1
Chrissy
Ten years ago.
A loud bang makes me jolt awake. Groaning, I glance at the clock on my nightstand, blinking against its harsh red light.
One o’clock in the morning? I think as I sit up and rub my eyes sleepily. Outside, an owl hoots – a familiar sound in the Wyoming countryside.
But where did that bang come from? Glancing around my room blearily, I almost fall back onto my mattress with exhaustion. But then I notice through the crack under my door that the hall lights have been turned on. Seconds later, the sound of deep, masculine laughter trickles down the corridor toward my room, making my heart begin to race. At first I wonder if it’s my stepdad, Fred. But within seconds of the first laugh, I hear a second low chuckle, and I know who it is immediately. Or rather, who they are.
Yep, it’s definitely the twins. I sit up, suddenly fully awake because if two hotter men have ever existed, I’ve never seen them, and I spend a lot time mooning over good-looking guys in secret. Yep, Rick and Ryder Walsh are total beefcakes who unfortunately, also happen to be my new stepbrothers. My mom married their dad, Fred, a few months ago and while Fred’s reasonably good-looking, his sons take things to another level. With piercing, bright blue eyes and thick ebony hair, Rick and Ryder resemble matinee movie idols. Add in impressive height and chiseled, muscular bodies, and they make for two incredibly desirable men.
But honestly, the twins hardly even know I’m alive, despite the fact that we live in the same house. They’re always busy with football practice and student council, not to mention the number of dates they go on. Good thing Fred is rich because I don’t know how else Ryder and Rick could afford the endless numbers of lunches and dinners for the various girls always clinging to them. But money’s not a problem for the Walshes – they’re absolutely loaded, and this mansion is testament to their wealth.
But I don’t care about the money. The real disappointment is that Ryder and Rick hardly ever notice me, and it’s not just because we have different interests. No, it’s because while the twins rank among the most gorgeous male specimens known to humanity, I’m fairly certain that I rank among the most awkward women who ever existed.
While that may not be an entirely fair assessment of myself, my mother would be the first to point out that I’m chubby, my glasses are thick, and my hair looks like I’ve never used a brush in my life. Add in braces and you have a real mess of a teenage girl who has yet to figure out the finer points of femininity.
So whereas Rick and Ryder score phone numbers and babes left and right, I’m lucky if someone even remembers not to bump into me on my way to class. I’m that invisible.
Sighing, I slip my coke-bottle glasses onto my acne prone face, wishing for once that I was the one sneaking in late at night and not my devilish stepbrothers. But then, another sound makes me go still. A woman’s laugh floats to my ears, twining around my stepbrothers’ low growls, and then there’s the distinct sound of a breathy gasp. Oh my gosh, Ryder and Rick have brought a date back with them, and that can only mean one thing.
Titillated, I climb out of bed quietly, letting my feet drop to the carpeted floor. My nightgown, which was a gift from my mom, falls all the way to my toes like I’m a dowager queen from the seventeenth century. But I gather up the fabric and creep towards the bedroom door. Who says I can’t have my own brand of fun?
I pause momentarily. Is it wrong to spy on my stepbrothers during their late-night encounter? After all, I wouldn’t appreciate it if my bratty stepsis spied on me during a naughty session. But immediately, justifications fill my mind. Our parents have only been married a few months, so I don’t really know Ryder and Rick. Plus, it’s not as if we’re blood-related. We didn’t even meet until a hastily arranged lunch that happened right before the wedding. Meanwhile, I can hear the girl’s voice murmuring once again as the men laugh. Then her tones go breathy, and there’s an ecstatic sigh of pleasure.
That does it. I slip outside into the hallway, padding quietly towards the twins’ room. There’s a shaft of light from beneath their door, and I inch closer. My heart begins to race, and I pull my nightgown close once again so as not to trip. I definitely don’t want to make any unforeseen noises, because I have a good idea of what I’m about to witness. After all, my brothers are red-blooded alpha males, and they often bring female guests to the mansion late at night. Even more shameful, this isn’t the first time I’ve watched in secret.