Stepbrother X3 Read online

  “Anya, do—”

  She interrupted the question by claiming his mouth for a long, gentle kiss. It was achingly familiar, but also strangely new as their mouths learned each other all over again. Cade wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer, and she pushed him onto his back as she straddled him.

  He tossed her nightgown away after she lifted it over her head. With a grunt, Cade cupped her breasts in his hands, his thumbs circling her sensitive nipples. “I’ve dreamed about this so many times,” he said gruffly.

  She nodded, deciding to forget about pride, at least for the moment. Leaning forward, she pressed her palms to his pecs. “I’ve missed you so much, Cade.”

  “I love you, Anya.”

  The simple, stark truth of his words was in his eyes. It hurt to see it, because she knew it was true, but it was also true he had chosen the military over her. Shoving aside that pang, she focused instead on feeling good, letting her hands wander where they could reach as he continued massaging her breasts.

  She writhed against him, impatient for his camouflage cargo pants to disappear. Tenaciously, she managed to slide and scoot until she could reach the waistband. In seconds, she had the pants skimming down his hips and giggled when he lifted his butt, almost dislodging her in the process.

  His hands clamped onto the outsides of her thighs to hold her on him, and she had to settle for leaving his pants around his knees. It didn’t matter, since she could reach what she wanted.

  As though he’d read her mind, or perhaps because he had a similar need, Cade lifted and spun her around so her bottom was facing his face. She moaned low in her throat when he lifted her hips to change her angle, and his tongue slipped inside her folds.

  She bent her head to taste him, licking away a drop of pearlescent arousal leaking from the tip. Cade’s groan of pleasure vibrated through her core when she took his length in her mouth, rubbing the broadside of her tongue against the spot that always drove him wild.

  She took as much of his erection into her mouth as she could, until he brushed the back of her throat. Anya just held him there as he licked her with unrestrained hunger that mirrored her own desperation.

  As her core contracted with the beginnings of her release, he pushed her down onto the bed. With either expertise or incredible luck fueled by his need, he was behind her less than a second later, the head of his cock pushing against her wet heat.

  “I love you, Anya,” he said again, grasping a handful of her damp hair to drag her head back. As he claimed her, his mouth nuzzled the bend of her neck, his teeth raking lightly over her skin.

  “I love you too, Cade.” She almost sobbed the confession, hating what it meant even as she rejoiced in having him back again. Admitting she still loved him meant accepting his military career and her secondary place in his life. Still, after months apart and nearly dying at the hands of fanatics, she grasped it was better to have him under less-than-ideal circumstances than not at all.

  He set a rapid, hard pace that was just what she needed. She met Cade’s every thrust, pushing back against him as he dominated her. Anya couldn’t pretend she didn’t enjoy his forceful lovemaking, clearly meant to stake his claim and remind her she belonged to him. It was fine, because he belonged to her too.

  When he came inside her, the first jets of his arousal triggered the release she had been hovering on the edge of since before he entered her. Anya cried out his name as she came, her sheath clenching around him as he continued spilling his seed inside her.

  At some point, they collapsed together onto the bed, barely managing to disengage from each other before curling close together. Sleep tried to steal over her, but she fought it, not content to let things remain unspoken any longer. “Why are you here, Cade?”

  “The Army gave me leave.”

  She suppressed a yawn. “But why did you come?”

  He tipped her chin upward, cupping it in his large hand. “You know why, Anya. I love you. I never should have let you go eighteen months ago, and I sure as hell couldn’t stand by waiting for someone else to maybe find you.”

  “But nothing’s really changed,” she whispered, her heart breaking at the thought.

  “Yeah, it has. I know I’m not letting you go again. I’ll do anything you ask of me. I’ll go shit on the Joint Chiefs’ desk if you want, to prove I’m serious about getting out.” His lips crooked up in a playful smile. “Besides, I’ve been AWOL for about seven days, so I’m sure Uncle Sam is going to tell me to get out. I hope you don’t mind visiting me in Leavenworth.”

  Her eyes widened at the surprising news. “You just left the Army without permission? My god, Cade, you’re in so much trouble.”

  “I don’t care.” He shrugged. “Nothing was as important as you.” He lowered his head while raising her chin to press a kiss to her mouth before speaking again. “I just wish I’d figured that out a long time ago, baby.”

  “Me too.” She placed her hand on his stomach. “I hate the Army, and I hate the fear that comes with it, but I was stupid to decide I’d rather not have you at all than have you as a soldier. Can you forgive me?”

  He kissed her again. “I already have, and I hope you can forgive me for not honoring my promise. I meant to, but then the paperwork was there, and I couldn’t help thinking about the people in my unit. I didn’t want to let them down, but I never wanted to hurt you either.”

  She sniffed back tears. “I think we both hurt each other, but we’ve learned from that in our time apart. I don’t want to lose you again.”

  “So, you don’t mind prison visits to Leavenworth?”

  She tried to hide her fear. “Are they conjugal?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know, baby. I guess we’ll find out.”

  Laying her head on his chest, she asked, “Will they really kick you out and send you to prison?”

  He hesitated. “I don’t know. I’ve never gone AWOL before.”

  She fell silent for a few minutes before a giggle erupted. “I have a plan.”

  “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”

  Epilogue

  They were married as hastily as the embassy and the local government could make it happen. After their quickie wedding, Anya granted several interviews, all with Cade at her side. Of course she painted him as the hero—and he had been, because his persistence had led to her being found, though the peacekeepers had been integral to the actual rescue—and he accepted it all humbly, with the repeated assurance that she meant the world to him, and he’d do anything for her.

  Apparently, the Army would do anything to avoid being embarrassed or face negative publicity for punishing a bona fide hero, because they didn’t arrest him. Instead, he was offered a quiet discharge while being publically hailed for his actions.

  Less than a month after her rescue, Anya and Cade were back home, having reached the mutual decision to avoid dangerous places in the future. The most danger they would face in their hometown was the wrath of their parents.

  Surprisingly, they had mellowed too and greeted the news of the marriage with equanimity if not enthusiasm. A lump formed in her throat when her dad hugged Cade, clapped his back, and thanked him for saving his baby girl.

  After dinner with Bill and Viv, they returned to their cozy apartment, curling up on the couch to watch mindless TV as they discussed future plans. Anya already had an interview at the local hospital, but his future was more uncertain.

  “I guess I’ll use my benefits to go to college.”

  She smiled. “I really like the idea of you in glasses with a button-down shirt. I’ll take a long time to undo all those buttons.”

  He laughed. “I’m going to be a student, not a professor.” His eyes sparkled. “Though that doesn’t sound bad. I could teach military history.”

  “I think you’d be an excellent teacher.” She slipped her hand under his T-shirt to caress his stomach. “You’ve taught me a few things.”

  His chuckle turned to a groan when she raked her nails lightl
y over his nipple. “I think you knew everything before me, baby. You’re a wonder in bed.”

  “Let’s see who knows more.” She suggested the lighthearted contest with a wink and ended up scooped into his arms and rushed to bed. As he dropped her on the mattress, she grabbed hold of him and pulled Cade down with her, because wherever she went, he was going to be there. She didn’t doubt that promise.

  POSSESSION

  A Stepbrother Romance

  By

  Stephanie Brother

  Description

  Knox, ex-soldier and sheriff’s deputy, is a man used to being in control.

  When it comes to his stepsister, he wants to own every inch of her, but he’s tried to do the right thing and not pursue the need to possess her.

  Forget his good intentions, because Claire’s wicked teasing is driving him to the breaking point.

  Soon, she’ll know exactly what it means to belong to a man like him.

  1

  Knox barely bit back a moan when Claire sashayed into the kitchen for breakfast that morning. He kept his eyes glued to his bowl of oatmeal, though it was nowhere near as interesting as the long expanse of leg revealed by her short T-shirt and skimpy cotton panties. “Goddammit, Claire, put on some fucking clothes.”

  She gave him a look full of innocent sweetness. “It’s so hot, and you’re the only one here. Why should I bother? It’s not like your dad and my mom are home. They’re off somewhere in Europe, probably not dying from the heat like we are here near Savannah.”

  He growled low in his throat, clenching his fists together. It took everything he had not to lift his petite little stepsister off her feet, slam her on the table, tear the clothes from her body, and sink his cock deep inside her until she was screaming his name. Fuck, she was trying to kill him. A glance at his watch revealed he was going to be late for his shift if he didn’t leave soon, and it was a relief to have a reason to rush out, especially with her walking around so brazenly in that skimpy outfit.

  His chair scraped the floor when he shoved back harder than necessary to get to his feet. As he slammed on his deputy’s hat, he glared at her. “Next time you’re in front of me, wear some damn clothes, or you’ll be sorry.”

  She licked her lips, her eyes not betraying any fear, and it was clear his warning had done no good. “I am wearing clothes, dear stepbrother. Would you like to see me without them?”

  With another growl that passed for words, Knox turned and stormed from the kitchen, slamming the front door behind him as he made his way to the police cruiser. She was trying to kill him, or drive him out of his mind. Didn’t she understand she was the reason he had fled to the military seven years ago? Could seemingly innocent Claire grasp how the dark urge he’d had to possess her, to claim and control her, had terrified him?

  At twenty years old, he hadn’t known how to deal with the dominant side of himself, especially when the object of his obsession was his sixteen-year-old stepsister. From the time their parents got married the year before, she had been all he could think about. It had gotten to the point he’d wanted to beat every man who looked at her to a bloody pulp, and he’d been on the verge of telling her exactly how he felt.

  Worse than that, he’d wanted to storm into her bedroom to show her how he felt. Night after night, he’d lain in his bed in the room next to hers, his hand stroking his cock while he fantasized about tying her up and eating her pussy until she screamed his name.

  He’d known something had to change. The fantasies were becoming obsession, and he’d started planning how to make it happen. She had been too young and off-limits. That was clear, so he had chosen the only out available to a man without a college degree. The Marines had been glad to have him, and they had served him as well.

  In the military, Knox had learned to hone his need for control, and he had harnessed his darker urges, or so he’d thought. He’d even managed to have a few normal relationships with women, though he’d be lying if he didn’t admit most of them had turned to Claire in the dark. Tall or short, curvy or skinny, black or white, it hadn’t mattered. In the dark, they all became blonde-haired, petite temptresses with curves that welcomed a man’s hands and hips meant for holding during a lusty fuck.

  It had been his intention to retire from the Marines after twenty years, hoping by then she would have had time to get married, pop out a couple of kids, and his obsession would have died. Unfortunately, an IED in Afghanistan had changed his plans, derailing his goals.

  With nowhere else to go, he had come home to recover and rebuild his life. It hadn’t been so bad the first few months, when his dad and Miranda were there to act as a buffer. The pain of his injury had also kept him focused and on track, keeping him from doing anything he might regret to or with his sweet stepsister.

  Unfortunately, their parents had gone on a summer-long cruise just a couple of weeks ago, and the pain from his injuries wasn’t nearly as bad as it had once been with physical therapy and an occasional pain pill to help. In fact, he had healed well enough to work as a sheriff’s deputy, and while he was supposed to be enforcing the law, he couldn’t help thinking about all the bad, bad things he wanted to do Claire.

  The worst part of all, she seemed to want him to do them. Oh, he wasn’t crazy enough to think she would want him to tie her up, pull her hair, or do any other dark things his body urged. She clearly shared an attraction with him though. It had been hard enough to resist her when he was certain she was oblivious to him in that way. Now that he knew she saw him as a desirable man, it was much harder not to claim her.

  He just had to be strong. He reminded himself of that as he stopped at the police station and went to work for the day. No matter how much he wanted Claire, she was still his stepsister and still off-limits.

  ***

  Almost as soon as Knox had left the house, Claire ran back to her room and fumbled in her nightstand for the vibrator she kept there. Just the sight of him could make her hot and horny in seconds. She was dripping cream down her legs by the time she lay down on her bed, pulling aside her panties so she could stroke her clit with the vibrating tip of the fake cock.

  It was a poor substitute for the one she really wanted, the one she imagined was long and thick and would stretch her in a way no man ever had before. Everything else about him was big and larger-than-life, so surely his dick was too.

  She masturbated as she imagined it was him taking her, his lips instead of her hand against her nipple as she plucked the bud with her fingers. She wanted her stepbrother now even more than she had when she was younger.

  It had taken one look for her to fall hopelessly in love with her new stepbrother. At fifteen, she’d been bowled over by her sexy older stepbrother, and she had felt nothing remotely sibling-like for him. She was amazed he hadn’t realized she had a crush on him. Then again, it wasn’t that surprising, since Knox had gone out of his way to avoid her then just as he did now.

  Her womb clenched, and her sheath convulsed around the vibrator as she groaned his name. “Knox.”

  Why couldn’t it be him instead of the plastic and silicone toy? Right, because he didn’t seem to be aware she was a woman. She didn’t know how else to get his attention, since her subtle flirting didn’t seem to be working. Even baring her body as she had this morning hadn’t seemed to sway him other than he’d demanded she put on more clothes.

  Perhaps she was misreading his signals, and he really wasn’t attracted to her at all. If that was the case, her continued attempts at seduction would do nothing besides piss him off and make him uncomfortable. After everything he’d been through the last year, she didn’t want to hurt him, annoy him, or make things awkward.

  Still, she couldn’t give up without a fight. They were older now, and there was no legal reason they couldn’t be together. When she’d been fifteen, and he had been nineteen, it had made sense that there was a barrier between them, other than his own lack of interest. She had dreamed from afar, and her heart was broken when he’d annou
nced he was entering the Marines.

  Now, he was back home and apparently planning to stay in Stanley, since he had a job with the Sheriff’s Department. She had no plans to move anywhere else, since she was running the general store for their parents and would likely inherit it in a few years when they finally decided to retire completely.

  She wanted more than just a quick fuck with Knox, though that certainly had its appeal. Mostly, she just wanted Knox to look at her and see a woman instead of his scrawny stepsister.

  Did he even realize she had grown up during the last seven years, since his departure when she was sixteen? She was twenty-three now and ready for the next life stage, including a permanent relationship. Even if he wasn’t interested in anything long-term, just the idea of having him even for one night was enough to make her rev up her vibrator and go for round two.

  2

  When Knox let himself in that night, the house was quiet, and there was a note on the refrigerator telling him he had dinner in the microwave. He warmed it up and ate standing over the sink to avoid making a mess in the freshly cleaned kitchen. It was nice coming home to a spotless house and a home-cooked meal, making him think domestic thoughts that were at odds with the normally darker tone of his sexual needs.

  Try as he might, he couldn’t reconcile the idea of a domesticated home life with his sexual appetites. It was difficult to imagine a sweet, loving wife, who was also a lover that allowed him to take the dark liberties with her that he wanted.

  After finishing his dinner, he put the dishes in the dishwasher before heading down the hallway to his room. He thought about taking a shower, but decided he was too tired. Knox began unbuttoning his uniform shirt as he nudged open his door with his elbow.

  He was a few steps in the room when he realized something was off. Maybe it was his military and police training that had honed his instincts, or perhaps he was simply tuned in to Claire, because he quickly recognized her scent and realized she had been in his room.