Lily

I knew going camping with my family was a terrible idea but let myself be talked into it anyway. I'm not opposed to camping, in theory, as long as a hotel is involved. In the very least, a nice RV, but my parents like to kick it old school. Which is why I'm trying to keep up with everyone while a gigantic pack strapped on my back keeps trying to tip me ass over teakettle onto the dirt path we've been following for the last twenty minutes and mosquitoes feast on me like I'm a giant Slurpee.

Dad and my stepmom, Sarah are leading us, I'm in the middle of the group, and Ethan, my stepbrother, is taking up the rear. If I fall over in front of Ethan, there's a better than fifty percent chance he's either going to make fun of me or just step over me and keep on walking. Either scenario would be devastating for what little pride I have left.

So I force myself to move faster, all the while daydreaming about air conditioning and the Kindle I tucked into my pack. Dad said bring the essentials and I did. My entire library is at my fingertips.

"And we've arrived." My dad throws both hands up like he's presenting a prize on a game show. We've arrived alright. There's a lake to our right and a tired looking firepit not far from shore with some half-rotten logs tucked in around it for seating. Not far from the firepit is a sagging picnic table.

"Oh, this is beautiful," my stepmom gushes as she drops her pack and turns with her hands on her hips.

I feel Ethan nudge me with his elbow. I glance up at him and swallow on a suddenly dry throat. "Did you pack the sunscreen?" I nod. "Better use it, then. Your ears are turning red."

"Yeah, I will in a minute." He turns away from me and drops his own pack. I have to force my eyes away from him. It's been like that ever since our parents married four years ago. There's just something about Ethan that draws the eye. Even dressed in basketball shorts and a tank top with his ballcap flipped backwards, he's a feast for the eyes.

"Alright, kids, let's get the tents set up, then we can go exploring." Dad claps his hands together, and we all get to work setting up the tents.

Me and Ethan are paired together to set up our own tents, side by side. We stumble through the process, with him grunting orders every so often, and me sweating and cursing under my breath. I end up smashing my thumb.

"Shit!" I curse under my breath, as I stick my thumb my mouth.

Ethan raises an eyebrow at me, concern written all over his face. "Are you okay, Bookworm?" he asks.

I remove my thumb from my mouth before I humiliate myself further. "Yeah, it's fine." I say through clenched teeth. "It's just a stupid thumb." I try to hide my pain, but I know Ethan sees right through me.

"Let me see it." Ethan is already reaching out for my hand. "I don't even want to see it. It feels like half of it's missing."

"Stop being a baby and let me see." I hesitate, wanting to refuse, but knowing he won't give up until he does. I hold my breath and allow him to take my hand while I turn my head in the other direction. If I'm about to bleed out, I don't want to know.

His fingers brush against mine, sending shivers down my spine. I can't help but notice how warm his skin is compared to mine. Maybe I should look?

Ethan examines my injured thumb carefully, his touch gentle despite the roughness of his hands. "There's a small cut by the cuticle," he tells me, his voice low and soothing. I crack an eye and sure enough, it's barely a scratch, but the thumb has a heartbeat, despite how tiny the wound may be. He grins when he sees me relax. "We better clean it before it rots off."

"You're hilarious. I think I can handle it."

"I've got you, Bookworm." I cringe at the nickname he hung on me the moment we met. I was fifteen and had a Kindle clutched to my chest when I opened the door to let him and his mom inside for dinner. And now I'm never going to live it down.

Ethan retrieves the first aid kit and helps me rinse off the wound with some peroxide, even though I put up a token protest. As he cleans it, I can't help but feel the heat radiating from his body. His eyes flash when I let out a little moan, then cover it with a cough.

My cheeks flush slightly, and I avert my gaze. This is so embarrassing. I'm not sure which is worse; being a clumsy idiot or being caught swooning over my stepbrother. If he knew the way he affects me, I'd never live it down. I'd have to move to Tasmania or the Arctic Circle. The far side of the moon.

"There, all done," Ethan finally declares, his voice a little rougher than usual. "That should do it."

"Everything okay over there, guys?" My dad hollers from their side of the campground.

"All good. Lily just smashed her thumb while we were setting up the tents. No harm done." With that, he holds out his hand to me, and I take it, allowing him to pull me to my feet. I can't look at him. I'm too afraid of what he might see in my eyes.

I know I'm blushing. "Thanks," I murmur softly, my heart racing in my chest.

"No problem," he replies, his voice sounding deeper than usual. "But please, be more careful next time."

"I will," I promise, even though I know it's likely I'll end up hurting myself again. It dawns on me that he hasn't let go of my hand yet. My stupid heart skips a beat as he slowly laces our fingers together.

"Who wants to help me gather wood for a fire?" Sarah's tone is sharp, and I jump away from Ethan like I've been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.

"Me! I'll do it," I answer quickly, attempting to regain my composure. My heart is still pounding wildly, like it's trying to escape my chest.

"I'll help her, Mom. Stay with Daniel. I can carry more wood than you can."

anyway.

Sarah starts to argue with him, but my dad pops into the conversation asking her to help him get the fishing gear ready so they can catch supper from the lake. She gives up after a few moments and waves us on our way.

As we begin our trek into the woods, the air around us becomes cooler under cover of the canopy of trees. The shade is a nice break from the sun that's been beating down on us all afternoon. I catch my breath, the scent of wet leaves and earth filling my nostrils. A mosquito hums too close to my ear and I swat myself a little too hard. It didn't even kill the mosquito as it's right back to humming in my other ear. Little bastard.

Ethan walks beside me, his strong arms brushing away branches as he navigates through the foliage. He holds the low hanging branches away from me, clearing the path.

I follow behind him, collecting small fallen limbs and bigger chunks of tree bark, piling them neatly in my arms. The quiet around us is only broken by the rustling of leaves and the crunch of our footsteps. The distant call of a bird. Occasionally, we pause to catch our breath, our shoulders rubbing against each other as we share the weight of the collected wood.

I catch him looking at me from the corner of my eye. "I think we've got enough. We'd better head back."

"Okay. Here, let me take part of the load before you tip over." Before I can protest, he's reaching for some of the wood in my arms.

His fingers graze my breast, and I feel a wave of heat rush through me. Instantly, my panties are ruined. I can't help but blush, feeling embarrassed and turned on at the same time. Ethan doesn't seem to notice, or if he does, he doesn't acknowledge it. He simply bends down to pick up another piece of wood, his movements smooth and graceful.

I struggle to regain my composure, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. We continue gathering kindling in silence, our steps matching each other's as we navigate through the dense forest.

As we near the campsite, I notice a change in Ethan's demeanor. He seems more focused, his eyes scanning the area intently. I follow his gaze, searching for any signs of danger. "Is anything wrong?"

Ethan turns to me, his eyes full of concern. "I don't know, maybe," he admits, his voice tight. "Something feels...off. You should stay close to me."

I snort. "Are you messing with me? There's nothing out here but bugs."

He shrugs as he shifts the weight of the wood he's carrying. His biceps bulge and I'm once again caught admiring them. “Gotta be careful in the woods, Bookworm. Something may eat you.” My stepbrother's smile is slow and devastating to my nerves. It's almost like he knows what he's doing to me.

Ethan

I'm gonna burn in hell for all the filthy things I'm thinking about doing to my innocent little stepsister, but I can't help it. Haven't been able to for the last couple of years and constantly pushing her away is wearing on my last damned nerve. Claiming her might tear our family apart, but she's always been my Bookworm, ever since her dad started dating my mom and they finally decided to get married.

I've always been protective of Lily. She was a cute kid who needed a big brother to look out for her. My feelings were always strictly platonic when she was younger, but then puberty hit her and even though my intentions were still pure, my thoughts weren't. I came home from college the Thanksgiving right after she turned eighteen and spent the whole week hiding an inconvenient boner. I should be ashamed, but it's not like we're really related.

God, I wish I didn't feel this way. But it's too late now. Those long, long legs haunt my dreams. I want to feel them wrapped around my head, my waist, stretch them out while she rides me reading one of those filthy books I know she reads on the sly. My little Bookworm has her secrets, just like I have mine.

I want to feel those glorious tits pressed against my chest, hear her gasp as I push inside her. It's not just about sex. I love her. Have for years. On a gut deep level, I knew she was mine from the start, in one capacity or another, but a relationship between us would ruin everything.

Daniel would murder me in my sleep if he had any clue my feelings for his only daughter were more filthy and possessive than brotherly, and Mom... I'm not entirely sure she doesn't suspect something already. I've caught her watching me while I'm watching Lily, and I don't trust that beady-eyed glare she gets right before she barks out an order, then sends me in a different direction from my girl.

Lily isn't unaffected by me, either, which should probably make me feel even more guilty. It doesn't. She can't hide the way her pupils blow wide when she sees me or her breath hitches when I touch her. I've always protected her, even when she didn't know I was doing it. I really should be able to protect her from myself, but I don't think I can for much longer. I've grown tired of waiting.

I have to be careful with her. She's an innocent thing, and I should know. I've spent several years threatening every asshole in our hometown who came sniffing around that it'd be the last thing they did. Eventually, word got around, and they left her alone. I've caught her talking to her friends about it. None of them know why she's never been asked out. I do. And I'm taking that secret to my grave.

As we enter the campsite, Lily hesitates for a moment, her eyes searching the area for our parents. "Where did they go?"

I drop the wood in a pile by the firepit and shake my arms out. "Probably sneaked off for a quickie in the woods."

She drops her wood on top of mine and pulls a face. "Ewww. That's disgusting." She wrinkles her nose and looks around, trying to figure out our next steps. Lily loves to have a plan in place. "Should we see if we can find them?" She points towards the lake. "They might be fishing already."

"Nah. Let them have their fun." I start stacking wood for the fire, so it'll be easy to light when it starts getting dark in a few hours.

"You're so gross." I glance up at her as she hovers over me. Hands on her hips, full lips pursed, and all I can think of is how damned cute she is when she's irritated. I live to irritate her, but only up to a point. It's messed up, but I get off on the way her eyes glitter right before she explodes. I'm pretty sure they'll do the same when she comes.

She doesn't know the filthy things running through my head, even as she gathers our supplies and sets them aside for dinner. No one does, besides me. And maybe Mom. If she finds out, she'll be devastated. I could lose my best friend, my sister, and maybe even my family. Is it worth it? For just one night with Lily? No. I could never be satisfied with just one night. Not even a lifetime would be enough.

She watches me closely as I work to set the fire up. If I happen to bend a little farther or flex a little to give her a show, well, it happens. Gotta work with what I've got.

I'm not vain, but I'm not stupid, either. Women love me. Too bad the only one I want is the one I can't have.

"Can you show me how to do that," she asks, pointing towards the firepit. I raise an eyebrow at her, amused. "You want to learn how to set up a fire?"

She nods seriously. "Yep. It might come in handy someday. You know, if I'm ever in the woods alone." Like I'd ever let that happen.

"Alright, Bookworm. Come here."

I gesture for her to come sit beside me. She obeys, her eyes wide with anticipation. I take my time, showing her how to pick the best pieces of kindling. It's totally unnecessary to touch her, but an opportunity has presented itself and I'm taking it. Just little touches; a hand on her shoulder, a nudge with my arm... She doesn't move away. I can see tiny goose bumps forming on that gorgeous skin. Her hips shift restlessly, and I wonder if her panties are getting damp. God knows my shorts are way too tight at this point.

"First, you need to start with small pieces, like these twigs. Dried bark works too." I demonstrate, placing a bundle of twigs in the center of the fire pit. "Next, you add some larger pieces, like these smaller branches." I carefully arrange the branches around the twigs, creating a tepee shape. "Once that all starts burning well, you layer on the bigger pieces, like these logs." I place the logs strategically around the tepee, making sure there's enough space for airflow. "Don't smother the smaller pieces with the big ones."

Lily watches intently, absorbing every detail. Her cheeks flush as she follows my instructions, her fingers brushing against mine. The connection sends a surge of desire coursing through me. I wonder what she'd do if I kissed her but stop myself just in time. This can't end well, but I find that I don't mind so much as long as it ends with her in my arms.

We finish setting up the fire, and I show her how to tend to it properly once we light it later. "Always remember to keep the fire under control," I instruct her. "It can be dangerous if you don't."

She nods solemnly, her eyes sparkling with determination to learn. She's so goddamn earnest, and it makes me want to protect her even more. It also makes me want to bend her over the biggest log and fuck her stupid.

My body aches for her touch, and my heart longs for her company. I've always been protective of Lily, and that'll never change, but this is different. It's raw and primal, and it scares the shit out of me. The urgency to claim her grows stronger by the day.

Before I can do anything I might not regret later, there's a muffled yelp down by the lake, followed by a little scream from my mom. Lily's on her feet and running before I am, but I'm bigger and catch up to her easily. I'd pace her if I wasn't so worried about my mom. Instead, I pass her and race ahead with my heart in my throat.

Lily catches up as we reach the path leading to the lake. We find our parents swaying like a pair of drunks as they stumble up the path hanging off one another. "What happened?"

"Sarah's injured her ankle. She went wading into the water and slipped on a rock or something. I can't tell if it's broken or just sprained." Daniel is red in the face, huffing and puffing because he's spent way too much time behind his desk these last few years, and no time in the gym.

"Here. Let me take her."

"I'm alright," my mom insists. Her face is red with pain, and her eyes are filled with tears.

"Of course, you are." I reach to help her, but she waves me off, trying to maintain her dignity.

"Just give me a minute." She's breathing hard and tiny beads of sweat dot her forehead. Even though she's hurt, she manages a weak smile, reassuring us that she's okay. My mom is a terrible actress. Whatever she's done to herself hurts like hell.

Lily's at my elbow, biting her lip and looking anxious. "Can you put any weight on it," she asks.

Mom shakes her head, but I'm not sure if that's a 'yes' or 'no'. "It's just a sprained ankle. We'll rest here for a bit, and then continue to the campsite."

In the very least she's going to need an x-ray, but I'm not going to point it out just yet. She's looking pretty miserable already.

We stand there, awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Then Mom puts her foot down and winces as she lets out a little whine in the back of her throat. Her fingers dig into Daniel for support. He bites the inside of his cheek to keep from yelping.

"Right. Nothing's wrong with you. Clearly." I lean down and pick her up. "Put your arms around my neck and hang on."

"Ethan! Put me down this instant. I'm too heavy to be carried."

"Nope, you're not. Now, hang on so I don't drop you." I start hiking back to camp, not exactly jogging because I don't want to bump her bad ankle, but not slowing down for Lily and Daniel to catch up, either.

Once we're back at the campsite, I set her down and gently pull off her shoe. The ankle is already ballooning up and showing bruises. Lily and Daniel have caught up by now and Lily stands at my shoulder, hand resting on my back. "That looks awful. What are we going to do?"

Daniel starts picking up his pack. "We're going to strike camp and get her to a doctor. It looks like it could be broken." He's so upset he's not thinking clearly.

"It's getting dark soon and we aren't going to be able to get everything packed up tonight. Let me carry her back to the car. You drive her back to town and take her to the emergency room. Come get us tomorrow. Unless you want to leave all our stuff up here and chance it getting stolen."

Daniel looks around like he's lost something before dropping the tent pole he's latched onto and straightening up. "Alright. Sounds like a plan. Lily can come with us. You'll be safe hereby yourself, right?"

Lily steps forward, hugging herself. "I'm staying, too. It isn't right leaving Ethan out hereby himself to guard the camp."

"He's a big boy. He can handle it," Daniel insists.

"Dad, I'm staying." She insists. "You'd better hurry up. It'll be dark soon."

Mom sighs, giving in. "Alright, I hate this, but you two make sure you're careful."

"Absolutely. Now, let's get you back to the car."

Lily

"Do you think they're okay?" It's been hours since my dad and Sarah left for the nearest emergency room. Night crept up on us and now we are huddled across from each other watching the campfire burn. My stomach is pleasantly full of the fish Ethan caught and fried after we got back to camp. For dessert he produced the fixings for s'mores.

The woodsmoke is keeping the mosquitoes at bay, so that's one thing that's going for us. After the sun set it got chilly out, so I dragged my sweatshirt out of my tent and put it on. It's actually one of Ethan's favorite sweatshirts, but if he notices that I've stolen it, he isn't saying. I love it because it makes me feel closer to him and because it's huge enough to drag the sleeves over my hands when they get cold.

He gets up to add another log to the fire and sits down next to me this time. "They're fine, Bookworm. Never doubt it."

I wrap my arms around myself to stay warm, feeling grateful for the borrowed sweatshirt. "When do you think they'll be back?"

"Not sure. They'll call when they're on their way back. In the meantime, we should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to get here before you know it." He yawns, rubbing his eyes.

"I wish I'd thought to bring an air mattress."

He grins at me. "Think you'll bruise your delicate skin on the hard ground?"

"Absolutely." I agree, standing up to gather our things together while he smothers the fire.

"I wish we had more blankets or something. The nights can get chilly. At least it's not raining." As soon as I say it, a fat drop of rain splatters on my shoulder. The next one catches the end of my nose. "Oh, no."

"You spoke too soon." He grabs my arm as he gathers the rest of our supper up and hauls me towards his tent. The sky opens up and rain pours out. We're drenched to the skin within moments.

"Wait. My tent is that way." I can barely see for the downpour.

"Let's get you inside and out of the rain. My tent's closer." "Thanks, but I really should— "

"Stop arguing with me and get in the tent." He gives me a gentle shove forward, then ducks in behind me. Within moments, he's shedding his shoes and clothes.

"What are you doing?" His muscles flex as he moves, and I try not to stare at him too obviously.

"It's cold and we're both soaked through. Get your clothes off and get into the sleeping bag."

"Say what, now?" Did I fall asleep? Am I dreaming? There's no way my hot, older stepbrother just told me to get my clothes off and get into his sleeping bag. I've had dreams that started like this and always end up with an alarm going off before we get to the good parts.

"Body heat," he explains patiently. "We need body heat to get warm." He says it gently, like he might scare me into going back out into the rain, but there's zero chance of that. It's starting to thunder, and I jump as lightning lights up the thin walls of the tent.

"Body heat. Right. Yes. Okay."

I take off my shoes and crawl into the sleeping bag, pulling the borrowed sweatshirt over my head. It smells faintly of smoke now and feels like a wet blanket after getting soaked. My jeans and socks follow. I leave my panties and bra on, because even though this feels like a fever dream, it isn't. I can't get buck naked with my stepbrother while our parents are away.

My heartbeat quickens. I'm starting to panic as I feel Ethan looming over me. He was right about body heat. It feels like it's gone up thirty degrees in as many seconds. He crawls into the bag with me, zipping it up till there's barely room to wriggle around.

He turns off the flashlight, plunging us into darkness. I'm aware of every inch of him, so close to me, our bodies mere inches apart. Then, not even that. My back is plastered to his front. His bare leg drapes over mine.

My senses are on high alert, my skin tingling. This is beyond anything I ever imagined. "Ethan?" I whisper softly, hoping he'll answer. Dreading it, too.

His breath is hot on the back of my neck, his voice is rough, as if he's not entirely comfortable, either. "Yes?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask quietly, afraid to break the spell and ruin the moment.

He hesitates for a second, considering his words carefully.

"It seems like a good idea to me. You aren't cold anymore, are you?"

"Nope." Definitely not. My skin feels like it's on fire from a full-body blush and there's a tingling sensation down below that would have me slipping a hand into my panties if I were alone.

As we lay there, pressed close in the dark, the silence grows more intense with each passing minute. The rain outside creates a sort of soundtrack for our stillness, the patter of raindrops on the tent serving as a reminder of our isolation. I clear my throat, trying to break the tension. "So, uh, how's school going?"

"It's okay," he replies. "I'm moving back home as soon as I graduate in the spring."

That's news. "You are?"

"Yeah. I've missed you. I need to be closer." His hand creeps around my waist, pulling me in closer, as if that's even possible. I hold my breath and act like I don't feel the hardness nestled against the curve of my ass. That's... well it can't be what I think it is. Then it twitches and I bite back a whimper. I may be inexperienced, but I've read enough stories and even seen porn a time or two. Ethan's hard and he's pressed so tight against me a sheet of paper couldn't slip between us.

"You mean you miss Dad and Sarah?"

He nods and his jaw stubble scratches the curve of my neck. My whole body goes tight, goosebumps are everywhere, and if he moves his arm up a couple of inches, he's going to know my nipples just went hard enough to cut glass. "Them, too." He leans up on his arm, looking down at me. "How about yours?"

"How about my what?" Being this close to him is making me stupid. I glance up at him and can barely make out a smirk as lightning lights up the tent again before plunging us back into darkness.

"School, Bookworm. How's school going?" His thumb's tracing a lazy circle around my belly button. I didn't even notice when his hand dropped lower. My breath hitches in my throat. His hand is sprawled across my stomach. Another inch and his pinky is going to touch my panties.

Another inch and I'm going to explode. Every part of me wants him to move his hand lower, to give in to the urge that's building between us. It's almost unbearable. He's got to know what's he's doing. "School's fine," I finally manage to say, my voice a husky whisper. "It's just community college, so not much different than high school. I'm thinking about moving out soon."

"Are you dating anyone?" he asks, his voice rumbling softly through my bones.

I swallow hard, deciding whether to lie or tell the truth. "Well, there's this guy named John who keeps asking me out, but I haven't decided yet."

"Have you gone out with him?"

"No, I haven't." I sigh, wondering why this conversation is happening. We're so close together, it's strange talking about other people.

"What about you?" I ask, curious about his love life. I hope it doesn't come off as nosy, but the darkness seems to lend itself to deeper questions.

"There's only ever been one girl for me, Bookworm." He whispers, his breath brushing against my cheek. He's lying here, pressed up against me with both of us nearly naked,telling me about some girl he has the hots for.

Instantly, I'm sick with jealousy. My heart threatens to burst through my ribcage as I try to shove myself away from him. There's nowhere to go, which makes me madder. "Who is she?" Great. Now I sound like a jealous asshole. "Do I know her?"

"You do. I'd even say you were intimately acquainted." His fingers dance across my stomach, his touch light, teasing. My body reacts instinctively, pressing back against him. Then common-sense kicks in and my hand presses over top of his much larger one, stopping his movements.

"Well? Who is she?"

"You really don't know?" His tone is teasing, just like his fingers. "It's you, Bookworm." He whispers the words directly into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I freeze, processing his words, trying to understand how he could possibly mean me. But he does.

"Me?" I ask, incredulously. He can’t be serious.

"Yes, you. Always, you." He whispers, his lips brushing against my earlobe. My body melts, all thought forgotten as he continues. "I've wanted you for years. You drive me insane."

The confession leaves me speechless, my mouth agape. "You can't mean that." Now I'm sure I’m having a dream. It has to be. And if it is, I'm at least going to see where it goes before my alarm goes off. I bite my lip and guide his hand into my panties before I lose my nerve.