Elizabeth

I didn’t mind camping - so long as it involved a hotel or a comfy air-conditioned RV. But my parents prefer traditional camping. Fine, I was convinced. That was why I swatted at the flying insects around my head, tring to keep up with everyone. But the supplies my Dad stuffed in my backpack kept trying to tip me ass over to the dirt path and mosquitoes swarm me like I'm a walking Slurpee. The only thing keeping my going was the Kindle tucked into my backpack. Once I reached the destination, I planned to immerse myself in it completely.

Dad and my stepmother lead the charge at the front, climbed over the fallen tree trunks and roots. I followed then, stare at my feet to make sure I didn’t fall over. If I did, my step-brother Austin, whose eyes on me the whole time, probably either step right over me or mock me straight to my face. Either way would destroy what little self-esteem I still had.

“Here it is! Home sweet home for the next few days!” Dad bellowed in the announcement as we finally reached the campsite.

It honestly wasn’t much. The lake was pretty but covered in algae and more buzzing flying bugs, the picnic table was more like some sawdust somehow taking shape, and the fire pit was just a pile of ashes surrounded by scorched stones.

“How beautiful,” Grace gushed anyway, eyes twinkling in happiness as Dad proudly took her to the lake to show off the site.

I dropped my backpack onto the ground, felt Austin nudge me with his elbow. I glanced up at him, swallowed against a tight throat.

“Did you bring sunscreen?” I nodded.

“Then you’d better use it, your ears are really red.” He said, grinning at me.

“Okay.” I swallowed as I avoided his gaze. He walked away and I sighed in relief.

Truth be told, ever since our parents got married, I’d been battling a secret. I had a massive crush on Austin. Honestly, though, who wouldn’t? Tall, athletic build with gorgeous green eyes and tousled sandy blonde hair that framed his face so perfectly. He was ridiculously good-looking.

“Alright, kids, let’s get the tents set up so we can wander around later.” Dad tossed us a tent, signaling that Austin and I should team up to put it up. The others, he and Grace would handle them.

I had never set up a tent before, so Austin had to stand beside me and teach me each step.

“Bookworm, all books you read are useless, they didn’t even teach you how to pitch a tent.” He muttered, trying to annoy me. Since we first met when I was 15, it became the nickname he gave me. Just because I opened the door to let him and his mom in for dinner, I was holding a Kindle to my chest. Honestly, it was pretty embarrassing.

“Shut up.” I pitched up on one side of the tent, wracking my brain to remember how to do this. When I finally got it secure and hooked it to the stake, I raised the mallet as I tried to steady my aim.

“Wait-” I heard the protest too late as the mallet crashed full-force onto my thumb. I dropped it like fire, hissing in pain.

“What did you do, bookworm?” Austin frowned, pulling away from his almost-finished part to go after me right away. He knelt beside me and held out his hand, “Here, let me see.” Worry etched across his face.

“I’m fine,” I tried to hide my thumb, concealing my pain. “It’s just a stupid thumb.”

But Austin could see straight through me. He stepped forward as he stubbornly grabbed my hand. “Let me see,”

“It’s not even that bad,” I argued.

He looked over my split thumb, and pursed his lips at me. “Quit acting like a child and let me see.” I wanted to refuse, but I knew he wouldn’t give up. When he grabbed my hand, I held my breath and turned away. I didn’t want to look at it; it felt like half of it was missing, and if I was about to bleed out, I didn’t want to know.

Austin carefully examined my split thumb. His hands were rough but the way he touched me was surprisingly gentle. Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead down his cheek. I followed them with with my eyes and realized how hot my cheeks were and how close we were standing.

“The wound is not serious，”I glanced at the wound—it was just a small cut. But still, it hurt. After all, the thumb is close to the heart. I slowly relaxed, and he smiled, continuing, "but we’d better take care of it before it gets infected.”

“Oh come on, you’re overreacting. I can handle it myself.”

“Bullshit.” Austin took a few quick steps, pulled a first aid kit from his bag, and walked over to disinfect the wound with alcohol. As he cleaned it, a soft gasp escaped my throat. His blue eyes flicked up to meet mine, sparkling, and when our eyes met, his gaze quickly and unnaturally darted away.

I flushed bright red in embarrassment. I didn’t know if it was from being a clumsy idiot or whether it was being caught swooning over my stepbrother like that. If he discovered my little secret, I’d rather live alone in the Arctic.

Soon, Austin released my thumb and then wrapped it in a band-aid.

“There, not so hard, was it?” He teased me with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. For some reason, his voice was a little hoarse.

“Are you done yet, kiddos?” Dad called out to us from the other side of the campsite.

“We’re done. Beth's thumb is a little injured, but it’s nothing serious. We’ve taken care of it in time.” Austin got to his feet and yelled back. He reached out a hand to me. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet.

“Thanks,” I said awkwardly, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. I was afraid he might see something in my eyes.

“No problem,” He muttered, voice deeper than normal. "Please be careful next time."

"I will." But I can't guarantee that next time, if this happens again, I won't hurt myself. I stepped forward a little, and I thought him to let go right away but he didn’t. Instead his hand tightened around my long fingers and it felt like a caress down my back. I bit my bottom lip and my heart thudded in my chest rapidly.

“Who’s going to gather firewood with me?” Grace’s voice called out sharply. I was startled and quickly jumped away from Austin, like a child who had done something wrong.

Elizabeth

“Me! I can help you,” I fled to her side but a hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me back before I could get far. I gulped, not daring a glance behind me as Grace’s eyes glanced over my shoulder.

“I’ll go with Elizabeth instead, Mom. You can stay here to help with Travis,” When he stepped closer, his body heat migrated against my sweat-soaked back.

Grace refused to do so, and they started arguing. But soon, the conflict was settled when my dad pulled her aside and asked her to help him prepare the fishing gear so they could have grilled fish later. A few minutes later, Grace sighed and gave in. She waved her hand, signaling us to go and come back early.

I gulped, walked off into the woods with Austin alone.

The air around me was incredibly fresh. I took a deep breath, the scent of damp leaves and earth filling my nostrils. A mosquito buzzed in my ear, and I swatted at myself hard. I didn’t even kill it, as it flew right back and started buzzing in my other ear. Little pest.

Austin walked ahead of me, brushing away the spruce branches hanging in our path to clear the way. I followed him, knelt down to pick up any loose twigs that could make good firewood, and neatly stacking them in my arms.

In the quiet atmosphere, there were only the rustling of leaves and the sound of footsteps. Occasionally, I could hear a bird call. Whenever I felt tired, we would stop to catch our breath, then continue collecting.

"I think we've gathered enough wood. Let's go back." I suggested.

"Okay. But before you fall, it's better if I help you carry some of the weight." Without waiting for me to refuse, his arm slid across a pile of sticks in my arms. His shoulder brushed against mine, his fingers inadvertently swept across my chest, and almost instantly, my underwear was ruined.

I couldn’t help but blush, feeling all kinds of excited and embarrassed. Austin didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he didn’t say anything. He simply lifted his leg and kicked away the small stone in front of me, his movement smooth and effortless.

I tried to regain my composure, attempting to ignore the tremors in my stomach.

We walked together through the dense forest. As we neared the campsite, I noticed Austin was focused, eyes scanning the area ahead and his body tense like he was preparing for a fight.

"Is something wrong?" I asked cautiously, following his gaze.

Austin's voice was tense. "I don't know, maybe. It just feels off." He turned toward me, his expression somewhat worried. "You should stay close to me."

I scoffed. "You're just messing around again, aren't you? There's nothing here except bugs."

He adjusted the wood on his shoulder, his biceps flexing, and I couldn’t help but glance at it. "Bookworm, you should be more careful out here. Something might just eat you," he teased, his smile slow and almost too perfect, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

Austin

I should burn in hell for my dirty thoughts about my innocent stepsister. I tried to control myself and kept pushing her away, but it was hard. Being with her would have torn our family apart, but since his father and my mom dated and decided to get married, I've included her in my sphere.

I’d been a lot of attention to Elizabeth. Initially, it was just a protective instinct, just like what a brother would feel. Care for her, protect her. My feelings for her at that time were very pure. Until she turns 18, she’d stopped being that mousy little bookworm. When I came home from college, I had to hide my inconveniences all the time. I should be ashamed, but she's not really my sister.

It's too late when I realized exactly what this feeling for her was. Those long legs always haunt me in my dreams, wrapping around my head and waist, stretching them. Sometimes, she would ride on me and read those dirty books, which I knew she read secretly. My little bookworm has her secrets, just like I have mine.

I could imagine any expression on her face when she stared at me, including those beautiful chests pressed against me and the gasps she made as I pushed into her. But it's not just about sex. I love her. It's been that way for years.

I didn’t dare to imagine what Travis would think or do if he knew my feelings for his daughter went beyond the boundaries of siblings. He’d tear me to pieces over his beloved little princess, whether I was his stepson or not. And my mom. I have no doubt she’d already noticed, otherwise, she wouldn't have stared wide-eyed at our interaction and quickly thought of a way to try to separate us.

Elizabeth was also influenced by me, which made me feel even more guilty. Her reaction every time I approached her was telling enough, she couldn't hide the way her pupils dilated when she saw me or her shortness of breath when I touched her. I've been protecting her, even though she doesn't know I'm doing it. But I don't think I can wait much longer. I'm tired of waiting.

Of course, I also protected her from others. In fact, over the years, I’ve secretly threatened the guys who showed any interest in her, even if it was just a slight affection. In the end, the news spread, and they left her. I found her talking about it with her friends. They all wondered why she was never invited out. I knew. I would take this secret to the grave.

We walked back to the campsite in silence, setting down the wood. Just then, Elizabeth looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Where are they?"

Austin

“Probably sneaked off for a quickie in the woods."I placed the wood I was carrying next to the fire pit and stretched my stiff shoulders and arms.

"Ugh, you're so gross," she said, stacking her wood next to mine. As I swatted away the little flies buzzing around, I glanced at Elizabeth. "Maybe they went fishing. Let's go find them," she pouted.

“No, let them enjoy some alone time,” I smirked, “Trust me, neither of us needs that picture seared into our brains.”

“Stop it.” A laugh rumbled out of my chest as I saw the look of disdain she sent my way. I knew which buttons to push to annoy her, to get my favorite reactions from her. It's messed up, but I get off on the way her eyes glitter right before she explodes. I'm pretty sure they'll do the same when she comes.

She doesn't know the dirty thoughts running through my mind. No one knows, except for me. Maybe my mom, if she found out, she would be heartbroken. So I couldn’t risk sleeping with Elizabeth. It would tear my whole family apart. I’d be betraying Travis’ trust, ruining my mother’s second chance at love and most of all, I’d be risking losing Elizabeth. One night of pleasure wasn’t worth it, especially since I knew I would only want more. I knew myself too well, one taste would never be enough for me.

I kneeled beside the fire pit, building it up as I tended it to. I could feel her eyes on me as I stoked the fire into a small burn, feeding it the branches we collected until it was a good size. If I happen to bend my arm a little more, then it will happen. I have to make use of what I have. I knew how to seduce women. They loved my good looks, flocked around to me and I’d learned to use that to my advantage but I was never interested in them. The only woman I wanted was the one I absolutely couldn’t have.

"Can you teach me how to make a fire?" 'she asked after a moment's silence, pointing to the fire pit.

I raised my eyebrows and joked, "What, finally decided to give up all that kindle theory?"

She rolled her eyes a little, "I just thought, maybe it could come in handy. What if one day I'm alone in the woods?" Like I'm always gonna let this happen.

"Ok, sit next to me." I tapped the big rock next to me and motioned for her to come closer. She obeyed, eyes wide and curious.

I smiled and began to show her what the best tinder was. Although I had absolutely no need to touch her, when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. As she picked up a branch, I put a hand on her shoulder and nudged her arm with my arm.

She froze. I could feel the tiny goosebumps that popped up on her smooth skin. Her thighs began to rub gently, and I wondered if she had been wet for me. Damn, my pants feel tight right now.

"You should start with small bits, like these twigs. Dried bark works too," I explain, placing the twigs in the center of the fire pit. "Then, you need to add some larger branches like these." I arrange the branches in a teepee shape around the twigs. "Once the small ones catch fire, layer in the bigger logs." I place the logs carefully around the structure, making sure air can still circulate. "Don't let the big pieces choke out the smaller ones."

Beth observed carefully, mentally repeating every detail. My lips were close to her ear, and her cheek reddened under my instructions. She secretly brushed my arm with her finger, thinking I wouldn’t notice, but it only made me want her more. My body aches from her touch. How would she react if I took her lips right here and now? No, stop thinking, this won’t end well. But I didn’t mind enjoying the time she was in my arms.

We started the fire, and then I began teaching her how to manage it properly. “Don’t throw all the wood into the fire at once, add it slowly. If you don’t, it could be dangerous.”

She nodded seriously, looking very earnest, which made me want to protect her even more. It also made me want to bend her over the biggest log and fuck her hardly.

My body aches from her touch, and my heart longs for her to be by my side. But I had it all under control before. But this time, it was very primal, and it was as if at some point I started to get impatient. It scared me.

Before I can do anything I regret, a scream comes from the lakeside. It's my mom.

Beth and I quickly exchange a look, then she stood up from the firepit and ran toward the lake. Even though she was ahead of me, I easily caught up with her. If I weren't so worried about my mom, I wouldn't have done this, but this time, I surpassed her and ran ahead.

When we reached the small path leading to the edge of Lake Hoo, I saw Travis helping my mom walk toward us, limping. Not long after, Beth caught up with me.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Grace twisted her ankle. She slipped on a stone or something when she waded through the water. I’m not sure if it’s broken or just sprained. Sorry, Austin, I didn’t take care of her properly." Travis looks frustrated, but I know that the reason he didn’t catch my mom in time is because he has spent too many years behind a desk. He has been working hard for our family.

I glanced at her feet to check. She was holding all her weight on her right foot, her left looking red and swollen.

"I’ll help you." I walk over, trying to take over from Travis.

"I’m fine." She refuses my help. Her face is creased in pain, and her eyes are slightly red.

"But you look like you’re hurt." I reach out to help her, but she waves me off, trying to maintain her dignity. "I’m just a little clumsy, don’t worry, I’ll make it over."

She breathes heavily, beads of sweat dotting her forehead. Despite her injury, she still tries to force a weak smile. But she’s a terrible actress.

Beth stands by, biting her lip, looking very worried. "Maybe we need to get an X-ray."

Mom shakes her head. "It’s just a twisted ankle. We’ll rest here for a bit, then continue to the camp."

I shake my head, certain that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

Austin

We stood there awkwardly, waiting for her to recover. However, when Mom put her foot down, she frowned, gasped in pain, and let out a pained whimper. She reached out, placing her hand over Travis’s palm for support, but it was no use. Travis watched her with concern, clenching his teeth to keep from yelping.

"Alright, you’re fine, obviously." I said, bending down and lifting her into my arms. "Put your arm around my neck and hold on."

"No, Austin, put me down. I’m too heavy for you to carry."

"Stop talking nonsense. You’re not heavy. Now, hold on tight—we’ll be back at the campsite soon." I began carrying her back, hiking carefully to avoid jostling her injured ankle. Travis and Beth followed closely behind me. I didn’t dare run, afraid of making things worse for her.

When we arrived at the campsite, I gently set Mom down while Travis crouched beside her, removing her shoe. Her ankle was already looking swollen.

"This looks bad," Beth murmured, placing her hands on my shoulders, biting her lip anxiously.

"We have to stop camping and take her to a doctor," Travis said, grabbing his backpack, frustration evident in his tone.

I nodded. "Agreed. But it’s getting dark. There’s no way we can pack everything up in time unless you want to leave all our stuff here for thieves or wild animals. Here’s the plan—I’ll carry Mom to the car, and you drive her to the hospital in town. Tomorrow, you can come back to pick us up."

Travis thought for a moment before setting down the tent pole he had just picked up. "Alright, that makes sense. You stay here and watch our stuff. Beth, you’ll come with us," he said, turning to her.

Beth frowned, her lips instinctively pouting. "Dad, we can’t leave Austin alone. That doesn’t sound safe. Maybe I can stay here with him?" she pleaded.

"Austin has plenty of outdoor experience. He can handle it."

"I’m staying, Dad," she insisted. "You guys better hurry. It’s getting dark."

"Alright," Mom sighed, finally giving in. "I really hate this. You two be careful, okay?"

"Of course," I nodded. "I’ll keep Beth safe. Now, let’s get you to the car."

Elizabeth

“Any news?” I glanced at Austin worriedly as I curled my arms around my waist. It had been three hours since my dad and Grace had left for town, but there was still no word from them. Austin was watching the crackling flames in the campfire as night fell. Two tender fish were roasting on top of the fire.

Seeing my movements, Austin added two more logs to the fire and handed me a roasted fish. "They're fine, Bookworm, don't worry." I nodded and took the fish. After finishing it, I still felt cold.

I went back to the tent and grabbed a hoodie. It was one of Austin's favorites, and I had secretly brought it along for this camping trip. I liked it; it made me feel closer to Austin. Besides, the sleeves were big enough to completely wrap around my arms and fists with some extra room. When he saw me wearing it, he smiled but didn’t say anything.

I sat back down by the fire, warming myself. "When do you think they'll be back?"

"I don't know. Maybe we can take a nap, and when they come back, they'll call us." He yawned, stretched, and stood up.

"Honestly, it's hard to sleep under these circumstances. Also, I should've brought an air mattress."

"What? Afraid the rough ground will scratch your delicate skin?" He grinned.

"Exactly." If we had a blanket, I thought, we’d be much more comfortable. "Luckily, it’s not raining, or that would be really bad." I smiled at him.

Just then, cold and wet droplets landed straight on my cheek and then the tip of my nose. I glanced at him wide-eyed, the raindrops sliding down my face.

“Or yes,” he said, just as the sky opened up and a cascade of rain poured onto us.The heavy rain drenched our campfire, extinguishing it in seconds. I jumped, quickly grabbed everything I could.

Austin’s arm slipped from my grasp, and before I could react, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward his tent.

“Wait, my tent is over there.” I could barely see it, but a flash of lightning illuminated the area for a brief moment.

“Forget it, mine is closer.” He didn’t let go of me.

“Thanks, but I really should—”

“Stop arguing.” Austin opened up his tent in a hurry, and then pushing me inside. I wiped my face with my hand as Austin climbed in after me, kneeling to pull the tent closed.

My clothes clung to my skin tightly, as Austin lit up a electric torch. It barely provided any light but it was enough to highlight his wet form. Just like me. Austin pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his muscled body to me, and then he stripped off his shoes and pants next.

"What are you doing?" I took two steps back, trying not to let my eyes linger on him, avoiding the sight of his toned muscles.

"It's cold, and we're both soaked."Take your clothes off and get into the sleeping bag,” He said, and my heart nearly stopped to hear those words from him.

“Wait, what?” Was I dreaming? Because I had only ever encountered a scene like this in my dreams. Of course, he hadn’t just asked me to take off my clothes—we had done far more than that. However, the alarm clock had always ruined everything in the end.

He didn’t even seem the least bit bothered as he grabbed one of his clean shirts and used it to dry out his hair. He sent me a patient look. “You’ll get hypothermia if you stay in those wet clothes. We need to get into the sleeping bag together and use body heat to stay warm.”

“Oh,” I muttered, then turning red as I repeated it, “Okay.” No matter how embarrassed I was, I knew there wasn’t a choice in this matter. He was right.

I took off my clothes. First the hoodie I loved so much and then my shirt, jeans and socks followed until I was left only in my bra and panties. This looked a lot like the scene from my dreams, but it wasn’t. I couldn't strip down completely with my stepbrother while our parents aren't there.

Then, I slipped into the sleeping bag first. It was a large sleeping bag, made for a grown adult to feel comfortable, but two inside? It made me tense. I tried to bury myself in the fabric, especially as I felt his hot skin slide in behind me. I shivered, my heartbeat quickens, every inch of us almost stuck together in such a small space. He's right. My body temperature is rising fast—I feel like a boiled shrimp.

Elizabeth

After finishing all that, Austin turned off the electric torch. At that moment, his body was only a few inches away from mine. And the distance was still shrinking. It was silent aside from the pounding of the rain on the tent above and his breath as his chest brushed against my back with every movement, his legs tangled together with mine.

My senses are on edge, my skin tingling. This is more than I ever expected. “Austin?” I asked, trying to distract myself. His hot breath brushed against the back of my neck. I felt a little fear.

“Yeah?” His voice was rough, tight like he was just as uncomfortable as I was.

“I’m not sure if this is a good idea,” I whispered.

"Emm, at least you don't feel cold anymore, right?" No, but my skin felt like it’s on fire. I gripped tightly to the edges of the sleeping bag, resisting the urge to slide my hand down.

We lay together, close to each other. Outside, the rain grew heavier, but inside the tent, it was eerily silent. The stillness made me feel both awkward and restless. I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension. "So, how’s school going?"

“College?” Austin asked, quietly.

“Yes, your graduation is coming up, right?” I felt the brush of his fingers across my shoulders. “What do you plan on doing?”

“I plan on moving back home in the spring, actually,” His hand slid down to my waist, resting there idly as he leaned in just a bit closer. I held my breath, pretending not to feel the hardness clinging to the curve of my butt. The ends of his wet hair slide across my neck as his lips pressed against the tip of my ear, and said, “I missed you.” When it twitched, I sobbed back. I may not be experienced, but I've read enough stories. At this point, Austin was hard, and there wasn't a crack between us when he pressed me so tight.

"Yes, you haven't had a good time with Dad and Grace for a long time."

He nodded. "I miss them too." The stubble on his chin fluttered around my neck and made me shudder. If he had moved his arm up a bit, he would have seen that my nipples were as hard as rocks. He looked down at me. "What about yours?"

"My what?" I looked up at him, and being so close to him made me a little foolish. The words appeared and disappeared as quickly as lightning in the sky.

"Ha, school, bookworm, isn't that what you do best?" He asked casually as his fingers lazily wandered around my navel, and drew little circles along my skin. Further down, it's my underwear. Another inch and I'll explode. Every part of me was clamoring for him to break through that line and give in to the impulses we were creating. It's just unbearable.

"Well, I'll probably go to community college, which doesn't look much different than high school. But I'm thinking of moving out."

"Living with your boyfriend?" His voice almost melted me.

I swallowed, not sure if I wanted to tell the truth. "A guy named James has been asking me out, but I haven't decided yet."

"You went out with him?"

"No, I didn't." I sighed. I don't understand why we have to talk about other people when we're so close now.

“What about you?” I asked, tilting my head to try and catch his glance. It's always easier to reveal your deepest secrets in the dark.

"Oh, there was only one girl I liked all along, bookworm." "He whispered, his breath brushing my ears. He's lying here, right next to me, telling me he likes other girls.

"Who? " God, I'm so jealous. Do I know her? As I tried to push him away from me, my heart seemed to burst out of my chest. I'm so angry right now.

"Yes, you know her." He let go a laugh and it made our bodies press more tightly together. I didn’t have time to miss his touch before his whole palm laid out over my lower belly. But then reason got the better of me. I pressed his hand down and stopped his next move.

“Well, who's she?”

“You haven’t figured it out yet?” His tone is playful, just like his fingers. He hold me into his embrace until I felt every inch of his body pressed against my back. “It’s you, bookworm.” My heart rapidly beat. A shiver ran down my spine as his whispered words hit me. It was like trying to understand gibberish because I couldn’t possibly have heard him right.

“Me?” I repeated incredulously.

“It’s always been you.” "He whispered, his lips caressing my earlobe. I felt like I was melting and my mind was blank. He continued, "I've wanted you for a long time. You drive me crazy."

"You can't mean that." I opened my mouth wide and closed it slowly. His confession left me speechless. I must have been dreaming. It has to be. If so, I’m at least going to see how it plays out before my alarm rings. I bit my lip, gathered my courage, and guided his hand deep into my underwear.