Page 7

Chapter Seven

Vivienne

I do my best to ignore Reed’s eyes burning a hole through my face at breakfast. I can’t focus when I look at him and now I have more questions than ever.

My mind moves a million miles a minute when I think of my new friend Brooke.

She knows that Reed brought me home. Does she know Reed well?

Eventually, everyone will figure out we’re related.

That’s not something we can hide in a place like Bipal, where paparazzi follow wealthy people and everyone is a member of the same social club.

Maribel is wealthy and affluent, evident by the size of her house and her careers. Bipal will find out. And then what?

Everyone saw us sneak away last night.

Heat spreads through my chest, spider webbing far too quickly for my liking.

After finishing a few bites of scone, a piece of apple and some eggs–far more than I thought I could stomach when I came downstairs–I rinse my plate in the sink and excuse myself, telling my father I have a headache and need to lie down.

Thankfully he has no reason to suspect that I lied to him, went out last night and got drunk while having unprotected sex on the beach.

Unprotected sex.

How stupid could I be? He could have a sexually transmitted disease, which I could now have. And what would I do? I’m not in California anymore. I can’t sneak away to a clinic after catching a ride with a friend. I don’t know anyone but Brooke in Bipal.

Last night was… a mistake.

I flop down on my bed, draping my forearm over my eyes, trying to block out the shame and guilt from what I’ve done. No matter how many times I try, I can’t turn my mind off. I can’t find a way to make sense of all this.

I didn’t think it was a mistake. And now, in the light of day with coffee and scones and a brand new life with a nice step mom–it was a mistake. A huge one.

And as bad as I feel and guilty as I am, a part of me still has no regrets.

Reed, or Harrison, or whatever his name is, was good.

So good. The way it felt when he kissed me…

I press my fingertips to my chest, feeling the way my heart races just remembering how I felt when he looked into my eyes by the bonfire.

Then when his lips pressed into mine. When he licked me.

When he watched me take him, both in my mouth and then into my body.

A shiver wracks my spine, because at just the memory of him, my body aches.

Someone softly knocks at the door, and my shoulders tense .

“Can I come in?” Reed’s voice drifts through, soft and cautious, and for some reason, I become angry. I jump up from bed, my stomach still uneasy, and yank open the door.

The sudden movement pulls in a gust of his scent, engulfing me in a woody cologne and the scent of natural shampoo. Bumps rise up on my forearms, and my nipples tighten.

His eyes shine, holding mine for a moment before the corner of his mouth tugs up in a tiny smile. I grab his arm, ignoring the hard lump of muscle and how it makes my stomach flutter, and pull him in, closing the door behind him.

He’s wearing a faded blue t-shirt, like the one he had on last night only a slightly different color.

In jeans with bare feet, he nudges his glasses up his nose, dragging a hand through the golden coif of hair that looks so much blonder in the morning light.

Reed is beautiful, that wasn’t the alcohol talking, and he smells so good.

And he’s my soon to be step brother.

I swallow down a rush of stomach acid that hits the back of my nose. “What do you want?”

He doesn’t reply, but sits on the edge of the guest bed where I slept last night, patting the spot on the mattress next to him. I shake my head, wrapping my arms around myself protectively.

“Did you know?” I don’t have to clarify that question. He’s well aware of what I’m asking. Reed’s eyes linger on mine a moment longer before he answers.

“No. I didn’t know until it was time to take you home.”

The back of my neck grows hot. His long legs extended out in front of him, green eyes lingering over my skin, I give in and sit next to him on the bed. His body radiates warmth, and my lower half pulses with desire. Guilt comes next.

“You gave me your address and it didn’t make sense.

I didn’t know how you knew my address. And then it hit me, what you’d said at Arcane’s.

That you just moved here with your dad.” He shakes his head, stroking his hand through his hair as he studies my eyes for an intense, heated moment.

“I got your ID out of your wallet.” He looks at his feet a minute before his eyes lift to meet mine again, this time a touch somber, his brows pulled together.

“I knew it wouldn’t be the right address since you just moved but…

my mom told me your name, but admittedly, I didn’t remember.

But I remembered your father’s–his name. ”

I can’t wrap my head around what he’s saying. He didn’t remember my name? Sure, he hadn’t met me but remembering the name of his soon to be step sister wasn’t important to him?

“Elijah Beaumont,” Reed says. “I knew if your last name was Beaumont, that you were… her. I mean, I knew when you said my mother’s house as your address that the likelihood was good but I don’t know.

” He strokes a hand through his hair, and I realize now that as cool, handsome and alluring as Reed is, this is his nervous tick.

He’s done it a few times all morning. And something twists in my belly knowing that he’s a bit nervous, too.

Hope blooms, though I have no reason to be hopeful.

Hopeful for what? That my step brother has a crush on me because I definitely have a huge crush on him?

Our eyes linger and his nostrils flare. “When I saw Vivienne Beaumont on your California driver’s license…” he trails off, scooting closer next to me on the mattress, his shoulder bumping mine.

I don’t know what to say, so I let my gaze fall to my lap, where I bring my hands together, nervously playing with one of my fingernails.

“Say something,” Reed says, his voice rocky but quiet, like he’s equally torn up by this news. Is he? Or is he just hoping our parents don’t find out? The truth is, I don’t know him well enough to be able to read his behavior right now.

I look up at him, and it feels like a vice grips my chest, strangling the air from my lungs.

Looking into his eyes, I feel all the chemistry and energy I felt last night.

My body thrums with desire, and the place where our shoulders touch burns with need.

“How do you lie about your name when you’re in a group of friends?

Do they not know who you really are?” I realize that maybe Harrison doesn’t tell his friends who his mother is, that maybe he lies about who he is because Maribel is ungodly wealthy.

I guess that could be. But everyone in Bipal is some form of rich.

He nods his head, like he was expecting this question.

“Harrison Reed Lancaster.” He shrugs. “Harrison sounds like the name of a man who wears suspenders and high waters. I’ve been going by Reed since I was eight.

” He reaches out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear, his fingertips leaving sparks of electricity in their wake.

My cheek flares with heat, and it takes all I have not to lean into the subtle touch.

“My friends know who I am. But because I took you home last night, they don’t know who we are. Not yet.”

I swallow around the knot of emotion in my throat.

I wanted to make a good impression in Bipal.

I wanted my last year of high school to be positive, fruitful and fulfilling.

My eyes fill with tears and I look up to Reed, disappointed when I say, “everyone saw us sneak off last night.” I swipe my cheek when the tears break free.

“They know what we did. And now they’re gonna find out our parents are getting married. ”

Reed nods, stroking his hand down the lower half of his face, drawing my attention to the sharp set of his jaw.

How can I be in emotional turmoil and turned on?

Guiltily, I can’t help but think that I’m proud my first time was with a man so handsome.

I hate myself for having the thought, but I can’t deny it’s true.

“Well first of all, we told them we just checked out the alcove and you slipped. But even if they didn’t buy it or if they do find out…it’s not like you’re my real sister, Vivienne. Our parents are in love but that doesn’t make what we did wrong.”

“Yes it does! It does!” I jump to my feet, glancing at the bedroom door to make sure it’s locked. “Do you really think your mom wants her son to sleep with her husband’s daughter? Newsflash. Your mom is rich and snobby and her social circle–”

Reed gets to his feet, a deep groove forming between his brows. “My mom is not snobby,” he argues, folding his arms over his chest. I bring my hands to my face, holding my head for a moment as I take a deep breath. Arguing while hungover is not ideal.

“No–no, I know. I’m sorry I said it like that.

Your mom has been nothing but great.” I let my hands fall to my sides, sadness sweeping through me, leaving my lips downturned.

“That makes it even worse. I could see her as someone I look up to, as a mother figure. She would be a good influence in my life. And now I’ve ruined or at the very least, complicated that. Forever.”

Reed says nothing, but he watches me, his blue eyes tracing out my every move.

Finally, after pacing in front of him for a solid minute of silence, I let out a heavy sigh.

“I’ll reaffirm with Brooke that you and I didn’t do it.

That we got to talking and realized… you know, our connection…

and that’s why you offered to take me home.

Completely platonic, just a small world incident. That’s all.”

His eyes leave mine, falling to the floor, onto his bare feet.

“Reed?”