Page 13 of Stepbrothers

She smiled and set about making Tom’s coffee.

“You watch that documentary on Ibiza yet?”

“No, I haven’t had time, Tom.”

“You should. I bet you’d get the bug, then next summer we could hit the clubs there…together. It’s sick, we’d have a wild time, me and you.”

She laughed. “Yeah, right.”

“Why not? Why won’t you come away with me for some fun?”

“Just ’cause.”

“I know why. You think I fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, don’t you?”

Again she giggled. Tom was a cute guy, but he just didn’t do it for her. “You know that’s not true so you must be fishing for compliments.”

“Fishing for something, sweetheart.” He waggled his eyebrows. “A hot chick to have a good time with perhaps.”

“I just don’t fancy Ibiza.” She set down his coffee. “Heard the stories, seen the stupid tats people come back with.”

“I’d take care of you, no ink, I promise. And you’d only come back with great, very satisfying stories.”

“I’ll take a brown sugar, please.” Parker suddenly appeared beside Tom, looming several inches taller than him and with a frown creasing his brow.

“Er, sure.” Clarice handed a sachet over. Her heart did a tiny flip she didn’t quite understand. Had Parker taken offence to Tom’s flirting?

Tom studied Parker and took a small step backward. “No need to push in, dude.”

“Just want a sugar.” A muscle flexed in Parker’s cheek as he stared, unblinking, at Tom.

“Sugar is over there.” Tom nodded at a condiments section in the corner. “It’s not cool to cramp another guy’s style.”

“Style?” Parker’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah.” Tom tipped his chin. “I was chatting to—”

“My sister, yeah, I noticed.” Parker’s voice was low…dangerous almost.

“Sister?” Tom looked at Clarice then back to Parker.

“Yeah, sister, and she told you she doesn’t want to go to Ibiza with you, which is just as well because I wouldn’t let her.” Parker paused. “Not in a million fucking years.”

“You wouldn’t let me?” Clarice said, her eyes widening at Parker’s stern, hostile tone.

Parker pressed his finger to his lips, silencing her. The steely glare he gave her did odd things to her stomach, making a knot form and then tighten.

And weirdly, she found herself lost for words. Out of shock, mostly, that Parker thought he could tell her where she could and couldn’t go and with whom.

“Clarice is a fun-time girl,” Tom said, “she can do what she wants, when she wants, with anyone she wants.”

“Not anymore.” Parker picked up the cellophane-wrapped brownie and shoved it in Tom’s hand. “Here. Get on your way Mr. Gluten Free. And from now on, pick another place for your morning coffee.”

“Jesus, chill out.” Tom shook his head and kind of huffed. He flicked his wrist at Clarice. “See you around.”

“Sure.” She glanced over her left shoulder. Luckily, Derek had retreated into his office with his coffee and porn and hadn’t witnessed her overprotective new brother in action.

She cleared her throat. “Parker, you can’t just come in here and…I mean really—”

---