“Seriously?” I laugh. “Pretty sure I gave you an idea I wanted more.”

“Yeah seriously,” he mutters. “It was a good weekend. We had fun. If I had known you were . . .”

“Our parents weren’t even together then,” I bark. “So quit it.”

He narrows his eyes and I know he’s calculating the time in his head. “Still, even if they weren’t, things still went how they went. Wasn’t bein’ a jerk, but we agreed to have fun and that was that. You never told me in so many words that you wanted more. Sure, I got the idea you were edging that way, but it wasn’t the right time.”

Oh my god.

Of course I didn’t tell him; I thought he felt it, just like me. The weekend we’d had together was amazing. We’d laughed and joked, we’d touched and learned about each other. It hadn’t felt like a bit of fun to me.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought you felt the same way as I did,” I mumble. “I didn’t think I needed to.”

He flinches. “I had fun; that was it. Whatever you thought . . .”

“Look, forget it,” I say, waving a hand and cutting him off.  “It’s done.”

“Look, Aria, whatever the fuck went down there? It’s finished now. I feel completely fuckin’ grossed out and frankly, I don’t need to be thinkin’ about the fact that I’ve had my dick in you.”

I blanch. “We’re not related; we’ll never be related, so stop making out like we did something disgusting. And as far as I’m concerned, I don’t want or need you either, and I certainly don’t need a new brother or brothers. As far as this goes, you’re nothing more than a stranger to me.”

“Our parents get married,” he says to himself and not to me. “You go from hot to brat in about three seconds.”

“Brat?”

“Brat,” he confirms.

“Are we done here?” I snap.

He leans in closer. “You’re my step-sister and just like you, I don’t want a fuckin’ sister. Let’s leave it at that. You stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”

“Fine by me,” I huff.

“Good. I’m goin’ for a walk. Might find some tail on this lake that doesn’t have a mother who is bangin’ my father.”

“You so much as speak about her like that again,” I seethe, “I’ll cut your dick clean off.”

He glares at me. “Listen, your mom seems nice, but facts are facts. Now, leave me alone.”

With that, he strolls off. I watch him go, trying, desperately trying not to look at his ass. It’s a good ass. God dammit. What is wrong with me? I turn and rush back up to the house.

CHAPTER FOUR

THEN – ONE YEAR EARLIER

“Close your eyes.”

I close my eyes but I can’t wipe the smile from my face. “Are you about to lead me into your dungeon of death?”

Mystery Guy snorts and puts his hand over my eyes, just to make sure I’m actually doing as he asks. He walks me down the road and my heart is pounding, even in my drunken state. What if he actually is leading me to my death? And look at me, like a lamb to the slaughter. They say it’s always the really good-looking ones that are the most dangerous.

“Keep ’em closed,” he says, walking me closer to what, I don’t know.

The ground softens below us, and Mystery Man tells me to keep my eyes closed, as he leans down and slips off my heels. Then my toes are curled in soft sand. The beach. Of course we’re at the beach. Romantic. He leads me further down until darkness surrounds us. Even with my eyes closed I can tell this. Suddenly he stops and turns me, then he murmurs into my ear, “Open your eyes.”

I let my eyes flutter open and my heart aches at the sight before me. The moon looks as if it’s touching the water, its big round glow spreading out across the still ocean, creating a gorgeous light. I press my hand to my chest and whisper, “If this is your death dungeon, I’m happy to die here.”

He chuckles and steps beside me. I don’t know this man, but whoever he is, he’s got charm. After we danced a lot, he bought me a few rounds of drinks. We laughed, joked and got along like old friends, which was unusual for two people who have never met. Then he offered to take me for a walk, which I accepted. Now here we are—I’m on a beach with a perfect stranger.

“Do you do this to all the random girls you meet?” I grin, turning to look at him.

He’s got a masculine profile, equally as masculine as his devastating face. His sandy-blond hair whips about in the breeze as he tilts his head and looks down at me. “No.”

“Why me?”

He shrugs. “You have a personality.”

I laugh loudly. “Seriously?”

He grins, showing me those dimples. “Yeah, seriously. Most girls are all giggly and airy-fairy. You managed a conversation—hell, you even made me laugh. That’s rare. I thought I’d better do it right.”

“Well, I think I’m flattered.”

He sits down in the sand, reaching for my hand and pulling me down beside him. “Considering we’re not giving names, you have to give me something else.”

“Okay. What do you want?” I shift in the sand, wiggling my toes until they’re coated in it.

“You’ve finished school?”

I nod, staring out at the moon. “Yep.”