I hadn’t talked to Devan in quite a while, even though we lived in the same city, barely a five-minute drive apart. But whenever I saw him, my stomach flip-flopped, making me feel nervous, on edge, as if I’d been caught doing something wrong by just being in the same space as him. I tried to shake the feeling away and approached the couple cautiously.
Devan and I hadn’t grown up together, as our parents married when we were both already in our twenties, but I kind of wished that we had. It would’ve been fun to have a decent, protective, good-looking big brother around.
“Hey guys,” I said as I grabbed a mimosa and took a sip, probably bigger than I should have. The bubbles travelled up my nose, and I spluttered a cough.
“Easy there, Tiger,” Devan chortled and instantly rubbed my back, his huge hands on me.
Way to embarrass yourself, Mila.
“Hi,” Monique grunted, not making eye contact. She was too busy glaring off into the distance. Monique was dressed to the nines, as always. She definitely had an eye for fashion, and I could feel the green-eyed monster rise up within me. Monique had everything I longed for – the high-powered career, the figure – and the sweetest guy imaginable. Not to mention she didn’t make a fool of herself in front of everyone.
She also hardly ever wore the same label twice, but something was definitely off today, as she was wearing an outfit I’d seen at least once before over the holidays this year already. She looked drained, and a few wisps of her normally straight black hair were out of place.
“Excuse me,” Monique said and walked away.
“What’s that about?” I asked Devan.
“Nothing.” He shook his head and sighed. He frowned, and I could tell by his hunched shoulders and his stiff posture that he was hurting. “We’re struggling a bit, that’s all. I’m just happy she decided to ride here in the same car with me.”
He took a sip of his mimosa.
“I’m sorry,” I said, looking up at him, and touched the partially revealed tattoo that covered his forearm. I’d always admired the ever growing and striking design that wrapped around his wrists up and towards his muscular shoulders. The tail of a winding snake circled the length of his arm on one side, and a mass of colour that looked like it was painted on coated the other. I’d always meant to ask why he’d chosen a snake; it didn’t seem like him…
Not realising what I was doing, I traced a blackened edge of the snake’s outline around the top of his forearm following the curve of the tail with my fingertip. It should’ve felt like an innocent gesture, and I don’t know if it was from knocking back my drink too quickly, but a tingle travelled up and down my own skin in response. I shuddered and quickly snapped my hand back to my side.
He was drop-dead gorgeous, with short but messy dark hair and a muscular build; he’d done his duty in the Navy but left a few years ago for some reason he wouldn’t talk about. He still worked out almost every day, if his toned arms were anything to go by. I suppose it also helped that he owned a construction firm; lugging heavy materials around would no doubt add to his chiselled, cut physique.
I shuddered again and scolded myself for my wayward thoughts. He was my stepbrother, for Pete’s sake! I shouldn’t be thinking of him like that.
“Cold? Want my jacket?” he asked as he reached for his jacket that was folded over a nearby chair.
“I’m OK,” I replied and blushed, but he was already draping the worn leather across my shoulders like the gentleman he was. The ingrained smell of Devan that permeated the jacket was divine, heady, musky… forbidden.
I swallowed thickly.
Why couldn’t I find someone like Devan? His gentle emerald eyes glinted at me as he smiled. So caring, and full of love, and it made me wonder what he’d done to deserve Monique’s cold shoulder. It must’ve been something awful, right? I mean, I knew that they were having problems, but I didn’t know how bad it was. Monique was baby-crazy; everyone in the family talked about it.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, feeling guilty about my own petty problems and wayward thoughts when here were two people with much more on their minds.
“Nah, but thanks,” he said as a tiny, pained smile faded from his lips as quickly as it had come. He shook his head as if to brush the thoughts from his mind. “How are you?”
I shrugged. I didn’t really want to burden him with my issues right now when he clearly had a whole mountain of crap to deal with already.
“Oh, come on, tell me. You have this frown line right here,” he said as his fingertip smoothed out the furrowed lines upon my forehead.