Forbidden Desire

Chapter 6 – The Joke But Not A Good Joke

“Nathan?”

Cassie’s eyes snapped open, gasping and stepping back upon hearing Evan’s voice. The hammering of her heart hurt her chest. She couldn’t breathe but calmly smiled as she leaned her head to the side, peering at her stepfather.

As if nothing happened, Nathan glanced over his shoulder and lifted his hand. “Who else would it be?” he asked, charming his older brother with a smile.

Evan clucked his tongue as he approached them. “I thought you were Jeff.”

“Jeff?” Nathan asked, lifting a brow.

Cassie quickly picked up the book and smartphone on the lounger. “It’s okay, Ev… er…Dad,” she forced a smile and glanced at the time on her phone. It’s two in the morning. “I’m done anyway,” she lied.

Since she saw Chloe earlier, she hardly understood everything she was reading. She was torn between talking to her sister and shutting her mouth for the rest of her life. Her body jerked, startled when Nathan grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“Hey! About what happened,” he paused, unsure what to say next, blushing and ashamed of what he did or was about to do.

“Sleep tight, Nathan,” Cassie brushed off his hand and turned to Evan. “Easy on the younger brother, Dad. He had a boring bachelor party.”

Evan opened his mouth to comment, but Cassie had walked past him already. He tilted his head, furrowing his brows as he thought of what to say, but changed his mind.

Nathan sighed and asked, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Enough to see everything,” Evan answered, folding his arms and looking unhappy at his younger brother.

“Who’s Jeff? Her boyfriend?” Nathan asked before his older brother could lecture him. His brows furrowed, and he shook his head because Cassie had just told him she was not interested in boys.

“Boyfriend?” A chuckle escaped Evan’s mouth. “Jeff’s Selena’s boyfriend, their classmate,” he said, furrowing his brows. “Didn’t I mention to you Cassie has androphobia?

“Huh?” Nathan knitted his brows. His brother must be wrong about Cassie.

“Forget it,” Evan chuckled nervously. “I’m not saying anything to Olivia. Cassie’s her baby. If she finds out about this, she’ll behead you, and even I can’t stop her.” Evan tapped his brother’s shoulder. “Get rest, Nathan,” he said and turned around, leaving him.

Nathan groaned in frustration, irked that his brother thought of it that way.

It was a mistake.

An accident.

He craned his neck and realized Chloe’s room was on the third floor of the mansion, overlooking the stunning view of the garden and swimming pool below. What would Chloe think of him if she saw him and Cassie? He cursed inwardly but breathed in relief that her room was dark. It would be a disaster if Chloe were awake and saw everything.

***

A kiss?

They almost kissed!

Not the friendly or brotherly kiss Nathan would give her, but a real one. Cassie ran like a mad woman on her way to the staircase and almost stumbled on the steps. She bit her bottom lip and suppressed a smile as she reached the last step. She was sure her heart was pounding, not because she dashed toward her bedroom but because of what happened in the pool area.

Cassie took a deep breath, an attempt to calm her heart, pounding hard against her chest. When their lips touched, it was as if Nathan had opened the Pandora's box within her. A bolt of electricity coursed through her body, her heart raced, and she wanted more.

A week ago, Cassie was torn between Physics and Chemistry. She loved both the courses and the idea of studying abroad, and when Nathan found out about the offer she got from MIT, he offered her a place to stay. She held the book closer to her chest and sighed glumly. After what happened in the pool area, staying was the best option.

Her brows lifted, seeing Chloe outside her bedroom. Her heart stopped beating for a second, and then it hammered her chest. The sleeping habit was their big difference. Her sister would religiously have seven to eight hours, but in her case, she would sometimes evade it when she had projects and exams.

“I thought you were never going up,” Chloe sneered, folding her arms. “You really want your sister to look ugly on her wedding day, huh!”

Cassie ignored her and opened the door.

Chloe extended her arm, blocking her sister from entering the bedroom. “Come on. Let’s talk.”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she brushed off her sister’s arm and stepped inside the room but left the door open.

Cassie didn’t want to wake up their mother, although the main room was in the opposite hall. She tossed her phone and book on the bed and ignored Chloe’s presence as she pulled off her shirt.

“Come on, Cassidy, let’s talk. I’m getting married in a few hours, and…” She let out a sigh and continued, “Tomorrow, I’ll be out of the country. You won’t see me for a long time.”

“You won’t see me for a long time,” Cassie repeated, annoyed as she turned to Chloe. “It’s kind of a relief, right?”

Chloe took a deep breath and pursed her lips, pausing to control her irritation. It was her fault their relationship turned sour after embarrassing her younger sister three years ago, jokingly shifting her phone’s camera as Cassie undressed while she talked to her male friends. She was surprised that her sister kept her mouth shut and did not tell Nathan or their mother what she had done.

“Can’t you forgive me?” Chloe blinked her eyes adorably. “It was a joke.”

‘It scarred me for life,’ Cassie wanted to tell her but chose to keep it to herself. “If you have nothing to say, please, I want to rest.”

“I just… Umm…” Chloe bit her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes at Cassie. “I just want to ask. Why did you call me?”