Once I'm back up in my room going over the encounter with Westlan downstairs, I remove my clothes, and pull out a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top and throw them on and climb back into bed.
I lay there, staring at my ceiling and out the window at the dark night as I fall back asleep.
--
Since I had already slept for quite a few hours, I wake up quite early. With the sun just rising, lifting up the view in front of my window. I get up out of bed and look out the window and smile slightly at just how amazing the view actually is.
I remember Reed telling me they had a gym, but I decide to go for a run instead.
I put on pair of black running pants, my running sneakers which are a bright blue that matches the light blue in middle of my hair , and throw on a sports bra, long sleeved black shirt, and a white and cerulean blue fleece zip up jacket. I take my hair, pulling it up into a high pony tail and grab a fleece headband/ear warmer and go downstairs.
"Good morning" a voice startles me on the last step and I almost trip and fall.
"Whoa!" Reed says, walking over. "You alright?"
"Yeah" I nod as i right myself and stand straight with a little laugh.
"I didn't think anyone else was up." I say and he laughs slightly.
"I usually get up pretty early, boys do too usually, although they get a bit lazy in the winter." he chuckles.
"I was just going to go for a run." I say.
He nods. "just be careful, remember the roads up here arent paved"
I nod.
---
Once out side, on the deck that wraps around the entire house , I stretch out my arms and legs.
Just as I'm about to walk down the stairs to the driveway. The door opens to a fucking shirtless Westlan , holding a steaming cup of coffee, shirtless, in just a pair of thin jersey knit grey sweatpants.
"Hey smurfette" he says with a grin stepping outside in his slippers.
My eyes don't miss the slight bulge that the fabric of his pants cling to. I can tell he's not hard, but I can also tell, he's a shower, cause it looks just as long as it did last night when I caught him. My eyes avert quickly, in a split second before he catches me.
"Aren't you cold?" I ask ignoring his nickname for me and my blue hair, blue jacket and blue sneakers.
He only shrugs lifting his coffee to his lips.
"You get used to it." he says and cant help but admire his abs, and the way his sweatpants hang on his hips and show off that vicious v shape.
"Cassie still here?" I ask, and I don't know why, it's the only thing I have to ask him right now, cause my mind is going blank and turning to mush staring at him.
He chuckles and shrugs. "Dunno...like I told you...she found another bed when I left her astray for too long." he smirks.
I raise my brows. "Okay, well..I'm gonna go for a run." I say.
"Why?" he asks.
I laugh slightly. "What do you mean why?"
He makes a show of looking me up and down as he walks over and then makes a show of looking at me from the side.
"Your body looks good to me." he says. I scoff.
"Well thanks...but I'm sure as you know" I gesture to his shirtless torso.
"Nice bodies take hard work." I say and he cocks his brow with a little grin.
"So you think I have nice body?" he smirks. I roll my eyes.
"Not in the same way Cassie does, I'm sure." I say and shake my head with a laugh.
He licks his lips and sips from his coffee again.
"So..you get your body from the gym...and I work on mine by running" I say with a shrug, trying to ignore the crazy attraction this dimpled fucker is making me feel as he smiles at me.
"What makes you think this body comes from the gym?" he asks cocking a brow.
I put my hands on my hips. "Oh , so you just wake up with abs, and muscles and stuff?" I say, careful not to be too descriptive of his flawless body.
He licks his lips. "It's adorable that you assume the only way to get exercise is in the gym." his lips curve.
"Pervert." I say narrowing my eyes. He chuckles and shrugs.
"Just saying Smurfette" he says.
I roll my eyes. "Don't call me that"
"I think I will." he says and I let out a single laugh and turn.
"Whatever." I say and walk down the steps.
I look back over my shoulder to him standing now at the edge of the deck, leaning over the railing.
"Do a few more of the stretches for me? Ya know..the ones where you touch your toes?" he calls down.
I flip him the bird and he laughs, smirking down at me as I turn and lightly jog down the driveway, over the gravel, and down the gravel road. There's a light dusting of snow on the trees and grass, and just a bit on the gravel, but not enough to make it slippery thankfully.
I jog for what feels about a mile down hill, forgetting I have to go uphill on the way back. I jog a bit too far, because on my way back up, my legs burn, and so do my lungs from the cold air.
When I finally reach the driveway I bend over, bracing my hands on my knees as I pant and wince at the way my calves and thighs are burning.
"Go too hard Smurfette?" A voice calls from the garage. I look up and see Weston. He's wearing jeans, a long sleeved grey t shirt that bulges on his arms.
"Fuck" I mutter to myself, wondering how the core of me can have to energy to be excited when the rest of me is feeling worn out and sore.
"you alright?" he asks , walking out, his boots crunching over the gravel and I push up and wave my hand out.
"I'm fine" I pant. "Up...hill" I say gasping and he smirks.
"I'm going into town...did you wanna go? Dad said you might need to pick up a few things?" he asks and I nod.
I place a hand on his arm. "Need, a minute." I say and he laughs.
"Sure thing smurf baby" he says and I give him a look.
"Shut up" I give him a glare and he laughs.
"Take your time, I'm not in a hurry" he says as I walk past him towards the stairs.
He reaches back and slaps my butt with the back of his hand playfully.
I shoot him a look over my shoulder.
He grins and turns and follows me back inside.
---
I look around for signs of the other two brothers, because I haven't met them yet, but can hear music blasting from the floor below, and assume that they're in the gym, and because I'm vain, I dont want them to meet me pink faced, sweating with my hair all wind blown.
I go upstairs, peeling off my clothes, and throwing them on the floor , and kind of love that I can strip naked in front of a window that nobody can see me in unless they were to be out in the trees on the side of the house. But still, I stay away from the window with my bare naked body and go into the small bathroom and run the shower.
-
I don't take long to get ready. After my shower, I brush my hair blow drying it as best I can so I don't go out with wet hair. There's only a few wet spots, so I leave it down to continue to dry as I get dressed.
I put on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a long, oversized, loose fitting navy blue sweater, and a pair of black knee high suede boots.
I slap on a quick winged eyeliner, mascara, and chapstick and then grab my phone, my charger and my purse, hoping that I can send out messages to my friends warning them that I might be m.i.a this winter , once I get into town.
I spray myself with a little bit of perfume and then head down stairs.
I walk into the living room where Reed and his son Weston are sitting. Reed just smiles nicely, and Weston raises a brow at me, with a slight smirk.
"I'm ready whenever you are" I shrug.
"Hey!" A voice calls from behind me, coming upstairs from what seems like the gym, because he's wearing gym shorts, and a gym tank.
I turn to another tall guy, and I assume this one is Cade, because he looks younger than West, and closer to my age. He's maybe only an inch taller than Westlan, with the same brown hair, same style, except his hair is shorter on top, same blue eyes, and lacking any of the scruff that Westland has. And only has a few tattoos from what I can tell, one on his bicep and one on his forearm as he reaches his hand out.
"I'm Cade!" he says all too eagerly, and pulling me into him, for a sweaty, smelly hug. But, I can't say I mind, because these boys have ridiculous fucking bodies.
"Oh Cade, get off her, you're all sweaty!" Reed yells at him and he jumps back.
"OH shit, sorry!" he says and smiles.
"It's fine." I laugh. "nice to finally meet you."
"Yeah, I was hella excited to know we were getting a sister" he says.
I laugh and Westlan slaps his brother upside the head.
"She's not our sister" he slaps his head.
"Sure she is!" he says. I laugh as Westlan scrunches his nose.
"Step sister anyways" Cade says.
"Whatever...it's not my blood" West says looking to me, and I give a little eyeroll, kind of guessing as to why he felt the need to make that distinction.
But our convo is interrupted and my smile falters when I see the third brother coming up from the basement. My eyes go wide as he walks in, looking down at his phone.
Asher. I think to myself. He's larger, his muscles are bulging, and he has sweat fucking dripping down his chest. He has what seems like hair about as long as mine, pulled up into a bun , and a full beard, mustache included, it's thick, and dark like his hair, not too long, and trimmed nicely. I feel my actual breath stop, as I take in the clearly most tattooed brother, his chest, arms, hands, and neck are covered, and I dont doubt his back is as well.
He looks up, and I swear I wouldn't have been able to speak had he said anything at all. But he didn't They all share blue eyes, but Asher's we're almost like fucking crystal, a piercing light blue as he looked up, stopping in his tracks.
"Ariella ...this is Asher" West introduces me and I go to open my mouth, but Asher's eyes narrow slightly, and I shut my mouth as his eyes look down over me and then back up. He gives the slightest scowl and turns, and heads up the stairs.
"Yep, as expected." Cade says. "Don't mind him, he's kind of a dick." Cade and West laugh, and then West's hand is at my back.
"Ready to go smurfette?" he asks.
I nod, and give Cade another hug as he reaches for one and tells me he'll see me and hang out when I get back. I nod.
I follow West outside and we get into the truck that Reed picked me up in the other day.
"that was weird right?" I ask buckling my seat belt.
West laughs. "What? Ash?" he asks and I nod.
"Don't let it get to you...he's just...I dunno...anti social? Kind of a dick even when he is social." he says.
"I think the only person he wasn't ever an asshole to was your ma" he says.
I nod. West winces.
"sorry to bring her up" he says. I shake my head and smile.
"It's fine, I promise not to get emotional today. I had plenty of rest." I smile.
He lets out a slight chuckle. "Alright."
-
On the drive into down West plays some rock music on the radio, which I don't mind. I pull out my phone, waiting for a signal to come in.
West laughs. "Already having withdrawl?" he asks.
I laugh. "No...I just...want to make sure I tell my friends..that I'm going to be stuck on a mountain all winter, so they don't think I died." I say with a laugh.
"Just for winter?" West raises his brow.
"Huh?" I ask.
"You're only staying for winter?" he repeats.
"Oh.." I shrug. "I dunno, I don't wanna like...overstay my welcome.." I say.
Westlan looks at me and gives a slight roll of his eyes. "Cut that bullshit out, you're to stay as long as you want, forever if you want." he says.
I laugh. "Okay." I say and look out the window at the people walking along the little shops in the town.
"Here's dad's card." he says slipping it to me after pulling into a spot.
"Shirley's has a bunch of womens clothes...and there's another shop down there on there on the corner" he says unbuckling his seatbelt.
"You're not coming with me?" I ask.
He looks at me lifting his brow.
"uhhhh" he says, and I see the panic that comes across every guys face when a female asks them to go shopping with them,
I laugh. "I'm kidding West" I say and he gives a sigh of relief.
"Brat" he says. I laugh and open up my side of the truck and slip out, throwing my small purse over my shoulder and can't help but feel like half the people on the street are staring.
I decide it's just paranoia until West comes around and flips a part of my hair in his fingers.
"Not lots of smurf babys around here" he says, noting my ombre white blonde to dark blue hair.
"Oh." I say realizing that maybe they are staring. I start to work on shoving my hair into the back of my sweater.
"Hell no" West says, running his hand behind my neck and swiping it out, pulling my hair back out.
"That shit's hot as fuck" he says and I look at him and blush.
"shut up" I say and he smirks.
"Hot little smurf baby" he winks.
I laugh and push at his chest. "Stop fucking calling me that, it's weird!" I say and he laughs, throwing his head back and then throwing his arm around my shoulder and walking me to the side walk, his arm hanging around me, pulling me to his side.
I don't stop him because I miss this, I miss flirting, even if it's with my step brother. And I miss a guy making me laugh and making me feel , just good, when everything else sucks.