Stepbrother Untouchable(49)

I freeze outside another store just as I'm about to reach the elevators. Victoria's Secret. My relationship with Nate isn't “gross.” There's nothing wrong with what we're doing. If anything, my conversation with Allison has made me want to lean into my relationship with Nate, not out of it. I march in and straight to the raciest pieces I see.

When I get home, I hear my mom and Pierce laughing in the kitchen, and the TV from the den. I walk in there and smile in relief at the sight of Nate with his feet up on the couch. He moves his legs over and I plop down.

“Hi,” I murmur with a smile.

“Hi,” he replies. “What's wrong?” I frown at him, and he reaches up to his shoulder, miming pulling at something. I stare at him for a moment before realizing he's mirroring my own action of pulling at my hair. I sigh and drop my hand.

“It's Allison. We had an argument,” I explain. “She…she found out.” He cocks his head and then lets out a low whistle as he realizes what I mean.

“Well, I suppose it's not that bad. I mean, I always thought…” he lowers his voice, looking back toward the kitchen where our parents are still talking. “I always thought that at school, we could be more open. No one really knows you're my stepsister there. I mean, Allison would have found out then anyway, right?”

“I guess so…she just…she called it 'gross.' We're not, are we?”

“Well, I certainly don't think there's anything gross about you.”

“It's more than that, though. I feel like we're drifting apart a little,” I reveal, swallowing a ball of hurt in my throat.

“Mm,” he replies, considering. “Like me and Jackson, sort of. Well, maybe you won't be quite as close as you were, but there are still things you can enjoy about her.”

“When'd you get so wise?” I ask, nudging his feet next to me.

“Since I started hanging out with you. You're rubbing off on me.”

Before I have time to consider whether he's being serious or not, we hear my mom call, “Dinner!” from the kitchen, and are forced to put our conversation on hold.

Pierce seems to be in an unusually good mood during the meal, for which I'm grateful. Not for his sake, but for Nate's, because he's much less likely to snap at his son when he's feeling jovial.

“Well, we haven't made an official announcement, Brynn, but Thornhill and Co. has just landed Mark Broadman as a client,” he reveals eventually.

“The hedge fund billionaire?”

“That's right. He has several new holdings, and needs advice on some public policy matters.”

“Wow, that's huge. Congrats, Dad,” Nate chimes in. Pierce nods at him in a self-satisfied manner.

“I'm glad it's all—I'm glad that's happened, Pierce,” I correct myself. I almost referenced the scandal earlier this summer, but managed to change course. We never talk about it now, though I know that Pierce was concerned that it would negatively impact his business. But landing such a big client is a good sign that people have moved on, and are on Pierce's side.

After dinner, Nate and I leave the dining room separately, while our parents remain there chatting. We always make a show of going our separate ways, to keep up appearances. I close my bedroom door knowing that he'll come for me around midnight, as he has every night this past week. My body quivers with excitement just thinking about it.

I consider writing an email to Allison, but decide I want a little more time to think about what to say. I turn to my purse and pull out the bag from Victoria's Secret that I stuffed to the bottom. I touch the black lace panties, a narrow diamond-shaped piece of fabric that just covers the essentials, with several thin strips, string, really, hooking around my hips and latching on to the back. The bra is conservative by contrast, though pretty with its Chantilly lace-covered cups.

I take a shower and then head downstairs for a cup of tea. I'm taking a mug down from the top cupboard when I feel Nate come up behind me. He wraps his hands around my waist and presses against me.

“Nate, not here!” I whisper.

“I know, I'm sorry,” he murmurs in my ear. “I just want you all the time.”

“I have a surprise for you tonight,” I admit. He grinds his erection into my ass in response, his hands reaching under my shirt.

“You're killing me,” he moans, then sighs, and rests his head on mine before pulling away. “See you soon.” I lean against the counter as I hear him retreat, my skin tingling where he's touched it. I know that sneaking around won't work forever, but for now, there's something so hot about it.

I take my decaf Earl Grey up to my room, and change into the lingerie as I drink it, carefully pulling out the tags. I sink into bed with a yawn, pulling the sheet up over me. These late night assignations, while I wouldn't give them up for anything, are wreaking havoc on my sleep schedule.