One

AFTER DRIVING INTERSTATE for over 7 hours, I found myself navigating my way in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I kept on reciting the address mother had forwarded to me after the call yesterday like that would help me see the house faster. 

I could not help but notice the basketball arts and street basketball courts. "Man, people around here must love basketball." I noted to myself, nodding to the beat of music blasting from my speakers as I cruised along. 

Why do I have a feeling that I'm lost? 

I snatched picked up my phone from the passenger seat and searched for directions to get to the house and saw that it was just about 15 minutes away.

I followed the direction and got to the big one-storey, victorian style house with white-washed paint. I eased my car to the sidewalk and parked, relishing the feeling of finally getting to my destination. 

According to mum's phone call yesterday, nobody should be at home. My step-brothers should be arriving tomorrow. 

That was fine by me. 

Being alone does not bother me. That was one reason I could drive from Toronto to Philadelphia. 

I grabbed my handbag and walked up to the doorstep. I rang the bell, just for the sake of it and as expected, there was no answer, I opened the door slightly and peeked in. 

Yup, I am in the right place. Mother's pictures adorned the wall. I gently ran my hand along the frame of a large picture of Mum and her husband, Dan. She looked so happy. They both looked happy. 

But no picture of Dan's sons. My new stepbrothers. 

I sighed and walked back to my truck. I hung my camera - my most prized possession - around my neck and went to the back to carry my boxed items containing books and other random pieces of stuff. 

The box was quite heavy but I managed to manoeuvre my way into the house and up the stairs. I peeked through all the rooms till I saw one that looked free. 

I dropped my box and sat on the bed to ease my back and legs. A massage would be very welcomed. 

What better way to ease stress than large male hands, massaging every part of your body, starting from your legs, to your calves…

I was jolted out of my reverie by the sight of a man standing and filling up the frame of the doorway 

"Sorry, I didn't know the room was taken," I said, reaching down to pick up my box. 

"You must be Cassandra, Marilyn’s daughter." He had an amused look on his face as he walked into the room, looking around.

Wait what? IS HE ONE OF MY MOM’S HUSBAND'S SONS?

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at the figure of perfection.

“I'm Jared." He extended his hand for a handshake. 

I took the hand. It was soft and warm, just the type of hands fit for a massage. The handshake sent electrifying sensations to my head and I felt a zap of attraction run through my whole body. 

He raised my hand in his and kissed it, inhaling fondly before he licked my middle finger. All the while, keeping our gazes locked. 

I released an involuntary gasp and released his hand. 

"You don't have to take your things." Jared said. "I'll move to another room… if we can't share this one." He gestured with his head to the one bed in the room. 

I looked at him in shock. 

"Ease up, I'm joking." His laughter sent me panicking because it was turning me on. "Not really though,” his eyes trailed to my fingers which were in his mouth a minute ago.

This guy is ‘trouble’ Bad trouble. 

"My mother said you won't be arriving till tomorrow." I said to him, raising a confused brow.

"Well, yes. But plans changed. We arrived this morning. Are these all your things?" We? ALL of them?

"I have some left in the trunk." I said in what I hoped was a calm tone. 

"Let's go. I'll help you with them." He led her downstairs. 

"You'll meet my brothers soon. I'm the one in the middle." Jared said, easily lifting a huge box from my trunk while I carried my laptop bag in one hand and my suitcase in the other. "Jason is the older one. Bossy son of a bitch." He gave a small chuckle. "Jake is the younger one." 

"You guys are triplets?" I asked. 

He nodded in affirmation. "Yeah." 

I groaned inwardly. If his brothers were half as hot as him, then there was going to be a problem keeping my libido at bay. 

We put my things in the room. "I see you're into photography." He nodded at my camera hanging around my neck. His eyes lingered on my cleavage and I watched them twinkle with lust.

I was not sure if it was on the camera or my breasts through my semi-transparent clothes. 

"A Nikon 370." He commented. "Sharp." 

Okay, he was looking at the camera, not my breasts. I concluded inwardly. 

"I got it a few months ago. Right after college graduation." I told him.

"Are you good with it?" He asked.

"Yes, sure." I sat on the bed and patted the space beside me. "Here. Sit, let me show you some works." 

He obliged and sat beside me.  

I opened my laptop and scrolled through the pictures I had taken during the fall. Our knees were touching and I was fully conscious of the contact.

"They're beautiful." He said, then looked up. Our faces were inches apart. "But not as beautiful as the lady that took them." He murmured softly in my ears.

I felt a blush run up my neck and I started to look down to close the laptop, and stand up but was halted when Jared set his hand beneath my jaw and gently forced me to look at him. He placed his other hand on my lap to keep me in place but it caused waves of heat and pleasure to radiate from that spot of his hand. 

"We should go downstairs, maybe…" I started to say.

Jared closed the gap between us, his eyes burrowing into mine, creating a sudden sexual tension in the pit of my stomach. Stupid but I was expecting him to claim my lips with his, but instead he just brushed a kiss against my cheek.

“Expecting something else?”Jared laughed and I felt my nipples puckered.

“No, of course,” I quickly refuted. Praying he couldn't smell my arousal as shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Damn. This is what happens if you haven't been laid in a while…

I took a sharp breath when his hand ran up my lap and settled in the deep warmth between my legs causing me to squirm and moan against his mouth. 

He pulled away and I opened my eyes just in time to see his eyes change from a golden yellow to dark brown. 

Golden yellow eyes?

It must have been some kind of reflection from light. It's not because he is aroused or something, right?

"Welcome to the family, Cassandra," Jared smirked, getting up and putting his hand in his pocket to hide his obvious erection. 

"You should not have done that," I said, getting up after him, my face red from embarrassment. "We're step-siblings." And why was I feeling aroused from just a peck?

"No." He said that with a very strong voice. "My Dad married your mother and that's where it all ends. My offer to share the room still stands." 

I gave a stunned chuckle.

"Come, I hear my brothers downstairs. Let's go and meet them." He held out his hand. 

After a moment's hesitation, I took his hand and felt the electricity again as he pulled me up and we both went downstairs just as his brothers were coming in. 

At one glance at them, I groaned. 

With only a slight difference in height, beards, and weight, they were all hot. 

"Guys…" Jared called, running ahead of me and gesturing to his brothers. "Cassandra, that's Jason."  

The broader and most muscular one turned and sneered. "You smell like sex." he hissed at me.

I was stunned at his words but he paid my stunned expression no mind as he brushed past me and walked up the stairs. 

Jake stepped forward. He was the youngest but I could still see the contempt shining in his eyes as he shook my hand. "She turns out to be pretty. Means her mum is the odd one." He said before he dropped my hands like a hot potato and walked back out the door. 

I looked at Jared who gave me a sad smile and shrugged slightly. 

I stood frozen in the spot because I still couldn't believe that my mom is married to the father of the hottest brothers I'd ever met.