Page 5 of Knot Stepping Down
“And we’re brothers, well stepbrothers. It’s not weird. It’s just… dinner.” Except I’m imagining him kissing me, knotting me, calling me his Omega, and I’m two seconds away from propping my ass up and whining for more. God, Declan would never let me live that down. “Just imagine if Sienna had won. You’d be stuck with her right now.”
“I’d rather eat alone. You, though? You’re way more fun to mess with.” The purr that follows his words has my back arching slightly, slick flooding my briefs. Declan has to know what he’s doing as he leans close enough for his nose to brush against my cheek.
“Mess with?” I squeak, then clear my throat, trying to match his vibe. “Careful, I might mess back.” It’s a bold lie, but he grins, like he’s daring me to try.
“Bring it, Avery,” he teases. “I can handle you.”
My brain short-circuits as I clear my throat, my eyes widening at the implication of his words. Then Declan pushes the coffee table out of the way, the only real barrier between us before setting his hands down on either side of him. My gaze drops down to his lap, the thick bulge between his thighs telling me that I haven’t been misreading this moment.
And fuck, it’s all I want.
Leaning forward, I wrap my fingers in his shirt and drag him into a kiss. He freezes for a split second, then kisses me back, dominating the embrace until I feel his purr rumbling through him. His hands find my waist, and he drags me to him, pulling me into his lap. I straddle his thighs and grip his shoulders as the kiss deepens, his tongue teasing mine. His cock presses against my ass and I grind down, needing more friction than that.
I lose myself in his pine scent, more slick dampening my briefs, my scent screaming with need. And then reality slams back into me.
He’s my stepbrother. I just kissed him. In our living room. God, I ruin everything. “Oh god,” I whisper, scrambling off his lap. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—” I stammer unsure of what to do before bolting up the stairs.
I didn’t think I’d be fighting my own conscience when this finally happened.
The fact that Declan isn’t rushing up after me tells me that tomorrow is going to be awkward as fuck.
declan
Avery’stastelingersasI brush my fingers across my lips. Our food is half eaten, Avery’s vanilla cupcake scent thickening even as I sit here, trying to figure out how we got to this point. Avery just kissed me. My stepbrother, all five-foot-four of dark curls and nervous energy, straddled my thighs, and kissed me like he meant it.
I didn’t expect this, but now that it’s happened, I want more.So much more.
My eyes drop down to my lap, my pants soaked through with slick from the Omega who just dashed upstairs. This is a terrible idea but I’m about to break my own rules about this beingjustdinner. Especially now that I’m covered in his scent and I know he’s mine.
Avery’s always been so shy, skittish, like a spooked cat, but that kiss was bold. I’ve been fighting my own feelings for months, ever since Mom married his dad and I moved in. His hazel eyes, his quick wit, the way he blushes when I tease him—it’s been driving me crazy. But he’s my stepbrother. Off-limits. Except now he’s kissed me and I’m not sure I can go back to pretending.
I take the stairs two at a time, my knot throbbing in my pants, demanding that I claim the little Omega who just ran from me. Every instinct in my body is screaming at me to take what’s mine because in a sense, Avery just marked me. Even if we just let this night play out and forget it tomorrow, I’ll be okay. Maybe.
Probably not.
I knock on Avery’s bedroom door. “Avery? You in there?” The lack of an answer worries me as I push the door open, but his room’s empty. Confused, I head for my room, figuring he might’ve grabbed a hoodie or something in his panic. When I open the door, there he is, sitting on my bed, knees pulled to his chest, looking like he’s about to bolt again. His dark curls are a mess as if he’s been running his fingers through them several times and his hazel eyes go wide when he sees me. “Declan!” he squeaks, scrambling to stand. “I just ran and I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to kiss you, but I’ve been fantasizing about it for so long, and—”
“Whoa, slow down,” I say, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it, trying to keep my voice light despite the heat coursing through me. His vanilla cupcake scent is even stronger in here, and it’s doing things to my self-control. “Did you mean to be in my room? Or were you just, what, hiding from your own crime scene?”
He laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know! I just… ran. I thought you’d be mad, and I didn’t knowwhere else to go.” His cheeks are pink and he’s so damn cute I can barely stand it.
“Mad?” I step closer, grinning to keep the mood easy. “Avery, you kissedmeand then ditched me. I’m more impressed than mad.” I tease, my voice dropping a few octaves as I push the desire into my words. His eyes flick to my lips, like he’s remembering the desperate kiss we just shared.
He groans, covering his face with his hands. “I’m such an idiot. I shouldn’t have done it. You’re my stepbrother, and I just… I got carried away.” His scent betrays his words because when I take a step closer, his back arches toward me and the smell of his arousal floods the room. He lets out a little whine, his pupils full blown with need.
God, he’s perfect like this. “I got carried away too, Avery. I’ve been thinking about kissing you for months. Well, doing more than justkissing. Why do you think I was pissed off when I saw you in the gym tonight? All nervous with that bidding paddle, ready to throw cash at some Alpha. I’m glad it’s me you fought for.”
His mouth drops open as he stares at me, wide-eyed. “You… what? You were jealous?” He sounds shocked, but there’s a spark in his eyes, like he’s thrilled by this turn of events.
“Hell yeah, I was jealous,” I say, stepping closer until he’s backed against my bed, nowhere to run. “Thought you were bidding on Jax or someone else at first. Nearly lost it.” I flash him a grin, wondering what’s going on in that head of his.
He chews on his bottom lip, staring up at me as he mulls over his words. “I just. I want this so bad but our parents… I was going to do what Sienna was talking about. Getting more than just dinner, and then we kissed, and if Dad saw…” A hiccup cuts off his words as I step closer, gently pinching his chin to ensure that his gaze is focused on me.
“Avery, we’re grown adults, and we’re not blood related. Is this scandalous? A bit. However, so is bidding on an Alpha every month, allowing us to raise funds for our sports. So, there’s no rules broken. And if you need it, this stays between us, in this room. No one needs to know.” I’m teasing,mostly, but if I can only have Avery as a secret, I’ll take it. “Now, come here so I can kiss you again.”
“You’re serious?” He whispers as he tilts his chin back farther.
“Dead serious,” I say, pressing my lips to his in a gentle kiss to savor his taste. He melts into me, fingers tangling in my shirt. The kiss turns heated fast as I thrust my tongue into his mouth, dueling with his. His vanilla cupcake scent is overwhelming, and I can smell his slick again, that sweet arousal that’s got me dizzy. I pull him closer, one hand sliding to his waist, a soft noise falling from his lips that sends a jolt through me.
