THE ROOMMATE: A Sizzling Stepbrother Romance Read online

  THE ROOMMATE

  A Sizzling Stepbrother Romance

  By

  Lindsey Hart

  CONTENTS

  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  COPYRIGHT

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  EPILOGUE

  CLAIM YOUR FREEBIES

  LIST OF BOOKS

  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  My number ONE complaint: He walks around butt naked.

  My number TWO complaint: He also saw me butt naked.

  My number THREE complaint: He is my new STEPBROTHER!

  And now, we are stuck together for the next two weeks in a cabin sharing the same living space.

  It would be the vacation of a lifetime, my mom said. It will help me get to know my new stepbrother, she said.

  Well, I admit I did get to know right off the bat how well-endowed he was in all the right places. Wait, no ... that's not it.

  What I found out after our first meeting was how much of a gorgeous jerk he was.

  He called my mom a gold-digger ... so I "accidentally" dropped scalding hot coffee on his willy.

  This is a short steamy romance novella. No cheating. No cliff-hanger. And the kind of ending you will just love. HEA all the way!!

  COPYRIGHT

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher. While all attempts and efforts have been made to verify the information held within this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or opposing interpretations of the content herein. The book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands.

  Copyright © Passion House Publishing Ltd 2018

  All rights reserved.

  You can contact the team at [email protected].

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lindsey Hart is a married mom of a two-year old and lives in Ohio with her husband and two furry ball Persian cats who take themselves as the owners of the house.

  She specializes in sweet to extra hot and dirty romance and strongly believes in happily ever after. If you are looking for a page turner, then you are in for a wild and naughty ride with feisty heroines and alpha male heroes.

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  CHAPTER 1

  Leanne

  Life was good. Or at least, it used to be. The best Leanne Peters could do to explain it was to chalk it up to a lightning strike. At least, that was what her mom, Sarah Peters, age forty-one, attributed to the falling in love for the very first time.

  After having a baby at sixteen, Sarah took a break from romance. As in, a permanent break. As in, Leanne actually thought her mom would just be one of those people that stays single forever…. until Carl. Cue Sarah’s company, a huge marketing firm, hiring a new CEO. Said CEO just happened to take an interest in the Director of Communications, and bam! Lightning.

  Leanne didn’t know what was worse. The fact that at twenty-five, she still lived at home with her mom and enjoyed it, or the fact that her house was currently flooded with people coming to celebrate her mom and Carl deciding to take the plunge.

  Throughout her life, Leanne worked a few shitty part-time jobs. She was currently what her mom liked to refer to as a lifetime student. She’d gone straight from high school to college and hadn’t quite managed to leave yet. What was the joy in having a regular degree when she could have a Masters? And what was the joy in that when a PhD loomed on the horizon?

  She’d never tried waitressing and, after carrying around heavy trays laden with drinks, making sure every single person in the house had been asked if they were parched, she knew she wouldn’t make the cut.

  “Thanks, baby. I really appreciate all the help you’ve given me planning this and pulling it off.” Sarah leaned against the kitchen counter. She swiped at a stray strand of blonde hair, but it remained glued to her forehead where a few beads of perspiration formed.

  The chunk of ice that seemed permanently wedged in her heart since Carl slid that engagement ring onto her mother’s finger, melted a little at the sight of the pure joy radiating from her mom’s face. Even just past forty, Sarah Peters was a true beauty. Natural blonde hair, a lithe form, huge blue eyes, fair, even skin, and a bubbly, easy going personality, made her pretty darn attractive. It was easy to see why Carl had fallen in love with her. It was harder for Leanne to figure out why, after all those years alone, her mom decided enough was enough.

  “No problem.” Leanne forced a smile. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Carl or that she wasn’t happy for her mom. She just… well, things were going to change and change pretty damn fast. She set the tray of glasses down on the counter. Some were full, some half full. Kind of like that annoying question about life. Half full or half empty?

  “I can’t wait for Markus to arrive. He’s finally getting home. It’s been a very long two years for Carl.”

  Joy. Leanne nodded, like it mattered to her too, whether Carl’s son made it to the engagement party or not. The guy seemed like a spoiled brat, in her opinion. Who actually went abroad for college and didn’t come back home to see his family for over three years? Still, it was all Carl talked about, as though his precious snob of a son was right there. It was a little sickening at best. Markus was one of those kids who could do no wrong. Leanne hadn’t even met him and she already knew it was true. She really hoped his flight was delayed and he couldn’t make it just so she would be spared what was sure to be his noxious presence. Maybe he’d get stomach cramps?

  “I know what you’re thinking.” Sarah crossed her arms and leaned against the counter.

  Leanne blinked. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Change tracks, real fast. “Did you know some people out there actually asked me for coffee? As if all the money we spent on alcohol wasn’t good enough? Coffee? With cream!”

  “Well… they are over fifty, some of them. Let me guess, one of them was Carl’s mom.”

  “Yup. Nail on the head. She’s a sweetheart, but coffee? Really?”

  “It’s not a problem. I can brew up a few pots.”

  Leanne took one look at her mom’s flowing white blouse and pressed black slacks. “Nope. No way. No dark beverages around your white shirt. Let me do it.”

  “It sounded like you didn’t want to make it
.”

  “No, no, I was just kidding. I just can’t believe it.”

  “Not everyone likes to drink.”

  “We have water, pop, juice…”

  “Old, remember. We are all old. Myself included.”

  Leanne giggled. “You’re not old, mom.”

  “You said I was too old to be engaged when I told you.”

  A prickly heat crept up Leanne’s neck and spread until she was sure she was red to the roots of the blonde hair she’d inherited from her mother. “I did not say that.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Well, maybe I did, but you know I didn’t mean it like that. I didn’t say mom, you’re too old to get married. I said something like, I can’t believe you’re getting married.”

  “Because I’m so old.”

  “I did not say that!”

  “It was implied.”

  Leanne stuck out her tongue when she realized her mom was just bugging her. “It’s just been the two of us our whole lives. I was just in shock when you told me. You’d never even gone on a date before Carl. It was just surprising. But I’m happy for you. Really.”

  “Oh, baby, that’s nice to hear you say that. I always wondered if this was maybe too fast or too much. I didn’t want a party for our engagement or anything fancy for the wedding, but Carl wants me to have it. He’s been married once, but this is my first time.”

  “Your only time.”

  “Yes, that’s what everyone wants. I waited so long so that I could be sure.”

  “Of course.” Leanne held out her arms and her mom stepped forward for a quick hug.

  They were close and always had been. It really had been just the two of them. After her mom had her at sixteen, her parents, who were super strict, didn’t want anything to do with her. Sarah moved out and supported them. Got her GED and went on to study Business at night and become a pretty darn good marketer. There wasn’t anyone else in the world that Leanne was prouder of or looked up to more.

  “I’ll make the coffee. Go out and talk with the guests. I can’t believe how many people came. The backyard and the entire house are overflowing.”

  “Yes. It’s really nice that people love and support us so much.” Sarah’s eyes shone. “Even if I didn’t really want anything like this, I’m glad Carl convinced me to have it. It’s nice, having everyone together.”

  “The gifts are nice too. I can’t wait to see you open them all.”

  “Leanne!”

  She giggled. “Come on. Don’t tell me that’s not a huge perk of getting married.”

  “Well, I am a little surprised and intrigued. I didn’t think anyone would bring anything.”

  “After what we spent on booze, I’d hope they’d bring a few gifts.”

  “I’ll go check on Charlie and make sure he hasn’t had an accident. Poor thing has been in the bedroom for a few hours.”

  “You put the pee pads down. I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “I’ll go check on him anyway.”

  Leanne nodded. “And I’ll make the coffee.”

  Her mom walked out of the kitchen and down the hall, to the bedroom where their fifteen-year-old toy poodle was currently taking refuge in. Leanne wished that she could go hide out there with him. She’d never been a crowd’s person and their poor little bungalow was overflowing.

  She wasn’t sure what was going to happen when her mom tied the knot in August. It was the end of June, so she had a few months to talk about it. She hoped she could convince her mom that she should rent out the bungalow to her darling daughter and a few friends. Leanne might not be able to cover the mortgage and bills alone, but she knew a few girls who would be interested in sharing it. Fellow students, but not the kind who liked to hold parties and trash places.

  It wasn’t that Leanne was afraid of moving out. She could, she supposed, finally be done with school, stop at a Masters, get a job and an apartment and become a real adult. The truth was, she’d miss the place if her mom chose to sell it. Almost as much as she’d miss it being just the two of them, movie and girl nights, heart to hearts, thrift store shopping trips, tanning on the deck and gardening in the backyard.

  Everything was about to change. Losing the house she’d spent the better part of her life in was just the tip of the shitty old iceberg.

  Leanne got busy making coffee. She didn’t drink it herself. It was just another way she’d never really turned into a true adult. She was way more of a tea person. She figured she’d have to make at least a few pots. Unless she made it super dark and boiled some water and diluted it…

  She was trying to figure out the best plan of attack when her mom suddenly rushed back into the kitchen, blue eyes wide, tendrils of fine blonde hair swirling around her face. She was all sparkly and out of breath and Leanne guessed at what put that radiant joy on her mom’s face before she even opened her mouth.

  “He just got here!” She thrust the words out in a mangled rush of rapid breaths. “Markus is here!”

  CHAPTER 2

  Markus

  After a grueling twelve-hour flight, a horrible time difference, a restless few hours of a sleep and an hour drive from the hotel by the airport, Markus Whitford had finally reached his destination.

  He couldn’t really believe it was happening. His dad, remarrying at fifty. His parents divorced when he was just a kid. He’d lived with his mom and didn’t understand until he was older that his dad had been involved in his life the best way he could possibly be. He’d supported them both, put money aside for Markus to go to college wherever he chose. The guy paid for his first car, at sixteen. He hadn’t known any of that until he was well into his twenties.

  And now, he was getting remarried to a woman that Markus had never met.

  Which wasn’t his dad’s fault. He’d been busy with school and work, too busy to make the trip home. Until he had to. He couldn’t very well not attend his dad’s marriage.

  So apparently, he was spending his summer back in Chicago. At least it was warm. Not like in the winter.

  He barely had time to step through the door before a graceful, slender, blonde haired woman who looked to be in her late thirties, came rushing through the room, arms outstretched.

  “Markus!” She cried. “It’s so good to finally meet you!”

  He braced for impact and sure enough, was wrapped up in a tight hug a minute later. By wrapped up, he meant that the lady’s arms went around his shoulders about as far as they could reach. They didn’t come close to meeting around his back. She wasn’t short, but he was overly tall. At six four he towered over most people. She was thin, beautiful, dainty, this woman who was going to be his new stepmom.

  It was a crazy thought. Who got married at such an old ass age? Who got married at all anymore?

  As the lady, Sarah, it wouldn’t kill me to use her name, stepped back, Markus planted a smile on his face and hoped like hell she couldn’t tell just how uncomfortable he was just being there.

  “Come on in. Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”

  Markus did a double take. He didn’t see a seat available anywhere in the living room. Everyone there was so damn old. His dad’s age or more. They probably didn’t have anything with actual alcohol, so he shook his head slowly.

  “No. Thanks, though.”

  “I’m really glad you came.” Sarah actually reached out and gripped his hand in both of hers. He froze. Lord, if there was something worse than strangers touching him, he didn’t know what it was. Hugging him was bad enough. Pumping his hands up and down like he’d just saved her from drowning? It was too much.

  “Of course,” she said roughly. “It’s good to meet you.”

  Because the universe sometimes decided to be merciful and get a few things right, he spotted his uncle and his two cousins at that moment. They entered the room from somewhere else in the house. He grinned, genuinely glad to see his old partners in crime. He and his uncle’s kids were always getting into trouble when they were younger. He only saw t
hem at Christmas and Easter, that kind of stuff, since they were his dad’s brother’s kids, but that was enough. They’d been good friends before his parent’s divorce and his mom couldn’t ruin that for him. She might have been able to deny his dad visitation during the year, but she drew the line at holidays.

  “Mike! Sam!”

  They turned in his direction and he could tell by the gleam in their eyes that a few years of time and distance meant nothing. They were right back to how it was when they were kids. That instant connection, the whole blood is thicker than anything kind of shit.

  Sarah turned and when she saw his cousins and clearly realized that he’d rather hang out with them than talk about his dad with her, she backed off with a smile. She didn’t even look hurt. If she felt anything, she hid it well.

  Markus joined up with his cousins. Sam snickered something about there at least being a shitload of free drinks and Mike confirmed. He led the way to the backyard.

  They had to pass through the house and Markus got a good look at the place. It was… not that nice. It was small and dingy, built in the sixties and had few updates over the years. He knew Sarah met his dad at work, but it was pretty clear from the house, that their economic situations were quite different.

  He and his dad didn’t talk regularly, but they did email frequently. It was somehow easier to be a good son with the shelter of a screen to hide behind. Maybe it was easier to be a good dad too. The past two years, his dad’s emails had been all about Sarah, and occasionally, her daughter. Another poor unfortunate single child, like himself. His dad said he should reach out. He hadn’t bothered. He had enough friends. He didn’t need another just because she was suddenly going to be his step-sister. Does that even count when you’re already an adult? It sounds so damn juvenile.

  “So. You came.” Sam snagged a beer from somewhere and passed it to Markus while they walked towards the edge of the small backyard.