Falling For My Annoying Step Brother

She turned to face him, and for a moment, Macy forgot how to breathe.

The stranger towered over her, his squinting blue eyes fixed on her like he was reading her entire soul. His thin, rose-colored lips curved into one of the sexiest, most confident smiles she had ever seen. His diamond-shaped face sharpened his features in a way that made him look both young and unmistakably masculine.

He was tall - very tall. Macy, standing at 5'3, guessed he had to be at least 6'0 or 6'2. Even through his shirt, she could see the evident ridges of muscle. His biceps were sculpted, his chest solid beneath the thin white fabric.

And then there was his hair - long, silky waves that reached his shoulders, a stunning shade somewhere between silver and platinum blonde. It looked unreal.

His outfit wasn't anything extraordinary - jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather jacket - yet somehow he made the simple look devastating. A pair of Air Jordans and a gold wristwatch finished the look effortlessly.

"You could take a picture, you know. It'll last longer."

Macy wasn't ready for the way his deep voice shook her entire system. It was smooth, dark, and dripping with confidence.

"What?" she breathed, still dazed.

"Well, you were staring," he said with a teasing smile. "I figured you might want photographic evidence."

She hadn't even realized she was staring that hard - but who could blame her? No one she had ever met came close to this level of handsome.

"Don't flatter yourself." She frowned. "My boyfriend is way better looking than you."

It was a lie. Grayson wasn't ugly, but beside this stranger, he barely passed average.

She tried pulling her wrist back, but instead of letting go, his grip tightened.

"Hey- let go!"

"I wasn't done talking," he said, the smile widening.

Who the hell did he think he was?

"You show up almost an hour late," he snapped, "and now you're refusing to take me home?"

"Take you home?" Macy repeated, confused.

Then realization flashed in her eyes - and his smirk deepened.

"Macy," he said, voice full of amusement. "It's me."

"...William?"

"Hello, big sis. Long time."

★★★

"Oh, William, it is so good to have you back home after so long!" Her mother pulled him into a tight hug, smiling from ear to ear.

"It feels good to be back, Mother," he said warmly. "You haven't aged a day."

"Oh, don't flatter me."

"It's true. You and Macy could pass as sisters."

Her mother practically glowed at the compliment. Macy rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt.

"I assume I don't need to ask where my father is," William added dryly.

"He wanted to be here, but something urgent came up."

"And it was more urgent than seeing the son he hasn't seen in twelve years?"

"Come on, William. You know your father loves you. He just had no choice. He promised to come home early."

"He won't," William muttered. "And Mother - call me Liam now."

"Of course," she said, delighted.

Macy sat glued to the couch with a sour expression, watching them chat like best friends. She couldn't believe her mother's reaction. William - the same boy who tormented her all childhood - was now calling her "Mother," a title Macy herself had longed to hear from him years ago.

Instead of yelling, insulting, or mocking as he used to, he was laughing, hugging, and charming his way through the living room.

The transformation was unbelievable.

The William she knew was a small, freckle-faced boy with spindly arms and legs - she used to be taller than him.

Now? He was taller, stronger, impossibly handsome, with hair straight out of a fantasy novel.

Macy shook her head hard. She refused to believe she had just checked out her childhood bully.

"Macy, what are you doing over there? Come talk to your brother."

"Oh, we talked plenty on the drive home," she muttered.

"Mother, does my big sister still have hateful feelings toward me?" William asked.

She didn't need to look to know his eyes were on her. She could feel them.

"Of course not!" her mother said quickly. "Macy, come here. Now."

Macy groaned. The warning tone left no room for argument.

She dragged herself over. "Fine. I'm here. What?"

"I'm going to fix his meal. Keep him company while he waits."

"Why? It's his house. He doesn't need company-"

"Macy."

There it was - the deadly tone.

"Fine! I'll sit with him. But he is not my brother."

"You two will talk," her mother ordered before walking away.

William turned to her with amusement dancing in his eyes. "You look different," he said, gaze trailing leisurely over her.

"Twelve years is a long time."

"That's not what I mean." He leaned back. "You've lost your fierce edge."

"My what?"

"Back then you were small, but fierce. You had this fire to you. I always admired that. But now..."

He shrugged softly. "It's gone. What happened?"

Macy fumbled, suddenly unable to hold his gaze.

"Am I making you shy?" William teased. "You won't even look at me. Don't tell me... you're crushing on me?"

"Not in this lifetime!" she snapped, slapping his hand away as he reached for her hair.

"There she is," he smirked. "See? That wasn't so hard."

She crossed her arms. "How did you even recognize me at the airport?"

"This."

He pointed at her shirt.

"My shirt?"

"That's Dad's."

"What?"

She looked down - and froze. It was Mr. Darwin's shirt, the one from his high school reunion. She must've grabbed it by mistake during laundry.

She yanked it off immediately, leaving only her bra top.

"Maria! Thank God. I need help," she called as one of the staff walked by.

"Yes, Miss Macy?"

"Please return this to Mr. Darwin's wardrobe."

"Of course."

When Macy turned back, William was openly staring at her body.

"What?" she snapped.

"Nothing," he said, clearing his throat. "Just surprised you still call him Mr. Darwin. After all these years."

He stood and stretched. "Well, thank you for your exclusive company. I need a shower.

You're welcome to join me - if you want."

He winked and walked away before she could explode.

★★★

"Are you serious? There is no way he changed that much," Sage said.

"I'm telling you," Macy replied, pacing her room. "I didn't even recognize him. He's a completely different person - still an annoying brat, though."

"Aww, you're talking about me?"

Macy jumped at his voice behind her. "Ugh! What do you want?"

"In my house?" William grinned. "Don't be silly, big sis."

Sage's jaw dropped. "Is that him? Oh my God. He's- he's..."

"Hey," William said, smiling at her. "You must be Wilson. Damn, sis. She's way hotter than you."

Sage beamed, cheeks flushing red.

Macy felt something ugly twist in her stomach. Sage was prettier -she knew that, and she'd never cared before, but hearing William point it out stung.

And the worst part? If any other guy said it, she wouldn't care at all.

But William?

It bothered her. Badly.

"Wow, William... you look different," Sage stammered, still smiling.

"Thanks," he replied, eyes lingering on her.

Macy watched the moment stretch too long.

"Dude!" she snapped.

"What? I'm just saying hi," Sage said, still staring at him.

"You said hi. Let's go."

Macy dragged her friend into her room and shut the door behind them.

"Sage! What the hell was that?!"

"What?" Sage blinked innocently.

"What were you doing with William?!"

"Mace, please. That man is sexy. Like- dangerously sexy. He looks like he walked out of a runway show."

"I know that!" Macy shouted, then immediately regretted how loud she sounded. "I mean- yes, he looks different. But promise me you won't go near him."

"Why?"

"Because he's William! My childhood menace! My villain! The brat who ruined my life growing up. You're my best friend - you're supposed to hate him with me!

And he's twenty-one-"

"Twenty-one is not bad," Sage muttered.

"And you're twenty-six! So crushing on him is strictly forbidden. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Good. Now we go downstairs and ignore him. Or I'm kicking you out before the party starts."

"You're so mean."

Maybe she was. Macy didn't even know why she was this angry.

But deep down, she knew the truth:

It had nothing to do with age.

Nothing to do with Sage.

Nothing to do with their childhood.

It bothered her because William thought Sage was prettier.

And that jealousy?

That scared her more than anything.