Chapter 5

I shook my head in disbelief and stood watching his door waiting for something. What? I have no clue but I waited. Finally, snapping back to reality on shaky legs I made my way to my room..

"What just happened?" I say aloud. "Did he just- did I just?" I say as lie in bed looking up at the ceiling. 

I was mentally disheveled just thinking about what had just taken place. There was one thing I could take away from his viewing and that was his tattoos. Shane has a tattoo that I believe is in Spanish, right on his deep V. A Google search of word meanings ended up keeping me up the rest of that first night. But not all was lost once I found the meaning.

"Amante duro." Google translation speaks into my headphones. "Hard lover." I swallowed hard because I could imagine how rough he could be with his lovers. 

Dawn breaks and I finally drift off to sleep with my stepbrother heavy on my mind. 

"Cassi, breakfast is ready." My mothers says pulling out the right ear of my headphones.

"Save me some. I'm exhausted."

"No Cassi, get up. I want to eat breakfast together." she says slapping my butt and leaving me with a stinging behind.

Finally, I pull myself out of bed and walk sleepily to the bathroom where I'm greeted by him.

"I'll wait." He says coldly before he slams his room door.

I'm too tired to care about his response. I just shrug it off. I quickly brush my teeth and wash my face before heading down.

"Where is Shane?" Maxwell says.

"Uh he's still upstairs I guess."

"Would you mind telling him to come down?"

I just stare blankly. I want to say like hell I mind but then it would imply something has happened. "Yeah, I'll grab him."

I oddly felt like the killer was upstairs and I was walking right into danger. The thought of knocking on his door terrified me, and I didn't know what I would be faced with or if he even opened the door.

I knocked.

To my surprise, he opened right away. A beautiful husky vanilla and clove scent filled my nostrils and I just about melted.

 "What?"

I tried to seem unaffected but there was no way I couldn't show that he was affecting me. And he was doing so in ways I'd never known.

"Your dad told me to tell you that breakfast is ready."

My eyes ran over his beautifully sculpted body. He stood wearing a tight, white ribbed tank top, and my eyes drifted down to where his tattoo was hidden. I watched as his muscular biceps flexed as he was now leaning against the door. His steely brown eyes stared into mine. He was breathtaking, for an asshole.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to remember what I looked like last night, like you want me to eat you for breakfast."

"W-what?" I say trying to sound believable, but I had to get out of his presence. "I'm out of here."

Shane, grabbed my wrist and spun me around. Neither of us spoke, we just stared at each other until my mother called my name. Shane, instantly let me go and I stepped back watching him. He didn't move an inch but his eyes just remained fixated on me.

"Is he coming down?" My mother asks.

"Yeah, he's on his way." 

Shane, graced us with his presence and I let the adults do all the talking at the table. I focused on eating my scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast praying he'd keep the conversation away from me.

Chime! My phone went off and my mom glared at me. I check the notification and immediately regret it.

Shane: You have a wedgie, but I've always been a fan of a ripe peach.

Cassidy: That's what happens when you don't have any underwear.

Shane: You'll get them back when I'm ready, and not a moment sooner.

Cassidy: Fuck you Shane.

Shane: Now sis you don't want me to have to wash your mouth out do you?

"Thanks for breakfast." I leave the table and retreat to my room with all eyes following me.

"I have to get out of this house." I say trying to find some excuse to leave.

Remembering Christina, I text her and ask if she wants to hang out today.

Christina: Sure but after my shift we're short staffed.

Cassidy: Ok, just let me know.

Christina: I mean unless you can come help us? It's just waiting tables, are you interested?

Cassidy: Sure, I could use the cash.

Christina: Great come as soon as you can.

I secretly danced a little dance, because now I could buy underwear. Wow, did I really just get excited that I could buy underwear. I roll my eyes as I begin to text my mom for a ride to Christina's family restaurant. 

"Welcome to the Numero Una, my name is Cassidy what can I get you today?"

I pretty much said that line for 7 hours straight. The restaurant was busy all day and man were my feet were killing me.

"Cassidy, I don't know how we could ever repay you." Maria, Christina's mother's says.

"Hmm, well you can pay me for today and give me a part time job." I say sweetly.

"Mamá she would be perfect to help us out." Christina, says with her puppy dog eyes.

"Alright niná, you're hired and here's $86 and the tips are all yours."

"Oh my gosh! Now all I need is to get to the nearest Target." I say counting my tips, and Christina giggles.

After our shift ends Christina, drives us to the local Target. We decide to stop at the in store Starbucks and have a drink.

"So what are you going to do about the step brother from hell?"

"I seriously have no clue." I say licking the whip cream off of my straw.

"Believe it or not it's muy caliente." 

"What does that mean?"

"It means very hot, and I think that Shane sounds delicious. I mean he'd be a catch if he wasn't your step brother."

"The thing is," I pause and look around making sure no one else was there listening. "I've never felt like this around any boy."

"Just keep your distance because that sounds like a sticky situation for anyone. But what about his friend Will?"

"I don't know much about him except he's drop dead gorgeous."

"I'll take the blue eyes devil off of your hands."

We shopped for my underwear and of course I grabbed matching bras. Not that I needed them. My breasts were a small B cup and I frequently got away without one. But with all of the standing ovations they'd be given Shane I felt it was best I covered them up. 

"Thanks for today."

"Today was great! Thanks for saving our butts." 

I watch as Christina's car disappears into the quiet suburban street. When I turned to enter the house I could see him watching me out of his bedroom window. I suck in a deep breath and grip my bag tightly.

Walking into the door I imagined he'd greet me at the door but he wasn't there. So I figured I was somewhat safe. Each step I took up the staircase I imagined his face and what he'd say, but again nothing. I made it to the hallway and all of the air escaped my lungs when I laid eyes on him. 

Shane, stood in the hall shirtless with his arms folded across his chest. The tribal tattoo was on display across his beautiful pecs, and a wicked look on his face.

"Who was that?"

"Christina, my friend and now co worker."

"What's in the bag?" He says trying to see behind my back.

"Girl stuff." I try to sound convincing but I hear the lie in my own voice.

Shane's finger signals me to come closer and like a puppet on a string I walk towards him. When I reach him he begins to place sweet strokes to my arms. I feel the ache between my thighs for him growing by the second.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He says into my ear.

"What?" I say in a breathy tone I didn't even know I had.

"Lying to me."

"I-I," I took a deep breath. "I need underwear Shane."

My heart begins to pound faster once he gently takes the bag from my hands, while brushing his bare chest against mine. 

"Can I just have them to wear to work?"

"When you need a pair, you'll come get a pair from me." My eyes flick to his with disbelief, and he smirks in satisfaction. "Now run along before I do something we both regret."

"I won't." The words slip out and I'm startled by my own response.

Shane leans down and his breath lingers over my lips. He smells of cinnamon and cardamom. 

"Stop tempting me Princess." Shane, runs his fingers over my lips and for a second I pray he'd stick them into my mouth. 

Before I could speak he brushes past me and this time I don't wait for him. I race to my room and shut the door behind me.