I used to go to Caspian’s room on nights I heard voices or woke from haunting nightmares. It was something we never talked about and of course, never told anyone. It was a secret, me crawling into his bed trembling. Him comforting me.
He’d never ask questions, just held me. His big hands would drag from my shoulder blades to the small of my back, his fingers spreading out in warmth there. Then he’d tell me over and over it was okay, he was there, he’d protect me.
Except there was that one night… the night before he left. I’d woken up when he set me back in my bed. I pretended to be asleep, thinking he was just going to walk out in a second.
Instead, he’d gone to his knees and gently grabbed my jaw, angled my sleeping face up. His breath had feathered on my lips and then he had pressed his mouth to mine.
It had felt like I couldn’t breathe but forced myself to keep my languid long breaths, acting as if I slept while my heart strained in my chest. Mystepbrotherwas kissing me.
He’d forced my mouth open with his, his tongue swiping in, taking a deep kiss. The first kiss I’d ever had like that.
Instead of concern, I felt warmth, comfort, and intimacy. It had been something new, something bigger than when we laid in his bed, him telling me everything was okay. A hug and caress but a hundred times better.
I had felt excited, hopeful in anticipation, and dreamt of what he’d do next. I had wanted him to crawl into my bed, murmuring everything was okay while he touched me between my legs. I’d never felt something like that for him before.
Nothing else happened though. It hadn’t been long at all—quick, eager, warm, then over. His thumb had brushed over my lips, soaking in the wetness from his kiss. Then he’d gotten up and left.
And it never happened again because he left the very next day.
I blew out a breath, wishing that memory hadn’t come to me now. It was silly to think about. I felt childish—scared of ghosts and clinging to old memories of Caspian before he was famous.
“I’m pathetic,” I mumbled into his chest, inhaling the mild spicy scent of either cologne or aftershave. I felt like I was fourteen again, telling him I had a nightmare and insisting he comfort me like I was a child.
“You’re not pathetic,” he said, petting my head. I leaned into his body, letting myself soak in the comfort he offered. My body tingled with the awareness of his—of his long, lean body and wide shoulders. I wrapped my arms around his tapered waist and felt my breasts pressed tightly between us.
“Reminds me of before,” he said. His arms tightened around me. “I know you were awake that night,” he whispered in my ear and I stilled. Had he been thinking of the same thing?
“I don’t… I don’t know what you mean.” My voice was shaky. Why was he bringing this up?
“Do you know how often you came to my bed at night? How many hours I listened and watched as you slept?”
My eyebrows furrowed. “Caspian… I don’t—”
“I could tell you woke up that night,” he said. I heard the complete confidence in his statement. I sucked in a breath and could suddenly feel every inch of his body on mine like electricity. My nipples grew hard and sensitive, more aware than ever that I was against his body.
He pulled back his face to look down at me. One hand came up to cup my jaw and tug it up so my mouth was facing upwards to him, just like he had that night. A vicious smirk teased the edges of his mouth. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. If this was some joke or… not. My mind swam in confusion, hope, and apprehension.
“Caspian…” My voice was an exhale and he watched my lips form his name.
A bright flash of light blinded me. I blinked, opening my eyes to see Caspian cracking one eye open and looking over at someone standing to my right. A girl stood there, holding a camera, a smile on her face as she looked at the photo on the screen.
“Who the hell are you?” Caspian snapped, still holding my face in place, not moving an inch as he kept me pressed against the wall. She tugged the camera back up and a shiny, black lens looked at us.
“Go ahead, a tabloid will pay more for a kiss shot,” she said and Caspian dropped my face and sighed in annoyance. I was confused about what was going on exactly.
“What?” I asked, looking back and forth between them. Caspian pulled me away and brushed past the girl.
“Aw, come on! I need some extra cash!” She called after us but I couldn’t concentrate. My mind was still all fogged up from what had just been happening with Caspian.
Whathadbeen happening?
3
Two days later we were five hours west, the sun just starting to lighten the sky after a night of driving. Finally, the first day of my trip was here.
Caspian had fallen asleep within the first hour on the road. I looked over at him and shook my head in annoyance to see his peaceful state. He looked like a painting—long eyelashes on his cheeks, a little smirk on his mouth, and his long black locks cascading around him.
Of course, he looked like Dorian Gray despite sleeping with a crooked neck in the car. Did hehaveto look so good? I had to stop ogling him but I hadn’t been able to stop since the night at the haunted mansion. Who was I kidding? I hadn’t been able to stop since the first moment I’d seen him again.
