Page 7 of It Just Feels Right

I practically shove my dad to the side when I get in, hoping to see Cassie, but the only one sitting in the living room is Brandi.

She does a double-take when she sees me, and for just a brief moment I see the displeasure on her face. I know she doesn’t like that my dad and I are close, but she’s quick to hide it. “Baker… what a nice surprise. You doing okay?”

“Yeah… where’s Cassie?”

She turns back to the television. “Oh, she went out tonight.”

I roll my eyes as Dad starts to tell her about what happened. I wait for Brandi to express her concern or to get up and go check on her, but she does nothing except shrug her shoulders. “That girl. She’s always looking for trouble.”

I grit my teeth. Yep, I like her even less now.

“Hey, Dad, I’m going to use the restroom. I’ll be back.”

My dad gives me a knowing look. “Sure thing, son.”

I bypass the bathroom on the first floor and take the stairs two at a time. I walk down the hallway to the bedroom that I know Dad and Brandi had talked about giving Cassie when she came back from school. The door is shut, and I want to push it open, but I knock softly instead.

There’s a rustle behind the door, and then it swings open. Cassie gasps and rears backward. “Baker? What are you doing?”

I walk into her room and shut the door behind me. She’s already changed clothes, and I let my eyes trail down her body. The shorts and tank top do nothing to hide her from me. I fist my hands at my sides because I want to reach out, grab her by the hips, and pull her flush against me. “I had to make sure you were okay.”

She nods, eyes wide, looking between me at the closed door. She looks trapped, and I hold my hands up. “Hey, I’m sorry. I can leave.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Why didn’t you tell me that you… that we’re…” She blows out a big breath. “Why didn’t you tell me that you’re my stepbrother? I thought…”

I take a step toward her, wanting her to continue. “You thought what?”

She uncrosses her arms and slaps her hands on her thighs. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter now.”

I move before I can talk myself out of it. My hands go straight to her hips, and I pull her against me. She fits me perfectly, but I knew she would. “You thought that I was attracted to you… that I’m interested in you.”

She juts her chin at me. “I did, but I didn’t know that my big brother was just playing me.”

I lean down until our lips are only inches apart from each other. I keep one hand at her waist, and the other comes up and wraps around her neck. Her pulse is racing under my thumb, and I rub it back and forth. “I wasn’t playing you. I want you.”

She swipes her tongue across her lower lip, and I groan. She has no clue that I’m barely hanging on. She sucks in a breath, and I feel her pebbled nipples cut across my chest. Fuck me.

She tries to pull away, but I don’t let her. “Baker, you’re my step—”

I cut her off. “Don’t say it. We’re not related.”

My little spitfire rolls her eyes. “We are… you’re my—”

“I’m yours. That’s how you should word that sentence… Tell me you’re mine.”

Her hands go to my chest, but she doesn’t push me away. “Baker, we can’t… we shouldn’t.”

“Baker! You okay, son?” my dad hollers up the stairs.

Cassie tenses, and I reluctantly let her go. “Yeah, I wanted to check on Cassie. I’ll be right there.”

She pulls from my arms and hisses at me, “Baker… They’re going to know you’re in my room… they’re going to wonder what we’re doing in here.”

I put my hand on the door to stop her from opening it. I lean down, pressing my lips softly to the bruise on her forehead before pulling away. “We’re just talking… tonight. Even though I’d give anything to stay in here with you the whole night, I can see you need some time to warm up to the idea.”

She can try to deny it all she wants, but I see the way her eyes light up. She may not want to feel what she’s feeling, but it doesn’t change the fact that she wants me. And that right there is all I need right now. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I open the door, and without another look back, I walk out of her bedroom. The only reason I don’t look at her is because it’s nearly impossible to walkaway now. If she gave me any indication she wanted me too, I’d stay. Fuck everyone else because from this point forward, whatever Cassie wants, Cassie gets.

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