Stepbrothers: Jeremy & Cole E-Book

H.G. Ellis

• Herausgeber: H.G. Ellis
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Jeremy already has enough challenges in his life with work and college. He's also trying to deal with his overbearing stepfather and being forced to stay in the closet. Then he meets Cole, his stepbrother. Cole is rough, rude, mean, and also straight, and he knows Jeremy's secret. Now Jeremy has to do whatever Cole says.
When Cole's demands put them both in danger, will the stepbrothers realize their true feelings for each other before it's too late?

Leseprobe

Stepbrothers: Jeremy & Cole (MM Romance)

By H.G. Ellis

Copyright © 2025 H.G. Ellis

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the author or publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. All characters and events depicted are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All characters engaging in sexual acts are eighteen years or older.

Any person depicted is a model.

This novel contains material intended for mature readers.

Stepbrothers: Jeremy & Cole

MM Romance

H.G. Ellis

Chapter 1

Back from buying some office supplies for the car dealership where I work, I have my hands full and have to leave the door to my crappy car unlocked. Going in, I hold the door open with my foot then my elbow while balancing the box of paper and other stuff.

That's when, out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse someone on the corner of the next building. I turn to look over my shoulder and see a scary-looking guy, and I swear he's glowering right at me. I stare for a minute while holding my breath.

The guy walks away, disappearing around the corner and I let out that breath I have been holding. That guy was seriously hot as well as scary, with dark hair and even darker eyes and an amazing physique under a tight t-shirt and jeans.

I'm supposed to keep that kind of thinking to myself these days, but I could mention the hot, scary guy to Farah. She knows I'm gay.

"Ooh you splurged on some office supplies," Farah says as she sees what I'm carrying in. She's my best friend and the receptionist and looks cute behind the big desk in front.

"Just don't tell Barry," I say as I go to put the supplies in the closet.

Barry is my boss and my stepfather and he refuses to let us stock up on supplies properly, says people will just steal them. He always thinks the worst of people. Yeah, my mom married a real sweetheart. But he is rich. This one car dealership is just the tip of the iceberg. It's the smallest and oldest in a whole chain of them. I kind of like it. It's in a cool, retro building, but Barry is ready to tear this place down. I don't know what Mom sees in him. She is really into him though, the life he gives her.

Barry is the reason I'm in the closet. My mom is scared of how he would react if I came out. I promised her I would hold off, but I'm not waiting forever. Still, I can't ruin things for her.

I go back out to lock up the car and pass one of the sales guys laughing it up with a couple looking at a red SUV. Barry has been pushing me to go into sales. He looks down on anyone who isn't a money-hungry go-getter, but I would suck at it.

My car is parked behind the building, out of sight. As I'm locking it, I hear a noise and turn to see a man lurking in the shadows behind the building. With my eyes on the man, I freeze and then realize it's that same guy from before. So he didn't leave.

He steps forward and I wonder if I should be worried. I don't run off though, just stare as he comes over. Seeing him up close, he is even hotter, tall and muscular, and those dark, glowering eyes I can't seem to look away from. And now that I see him better, he looks familiar. I squint and picture him younger, wearing a football uniform with a helmet under his arm.

Oh, my God. This guy is Cole, Barry's son from his first marriage. I recognize him from a photo in Barry's office, the only one. Barry and his son are estranged.

Now I don't know what to say to him. Cole is never mentioned at the house and my mother warned me to never ask questions about him. Barry only keeps that one picture of him in his office at his main dealership so he looks like a family guy and a proud father and not a cold, stingy asshole.

"You work here or something?" Cole says.

"Yeah, I'm the office manager," I say and leave out that I'm his stepbrother. He hasn't introduced himself so I don't either.

He eyes the dealership and says, "Not my kind of place." He walks away and I hear the sound of a motorcycle starting up then driving off.

What the hell was that? I go back inside and almost tell Farah all about who I just saw outside, but I notice that one of the sales guys is loitering near her desk. I decide to keep it to myself. I don't know how Barry will react so it's better not to have the news spreading.

As I get to work, I don't end up even mentioning the news to Farah. I'm too distracted thinking about how hot Cole is. It makes me hope I'll see him again. I should be hoping I don't. Cole is probably straight, but that won't make it any easier for me to pretend I am. The hard look in those dark eyes is enough to make me give myself away, not to mention that body. He really needs to stay away. I don't need trouble from Barry or his son.

At lunchtime, I go out to eat and to pick up lunch for Farah too. She's craving the spanakopita from the Greek diner a few blocks away and she needs to spend her lunch studying. We go to the same college. That's how we know each other, and I helped her get the job at the dealership.

At the diner, I grab a booth and notice that Paula, the girl behind the counter, is chatting with a tall, muscular guy. I know those broad shoulders. It's Cole again. Since he's mostly turned away from me, I have a good stare. His jawline is sharp, his hair is really short and his muscles incredibly defined.

Paula is clearly flirting with Cole, but from where I'm sitting, I can't tell if he's flirting back. Then the server comes over to take my order and I have to stop staring.

As I'm eating, I keep glancing at Cole who is only having something to drink. At one point, I swear that Paula looks my way significantly and Cole half turns toward me. I feel sure that Paula just pointed me out to Cole, maybe told him who I am.

I'm thinking he might come by and introduce himself but he just walks out. Through the diner windows, I see him get on his motorcycle and speed away.

Now I'm dying to ask Paula about him, if she knows him, what he might have said to her, but she gets busy and I have to go back to work and deliver the spanakopita to Farah before it gets cold.

I'm pretty sure that Paula told Cole that I'm his stepbrother. Neither one of us admitted to it, but now we both know it. It makes me feel weird. Like I didn't want Cole to know I'm off limits or something. The guy is almost certainly straight. Why am I having these ideas about him? Maybe because I need a guy in my life and I can't have that while I'm lying about who I am.

I never imagined I would be in college and in the closet. Now every time a guy comes onto me, I ask myself if he's worth the risk. The answer is always no. And it's not like I got much action before. I should have gotten my fill before Mom married Barry then I wouldn't be stuck fantasizing about my brutish stepbrother.

Chapter 2

The next day I have classes. After coming back from campus, I should be going home to study, but I decide to go by the diner, pick Paula's brain about Cole. When I park in front, I notice Cole waiting outside the diner, leaning next to his motorcycle. Is he waiting for Paula maybe? She was flirting with him pretty hard, and she is a pretty little blond thing. I bet that's his type.

"You must like this place," he says to me as I go over. "I noticed you were here before." He noticed me sitting there, probably knows who I am, and walked right past me.

"Yeah. It's close to work," I say. "I'm Jeremy."

"Mitch," Cole says.

I blink at him. What is he up to? I guess there's always a chance he changed his name, but I'm betting that he's straight up lying. I don't call him on it, just nod and stand there awkwardly.

I catch my reflection in the diner door, my blue eyes, my light brown hair that I can't decide if I want to cut, lean body. I can't help but notice how out of place I look anywhere near Cole. Why should that matter? I stop critically eyeing myself in the diner door and look away from Cole too.

When he sees me staring at his motorcycle to avoid staring at him or my own reflection, he says to me, "Maybe you want to go for a ride?"

I look from his motorcycle to him. "Sure," I say without thinking. It's like I can't say no to an offer of a ride from a hot guy even if he is my lying stepbrother.

I wonder why he's lying though. It confirms that he must know who I am or he wouldn't bother lying, or even talking to me. What the hell does he want? Information about his father and his new family? My first thought is that I have nothing to hide, except I do.

None of my suspicions stop me from getting on his motorcycle with him. As I climb on behind him, I can feel the heat of his body, the hard muscles shifting as I hesitantly put my hands on his waist to hold on. Then powerful vibrations go through me as the motor starts up. I can't lie, everything about this is such a turn-on. How am I going to pretend to be straight when I feel like this?

As Cole drives us past the city limits and out into the countryside, I have a vague thought about helmets, but then I just don't care. I'm in a reckless mood. The wind whips at us as we speed down little-traveled roads, and I start to cling to Cole kind of shamelessly, forgetting myself, feeling exhilarated by the ride, by him.

I have no idea where he's taking me. That should be unsettling, maybe alarming, but I'm just going with it, enjoying the ride. My arms wrapped around Cole, I'm feeling his muscles tense as he makes a turn. Every motion is a thrill and I press myself to Cole's broad back.

When Cole slows down and pulls over on the side of the road, I groan with disappointment but then I quickly let go of him. I'm starting to come to my senses. Drawing back from him and getting off the bike, I realize that it's going to be getting dark soon. The sun is starting to set.

I'm staring at the red horizon, but I notice that Cole is staring at me. He's leaning on his bike and his eyes are on me in a very intense way. I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but could he be into me?

He can't be. He knows we're stepbrothers. Plus I bet he's straight. I still feel like something is about to happen, but I have to be wrong about that too. I'm just imagining things.

Pushing away from his bike, Cole comes over to me. He moves slowly like he wants to make my heart race out of control. Then he's right in front of me and staring down at me with a look so dark, I get scared.

I want to step back from him, but I barely flinch before his hand grips my arm, not letting me move. My heart races as he leans down and brushes the side of his face against mine. His stubble is rough as his lips brush against my earlobe softly, and I hiss in a breath. It's too much. I need to pull away right now, before it's too late.

Cole pulls away first. He's still holding my arm while I just shudder and blink at him in confusion. His other hand goes up to my face slowly. Then he stops, not touching me. His eyes are locked on mine and the back of his hand brushes my cheek. His knuckles glide over my lips. Oh, my God, I can't handle this.

Then his hand drops lower and his fingertips slide down my throat. Fingers spread, his hand rubs over my chest. That means Cole can feel my heart racing, my breath coming in hitched and too fast.

Skin tingling, heat spreading from every place he touches me, my body is going out of control even before Cole moves past my abs to my crotch. I'm so hard and now he can feel it as his hand skims over the front of my pants.

I can't let this happen. I have to push him away. But how? I can't make my body move. Telling myself that he's my stepbrother isn't working.

I'm in trouble, I know it, but I can't resist him. It's impossible. Then his lips crash against mine and all coherent thought flies out of my head. His kiss is rough, but even as I lose myself in the moment, a small voice in the back of my mind reminds me that this is wrong. That I should stop him.

He stops first. As he pulls away, I'm left gasping for air, my heart thundering.

"I knew you wanted it," he says with a mean, smug smile on his face.

What am I supposed to do now? Deny that I'm hot for him? I don't say anything, just try to get my breathing under control.

When he steps closer again, I think about pushing him away. I don't do it. All I do is breathe hard and stare into his eyes, mesmerized, waiting for what he's going to do next.

His fingers push through my hair then tighten, pulling me in. His grip on me is holding me in place then forcing me closer. His crotch pushing against me, I'm feeling him grow harder against my erection. He wants me too and that makes me insanely turned on. I can feel his breath on my face as he whispers. "Let's see how far I can make you go."

As he pushes me to my knees in front of him, there is no doubt what he wants. Hard ground under my knees, I look up at Cole. His expression is unreadable as he unzips and frees his huge cock.

I'm staring at it, licking my lips. It's gorgeous and about to be all mine. I'm panting for it and Cole is staring down at me cruelly. His grip tightening on my hair, he tells me, "Don't fight it. You want it."

I can't deny it's true. My mouth betrays me, opens to him, my tongue licking as I take him in and moan. I suck and lick, I can't get enough.

Cole's mouth twists as he grips the back of my head and pushes deeper into my mouth again and again. My jaw aches, but I'm so hard, so desperate to satisfy him. I gag around him, feeling tears coming, but I don't let them fall. I keep going, taking it, ready to come just from being used by him.

As I suck desperately, I can feel his pleasure building, and I know it won't be long before he finishes. But as he reaches his climax, I swallow every drop and almost come. Not quite. I lick my lips while aching for release.

"Get up." He pulls me up and holds me against him. I want to kiss him but the look in his eyes is mean, scaring me. "We're done here," he says, his voice low and rough. He zips up and I just stare. What did I just do?

"Why?" I stammer under my breath but I don't think he even hears me as he turns away.

Climbing on his motorcycle, he turns to glare at me for not getting on behind him fast enough. "Move it," he says. But I refuse to get on the motorcycle with him, so Cole tells me, "You need to learn to do what you're told. I think you know who I am. I'm Cole Danning and I own you now. If you don't want to get outed, you'll obey me like a dog. Now get on."

I want to tell him to go to hell, to show him he can't push me around. But he can. Knowing that I'm in too deep, I do it, get on behind him. As we speed back down the same road, I have no idea where we're heading but I know I just made a big mistake.

Chapter 3

I hate living in my stepfather's house, a gaudy mansion. I do it because Mom begged me to. Barry has his mother living here, Mrs. Danning, and she is about as nice as her son. She never misses a chance to say something snide or even downright nasty to Mom. So Mom told me she needs someone here who is on her side.

Tonight I got to sit through an excruciating family dinner, but at least now it's over. Mrs. Danning made the housekeeper cry. I feel bad for her so I'm taking out the trash to help her out. While outside, the cool night breeze feels nice so I decide to stay out here. But I need more of an escape than this. I'm still rattled by what happened with Cole two days ago. How could I get carried away like that, and with my stepbrother? I am so stupid.

I can't focus on studying right now. I need to take my mind off my own stupidity. As I sit on the dividing wall between the garden and the rest of the property, I'm texting with Finch, Farah's older brother, who isn't sure if he wants to go out or keep playing some game.

"I need to get out of here, come on, help me out," I beg, but none of the places I want to go can entice Finch. He keeps saying "Nah" and I keep losing hope. And Farah told me she would kill me if I tempted her to go out when she needed to study.

The game wins out and I slide my phone into my pocket with a groan. Then I almost fall off the wall when a dark silhouette steps out of the shadows. It's Cole looming out of the darkness and trying to give me a heart attack.

"What is wrong with you? What the hell are you doing here?" I ask. I haven't even gotten over the shock, now I'm starting to panic. But this is Cole's father's house. Maybe this has nothing to do with me. Cole might be here to see his father.

"We're going to a party," he informs me gruffly.

I blink at him. "What?" My first instinct is to say no, to tell him to go to hell, but then I look toward the house, its lights on. I can imagine my stepfather's reaction if Cole tells him I'm gay. I can't risk bringing that kind of turmoil into my mother's life. I look back at Cole and see the threat in his dark eyes.

"Fine," I mutter and jump off the wall. Cole looks me up and down like he's going to say something about what I'm wearing, which is just a t-shirt and jeans.

"I'm wearing the same thing you are," I point out though his t-shirt shows off his muscles while mine is kind of loose and not showing off much of anything.

"I didn't say a thing," Cole says and gives me a dismissive look like changing what I'm wearing wouldn't fix anything. Asshole.

Following Cole to his motorcycle, I notice how his t-shirt stretches over his broad shoulders, the sleeves riding up to reveal the impressive muscles of his arms. No change of clothes would make me look like that, but normally I would go and change for a party. This time is different because I'm not about to give Cole the satisfaction of thinking I want to look good for him. It's bad enough that I'm following behind him like an obedient dog.

I know I can't say no to Cole, but it's weird to think I'm going to a party with him, that we'll be seen together. And I don't even know what kind of party this is.

I have questions, but I follow Cole to his motorcycle without a word and get on behind him. The rumble of the engine vibrates through my body in a way that gives me flashbacks to the first ride we took, and then we speed down the road.

Sitting behind Cole, the heat of his body makes me shudder. Being this close to him, smelling him, keeps taking me back to what we did. But I shouldn't be thinking about that. I need to keep my head clear. I have no idea what Cole is planning for me, why he wants to take me to a party. Maybe he just likes my company, but everything about his demeanor tells me that isn't it.

As we ride down the dark streets, the wind whipping at us, I can't help feeling excited. The roar of the engine and being tight against Cole's muscular back makes me forget everything I should care about.

After a while, Cole makes a sharp turn onto a side street, and I hold on tighter. I can tell the ride is going to be coming to an end and I wish it wasn't. We're now driving between mansions on sprawling estates. We stop in front of one of them and hear music blaring even before Cole shuts off the motorcycle engine.

It looks like the party is in full swing. The downstairs of the mansion is all lit up, but the upstairs is dark. Party noises are spilling out, disturbing the neighbors and promising a good time.

Getting off the bike, Cole just stands there for a minute. I wait for him to say something but he just stares at the mansion with an unreadable expression.

I'm wondering if this is when he's going to explain himself but he doesn't even glance at me as we head inside. We go in to the beat of music and people talking and laughing.

As we make our way through the house and to the back, I take in the scene, drinks flowing freely, and a haze of smoke here and there. Then we step outside to the pool area and I see naked bodies splashing in the pool. OK.

Cole doesn't greet anyone as we make our way between the guests, but then a woman with curly blonde hair and a slightly glazed look in her eyes greets us. "Cole, so glad you came. And who's this?"

"Stepbrother," is all Cole tells her instead of introducing us, and she smirks at me like she knows what Cole and I did. Maybe she does. Maybe he's been telling people all about it while at the same time threatening to expose my secret.

"Want to jump in the pool?" she asks me.

"No, he doesn't," Cole says, answering for me like he thought I might say yes.

The woman leaves us alone and Cole keeps moving through the crowd, eyes scanning all around. I guess he's looking for someone who wouldn't stay far from the pool with the naked people in it.

"And there he is," Cole mutters, eyeing a guy standing by the pool, ogling the people in it. He's not very tall but he is muscular, his reddish blond hair super short. Cole's eyes are hard as he looks at him, then he says, "His name is Vance, and you're going to make friends with him."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask.

"Be friendly but not too friendly. Play hard to get," Cole explains like I was asking for more instructions. I want to tell him where he can stick his demands but he walks away.

I kind of expected a threat, but it's like he thinks I'm so completely under his thumb, he doesn't even need to threaten me. This definitely feels like he's prostituting me, but he did say 'not too friendly'. That's the silver lining, I guess. And Cole will out me to his father if I don't do what he says so I don't have much of a choice. As I approach that guy, Vance, I lose my nerve and veer off at the last second. I'm not used to hitting on guys and I don't even like the look of this one.

Despite my last minute change of course, Vance notices me and comes over, introducing himself. "Vance," he says with an arrogant sneer while his eyes travel up and down my body.

"Jeremy," I say.

"You look like you're not having a good time yet. Let's go upstairs, see if we can find an empty bed, and I'll help you with that," he says and reaches for my arm like I already said yes.

"I think you have the wrong idea about the kind of guy I am," I tell him but that's not strictly true since I am the kind of guy who goes down on a stepbrother I just met. But I'm not tempted to go anywhere with this guy.

Vance shrugs and walks away, leaving me feeling relieved but also worried. I look around for Cole but don't see him anywhere. I wonder if he'll be pissed that I couldn't keep Vance's attention.

Not seeing Cole, I wander around the party, feeling out of place and uncomfortable. I finally spot Cole standing with a group of girls and I look away. I don't want him to catch me watching him or worse glaring at those girls. At least they're distracting him from pushing me at that guy Vance.

A friendly voice from behind me breaks through the noise of the party. "Hey there."

I turn to see a guy standing behind me uncertainly, his eyes locked on mine. He's thin with shaggy brown hair and a crooked smile. If my mind wasn't preoccupied with Cole, I would think he was pretty cute.

"You enjoying the party?" the guy asks, his eyes shifting to my lips.

"Sure," I tell him and keep my voice neutral, uninterested. Cole made it clear that I'm not here to enjoy myself. This guy's gaze still moves down my body while he smiles.

"You would enjoy it more if we go somewhere so I can see what's hiding under those clothes? You're hot, I just want to see how hot," he says and tugs on my t-shirt lightly. Unlike Vance, this guy would usually tempt me, but not tonight.

"Uh, no. I'm..." I almost say I'm here with someone, but I feel like I'm really not. Cole brought me and that's about it. As I look around, I don't see him. I'm probably going to have to find my own way home.

"You're taken, huh. In that case, you should have worn something tighter so I could scope you out properly," he says. "I still might get a chance if you jump in the pool."

"I won't be doing that," I say.

The guy sighs. "Dashing my hopes again." He walks away still smiling, waving to someone. That's a guy who doesn't let rejection bother him. Not like me. I'm actually annoyed that Cole disappeared on me. I'm even wondering if he's hooking up with one of those girls right now. I don't care what he does. If he ditched me for good, he did me a favor. In fact, maybe I should have taken that guy up on his offer.

I go wandering around again. Just as I'm about to grab a beer from a bucket of melting ice, a strong hand grabs me. I jump and see it's Cole. Holding me by the arm, he pulls me behind a post.

"Are you confused about something?" he says, his voice cold and ruthless.

"Everything," I tell him, but it wasn't a real question.

His grip on my arm tightens as he invades my space until he's all I can see. The party fades from my awareness and all I can think is how amazing it would be if we were really alone, or if he kissed me. God, it would be so much easier if I just hated him instead of being hopelessly turned on by him like this.