GRIND: A Stepbrother Romance Page 15

  All fifty of their closest friends and family watched as she and my dad said ‘I do,’ Cory and I included. We cheered and clapped as they danced down the short aisle, Sandy waving her bouquet around over her head. Nothing beat the pure joy on Dad’s face, and when he glanced at me with that huge smile of his that I’d missed, I was so moved that tears flooded my eyes.

  With everyone dancing with each other, having a great time, I kept going back to not only yesterday afternoon at the pool, but the plane ride before, and especially the night at Cory’s.

  There was no doubt in my mind that the amazing passion we shared was something special. I kept dreaming up ways for us to keep our relationship private, and out of everyone’s business. Maybe if he came to Florence… Just the very thought of getting to spend all that alone time with Cory in one of the most romantic places on earth made me discreetly squeeze my thighs together… The more I thought about us, the more I was open to exploring what was there. I mean, he himself had alluded to it last night, stealing a kiss from me once he got me away from the rest of the dinner guests.

  I blinked back the memory of unzipping his pants and dropping to my knees, the thrill of getting caught not lost on me, as I blew him only a couple dozen feet from everyone. If I could hear those noises he made every night, I’d be the luckiest girl alive knowing I was the one that made him feel good.

  We could make it work somehow…

  "There you are," Dad said next to my ear as he leaned his head against me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I had a moment's reprieve and thought I'd come catch a quick breath with you. How are you feeling?"

  "Me? I'm not the one who just got married," I teased him, closing my eyes as he hugged me. I couldn't remember the last time I saw his face so flushed and alive. Being a literary professor doesn't exactly lend you very much adventure in your life.

  Dad laughed. "How I'm feeling? Rapturous, placated, enervated… the list goes on." Answers only a professor like my father would provide, of course.

  "I'm glad to hear that. And I'm happy that you're happy," I admitted as I plucked a glass of wine from the tray offered to us.

  "You're not… angry with me anymore?" His question was light but I knew he was being serious.

  "It wasn't that I was angry with you, you know. I mean you're a grown man, you can make your own decisions. It just seemed a little out of ordinary for you. Okay," I said, smiling at the way he raised his brows and grinned at me, "a lot out of ordinary. But I don't know anyone smarter than you, so… I figure you're using your brain at least a little. Plus, Sandy seems kinda perfect for you. If it had to be someone, I'm glad it's her."

  After my mom died when I was younger, Dad always felt the need to pick up the slack and be both parents. He didn't need it, but I could practically see the weight lifted off his shoulders as I gave him my blessing.

  Sandy sidled up to my dad's side, her face glowing and eyes wide. She looked like cupid had just shot her with one of his arrows. "Oh, they're finally going to get back together," she said, her voice soft and hopeful. It was a really weird thing to say, considering the circumstances.

  "Who's that?" Dad asked the same thing I was wondering.

  "Cory and his high school sweetheart. They looked so sweet, up on the balcony."

  The words trickled in and my chest tightened, but I had to know. "The girl with the long blonde hair that was super flirty with him at the rehearsal dinner last night?"

  Sandy grinned at me, totally oblivious to the ashen expression on my face. "That's the one. They went to school together and Cory was so in love with her… followed her around like a lovesick puppy."

  My eyes darted all around on their own accord, my stomach twisting in on itself. Feeling too hot for my own skin, I swallowed hard, staring at the wine in my glass. "I just realized that it's so late… I think I've had a little too much wine."

  "Are you okay? Do you need me to walk you back to your room, Em?" Dad asked, immediately dropping his hands from Sandy's and feeling my forehead with the back of his hand, going full dad-mode on me.

  I gave him a meek laugh and played it off. "I'm totally fine. I just um, need to get some sleep." Faking a yawn, I shrugged and looked at both of them. "Probably too much fun in the sun mixed with all the wine."

  I was surprised by how hollow I sounded but it seemed good enough for Dad and Sandy. "Well, okay then. Goodnight sweetheart, we'll see you tomorrow morning."

  I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and squeezed Sandy's hand before turning away, my vision already blurring as I made my getaway.

  I hadn't been lying about the wine—it was definitely getting to me. Between the tears and my being past tipsy, I was lucky enough to make it back to my smaller villa without causing a scene by busting my ass on the floor.

  The tiniest part of me thought maybe there was a misunderstanding. Maybe I should find Cory and ask him about this woman, give him the benefit of the doubt. I might have, but I remembered the two of them and just how close they seemed the night before, back when I thought it was just me being jealous. This was more than that and if even Sandy caught them, then that was all the evidence I needed as far as I was concerned.

  I slammed the door shut behind me, sick to my stomach. I'd let Cory use me for his own enjoyment and then stupidly confused it for something more, like the dumb child I was.

  I wouldn't make that mistake again.

  The plane ride home was thankfully Cory-free, due to some kind of last-minute business trip he had to make. When he smiled and cornered me to tell me that and asked if I wanted to come with him, I simply pushed past him and boarded the private jet, locking myself away in one of the back rooms until he eventually gave up banging on the door and asking what was wrong. He wouldn't get the satisfaction of ever finding out, not after the way he played me…

  Moving everything out of the sorority house led to my near break-down, the anger and humiliation finally catching up with me. I wanted to feel the excitement all of my friends felt about the upcoming Cabo trip, but my heart just wasn't in it.

  The next week went by so fast that it made my head spin. Graduation was a blur of everyone else around me, taking pictures, hugging and tears. Of course, Cory had shown up with Sandy to congratulate me, but I gave him the cold shoulder again, refusing to explain my change of heart if he couldn't do the same for me.

  In the end, I dropped out of the Cabo trip the day before we were set to go. It wasn't just Cory, although he was definitely the main reason behind my decision—I needed to get away from everyone and everything. I needed more time and space to clear my head. And I needed to get over my step-brother and accept our fate.

  Chapter 15

  CORY

  * * *

  My mom was always the one to tell me that when a woman starts acting real ugly to you, or starts ignoring you altogether, you need to either find out what you did wrong, or run like hell in the opposite direction. So, when I tried my damndest to get in touch with Emma as discreetly as I could and I still wasn't having much success, I felt like I needed to just move on from our time together because clearly, it hadn't meant a damn thing to her. Not when she had Italy to look forward to.

  The muscle in my jaw twitched just thinking about it. Going back to work and slipping back into my usual routine wasn't that hard, but it sure as hell wasn't me giving 100%, either. The days were ticking by and I could almost feel the thin thread between us about to break.

  "What's wrong with you lately, Cory? You've sounded down in the dumps ever since we came back from the wedding," Mom finally asked one day at lunch. She'd met me at Reservoir for our usual, but I could tell she was worried about me the minute she sat down.

  Not wanting to get lectured, I tried to avoid the subject. "I heard Rashi's going to ask the board of directors to initiate a more cost-cutting budget this year," I replied dully. Nothing bored me to death more than when my parents would discuss the company at length.

  But Mom was known for taking a conversat
ion and turning it on its head. "I'm surprised you know that, considering you're never present for the board meetings since you care more about your own side businesses than the one that provided everything to you. Your father named you a member when you were in high school and you've only come to two meetings since then. Speaking of school… how are things with McKenzie?"

  I didn't know which part to pick over first, but the last question threw me completely for a loop, my frustration quickly turning to confusion. "McKenzie?"

  "Yes? I thought I saw you guys getting back together in St. Lucia."

  I had to laugh, careful not to dribble my glass of water. "Uh, no. What are you talking about?"

  "Oh, no need to pretend, son. I saw you at the wedding looking quite cuddly with her. When she kissed you?"

  "What? No, I mean yes, she did, but it's not like that. We had a lot to drink, but I don't think of her like that anymore, Mom. Maybe you left too early but I ended up having to push her away. She was a little too gropey for my taste." And she’d been sloppy drunk, not my style at all.

  Now it was my mom's turn to look puzzled. "But you were glowing the whole trip! I thought for sure she was the woman you were having a fling with when I brought it up before we left. If it wasn't her, then who is it? Who captured your heart?"

  I hated when she got cheesy on me, but it was obvious my mother was not going to let up on this. I hung my head, taking in a deep breath before saying, "Emma."

  I expected shock, maybe even anger and disgust, but Mom was a woman at the top of one of the biggest businesses in the world. She'd seen it all, and it didn't seem to faze her as much as I thought it would. "Oh. Oh, my."

  "Listen, I know what you're thinking but we actually met before—"

  "No, honey. It's not that, I mean, not really. I, um. I may have made a mistake," she explained, as if she were trying to already calm me down.

  I held my breath, feeling on edge. "What kind of mistake?"

  "I'm the one who told Emma about McKenzie. I didn't realize, honey, I'm so sorry!"

  A light bulb went off in my head as I put two and two together. Emma ignoring me, refusing to speak to me… all of it lining up just right with the time that McKenzie tried to get me to sleep with her.

  I was standing up without knowing why, the dishes clinking together as the table shook in response. Where did I need to go? How would I get her to listen?

  "You have to go get her, honey. I've just given her the plane to fly her to Italy this afternoon!"

  EMMA

  Sitting in the limo provided to me by Sandy, I couldn't help but feel like it was a little easier to breathe. Getting caught up in the drama from my sorority sisters being upset with me ditching the Cabo trip, then the entire process of temporarily moving out of country for the summer, I was ready for some down time. I'd packed my bags and nearly ran to the car when I saw it parked out in front of the house.

  Sandy was sweet enough to lend me a hand in my trip to Florence, letting me borrow her jet. "It's our company plane. Take it, it's yours!" she'd said, giving me a hug and telling me to enjoy my time in Italy.

  I planned on spending the trip reading, something I hadn't had much time to do lately with everything going on. I was going to take it easy, but it didn't make it any less surreal to be headed to the damn thing, my stomach bubbling anxiously over what my summer would be like. It was silly but I imagined going all over the world with a wine glass in hand and a billion dollars in the bank, no questions asked. Maybe I should've been more excited to be included in the Shire family after all. Going to Italy was one thing… Flying over there in such fashion and comfort was something completely different.

  But the truth was, it still stung to think about the Shires. One of them in particular, and every time I pictured Cory's face hovering over mine, those blue eyes trapping me within them, I hated myself even more.

  Why had I been so over the moon for him? It wasn't like we'd spent that much time together. I mean sure, the time we did have were some of the best moments of my life, but maybe I'd be able to replace those slowly over in Italy.

  Cory and I… we just weren't meant to be. Now that I had this fresh new start I should have been looking forward to it and not worrying about my past with him. It'd be hard to move on and forget him, but I had to.

  I thought about how hard it was not to wrap my arms around him and let him swing me around like so many of my friends and their boyfriends did, right after graduation. Ha, boyfriend? Cory Shire was never my boyfriend… And walking across that stage and seeing his face in the crowd didn't make things any easier on me when I ignored him that night. Instead, I had focused on the after-party the Pi Beta Phi underclassmen were throwing for us seniors. All the beer in the world hadn't taken away from the pain that still stuck like a knife in my heart, though.

  I knew I was being silly, sitting there thinking about Cory like that. It was easier getting myself caught up in the moment and romanticizing it, thinking we could be something magical. Real life never worked like that.

  With Sandy's driver's help, I pulled my three suitcases and duffle bag after me along the tarmac, the plane looming ahead. This would be my chance to start over. To try again.

  "Thank you." I smiled at the driver as he tipped his hat to me.

  "Would you like me to get you anything else, Emma?" he asked in reply, gesturing to the rest of the plane.

  "That won't be necessary, Gerard," a voice drawled before I could say a word. I spun around, my heart hammering in my chest.

  It was like being trapped in what I thought was a nightmare I was trying to get away from, when really the moment I looked it in its eye, I realized that I was lying to myself. Cory stood at the door to the cockpit, leaning against a wall.

  "Very well, sir. I hope you enjoy your trip, Emma," the driver, Gerard, said before heading off the plane. I barely waved, my eyes unable to move away from Cory's.

  "What are you even doing here?" I asked him, wishing I could muster up some of that anger instead of all the hopelessness. "I'm leaving for Italy."

  "I know," he said, taking a few steps closer. "But before you go, I need to tell you the truth."

  I didn't know what kind of truth he was going on about, but it was damn near impossible to think of anything else. "Spit it out, then." Okay… so maybe the anger was there, too.

  Cory dropped onto the nearest white leather bench seat, leaning forward with his elbows bent and fingers laced together. "My mom told me what she said to you about me and McKenzie, and you need to know that what she said is wrong. Me and McKenzie are not together, nor was anything happening between us back on the island."

  Likely story. "Really? Because I saw with my own two eyes the way she was all over you at the rehearsal dinner, Cory. Besides… why would I care what you do?" I finished, trying desperately to hold on to the last shreds of my dignity. After crying night after night over him it was the least I could do.

  His shoulders slumped, his expression unreadable. "I know, I know. She's never been one to handle rejection very well. I'll be honest with you. There was a time when I would've happily fallen back in the same routine with her had she given me the time of day. But not anymore. We're barely friends, much less lovers. She tried her best to get me to come back with her but I don't want her, Emma…" Cory said, his voice trailing off as he finally looked back up and met my gaze. The blue eyes I'd imagined every night since our first meeting almost looked haunted.

  "Then what do you want?"

  Cory stood back up, that stupid grin on his face that he must have known I couldn't refuse. "I want you, of course. I want to come with you to Italy because I don't think I could lie in bed at night knowing you're so far away when I'm so completely crazy about you. And I know that sounds crazy, I mean, it feels crazy too, believe me, but it's just how I feel. But I'm a patient man, Emma, and I know it's your time to explore your life and be whoever you want to be. I want you to experience all of that. All I'm saying is that I would just like to be there
at your side. You, God, this sounds crazy, but you make me so happy I can't stand it. I feel things I've never felt before, not with anyone else. And I just feel so shitty about how you must've felt… please, let me make it up to you for giving you the wrong impression."

  My breath hitched in my throat. These words I was hearing… they had to be too good to be true. "But… I mean…" I faltered, trying to find the right thing to say. "You want me?"

  There was no question in my mind now, not when Cory crossed the space between us in two long strides, tossing his hat to the floor as he wrapped one arm around my waist and one tangled in my hair behind my neck, effectively dipping me back and kissing my mouth, hard. He tasted not like wine this time, but like hope.

  A small noise escaped the back of my throat as I clenched his shirt in my hands, desperate for more of him. I'd let him have me right here if he wanted, every terrible gut-wrenching feeling from the past two weeks wiped away clean.

  "What about our parents?" I finally asked when we pulled apart. As much as I wanted to get carried away, it seemed like something that still might be a problem.

  Cory didn't seem to think so, judging by the way his hand snaked up my sides to cup my breasts, his words softly growled along my neck. "Out of sight, out of mind."

  "Mmm, that sounds great in theory but…" My voice stuttered as his tongue gently traced a line down to my cleavage.

  When he paused I almost lost it, but he looked up at me and smiled anyway with those mischievous blue eyes. "What's that saying? When in Rome…?"

  I grinned back. "Well, yeah. But we're going to Florence."

  His eyebrow quirked as he pulled me down into his lap on the bench, his words low in my ear. "Fuck it, then. When in Florence…"

  “When in Florence.” I barely managed to whisper as our lips crashed into each other like a flood. I didn't speak another coherent sentence for the rest of the plane ride there.