Page 47 of The Step Dare

And I don’t want to let go of his either.

14

Brenner

So…apparently, cuddling issomething we do now. Not every day, but over the last week, since our first cuddle session, we’ve done it two other times. I don’t know why it’s suddenly a thing, but six months ago, I never expected blowing Taylor to be a thing either, and it was for a while.

I can’t pinpoint what made our talk the other night feel so different. It’s not like we haven’t spent years sharing secrets and real parts of ourselves, but now it feels like…more? Maybe it’s because of our parents getting married, and the emotions I felt after dinner with my dad combined with Taylor opening up to me, but…yeah. Cuddling. And just…more. For someone who talks as much as I do, I’ve never claimed to be the best with words.

I’m at work, and the Feral Fox Café is full of people from around campus. Caffeine and college go hand in hand. I had one of my longer days of school today, and I’m tired as fuck, but again, that’s what the coffee is for.

I’m making a twenty-ounce mocha with an extra shot, feeling a little jittery and bouncing on my toes, when the bell over the door jingles. I look up to greet the customer and see it’s Mila. “There’s my girl,” I tease her.

“Are you guys dating?” Stephanie, one of my coworkers, asks. “I’ve never heard you call someonemy girlbefore, and she’s been here often over the last month.”

“Ew. Boy cooties,” Mila jokes as she approaches the counter. “I’m a lesbian. He’s just my bestie.”

Stephanie chuckles. “I was going to be shocked. I didn’t know Brenner dated.”

I mock gasp. “I date!”

“You hook up. You don’t date.”

I snicker. “Oh yeah. Good point.” Except I don’t even hook up anymore. No, I sit at home and cuddle with my stepbro. “I’ll make your drink,” I tell Mila while Stephanie meets her at the counter to pay. Mila always gets the same thing.

“You get a break soon?” Mila asks as I hand her the latte.

“Yeah, in like ten minutes.”

Stephanie looks around and says, “It’s slowed down. You can go ahead.”

“Thanks.” I make myself a drink and then meet Mila at her table. She got lucky and was able to grab one in the back corner. “Miss me?” I ask her.

“I had sex last night,” she blurts, and I chuckle.

“Ooh. Nice. Who is she?”

“This girl I met on an app. It was supposed to be a hookup, but she ended up spending the night, and we like…talked and stuff. At first I was worried the talking would give me a case of hives, but she’s cool.”

Man, I love her. We’re more alike than we have any right to be. “Aww. Do you have a crush? What’s her name?”

“Alexis, and I don’t have a crush…oh God, do I have a crush?” She covers her face with her hands, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I don’t know. I’ve never had one.” I guess I must’ve at some point, but clearly, they weren’t memorable. And just the thought of loving someone and risking a broken heart like Dad got when Mom died givesmehives.

“Shut up. Like you don’t have one now.” She snickers, then takes a drink of her coffee while I try to figure out what the fuckshe’s talking about. I wait for her to sayjust kidding, but she just looks at me with her brows drawn together before saying, “Wait. You realize you have a crush, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure if you woke up in a different reality today, but please tell me who I would have a crush on.”

“Taylor.” She shrugs like she’s making any sense at all.

I clutch my stomach as I give an exaggerated laugh. What is she on about? “I think you’ve totally misjudged my relationship with Taylor. Sure, we’ve hooked up, but he’s just my best friend.” I figure Taylor won’t mind me telling Mila. It’s similar to Dax knowing and feels different from telling our friend group. That would be harder to control.

“You really don’t know? I thought you were pretending you didn’t. The way you follow that boy around with your eyes…”

I shrug. “He’s hot. I like the taste of his cum. Of course I look at him.” See? She has no idea what she’s saying. “There’s a difference between attraction and a crush.”

“You talk about himall the time.”

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