Stepbrother Forever: A Stepbrother Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

I
for today, anyway. He looks at us tentatively before saying goodbye.

 
    “Thanks
for the help,” Ryan says and shakes Dad’s hand.

 
    “You’re
welcome. Make sure you keep your stepsister safe,” Dad replies, and then turns
to me.

 
    “Love
you, Eve,” he says, wrapping his arms around me. “Be careful. And make sure
that door goes up tonight. This part of town… You never know. Another door is
just more protection against intruders.”

 
    “Really?”
I reply with a smirk. “Get home safe, and please don’t worry about me so much.
I’m a big girl, and you taught me well.” I kiss his cheek. He’s been so good to
me over the last few years since he married my mother. It made me shiver inside
to think that he wasn’t going to be around anymore. After spending so many
years without a real father, he’d made me feel so comfortable and loved. I
could only hope that would continue into the future.

 
    I watch
him go with a little tear in my eye.

 
    Both
Ryan and I had taken off from work tonight, so we plan on finishing our
unpacking and getting some sleep. I find myself a little nervous now, that Dad
is gone and it’s just the two of us, but I’m sure it’s just the jitters since
this is the first time I’ll be sleeping here. Ryan and I walk back upstairs to
enjoy our first night in our new apartment.

 

Chapter 5

 
 
 
    It doesn’t take me and
Ryan long to settle in. After our first couple of weeks learning about our new
place and getting our bearings, things just kind of flow. We have already
established somewhat of a routine and feel very comfortable around each other.
Between work, classes, workshops, and occasional auditions, we don’t spend a
whole lot of time together, but it’s a great way to share this small space.

 
    We meet
most of our neighbors in passing—either on the stairway, or at the mailbox.
Everyone seems very nice, and there is a variety of people living here in the
building. One of the elderly men on the first floor is often standing outside
his door, probably because it’s the most entertainment he gets, these days. He
loves to talk to whoever is in the foyer, and even told me a story about a wild
weekend he had when he was my age. He stares at me like he’s reliving the
memory each time we run into each other. Other than that, everyone else keeps
to themselves, but are friendly enough.

 
    My
mother comes in to help me after we moved, in just like she said she would. We
spend the day together and she helps me organize my things and buy a dresser.
She also stayed to make dinner, which was great, since neither Ryan nor I have
cooked at all since we moved here. Ryan knew immediately when he came home that
my mom had been there, just from the smell of her cooking.

 
    She
came in again a few days later. This time, Ryan was there and the three of us
had lunch. It was nice. I don’t think she’s completely comfortable with the two
of us living together, but she doesn’t let it create any tension. Mom will keep
her feelings to herself, or just share them with me. She’s a very down-to-earth
kind of person. I don’t believe she would ever get into it with Ryan unless
there was a real reason to. We tell her about what’s been going on, and about a
class a bunch of us will be taking together, which we are all excited about.

 
    Each of
our friends comes by at some point to check out the new place, and every time,
there is something new added or hanging up. We ventured up to the roof a couple
of times, even though it is starting to get very cold out. Hopefully, when it
gets cooler, we can have some get-togethers up there. There’s been some talk of
a holiday party, but I don’t know where we will put everyone, so we’ll see what
happens with that.

 
    When
Ryan and I are home at the same time, we usually hang out together. We’ll watch
a movie, grab some food, or go out for a drink. Ryan will come in and hang out
while I’m bartending on