Tease: A Stepbrother Romance (6 page)

“Doing what I should’ve done years ago,” Jagger said.

He grabbed Dex by the collar and his fist flew into Dex’s face. Dex stumbled backwards against his car. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

“What was that for? Her? I always knew you were hot for her. Figures her becoming your sister would get you even hotter.”

Jagger stepped up to Dex and punched him in the stomach. Then he turned to me and put his hand out as Dex collapsed and gasped for air.

“Let’s go home.”

I nodded and took his hand. He helped me up, and we walked to Phil’s car where he opened the passenger door for me.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I was so stunned, I couldn’t answer. I nodded and he started the car and drove back to the road.

Lowering my head, I took a deep breath and noticed the phone still in my hand. I turned to look at it and saw time ticking by on a call. I had accidentally called Jagger, but how did he know where to find me?

Questions filled my head, but I couldn’t ask them. I couldn’t make sense of anything well enough to even utter the words ‘thank you.’ I turned towards Jagger as we pulled up to a traffic light.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, reading my mind.

He didn’t say anything else the rest of the ride home. When we entered the house, we each went our own way to our bedrooms. As I sat on my bed, I faced the wall we shared and wondered what he was doing. Could I have been wrong about him?

Finally able to speak, I dialed Issy’s number. After quickly bringing her up to date, she let out a long sigh.

“See,” she said. “I told you he’s a nice guy. He didn’t have to show up there, and he knows Dex better than anyone. He warned you not to go.”

“I don’t know. I just...it’s so hard for me to believe it. In this one week that he’s been here, he’s been nothing like I remember.”

“He was different then, that’s all. We were all different then. You gotta let it go and see him for who he is now.”

“It just doesn’t make sense, Issy. All of tonight makes no sense at all.”

“Then maybe you should talk to him,” she said. “I mean, on my end it sounds like he’s been flirting with you.”

“No way, he’s just teasing me because of how I reacted that night.”

“You even said you thought he was acting jealous.”

“Yes, but…I don’t know. There’s no way.”

“And what about what Dex said to him?”

“No. I don’t know. Maybe I’m making it all up. Maybe I’m just hoping this hot guy who seems so great likes me.”

“I still think you should talk to him.”

“Yeah, I need to at least thank him. I’ll talk to him in the morning. Maybe I won’t feel so confused then.”

***

I woke up the next morning thinking about Jagger and everything that had happened. Issy was right, I needed to talk to him. I looked at the clock on my nightstand and saw it was only eight o’clock. It couldn’t hurt to send him a text.

Sierra:
You up? I want to talk.

I waited about half an hour before I decided to get out of bed.
Guess he’s still asleep.
I took a shower and got dressed, but when I left my room, instead of heading downstairs, I went to Jagger’s door.

With my ear to the door, I held my breath as I listened. I couldn’t hear anything. I checked my phone and still didn’t see a reply.
He should be up by now.
I knocked on his door and waited. After a minute, I tried the knob and found it unlocked.

If he can go into my room while I’m asleep, I can go into his,
I thought.

The room looked empty, like it did before he arrived. I checked his bathroom and all of his things were gone.
 

Where could he be? Did he leave? Why?

I rushed down the stairs and found my mother seated at the kitchen table.

“Morning, Mom. Have you seen Jagger?”

“Don’t you remember? We told you at dinner the other night after we got home. Phil and Jagger left this morning for Oahu. We’re still scheduled to leave later today. I know I’ve been married before and we both have kids, but I wanted a couple of days apart from Phil before the big day.” Mom shrugged as she smiled. “Just call me old-fashioned.”

With everything we needed to do once we got to Oahu, I knew I’d never get to see Jagger until after the ceremony. I had no choice but to wait to talk to him,
if
I was going to talk to him. I still didn’t know. The only thing I was sure of was that every time I thought about the past week, the more confused about Jagger I became.

Was it possible to hate someone you found physically attractive? I was beginning to think hate was too negative a word for how I felt about him. If I was honest with myself, I had to realize I might actually like him.

~ Seven ~

Jagger

It had been two days since I last saw Sierra. I’d never admit it to anyone, but I was ashamed by how much I thought about her.

Seeing Dex flirt with her was enough to send me over the edge. I had no choice but to follow them and make sure she was all right. I didn’t know what Dex would do or that he would take things that far. Had I known, I would have made sure she stayed home. But what I would never tell her was that it wasn’t Dex that made me follow her, it was my own jealousy.

Getting on the plane early the next day was a relief. I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to resist her. She was so sweet that I couldn’t help but corrupt her by sending her the videos and photos. Now every time her cheeks turned the slightest shade of red, I knew what she was thinking about—me. And I loved it.

On the plane, Dad had told me how he and Rachel would be heading to another island after the wedding. I hoped that with Sierra and I alone together in a romantic tropical resort that maybe she would begin to let her guard down. When we checked into the hotel, I suggested adjoining rooms for Sierra and me and got my wish.

Now that it was the day of the wedding, I knew she would have no choice but to spend some time with me. I just needed to keep proving to her that I wasn’t that meathead kid from years ago.

Dad and I were in a room at the resort reserved especially for the groom. A small table was set up with some snacks and beside it was a stocked bar. Dad paced the room and looked out the long windows at the small crowd gathering outside for the ceremony.

“Everything okay? You look nervous,” I said.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’ve just been thinking about how strange life works,” he said. “For the longest time, I never imagined this day would come with someone other than your mother.” He sat down and pulled a chair out next to him. “Sit, let’s talk.”

As I sat down, Dad poured Scotch into two nearby glasses. He slid one over to me.

“Sip it. This Scotch is older than the two of us combined. Drink it with respect,” he said with a smile before taking a sip. “It means a lot to me that you’re here. I didn’t think I’d ever find someone to marry me after your mother turned me down so many times.” He laughed and took a sip.

“Is that why you two never got married?”

“I shouldn’t be surprised she never told you.”

“I never asked, but she never talked about it. I mean I guess part of me knew it was her, because she’s always talking about how it’s just me and her and we don’t need anyone and we don’t need anything from you.” Dad nodded as if he had heard that before.

“Well, what she always told me was that I was settling for her. She also said I was only asking to marry her because of you.”

“Was she right?” I asked.

He picked up his glass and took another sip as he leaned back in the chair. Tilting his head to the side, he raised his shoulders in the slightest shrug and gave me a half smile I knew I used all the time.

“Probably. Your mother is usually right and as far as you’re concerned, she’s always right. Remember that.” He grinned and took another sip before setting his glass back down on the table. “I did love her, but when I first asked her to marry me, it was because I thought it was the right thing to do because she was pregnant. We were in college at the time and had been dating for most of the year. I was in my senior year and she was a freshman. I didn’t realize I skipped an intro class that was required for graduation. Your mom was in the class and after winning her over, we started dating.”

“Hmm, I never knew how you met.”

“She’d probably rather forget meeting me,” he said with a laugh. “After she got pregnant, I wanted to support her and take care of her, but she refused. She had to do everything on her own and her own way, so she quit college and that’s when she went to beauty school. I guess it was for the best, at least for me, because I was able to go to graduate school and make a name for myself, but I never thought it was fair to her.”

“I know you tried helping us out. And I know you didn’t want us to move away, but it probably was better for Mom that we did. Mom didn’t have to work as much in Tucson as she did out here.”

He nodded sadly. “I wish I could have done more. For a long time I thought maybe we’d end up together, but maybe that’s the real reason your mom moved away. She was always very perceptive. Even though your mom ended our relationship when she got pregnant, I didn’t even think of dating until she said the two of you were leaving. I think that’s when it really hit home that the three of us would never be a family in the traditional sense.”

“I hated having to move,” I said. “California will always be my home, but I did make some really great friends in Tucson. I changed a lot.”

Dad took a sip of his Scotch and smiled. “You did, Jag, and I’m really proud of the man you’ve become. I only wish you were closer so we could have spent more time together.”

“It’s okay. You came to visit a lot. Even Mom said sometimes it was like we never moved. Plus I saw how happy you were with Rachel. I was glad you found someone. I wish Mom would too.”

“When Rachel and I started dating, I finally understood what falling in love was really like. She means the world to me, and I hope that one day your mother finds that happiness, too. When it comes to love, it pays to be patient.”

“How do you know when you’re in love?”

Dad shook his head. “You just know.”

Music seeped in from outside. Dad got up and looked at the small band that had set up next to the wedding canopy.

“It’s almost time,” he said. “Can you do me a favor before we go out there?”

“Sure, Dad, what is it?”

“Can you check on Rachel for me? You know it’s bad luck to see the bride, and I just want to make sure she doesn’t need anything.”

“No problem,” I said as I stood.

Dad walked over to me, hugged me, and then patted my back. I left the room and went down the hall to the bride’s room. Anxious voices came through the door before I knocked.

A woman with blonde hair and a flower in her hair opened the door a crack.
 

“You alone?” she asked as her eyes darted back and forth.

I nodded, and she opened the door for me to enter. Rachel was pacing in a pale pink gown as she wrung her hands together. When she saw me, she rushed over.

“You have to find Sierra,” she said. “She was here and said she forgot something in the room, but she hasn’t come back yet. It’s been half an hour already and the ceremony is supposed to start soon.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right back with her.”

I left and walked into the main building and towards our rooms. I didn’t know what would take Sierra so long, but if she went to her room, that’s where I would start.
 

I knocked on her door and waited as I tried listening in to hear if she was in there. There was no response, but I heard something from inside her room.

“Sierra? Are you in there?”

“Go away!” she yelled.

“Are you okay? Let me in. Your mom sent me to look for you.”

“Oh no oh no oh no! Go away, Jagger. You’re the last person I need here. Please just leave me alone.”

Her voice cracked as she spoke and I knew something had gone wrong. If she wasn’t going to let me in, I was going to figure out another way into her room.