Wrong: A Stepbrother Romance

“Fair enough,” I laughed. “But I guess it’s just too complicated to explain.”

“Fine. You seeing someone new then? You’ve got that glow,” Natalie said. Riley dropped her jaw and pointed urgently at me.

“Doesn’t she? She’s fucking someone, but she won’t tell me who!”

“Aww.” Natalie peered over my shoulder behind me. “Tuck’ll be so disappointed.”

I cocked my head at her. “What?”

“My brother, Tuck? He’s always thought you were the hottest little thing.”

“Omigod!” Riley gasped. “Sash used to have such a crush on Tuck!”

I laughed. “Briefly, I did.” It barely registered in my memories but when I thought about it, I did have a week of infatuation after I tripped in the hallway at school and Tuck Mathis, in all his senior-boy-varsity-football-playing glory, caught me before I hit the ground. I was the new girl then, and he was the king of the school, so it was an inevitable fascination – albeit one that was on and off, and generally off since Liam visited once a week.

“Yeah, well Tuck’s crush started in more recent years or I would’ve told you, Sash. But you were never single, so there was no point.”

“Oh.” I raised my eyebrows since it was all news to me. “From what I recall, he was rarely ever single either,” I said. I wasn’t super close to Tuck Mathis but I did know that he was pretty much like the typical guys who went to Onyx Fitness – gelled hair, in finance and always attached to some fast-talking PR babe named Blaire or Paige.

“Yeah, well I guess it’s been a year of breakups because I’m freshly single, so are you, and so is he,” Natalie smirked. She wound her thick hair around her finger as she nodded behind me. “Speaking of the devil. Tuck – look who I found!”

When I turned, I did a double take. I’d seen Tuck last Thanksgiving, but somehow, I didn’t recognize him at all. His thick brown coif was buzzed short now and he’d put on so much mass that even his jaw seemed wider.

“Damn, someone’s been working out,” Riley said as he greeted her first with a hug.

“That post-breakup lifting. You know how it goes,” he grinned before coming to me. “Sash. Not even gonna apologize for sweating all over you.” I burst out laughing and grimaced as Tuck pulled me in for a bear hug, squeezing me tighter with every grossed-out sound I made.

“I just told Sasha that you’ve always had the hots for her, so she’s definitely not even surprised that you’re trying to rub yourself all over her right now,” Natalie said. Tuck pulled back with an unapologetic laugh.

“Shit,” he said. “Secret’s out.”

“You look distraught.”

“Extremely,” Tuck grinned at me, pulling his red T-shirt up to wipe the sweat from his face. He took his time, and I knew I was supposed to look down at his impressively cut six-pack. But while Riley did, I felt little compulsion. “So, did my sister have the good sense to help me ask if you were single these days?”

“I did, but I don’t think we got a solid answer on that one,” Natalie said, returning her inquisitive gaze to me. “I mean it’s all family here, Sash. Spill the beans. Is there someone new in your life or are you – oh my God.”

To my relief, Natalie magically dropped the subject and sprinted off. But she didn’t go far. I turned to my right just in time to catch her jumping like an acrobat into Liam’s arms. I had to marvel at how high up she’d gotten on him, her toned legs wrapped around the middle of his naked torso, and her elbows resting on his muscled shoulders.

“Christ. Hello to you, too,” Liam laughed, letting Natalie squeal her excitement to see him and plant kisses all over his cheeks. I swallowed, surprised by the tick of possessiveness I felt. Perhaps it was the sudden memory of trips to Hudson Valley with Riley and Liam. We always wound up going to Junction Pub, where we’d find all the other neighborhood “kids” who were escaping their parents during their holiday visits. Natalie, despite her size, was always the only girl to keep up with Liam in terms of drinking, and there was one year I remembered where they’d spent the entire night together in a corner. There was no forgetting the way Liam rubbed his hand up and down her thigh, his hand wandering up higher and higher with her every murmur in his ear.

Ugh. My jaw tightened as I realized just how many memories I had of Liam with other girls. I reminded myself not to hold a grudge against his past as he ambled over to us, unaffected by the hundred pounds of human still hanging from his neck. “Reunion over here?”

“Something like it,” Tuck grinned. “How you been, man?”

“Can’t complain,” Liam replied as Natalie hopped off him but kept him close, wrapping him in a hug that had her cheek pressed against his bare chest. “How about you guys?”

“Good!” Natalie piped up. “We were just having a jolly old time prying into Sasha’s sex life. She’s got that good-dick glow to her and we’re trying to get to the bottom of it.”

“Good-dick glow, huh?” Liam smirked. The way his emerald gaze fixed on me made me feel so exposed I had to look away. “I don’t think I’m familiar with that term.”

“Oh, you know,” Natalie giggled. “It’s when the blood is pumping nice and healthy ‘cause you’ve been getting some good dick. Usually the eight-plus inch kind that’s just a bit curved and hits your G-spot like – ”

“Fuck, Nat,” Tuck scolded. “The last person who wants to hear you talk about Sasha like that is Liam.”

“Oh, boohoo, they’re both grown-ass adults. He knows Sasha has a sex life. Don’t you, Liam?”

Liam smirked, taking his time to answer. “I’m well aware,” he finally said, turning his gaze to me, torturing me in public the way he knew I hated. The fuck, Liam. I turned away, acting suddenly very interested in some guy doing burpees. From the corner of my eye, I saw Natalie still clinging to Liam’s arm.