The Stepsister

If you haven't read Three is Always Better, feel free to check it out ;] A little extra steam for those lonely nights! Enjoy.

*****

I couldn't control the twitching of my cock at the picture on my phone. The toned body from working out was sun kissed, a sliver of pale resting above the orange and white bikini top where the old one used to sit. Golden hair lightened from her days on the beach, swirling in different shades around her shoulders. I knew I should feel guilty for looking at her the way I was, but I couldn't bring myself to it at the moment. She was perfect. From shining dark honey eyes, to the pale pink birthmark on her lower stomach. There wasn't much more I wanted than to kiss those full pouty lips, but there was one major problem.

Her name was Eliza Montgomery, and she was my step sister.

Her mother and my father met about six years ago. I was seventeen, Eliza was fifteen. Eliza was the golden child of the family, whereas I was the troublemaker. There were times that I'd tried to get Eliza to break out of her shell, but she was too paranoid of getting in trouble. I did manage to get her to break free. From there, she blossomed into this beautiful woman that took life by the horns. She wasn't afraid of much anymore, and I liked to think I helped her with that. Yet, I wanted so much more from her.

She was coming back to town from her vacation, crashing at my place until she got settled into a home of her own. After a year of finding herself, due to a crazy breakup with a man she swore she'd marry, she was ready to come home. Our parents had decided to RV across the United States, finding as many hidden beauties as they could in five years. They were halfway through now. I wasn't sure what their plans were for when they finished, but I had a suspicion that they didn't even know. They may just continue their trip. Until then, I had to help Eliza out with her own trip.

The picture had been posted on facebook, captioning her last day swimming in the bahamas. She'd been there for six weeks, and before that were several more places. We didn't worry when it came to money, but I was the only one with an actual job of the family. My father had been a hard working lawyer, but he and I also inherited a large sum from his parent's both passing. He'd invested his money wisely and it grew over the years. Eliza's mom had married into money, but her husband had been killed in a hit and run and left her with his funds. She saved it until Eliza was eighteen and gave it to her. Eliza barely even scraped the barrel with these trips she'd taken, but decided to save the rest for hard times. I'd never seen the girl work a day in her life, but she was set on finding a job and learning how to make her own way through.

I didn't jump balls out like Eliza was planning to do. I used some of my own inheritance money to help me get by until my job could keep me stable. Now, I don't have to worry about touching my funds. It's better to have a safety net, like my father lectured me about for years before giving me my money once I turned eighteen. Living in a two bedroom apartment in the middle of the city wasn't my ideal home, but it was what I could afford. It wasn't bad by any means, and it did help conceal the fact that I had money. It was humbling and I liked it. Flashing my bills wasn't the type of person I was raised to be. Not to say that I didn't have my moments. There were plenty of moments, but those are not things I talk about often.

There was a soft knock at my door, announcing Eliza's arrival. I'd offered to pick her up from the airport, but she'd had plans with some friends before coming home. It was about 6:30 in the evening, four hours after her flight landed. I gave one final glance around my small, open, tidy apartment. It looked good enough to me. With a smile, I opened the door to my step sister. "Hey, Jake." Her kind eyes shined with excitement, her smile was warm and inviting. She was still the same girl from years ago, but laced with something more alive than before. Her arms reached out for me, and I brought her in for a hug. "God, I missed you. Thanks again for letting me stay here until I get on my own feet."

"No prob. Here, let me get your bags." I left her warm embrace, afraid that I'd get a little too excited at her arrival. She was a gorgeous girl, and my body was well aware of it. Her bags were heavy, probably about sixty pounds or more and she had three of them. Traveling up the four flights of stairs with two sixty pound suitcases was not how I imagined my day going. At least it was easy for me since I'd been a roofer the last couple years. I was used to hauling heavy loads up ladders all day, so this was a walk in the park.

Eliza took her time checking out my tiny home, but didn't seem appalled like I thought she'd be. She seemed to be open to my way of life, and accepting. "I like it here. It's cozy and cute."

"Cute wasn't what I was going for." I smiled. Eliza snickered at me. "So, are you hungry or anything?"

"No. Miranda and I went to dinner already. I think I'm gonna hit the shower though. That plane ride was exhausting and stuffy." Eliza excused herself and left me to the television in the living room. She didn't come back out the rest of the night except to use the restroom once, and come out for a midnight snack in her oversize shirt and short pajama shorts. This was going to be tough living with her. I'd always wanted an insanely gorgeous woman in my home, but I never imagined it would be my sister.

Over the next couple days, Eliza wasted no time searching for a job. She'd be gone for hours at a time, and even scored an on the spot interview at some gas station down the street. She'd already said if she got that job, she'd be finding a second one if she didn't find something better. I had to give it to her; she was determined. She'd wake up about eight every morning and get started, not returning until around noon or later. So, it was nice to see her relaxing Saturday morning on the couch when I woke up. I also had the weekends off, so it meant we would get some quality time in. It was something I looked forward to, but also dreaded due to my response to Eliza. There was a small fear I would scare her lingering in the back of my mind. I just had to be careful.

Eliza smiled at me as I walked into the tiny kitchen of my apartment. "So, could I talk my awesome big brother into making his famous omelets?" Her eyes shimmered with delight from the back of the couch.

"I see how it is. You didn't miss me, you missed my cooking skills."

"Well, duh." I laughed and shook my head as I pulled the things I would need from the fridge. As I started to beat the eggs with milk and added seasonings, I heard quiet footsteps behind me. "You'll have to teach me your trick one day. Try as I might, I've never been able to make an omelet like yours." She was peering over my shoulder, probably on her tiptoes. The thought of it alone had my cock thickening behind my pajamas.

"That's a secret I will never tell." I teased, daring a glance back at the blonde haired woman I wished had never become my sister. Eliza was the type of woman you wanted to take out and get to know, prove that you're worthy of her time, before entering a relationship with. She was in the game for the long haul. There were no short term relationships with her. Unless the other partner left, she was making it work. It had backfired on her many times, but she never gave up. The others always did. I'd never noticed until now, but her eyes had speckles of lush green around the pupils, only adding to the depth of her character. She was a stunning woman.

"You suck." Her lips pouted, drawing my eyes and attention to her protruding lower lip. God, she looked hot as hell with that lip sticking out and I wanted nothing more than to taste her. Even her scent wafted around me in a swirl of coconut and some creamy flavor. It was unique and intoxicating all at once. "You alright, Jake?" I snapped from my daze and went back to the omelets.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm not fully awake yet." Lying wasn't a strong suit of mine, but Eliza seemed to buy it. She shrugged and walked back to the living room, taking the spot I usually sat, lying down and watching television until I was finished cooking. I needed to get these thoughts out of my head. Understanding it was wrong was one thing, but getting yourself to act on that understanding was a whole different story. Creating a new water based, safe, sustainable fuel would be easier than getting Eliza out of my head and I knew nothing about any of that.

The sound that left Eliza's mouth after taking a bite of the omelet made my cock twitch yet again. It sounded like she was about ready to have an orgasm from the food, a soft moan echoing from those pouty lips. My body reacted on instinct, and I could barely control it. She then began her little tradition of humming as she ate, a subconscious trait she's had since before I knew her. I'd teased her about it before, but now it was something I'd love to hear everyday. I smiled and turned to my own omelet. At that moment, I honestly wished she'd never move out. Even if I couldn't have her the way I wanted her, I would have something.

Eliza's phone buzzed a few minutes into eating, and her face fell in sadness, mixed with anger. "Everything okay?"

"No. It has to do with Mark." Mark was the guy that she'd broken up with. The first guy she'd ever done the leaving, which led me to believe whatever he did was severely fucked up. Eliza knew relationships needed work, and that's what she would do. She would work them out until she felt both partners were happy.

"What happened with him?" She'd never filled me in on the details, only that she'd left him one night and never turned back. I honestly feared that he'd maybe started to beat her or worse. Thinking about a man touching Eliza against her will left my skin burning. I prayed I wasn't right.

"It was horrible, Jake." She looked at me with glassy eyes. This happened over a year ago and it was still tearing her apart. What the hell did Mark do to her? "So, you remember me telling you that he was a photographer? He was amazing with portraits and scenery, and once I'd become comfortable with it, he would take intimate pictures of me. He would photograph me at different points in the day, claiming he was capturing my life. And he was, but it seemed like he was more interested in the bedroom life. It didn't raise any bells because I knew men were sexual and loved to have photos of their women in the nude and posed for them.

"After about a year into us dating, I suddenly had a stalker. He never did anything, but I saw him everywhere I went. I was freaked out and when I brought it up to Mark, he called the police. I didn't see the guy again for a while, but he eventually came back. When I called the police, they claimed that a complaint had never been made before. Mark just blamed it on incompetence and failure to finish the paperwork. It didn't feel totally right, but I just agreed with him. It does happen sometimes. I didn't see the guy again after that time. It was also the first time I'd seen an actual cop come out and take my statement and do patrol around my place."

She took a shaky breath. "Well, one day I'm walking with a friend through the mall and this guy stops me. I'd never seen him before in my life. He calls me 'E', the sexy nude lady. I had to ask him what he was talking about, because I'd never let anyone other than mark see a nude photo of myself. He continues to pull out his phone and show me a picture of myself nude, lying on my stomach. It only showed my back and my smiling face, but underneath was a caption, 'Just a free taste of what you can see. More revealing and sexy photographs of E starting at $20.' He was selling my photos to strangers. I'd never been more embarrassed in my life. It ended up going to court after I found a couple more of his customers willing to testify against him once they found out he never had my consent. It didn't take long due to evidence. But, even that didn't help me feel any better about it. I thought I was going to marry this man., and I had to wonder if that was where my stalker came in. Since I hadn't noticed him until after those photos were being taken."

A tear streamed down her cheek, my fists clenched in anger at the sight of her pain and the sound of her heart being broken. He'd basically ruined Eliza. She'd always been fairly modest and so open to people. Even now, I could see her fear and shame at the reminder of what he did to her. I wanted to kill him. She'd given him her all and he betrayed her trust, maybe for all men. "Eliza, I am so sorry you had to go through that alone. You should have told me."

She shook her head. "I know you too well Jake. You would have been there for me in a heartbeat, but it wouldn't do me any good with you behind bars with a homicide charge. I love how much you care for me, which is why I waited to tell you. I need you around. You're the only person I know I can trust with anything." She did know me too well, and that scared me. How would she react if she knew that the way I cared for her was more than the way a brother should? "Anyways, I lost my appetite. I think I'm going to take a shower."

"Hey, if you ever need to talk or anything, I'm here. And I mean anything."

She smiled. "Thanks, Jake." I watched her stand and lean over to kiss me on the cheek. Her lips were soft and warm, and I had to stop myself from pulling her into me right then. Not only because I was her brother, but because it was the wrong time. She was vulnerable and hurt. I never wanted to take advantage of anyone in that state of mind. There was a chance that it would only hurt her more. A risk I refused to take.

Later that night, we went out and met one of my friends at the bar. He and I had been friends for years and he also knew Eliza. Of course I'd almost kicked his ass growing up for hitting on her, but we were still tight. Cam and I sat at the bar talking while Eliza let loose for a while. She'd thrown on a black crop top that showed her toned stomach and flowed over her arms, and a pair of light denim short shorts to let her tanned legs do the talking. Cam had caught me staring at her and called me out. "Holy shit dude. Now I get why you were always so defensive over her. You've got the hots for your step sister."

"The fuck you talking about, man? I'm just making sure she's okay."

"You lying asshole, I know you better than that. Your eyes have been glued to that sweet ass all night."

My anger flared. "Watch it, Cam."

His smirk let me know that he'd done it intentionally to get a reaction out of me to confirm his suspicion. "It's cool, bro. Not like she's blood related."

"That's not the point. And I don't have the hots for her." It was more than that, but I wasn't telling Cam that. He just shrugged and took a swig out of his beer, calling the bartender over for a refill. Was it that noticeable that Eliza captivated me more than any other woman? Hell, she was all I could think about lately. When I woke up, I was happy that she was home. While I was at work, I couldn't wait to see her when I got home. Her being curled up on the couch in that large t shirt made me want to rip it off of her toned body. Even as I went to bed, I wondered if she slept in the nude or in cute little underwear. Maybe she even wore that ridiculous shirt that I found oddly sexy. Eliza was my kryptonite.

"You should tell her how you feel."

I took a swig of my own beer. It was the only one I'd be drinking since I promised to do the driving. "It isn't that easy, man. I could scar her for life and she's already been through some tough shit." There was no point in lying to my best friend at this point when it was obvious he knew.

He glanced back at the dance floor. "I don't know, Jake. You aren't the only one that's been stealing glances tonight. And they haven't been sisterly gazes either." I rolled my eyes. He was most likely making the shit up to make me feel better. It wouldn't be the first time. "But, I'm sure y'all will come to discover that soon enough."

"Yeah. Right." My mood had pretty much plummeted by the end of the conversation. At least Eliza seemed to be having a good time. I had to contain the urge to bolt across the bar when some guy started dancing with her. Reminding myself that she wasn't mine made it worse. I would have no right stepping in the way, yet I wanted to beat the dudes face in for even looking at her. He didn't last long anyways. She made some face and shooed him off, moving back to the group of girls she was talking to.

Cam decided to leave about half an hour later, slapping me on the shoulder and wishing me luck. I continued to watch the sports channel even though I couldn't pay attention to much. "Come dance with me." Her voice scared me. I hadn't expected Eliza to come back anytime soon. Now she wanted me to dance, and I wasn't prepared for that. "I'm bored and no one else will dance with me." She plopped in the barstool next to me holding her beer. I don't think she'd ordered another drink the entire night.

"What about the guy from earlier?" I was fishing for information.

"Class A creeper."

"Ah. Well, I'm not much of a dancer. I like to chill and drink my beer."

That pout came back, and I thought for a moment that I wouldn't be able to stop the sudden growing thickness in my pants. And she wanted me to dance with her. "Come on Jake. Experience life a little." Damned her and using my lines on me.

"Hey, you can't take my lines sweetheart." I smiled.

Eliza smiled back, but her eyes suddenly widened a slight bit. "Oh, god. Save me. Creeper is coming back." I turned to see the lanky brown haired guy she was dancing with earlier walking our way. He was smirking at Eliza in a way I knew too well. He thought he was going to score with her. No way in hell. I stood and faced him, crossing my arms. "Jake, what the hell are you doing?" She cursed realizing that she'd been the one to ask for help. The guy saw me and stopped a few feet away.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Let me talk to that little lady behind you and we can be on our way."

I could feel my jaw clench, but heard the conversation from earlier play into my head. I relaxed just a little. "Don't think so, bro. She isn't going anywhere tonight but with me."

"I think you're a little late to the game, bro. She was already dancing with me earlier."

"Jake, please. Let's just go." Eliza was standing behind me now.

I chuckled at the man. "And yet, here she sits with me. If you were worth a shit don't you think she'd still be dancing with you? Just do us all a favor and leave her alone." The man went to step forward, but I matched his game. He glared at me for a moment before huffing.

"Whatever, she ain't worth it anyways." That was where I wanted to snap. I'd already begun to leap after him when Eliza grabbed my arm.

"He's leaving. Just let it go." I took one last glance over to where he sat down before turning back to Eliza. "Thank you." Her soft smile told me that she'd had enough excitement for one night, and so had I. We gathered our things without another word and took off. The cool air felt refreshing on my heated body as we drove. Violence was once an issue for me when I was younger and it seemed to be more noticeable the last few hours. Two men I now wanted to murder due to the way they treated Eliza.

When we reached the apartment, I sat there for a moment, collecting my thoughts. Eliza didn't make any move to get out either, sitting there with me. "He was wrong, you know." I finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"That you weren't worth it. Don't ever believe that, Eliza. You're worth more than even God could give you."

She was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, well finding a man to believe that is a different story." Her sadness was contagious.