Naughty November

Chapter 2

TWO

KIERAN

Iggy swept into the kitchen with his head high but without his usual cheery greeting. Where was my bright smile? My hug? The kiss he would place on my cheek?

I sighed.

That determined look on his face and I were well acquainted. He was still pissed that I’d led him away from the Pleasure Pulse after party two days ago. It was all my fault. Despite his cajoling, I should never have taken him there in the first place. An award show for people who had sex for a living was not the right place to bring a virgin as a plus-one.

“No ‘good morning?’” I asked. “We haven’t seen each other in almost forty-eight hours. And you wouldn’t accept my calls.”

Immediately after the award show, I’d had to catch a flight to Houston to film some casting videos. I’d gotten the earliest flight possible back to Cummington to catch him before he went to class.

Iggy opened the fridge and took out a jug of orange juice.

“I brought you breakfast.” On the way from the airport, I’d picked up his favorite breakfast items. I knew he would forgive me eventually—he always did—but this way was faster.

“No, thanks.”

At least he’s talking.

“Are you sure? I bought all your favorites. There are even chocolate truffles.”

He bit his bottom lip, and his gaze flickered to the croissants, muffins, fruit parfait, scrambled eggs with herbs, and smoked salmon bagels.

“That’s too much food.” He gestured to a small gift box. “And what’s this? You think it’ll make up for you being an ass?”

“All right, if you don’t want it—” I reached over the marble countertop, but before I could take the box, he snatched it up. I bit the insides of my cheeks to keep a straight face.

“I didn’t say I don’t want it. I said it won’t make up for you being an ass. The two things can be true, you know.” He sat on a chair and loosened the ribbon. “Orange juice, please.”

Shaking my head at his bossy command, I dutifully poured him some orange juice, then waited for his reaction. He opened the small box, pulled apart the tissue paper, and gasped.

Bingo.

How could he stay mad at me when I knew him best?

“Kee.” My name fell from his lips in a caress. Those same lips parted, and the familiar stirrings started in my groin. I swallowed.

“It’s perfect.” He brushed his fingertip over the genuine 14 karat gold necklace and the pendant.

“What’s the universe’s most beautiful number?” I asked softly. I knew he knew the answer, so technically, it wasn’t one of our usual trivia questions where I tried to get one on him.

“The golden ratio denoted by phi.” He took the necklace out and held it up to view. “You remembered? I must have mentioned that eight years ago, and it wasn’t anything significant.”

Everything you say is significant.

I could listen to him ramble on about random facts and numbers for hours and never get tired, even if I didn’t understand half—no, three-quarters—of it .

“I listen to you, Iggy. Always have.” I took the necklace from him. “Let me put it on.”

“But it must be expensive. I can’t wear it every day.”

“Sure you can.”

I slipped the chain around his neck and fastened it. He positioned the pendant. “How does it look?”

“Beautiful.” Because he was beautiful, and that was the reason I couldn’t let anyone touch him and defile him. He was sweet and innocent and deserved for his first time to be with someone special—someone who loved him.

Someone like me.

But that person couldn’t be me.

Our parents would freak out. They’d already accused me of leading him astray and making him move far away from home to attend college. They never wanted to acknowledge the truth—they’d smothered and overprotected him. He’d been relieved to get away from them.

But aren’t you being overprotective too?

That’s different.

How so?

It just is.

“Do you love it?” I asked to chase off the conversation inside my head.

“I hate to admit it, but I do. Now, how am I supposed to stay mad at you?”

“Am I the best stepbro or what?”

He made a face. “You’re all right.”

“You’ll eat, then?”

“Of course. I was planning to stuff my face when you leave anyway.”

Laughing, I joined him across the island, and we dug in. He took a bite of the smoked salmon bagel and moaned. I liked seeing him with my gift around his neck too much. What would he look like with a necklace while I slowly grind…?

I picked up my coffee. Yuck, it had gone cold, but I deserved it for thinking of my younger stepbrother with my cock buried inside him .

“God, this is so good.” He licked his fingers. “You know me too well, Kee.” He frowned. “I’m starting to think that’s not such a good thing.”

“It’s a very good thing. Means I know how to make you happy.”

He sighed. “Then why didn’t you let me stay at the after party? Nope, I haven’t forgotten about it, although this breakfast and the gift make it easier to talk about.”

“I had to catch an early flight to Houston. You know that.”

“But that’s not the reason. When I told you I was a virgin, I didn’t expect you to cockblock me.”

“Only when the guys aren’t suitable. Danny Driller is a giant dick, and I’m not talking about his appendage. He’s an asshole.”

“Must everything you say imply sex?” He quirked an eyebrow.

“It’s true, though. We used to work together.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

He ducked his head. “I, uh, must have heard it mentioned a few times.”

Had he, though? Or had he watched the threesome video I’d done with Danny, tag-teaming a pretty little redhead? Or the one where we had a bisexual foursome with a woman and her “husband”?

“Yeah, well, we shot a few videos together, and I didn’t like how he treated the bottoms. He’s unnecessarily aggressive.”

“The bottoms always seem to enjoy it.”

I shook my head. “You’re way too na?ve, Iggy. They’re actors. Some pretend to like it, even if they don’t. Some producers don’t care about how you feel about a scene as long as they get a good shot.”

“If he’s as bad as you say, how come he’s still doing scenes?”

“Because he found a new producer who is just as unethical as he is. They give adult entertainment a bad name. Danny’s more interested in wrecking his boys than having a good time on camera. The more they hurt, the more he gets off on it. He’s a sadist.”

“But sadism is fun for some.”

“When the bottom’s totally on board.”

“Can’t they say no if they’re not interested? ”

“Sure they can, but some of these boys are struggling to pay the rent, so they’ll do it for the right price.”

“Oh.”

“Not all studios are like that, though.”

“Yours isn’t.”

“I tried to take my experience and improve it for others.” I tapped my fingers on the table. “Yeah, but that’s why it freaked me out seeing you with Danny the Douche.”

“Okay, I get that. And I admit I’m still na?ve about a lot of things, but you have to respect my decisions too, even if I make a mistake. It’s how I’ll learn.”

“Do you want your first time to be with a porn star?”

He swallowed and lowered his gaze. “I think it’d be faster, so I won’t have to worry about when it’ll happen. Between classes, trivia, Buttons Up, and helping with the accounting at the studio, I don’t have much time to date.”

You don’t have to date at all. I can teach you everything you need to know.

“Do you want to stop with the accounting? I can find?—”

“No! I like helping out.”

“At least allow me to pay you for it.”

Iggy shook his head vehemently, his tight curls bouncing around his head. “No way. You already pay for my college expenses?—”

“It’s not a lot because smarty-pants got himself a full scholarship.”

“But that’s just a part of the expenses. Plus, you do everything else for me. This is my way to give back so I’m not a freeloader.”

“When have I ever made you feel like a freeloader?”

“You don’t. Kee, you’ve been amazing, but you…spoil me too. And don’t try to deny it. I know you do.”

“You deserve it. Our parents were tough on you because of me.”

“That’s on them, not you. I’m happy we’re back together. I missed you something awful when you left.”

“I missed you too.”

Our parents had forbidden us to meet or talk, although Iggy had always found a way. Since the day I left home, we hadn’t seen each other face-to-face again until he showed up on my doorstep with a knapsack and told me he couldn’t take it anymore .

“Kee.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you ever think about coming out of retirement?”

Wait…what?

“You were good at it.”

Iggy bit his bottom lip as though he regretted his words. “I mean, I heard you got good ratings. And you won so many awards.”

“I prefer being involved in production now.” My voice came out gritty, so I cleared my throat.

“Okay. And how was Houston?”

“The casting went great.”

Iggy took a long sip from his orange juice. “You didn’t rush back to Cummington because of our argument, did you? You could have stayed a few days.”

“And miss your big trivia night tonight?”

His eyes went big. “You remember?”

“Of course. How else would I get to wear my ‘Iggy’s Number 1 Fan’ shirt?”

“You did not get a shirt that says that.”

I grinned. “You’ll have to wait and see.”