Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
I barely make it down the road toward Park Mountain, where several trails climb up the rough terrain through thick trees, when I realize running after nearly getting shitfaced isn’t one of my best ideas. I’m drenched in sweat, dizzy, and about to puke before I even reach the first trail.
Ignoring the nausea, I push through, choosing to focus on both the campaign and some cases I’m knee-deep in. It’s enough to distract me for nearly an hour. The run helped to sober me up, that’s for damn sure.
Once back inside, I down two water bottles in a row, sweat pouring off me in buckets despite the chill of the air conditioning. I’m considering a third when I hear the sounds of bare feet padding across the floors and into the kitchen.
The empty bottle in my hand hits the floor with a noisy clatter. Meanwhile, all I can do is stare, my jaw slightly unhinged.
Aubrey in a tiny, barely-there black bikini, golden-blond hair piled up loosely on top of her head, eyes hidden behind oversized sunglasses.
Don’t look at her, pervert. Don’t fucking do it.
Unable to stop, my gaze travels down her front, lingering at her full, round tits. Her nipples are hard, straining through the thin fabric, and her bellybutton ring shimmers in the sun. My mouth waters for a taste—just one tiny lick of one of her pebbled nipples would be enough to satisfy this monstrous craving I have for her.
“I could have gone running with you if you needed a partner,” Aubrey says, voice chipper and seemingly unaffected by my blatant gawking.
“I, uh,” I stammer. “Next time.”
She grins at me as she saunters my way. Her scent invades my nostrils and I have to fist my hands to keep from grabbing onto her narrow waist to pull her to me.
“Is this for me?” She points at the third water bottle sitting on the countertop beside me.
All I can do is nod, fixating on her mouth so I don’t check out her tits anymore. She leans forward, brushing said tits against my sweaty arm. A rough breath escapes me. I’m barely holding onto any shred of control around Aubrey. The temptation is fucking real.
“Thanks,” she murmurs before stepping back. “I’m going for a swim. Care to join? You look as though you could use to cool off.”
Is she flirting with me or am I just an old man with wishful thinking?
“Not done with my workout,” I grunt. “Maybe later.”
She shrugs and then turns on her heel, leaving me alone with my raging hard-on. I’m staring after her, eyes glued to her plump ass that’s hardly covered by the black material, when I hear voices.
There’s no hiding.
Especially since I’m frozen, caught in the act.
Caught by my son and baby brother.
While Dempsey is seemingly clueless, staring down at his phone, my son doesn’t miss a thing. His eyes dart to my crotch, bounce over to where Aubrey can be seen beyond the glass windows as she dips a toe in the pool to test the temperature, and then back over to me.
His grin is vicious and calculating. “Seems like I missed all the fun.”
“I’m going to lift some weights,” I growl, rushing past them. “Be nice to your sister.”
“I strive to be just as nice as you, Dad.”
His taunting words hit their intended mark. He caught me ogling Aubrey and now he’s going to be up to his usual fuckery.
I’m going to have to get a hold of my attraction for Aubrey or shit is about to get messy quickly.
Aubrey
One of these days, I’m going to self-destruct. Blow up my already fragmented world because I don’t know how to keep from chasing after things I don’t need in my life, but also would feel incredible pain from.
Lusting after and flirting with Hugo is a recipe for disaster.
And yet…I still couldn’t help prancing through the house in nothing but a bikini once I’d heard him return home. The thrill of the idea of him seeing me all grown up was too much to ignore.
I needed him to see me.
What I didn’t count on was his reaction.
His blue eyes were blazing with barely controlled desire. Desire for me. I’d come into the kitchen hoping to get some sort of reaction from him, but what I got was more than I expected.
He wanted me in that moment.
Badly.
I can feel eyes on me as I sun myself on the poolside lounger. Hugo’s gaze was hot and hungry, making me feel powerful. It’s no longer Hugo watching me from inside the house, but his son instead. This feeling is one I recognize from him from two years ago.
Stripped down.
Powerless.
Gutted.
Cold.
I shiver despite the sun warming my flesh. I’m not the girl aching for her stepbrother and who thought she actually had a chance. That girl shriveled up long ago. My thoughts drift to the past against my will.