Step Stalker

These are not the thoughts of a hero.

These are not even the thoughts of a decent human being.

Everyone in this airport has placed me on a pedestal and it’s up to me to remain there. All my life, I’m going to be the man who killed the world’s most hated man. I’m a representative of the Navy. The son of a general. I cannot be lusting after my stepsister. It would be wrong even if I was a regular old Joe, but I’m not.

I’m Vale Butler, a decorated Navy SEAL.

I’m going to be a commander at the naval base, training recruits.

There is no room for slip-ups.

But lord, she radiates comfort. The same brand of sweet care her letters gave me.

Those lavish lips spread into a smile, eyes sparkling like emeralds, and she springs forward to hug me. Fuck. I almost groan the word out loud as her curves mold to my strength, her gorgeous body plastering to mine, soft on hard. She smells lightly of incense and I inhale greedily, closing my arms around her. Holding on tight.

And all of the noise around me disappears, leaving only Lula.

There’s only the sound of her breathing against my throat, her heart rapping against my abdomen, on account of our height difference. She’s the lighthouse in a storm. I’ve already been holding her an inappropriate amount of time, especially for a stepsister I’ve never met before, but I can’t seem to pry my arms from around her.

“Welcome home, Vale,” she murmurs, the husky notes of her voices hardening my shaft even more, pressing it to her belly. But when she looks up at me, I can see she has no idea I’m erect. No idea that this instantaneous attraction is burning me alive. That I’d like to drag her into the nearest available room and work out this raw lust in a frenzy.

On top of being my stepsister, she must be a virgin.

Don’t even think about it, Vale.

I’m not. I can’t.

Still, when I finally manage to step back from Lula, the chants of my name sound like a mockery. An accusation. I’m obviously not the true-blue hero they think I am.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Lula says, her cheeks flushed from my too-close attention.

I’m staring. I’m holding her by the elbows, worried she’ll get away. Or someone will try and hurt this sweet girl who has been sending letters to basecamp for a year. Letters that were witty and kind and didn’t pry. She talked about herself a little, but mostly she spoke about nature and beautiful things happening around the world. Things that aren’t war. Those stories transported me and I appreciated them, but damn, now I wish she’d talked more about herself.

I want to know everything.

“Thank you for writing to me,” I manage, my voice sounding unnatural. Almost predatory. In need. “Your letters…I don’t know what I would have done without them.”

“Really?” She breathes huskily, causing velvet bolts to twist in my balls. “I didn’t bore you with flower life cycles and meditation techniques?”

“God no. I only wished they were longer.”

“Oh,” she says, the stain deepening on her cheeks.

Jesus Christ, she’s too sweet. Too good for the world I’ve been living in. And yet I want to rip her out of that flowery dress she’s wearing and lick her pussy until she screams.

I’m not even sure she’s legal. We never exchanged ages. I’ve been imagining her younger this whole time. No matter what, she’s a damn sight younger than my thirty-two years. Add our age difference to the list of reasons I shouldn’t be rock hard right now. I’d like to fall on the excuse than I haven’t been laid in a couple of years. That has nothing to do with this, though. It might make my need for relief more urgent, but I’ve never reacted to a female like this in my life.

Christ, not even close. I’m starving for her.

“All right,” my father says, sounding somewhat uncomfortable. “I think the vultures have seen enough of our reunion. Let’s go home.”

Home.

The house where I grew up. I’ll only be staying there for a few nights before heading to Coronado where I’ll be stationed at the naval base going forward. As a commander. But for the next three nights, I’ll be in close quarters with Lula. My stepsister. And I have no idea how I’m going to survive without feeling her naked body beneath mine.

Vanessa and my father turn and hustle through the crowd toward the exit.

Lula seems concerned when I remain rooted to the spot. Going home with her is going to be my salvation and my doom. Five minutes around this girl and I’m already infatuated beyond belief. It’s taking an immense effort to control myself. To keep my hands at my sides. To keep from acting as her human shield against threats—they’re everywhere. If something happened to her, I would go off like a fucking bomb.