My Stepbrother Was My Revenge One-Night Stand

Chapter 3

The following week was quiet. I stuck to my routine—attending classes and burying myself in the library. Tyler tried to corner me twice, but Tanya fiercely drove him away both times.

Tanya brought up that night only once. "Girl, you were so wasted. I tried to pull you back, but you just ran off with him."

I laughed it off awkwardly. It was just a one-night stand between consenting adults. No harm, no foul.

That changed on Friday afternoon when my dad called, asking me to come home for dinner because he wanted to introduce someone to me. My parents had divorced early; my mom had remarried long ago, and I lived with my dad. Recently, he mentioned meeting a very kind woman, and I didn't object. His happiness was his own choice.

When I unlocked the front door that evening, voices drifted from the living room.

"Summer's back! Come over here," my dad called out, beaming with joy. "This is Jane. And this is Rhett, her son. He's two years older than you. He'll be your older brother from now on."

The man sitting on the sofa looked up. His gaze was cool and detached.

My brain short-circuited. The world stood still.

How could it be him?

Jane stood up with a warm smile. "You must be Summer. Your dad talks about you all the time. We're family now. Rhett, come greet your sister. Don't you dare bully her."

I froze as he took deliberate steps toward me. Extending a hand, he tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Nice to meet you."

"Don't worry, Mom. How could I ever bring myself to bully my new sister?"

Every word felt heavily loaded. His palm was burning hot. He held my hand for two seconds before letting go, his fingertips deliberately brushing the sensitive inside of my wrist, sending a shiver down my spine.

I snapped my hand back, my ears burning hot.

Jane pulled me to the table. "Don't just stand there, let's eat. Your dad made all your favorites."

The dining table was rectangular, placing Rhett directly across from me. I sat through the entire dinner in a daze, constantly feeling his gaze on me.

My dad placed a shrimp in my bowl. "Summer, eat up. Your Jane brought these especially for you."

Before I could thank her, Rhett spoke up. "Mom, why aren't you peeling any for me?"

Jane shot him a playful look. "You're a grown man, peel them yourself. Summer is your younger sister, you should look out for her."

"Right," he drawnled, his voice laced with an unspoken subtext. "Looking out for my sister."

I gripped my fork tighter and buried my face in my food.

After dinner, our parents stayed downstairs to discuss home renovations. Rhett was moving in next week, and his room was right next to mine.

My dad looked up. "Summer, why don't you show Rhett his room upstairs?"

My heart dropped. I looked up to find Rhett staring right at me. He stood up, his smile widening. "Lead the way, sister."

I reluctantly led him upstairs.

I pushed open the bedroom door and stepped aside.

"This is the room. It gets great natural light, and the backyard's right outside."

He turned around without warning, and the door clicked shut behind him.

I nervously twisted the hem of my sweater.

"So," he said, one eyebrow lifting as a teasing smile played at his lips, "you took off pretty fast the other day. When I woke up, you were gone. What was the plan, pretend it never happened?"

Heat flooded my face.

"Rhett, that night was a mistake. I had way too much to drink. We're stepsiblings now, so let's just leave it in the past. And don't tell anyone."

A quiet chuckle escaped him.

He straightened and closed the distance between us.

Instinctively, I backed up until my shoulders bumped against the door.

Not this again...

The faint scent of tobacco lingered on him, mixing with the memory of that night at the bar.

"A mistake?" he murmured, leaning down. His warm breath brushed across my forehead.

"You didn't seem to think so when you were clinging to me, telling me to slow down."

A shiver ran through me.

I shoved at his chest.

It felt like trying to move a concrete wall.

"That's not true! I never said that!"

His fingertips brushed lightly across my burning cheek, lingering there.

"Summer," he said softly, "you seemed pretty fearless when you picked me that night."

I bit my lip, flustered and embarrassed.

The air between us grew heavy with tension.

Then he lowered his head, his lips brushing gently against the side of my neck.

My heart lurched all over again.

My legs went weak as I tried to push him away.