IN LOVE WITH MY STEPBROTHER

CHAPTER 11

TESSIE'S POV

I woke up late the following morning just as always. The first thought in my head was that I had the house all to myself with the only chores to do being cooking and cleaning after myself. That wasn't too hard because I was used to it anyway. I had made plans to meet Ava and her friends for a casual hangout but I still had some hours to get ready.

It wasn't until I got to my bathroom that it hit me. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I reached for the rack to grab a towel without looking just like I was used to. A strong scent hit me as the cotton ran over my face forcing me to pull back quickly. That wasn't my towel. How could I have forgotten about him? And why the f**k did he spray his towel? I quickly returned it to the rack but before I could pull my hands away, the door flew open. I turned to find him standing there, his shirt half open and in boxers. His short hair was all over his face and he didn't bother clearing it as he stared at me.

"Get out!" I ordered as I quickly caught myself before I could stare too much. "Has no one ever taught you how to knock first? Urgh!" I groaned.

"What were you doing with my towel?" he asked, his lips curling up in a grin. Well, he had caught me. "Not that I mind you using it."

"Ew! Could you be more gross?" My face turned in disgust hoping that he was joking. I would never use anyone else's towel let alone his. Jace was however just taunting me by the look on his face and the moment I realized it, I huffed and walked out of the bathroom. I ignored his chuckles and headed to the kitchen.

Making breakfast was always my favorite chore. It made me feel closer to my mom since she loved cooking. While my dad did most of our meals, especially on schooldays, he reserved weekend breakfasts for me. I grabbed the ingredients and whipped some pancake mix. I wasn't sure how the day would go especially with Jace around.

I figured that he would go out with his new friends which was fine by me but still, something didn't settle well with me. I didn't know how to look at him without staring too much or remembering our kiss. Pretending to be disgusted by it while all I could think about was it was weighing on me more than I would have thought. What was wrong with me?

"Hm, something smells nice!" His voice startled me as he walked up to the kitchen island. A stack of pancakes was ready on the table. I remained silent watching him through my peripheral vision. He was still in his boxers but his hair was now brushed even though roughly. He walked to the fridge and stood there undecided before he finally turned almost catching me staring. "Juice or milk?"

"What?" I heard him clearly the first time but I hadn't been prepared for that. He fetched two glasses and placed them on the table before looking up at me. I looked away focusing on the last pancake.

"Fine, I'll decide for you but you have to get used to me. This is a whole new thing for me too, Tess. Try to be more open-minded." My heart galloped. At that point, I wasn't sure whether he was talking about the moving-in situation or the kiss I had intentionally refused to talk about. The kiss, right. I was certainly hoping he was talking about that. Even though I wasn't sure I could talk about it out loud, it did intrigue me and left me wondering if Jace really liked me or if it was some kind of game to get back at our parents.

The ladle dropped out of my hands as the thought took root in my mind. I hadn't thought about it that way but now that I was, I panicked. My stomach churned with both anxiety and fear. If that was why he had done it, I was f****d because I had liked it and I wanted it again despite playing the hard game. I turned around sharply deciding to confront him and found him staring at me. He must have been from the moment I dropped the ladle.

"Why did you kiss me?" I demanded letting it roll out of my tongue freely.

He smiled, "Oh, now you want to talk?"

"Jace," I glared. "Just answer the question. Are you trying to get back at our parents?"

"What?" he chuckled. "Why would you even think that?"

"Because I don't see any other reason you could have to do that!"

"Did you like it?" he asked instead. It was already hard enough talking about it like that. His turning it into some kind of joke that amused him only annoyed me more. Why was I even trying? He was a jerk and he did whatever amused him even at the expense of other people. I knew guys like him. They were all over our school and he was no different.

"Just, forget I asked," I stated and looked away without another word.

What was I even doing? I hadn't denied it, I hadn't pushed him away when I should have, and avoiding his question only proved more. What was I supposed to say?

I ate my breakfast quickly, keeping my eyes down the entire time. He had chosen juice for me which coincidentally was always my favorite breakfast drink. I wouldn't dare tell him that but the satisfied grin on his face the moment I grabbed the glass said a lot. Why should I give him a reason to gloat while it had been a lucky guess?

My phone buzzed as I stabbed the last piece of my pancakes. It was Ava. Time to head out. I got up quickly and downed the rest of my juice in gulps not caring that he was looking at me then cleared out.

"Where are you going?" he asked before I could exit the kitchen.

"None of your business. What are you, my babysitter?" I responded without thinking.

"Technically yes, your father left me in charge of you." I scoffed. Leave it to Mr Prescott to treat me like a baby the moment he got me a big brother. I rolled my eyes and turned to leave but his next words forced me to stop. "But I'm only asking because we are having a party later and I need your help to set it up."

I frowned, "I'm sorry, a party in my house?"

"Yeah, all juniors and seniors are coming."

"When did that happen?" I asked and took two steps back. "Are you out of your mind? My dad will never forgive us for that. He would never approve unless you are trying to get kicked out of the house."

"On the contrary, he suggested it." I scoffed. For a moment I thought he was joking until he displayed the messages in front of me. They were already texting? My mouth dried. "He said it, not me. Who am I to say no?" Jace shrugged.

"Unbelievable!" I shook my head and turned on my heels. I didn't recognize him anymore. Mr do good, parties are rebellious and an excuse for teenagers to hump each other and get pregnant was now entertaining them? And why had he told Jace and not me? I didn't even have any idea there was a party until that moment. Ava texted again. I stopped to look at it.

“Change of plans. I'll meet you at your place to help with the party. See you in a few hours.”

Great. Just great. Turned out I was the only one who had no idea. I huffed and turned around heading back to the house.