Page 25 of The Step Dare

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay and shoot your shot?” The last thing I want is to cock-block…pussy-block? Is that a saying? Whatever. I don’t want to stop her from hooking up or meeting someone if that’s what she wants.

“Nah. I’m good. I want to see your apartment and meet the bestie you’ve been talking about all day.”

“I haven’t been talking about him all day.” I stand up and grab our plate to put it away. I’ll be back working here next week, and I know how it feels when people don’t pick up after themselves.

“Yeah. Okay. Sure you haven’t.”

As we walk to my truck, I’m trying to figure out what she’s talking about. Taylor is my boy…my future stepbrother. Of course he’s going to be mentioned some, but she makes it sound like he’s basically all I’ve talked about.

“I don’t even know if he’ll be home.”

“Ooh, why did you have a voice when you said that?”

“I have a voice when I say anything. That’s part of talking.” I didn’t have avoice. There would be absolutely no reason for me to have a voice.

Mila laughs. “You know what I mean.”

“I do not,” I say as we get in the truck. “But I think he went to chill at the Alpha Theta Mu house.”

“Wow. You don’t strike me as the frat type.”

It’s my turn to chuckle. “Oh, I’m not. I wouldn’t mind boning frat guys, but that’s the extent of it. We’ve been hanging out with them ever since Atlas got together with Troy.”

“They’re the stepbrothers, right?”

“One of the couples. There’s also Colin and Ash. They’re both frat members.”

“And stepbrothers who are dating? Wow. Who knew so much kinky shit was going on at Peach State? You know that means you and Taylor are next.”

The last time we were together flashes through my head—the feel of his cock against my tongue, the way he grabbed my hair and lost control in the way that Taylor doesn’t often let himself do. Jesus, he’s hot. Why did our parents decide to get married again? But then I remind myself that Taylor and I are just friends.

“What was that?” Mila asks.

“What was what?”

“You made a weird sound. Like a whimper or a sigh.”

I frown. “No I didn’t.”

“Well, I’m not hearing things. Something was going through your head that had you feeling some kind of something.”

I shake off her words, then get back to wondering if Tay will be at the apartment when we get there. I hadn’t meant to stay out with Mila so long. Hopefully he’s not wondering where I am or working on the apartment on his own because I ditched him.

“Nice complex,” Mila says as I park next to our building.

“Yeah, we like it. The price is good, and our friends are close.”

The door is locked, but that doesn’t mean Taylor isn’t there. As soon as I open the door, I feel the emptiness of the space and know he’s still out. Jesus, what the hell is he doing at the frat house for so long?

I pull out my phone to text, but then put it away. I don’t think it’s weird that I want to message him, but I’m suddenly not sure.

“Want a drink?” I ask Mila.

She says yes, and I grab us each a soda before we sit on the couch and play video games. It’s fun that she’s as into them as Taylor and me, but annoyingly, I can’t stop myself from looking at the time every five minutes. I guess it’s just that Taylor and I are almost always together. He doesn’t really hang out with the guys all that much unless it’s the both of us.

“Fuck yes!” Mila says, and I realize she’s carrying me and get back into the game.

“To the left. Watch right there,” I tell her. “Fuck. I got him! Holy shit. I just saved your ass,” I tease, then hear a throat clearing behind me. Shit. Taylor got home, and I didn’t even notice. “Oh. Hey. You’re back. We were wondering where you were.”

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