Page 68 of Hey, Stepbro

He smiles, his eyes shining with affection. "Is that so? Well, I promise to always keep you on your toes," he teases, giving me a wicked grin.

The fire of our passion still burns brightly. He pulls me in closer, and our mouths meet again in a searing embrace.

"Thank you, Brock, for being in my life."

The sensations all around us multiply by ten—the warmth of Blakely's breath on my face, the softness of his lips against mine, the faint scent of the shampoo he uses. My senses are hyper-focused on this moment, etching it into my memory for eternity.

"Your kisses are fucking magic." I run my fingers through his hair. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

"I'm the lucky one here. I’ve got this incredibly hot football player who's head over heels for me, remember?"

"Good point." My chest swells with affection as I realize how much we mean to each other, how deeply we're intertwined in every aspect of our lives.

"Seriously though." Blakely’s tone is more serious now. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You make everything better by being you."

"I promise to always be here for you. No matter what."

"Wanna grab something from the campus café?"

"Sure."

The warmth of the café wraps around us after we arrive. Blakely removes the oversized sweater he’s wearing, one that somehow manages to make him look even more adorable than usual.

"Come on." I lead him toward the counter where an array of baked goods tempts our senses. "You deserve a treat after all the hard work you put in at the meeting."

His eyes widen as they land on a tray of brownies, fresh from the oven. "Oh my gosh, those look amazing."

"Let's get one," I suggest, already reaching for my wallet. The scent of chocolate wafts toward us, making my mouth water. As we wait in line, I notice how Blakely's nose twitches, taking in the delicious aroma.

"Thank you," Blakely murmurs when I hand him the brownie, wrapped in a napkin. "This is really sweet of you."

"Hey, what are stepbrothers for?"

We find a cozy corner table near a window, and Blakely takes a small bite of the brownie. His eyes close momentarily as he savors the taste, the sight of him captivating me. It's so… Blakely.

He swallows, then sniffles. "My mom used to bake brownies exactly like this," he says, wiping away a tear that threatens to spill down his cheek.

"Really?"

Blakely’s only shared a bit about his mom, but it's clear there's a lot of love and pain wrapped up in her memory.

"Yeah," he says softly. "She had this special recipe she got from her grandmother, and she'd make them for me whenever I was down. They were the best brownies in the world."

I reach across the table to give his hand a gentle squeeze. "I bet they were amazing, like you."

We hold hands. He’s not ready to open up yet, but I don't care. When he is, I’ll be there for him. Exactly like he’s here for me.

CHAPTER21

BROCK

Istand at the entrance of the cemetery, my heart throbbing. The air is thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth. I glance over at Blakely, who takes a deep breath and nods. He's finally ready to open up about his mom's death, and I'm here to support him.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask, squeezing his hand gently.

Blakely nods again. "I need to do this. Thank you for being here with me."

"Of course."

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