To Seduce My Stepbrother

Ring light

Today, I’m more covered as I bridge the distance to my sexy stepbrother’s room. Grey sweatshirt, and tracksuit. No chance in hell of yesterday happening again. Heart thumping harder than before, I stop in front of Calum’s room. He has not stepped out since lunch. I can’t help trying to convince myself that this is a horrible idea.

But my fist meets his door twice. If I come in on his invitation, he’ll see I have good intentions. I knock again, then try the knob when there’s no response from inside. The door is unlocked and the room is empty. I take another tentative step inside.

The glow from the tip of Calum’s blunt is what guides me to the balcony. He doesn’t get a chance to process my appearance. I snatch the blunt from his hand and stomp on it. His gaze flickers to mine.

“You shouldn’t be smoking here. Or at all.”

“I wasn’t smoking,” he answers.

I rest my hands on my waist, my eyes flying up and down his body. “Yeah. Pigs can also fly.”

Calum is also covered in a polo shirt and joggers. I didn’t get a chance to really look at him during lunch. Legs pushed out, he crosses his arms on his chest and gives me a onceover. My n*****s are hard all over again but my bra hides the evidence. I should say something to diffuse the tension.

“What do you want, Cathy?”

“I…” I scratch my tattoo out of her nervousness. The idea had sounded so good in my head but now, not so much. “I wanted to know if you… if you recorded the cover. I don’t think you did.”

“ No. I didn’t.” Hunching his back, he leans forward on the seat, elbows digging into his knees. I am the one standing, looking down on him but he still holds the power. “Why are you asking?”

Shifting my weight to the other foot, I reply, “I wanted to help.” Another slow onceover and I am rendered speechless. Now is the best time to run. Instead, I lean on the balcony door for support. I can do this. “I mean, if you don’t mind. I won’t do anything you don’t like or want. I was just going to help make the recording better.” The words rushing out of my mouth must have made no sense to him. He’s still gawking at me. “God. Forget it.”

“How?”

“How what?”

Calum stands. I suck on the inside of my lips as he takes a step towards me. I’m acutely aware of him, the finger that grazes my cheek when he tucks my hair out of sight. He backs a step away like he did nothing and I have to remind my heart to function.

“How are you going to make the recording better?”

Safe topic. Yes. That’s the reason I’m here. To help, not picture how good his lips will look on mine. I take a minute to collect my thoughts.

“I have a ring light.” Calum’s face says it all, that he has no idea what I’m talking about. I eye the space between us. The distance is keeping me sane but I need to show him what a ring light can do. Braving it, I pull out my phone and cross over to him. His lips twist in that cute pout and the only thing I can do not to kiss him is by tapping on my phone’s screen. I’m a mess. “I use it for my TicToc.”

“Nice.”

But he doesn’t sound impressed. And I want to impress him. He returns to his seat and I follow behind, kneeling by his side. My TicToc profile is open. I tap on my latest video and show him. It’s a cover of Maria Carey’s new single that has already gathered one hundred thousand views.

Calum grips the armrest once the video starts playing. I want to believe he doesn’t loathe my singing but his reaction doesn’t scream impressed. Last time, he shut me up when I tried singing my way into the choir. I pause the video. It was recorded in my room, in front of the window. I used to record out here on the balcony until I switched rooms.

A huge part of me waits on his compliment or a comment about my singing but nothing comes. My smile slides off my face. I already received tons of comments and suggestions for my next cover but it feels like nothing if the great Calum doesn’t acknowledge my vocals. Anything will do.

“Do you have anything to say?” I have to ask. His lips purse and he shakes his head. “Really?”

“Something like what, Cathy?” He’s genuinely confused. Wow. He sweeps his hair out of his forehead. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.”

I swallow my pride, the hurt, annoyance and tap on my screen. Why do I need a compliment from him to feel better? I’m a great singer.

My knees hurt from the kneeling but I don’t stand. The least he could have done was offer me a seat.

“This is the effect of the ring light,” I tell him. His fingernail grazes my screen, tracing a line on my lip and I wish he was touching the real me by his side. “See that thing, the white circle around my eyes? Yep, it’s from it. I have one in my room. The one I use. We could use it to record your YuuTube covers. It will come out nice and professional.”

“We?”

Did I say that? We are not a team. “I’m sorry, I mean, you. Just you. You can use it to record.”

“Okay.”

I rise to my feet, still half-expecting the remark about my singing. Nothing. “I’ll go get it now.” I breeze in and out of my room within minutes. The ring light feels heavy in my hand but I don’t show it as I slow down in front of him. “It’s here. Ta-da!”

“Ta-da,” he says with a straight face that knocks my smile off. “We should get to work then.”

“Yeah.”

Calum hasn’t laughed today. I want him to laugh. I attempt to kneel but he shakes his head. He points to something behind me, the chair at the other side of the balcony. If I sit, I won’t be as close to him or feel his body heat. I force one foot in front of me, then another till I’m behind the chair. My fingers brush the railing, the cold shoots signals to my brain and I eventually relax.

With his curious gaze trailing every single move I make, I set up the ring light. I stretch out my hand to him. “Your phone, bro,” I tease but something in his expression shifts. My stepbrother becomes more guarded. “Please give it to me. I need it.”

“For what?”

I motion to the gaping hole in the centre of the ring light. “Don’t you record with your phone? I need to put it here to get the full effects.” Calum doesn’t give it to me. He lowers it himself to the ring light and I fix the connection. “Thank you.”

In silence, I arrange the seat, ruffling his hair in the name of creating the messy look that suits the song. Calum says nothing to me and I take that as an approval to help him look the part. I finish up and the only thing missing is the guitar. I know where it is so I don’t bother to ask.

I’m one step inside his room when he stops me with a question. “Cathy, where are you going?”

Calum sounds annoyed. I spin to face him, a smile playing on my lips. “To get your guitar.”

To that, he says nothing but visibly relaxes. I grab the guitar and place it on his lap, giving him a thumbs up. Calum laughs. For the first time today, he laughs. My grin is automatic and it almost wanes when I realise I have to leave.

The plan was to lend him the ring light and let him do his thing in private. But the other part of me wants to be here when he does his magic. In the end, I have to stick to the plan. I have to go.

Pointing behind me, I begin walking backward to the door. As much as I want to put on a bold front, my smile doesn’t form. “Okay, Calum. Have fun.”

“Have fun?” His fingers pause on the guitar. I stop, charmed by his gaze sweeping over me in the least erotic manner. “You’re not staying?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t think you wanted me to stay.”

He gestures to the empty chair and my pulse quickens in anticipation. “Please, have a seat.”

“Are you sure?”

His arm drops. “I’m sure I won’t ask again.” In a flash, I’m seated. He laughs again. Lifting his gaze to mine, he says, “Yes, Cathy. I want you to stay.”