SWNOVELS HUGE 3D: Chapter 2
By the time I make it down to the kitchen table for breakfast, everyone is already finishing up the waffles my Mom has made, syrup and plates all pretty much empty.
“Seriously? Did you have to finish the syrup?” I grumble to no one in particular, hunched in front of the pantry. I frown at the half-empty boxes of cereal and reach for the instant oatmeal instead, sighing.
“Sorry, Mills,” Drew says from the table, rubbing his stomach. Ugh, do they ever wear shirts? How is a girl supposed to think around here with all those torsos on show? “Dylan took out like six fucking waffles all by himself. Plus, I had like…what, eight?” he teases, stretching his arms out over his head. No matter how fast I try and dart my eyes away from his straining biceps, he catches me staring at him anyway. The resulting grin makes me want to scream.
“Sorry about that, Milly,” Dylan calls from the living room over the TV. “Guess you should’ve woken up before eleven.”
I grit my teeth and hunt down a bowl for my oatmeal.
Dane comes up next to me, giving me somewhat of an apologetic smile. Out of the three of them, Dane, the oldest triplet, is like the big teddy bear. “I can run to the store and get some more syrup if you want.”
He’s standing close enough that I can feel his warm breath ghosting across my shoulders. I become incredibly aware of just how thin this tank top and shorts set is. If Dane so much as looks down, he’ll get a bird’s eye view of my nipples hardening. Subconsciously, I squeeze my thighs together, both hoping he doesn’t look down and desperate to see if he does. “No, that’s okay. It’s not really a big deal,” I mumble, licking my lips as he shrugs and walks away.
If the three of them knew the kind of effect they have on me…well, I think it might blow their minds.
—
After helping them work outside all afternoon in the yard, Mom and Richard decide to cook out on the brand-new grill. The smell of the hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling across patio is enough to make me drool.
Almost as much as watching Dane, Dylan, and Drew strip their sweaty tank-tops off and lie back on the pool lounge chairs under the hot sun. I have to tear my gaze from them when I realize I’m staring. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I think Dylan is watching me through his dark sunglasses, a sexy smirk on his chiseled face. Damnit.
Pretending to swat away a mosquito, I quickly turn away toward the table. “Is there anything you need me to do, Mom?”
She wipes at her forehead. “No, baby. I think we got it. Why don’t you go ahead and grab some food? Richie has the meat done over there, and the potato salad and baked beans are all ready to go here,” she says, settling the big white bowl on the patio table. My stomach rumbles.
“Quick, Milly,” Richard calls out to me from the grill, nodding in my direction. He flips the next burger onto its respective bun and I can’t help but laugh as he hands me the plate behind his back, the smoke billowing up from the grill. “Make sure you grab another one before the guys get to them. You know how they are,” he says, giving me a knowing smile.
I nod, thinking about just this morning. “Oh yeah. They’re pigs. Thanks, Richard.” Pigs…and then some.
Speak of the devil, and here come the three of them now, shoving at each other to be the first to grab the food. Mom just shakes her head and smiles, meeting my gaze with a playful eye-roll. She always wanted boys, she said. Not that my stepbrothers are really boys anymore. Not with those thick muscles and the stubble. Not with the way their wet swim trunks happen to perfectly outline what they’ve got going on down below. My stepbrothers are definitely men. Physically at least. The way they behave…not so much!
“Hey, watch it, assholes!” Drew grumbles at the other two as he gets pushed back behind them.
Dylan catches me glaring at them, his eyes narrowing at the food on my plate as I take a seat. “Why does Milly get food before us?” he whines.
And I’m just their annoying little sister, I guess.
“Man up, son. I wanted to make sure she ate something before the three of you inhale what’s left. And have you never heard of ladies first?” Richard replies, leveling a look at Dylan before finally handing him a plate.
By the time all five of us are seated, only Richard, my mom and I have any food left to eat. He wasn’t kidding when he said that his boys inhale their food.
“Hold up now,” Richard says, motioning for all three of them to sit back down as they quickly hop up, finished. “We wanted to talk to you. All four of you.”
I raise an eyebrow at Mom but she’s too busy staring blissfully up at him to even notice. As much as I love her, sometimes it’s downright annoying to see just how lovey-dovey the two of them are. I put all my attention toward eating Mom’s famous potato salad, instead.
“But we didn’t do anything,” Dylan pipes up.
“Yeah, that sounds convincing,” I mumble, still not looking up from my plate. One of them snickers and blood rushes to my cheeks.
“No one’s in trouble,” Mom says, taking a dainty bite of her hot dog.
Richard places a hand on hers and squeezes it. “At least not yet, anyway. Kelly and I are going away for the week. I thought I’d surprise her with a little pre-birthday trip.”
Drew pumps his arm in the air. “Hell yeah! When do we leave?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, dude. They’re not taking us with them. Are you, Dad?” Dane says, leaning back in his chair.
Richard shakes his head. “No, it’s just for the two of us. We’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. We wanted to talk to you four and go over the rules of being here at the house on your own.”
Dane sighs. “We’re not kids. What, do you think we’re going to do? Burn the place down or something?”
“Or something,” Richard replies, meeting all three of their gazes intently. “No parties. I don’t want anyone in my house, or in my pool for that matter, that I don’t know, and the three of you need to look after your sister, of course.”
I shrink in my seat, gritting my teeth. “I do not need looking after.”
“We know that, Milly. We just want you all to keep each other in check, that’s all,” Mom tries to smooth it over.
“Got that, boys? Take care of her,” Richard adds.
“We promise,” the three of them all say simultaneously. I feel them practically burning holes in me, staring at me the way they are. All I want to do is slip out of this weird family cookout and into my room where I can finally get some peace.
“Oh honey, I can’t believe you did this for me!” Mom squeals, carrying on about water-skiing and buffets, Richard laughing at her enthusiasm.
I try and finish up what’s left on my plate, but every time I sneak a peek at my step brothers, I see them all staring back at me. Dane looks on with some kind of curiosity, while the other two have wicked smiles on their handsome faces. They seem to be enjoying the idea of having to keep an eye on me more than they should.
My chest tightens and I quickly look away, pretending to study the baked beans on my fork. I’ll be taking an extra-long shower when I go back up to my room. Anything to get them out of my head.