Not at all.”
“So, answer my question.”
She sighs. “If you must know, I swim on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.” I whip my phone out of my pocket and make a note of those days, then show her. “You will not turn up and annoy me.” She jabs a finger into my chest and pouts. It’s sexy and a little cute. I want to lean in, and kiss the expression right off her mouth, assuring her we are indeed going to race.
“So, what are you doing here?” Aria asks.
“Aside from annoying us on a girls night? Because seriously. When are you leaving again?” Stephanie asks.