Stepbrother Soldier: A Forbidden Military Romance Novel Read Online Free Page A

cheerful.

 
    “Morning,” he grumbled back. He had been sitting at the table eating
toast, but now rose to clear his plate.

 
    “It’s a nice day,” I said, willing to use any and every “pleasant
conversation” starter I could think of. He grunted.

 
    “So, do you know when they’ll be sending you to your next base? Or
where it’ll be?” It seemed an inoffensive question, though once I’d asked it I
worried that he might misconstrue it as me wondering when he was going to get
the hell out of the house.

 
    “Nope,” was his only response as he stood at the sink, letting water
run over the crumbs from his plate. I opened the fridge and grabbed the milk,
racking my brain for the next logical thing to say. I decided to just jump in
with both feet.

 
    “You know, the Admiral and I were thinking that we could all eat
together one of these nights,” I said, pouring out the milk and trying not to
sound too eager.

 
    “Maybe,” Ashton said. I put the milk back in the fridge, desperately
trying to figure out something to say that would warrant more than a one-word
response.

 
    “You know, I really hated him when I was younger, but he’s not so
bad,” I said, hoping I could appeal to Ashton’s history with the Admiral. I
mean, doesn’t everyone kind of hate their dad when they’re young, then get over
it when they’re older? I figured this was as good a way as any to crack
Ashton’s cold demeanor.

 
    “Oh yeah, I know, I’ve seen you spending all your time with him,”
Ashton said. I looked at him; his eyes were cloudy and dark. I looked away
again, unsettled by those eyes.

 
    “Um, yeah, well, you know, we’re both just trying to come to terms
with my mother’s passing, and…”

 
    “And the best way to do that is to cozy up to her
widower?”

 
    I was shocked, and I think I might have actually snapped my neck
turning to him. What the hell was he saying? Was he actually implying…

 
    “Excuse me? I think you have the entirely wrong
idea about…”

 
    “Do you think I’m stupid? You think I don’t know about you? You’re Miss.
Green Party, he’s what you’d call ‘capitalist scum’, and now you’re suddenly
best friends? That doesn’t happen unless…”

 
    “Woah, woah, woah. I never called your dad that, and so what? Just
because we have different politics doesn’t mean I’ve ever really hated him.
Your dad is going through something tough, and so am I, and it just so happens
that…”

 
    “That you’re taking ‘comfort’ in each other. Yeah, I can see that,”
Ashton said, an evil sneer on his face. I was literally shocked into silence. I
couldn’t believe I was actually being accused of trying to seduce the Admiral.
I mean, first off, I’d literally never seduced anyone, ever. Second off, the Admiral? Really?

 
    “Uh, listen, you have it all wrong…”

 
    “Oh, I do? Is that why you always bounce around
here half-naked?”

 
    I looked down. I was wearing denim shorts and a tank top. Half-naked,
maybe, compared to SWAT gear, but definitely fully clothed by all other
standards. And “bounce”? The closest I ever came to “bouncing” anywhere was
accidentally missing the last step on the stairs. When I looked back up,
Ashton’s eyes were roaming up and down my body. Suddenly, I felt half-naked.

 
    I wish I could say that I felt my flesh crawl under his gaze, but I
didn’t. If anything, I felt…glowing. I was pissed at him, very pissed at him,
for his outrageous claims, but there was also something titillating about the
way he was looking at me. Almost as though…

 
    But no. I pushed the thought away. It didn’t feel at all like his
hands were running over my body. Nope. No way. And if it did feel that way, I
thought, it was because he was a mega-creep and I should get as far away from
him as possible as soon as possible.

 
    “I’m not trying to fuck your dad,” I finally blurted out, aware of the
deep