Page 11 of Hot Stepbrother Daddy

The work is simple, but the company is something else. I feel her eyes on me the entire time and the electricity sparking from where her fingers brush mine as she hands me brushes and cups of paint.

"I think you should paint your room like this," she says, watching me climb down the ladder, "You could use a little color."

"I'm not painting my room gold," I snort.

"Gold is too bold," she agrees. "But maybe a nice muted yellow? With gray sheets and some houseplants to bring in a little green…” She trails off before her expression becomes completely earnest. "But anyway. Thank you, Adam, for helping me. I really appreciate it."

"Sure," I say, trying to keep my tone light.

Laurie's tone goes teasing. "You know, you're the only man I've ever had in here."

I'm buried under a barrage of questions I want to ask her, but I manage to push most of them down. I know that Laurie was a virgin the night we slept together, but she's never had anyone in her room? She's fucking stunning. But I can't say that, so instead I just motion to the massive amounts of cheerleading awards hung on the walls.

"I'm surprised you didn't have some cliche football-playing boyfriend."

Laurie looks offended. "Uh, no! I took cheerleading so seriously. You don't win awards by dating football players. You win awards by practicing."

She sounds so prim and proper, and I laugh. "So you're saying you didn't date?"

She looks away. "I didn't have time for boys, okay? Plus, my dad ditching my mom as soon as he found out she was pregnant didn’t exactly make me in any hurry to find love.”

I cringe. Fuck. I'm going to hell. There's no doubt about that, but I can't stop myself from pushing forward, getting closer, wanting to know more about her. "None of them were good enough for you?"

She slaps her hands on the bed, annoyed. "That wasn't it! I did well at school, and I dedicated my free time to cheer. That's all." Relaxing once more, she looks me over from head to toe, and I swear I can feel her eyes like a physical touch. "You're...you know, in good shape. I bet you played a sport seriously, too."

My obsession with her is broken for a beat, and a familiar feeling of awkwardness creeps in. "Ah, no. Not really."

"Come on." Laurie is like a bloodhound on a scent. She knows I’m hiding something, and she isn't going to let me get away with it. "Spill it."

I consider just leaving the room, but something about the way she's looking at me makes me feel ... lighter. It's my desire to see her smile that has me telling her, "I was actually in choir."

She blinks, eyes wide. "Oh!"

"Yeah." I scrub a hand down my face. "I was a baritone, and I took it seriously."

"Why did you stop?"

I'm already fighting back a grin. "I was just too talented. It wasn't fair to the other kids."

Her lips part and then she bursts into laughter, throwing herself back on her bed. I join in, surprised at how nice it feels to just laugh with her.

She sits up after a moment, looking more relaxed than I've seen her since she got here. "Thanks for sharing with me."

And there it is again—that crackle of heat between us that makes me want to kiss her. Makes me want to pull her against me and feel her body pressed to mine. But I can't, so instead I say, "It really was a tragedy, how wasted I was."

"I just don't know if I believe you. How about you sing me something?"

I shake my head. "Hell, no. Unless...you do something for me first."

Laurie's expression wavers between amused and hesitant, but she takes the bait. "Okay, sure."

"All right, Cartwright," I say, leaning against the edge of her desk with my arms crossed. "If you were such a hotshot cheerleader, let’s see it. Show me what you’ve got.”

Laurie arches one perfectly shaped brow. “You think I won’t?”

I smirk, trying to keep my cool. “I know you won’t. No way you’ll risk embarrassing yourself like that.”

She narrows her eyes at me, the glint of determination in them unmistakable. “You’re on, Lawson.”

---