Stepbrother Soldier's Baby: The Hero (The Complete Series) (2 page)

An amused smile spread across Nathan’s face. “I’m starting to think you don’t like my wife,” he said with a sly grin.

It was clear he understood how much I hated her, but did he know why? I picked up a tray of food and opened the refrigerator. I tried to focus on cleaning up. I didn’t want to discuss what Mia’s life was like while Nathan was deployed.

“You’re just going to give me the cold shoulder? Not going to respond?” he said.

He taunted me like a little kid. It occurred to me that he had no idea how serious the situation was. He probably thought I simply disliked Mia’s personality. He didn’t know she was pregnant with another man’s baby. It wasn’t my place to tell him about this, was it? It was better for him to hear it from me than the gossip mill.

“Mia was excited to see you,” I said awkwardly. He didn’t respond. “Does she look the same to you? It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Do people change much in a few years?”

“Some people never change at all,” he said with an edge to his voice. I wasn’t sure what to make of his comment.

“Have I changed?” I asked meekly.

His face brightened. “A little. You look… different.”

“That doesn’t exactly sound like a compliment,” I said with a nervous laugh.

“I didn’t mean it like that. You look beautiful. It’s just strange. You always had such a round, baby face. Now your features are more defined. I never noticed your high cheekbones or your full lips.”

I turned away from him. My face burned hot. My hands shook as I placed another plate of food in the fridge.

Nathan cleared his throat. “Mia looks the same,” he said, sounding a bit disappointed.

“She’s put on weight,” I said, hoping he’d understand what I was implying.

“I noticed.”

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He leaned against the kitchen counter. His large arms were crossed in front of his chest. Absently, I was surprised the sleeves of his shirt didn’t tear around his bulging shoulders.

My gaze fell across his body. I quickly looked away. I hoped it wasn’t too obvious I was checking him out.

“We haven’t seen much of Mia lately,” I said.

“I hear Jackson has.”

I stiffened. He’d heard the rumors. I pulled out plastic wrap and covered one of the dishes.

“You don’t have anything to say?” Nathan asked.

His eyes burned intensely. I was struck by the feeling I was being tested. How I chose to respond could change everything. I put down the dish.

“She’s pregnant.” I sighed. “The baby is Jackson’s- or at least, I think it is. I don’t really know. I’m sorry.”

I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was selfish to feel relieved considering how painful this revelation must have been to Nathan. I had no idea what was going through his head. Curiously, his expression softened.

“Thank you for being honest with me,” he said.

I sensed that I’d passed the test.

“It’s the least I can do.”

“I thought I’d come home and…”

He laughed and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. My heart broke for him.

“You thought you’d come back from war to find a real home,” I said, finishing his thought. “Instead you found more disappointment. We failed you.”

“
You
haven’t failed me, and you certainly haven’t disappointed me.”

“What can I do?”

Nathan shook his head. “How has Jackson been?” he asked, ignoring my question.

I narrowed my eyes. Why was he worried about Jackson? They’d enlisted together when they turned eighteen. I’d heard they served together for a while in Afghanistan, but for some reason Jackson came home a couple years before Nathan. They were best friends and as close as brothers. We were all surprised to learn Jackson was coming home without Nathan. Of course, we were even more surprised when he started sleeping with his best friend’s wife.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Has he been acting strangely?”

“You mean other than-” I started to say: ‘You mean other than fucking your wife?’ but I bit my tongue.

“Other than that, yes,” Nick said, reading my mind.

Why wasn’t he angry? In fact, he seemed amused.

I shrugged. “He seems the same as always, but I don’t really know. I haven’t spoken to him in months. You would have to ask Mia.”

He frowned at the mention of talking to Mia. An evil part of me rejoiced. It was ridiculous to think I stood a chance with Nathan, but I didn’t want Mia to have him either.

“It’s not too late, y’know? You can still have a family.”

Nathan’s eyes fell on mine. “Who would give me a family, you?”

I laughed awkwardly, though I wasn’t sure he was joking. I turned away from him and pretended to rearrange items on the table. He took a beer out of the fridge, opened it and drank deeply from it. It was his seventh tonight. Was it just the alcohol talking, or was he really attracted to me? Considering the fact he was talking about starting a family with me, I had to assume he was drunk.

Though a part of me wondered: what if? What if I had Nathan’s baby? I laughed at the thought.

“What?” Nathan asked.

“Could you imagine? A baby? Me as a mother, you a father?”

Nathan didn’t laugh. He walked up behind me and set his beer down on the table. He stood inches away.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” His voice was barely louder than a whisper. “There are things I’ve done that I can’t take back.”

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I’ve never thought of my stepbrother as a dangerous man, but there was something in his voice that felt like a warning.

“I’m leaving soon,” he said.

I turned to face him. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know. I can’t talk about it, but I’ve taken a job that… well, let’s just say its best I put distance between myself and the people I care about.”

I was taken aback. “You just got home. You can’t leave.” I sounded like a petulant child, but I didn’t want him to go.

“Liv, I don’t have a choice.” He brushed a loose strand of hair out of my eyes. “I leave in the morning. I’m sorry, but that’s how it has to be.”

His hand lingered on my face. His thumb moved over my lips and traced the outline of my jaw.

My body tingled with warmth. I couldn’t let him leave. Without thinking, I kissed him. I’ve never done anything this bold before. I have no idea what possessed me. Maybe it was the knowledge that he was leaving. A kiss couldn’t hurt if he was gone in the morning, right?

I half expected Nathan to push me away with disgust. Instead he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. I stiffened at the gesture. Things were moving quickly. Was I really prepared for this? I’d never been with a man before and Nathan was my stepbrother.

All rational thought fled as Nathan’s hands moved over my body. He traced the curve of my ass and waist before resting his hands on my hips. I leaned into him, pressing my breasts against his chest.

I rested my hands on his shoulders. I wanted to explore every inch of his body, but I was too intimidated. The extent of my sexual experience could be summed up by one awkward make out session in the backseat of a car. I was eighteen and ill-prepared for how eager my more experienced partner would be. His hands and lips were all over me. It made me extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, I was able to get away before anything more serious happened.

I was so turned off by the experience that I lost all interest in sex. But as my stepbrother’s lips met mine, I found my interests rekindled.

Hungry desire pulsed between my legs. I pulled away from Nathan and sighed. He wrapped an arm around my waist and lifted me onto the table. Suddenly, he was between my legs, his hand moving up my skirt.

I let out a small cry of surprise. Nathan stopped to consider me.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “This is moving too fast.”

I nodded in agreement.

“It’s been a long time,” he admitted with a bit of embarrassment.

“That’s okay. I’ve never…”

I couldn’t finish the sentence. I was embarrassed about being a virgin at twenty.

“You’ve never been with a man?”

I didn’t respond.

Nathan smiled and kissed me. He started to move slower, nibbling on my earlobe and leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. For some reason, I giggled. The sensation was strangely ticklish.

Nathan looked up at me with a mischievous grin.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. There’s no shame in not being ready. Everyone’s different.”

It was refreshing to hear a man say this, but I didn’t feel comforted. Nathan was leaving tomorrow. This could be my last chance.

“No. I’m ready.”

Our eyes met. We stared at each other as if locked in a trance. Now that we’d had a second to cool off, reality was sinking in. I could see the pain in his eyes. Was it for me, or a remnant of his past?

I kissed him slowly. My lips parted. I felt his tongue tickle my lips.

Nathan’s hand slid beneath my skirt. His fingers moved over my naked skin slowly. Nathan stopped kissing me. He watched my face as his hands moved further up my skirt. I started to breathe heavily. His fingers twisted around the hem of my underwear. I lifted my hips so he could pull them free.

Suddenly, he released me. He pulled his hand out from under my skirt and stepped away.

“What?” I said breathlessly.

“Not here.”

Nathan grabbed my hand and led me out of the house into the backyard.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

Several streamers hung above the pool floating in the breeze. Alongside the pool, the chairs and table were full of discarded plastic cups and plates. In spite of only being here for a short time, the partygoers had made a mess of our backyard.

Nathan took off his shirt. I hate to think what I looked like in that moment because I’m pretty sure my mouth fell open. His chest was broad, muscular and tanned. He was hairy in a manly way I never associated with my stepbrother. I watched his abs tense and flex as he pulled off his boots and pants.

“Come here,” he said.

Obediently, I came.

“Lift your arms.”

I did as instructed. He pulled my top off slowly. Instinctively, I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I wore a black bra, but I’d never been this naked in front of a guy. Nathan’s hands slid over my hips and around my waist. He found my skirt’s zipper and slid it down. I shimmied out of my skirt as he kneeled before me. He next lifted one foot then the other, removing my shoes. I stood before him in my bra and underwear.

Nathan took my hands and gently pulled my arms away from my chest.

“Let me look at you,” he whispered.

My eyes dropped to the ground. I was too terrified to meet his gaze. What if he didn’t like what he saw?

“Beautiful,” he said.

I looked up with confusion. I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly.

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

He kissed me again. Then we were falling. I let out a small scream as he pulled me into the swimming pool. The water was cold. I sunk to the bottom and kicked off, swimming for the top.

Nathan and I broke the surface at the same time. His long hair had come free from the tie. It hung wetly in his face. He flipped his head back sending water through the air, splashing me as his hair flung away.

I laughed and held up a hand. “Watch it!” I protested.

Nathan splashed me. I splashed back. Suddenly, he dove underwater and grabbed me. He lifted me into the air on his shoulder then threw me. I was laughing so hard I nearly choked. We fought and wrestled in the water for a time.

Exhausted, I found myself leaning against him, my head resting on his shoulder. He kissed my forehead then took my hand. He led me across the pool to the grotto.

The small, secluded cave-like area on the opposite side of the pool would give us privacy. My heart raced as he led me behind the stone walls. Here the water was shallower. The deepest part was about four feet.

Nathan pulled me to him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and we started to kiss. I could feel his cock, hard and thick, through his pants. He pushed me against the wall of the cave as we made out.

Our bodies pressed against one another with naked desire.

Nathan’s hand slid around my back. He unhooked my bra with one hand. I had a flash of panic. No man had ever seen my breasts before, let alone my stepbrother.

My bra slid off and floated away. Nathan’s mouth found my breasts quickly. I inhaled sharply as his tongue passed over my nipple. I squeezed him tightly between my thighs. His cock was so hard and thick I worried it was too big. Would this hurt?

A jolt of electricity passed through my body as Nathan’s teeth gently closed in around my nipple. Thoughts of pain fled my mind. The pulsing between my legs was overwhelming. If I didn’t find relief soon, I would go mad.