Chapter 3

“Hi, big brother.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but…

“Achoo!” I sneeze onto his chest.

The blood drains from my face, my eyes enlarging behind my glasses as I stumble backwards, away from him, only to lose my footing.

‘It’s official. I'm cursed! Now I know the gods have cursed me!’ I curse inwardly as I allow gravity to take control as I await impact.

This is embarrassing; only a few seconds in front of my brother and I'm this clumsy.

Moon goddess, please have mercy on me. I promise I won't lust after…

“You can open your eyes now.” Cassian's voice pulls me out of my degrading thoughts. I open my eyes; that's when I realize our position.

He caught me.

His strong arms around my waist and shoulder, his chest against mine, causing my nipples to touch his taut muscles, with only the fabric of our clothes separating us, and what's that poking my abdomen?

Is he… hard?

My eyes widen, my lips parting as I look into his frosty blue eyes, adjusting my glasses.

“Brother… I… Achoo!” I sneeze in his face. “Oh, goddess…” I push him away, but he doesn't let me go; instead, he helps me up on my feet.

I quickly reach for a tissue paper from my bag hanging around my shoulder and stand on tiptoes to wipe his face, my fingers shaking uncontrollably.

“I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.” I continue to apologize, the urge to cry and sneeze again overwhelming me, but this time I hold it in, and it hurts so much, causing a tear to escape my eyes.

I hate myself.

“It's alright.” Brother mumbles, taking hold of my trembling hand. “Come,” he urges, leading me, and opening the back seat of his dark gray Jeep Wrangler.

I sit, and he helps fasten my seatbelt.

I, on the other hand, was as stiff as a rock as I tried not to focus on his hot, labored breath on my face, his expert fingers touching, and brushing my body, and his body that seemed to hover over mine.

“Done,” he states, looking at my face. I force a stiff smile.

“Thank…” I immediately cover my nose with the tissue paper in my hand, sneezing; my glasses almost fall off.

How awkward is this?

I adjust my glasses after wiping my nose and murmuring,

“I'm sorry. I'll pay for the disinfecting of the car.”

“It's not necessary,” he says, catching me off guard when he places his hand on my forehead. “You're running a fever and have a cold. I will stop at the pharmacy and…”

“No. No.” I wave my hands hurriedly, interrupting him. “I think I am having an allergic reaction. There must be a cat around here.”

He raises a brow at me, and I nod, agreeing with him.

“You are right, I need medicine. Thank you, big brother.” I say, smiling heartily at him. But then he frowns, suddenly emitting a cold aura and shutting the car door so firmly I jump.

‘What did I do?’

I watch as he picks up my suitcase and goes to the back of the car, opening the trunk and putting my suitcase in before closing it.

He gets into the car and drives off.

It was a silent ride, and I couldn't watch one of those short reels to kill time because my headaches whenever I'm inside a car, looking on the phone, will only worsen it.

So my focus moves to the man driving.

I didn't want to look too much, but I couldn't help it; he's too breathtaking as he drives seriously with his jaws clenched.

I don't want to know what he's thinking, looking that serious.

Suddenly, he turns to look at me, and our eyes lock briefly before I look away.

“Are you unhappy staying at my place?” He starts a conversation.

Weird. What's he up to?

“No.” I answer abruptly, and he chuckles, and I can tell by his side profile it wasn't a pleasant laugh.

“Tell me, and I might agree to your wish,” he says, looking into the rearview mirror. I look up, and he's looking at me.

I hold his gaze for seconds before relenting; it's clear he doesn't want me at his home.

I look away angrily and reply,

“I want to stay home with Brandon; it's been so long since I spent quality time with him. And he's beginning to doubt my love for him. I thought spending a week together would assure him how much I love him.” I explain with a soft smile, emphasizing ‘how much I love him’ so Brother doesn't suspect I still think about our little encounter.

I look at him, but he doesn't speak and just keeps driving, and so I don't talk either.

…~…

The car comes to a stop at the pharmacy, and he alights without asking me if I'll need anything; that's how things have changed between us.

If it was in the past, he would have asked if I needed something, and even if I told him I didn't need anything, he would still get me something.

“I wish I had spoken back then.” I whisper, shutting my eyes and relaxing into the seat.

~~~

The first thing I feel is something slick lick over my lips, hot breath fanning my face, and hands behind my neck and waist.

I gasp, my eyes fluttering open.

“B-big… brother.” I stutter, from his face that was only inches from mine, enlarging his facial features.

His wet lips that look like he just licked them, compelling me, luring me to grab his face and kiss him to quench my thirst for him, and damn all my fears of doing something abominable.

I lick my lips instinctively as I hold his hypnotic gaze dazedly.

“You're awake,” he inquires in his alienated tone, and I snap out of my daydream.

“Y-yes.” I mumble flusteredly, sitting up so abruptly, I bump into his face. Reaching for his face, I begin to apologize. “Oh, my goodness. Big brother, I'm very sorry…”

But he stops my advances, an angry scowl on his face, as he mutters coldly,

“We're here.” Then he turns and leaves.

Okay, it seems I was right about someone being pregnant; it just turns out to be my brother instead of Melinda.

Dammit, I can't keep up with his sudden mood swings. I step out as he closes the trunk.

I close the car door, approach him, and stretch my hand to take the suitcase from him, but he takes my hand, yanking me to his side, his hand wrapping around my waist so intimately and dragging me alongside him, his focus ahead and not sparing me a glance, like his hand isn't above my ass.

I tense up at first, my hands curl over my chest, but I begin to walk, looking up at his side profile as he looks forward, with a concentrated expression.

We walk through the lawn and stop at the entrance.

Cassian takes out his keys, reaching for the door to open, when the door is pushed open from inside, revealing a beaming Melinda.

“Honey. You're back.”

How great. The witch is here.