Forbidden Jocks [the step-brother series]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS - Daxton

Daxton POV

Henry and I were in the gym, working up a sweat during our usual Saturday morning session. The place was nearly empty, the only sounds were the rhythmic thud of basketballs and the occasional grunt of effort from the few other athletes. I was mid-rep on the bench press when my phone buzzed on the floor beside me.

**Dad**: Vanessa and Maria are here. Come to the house now.

I sighed, racking the bar and wiping the sweat from my forehead. “Hey, dude,” I called out, tossing my phone to my brother. He caught it effortlessly, glancing at the message, his face morphed into a frown.

"Guess it's time to meet the new family," he said, rolling his eyes. "Think she’s another gold digger?"

“Probably,” I muttered, grabbing my water bottle. "But let's try to keep an open mind. Maybe this one will stick more than the previous ones."

Henry laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, right, and donkeys fly.”

We packed up our gear and headed to the showers. The hot water did little to wash away my skepticism. Dad had been head over heels for this new woman for weeks now, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were in for another round of temporary bliss followed by inevitable heartbreak.

Since our mother’s death, we’d met five wannabe moms: the crazy one, the lazy one, the one with the fake boobs, the slutty one, and the boring one. They all had one thing in common—caring about money more than anything else.

Dad is a hopeless romantic, so it’s been up to Henry and me to reveal their true colors each time. We've gotten better at it as we grew older, perfecting our performances year after year. That Vanessa chick was in for a rude awakening soon enough.

As we pulled into the driveway of our father’s mansion, I noticed the unfamiliar car parked out front. It was stuffed to the brim, an old model, decidedly distant from the sleek and expensive style of cars usually driven by the gold diggers around Dad.

Weird and out of character.

We exchanged a glance before heading inside.

Dad was waiting in the grand foyer, beaming like a kid on Christmas morning. He was dressed in one of his tailored suits, the kind that screamed success and wealth. Vanessa stood beside him, looking petite and nervous, her warm brown eyes scanning the room. But it was the girl next to her that caught my attention.

Maria, our new sister. She was tall, about 5'9", with long, toned legs shown off by her shorts. Her athletic yet curvy figure was hinted at through the baggy shirt she was wearing. Her striking blue eyes held a mix of apprehension and defiance, not exactly the scrawny teenager I had expected.

“Boys, come in! I want you to meet Vanessa and her daughter, Maria,” Dad said, his voice filled with pride.

“Hi,” I said, trying to sound friendly. “Nice to meet you both.”

Henry echoed my greeting, though I could tell he was less enthusiastic about it.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Vanessa said, her smile widening. “I’ve heard so much about you both.”

Maria just nodded, her eyes flicking between us and the floor. I could tell she was uncomfortable, and I couldn’t blame her. This whole situation was awkward as hell.

“Why don’t we all sit down and get to know each other?” Dad suggested, leading us to the back veranda.

The veranda overlooked our sprawling backyard, and the warm air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers. We settled onto the plush outdoor sofas, and Dad poured drinks. Henry and I each took a beer, Vanessa and Dad had wine, and Maria was handed an orange soda.

I couldn’t help but notice how stunning Maria looked. She had a quiet strength about her, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued. My thoughts drifted to what it would be like to get to know her better, in more ways than one.

"So, Maria," I said, trying to break the ice. "What do you like to do for fun?"

She looked up, surprised that I had addressed her directly. "Um, I like swimming," she said quietly. "I used to play water polo."

Her soft voice was music to my ears, and I couldn't help but think about moans escaping from those full lips. And at the thought of her ass cheeks poking from a swimsuit, my c**k stirred inside my pants. Jeez.

Two weeks without a jersey chaser did that to me? I need to get laid.

"That's cool," I said, trying to regain composure. "We're on the basketball team at UK. Maybe we could show you around campus sometime. There's also a huge pool on campus. I could accompany you for a swim if you're up for the challenge," I teased. I wasn't sure why, but her reaction made it worth it.

She nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe."

Henry, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "So, water polo, huh? That’s pretty intense. You must be in great shape."

Oh, sure as hell, the pig was having my exact thoughts! He should have phrase it better or kept his mouth shut for once!

Maria raised an eyebrow, looking annoyed. "Well yeah, it’s a lot of work, just like any other sport at a competitive level. Not so different from the effort you put into basketball."

“Fair point” I beamed at her.

An awkward silence filled the air before Dad, clearing his throat, shifted the conversation to his business firm, discussing cases that might interest Vanessa, a lawyer herself.

As the conversation continued, I found myself stealing glances at Maria. She had a quiet strength about her, and I couldn’t help but be more intrigued with each passing moment.

My thoughts drifted to what it would be like to get to know her without the family thing going on. If we weren't going to be kind of weirdly related, I would have asked her out at first sight.

Well, that probably isn't going to happen. Not with all this s**t going on.

Dad, oblivious to my thoughts, beamed at everyone. "I’m so glad we’re all getting along. Once Vanessa and Maria are settled down, we’ll have a special dinner tonight at the best Italian restaurant in town, in honor of our new family."

"That sounds great, Dad," I said, forcing a smile. Inside, I couldn’t help but think it was a bit over the top. But that was Dad for you.

Henry shot me a look that said he was thinking the same thing. Still, he played along, raising his beer in a mock toast. "To new beginnings," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Vanessa didn’t seem to catch it, but Maria did. She glanced at Henry, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if she was trying to figure him out, or burn him on the spot using her piercing eyes. I was almost expecting her yell “DRACARYS” and see my brother turned into ashes.