Love All Out - Part 2 (A Stepbrother Romance) by Alice Ward Read Free Book Online Page B

the restaurant.
    “That last drink was a bad idea,” I said as I stumbled down the sidewalk.
    James put an arm around my waist and held me up. “I think the last three were probably a mistake… let’s get back to the room and get some coffee in you. If you don’t sober up some before you go to sleep, you’re going to feel terrible tomorrow.”
    I leaned my head against his shoulder and tried to keep my feet underneath me. “You’re so thoughtful, when you want to be,” I told him. I stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk and James caught me just before I fell on my face.
    “This isn’t working… I have an idea.” James stepped in front of me and dropped to his knees. He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a wink. “Climb on.”
    I leaned against James’s back and wrapped my arms around his neck. He stood and pulled my legs around his waist.
    “Don’t get used to this,” he said as he carried me back to the hotel. “And let me know if you feel like you’re going to get sick.”
    I laid my head against his back and breathed in his scent. It felt so good to be pressed against him again, and I never wanted to let him go.
    He has feelings for me, I know he does. He had to have arranged for the Jacuzzi room. When I called to confirm the reservations, I repeated “double room” three times. And he wanted to spend the night getting to know me instead of talking about Daddy and Renee. He wants me, and I’m going to make him admit it. I’ll be honest with him too. And if I’m wrong, I can always just say I was drunk.
    James stopped walking and I opened my eyes to discover we’d made it back to the hotel.
    “Think you can make it from here?” he asked and lowered me to the asphalt.
    “I think so,” I said, taking his arm. We walked through the lobby doors and into an open elevator.  I steadied myself against the back railing and James stared at me with a smile.
    “I’ll have to remember that you’re a lightweight,” he teased.
    I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m fine. Just watch, after one cup of coffee, I’ll be ready to go all night.”
    James lifted a curious eyebrow and the elevator doors rattled open. I let go of the railing and pretended to lose my balance. James took two steps forward and lifted me into his arms.
    “Like I said, you’re a lightweight,” he said as he carried me towards the room. I pulled my keycard out of my purse and opened the door from his arms. James stepped into the suite and carried me into the bedroom.
    “I’ll get the coffee going,” he said, depositing me on the bed. I stretched out and laid my head on a pillow while he filled the coffee pot in the bathroom sink. He returned to the bedroom, filled the machine’s reservoir with water, and dumped coffee into the filter.
    “Come sit with me while we wait,” I directed, patting the mattress.
    James sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his boots before sliding up next to me. He leaned against the headboard and let his arms fall to his sides.
    It’s now or never… if he pulls away, I’ll know I’m wrong.
    I hesitated for a moment and then rolled over, nuzzling my face against his neck. James wrapped his arm around me and rested his chin on the top of my head. We lay there, holding each other, but not talking about it until the coffee pot beeped.
    James kissed the top of my head and untangled himself from me. “Let’s get some coffee in you. I don’t want you to be sick tomorrow.”
    I sat up with my legs crossed under me and watched him pour two cups of coffee. He left one on the counter, passed the other to me, and grabbed the ice bucket.
    “I’m going to walk down to the lobby and get you some Advil,” he told me, stepping into flip flops.  “And then I’m going to stop at the ice machine. We should both drink a glass of ice water before we go to sleep.” James was calm, as if it were perfectly normal that we’d just curled up in bed together.
    “Whatever you think is best,” I