Page 3

JESSE

2 YEARS LATER

Jesse snagged a soda from a cooler and retreated to the shade. As he took a swig from the icy can, he took in the view. It was a beautiful summer day at the lake. Kids cannonballed off the pier under the watchful eye of their parents and the older kids who waited for their turn to ride one of the jet skis that someone had brought. The air was filled with gleeful screams, someone playing a guitar, and shouts from a football game.

He spotted Mom sitting on Isaac’s lap near the grill. Isaac hadn’t wanted to request time off from work to camp with church friends, but his smile said he was enjoying himself. Mom was a good influence on him. In the two years they’d been married, they had their fair share of disagreements, but they were happy.

“My turn!”

He followed the sound of Violet’s voice and saw her wading through the water toward a group playing chicken. She stopped in front of Malcolm, a boy a year older than him. Malcolm leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Violet wore a one-piece bathing suit with shorts, but her back was completely exposed. Jesse’s eyes narrowed as Malcolm’s fingers brushed the base of her spine.

A second later, Malcolm sank beneath the surface, so Violet could hop on his shoulders. When Malcolm straightened, he reached up to steady Violet and took advantage of her position to grip her hips and smooth his hands down her legs. He playfully staggered, making Violet shriek and clutch at his head, the only thing available for her to hang onto. Malcom’s broad smile said he was enjoying this a little too much for Jesse’s liking.

He started forward as Malcolm and Violet faced off with Marissa, who was on Benny’s shoulders. The guys moved forward so the girls could battle. Marissa was older and outweighed Violet by a good thirty pounds, but if he had to bet on either girl, his odds were on Violet. He was proven right less than five seconds later when Marissa toppled off Benny’s shoulders and hit the water with a splash.

Violet did a celebratory shimmy as Marissa got back on Benny’s shoulders. By the time he reached them, Violet had dethroned Marissa a second time.

Marissa sputtered as she came up for air. “Your sister’s ruthless.”

When he started to pass, Marissa grabbed his arm.

“You’re taller than Benny. Maybe I can beat her if I’m on your shoulders.”

He didn’t answer her. His eyes were on Malcom. Instead of sinking into the water to let Violet off his shoulders, Malcolm coaxed Violet to slide down his front. Jesse’s blood ran hot as Malcolm held Violet close while his hand moved over her bare back.

“Jesse?” Marissa prompted.

“Maybe later,” he said shortly, and broke free of her to close in on his target.

“You want to ride with me on the jet ski?” Malcolm asked Violet.

“She’s going with me,” Jesse interjected.

Malcolm raised his head. Some of what he was feeling must have shown on his face because Malcolm immediately dropped his hand and eased back. “Hey, Jesse.”

He grabbed the back of Violet’s shorts and tugged her away from Malcolm.

“Violet knocked Marissa down twice,” Malcolm shared.

“I saw,” he said in a flat tone.

Malcolm held his gaze for a few seconds before he looked away. “I think I’ll join the football game.”

“You do that,” Jesse said quietly.

As Malcolm headed toward the shore, Violet shaded her eyes with her hand and looked up at him. “Everything okay?”

He searched puzzled hazel eyes and knew she was oblivious to the liberties Malcolm had taken. As his gaze moved lower, his blood, already hot, went molten. From this angle, he could see down the front of her swimsuit. It took all his self-control to focus on her face and not the gentle swell of her breasts. The urge to go after Malcolm and put his fist in his face made him grind his teeth.

Violet cocked her head to the side. “Are you mad because I beat your girlfriend?”

“Ex-girlfriend,” he growled and tugged on her strap. “I think you need to pull this up.”

Violet stared at him. “Are you serious? I’m the most covered up girl here. I’m in a one piece and shorts. Did you not see Marissa’s tangerine bikini? I was worried she was going to come out of her top when I pushed her in the water.”

“I don’t care what Marissa’s wearing, I care what you’re wearing. So, can you please…?” He tugged on the strap again.

“You’re just as bad as Dad,” she grumbled, though she did pull up her top so it covered her more adequately. “If it was up to you two, I’d still be shopping in the boy’s department.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said and grunted when she put her elbow in his stomach.

The days of Violet dressing like a tomboy were a distant memory. Though she still shied away from dresses, her clothes were now distinctly feminine. She dressed modestly, mostly to please Isaac, who looked pained when she wore anything too revealing.

“Are you really taking me on the jet ski?” Violet asked.

“Yeah, I’m next.” He moved deeper into the water to flag down Logan, who was heading toward them.

“All yours,” Logan said as he and his brother hopped off the jet ski.

He helped Violet on before he settled in front of her.

“You have to hold on to me,” he instructed.

“Oh.” She scooted forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Like this?”

“Tighter.”

She attempted to crack his ribs as she tightened around him like a boa constrictor. “Like this?”

“Yup,” he said in an even tone, and felt her arms tremble before she gave up and loosened her hold. “Ready?”

“Hold on.”

He tried not to tense as she shifted around behind him to get comfortable. Plastered to his back as she was, he could feel the tiny, hard points of her nipples. Her thighs gripped him snugly. His hands tightened on the handlebars. The thought of her wrapped around Malcolm like this made his simmering temper go up a few notches. Over his dead body.

“Ready,” Violet chirped.

He let out a long breath as he applied gentle pressure on the throttle. He glanced toward the shore and wasn’t surprised to see Mom standing with her hands on hips. Isaac was reclined against the table, but made no motion to tell him he didn’t have permission to take Violet for a ride. He held his hand up to reassure them that he would be safe before he headed out.

As they glided over the water, just the two of them, he relaxed. It had been a great weekend on the lake with friends and family. Summer was coming to a close. They would be back at school in two weeks. He was going into his junior year. Just two more years in Texas and then he would join the military. He stopped bringing it up because Mom tried to talk him out of it. She couldn’t. He promised Dad he would follow in his footsteps. It was a done deal.

Violet smacked his stomach, disrupting his peace.

“Why are you driving like a grandpa?” she grumbled.

“I’m being safe.”

“Come on, Jesse. How often do we ride jet skis? What if we don’t do this again? We have this lake to ourselves. Let it rip.”

“Mom would kill me.”

“Mom isn’t around.”

He couldn’t see her face, but he knew she was pouting. She lowered her voice to a tone she knew he couldn’t resist.

“Please?”

“Just enjoy the moment, Vi.”

“Maybe I should have gone with Malcolm,” she muttered.

He craned his head around to look at her. “What did you say?”

She jutted out her chin. “You heard me. Why have all this horsepower if you aren’t going to use it?”

She barely got the last word out before he gunned the throttle. The jet ski bucked beneath them. Violet let out a startled shriek, which immediately turned into a delighted whoop as they soared across the water.

“You’re the best brother ever!” Violet screamed.

He grinned despite himself. Mom had tempered Violet’s savage nature, but occasionally, her old recklessness made an appearance. It had gotten them in trouble countless times. He indulged her when he could so she wouldn’t seek out trouble with a partner in crime who wouldn’t have her back if things went south. Out of sight of anyone who would report back to their parents, he gave Violet the thrill ride she was seeking. He’d be damned if she asked Malcolm or any other guy for a ride.

As they made their way back to the pier, Violet squeezed him around his middle. “Can I drive?”

He hesitated. “You’ll go slow?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t see it, but he knew she was rolling her eyes. “Fine.”

He stopped so they could switch places. Once she was settled in front of him, he showed her the button for the throttle.

“Just apply a little pressure,” he cautioned and bit back a curse when the jet ski jerked. “Vi!”

“I’m sorry.” She giggled as she adjusted her grip until they were gliding forward at an easy pace. “I’m sad we’re leaving tomorrow. This has been so fun!”

“It has been,” he said, as they approached their group of over forty people. “Dad’s enjoying himself.”

“He always does. I don’t know why he puts up such a fight.”

“He’s a recovering workaholic. Old habits die hard.”

“Marissa’s waiting for you,” Violet sang. “She’s been changing her bikini twice a day. Have you noticed?”

“No.”

Violet turned to give him an arch look. “Seriously? Each one she puts on is brighter than the last.” Violet’s voice dropped as she muttered, “And smaller. Her mom is so embarrassed.”

He grunted. He dated Marissa for two weeks in sixth grade, and she had been trying to convince him to be her boyfriend again ever since. He liked her as a friend and did his best not to lead her on, but she made it clear to him and everyone else that she wanted more.

“Lara’s also been trying to get your attention. Every time she sings, she looks right at you.”

He’d noticed and started excusing himself or making sure he could duck behind someone until she was finished. Lara was pretty, sweet, and had the voice of an angel, but when she wasn’t singing, she was painfully shy and had a stutter.

As he brushed Violet’s wavy black hair out of his face, he smelled the soft floral scent of violets and rose. The already delicate fragrance was faint from her time in the water, but knowing Malcolm had probably caught a whiff of it reminded him what had pissed him off in the first place. He gripped her waist. “You want another ride, you come to me. I don’t want you going with anyone else.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.” As the image of her legs draped around Malcolm’s face came back to him, he tacked on, “And no playing chicken again either, unless you’re on my shoulders.”

“You’re so weird,” she muttered.

“Promise me.”

“Fine, Dad ,” she drawled as she killed the engine.

He flinched, not liking that label one bit, but before he could say anymore, she slipped off the jet ski into the water. He stayed put and helped two girls get on before he swam toward shore. Violet joined Mom and Isaac near the grill and made herself a plate of food. With his family occupied, he tracked down Malcolm, who was making his way back to camp. He waited until they had distanced themselves from everyone else before he called out to him.

“Malcolm!”

Malcolm stopped and looked over his shoulder. Jesse saw his brows come together in a frown before it was replaced with an easy smile.

“Hey, Jesse, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to give you a friendly warning.”

His pleasant tone belied the inferno in his chest. They were at a church event. He couldn’t get in a fight with the worship leader’s son, but he wasn’t going to let what happened with Violet slide.

Malcolm blinked. “Warning?”

“Yeah.” He kept a smile on his lips as he loosened his grip on his temper so the heat of it leaked into his eyes. “Touch Violet like that again, and we’re going to have problems.”

Malcom’s mouth sagged before he said in affronted tones, “I’m sorry?”

“You think I didn’t notice you slide her down your front or look down her bathing suit?”

He saw a flash of guilt before Malcolm puffed out his chest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. If I see you do that with Violet or any other girl who doesn’t know what you’re up to, you won’t like what happens. You got me?”

Malcolm stepped back with his hands up. “I’m sorry, man, if you thought I was being inappropriate. I never meant to?—”

“See that you don’t,” he said shortly, and turned away before he ruined everyone’s day by breaking every finger Malcom had dared lay on Violet’s skin.

They gathered around the campfire to eat, play games, tell scary stories, and sing their hearts out. Everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives. Normally, Jesse would be in the thick of things, but he hadn’t been able to shrug off his bad mood, even though Malcolm had taken his warning seriously and steered clear of Violet.

He sat on the fringes, observing, rather than engaging. His aggravation steadily increased as he watched his peers approach her throughout the night. He had never noticed how many male gazes followed her. Josiah tried to teach her how to play the guitar and spent a ridiculous amount of time positioning her fingers on the strings. He could tell within five minutes, Violet was over it, though she let Josiah talk to her for another ten before she excused herself.

When she made her way to the fire where they were making s’mores, Rhett offered her a toasted marshmallow on a stick. Violet reached for it eagerly, but her eyes flared when Rhett pulled it back and shook his head. Rhett said something. Violet grinned before she used her mouth to pull the marshmallow off the stick, which was obviously Rhett’s condition for her to have it. Jesse was prepared to push Rhett into the fire, but Violet’s laughter as she tried to eat the large marshmallow made him pause. He glanced around to see if Isaac or any other male thought what was happening was inappropriate, but everyone was in his spirits and oblivious to what was happening in their midst.

He raked his fingers through his hair. What the hell was wrong with him? His friends weren’t trying to lure her out into the woods to have their wicked way with her. They were being overly attentive and toeing the line, but nothing that warranted getting their noses broken. That didn’t mean he had to like it. She was too naive to see their true motives, but he did.

He was glad when Violet joined the women, but it wasn’t long before some of the guys wandered over. When she rubbed her arms, Miles took off his hoodie and offered it to her. Violet blinked, clearly taken aback. Jesse shot to his feet, blood rushing in his ears. There was no way in hell Violet was going to wear some other guy’s jacket. But Violet took the matter out of his hands when she politely declined Miles’ offer and said she was turning in for the night.

Jesse fumed. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life. He was so pissed, if any of his friends came over to him, he wouldn’t hesitate to put them in a chokehold. What was happening to him? He slumped in his chair and tipped his head back as he tried to calm himself. He’d always prided himself on being collected, pragmatic, and mature. He was none of those things right now. He wanted to ram his fists into something to take away the fire in his blood. Why? Because Violet almost put on another guy’s hoodie.

He stared through the maze of branches to the twinkling stars and tried to think past the red haze. He had always been protective of Violet, but these amplified, aggressive emotions were dangerous. Since when did the sight of another guy touching her drive him into a killing rage?

He heard the chair beside him creak as someone dropped onto it before he heard, “You’ve been in a foul mood.”

“So, you should leave me to it,” he growled.

“Want to talk about it?” Logan asked cheerfully.

He clenched his jaw against the compulsion to fling his friend into the trees. “No.”

“Do you want me to pray for you?”

He raised his head and glared at him. “No.”

Logan drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair as he said, “Malcolm told me you threatened him.”

He tensed. “It was a warning.”

“You really think he was out of line with Violet?” Logan asked with a frown. “He’s a good guy. It may have looked bad, but?—”

“Don’t, Logan. I saw him.”

“He did it with others around. No one else thought what he did was inappropriate.”

“No one was paying attention.”

“Is Violet upset?”

“She had no idea what he was doing, but I do. I’m a guy.”

Logan sighed and stretched his legs out. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, but Violet’s more than capable of standing up for herself if she was uncomfortable.” He eyed Jesse’s dark expression and sighed. “You have your work cut out for you if you police every interaction she has. What are you going to do, hide in the bushes when she goes on dates?”

“Who said she’s going to date?”

Logan stared at him. “Are you hearing yourself?”

“She’s fifteen!”

“Sixteen next month.” Logan held up his hands when Jesse straightened. “Don’t kill me. I remember the date because I went to her party last year.” When Jesse switched his hostile gaze to the fire, Logan shook his head. “Violet’s just a year younger than us. Why do you care if she dates? You do.”

“She’s a girl. It’s not the same,” he muttered.

“How old does she have to be before you let her date, Dad?” Logan dodged the soda can Jesse hurled at him. “Now, now. No littering or we’ll get fined.”

He surged to his feet. “I’m going to bed.”

“You do that. I’ll sit here a while and pray for you. I think you need it.”

Jesse muttered under his breath and blinked rapidly so his eyes could adjust to the darkness as he made his way through the maze of tents. He unzipped his and fumbled with his phone for light before he flopped on his back, hands folded behind his head as he lay on his sleeping bag.

Logan’s words knocked around in his head. Violet had never shown interest in his friends or talked about any boy in school that she had a crush on. She wasn’t like other girls who wanted boyfriends to hold their hand during recess or make out behind the gym after school. Just the thought of her doing so made his blood pressure spike. Why did the thought of anyone asking her out make him feel like there was a demon clawing his insides, trying to get free?

Someone tugged on the zipper. “Jesse?”

He raised his head. “Violet?”

“I think Tina’s getting a cold. Is anyone in there with you?”

“No.”

He sat up and unzipped the tent. Violet crawled in, the tiny flashlight on her necklace revealing what she was wearing.

He grabbed a handful of the shirt that was four sizes too big for her. “Isn’t this mine?”

“Yup,” she said, supremely unconcerned, as she secured the tent and turned to examine his sparse setup. “Why is your tent so small? Or is it just that you’re so big?”

“Just be grateful I have room, and you aren’t being eaten alive by mosquitoes,” he said testily as he unfolded his sleeping bag for her.

“Tina’s been coughing nonstop. I don’t want to get sick.”

As Violet crawled around on all fours to spread out the sleeping bag, her shorts shifted, showing a flash of bright blue underwear. He resumed his position, flat on his back with his hands behind his head. Violet moved his backpack and rearranged things to her liking before she flopped beside him.

“Ouch.”

He snickered. “Sorry, I didn’t bring another sleeping bag.”

She shifted. “I feel a stick in my back.”

He closed his eyes as she fussed around. The flashlight on her neck swung, lighting up his eyelids briefly before she landed heavily beside him. He heard a click as she turned off the light on her neck.

“I should have grabbed my sleeping bag before I left, but I didn’t want Tina to feel worse than she already did. It’s just for one night, right?”

When he didn’t speak, she nudged him.

“Are you up?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Why are you so crabby? Mom asked me if something happened. What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing.”

He could feel her eyes on him, though he knew she could see very little. The only illumination came from the distant fire, which penetrated the thin material of his tent.

“Did I do something?” she asked as she nestled against his side

“No,” he said gruffly.

“Why are you so tense?” she complained, prodding his flexed arm.

He made a concentrated effort to relax.

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” she ordered, smacking his chest.

“Nothing’s bothering me.” He was very aware of her hand on his heart, which was picking up speed.

“Siblings aren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other. They’re supposed to tell each other everything.”

He opened his mouth to say they weren’t real siblings, but the words died on his tongue as the truth slammed into him. He didn’t want her wearing some other guy’s clothes, didn’t want anyone arranging her fingers on guitar strings or trying to feed her because he saw her as his. She was his to touch and provide for, and these guys were encroaching on his territory, they just didn’t know it.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Violet asked.

He jerked. “What?”

“About why you’re angry.” She peered at his face in the meager light. “Seriously, what’s going on with you? You’re acting so weird.”

“It’s nothing,” he croaked.

“We used to be so close.”

Violet sounded hurt.

“We’re still close. You’re practically on top of me,” he muttered in a disgruntled tone, hoping and dreading that she would take the hint and give him some space. He was dying here. He stopped breathing when she propped her knee on his thigh.

“And we’re staying like this until you confide in me,” she declared.

“There’s nothing to confide. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

A pause and then, “You’re thinking about school, aren’t you?”

“I’m thinking about sports.”

“Do you think about anything else?” she asked in a disgusted tone.

“No,” he lied.

“What’s there to worry about? You’re always one of the best players on the team, no matter what you play.”

“I don’t want to take anything for granted.”

Just as he anticipated, she immediately lost interest and yawned.

“You sure you aren’t mad?” she asked sleepily.

“Yes.”

She sighed. “If you weren’t a guy, I’d think you were on your period. You’re so moody.”

He tunneled his fingers into her hair and massaged her scalp. “Go to sleep, brat.”

“ You’re a brat,” she countered fiercely before she went boneless. “That feels good.”

He kept up the head massage until she drifted to sleep. He lay there, mind racing, as her familiar scent teased his senses. From the moment they met, he instinctively knew she was integral to his future. And he was right. Her existence grounded him, brought color back into his world, and gave him direction, purpose, and joy. He knew he loved her but had never acknowledged that his feelings extended beyond being brotherly until the sight of Malcolm’s hands on her triggered violent, primitive instincts he hadn’t even known he possessed.

He didn’t want her legs draped over Malcolm’s shoulders, he wanted them on his. And that look he had down her swimsuit… The image of her breasts kept flashing in his mind at the worst times—during prayer, while he was talking to Mom… It was wrong on every level, but the more he tried to suppress his fantasies, the more lecherous they became. Part of his anger was directed at himself for viewing her like Malcolm and the others. He tried to keep his thoughts pure—to see her as a sexless friend or stepsibling, but now that the blinders were off, his body reacted with a vengeance.

When his dick hardened in response to her nearness, horror speared his gut. He closed his eyes and tried to think of awful things to make it go away. He conjured up the day his dad died and the phone call that made Mom drop to her knees and scream in a way he would never forget. The normal sucker punch he received when he thought back to that day was a mere finger flick with Violet pressed against him. He thought of natural disasters, a car accident they passed on their way here, and his grandmother in her rocking chair, knitting.

It wasn’t working. It was getting worse. He began to sweat, and it had nothing to do with the temperature. He tried to shift away but froze when she stirred. The last thing he needed was for her to notice his tented crotch. She would freak out, and rightly so. Here he was, pissed at his friends for shooting their shot, yet he lay beside her with a throbbing cock. Violet slept soundly because she trusted him. He wasn’t going to break that trust by relieving himself while she lay beside him.

But his mind latched onto the idea and played out different scenarios in his head. His dick got so hard, it became painful. Gently, but firmly, he extracted himself from her. She made unhappy, annoyed sounds, but didn’t wake. Slowly, he unzipped the tent so he wouldn’t make too much noise and draw attention to himself. When he stepped outside, he took a deep breath of the cool night air before he strolled away from the congregation of tents, trucks, and RV’s. He was relieved no one called out to him.

There was just enough light for him not to trip or twist his ankle as he navigated through the trees. He tried to banish the erotic fantasies by humming one of the worship songs they sang around the campfire not even an hour ago, but his mind fixated on what Violet would have done if she discovered his hard on. If her knee propped on his thigh brushed against it, would she have freaked out? He had no idea how much she actually knew about sex, but what if she shocked the hell out of him and grabbed it? Explored and pleasured him?

He stopped in his tracks and reached into his pants to grip his dick, which was leaking precum. He bit back a groan, braced his hand on a tree, and prayed he would hear if anyone approached before they saw what he was doing.

He bowed his head and let the forbidden floodgates open. Images of Violet doing things to him and him doing things to her made him shudder. God, this was wrong, but he couldn’t stop. She’s not really my sister , he reminded himself as he climaxed.

“Shit,” he hissed as he sprayed his cum over the trunk of the tree.

As the awful tension drained away, he hastily tucked himself in his pants and caught his breath. Guilt dulled the pleasure coursing through him. If anyone knew what he’d done… He straightened and peered through the darkness. But no one did. And Violet was clueless. No harm done.

He started back to camp and was relieved not to cross paths with anyone. He unzipped the tent and waited for Violet to stir. When she didn’t, he crawled in beside her and turned on his side, facing away from her.

He took a deep breath and caught a whiff of his cum mixing with her delicate scent. He should have washed his hands. He should have slept in the SUV. He shouldn’t have come back here. He should… Before he could leave, she fit her body to his back, spooning him and draping her arm over his middle. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. He’d already come. He should be okay for the rest of the night.

He woke on his back with Violet’s hair tickling his nose and her knee once again inches from his aching cock, which was hard enough to use as a hammer. Groggy and horny, he wasn’t as gentle moving her off him as he’d been last night.

“Wus going on?” she moaned.

Her raspy tone made his hard on worse. He tore out of the tent to discover the sun was just coming up. He wasn’t pleased to see a handful of adults, including Isaac, standing around the dying fire. Isaac straightened like he wanted to talk to him. Jesse slashed his hand through the air and turned in the opposite direction. He hoped Isaac thought he had to take a leak. He did, but he also had to take care of his throbbing dick before he faced anyone.

Being half awake dulled the shame of jacking off to Violet again. It didn’t take much for him to blow his load, not when he had the pleasure of moving her dead weight off him and her scent was imbedded in his clothes. Her skin was so soft. Why did it feel so different from his own? If he ever had the opportunity to put his mouth on her…

He tipped his head back and let out a moan that came out louder than he intended. The shock of it ruined what would have been one of the best orgasms he’d ever had. He had just enough time to piss and put himself away before someone called his name.

He hoped he didn’t look like the pervert he felt he was as he faced Isaac. “Morning.”

“Morning.” Isaac cocked his head to the side and gave him a considering look. “Are you okay?”

“Yup.”

“Mom said you weren’t yourself yesterday.”

“I’m fine.”

That reassurance was enough for Isaac, who turned back to camp. “We could use your help loading up.”

“Sure.” They reached the clearing when he decided to disclose, “Violet’s in my tent.”

He watched Isaac out of the corner of his eye, curious if his stepfather would sense that something was amiss. He’d seen straight through Malcolm and his friends yesterday. Would Isaac sense his feelings toward Violet had changed?

Isaac’s brows drew together. “I thought she was sharing a tent with Tina.”

“Tina was coughing so Violet bailed and came to me.”

Isaac nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good. Let’s get to work.”

He blew out a breath before he fixed a smile on his face and greeted Pastor Sonny.

They were about fifteen minutes from home. The sun was setting, Isaac was behind the wheel, and the open windows let cool air circulate through the cab. Mom and Violet fell asleep about a half hour ago. The only sound in the SUV was the whistling wind and country tunes on the radio.

He spent the morning helping the men load trucks and trailers with camping equipment until he spotted Violet trying to take down his tent. When he rushed over, she gave him a sheepish smile as she gestured to the mess she’d made.

“I wanted to help, but I have no idea how…”

“No problem. I got it,” he said, and knelt to pull out a stake anchoring the tent to the ground.

“Thanks for letting me invade your space.”

When she groaned, he glanced back and saw her stretch. His shirt lifted to show her tiny gray shorts.

“Anytime,” he rasped and turned back to his task.

“Did I dream it, or did you leave the tent several times?”

He fumbled with a pole. “I had to take a leak.”

“Hmm.”

His head jerked up. “What’s hmm mean?”

The look she was giving him made him break out in a cold sweat. She couldn’t know…

“I thought you might have rendezvoused with Lara or Marissa.”

She was so far off base that he gawked at her before he shook his head. “No.”

“They were hoping you would ask one of them out before we started school.”

“I’m not interested in them.”

“Aha! But you are interested in someone?” she asked with great interest.

When he realized he’d been staring at her mouth for a few seconds, he forced himself to look down at what he was doing. He cleared his throat. “I’m not interested in anyone.”

“I’m going to find out at some point. You won’t be able to hide it from me!” she called over her shoulder as she headed to the bathroom.

He worked until Mom forced him to take a break and eat something.

“You seem troubled, son.”

He hadn’t been able to meet her eyes as he reassured her that he was fine, just tired and ready to go home. If she only knew… He didn’t bother telling Mom that Violet slept in his tent. It wouldn’t occur to her that anything inappropriate would happen because she saw Violet as her blood daughter. But she wasn’t. And he wasn’t truly her brother.

He glanced at Violet who slumped against the door, fast asleep. He considered offering his hoodie for her to use as a pillow, but saw they were already in their neighborhood. As the SUV went over a bump, her breasts bounced. He quickly looked away, inwardly cursing. He was so screwed.

Now that the paper-thin platonic wall had disintegrated, it was impossible to switch his mind back to seeing her as a sibling. Thankfully, only he and God knew that he’d crossed a mental boundary. At least he hadn’t done something monumentally stupid like jack off in the tent or cop a feel. He wasn’t that far gone. He had to find a way to act normal around her because it wouldn’t take long for her to notice he was acting different. They were extremely close, and he didn’t want to risk ruining their relationship by exposing his feelings or introducing things she wasn’t ready for or interested in if she truly saw him as a brother.

He straightened as Isaac pulled into the garage beside Mom’s SUV. Neither Mom nor Violet stirred as the garage door came down.

“We can unload tomorrow,” Isaac said as he hopped out of the SUV and eyed his sleeping wife. “You got Vi?”

His stomach clenched. “Yeah.”

Mom and Violet were heavy sleepers. He had been carrying Violet to bed or cars or wherever she happened to fall asleep ever since their parents got together. This was nothing out of the ordinary. Or, it hadn’t been until he realized staring at her too long could make him hard.

He got out of the SUV and came around to Violet’s side. Dad draped Mom over his shoulder. He used the same hold on Violet and followed Dad into the house, detouring to Violet’s bedroom while Dad continued down the hallway to the master bedroom.

He hit the light switch with his elbow, illuminating Violet’s pastel bedroom. He flicked back her covers before he gently deposited her in bed. She smiled as she sank into the plethora of pillows.

“You’re the best,” she murmured with her eyes closed.

He mock scowled. “You made me carry you when you could have walked?”

“Umm hmm.”

“Like I said, you’re a brat,” he said, trying to sound irritated as he brushed her tangled hair away from her face.

“But you love me, anyway, don’t you?”

His hand stilled before he retracted it.

Her brows bunched together. “Jesse?”

“You know I do,” he said gruffly.

She sighed as she turned on her side and burrowed into her pillows. “I love you, too.”

“Sleep tight,” he said before he turned off the light and went through their connecting Jack and Jill bathroom to get to his room. He flopped on the bed and stared at the shadowed ceiling as he came to terms with the fact that his life had just turned upside down.