Stepbrother Holiday

Hayden

If he had to be honest, Hayden would have to say that his attraction to Nina started from the very first time his dad mentioned her mother Sarah. Despite the fact that his father had effectively retired from running the Arrington Group, he was still on the board of directors and owned a majority share. That made him very wealthy, and very powerful.

So it was only natural for Hayden, the only son, to look into the woman and make sure that she wasn’t some kind of gold digger, or worse, from one of the many multinational groups around the world vying against their company. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

That was when he first came across Nina. The picture of her is still fresh in his mind. She was posing with her mother on her high school graduation. The goofy graduation cap sat atop her rich chocolate curls, which cascaded around her shoulders. Her smile was small and he caught a guarded look in her eye as she looked at the camera. He wished he could pinpoint what it was that caught his eye. After all, a man like Hayden had his choice of women, and he had always thought he knew what he liked.

And she was nothing like it.

He paused only for a second before moving on. Feelings, indecision, and the like had no place in the lives of a man like Hayden. He had to make a million business decisions every day. His family’s wealth and reputation depended on his ability to pick the right choice and to know exactly what needed to be done. Whatever it was that he felt for Nina was pushed aside so that he could figure out exactly what kind of risk Sarah and his father’s relationship could possibly be.

For a while, Hayden was able to forget about her. There were galas and parties, and more than enough women in the present who were able to satisfy his physical needs. With his good looks and astonishing wealth, Hayden never lacked for company. But he felt an undeniable sense that they weren’t enough, that they weren’t who he wanted, which he wouldn’t admit to himself, even as he asked for the private investigator to continue looking into Nina.

As he got to know her, he became even more intrigued. Then, his father and Sarah had announced they wanted to get married. An ultra-private affair, with just their children to witness the ceremony. Hayden was more than happy with that. He prepared for the meeting with Nina the same way he did for everything else in his life- with a thorough precision. But for once, all his preparation didn’t save him from the actual thing.

From his first sight of her, she’d stopped his heart short. She’d been wearing a breezy, little sundress at the airport. The gauzy material strained over her plump breasts, the ruffles along the sweetheart neckline only accenting them even more. He could make out the silhouette of her long legs underneath the floral hem, making him even harder than if he could have seen it all. He heard the security guard sniggering as he let himself get checked, but Hayden didn’t even care. That was how much her presence had affected him.

Hayden realized that arranging to sit next to her on the flight might not have been the best idea after all. He hadn’t anticipated how much his body would react. It had taken nearly everything in him to avert his gaze as she leaned toward him to talk, the two of them in their own little space. When she spoke, her whole face would become animated, every single feeling brought to the surface for him to read. Her innocent little blushes as he worked his charm, was such a sweet contrast to her womanly body. He wanted her, and he was going to get her.

What he didn’t expect was to fall in love.

Even now, as he thought back upon it, he couldn’t believe he let it happened. She was going to be his stepsister after all. She was supposed to be off limits. But in the moment, the way she smiled and let her intentions show through in her face, even as she tried so hard to keep her guard up, made him fall hopelessly in love. She seemed to brighten the air around her, softening it, softening him, and giving him the permission he needed to let go of everything else.

Nina

“Did you remember to get your passport? And some emergency clothes in case the airline loses your luggage? Ever since Sonya lost hers on her trip to London last year I’ve been so paranoid!”

“I have,” Nina replied with a sigh. How old does my mom think I am anyways? Twelve? She thought irritably. It was as if those two years packing up to fly to university didn’t register in her mom’s mind at all. Nina had got it down to a science, packing her bags to go cross country for summer and winter break. A weeklong trip to St. Lucia was a cinch.

“Well I’m just reminding you because you’re so forgetful Nina,” her mother said. “Oh no I don’t like strawberries, how many times did I have to…”

Nina rolled her eyes as her mother started talking to a waitress of some kind about her order. Ever since she’d met that billionaire Douglas, she’d started to get very high and mighty about things, as though that was what rich people were supposed to do in her mind. Not that Nina and her mother were rich by any means. That’s why Nina was struggling under crippling student loans.

But not for much longer. That was because her mother was about to become Mrs. Douglas Arrington, CEO and owner of just about every company everywhere. Nina had been shocked when her mother, who was employed in Douglas’ company as a secretary, had somehow managed to snag the boss’ heart. It was straight out of some kind of cheesy movie. At first, Nina had tried to warn her mom about rich men and their attitudes towards women, but Douglas was different. He was gentle, and kind, and a genuinely good guy.

“Mom. Mom. MOM!” she yelled, trying to get her mom’s attention.

A few people turned around in the security check line to stare at her. Nina looked away. Trust her mom to manage to embarrass her from a thousand miles away.

“Yes honey?”

“I’ve got to go now. I’m at the security check and I don’t think they’d take too kindly if I was on the phone.”

“Alright. I love you. There was something important that I wanted to call you about, but I completely forgot now… Oh well. Have a safe flight Nina. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too. See you soon.”

Nina hung up and sighed. Of course her mother would forget the actual reason she was calling. If she had to be truthful, her grumpiness stemmed not from the fact that she was going to St. Lucia in the middle of the semester, but that her mother had actually managed to find herself a boyfriend, and then a husband, before Nina could have had her first. Like, how unfair was that? She thought, throwing her phone back into her purse. I’d kill to even go on a date.

When she was in high school, Nina had focused completely on her grades. Her mother was never going to make enough to send her to university on a secretary’s salary, and so she knew that she had to rely on scholarships and student loans if she was going to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Nina was fine with it. High school guys were incredibly immature. They couldn’t see why she had to work so hard, and for the most part, they were a hindrance.

But when she got to Berkeley, Nina became even more lost. Suddenly, she felt like she was unprepared to talk to guys. She’d say the wrong thing, or choke up. Not knowing what to do, she retreate

d back into the world of academics. It was like high school was supposed to prepare her for flirting and everything else, but she’d missed out on that part of her life. And now it was too late to catch up.

Then her mother had to get herself a boyfriend and rub the salt in a little further.

Maybe it won’t be so bad, she tried to think. There’ll be lots of cute guys in St. Lucia. Maybe nothing long term, but it’d be good to get laid, wouldn’t it? To maybe get a few drunken makeouts in? Practise a little so that when she got back to school she wouldn’t feel like such a virgin prude. Yeah… like that’ll make everything better.

Lost in her thoughts, Nina hardly registered that she’d arrived to the front of the line. The guard directed her towards the left line. A tall guy was waiting ahead of her, removing his laptop from his briefcase.

“Here,” he said to her, handing her a bin.

“Thanks,” she said automatically.

“Sure thing.”

Nina looked up and froze. Wow, he was handsome, she thought, her breath stopping short. A spark of electricity shot down her spine, rendering her motionless. Something about him just captivated her. Of course there were good looking guys at her school, and she had always appreciated them.

But he was different. His light blue eyes were framed with blonde lashes, and he had a dimple in his right cheek, giving him an impish air. She couldn’t help but to smile back at him. In response his smile grew wider. He tipped his head towards her for a moment before turning back to give the security guard his passport.

Nina took that moment to really look at him. The charcoal V-neck he was wearing showed off his broad shoulders to perfection, and hinted at a toned, flat stomach. Nina’s heart began to pound as her eyes roamed over him, unable to look away. Something about him drew her like a magnet.

“Boarding pass?” the security guard asked, breaking into her thoughts.

She looked up and closed her gaping mouth.

“Boarding pass? For your flight?” the guy said, smirking at her.