Stepbrother: Instant Spark (Stepbrother Billionaire Romance) (Stepbrother Romantic Suspense) (3 page)

The elevator doors opened and Lucy was standing in the sitting room of the most gorgeous apartment she had ever seen. It was sleek, black, white and chrome; modern and slightly minimalist, but not without the odd touch of character, such as the little cactus on one windowsill and a photograph of Peter and his mother stuck with a magnet to the fridge. Lucy smiled and nodded towards the picture.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for the sentimental type.”

Peter followed her gaze and smiled fondly at the photograph. “Mom herself stuck that up here when she visited. She said this place had no life in it and I needed more smiling faces on the walls.”

“She sounds like a wise lady.”

“She was very family-oriented. She lived and breathed for her husband and for me. I suppose that’s why I got so angry with my father when he re-married the first time and then again...and again...she was so loyal to him in her life. It felt like a betrayal when he moved on so soon.”

“You were close to her?”

“Very.”

Peter was just full of surprises. Lucy remembered when he’d first approached her as a cynical guest with a chip on his shoulder and she had wondered how to take somebody so sullen, but now she understood that his bitterness came from a loyalty to someone he had loved very much. It made Lucy look at him in a new light and marvel all over again at how she could let the one guy who was out of bounds also be the only guy who’d ever made her feel this kind of giddy, weak-at-the-knees, flustered kind of crush.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

The host led Lucy through to a beautiful double bedroom with a King-sized bed and a glorious view out over the city. Down below, Lucy could see throngs of people going this way and that like lines of little ants from the twenty-first story and yellow cabs lining the streets. There were skyscrapers everywhere Lucy looked and she felt a stir of excitement deep within her to be in a place with so much potential. As a designer, New York symbolized to her a hub of culture and innovation and she couldn’t wait to go out and explore. She looked down at her watch.

“The convention starts at three. I’ll have to head back to the subway soon.”

“Alright.”

For the first time since Peter had picked her up, that chemistry that they shared tried to surface when their eyes caught. He had beautiful eyes. They had a very particular gleam to them that made them stand out and hard to tear your gaze away when he looked at you. Lucy thought his eyes were incredible and she forced herself to break the gaze and look away before she got lost in them and broke the promise that she’d made to herself to not create family drama by nurturing an attraction to her stepbrother.

“I’ll walk you back,” Peter offered.

“No,” Lucy said quickly. “I’ve got it.”

“Alright. I’ll pick you up from the convention, then. We’ll go to dinner.”

“That sounds great, Peter. Thank you.”

There was a moment as Lucy passed him at the doorway to head back towards the elevator that their arms brushed against each other and it caused both of them to briefly stop in their tracks. Lucy looked up at him and caught his eyes again and once more she felt breathless from desire. Peter began to lean forward as though he might kiss her and Lucy quickly ducked away from him, shouting out a hasty goodbye as she raced towards the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. Her heart was racing from the close call and her whole body crying out for the kiss that she had wanted so badly, but she was sure she’d done the right thing. What would her mother say if she’d found out that there was anything going on between Lucy and Peter? What would Lucy tell her friends about how she met her sexy new love interest? There was no blood relation between them and Lucy knew that by this time next week her mother and Walt could very well be divorced and then Peter would be just an ordinary guy, but right now, Lucy felt like the situation was too complex to get involved, even though she wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms again. She felt like maybe she’d over-reacted by running away as she had done, but she knew that if his lips had touched hers even for an instant, it would have taken them all the way to the bedroom. She strolled quickly towards the subway with her arms wrapped around herself - who on earth wears a silk camisole in October? - and stepped down those steps into the underground. She’d go to the convention and lose herself in design and, hopefully, by the time she saw Peter again, she’d have been able to shake off her desire and have a nice,
normal
weekend with him.

*****

Peter was waiting for her as promised when day one of the convention drew to a close. As she’d hoped, the giant hall full of cutting edge designs and fabric swatches had been enough to distract Lucy from her urges for a while, but as soon as she saw Peter standing there as she stepped outside, she felt her whole body cry out again. She smiled shyly, remembering how she’d run from him earlier in the day and wondering if he’d read anything into it. If he had, he was hiding it well now, as the handsome billionaire simply smiled and held out an arm to her.

“Are you ready for dinner?”

“Sure.”

“Look at you. You’re shivering! Here, take my coat.”

“You don’t have to...”

“Take it.”

“Thanks.”

Lucy shrugged on Peter’s oversized coat and looked up at him with another timid smile. Oh God, why did he have to be such a gentleman? It was bad enough that he was smart and devilishly handsome, but having perfect manners and a gorgeous smile was just sending Lucy over the edge and she wasn’t sure how much longer her resolve would last.

Peter took her to an incredible little restaurant in the heart of the city that served Japanese food cooked by one of the top chefs in New York. Lucy had never really tried anything too exotic when it came to foods before, but she loved her first taste of sushi and the new experience of dining in the city. Peter laughed at her enthusiasm as she gave an excitable running commentary after every mouthful. She realized he was laughing at her and she smiled shyly, tucking her hair self-consciously behind her ear and looking up at him from under those long lashes.

“I suppose you eat out like this every day of the week? I must look so uncultured, getting all excited over sushi.”

“I think it’s great that you’re trying something new,” Peter told her. “It’s one of the disadvantages of having it all too young - nothing surprises you anymore. You do it all too soon and then what’s left?”

Lucy laughed lightly. “Anything you want, I suppose.”

“I know, I know,” Peter laughed at himself. “It’s a self-indulgent, spoiled attitude and I know that there’s plenty of people who’d think I was awfully ignorant to complain when I’ve got so much to my name, but I miss that sense of excitement that comes with doing something for the very first time.”

“I can’t believe that you’ve done everything. Skydiving?”

“2012. Madrid.”

“Grand Canyon.”

“Four years ago.”

“Safari.”

“Twice.”

“Hmm. Northern Lights?”

Peter sat back in his chair thoughtfully. “You know, that’s one I’ve never done.”

“I’ve wanted to see them forever,” Lucy said wistfully. “Iceland. That’s where I’d go.”

“Who knows? Maybe we’ll go together some day.”

It could have been said in innocence, but Lucy couldn’t help but read romantically into the suggestion and her heart did a little flip in her chest. She could imagine nothing more magical than standing in the snow looking upwards at waves of gorgeous light in the night sky with Peter’s arm around her. Her fantasies were growing out of control and no matter how hard Lucy tried to tell herself that Peter was off-limits, she couldn’t stop falling back into thoughts of first falling into each other’s arms in another night of incredible passion and then falling in love and growing old together. When did Lucy become this person? Hadn’t she always sworn that no man would ever make her swoon? And why
this
man? Peter was right. Fate sure did have a sense of humor.

After dinner, they headed back to Peter’s apartment, laughing and joking. Her stepbrother was a very intelligent man, but down-to-earth in a way that you wouldn’t expect of someone with his level of status and success. Lucy couldn’t fault him - he was smart, confident, funny, and handsome. Oh, and her stepbrother, too. If it wasn’t for that one, little niggling thing, Lucy would have been happy to throw her hands up in the air and confess to her mother that she’d been wrong all along and that there really
was
something special about the right man.

They entered the apartment and Peter set the kettle to boil to make some coffee, still smiling as he remembered the last joke she’d told. He turned back over his shoulder to her with a friendly smile as he waited for the appliance and said, with a slightly wistful sigh, “You know, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed the company of a woman so much. It’s a damn shame that our parents met before we did. I must apologize to you for earlier. I know I made you uncomfortable. It’s just that it’s so hard for me to get it into my head that you’re off limits. If I’d have known who you were sooner, perhaps it would have been different, but when I look at you, all I can see is that woman who blew me away the very first time I saw her standing there. You’re beautiful, Lucy.”

That was it. All of Lucy’s resolve melted away and she crossed the kitchen in three quick strides, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Peter didn’t hesitate. He kissed her back with just as much need and desire.

“I can’t hold back anymore...” Lucy confessed.

“Then don’t.”

Peter picked Lucy up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The billionaire carried her into the bedroom and threw her down onto the bed. She bounced on the mattress with an excited little giggle and kicked off her shoes, lying back as an invitation for Peter to join her, which he did. Her handsome stepbrother tore off his own shirt and then unwrapped her cardigan and pulled off her silk camisole, throwing both items to the floor. Lucy hungrily reached for the button of his pants and slipped her hand inside the material to grab hold of his member, which was hard and ready for her. She began to teasingly slide her hand up and down his shaft, making Peter begin to groan appreciatively. He let her touch him for a few more moments and then pressed her back down with strong, hungry kisses on her lips and his hand in her hair. Lucy threw off the rest of her clothes and Peter did the same.

“You’re beautiful,” Peter repeated, cupping both of her round breasts in his palm and bringing his lips down to meet them. His tongue flicked around her nipples, warm and wet and the sensation made Lucy sigh with contentment and throw her head back. His mouth moved down from her chest, to her navel and then came to rest between her legs where his tongue eagerly moved over her clitoris, causing that now-familiar pleasure to build. She moaned loudly and began to gasp as she came closer. She sat up and drew his face up to meet hers, kissing him again deeply. Then she rolled him over onto his back and eagerly climbed on top of him. His eyes locked with hers as she slowly slid over him and his mouth opened slightly in pleasure as she began to grind against him, rolling her hips back and forth and enjoying the sensation of him inside her, thick and deep. His hands held her gently at her ribcage, his thumbs running over the edges of her breasts as she moved up and down.

“Faster,” Peter encouraged, using his hands to help her find the pace. Lucy eagerly obliged and began to ride him harder and faster, throwing her head back as she became lost in the sensation. She relished the sound of Peter groaning beneath her and the feel of his hands on her body. She orgasmed just moments before him and they came together, breathless and satisfied. They rolled onto their backs side by side, laughing with guilty pleasure and kissing again passionately, until they were ready to start all over again.

*****

“Forget the convention.”

“What?” Lucy giggled, her head resting on Peter’s chest and her fingers playfully running over his bare stomach. She lifted her face to look at him and he kissed her forehead affectionately, as if they’d been together forever.

“Forget it. Spend the day with me.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“What will our parents say?”

“I don’t care. I don’t care what they say. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s unconventional, I’ll give you that, but it feels too good to let it go. We were drawn together the moment we saw each other.”

“You felt it too?” Lucy sighed with contentment and gave him a little smile. “I didn’t believe that there was such a thing as ‘chemistry’. It figures that you’d have to be the one to make me feel a spark.”

“So is that a yes? You’ll spend the day with me?”

“Yes.”

Lucy sat up and stretched and then her eye was drawn to a silver photo frame on the bedside table next to her which contained a picture of a younger Peter dressed in leathers and standing next to a motorbike. Lucy laughed out loud, picked the picture up and turned it towards Peter. “Is this you?”

Peter sat up too, looked at the photo and chuckled lightly. “Ah, yes. My one act of rebellion. I used to love riding.”

“You don’t anymore?”

“From time to time. Do you like bikes?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been on one.”

A wicked grin spread across Peter’s face. “Then today’s your luck day.”

Lucy laughed. “Seriously? You’re going to take me out on that thing?”

“It’s parked in the garage under the apartment complex.”

“You’re serious?” Lucy hesitated for a moment, but then grinned. She’d already crossed one line that weekend, so why not cross another? Perhaps it was about time that she went wild. “Alright. You’re on.”

Just a few hours later, Lucy was wearing a leather jacket in addition to her denim skinny jeans and Peter was wearing his own leather jacket, which made him appear more masculine and his muscles even more defined. Lucy practically melted upon seeing him shrug it on. He was the full package. Attractive, intelligent and funny, with a masculine edge that drove Lucy wild. Organized and hard-working, but not without his own thirst for adventure - where had Peter been all her life?

She threw caution to the wind when the billionaire held out his hand to help her onto the bike and just moments later they were speeding through the streets of New York City. Lucy didn’t know where to look first as skyscrapers and big screens flew past. The city was incredible and she was sure that there was no better way to explore it then on the back of a bike with her arms tightly wrapped around the firm waist of the man of her dreams. She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline of being on the bike or the feeling of being close to him that made her heart race, but Lucy savored the feeling.

They spent the day doing everything that Peter had promised. They went all the way to the top of the Empire State Building and took a lunchtime stroll through Central Park. He took her to the Rockefeller Center and then they ate dinner in an incredible restaurant with a breathtaking view. As night drew in, they took the bike to Broadway where they caught a show and then they took a while just to walk arm in arm through the chilly New York Streets beneath the light of a bright moon. It was the most incredible evening of Lucy’s life and she didn’t want it to end. When they found themselves at last back at Peter’s building, it was only to fall into bed together once more and then, when they woke up in the morning, they did it all over again.

When the weekend finally came to an end and Lucy knew that she had to return to her real life, she buried her head in Peter’s chest tearfully and then looked up at him, afraid.

“Peter, what happens now?”

She didn’t know why she had been afraid. Peter simply smiled at her question, as though he’d been expecting it and he tenderly brushed back a strand of her blonde hair. “What do you want to happen now?”

“I want to be with you. I want to have a hundred days like this and a hundred nights the same. I want you, Peter, but I know it’s not that easy.”

“Isn’t it? You want me. I want you. What’s complicated about that?”

“Our parents are married.”

“So what? We’re our own people, Lucy. We both know that the way we’re feeling now hasn’t come around before and very well might never come around again. Are you willing to walk away from that because it might cause a scandal? You only live once.”

“Do you mean it? You don’t care that it’s taboo?”

“I don’t care at all. You mean something to me, Lucy. You make me enjoy life again. You know I’m a cynic when it comes to love, but whatever this is, feels to me like something pretty damn close. I want to see where it goes.”

“Me, too.”

“Then it’s decided. We’re going to do this. It’s unconventional. It’s taboo. But it’s chemistry. We can’t deny it and I don’t think we should have to.”

“We’re going to do this.”

Lucy smiled brightly and threw herself into Peter’s arms again. He wrapped them around her and they embraced tightly. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. Lucy’s head was spinning and her heart leaping. This was it. She’d fallen in love at last.

*****