Submitting To My Stepbrothers novel Chapter 81

10: Lia.

“I want to.” I take his hand and press the palm to my cheek.

“Talk to me.”

Tristan hedges a moment. “You know I haven’t been with.

anyone. Since the divorce.” He rolls a thick shoulder. “A lot of

that was because of work. Because I didn’t meet anyone that

interested me. But, uh…the divorce had a lot to do with it, too.

Eric’s mother and I

weren’t a great match. We didn’t have the

same interests, but we came from money. It was more for

status than anything. When she left, though… it was because

of…” He nods down at his midsection. “The way I look. Big and

bulky. Not lean like the tennis player husbands at the country

club.”

I’ve only met Eric’s mother on a handful of occasions and I’m

pretty sure I was too overcome with jealousy that she’d been

married to Tristan to pay much attention. Right now, I’d like to

stomp on her instep and bust her stupid nose, though. That

much I know. “Well, I’m sorry, but that’s really horrible and

shallow,” I say, my own nose starting to burn out of outrage and

the need to cry for this man who provides for everyone without

complaint. “That’s more of a reflection of her character than

you.” He gives me an appreciative look, but clearly doesn’t

believe me, so I swing for the fences because there’s no way my

sugar daddy is going to feel anything less than amazing when

he’s with me. I can’t believe he doesn’t know how desirable he

1. is. “Listen to me. You’re sexy as shit. That thing you do…where

you roll up your sleeves and plant both fists on the kitchen

counter, the way you manspread in your swim trunks with those

log–cabin thighs. That gray and black chest hair. Like, oh my

god.” I bite my lip and give a low squeal, tugging him toward me

by the front of his shirt. “I’ve been wanting to ride the Tristan

train since it was highly illegal.”

His chest has started to heave. “Did you now?”

Contritely, I duck my head and look up at him through my

lashes. “Uh–huh.” I rake my breasts side to side against his

chest, his rumble vibrating my stiff nipples. “And I still don’t

really know what it means to ride the Tristan train. You have to

teach me, Big Daddy.”

Tristan yanks open the red door and pulls me inside, closing us

1. in. “I don’t know if you’re saying this stuff because you know

you’ll be well paid or if you really mean it,” he says, backing me

against the door. His mouth on top of mine as he reaches down,

for Big Daddy.”

My knees lose control and I drop, but Tristan catches me,

10: LB.

throwing my limp body over his shoulder without missing a beat

and stomping out of the red room. Before the door can close, I

glimpse the art installation. It’s a pitch black room with, “The

truth will set you free,” written on the wall in strips of LED lights.

Blinking.

And I take it as a sign. That I should confess everything to

Tristan.

That I’ve loved him since middle school.

That my family is broke and his money will put me through

college. If I tell him that, though, he’ll never believe my feelings

are real. He’ll believe my claims that he’s sexy even less. Won’t

he?

No, I can convince him. The truth is always the best policy.

But before I can work up the nerve, Tristan is walking into the

lobby of the hotel and storming the elevator, punching in a

special code to bring us to the top floor. His mouth is on mine,

ravenous, and I can think of nothing, nothing, but the moments

ahead…