Swagger: A Stepbrother Romance (11 page)

Chapter 3

Chloe felt like she was floating as she unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside. She’d never felt like this with anyone – ever. She’d already felt a bond with him, even before she met him and realized who he was, but the day at the park, the feel of his kisses and the way her body reacted to him just solidified it for her. They had issues, but they’d work through it. They were just details… and one of those details came rushing from her bedroom greeting her at the door, her blue eyes wide with her excitement.

“So? Tell me everything!” Grabbing Chloe’s hand, Abagail led her over to the sofa and flopped down onto it, pulling Chloe next to her. “How bad was it? Was I right?”

Pulling her legs up under her and shifting on the sofa so she faced her friend, Chloe shook her head. “Nope, you were dead wrong. He was amazing.”

Abagail huffed. “Really?”

“Yup. He was great. We actually know him.” Chloe had to keep telling herself not to get too excited. Abagail’s parents were great friends with her mother and Abagail had a big mouth. If she found out about her and Reed deciding to date, Chloe’s mother would know before the day was over.

The smile returned to Abagail’s lips. “Who is it?”

“Reed.”

She crinkled up her nose at me. “Reed?”

I rolled my eyes. “Reed Bennett.”

Abagail’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Like your step-brother, Reed Bennett?” She began bouncing on the sofa from her excitement. Her crush had been rather intense and apparently even after all these years she was still carrying a torch, which made Chloe even more uncomfortable.

“Former stepbrother.” Chloe corrected her. She wanted to ensure Abagail was very clear on the separation, since there may be a day where she and Reed would have to come clean to Abagail and their parents.

“Whatever. So you’re not going to be dating him. You know, since you guys were siblings at one time.”

Pasting a smile on her face, Chloe nodded. “No. I think that wouldn’t be appropriate.” She prayed Abagail wouldn’t see through her lie. They’d been best friends for a long time, but she could see Abagail’s mind was spinning no doubt excited over the idea of seeing her childhood crush.

“So, he’s attending the same college we’ll be going to?”

“Yup. He seems rather busy anyhow though.”
Liar!
A voice at the back of her head screamed.
Big fat liar!
“I don’t think he’d be a very good person to date anyhow.”

A wicked grin spread across Abagail’s lips. “Who said I’d care if I dated him or not.”

Panic began to spread through Chloe. What if Abagail made a play for him? She had to defuse this, right now. “Besides, it would be weird for me if you were to look him up. So promise you’ll just let it be.”

Her grin turned to a pout, but she sighed and nodded. “Okay. You’re right. If I could live without Reed all these years, then I can continue to survive.”

Relief flooded her, she had no doubt Reed would turn Abagail away even if she did decide to track him down, but if she could defuse the situation before it began that was ideal.

Her grin returned. “Oh hey, remember the bet we all used to have?”

I do and I won
. “Vaguely.”

Abagail clucked her tongue off of the roof of her mouth as her eyes darted over to the computer. “So are you going to go back on the hunt for Mr. Prince Charming?”

“Nah.” Standing Chloe faked a yarn, stretching her arms over her head. Although she was hardly tired, she’d felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and knew exactly who the message was coming from and was anxious to see what he had to say. “I think I’ll take a quick nap. It’s been a long day. I barely slept all night I was so worried about the date.”

“And just think, after all that you’re back to where you started. But at least he wasn’t a stalker or some icky guy looking to score with younger woman.” Abagail took her Chloe’s hand and gave it a sympathetic squeeze before releasing it. “You’ll find Mr. Right.”

~*~*~*~

“After this game, you gotta peel man.” Reed said pulling the cue back and taking the shot, sinking the ball into the corner pocket. He had
 
two remaining, while Corey was working on sinking the 8 ball.

“What? Why?” Corey waited as Reed finished his shot, missing the pocket.

“Because Chloe is meeting me here in - ” he checked his watch. “10 minutes and I want you out of here when she arrives.”

“Ahh, no.” He lined up his shot, took it and sank the 8 ball, winning the round. “I want to at least meet this chick that you seem so working up over. I’ll be honest, the fact you met a hot girl on the internet seems rather far-fetched to me. I want to see the proof for myself.”

Reed began grabbing the balls from the pockets to begin racking them up again when he saw her enter. He could feel the dorky grin spreading across his lips and was powerless to stop it. 24 hours had passed since they parted ways at the park and there had barely been a minute that he hadn’t thought of her, even his dreams had been consumed with her.

She stopped just inside the entranceway and scanned the pool hall until she spotted him and gave a wave as she proceeded towards him. He watched his intently watching the way her hips swayed with each step under the thin fabric of the knee length black skirt she was wearing. His eyes moved up to the red blouse unbuttoned just enough to give him a hint of what to expect underneath the fabric. To his dismay an erection began to form watch from watching her.

She’s going to think I’m some sort of sex-starved fucking pervert, I can’t even be near her without being hard.
 

He gave Corey a swat on the shoulder. “Okay, man. Game over. Beat it.”

“Wow. I was wrong. Shit, if chicks like that are on the internet then maybe I need to take a crack at it.”

Reed laughed. “Problem is they usually get to know you first online and I doubt you’d make it to the first date.”

Corey laughed with him. “Prick.”

 
As she approached, she hesitated a moment a dubious look on her face, no doubt considering what type of greeting would be appropriate. Taking her out of her misery and perhaps being a little forward, although he didn’t care, Reed put down the pool cue and slipped his arms around her, pulling her in tight to him despite the fact she’d feel his erection. Fuck it if she did.

“Would it sound desperate and stalkerish if I told you I’d missed you,” he whispered into her ear so Corey couldn’t hear before regrettably pulling away. He could see the disappoint in her eyes as he pulled away and it made him feel damned good.

She gave him a saucy little grin. “Little bit. But I feel the same way.”

He’d almost forgotten Corey was still there, until the sound of someone loudly clearing his throat from behind, reminded him. turning and stepping aside he motioned towards Corey. “This would be my roommate Corey.”

She took a step back and eyed first Reed, then Corey and then back to Reed. “Wow, you two look a lot alike.”

“Yeah, we get that a lot.”

Corey slung his arm around Reed’s shoulder. “Yeah, when we were Freshmen we’d tell chicks we were brothers. Seems chicks and their friends love dating brothers.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she cocked a brow at Reed. “You did that huh?”

Reed shot Corey a glare. “Look, change of plans, let’s get out of here. Corey can pick up the tab.” He turned back to Corey and gave him a pat on the back. “Right pal.”

Corey jaw clenched. “Yeah, would love to.”

“Good.” Grinning, Reed slipped an arm around Chloe’s waist and escorted her from the pool hall, a little quicker than necessary. Corey had lots of shit on him and would be more than happy to share it with Chloe. Since this relationship, if that was what it was, was so new he was determined to make a great impression. She seemed to think he really was the Prince Charming she’d been praying for and he didn’t want that to change. Corey telling her all the stupid shit he’d done over the past few years certainly wouldn’t paint a wonderful picture. He’d appear like every other dick she’d encountered and dammit he wanted to be better than that for her.

“You seemed to be trying to get me out of there pretty quick?”

Reed looked down at her as they walked across the parking lot towards his car. She was eyeing him intently, but an amused smile played on her lips. “If you get him talking we’ll be there all night, and maybe I want you to myself tonight.”

“Nice save.” She said laughing.
 
“What does he have on you?”

“More than I’d like.” Reaching his car, he opened the door for her and motioned for her to get in. “I’ll bring you back for your car later.”

She placed a hand on his chest, refusing to enter the vehicle. “Just wait a second. I want to know a secret. Something he has on you. It can’t be any worse than some of the stupid crap you did when we were kids.”

“Don’t be so sure.” Reed thrust a hand into his hair. “Come on. It’s just stupid, embarrassing things really.” He motioned a second time for her to enter.

She leaned against the door, refusing to budge a wide smile on her lips. She was enjoying his discomfort. “Secret first. Or maybe I should go find Corey…” She pushed off of the door and started to walk past him.

Grabbing her wrist, he stopped her in her tracks. “No. Wait. You win. Get in the car and I’ll share a secret.” He cocked a brow at her. “Happy?”

Spinning back around she planted a kiss on his cheek and then slipped inside of the car. “Very.”

~*~*~*~

Chloe watched Reed through the windshield as he walked around the front of the car and slipped into the driver’s side.

“So, spill. A secret and not some silly nonsensical one. I want a juicy one.”

He slumped back into his head and sighed. “Fine. I dated a girl who was insanely religious and was a virgin, so I told her I was one too thinking she’d sleep with me quicker. I was twenty-one, hadn’t been a virgin for a while.”

“Did she believe you?”

Reed chuckled and slipping the key into the ignition and starting the car. “Nope. She broke up with me. Apparently I was sent to her by God to tempt her.” He huffed, rolling his eyes. “Yeah.”

Her eyes narrowed at him. “So how old were you?”

He opened his mouth and snapped it shut. “twenty.”

A roar of laughter exploded from her. “Bullshit.”

“What?”

“I know for a fact you fucked Andrea Lawson in the woods behind the high school when you were 16.”

Reed’s brow furrowed as he shut off the car. “How do you know that?”

“Are you kidding? Andrea has such a big mouth. Everyone in town knew that.”

“You were only twelve, how did you find out?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I was twelve, not stupid. Information trickles down.”

“Oh…” He leaned forward to turn the car back on and then stopped. “Alright, fair is fair. What about you?”

Her smile faded. “What about me what?” It was fun hearing him confess, but not so fun when the tables were turned.

“When was your first?”

Chloe looked down at the purse sitting in her lap and began to tinker with the golden chain strap.

“Have you?”

The intensity of his stare made her even more uncomfortable. She didn’t want him to think she was some unexperienced little girl. But if things were to progress, he’d know anyhow. “I’ve never actually. Its not to say I haven’t experienced other stuff, but the actual… sex. Not so much.”
 
She lifted her eyes to see him smiling, not a contradictory smile but one of reassurance.

“That’s good because being the ex-older-stepbrother I would feel the need to kick the ass of whoever took the virtue of my ex-young-stepsister.”

Their eyes locked a minute, the with a burst of laughter Chloe swatted him in the chest with her clutch. “You’re such an idiot. Just take me on this date you planned already.”

 
Joining in with her laughter he started the car and pulled out onto the road.
 
Despite her questions he refused to tell her where he was taking her for their mystery date, but that was okay by her, they could be spending the evening in complete silence staring at a blank wall and she’d be perfectly alright with that, just being with him was all she needed.