GRIND: A Stepbrother Romance Read online

But of course, when I heard him pull up in front of the house, my heart did of couple of somersaults in my chest. So much for being angry.

  I waited a minute before answering the door once he’d rang the doorbell, not wanting to seem like I was too, too desperate. Even though I kind of was.

  “Hi,” I said, doing my damn best not to let my eyes sweep over him like I wanted them to.

  There was a subtle smile and something genuine and Jacob’s dark eyes. “Thank you for letting me come over so we can talk,” he said as I let him past. Damnit, he just had to smell so fucking good, didn’t he?

  Biting my lip, I sighed. “Yeah, well. I guess I wanted to hear what kind of ridiculous excuse you would come up with. So sit down and let’s have it, then.”

  I gestured for him to take a seat on the couch, sitting not too close to him, and crossing my legs formally. I didn’t need to make this any easier on him than it already was, even if he didn’t know it yet.

  He leaned forward, clearly not a fan of the distance between us. “I was stupid. I was really, really fucking stupid. And I get that you’re angry with me, believe me. I’m angry with myself. I mean yeah, I did have to study, but you’re right, that was a shit excuse and I knew it. I think I was just… I don’t know, worried.”

  I folded my arms across my chest. “I think we’re definitely in agreement about the stupid part. But what exactly were you worried about? My dad?”

  Was it just me, or was Jacob actually blushing?

  After clearing his throat, he nodded, looking as though he was having some kind of weird internalized debate with himself before answering me. “No, I wasn’t worried about him. I was more worried about you. Or I guess… worried about how I feel about you. I’ve got all this stuff going on, Gabi, going to med school, trying to keep up with my job. I wasn’t sure I could handle anything else in my life, you know? I didn’t want to fuck anything up I had going for me, because it already felt too good to be true, as it was.”

  “Go on,” I breathed softly. My heart was liking where he was going, but I had to hold back. I couldn’t let myself just give in so easily.

  He scooted closer to me. “I know you’ve had a rough time with relationships. Not everyone has an ex-fiancé to compare others to. I’ve been with other girls, and I’ve had a few girlfriends here and there, but that was just out of convenience. And I know we haven’t been together all that long, but everything I feel about you is already feel so intense. I kept thinking about you when I should’ve been studying, worrying about how you felt, what you were doing. And whether or not your dad was giving you hell for the truth about us getting leaked out. It scared me. I’ve never really felt the same way about anyone like that, Gabi. Not until now.”

  He couldn’t have put it together in any better way, and try as I might, I couldn’t find it in me to be pissed off with him anymore. Everything he’d just said cracked my tough exterior, opening me back up, and I could finally understand what he meant by being scared.

  “This is a lot for me too,” I admitted. “But I’m a big believer in being honest with each other. If you feel like you’ve got to keep that from me, or try and play your feelings down, then we have a problem.”

  Jacob quickly shook his head. “No, I don’t feel like I have to hide how I feel. I just needed to come to terms with it, and now that I have…”

  “Yes?”

  This time he moved until he was seated right next to me, turning to face me as he cupped my cheek in his hand. “I want more. I would’ve wanted more if your dad were hell-bent against it, and I would’ve wanted more if I failed that damn test, so that tells me something. It tells me that I care a lot about you, and I want more of that.”

  My mouth opened and closed, unable to form any of the words my heart was filling up with. Jacob had just admitted his feelings for me went beyond the fun we’d been having. I didn’t know if I was more shocked or more elated.

  “You can have more. You can have whatever you want from me,” I whispered, letting my heart finally lead.

  Running his hand through my hair, Jacob bent down until our foreheads were touching. “You mean that?”

  I nodded, feeling like there was absolutely no air between us, and I was lost for words.

  Giving me what I needed more than anything, Jacob’s lips met mine softly at first, my own mouth doing its best to trace every part of his to memory. I wanted to catalog every inch of him.

  His hands wound even tighter in my curls, and I mimicked them, pushing my fingers through his thick tangle of dark hair. That same scent hit me all at once, clean and manly with a hint of spice. I gasped as he worked his tongue into my mouth, pulling me into his lap.

  We sat there for what felt like forever just kissing, exploring each other and smiling against the other’s lips. All the other times had been frantic, rushed, because I wasn’t sure when the next time would be. But this time was different. This time I wanted to feel that slow burn build up inside of me little by little.

  When he did pull back, his hands went to the bottom of my shirt, dipping his hands under it and up the softness of my stomach until he found my already hardened nipples. He rolled them between his fingers and thumbs, watching me from under hooded eyelids as I rocked against him.

  I helped by pulling my shirt off, giving him all the access he needed. His tongue swept across my sensitive nubs, flicking around them before sucking them into his warm mouth as he squeezed my fleshy globes. Tilting my head back, I looked up at the chandelier hanging over us, moaning while the sensations he was giving me shot straight down between my legs.

  He pulled off his shirt, too, and I reveled in how warm and hard Jacob’s body was against mine. In one swift move, he picked me up with my legs wrapped around his waist, and carried me up the stairs to my bedroom.

  I was just about to pout, hoping there would be some sex elsewhere than my bed, when he turned toward the master bathroom, a huge grin on his face.

  “I think we need a chance to start over from scratch. A clean slate, if you will. What’s cleaner than a nice, hot shower?” he asked, setting me down on my feet as he opened the large glass shower door.

  “Mmm, I like the sound of that.” I giggled, stepping in first to turn on the water.

  I turned back around to see he’d already dropped his pants and boxer-briefs, his impressive cock bobbing between his toned thighs. I found myself wanting to taste him, to make Jacob moan, and I dropped to my knees in front of him, licking the glistening excitement from the tip of his swollen cockhead.

  “Whoa, whoa,” he laughed, helping me to stand back up. “How about inside the shower, huh?” And with that, he yanked my shorts down, letting out a low whistle when he saw I wasn’t wearing any underwear. “So I guess maybe you decided to forgive me before I even came over?”

  “I might have hoped you’d grovel at my feet so that I wouldn’t feel so torn about fucking you like crazy.”

  He took another step until his cock grazed my belly. “Was that your idea for tonight? You fucking me like crazy?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe I was ready to pull up the next guy’s number in my phone instead,” I added, reveling in the darkness in his eyes.

  “Ooh, you are a naughty girl, Gabi De Leon. You don’t play very nicely, do you?”

  He gave my round ass a loud thwack as I turned to walk into the shower. I was pushed up against the wall with his hands spreading my legs apart, before I could say a word. In fact, I couldn’t even say a word with Jacob kneeling down behind me, his tongue delving into my swollen slit as he pried me apart, leaving me exposed to the hot water and chilled air.

  “Mmm,” I moaned, wiggling my ass for him as he lapped at my juices.

  A finger slid deep inside me as if to test out my pussy, and I clenched against it, biting my lip. My nipples slid across the wet, chilly tiles and my thighs were shaking while Jacob stood back up. I almost cried out in frustration when he removed his finger, but he spun me around and pushed my shoulders down so tha
t I was eye level with his swollen dick.

  I knew what he wanted.

  Taking his thick length in both hands, I swirled my tongue all around him, relishing the salty taste. He held my head in place, and I let him fuck my face slowly, taking about as much of him into my mouth as I could fit. His veiny shaft was like soft skin covering over a hard metal rod, he was so hung.

  I could tell with each time he bucked his hips that he was getting closer. I pulled away. “Do you want to come in my mouth, or do you want to fuck me?”

  There was no question, judging by the look in Jacob’s eyes. I was pinned against the slippery wall in an instant, my hands held high above my head with his hand while the other one soaped me up.

  The sudsy washcloth parted my thighs and I moaned as Jacob washed me off slowly, still keeping a firm grip on me.

  “Like I said. Clean slate.”

  He dropped the washcloth and lifted my left leg up. I could feel the thick, mushroomed head of him rubbing at my aching entrance, teasing me. He definitely didn’t fight fair.

  Jacob was balls-deep inside of me in less than a moment later, unable to help himself. I held on for dear life, the hot water sluicing down us as he fucked me hard against the shower wall and I desperately tried to grasp his slippery skin.

  “Fuck,” he groaned loudly, shoving himself deeper and faster into me. I wanted him to slow down, but then I reminded myself that we had all night and then some for the slow torture I had in mind. I was definitely good with him pounding away at my pussy like there was no tomorrow.

  The tension began to curl up in my stomach and lower still, and I knew I was close. But when Jacob lifted my other leg up and kept me there by sheer power, I screamed, coming louder than ever before as the stars broke behind my eyelids and my scream was lost to the sound of the water rushing in my ears.

  He put me down carefully but turned me to face the wall, smacking my ass over and over, surely leaving red marks behind as he shoved himself inside of me.

  Using my hair as his leverage, Jacob held on tightly and fucked me frantically as I rubbed my clit, dying to come again.

  “Fuck, fuck. God… damn… your pussy… UNGH,” he shouted, slamming home and releasing his cum deep inside of me just as I clenched my tight walls around him and felt wave after wave of my own pleasure washing over me.

  It was the first of many times that night, and when we were finally finished, collapsing against each other on the bed, I felt more satisfied than I had ever felt before.

  I trailed my fingers in lazy circles around his chest, listening to his heartbeat coming down. “What do you think the news will say once they start seeing us together out in public more?”

  There was a soft chuckle. “Stripper and mayor’s ridiculously sexy daughter caught up in an absolutely normal relationship? More at 11:00.”

  I grinned. “Yeah, it would make for a pretty boring headline. So much for our fifteen minutes of fame!”

  Jacob pulled me up until I was nestled in the crook of his neck, still wrapped up in the warm sheets. “Thank God.”

  THANK YOU

  Thank you for reading GRIND. Did you like what you read? Please consider leaving me a review on Amazon. In the meantime, Please enjoy the following bonus books as a token of my appreciation!

  Bonus Book 1 : FLOOD

  FLOOD

  Chapter 1

  EMMA

  * * *

  “You guys, seriously, we're going to get kicked out of here! They're going to ask us to leave,” I whined, trying to pull Lindsey away from grinding on one of the smooth wooden beams that went from the floor to the ceiling. And judging by the way Cassidy’s skirt was hiked up dangerously high, I suspected we’d get the boot sooner rather than later.

  I quickly grabbed the hem of her skirt, trying to get her to pull it down, but she wasn't having any of it. My best friends all looked at me with the same glazed-over more-than-just-tipsy looks on their faces. I might as well have sprouted a unicorn horn in the middle of my head and started speaking Mandarin—they were neither seeing nor listening to my pleas. With everyone else at the wine tasting bar starting to stare, my sorority sisters and I stuck out like a sore thumb. A very drunk sore thumb.

  Cassidy playfully shoved my shoulder, leaning against the bar to help her seem like she could stand with no problem. "C'mon, Em. This is supposed to be your birthday, after all."

  Others, some of them clearly dressed up for the occasion, whispered to one another, "Can you believe them?"

  "Young ladies acting like a bunch of frat boys…"

  "Clearly thought this was some kind of dance club…"

  "Completely tasteless," a woman who worked at the winery murmured to another employee.

  The older woman closest to us caught my eye as the man she was with didn't even bother to whisper, "Perhaps instead of more wine, they should go eat a heavy meal. And take a nap."

  I felt myself slumping against the bar, not from being intoxicated but out of humiliation. Happy birthday to me, I guess.

  "Yeah, and you only turn twenty-one once!" Lindsey added, a few of the other girls swaying and cheering in agreement. Even without the wine coursing through my veins, I knew my face must have been rosy red. To say I was embarrassed was an understatement.

  I mean… It wasn't that I didn't want to have fun. I'd been looking forward to my birthday since what felt like forever ago, but even more than that, our upcoming graduation from college. We only had two more weeks left to go, and after that? Freedom. Of course, first we had to worry about our finals on Monday, but it was Saturday, and as everyone in Pi Beta Phi knew—Saturday meant party time.

  We'd all been talking about wine tasting for months now, and as much as I loved to have fun with my friends, the one person was right about them acting like they were at a frat party. Shire Hills Vineyard & Winery was supposed to be a swanky, well-known winery with a reputable tasting room—one of the most renowned in Texas hill country, in fact. So my girls being loud and drunk in the middle of the place didn't exactly go over well with the rest of occupants.

  I glanced around at my friends, unable to stop shaking my head at each of their giggling faces. One would think skipping a grade when I was younger would leave me a little behind my peers and maybe more well, juvenile, but at the moment I officially wanted to get my drunken sisters out of here.

  Served them right, though. Being plastered at 1:00 in the afternoon… that's what being a carb and dairy-ditcher will do to you when you add in the alcohol. I don't remember who started it first, but everyone in the house ended up dieting in preparation for our fabulous summer graduation trip.

  Translation—the only thing in the house to eat were shakes for breakfast and lunch. Also a translation—shakes don't fare the best with wine tasting, apparently.

  There was a weird grunt of effort behind me, and when I turned I saw Lindsey picking up a huge bottle of wine that must have weighed fifty pounds, easy. For a moment, I thought it was simply just a prop, but when I really paid attention to the look on her face, and the way her arms seemed to be buckling as she held it up, I gasped. It was one of those huge novelty wine bottles that legit held a whole case of wine inside. "Linds!"

  "Hey ladies," she said, giggling as though it were nothing. "What do you think? How about this for our next party? Alpha Phi would be so jealous."

  Cassidy and a few of the other girls roared with laughter, egging her on.

  "Lindsey, put it down," I said, straining to keep the smile on my face. I almost felt like one of those moms who have a bunch of kids running around their ankles. Which reminds me, I'm never having kids.

  Lindsey sashayed a few steps away from us, pretending to hold up the bottle to drink it. "Forget a keg. This is what the classy people chug."

  Around us, the whispering was only getting louder. All eyes seemed to be on us, and as I continually glanced around, my chest tightened. Even the man who was standing by the end of the bar talking with the bartender turned to see what was going
on. When our eyes met, I quickly looked away, surprised by the thump in my chest as it loosened up a bit. The man's cowboy hat was now tilted up and I could see his face, the stubble, the dimple in his chin.

  He must have been in his late twenties, standing there swilling his glass of dark wine and studying us. It was like he'd walked right off the set of the latest action movie, with the rugged jeans and matching jacket. Usually all that denim would be a turn-off, but this guy made it look good, like he genuinely just finished roping some cattle. I managed to glance down and see the roughed-up brown boots on his feet, and felt a small smile spread across my face.

  He didn't look like he fit in with all the upper-class sophisticates, yet that didn't seem to bother him one bit. Hell, he even looked like he enjoyed standing out from everyone else.

  "Ooh, look at hot cowboy dude over there," Cassidy drunkenly pointed out, a little too loudly.

  Holly snorted, covering her mouth as she leaned against Cassidy. "I think he likes looking at us," she said, her voice raspy. "Doesn't he look like an older version of Liam Hemsworth?"

  "Guys, please," I tried to beg again, but they just kept going, even Lindsey joining in while still holding the insanely large wine bottle.

  "You know how the song goes—save a horse, ride a cowboy!"

  God, my face burned. There wasn't a hole deep enough for me to fall into, it seemed.

  "Girl, I would rope him up so good…"

  I chanced another look in his direction. The corner of his mouth tipped upward as he caught me staring back at him, and just as I was wondering whether it would be at all appropriate to leave my friends and go apologize to him, something loud and heavy crashed to the tile floor, startling me.

  Knowing in an instant what happened, I rushed to Lindsey's side, careful not to step on the huge chunks of dark glass littered all over the place. "Oh my God, Linds, are you okay?"