Mark nodded, still not meeting my eyes. He seemed to be waiting for my reaction, testing to see if he had pushed too far.
I took another sip of the Bourbon and stared into the fire. The swirling flames were mesmerizing, and the heat flared across my cheeks. Getting to see Mark with his shirt off. Was it worth the risk? I didn't know how to play poker, not at all. I could end up completely naked in front of my fully-clothed stepbrother and then what would I do?
Thinking about what I could do made me blush all the harder.
"Okay," I choked in a strangled whisper, barely able to get the words out. "Let's play."
Mark sat up and quickly dealt five cards face down. "Five card draw, nothing wild," he announced.
"Whatever that means," I nodded, reaching for my cards. I looked down at my hand. "Okay, what now?"
Mark was studying his own hand carefully. "You can get rid of up to four cards," he instructed me. "Draw from the top of the deck."
"I want big cards, right?"
Mark grinned cheekily. "How about you just do what you think you should do and I'll let you know how you did?"
I clutched the Bourbon for strength and looked down at my clothes, mentally gauging the number of items I could remove versus Mark's. I had a scarf, jewelry, socks, a belt...I would have quite a while to go before I risked full nudity. "Fair enough," I relented, setting down three cards and drawing three more.
Mark set down two cards and looked up at me. "Well, this is shit," he declared. "Set 'em down."
I spread my cards out on the table and Mark did the same. "Looks like you beat me, sis," he exhaled.
I leaned back, clapping my hands in delight. "Do I get to choose what you take off?"
"Er," Mark looked down.
"Come on," I urged. "Mark Nolan hesitating? I don't believe it."
"Fine, what am I taking off?"
"Your shirt!" I practically screamed, giggling madly.
He rolled his eyes. "On one condition."
"You don't get to make conditions."
"Yes I do, it's my house. House rules."
I rolled my eyes and drank more Bourbon. "Fine, whatever, coward."
Mark eyed me. "If I take off my shirt, I'll freeze to death. If I take it off you have to let me under that blanket with you."
I froze. A shirtless Mark under the blanket with me. How far was I going to take this? How far was he going to take this?
Only one way to find out.
"Shirt off first," I instructed him. "Then blanket."
Mark stood up, all six foot three inches of him, and lifted his cashmere sweater. I watch, transfixed but trying not to stare, as he slowly revealed the chiseled physique that lurked underneath. Mark's perfectly honed torso was a work of art, all taut, bunching muscles that rippled underneath his perfectly smooth skin. When he lifted the shirt over his head, the tension made his biceps bulge and I had to hide my gasp in my rapidly emptying Bourbon glass.
"Brr!" He clapped his hands on his arms dramatically and leapt for the blanket, yanking it off of me. I squealed and yanked it back, and he pulled even harder, forcing me to flop gracelessly into his lap.
"Whoopsie!" he teased, as I froze in place. My cheek had brushed across the warm, naked skin, and that one touch was all it took to electrify me. I felt a slow throbbing begin to clutch deep in my core.
What the fuck?
I pulled myself away from Mark like he had scalded me. Curling up in the crook of the couch, giving up my share of the blanket, I stared into the flames, wondering what the hell had just happened.
Do I want to fuck Mark? Oh my god...I think I want to fuck Mark.
I shook my head involuntarily, trying to clear the fuzz from my brain.
Chanel, you incredible slut, what the hell are you thinking? I admonished myself, clenching my fists, digging my fingernails into my palms until I carved bright white crescent moons into the skin. He's your fucking brother. You can't touch him.
but why? a small voice whined back. He's not actually related to you, and look at his body! You know you want to touch his body!
I snuck a peek back over my shoulder. Mark was leaning forward, watching me intently with his fathomless blue eyes. There was something in his expression that let me know he knew exactly what I was thinking.
"Are we still playing?" he asked innocently. As innocently as he could with those devilish blue eyes flashing at me.
I should have said no. I should have stood up and told him good night. I should have retreated to my guest room and locked myself in there until the storm receded.
Instead I said, "Yeah...sure."
Mark arranged the blanket over his shoulders. I leaned in and grabbed the cards he dealt me and sucked in my teeth. "You're not supposed to give away your hand, sis," Mark teased. "You have a pretty wicked tell."
I cocked my head at my cards. "I have no idea what I'm doing," I declared, slurring my words slightly. "Here, what do I do?" I slammed the hand down in front of him.
A slow spreading grin widened across Mark's face. "Well," he said, setting down his hand, "it would seem you have to take something off."
I shivered and stood up. I could have chosen my earrings. Or my socks. Or even the scarf I had wrapped around my neck.
But instead I lifted my shirt.
"Oooh!" I gasped as the cold air of the cabin hit my naked skin. Goosebumps immediately prickled across my arms and without thinking I dove under the blanket, pressing up against Mark. "It's freezing!"
Mark slung the blanket over my shoulder and I pressed in to him more tightly. I swallowed hard as my naked skin brushed his, the heat rising from his body warming me as thoroughly as the fire.
And then I looked down.
Mark shifted as soon as I saw it, but it was not soon enough. There, bulging so hard it was stretching the fabric of his jeans, was the rock hard evidence of his desire.
And I couldn't take my eyes off it. "You're giving away your hand," I whispered, letting my fingers brush across his thigh. "You have a pretty big tell there, bro."
Mark cleared his throat. "Would you like to see how big?" He moved his hand to his zipper.
I stared, unable to move my eyes from that magnificent bulge. He was turned on, as turned on as I was. This was so wrong, but we were both adults. A little fun to warm us up, what could go wrong?
Except our parents waking up and catching us.
The shiver of danger only inflamed me further. "Yes, how big?" I asked, reaching for it.
Mark caught my hand and pressed it against that bulge. I sucked in my breath to feel it throb against my palm, so thick and hot that my pussy clenched tightly, desperate to be filled. "That big," Mark rasped.
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"I want to see it," I moaned, as my belly did flip-flops.
"Go ahead," Mark leaned back on the sofa, presenting me with the zipper of his jeans. The forgotten cards fluttered to the floor as I knocked them over in my eagerness to reach for his zipper. Tooth by tooth, I pulled the tab lower, holding my breath.
Mark's fingers trailed up my arm, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine. I slid from the couch and knelt on the floor, my fumbling fingers trying and then finally succeeding in undoing the button.