Free STEPBROTHER ROMANCE: My Stepbrother the Seaman (A Caribbean Cruise Romance) (A Steamy Forbidden Contemporary Holiday Romance Short Story) by Grace Valentine Page B

thoroughly enjoyable. She left the town that she had been calling home for two years in her rearview mirror and looked out her windshield to Riverdale. The town hadn't changed a thing since Colette's twenty years of life. Everything from the paint on the houses to the well cared for gardens stood still in time. There was no reason to change Riverdale. It was beautiful the way that it was and people loved it. Colette had loved growing up in a small and cozy town like Riverdale. The horrors that news casters would talk about seemed impossible in a town such as Riverdale. The worst thing that had ever happened here was a young boy caught trying to sneak a candy bar from the local convenience store. People in their yards waved excitedly at the familiar car and Colette waved back with a smile. She pulled into the driveway that belonged to her mother's ancient two story home. It was a dark blue with a white deck and white windows. The dark grey roof had been sagging a bit, more than likely from the harsh winter that had just ended. Rachel looked out her parted curtains and excitedly ran out to greet her daughter. Colette welcomed her mother in her arms and Mitch came out to grab Colette's bags before kissing his beloved step daughter on the cheek.
    "How long are you staying sweetheart? And where is Michael?" Rachel asked as she held her daughter's face.
    "Michael and I are getting a divorce mom." Colette said making it a reality.
    Rachel held her daughter's beautiful face in her liver spotted hands and kissed her on the nose wanting desperately to hold her and comfort her. She only held her little girl in her hands and hugged her tightly. The action was wordless but said everything to Colette. Her mother was going to support her in her endeavor to leave her husband and pursue happiness.
    "Sabin will be home tonight. He just got finished with a cruise. He'll be happy to see you." Colette nodded and followed her mother into the house.
    The last time Colette had seen Sabin was on her wedding day. Sabin begged her not to go through with the wedding and Colette stubbornly refused, something that she now regretted.
    "The person you marry at eighteen isn't the person you marry at thirty, Colette. You're too young." At the time, Sabin's advice had only annoyed her, now she wished she had listened to her older brother. She dreaded the moment that her mother told him the news and Sabin's handsome face contorted into a smug smile.
    Colette followed Mitch into her childhood room. Nothing had changed from the day that she left it. The walls were still pink and a herd of stuffed animals hung in the corner of the room. Her desk still sat organized with a blank piece of paper sitting on it anticipating use. The bed was still made with a pink silk duvet and the pillows still sat askew.  The room was like a time hop into the past. Mitch helped her unpack and organize her clothes as Colette's phone began to ring. Mitch awkwardly left the room as she answered it.
    "I found your note." The bitter voice said on the other line. "I'll file for a divorce tomorrow morning." Michael said spitefully as he hung up the phone. Colette laid back into her bed and shut her eyes, ready for the relief of sleep.
     

Chapter Two
 
    Sabin’s voice was what woke Colette up. It was late at night when she rolled over and groggily checked the time. Her mother and Sabin had been talking about her. The voices suddenly stopped when she noticed that she felt uncomfortably dirty in the clothes that she had worn the day before and yesterday’s makeup. She undressed herself and opened the bathroom door. Sabin turned and looked at her with wide eyes. Collette screamed and slammed the door behind her. She cringed as he spoke to her.
    “I’m out Lette. It’s nice to see you again sis.” Sabin said before closing the bathroom door.
                  Colette awkwardly opened the door and checked the bathroom. With Sabin gone she began the shower and stepped into the