My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 182: What He Wants

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Adrien’s smirk grew wider, slow and oh-so-cocky, as he tossed the towel onto a nearby chair and ambled a few steps closer. The soft glow from his bedside lamp lit up his defined chest in a way that made it hard to focus.

"Couldn’t stay away, huh?" he teased, his voice low and rough with amusement. "You even climbed into my bed. Bold move, Noah. I’m flattered."

I whipped my head away so quickly that my damp hair slapped against my forehead. I was trying to hide the blush that was definitely turning me as red as a ripe tomato.

God, at this point I hated my face just for that trait alone.

"Oh my God, get your head out of your ass!" I snapped, waving a hand in his general direction without actually looking at him. "And for fuck’s sake , throw on a shirt."

He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that did nothing to help me keep my composure and showed no intention of following my request. Instead, he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his sweatpants, looking perfectly at ease being half-naked.

"My room, my rules," he shot back, completely unrepentant. "I could stroll around here completely naked if I wanted. Nothing you haven’t seen in them magazines, right pervert?"

I scoffed, partly to distract myself from how fast my heart was racing.

"You’re disgusting," I muttered, pushing off the bed and crossing my arms tightly. I was determined to ignore the ridiculous display of abs that seemed like they were flexing just to tease me. I took a step toward him, lifting my chin in what I hoped looked like authority. "I didn’t come here to drool over you, okay? I came because I’ve been thinking...really thinking and I have come to the conclusion that we need some ground rules."

His brows shot up, curiosity washing over some of the teasing, though that smirk of his was still hanging around. I began pacing back and forth across his room, my bare feet sinking into the thick rug, gestures flying as the words I’d rehearsed in the shower came spilling out.

"We’re step-siblings," I started, counting points off on my fingers. "That alone makes this whole situation weird and complicated, and probably illegal in some states. And yeah, unfortunately, we’re... attracted to each other. And we’ve kissed. Twice. Which is already way further than we should have gone."

I paused near his desk, running a hand through my still-damp hair. "But we can’t take it any further than kissing. We can’t date, we can’t... do anything else. Because I’m with Ethan, and I love him. I really do. He’s good to me, and he doesn’t deserve to be hurt just because I—" I gestured helplessly between us, "—have this stupid, confusing thing for you too."

I kept moving, circling back toward the bed, words tumbling out faster now.

"I don’t know what to do with all of this, Adrien. It’s messed up and scary, and I hate feeling like I’m lying to everyone I care about. So this is the best compromise I could think of: limits. Clear ones. We don’t let it go further than kissing, we don’t tell anyone, and we definitely don’t hurt Mom or Keith or Ethan. It’s just kissing, that’s all."

Finally, I stopped pacing, breathing a bit harder, and looked at him expectantly.

Adrien had been watching me the whole time, arms casually folded, his expression shifting from amusement to something a bit harder to read. When I finally finished, he let out a soft, incredulous scoff.

"Just kissing?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.

I nodded firmly, hugging my elbows. "Yes. Just kissing. Nothing more. Because if we go further, it’s real cheating. Full-on betrayal. And I won’t do that to Ethan, he’s too good a guy."

Adrien threw his head back and laughed, a genuine, rich sound that made my stomach flip even while it annoyed me. He flopped back onto the bed, one arm draped over his eyes, shoulders shaking.

"Oh, Noah," he chuckled between laughs. "Please don’t ever change."

I frowned, feeling the urge to hit him. "What the hell is so funny?"

He lowered his arm, his green eyes gleaming with a mix of affection and exasperation as he sat up again.

"I get it," he said, his voice softening. "Golden boy’s your first real boyfriend. You’re new to all this. But, hamster... kissing someone else while you’re in a relationship? That’s cheating. Falling in love with someone else while you’re still with him? Still cheating."

The words hit me hard, like a bucket of ice-cold water, stealing my breath away. I felt myself sag, shoulders dropping as I stared at the floor, suddenly fascinated with the patterned rug.

"...I know," I whispered, the admission feeling small and defeated. "I was... hoping we could just ignore that part."

A heavy silence hung between us for a moment. Then I lifted my gaze, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "So what do you want, Adrien? Tell me, because I can’t keep guessing."

He rose slowly from the bed, every movement deliberate, and closed the space between us in just a few unhurried steps. I caught the faint scent of his body wash...cedar and something fresh, and my heart started racing all over again. Instinct kicked in, and I backed up until my shoulders hit the cool wall beside his bookshelf, my breath catching as he followed.

Adrien leaned in, planting one hand on the wall beside my head and the other next to me, caging me in with his warm presence. He loomed over me, tall and bare-chested, looking way too close, water droplets still clinging to his hair. His gaze dropped to my mouth, then slowly trailed back up to my eyes, dark and hungry in a way that made my knees feel weak.

"I think," he murmured, his voice low and rough, leaning in so close that his forehead nearly brushed mine, "you already know exactly what... I want."

My back pressed harder against the wall, every inch of space between us crackling with heat, and for one dizzying moment, all my carefully constructed boundaries felt like they were made of tissue paper, ready to tear at the slightest touch.