Not Yet My Sestra
Breeanna, pulls awkwardly on the short black, sequenced dress. It's definitely something she'd never wear back home. Good Lord, when she'd looked in her hotel mirror that evening, before stepping out armed with a full can of pepper-spray, she'd actually ventured out in New freakin' York.
Stepping into the bar, she scans around for anyone that can help. A lot of the folks here though, look like the sort of typical business tycoons: white, middle aged and fit in expensive suits. The few women that are dotted around are either in similar dresses to hers or powerful business suits. She scans the crowd, trying to spot a man that shouldn't be so hard to spot in this sort of crowd.
With frustration, she pulls up a photo she'd found on her phone and heads for one of the guys that seems to be clearing the tables.
"Hey there Sugar, I was wondering if you could help me," she asks the member of staff.
He's clearly taken back by her thick Southern accent and it takes him a few moments to regain his momentum.
"Er-yeah-sure. What can I do for you Miss?"
"I was told this man works here-Jamie Stephens?"
Breeanna hold up her phone to show the man the picture of Jamie.
"Jamie? Oh yeah, sure, he's working the bar. Guess you caught him at the right time actually, his shift's nearly over."
As Breeanna thanks the employee, she heads over to the bar. With it only just getting to the evening, it isn't too packed meaning she easily gets a seat. While she briefly takes in the sight of the rows of colourful bottles behind the table, Breeanna spots just the man she's after. His chocolate skin is a tad lighter than his father's but she supposes that's due to his Caucasian mother. His eyes, nose and chin are also the strong masculine features of his father's, however that seems to be where the similarities stop. While his father has a completely bald head, Jamie has a smooth light splattering of it, close to his scalp.
Breeanna can feel her heart start to race as he nears her. His brown eyes are so light they seem almost golden and that gaze just pins her straight.
"Hey, what can I get you?" he asks wiping the already clean bar table in-front of her.
"Er...I...um..." Breeanna's lost for words-something that rarely occurs.
In fact, most days people can't get her to shut-up.
"Need a little more time deciding?" he asks gently his full lips curling into a smile that bares perfect white teeth. They seem to dazzle against his skin tone and once again, Breeanna's taken a little back.
She clears her throat, regaining her equilibrium again before stating, "actually, I'm here for you."
Jamie bursts into laughter before he collects himself and his eyebrows rise in surprise.
"Wow!" he laughs before be suddenly cuts himself off in thought, "wait...I know you right? 4th of July party, er...Kristina-Kris, right?"
Breeanna quickly smothers her confused expression and lights up at his mistake.
"Yes! Yes! Hi, you remember!" she cries quickly adapting the role of this 'Kris'.
Clearly this 'Kris' person is someone he welcomes so maybe for the time being it's best she plays along. Then perhaps when they're in a more private place she can talk to him about who she really is and why she's there.
"Yeah! Wow, that accent. Huh, I guess those acting classes are starting to pay off."
Breeanna merely shrugs her bare shoulders.
"So...apparently you're shift's ending..." she trails off causing a wicked grin to lighten Jamie's face and for some reason there's a knot in her stomach.
"Yeah, damn girl you sure do have good timing. Let me clock out and we can get outta here."
She nods as he moves towards his co-worker and does his whole procedure of signing out.
He does just that. Clocking out before holding open the door for her. They step out into the brisk New York autumn air, Breeanna follows him along the busy sidewalk as they walk to an unknown destination.
"So what've you been up to? Any shows I might have seen you in?" he asks, carrying on this little chit-chat assuming that she's 'Kris'.
"Um..no, I don't think so," she replies honestly.
"Hey well, I'm sure you'll get your big break soon. But what made you find me now?"
Bree flounders for an answer for a minute before simply shrugging, "curiosity, I guess."
"Well I sure am glad," he gives her a heart-stopping grin before typing in the code for the entrance to a standard looking block of apartments. Holding the door open for her she bustles in, edging past him and accidently catching a whiff of his musky cologne.
"So Jamie-"
"Woah, sorry but girl why are you still doing that accent? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cute as fúck but it's me, I loved the Brooklyn one too," he interrupts.
Shít! She can't do a good Brooklyn accent, never mind maintain it.
"It just...keeps me in character," she replies.
That's a plausible reason, right? Besides after she's managed to talk to him, he'll finally understand she's not Kris and why she has the accent.
"Oh yeah, you actors and actresses. Anyway, go on what were you saying."
He glances around as they step out of the elevator and towards his front door.
"Oh...um, well, the other day the funniest thing happened. I swear I saw this man who looked really similar to you...maybe it was your dad?" she asks knowing that has to be one of the worst lies she's ever told.
Thankfully, Jamie doesn't question it; instead he simply slots in his keys, opens up the door and lets her through.
Snorting he replies, "Doubt it Kris. The fúcker's in some Dixie state with a blonde former beauty queen or something. I haven't seen him in years."
"Er, that's the-"
Before she can say another word, his plump, luscious lips descend onto hers. She's taken by shock, backing up against the door as he kisses her slowly, savouring every centimetre of the skin of her lips. Bree can't remember the last time when she'd been kissed so thoroughly and wonderfully. Usually with men, the older they grow the more kisses are just obligatory actions that they hope will lead to more.
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This part is continued on my profile on Inkitt (under the same name). For more details look at the 'Foreword' at the start.
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"Who the hell are you?" he hisses, noting all the small things he'd ignored before.
Her height is not quite right, her features...everything is just not...Kris.
"Wh-what?" she gasps.
"You are not Kris. Please...Please don't tell me what I think you are," he sighs with a hand running over his weary face.
"I'm Breeanna-"
"Jesus fúcking Christ! Are you kidding me?!" cries Jamie spinning away from her momentarily as he tries to process it.
What the hell has he done? How he could séx with his soon-to-be stepsister? His father's fiance's daughter? Ugh!
"Jamie, it's not what you think-"
Bree's out of the bed now, rushing around to him but he jumps back like she's some kind of panther.
"Are you even legal? God, how old are you?!" Shít, he cannot be a paedophile.
"No no, I'm 20. I swear, I'm 20. I just...still live at home," she states with blushing cheeks.
Traditions in her family dictates that after she finishes her degree in American Literature, she'll probably be set up with some eligible bachelor and live a life as a southern belle housewife.
"What are you doing here? Why are you even in New York?!" he asks in utter confusion.
"I came to find you," she states simply.
It's completely the wrong thing to say and she realises it as soon as she's said it, because he's immediately taken back. He wears that expression that all boys have when they realise a girl is completely insane. She can tell he thinks she's some kind of stalker now and now, she has to explain herself before he starts calling the cops.
"To try convince you to come to your dad's wedding!"
" 'My dad's'...You are insane-you know that? You are fúcking out of your mind, cuckoo! I would never in a million years go to my father's wedding. Were you going to convince me using séx?-"
"No! No! That was just a misunderstanding-"
" 'A misunderstanding'? So between finding me at the bar to walking to my apartment, to lying in my bed, you could not have told me- 'hey, I'm not actually the person you think I am'?"
"Jamie please," she states breaking down.
Her lean body crumpling onto the bed as her head slumping in her hands.
There's silence for a moment as Jamie hesitates for a moment seeing a defeated woman in front of him is not something he can stand by and allow.
"Shít..." he sighs, sitting next to her but leaving a respectable distance between them. Although, it may be too late for that now.
"Jamie..I'm sorry. This was a stupid, stupid idea. I just...My mom just wanted things to be perfect and I just..."
She breaks down into sobs and Jamie is struck between what he should do and what he wants to do. Screw it.
He slowly pulls her into him into a soft hug as she blubbers on about something with her mother and the wedding. Finally, when the sobs soften, Jamie eases off as Bree gazes her with the prettiest, saddest expression. It's incredible but she even cries beautifully.
"Breeanna, listen...your credit cards been charged with a hotel bill. Why don't I walk you back there and you can have a chat to your mom? Just forget this, okay? Forget all this ever happened and just go home," he insists.
But the thought of leaving New York breaks her heart a little. She's not been here long, granted, but it's such a whole different world from the one she's used to that she doesn't want to leave now.
Rationally, she has to. Her life is back in a whole different state and she has no plan. And she cannot do without a plan.
"Fine. I'll go home, Jamie if you agree to come to the wedding. Your dad really wants you there and you are his-"
"No. I am not coming to the wedding, Breeanna," he adamantly insists but Bree's quick to retort that he is.
It's an argument that could go on forever with neither budging on the matter until Jamie just sighs and shakes his head.
"God, you are incredibly frustrating!" he huffs under his breath.
"No, I'm just stubborn, tenacious and determined," she smiles back. They're all traits she's extremely proud of despite the spouts of trouble it's landed her in over the years.
Jamie growls in annoyance deciding that there is no way, someone like her is letting this go. She's like a barracuda-or maybe that should be quicksand-because the harder he resists, the further down he sinks into her grasp.
"Fine! Fine, I'll think about going to the wedding," he compromises, but it's not good enough for Bree.
The woman simply crosses her arms across her chest and gives a firm shake of her head.
"That's not good enough. Come to the wedding. You don't have to stay long or even be in the pictures but just come to the event, please?" she negotiates.
He can tell she's not going to be any more lenient than that so what choice does he have but to take it.
"...Okay, fine. I'll try making it to the wedding, but do not tell my father. I don't want him to know I'll be there," he stresses.
He's not going to build bridges with his father (those have long turned to ashes); he's going because he sees no other way to get his soon-to-be stepsister out of his apartment without using force.
It's as good as Bree's going to get and with her maid-of-honour duties completed to make this her mom's dream wedding, she grabs her dress and tugs it on, stretching the hem down her thighs as she eases into her pair of heels.
Fluffing out her hair, Bree makes her way out into the hallway and towards the door as he escorts her out in only his boxers.
"So, I suppose I should say sorry and thank-you for the-"
"Nope. No, this did not happen," interrupts Jamie wagging his finger between them.
Ugh! All that attraction he'd felt for her has mysteriously vanished now, after knowing she's going to his step-sister. It's the small miracles that he may never have to see her again, that Jamie's truly thankful for because this has been sufficiently awkward as it stands.
Bree's smile turns cheeky as she responds, "oh, but I'm going to remember this forever."
"No, no, no-I don't want to hear that. Don't need to know."
Bree bursts out laughing, unable to help it.
A brazen thought enters her mind and she boldly follows it through.
Jamie's shocked when her lips meet his and instinct means that the touch of soft, feminine lips makes him respond positively. Realising just who it is, he's quick to pull back and pull himself from her trance.
"Go," he insists demandingly while she simply giggles at his reaction.
With a shrug of her narrow shoulders, Breeanna flicks back her blonde locks and with a low-seductive tone states, "see you soon, Jamie."