Chapter 1

Jacob

I take a sip of my water as soft piano music plays. Restaurant patrons converse softly, enjoying their meal and each other’s company. Honestly, I’m not very hopeful that this rendezvous with my family is going to be half as nice.

I haven’t seen them in almost eight years, and somehow my dad convinced me to let my step-sister stay with me in Chicago for a few weeks this summer.

It’s not that I dislike my family. They’re good people. I’ve just always felt like the black sheep. All of them are outgoing and involved with the community. I prefer my own company, choosing to spend my free time in my apartment. You’d think I’d get tired of it considering my job as a software engineer allows me to work from home, but most people get on my nerves, and I’ve always been good at keeping myself entertained.

I kept to myself when I lived at home, too. I had friends and a computer; I wasn’t interested in much else. They seemed equally unimpressed by me. Though my dad occasionally tried to make us act like a “regular family,” it felt forced. My stepmother never stopped talking, my dad was checked out, and my stepsister, Alexis – an awkward little girl ten years my junior who barely said a word – seemed to count the days until she could be back with her father.

I always felt a little bad for Alexis. Though I didn’t spend much time with her, I always made sure she at least felt safe in our home. We never had a sibling bond, but I still wanted to look out for her.

My dad seems happy enough with my stepmom, and I’m happy for him. But that doesn’t mean I want to spend time with them.

A waiter brushes by me, and I sigh as I bring my chair closer to the mahogany table. When I check my watch, I realize I’ve been waiting on their arrival for nearly twenty minutes. As I’m wondering whether or not they’re coming, I hear my stepmother’s distinct, shrill voice from the other side of the establishment.

“Oh, there he is,” she says as she charges forward, waving at me excitedly. My dad follows closely behind her, and on his heels is a young woman with a gorgeous mane of curly brown hair.

It has to be Alexis. She looks so different from the last time I saw her. Instead of being a tiny carbon copy of her mom, her looks have become sharper. I can still see her mother’s genetics, but she’s uniquely gorgeous. Her blue eyes are striking, reminding me of the ocean. The dress she wears is low-cut, showing off the tiny bit of cleavage she’s sporting. My cock starts to stir in my boxers like it has a mind of its own.

I chastise myself as I stand to greet them, forcing myself to tear my eyes away from my stepsister. When I extend my hand to my stepmother, she ignores it and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. Awkwardly, I return it. After she releases me, my dad steps up, blessedly welcoming me with a handshake.

“Good to see you again, son,” he says before letting me go.

“Good to see you, too,” I reply, the sentiment not really reaching my voice.

I turn to Alexis, unsure of if I should hug her or shake her hand or just say hello. She takes the guesswork out of it for me, opening her arms and stepping in close. Embracing her is electric, and despite the fact that I’ve been with numerous women over the years, I feel like she’s the person I’m supposed to marry. There’s no explanation, but it’s a gut feeling I’m unable to ignore.

When we part, she looks up at me with her bright blue eyes, and I can tell she feels it too. Her perfect, pink lips are parted in awe. A beat passes before I come to my senses, dropping my arms and clearing my throat.

“The chicken parmesan here is incredible,” I say as I settle back into my chair, prompting everyone else to take their place at the table. Our parents go around to the other side, leaving the place next to me open for Alexis.

“That’s my favorite,” Alexis says, giving me a smile that lights up her entire face.

Before I formulate a response, our waitress comes to the table with glasses of water for everyone. My step-mom asks her for a recommendation, ordering the daily special. My dad asks for the same. Then, when the waitress gives Alexis her attention, she orders the chicken parmesan.

“Make that two,” I say when it’s my turn. After the woman walks off, I ask, “So, how have things been?”

“The same,” my dad says, his cup halfway to his mouth. “Jim finally retired.”

“Alexis just declared a computer design major,” my stepmom says excitedly, ignoring my dads comment about his coworker.

“Software design,” Alexis corrects.

“Same thing,” she says with a wave of her hand. “Isn’t that the field you’re in, Jacob?”

I make a noise of affirmation in response.

“Maybe you could teach me some industry tricks,” Alexis says, playfully knocking her elbow into mine.

If she were anyone else, the action would have annoyed me. Instead, I find myself leaning into the touch. Before I get carried away, I remind myself that she’s my stepsister and firmly off-limits. I need to say something.

“I could give you a few pointers,” I say kindly.

“Anything to give me a leg up,” she replies, scrunching her nose in an adorable way. “You know, since it’s a male-dominated field and all.”

“If you’re good at what you do, I’m sure there isn’t going to be a problem,” I say, resisting the urge to reach out and grab her hand to reassure her. “You get good grades?”

“I was on the Dean’s List the last two semesters,” she says as she sits up a little taller, clearly proud of herself and her accomplishments, and she should be. My marks were good, but I was never acknowledged for my work.

“Impressive,” I say, grabbing my water glass and holding it in her direction for a toast. She picks up what I’m doing immediately and clinks our cups together.

As we’re both taking sips, my dad clears his throat and says, “This sounds like a good networking opportunity for you, Alexis.”

His expression is kind, but he’s looking between Alexis and I with poorly-concealed interest. I wonder if he can sense the spark between us. We haven’t even interacted much, so maybe it’s something else. Since he’s lived with Alexis longer, there’s a possibility that he’s seeing something I’m not privy to.

“It will be,” she says, tracing the wood grain with her fingertip. The light’s low, but I think I detect a blush reddening her cheeks.

“You’ll post pictures on your website, won’t you?” her mom asks, apparently not picking up on whatever my dad saw.

“You have a website?” I say with interest.

When she turns her gaze back to me, I feel actually seen. No one’s ever looked at me like this, like she’s eager for me to hear her and wants to hear me in return. I’m not sure what’s happening, but it feels irresistible, like we’re two magnets on the cusp of connecting. All we need is to be pushed a little closer and we’ll be inseparable. I don’t know how I’m going to resist her pull for the next three weeks.

“Yeah,” she says, reminding me that I asked her a question. “It’s kind of like a portfolio, but I mostly use it as a blog right now.”

“Did you design it yourself?” I say, needing to hear more of that sugary sweet voice.

“I did,” she confirms as she leans in a little closer to me. “All from scratch, too. It started as a class project my first semester, but I’ve kept it up since then. It’s not very good, but I’m always trying to improve it.”

“I’d love to see it,” I tell her, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I’m sure it’s better than you think it is.”

“Oh, it’s incredible,” her mom interjects, and I can tell by her tone that she’s about to take control of the conversation. “She’s a pretty good photographer, too. She came to my knitting club and took the best pictures.”

Then she goes off on a tangent that carries on until our meal comes.

As we dig in, the chatter dies down. For a few minutes, the only sound is our forks and knives against the ceramic plates. My arm brushes against Alexis’s with every movement of my hand, and she does nothing to pull away. After taking a couple bites, she sets down her knife and takes a sip from her glass.

“You’re right, Jacob,” Alexis says as she puts the cup down. “This is the best chicken parm I’ve had in my life.”

“I’ve been here awhile,” I reply with a shrug that knocks our elbows together. “I know all the best places in the city.”

That’s not completely true, considering I don’t get out much. A more accurate statement would be that I know all the best places within the delivery range of my apartment. I don’t think that sounds quite as impressive, though.

“I can’t wait for you to show me,” she says, smiling at me conspiratorially before picking up her utensil again.

“Likewise,” I reply, thinking that I wouldn’t mind going places with her.

“You’d welcome company?” my dad asks, raising an eyebrow at her. “I thought you liked experiencing things on your own.”

“Oh, honey, you can’t do that here,” her mom interjects. “It’s not like back home. Things are dangerous here.”

Something protective flares up inside me. The thought of something happening to her makes my stomach turn. Her mom is right. It’s dangerous here if you don’t know the city, especially for a pretty little thing like Alexis. There’s no way she’s going out alone.

“Please, Mom,” Alexis says, rolling her eyes. “I’m not an idiot. I’m careful.”

“Doesn’t matter how smart you are,” I say, leveling her with a stern look. “You never know what’s going to happen here. I don’t mind tagging along.”

“Okay, fine,” she says, but her tone is defiant. I can tell she doesn’t mean it, but I don’t think it’s worth fighting at the table.

Alexis strikes me as the kind of person who does what she wants regardless of what other people think. She has such a headstrong energy, and her choice to go into such a male-dominated field says a lot about her character. I doubt she’s going to let me come with her.

That’s okay, though. If I have to, I’ll follow her and watch her from the shadows. I won’t let anything happen to her, not when she just came back into my life. The possessive, protective beast inside me needs to keep her close and unscathed.