Tasting 79

79-1 Am Having An Affair With My Stepbrother.

Nora:

“I’m sorry!” I apologized again, refusing to release his arm.

He rolled his eyes before pulling h m away, but then paused and returned to face me. “Why did you

go for him?” he leaned against the wall, placing his hand behind me.

“For Natalya. She insisted on him because you had April on your team,” I explained, observing his

disapproving head shake.

“Nora! You’re clueless!” his remark made me frown.

“I was just trying to help my friend,” I defended, but his head shake silenced me.

“Natalya can handle herself. She’s not as helpless as you think. If anyone needs looking after,” he

paused, and I expected a joke, but his tone remained serious as he continued, “it’s you.”

I pouted, “I can manage on my own–,” but his cold finger against my lips silenced me.

“Forget it. I can’t rely on you. I’ll look out for you myself,” he said, bringing his face close to mine

and whispering.

My cheeks tingled, but I managed a faint smile. “So, you’re not mad at me anymore for not choosing

your team?” I asked, winking playfully.

“Nope! You just doubled my workload,” he sighed, rolling his

79-1 Am Having An Affair With My Stepbrother.

Nora:

“I’m sorry!” I apologized again, refusing to release his arm.

He rolled his eyes before pulling his arm away, but then paused and returned to face me. “Why did

you go for him?” he leaned against the wall, placing his hand behind me.

“For Natalya. She insisted on him because you had April on your team,” I explained, observing his

disa roving head shake.

“Nora! You’re clueless!” his remark made me frown.

“I was just trying to help my friend,” I defended, but his head shake silenced me.

“Natalya can handle herself. She’s not as helpless as you think. If anyone needs looking after,” he

paused, and I expected a joke, but his tone remained serious as he continued, “it’s you.”

I pouted, “I can manage on my own–,” but his cold finger against my lips silenced me.

“Forget it. I can’t rely on you. I’ll look out for you myself,” he said, bringing his face close to mine

and whispering.

My cheeks tingled, but I managed a faint smile. “So, you’re not mad at me anymore for not choosing

your team?” I asked, winking playfully.

“Nope! You just doubled my workload,” he sighed, rolling his

2024

eyes as he casually leaned against the wall, hands still resting there, and leaning over me slightly.

“How did I make your work double?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Now I’ll have to keep an eye on Brody to ensure he treats you well,” he sighed, his tone devoid of

playfulness, which touched my heart.

“Actually, Natalya exaggerated. He wasn’t being mean to me. He’s just upset with Natalya because

he found out she lied,” I explained before he went off to confront Brody over something that didn’t

happen.

“But-,” he paused, realizing Natalya d.

“I don’t like how she messes with your head,” his comment made me frown.

“She doesn’t. She just wanted to provoke you to get her help,” I mumbled, noticing for a moment his

gaze lingered on my lips, and then he licked his own, nodding as if he were listening to

1. me.

“Aha!” he finally snapped out of it, realizing I had stopped talking. He shook himself out of his

thoughts and looked away awkwardly.

“Why?” My question made him look back at me.

“What do you mean, why?” he frowned, his scent hitting my nostrils as he stood so close to me.

“The change in you is new. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look at me like that before,” I said, no

longer blushing as I recalled

the harsh and cold months we’d had.

“Maybe you weren’t looking at all he replied with a sad sigh, his lips heaving.

“Do you remember that monster baby you left in the woods? I could have exposed you and gotten

you in trouble. They wouldn’t have even let you defend yourself. The punishment for harboring a

monster means you’re labeled a liar. Do you think anyone would have believed you about us being

mates after that?” he watched me gasp as I now understood why he helped

1. me.

“But why are you so open about wing your emotions now?” I folded my arms over my chest, making

it clear that I’m not the type to blush and forget to ask important questions.

“I thought I had time,” he admitted, “I had time to understand my feelings and you. But I was wrong.

Time never stops for anyone.”

“So, you’re afraid I’ll choose your brother over you?” I whispered softly, watching him close his eyes

and nod. It was

heartwarming to watch him show his emotions and even be sad at the thought of losing me. I

haven’t thought about choosing anyone yet. I didn’t even know until now that one of my mates

wanted me to choose him.

“I don’t want to lose you-,” the words slipped from his lips. before he realized, and once he did, he

instantly corrected himself, “my mate.”

“I know it won’t be the same for you because you have two mates. And that’s confusing me so

much. Why would a she–wolf be granted two mates without the first one rejecting her?” he

rambled until he faced me again, his body hunching even more.

“Just know—I’m not backing down. So you better be ready to remember, if you choose him, I’ll be

there to steal you back,” he hissed, and my heart raced in my chest at how openly he was saying

these things now.

“Everyone knows us as step–siblings,” I murmured, but he silenced me by lowering his face to mine

and blowing air softly over my lips.

“I don’t care. They can label you a traitor, and I don’t care,” he added, sending a strange shiver

down my spine.

He stared into my eyes from up close, and then his lips crashed onto mine. I instantly felt weak in

the knees at how good his lips. tasted.

But before the kiss could deepen, I heard someone’s voice, and it shook the world from under my

feet.

“Nora!”

I recognized the voice. My body got covered in goosebumps at the realization that she had seen us

in that state.

It was Natalya.

I quickly pushed Ryker back and swallowed my fear, turning to my left. As Ryker moved away, I

saw Natalya standing in the kitchen doorway, her eyes wide open.

“What–,” she gasped, covering her mouth, “you two are–,” she started. My heart was pounding hard

in my chest now.

I shouldn’t have been so openly romantic with my stepbrother.

“Natalya!” I tried to call out to her, but she dashed away. I noticed a flinch in Ryker’s body, but I had

to stop him from going after her.

“I’ll go talk to her,” I reassured him, but deep down, I didn’t even know how I would do that. She

seemed pretty shocked, and who wouldn’t be when catching stepsiblings in such an intimate

situation?

“If she gives you any hard time, let me know. I’ll make sure she remembers who she’s dealing with,”

Ryker hissed before walking past me, presumably to go outside and cool off.