Forbidden with My Stepbrother

Sebastian slumps on the sofa, the glow of the football game flickering across his face. It’s a rare moment of downtime from his work-from-home grind as a Medical Transcriptionist. A cold beer is in his grip, the remote resting lazily in the other. He’s allowed himself to be unproductive today, but a thought nags at the back of his mind—once the final whistle blows, he might hit the pavement for a run or maybe work up a sweat with the weights. Maintaining his physique is a point of pride.

The halftime analysis drones on, and Sebastian finishes his beer, already contemplating a second.

In her room, Evelyn lets out a frustrated breath. She’d blocked out the entire afternoon for studying, but the words on her textbook pages have long since blurred into nonsense.

Giving up, she pushes back from her desk and wanders into the kitchen, her stomach growling. She opens the refrigerator, and her eyes land on the familiar Tupperware container holding the last slices of cake from her recent 18th birthday celebration.

“Perfect,” she murmurs to herself, retrieving the container and shutting the fridge door.

“What are you up to?” Her stepbrother’s voice carries in from the living room.

“Having some cake!” she calls back, already reaching for a plate. “Want a piece?”

“Do I ever!”

A soft laugh escapes Evelyn as she grabs a second plate. She and Sebastian have always gotten along well, but something shifted after her birthday. Now, his presence sometimes triggers a strange, warm flutter low in her belly, a sensation that both confuses and intrigues her. She’s inexperienced, never having been with a man, and the idea is tinged with nervousness. Yet, around him, that fear feels distant, replaced by a curious pull.

Sebastian walks into the kitchen, and Evelyn wonders if her thoughts are written plainly on her face because his gaze immediately finds hers. The eye contact is electric, sending her heart into a frantic rhythm against her ribs. He closes the distance between them until she’s enveloped in the clean, masculine scent of him. Her mind blanks, uncertain of what comes next, uncertain of what she even wants.

“I’m not sure I’ve mentioned this,” Sebastian begins, his voice lower than usual. “But lately… I’ve been thinking about kids.”

“Oh?” Evelyn manages, her voice barely a whisper. “What about them?”

“Well,” he continues, his intense blue eyes holding hers captive. “Recently, I’ve started wanting… a child of my own.”