She didn’t move. “What’s wrong, Carly?” her mother asked.
Carly? She’d given him a fake name!
She shook her head. “I have the feeling we’ve met before. Clark, isn’t it?”
Her mom frowned. “No, it’s Rob. Wouldn’t that have been funny if you two knew each other?”
He reached out his hand and did his best to stifle a grin. “Nice to meet you, sis.”
She took his hand and squeezed it hard. “Yes, very nice to meet you,
Rob
.”
“Carly, is it?” He rubbed his chin. “You don’t look like a Carly to me.”
They stood there staring at each other, and his father finally broke the silence. “Rob, you didn’t need to get dressed up for the rehearsal. Why don’t you take off your tie?”
Rob stepped back and straightened the knot at his throat. “No, I’m fine, Dad. I wasn’t sure how casual this was going to be.” He smoothed his tie down. “I’ll leave it on.”
Carly faked a cough, probably trying not to laugh about the hickey he was hiding.
“As you can see, Carly didn’t do much with herself. I do hope you’re planning to fix your hair before the reception, dear,” her mother said, frowning.
Carly looked indignant. It was a cute look on her.
“I can give you a lift home, if you’d like,” Rob offered.
Delilah set her hand on his arm. “What a wonderful gesture. It’ll give you two a little time to get to know each other better. I want you two to be real close, just like a brother and sister.” She looped her other arm through Carly’s. “I’m so excited to start this new happy little family.”
“I need a bathroom,” Carly said with her hand over her stomach. She turned from him and tried to flee, but her mother pulled her back. “Honey, you and Rob are walking down the aisle together. Line up. The rehearsal’s starting.”
He held up his elbow to escort her and she narrowed her eyes, then looped her arm through his. “Not one word,” she hissed at him.
“I could never do something like that to my new sister.”
She tried to step on his shoe, but he was too quick for her.
They lined up and waited for their cue. “I must say, you look even more radiant—although that could be due to all your blushing.”
She smiled and talked through clenched teeth. “Shut up, or I’ll take your tie off.”
The idea didn’t seem half bad. Because even though the vixen from the night before was his new step-sister, that didn’t do anything to stop the desire pounding through him to the beat of more, more, more.
He caught her stealing glances at him throughout the rehearsal. As bold as she’d been in bed, she’d definitely hadn’t been lying about not doing the one-night boogie very often. She seemed truly mortified the day after. And while she was trying to flash him nasty looks, he knew lust when he saw it. She was probably feeling as conflicted as he was.
And hopefully just as horny, too.
She stalked off to the parking lot after lunch, and he chased after her. “Hey, I’m giving you a ride to your place.”
“No need. I’ve got my car.” She wouldn’t face him.
He spotted her mother catching up to them. “Oh, good. I wanted to be sure you had time to fix yourself up a bit. Can you take her, Rob?’
“I can drive myself, Mom.” She tucked a stray strawberry-blond hair behind her ear.
Her mother dismissed the idea with the wave of her hand. “Take some time to get to know each other. You’re family now.”
He held open his passenger door for her. “Hop in, sis.”
She got in and slammed the door, crossing her arms like a petulant tween.
He waited for her mother to wander away before he leaned over, wrapped his hand around the back of her head, and kissed her. She pulled back for a moment, but then her mouth melted onto his with a moan as inspired as it had been the night before, although a bit quieter.
“Looks like I’ve still got the touch,” he said, skimming his tongue along her jaw line.
She arched her head back “You’re arrogant.”
Nuzzling his nose along her neck, he laughed. “I know.”
“And cocky,” she said, whimpering as he bit her ear.
“Go on.”
She wrapped her hand around his head. “And a total playboy.” She pulled away from him and looked out the window. “Leave before someone sees us.”
“Whatever you want, Samantha.”
Damn, it was a long fifteen-minute drive to her apartment.
***
Carly couldn’t believe she was returning to her place—with the man she’d pushed out just a few hours earlier.
He walked in behind her, and slid his hand on her hips. He kissed the nape of her neck and she froze as he pulled the clip from her hair. “Need some help getting ready? I’d say we have two hours before we have to leave.”
Her heart was pounding even harder than it had been the night before. She wanted to push him out the door again; but she wanted to pull him back into her bed even more.
She shook her head. “You’re a pig-headed jerk.
And
you’re my stepbrother!” She wiggled her way out of his arms and stormed into the living room.
“Pig-headed jerk, maybe. But I’m not your stepbrother yet.” He followed her in and looked at his watch. “They won’t be officially married for another few hours.” He sat down on the couch and reached for her hand.
She couldn’t resist. She set her palm on his and he pulled her down onto his lap. “If we do it again, I won’t be a one-night stand. I’m sure that would make you feel better,” he said.
He probably got whatever—and whoever—he wanted with that grin. She unzipped the back of her sundress. “Very persuasive, Clark. I guess one more time won’t hurt.”
He shimmied the dress off her and tossed it to the ground. “I just want make you happy again, Samantha.”
And he did make her very, very happy. They had half an hour to get back to the wedding site. She looked in the mirror and swore. “The whole point of me coming back here was to do my hair. It looks even worse!” She tried fluffing it with her fingers and groaned.
Sorry Mom, my new brother raked my ‘do out of place when he had me up against the wall?
“Can I help?” he asked, pulling at the waistband of her panties as she stood in front of her vanity in the bedroom.
“Get out of here and stop being hot.” She shooed him away with her hands.
“My clothes are in the car. I better go get dressed. Unless you think the folks would like this look.” He turned around, modeling his striped boxers.
“Go!” she said, sliding her flat iron through her hair. “And stop calling them our folks.” She closed her eyes and sighed. Her stepbrother. Of course he was her stepbrother.
Her mother tapped her wrist like she was checking an imaginary watch when the two of them walked into the church. The wedding started in twenty minutes, and Mom had wanted her there ten minutes ago.
Her mother tilted her head to look at her hairdo. “I thought you were going to fix your hair?”
Carly patted her head, back in an updo with an attempt at a few curls. “I tried, but, uh, my flat iron died on me.”
Her mother pursed her lips. “Well, I hope you two had a chance to chat, at least.”
Rob set his hand on Carly’s shoulder. “We did. We really hit it off.”
Carly rushed away from him with the pretense of poufing the bottom of her mother’s dress. It was white and flouncy, with tiny pearl straps holding up the bodice. Far too young for her, but her mother glowed in it. “You look beautiful, Mom. You’re a gorgeous bride.” She stood up and smiled at her mother.
She set her hand on Carly’s cheek. “And some day you will be too.”
Carly rolled her eyes and smoothed her pale blue sheath.
“Hey, you never know when or where you’re going to meet Mr. Right,” she said.
“No, I only manage to meet Mr. Totally Wrong, again and again,” Carly said, narrowing her eyes at Rob.
Rob cleared his throat, and Wayne came up between them. “Let’s get a few family photos before the ceremony starts.”
“Good. I just know I’m going to cry all my mascara off,” her mother said.
Me too
.
“Rob, get behind Carly, and set your hands on her shoulders.”
“Sure thing, Delilah.”
She squeezed his arm. “Call me Mom, dear.”
“No!” Carly said, trying to lean forward away from Rob. “Don’t.”
“Honey, what’s the matter? Rob is part of our family. I think you two should be thrilled to have each other, both of you being only children. Not anymore, though!” She clasped her hands together in glee. “I may be twenty years late, but I finally got you that baby brother you always wanted.”
Carly quietly groaned and looked at him. “I’m twenty-six. You’re younger than me?”
He gave her a nice big grin. “Twenty-five. This day just gets better and better.” Rob settled his hand on her shoulders and skated his thumb along her collarbone while no one was looking.
She would have told him to knock it off, but her throat was too tight.
After posing for pictures they lined up in the ballroom, ready to march down the gazebo. Rob smiled at her. “How you holding up?”
She laughed nervously and twirled the bouquet of pink roses in her hands. “I’ll be feeling a lot better when this day is over.”
“We still have tomorrow to look forward to.”
She faked a smile. “Right. Almost forgot. The family picnic.”
He winked at her. “I’ll give you a ride there.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head, holding out her arm for him to take, all while trying to ignore him—and the traitorous feelings ballooning inside her. What had she done in a past life to deserve this?
The ceremony was lovely, and her mother did cry off much of her mascara. Carly had forgotten to put hers on, so no problem there. In the receiving line, she stood next to Rob, who occasionally nudged the back of her knee with his, and brushed up against her whenever he could. Perfectly obnoxious, just like she imagined a stepbrother would be. That is, a stepbrother she’d slept with.
“I’m going to kill you,” she whispered, with a tight smile.
“I’m telling Mom.”
She jabbed him with her elbow.
She tried shaking him off most of the night because she didn’t know if she could remember not to wrap her arms around him in front of everyone who thought they were just brand-new siblings. But he found her whenever she wandered off. After a very awkward dance in front of all their friends and family, they made their way outside to the gazebo where she finally took a deep breath.
“Seems like just yesterday I met you on a different starry night,” he said, looking up at the sky. “Wait. That was yesterday.”
“Hilarious.”
He sat down on the floor of the gazebo, pulled her down next to him, and they started it up all over again. He was more addictive than her daily Starbucks fix, and—exactly like her new favorite brew—she couldn’t get enough and she wanted nothing but.
She pulled away. “We’ve got to stop this.”
He nipped at her for another kiss. “Why?”
That deserved an eye roll. “Because you annoy the hell out of me, and I don’t feel like telling Mom I bagged my stepbrother the night before her wedding.”
He shrugged. “So we don’t tell them. Makes it all that more exciting.”
Damn. If only he wasn’t such a good kisser. If only his chest wasn’t so hard. If only his fingers weren’t sliding off the straps of her dress, she might be able to walk away and say no.
But she couldn’t even say no to a dish of Haagen-Dazs vanilla bean. He was the whole tub with caramel, whipped cream and a cherry on top—and she was going to eat him without a spoon.
He kissed her shoulder and started to unzip her dress.
“Not here. Not now. We’ve got to get back,” she whispered.
“When can we leave?”
Her lips throbbed and she should have told him she was going home alone. But for the second time in her life, lust took over her good sense; and both times, it’d been his fault. “We’ll leave after they cut the cake.”
He pulled her up. “Then let’s go get some cake and get out of here.”
They walked back to the ballroom and her mother was coming toward the door, peering out into the sultry night. Carly flattened herself against the exterior stone wall of the ballroom while Rob stepped inside.
“Rob, have you seen Carly?” Her mother squinted at the dark gardens.
Carly winced; his shirttail was untucked in back.
Rob narrowed his eyes. “No, I haven’t. I just stepped out for a breath of fresh air.”
She sighed and grabbed Rob’s hand. “I’m worried this whole night might be hard on her. Here I am getting married again and she hasn’t had a boyfriend in months. Poor thing.”
“She’s a great girl. I’m sure she’ll find someone just perfect.”
“Thanks, Rob.” She patted his hand and dropped it. “It’ll be nice for her to have a brother now to look out for her.
“Want me to go find her?”
“Would you? I’m about to throw the bouquet. Maybe it will be her lucky night.” She crossed her fingers.
He grinned. “I’m sure it will be.” He came back outside while her mother returned to the ballroom.
“Ready to come in?” he whispered.
“Poor, dateless Carly? Sure. Just let me search the bushes one more time for my dignity.”
He yanked her up from the ground and kissed away her whine, while she tucked in his shirt.
She caught the bouquet, but only because her mother had run over and deposited it right into her hands. That earned a collective “Aww” from the guests, while Rob tried to hide his laughter.
She snagged a piece of cake to go and kissed her mother goodnight. “I’m beat. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Holding her shoes in one hand, she wondered what kind of massage job Rob could do on her feet.
“Make sure to say goodbye to Rob. I want you to be good friends.”
She gulped and plastered on a big smile. “Whatever you say.”
Rob followed her home and she dropped her cake on the kitchen table; where he proceeded to feed it to her and undress her at the same time.
“We really shouldn’t be doing this.”
He licked a smear of frosting off her chin. “Why? You’re never going to wear that dress again. Who cares if I get frosting on it?”