Making my way around to the other side of the pool, I glance over my shoulder to see Coen exiting the pool house, his eyes trained on me. I try to put a little more wiggle into my step, hoping I don’t trip over my own feet. I’m not a temptress. Or at least I’ve never tried to be one before today, but I’m going to give it everything I have, because one way or another, I’m leaving with Coen today.

“Eden.” I look over at Taylor waving me over to one of the food tables. I’m surprised to even see him here, but I’m guessing his parents made him come. People will do anything to get an invite to be around my stepfather. To rub shoulders with a senator.

His eyes run over me, making me feel naked. It feels nothing like when Coen did it in the pool house. It takes everything in me not to cringe, but I have to do this. I know it’s the only way. I have to push if I want Coen to act. To take me like I’ve always dreamed he would.

Away from this place. Away from my stepfather, who makes me more than cringe and whose touches have begun to linger a little too long lately. My mother doesn’t appear to notice. She’s never around, and when she is, she just doesn’t care.

“Hey, I didn’t know you’d be here today.”

Taylor puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him like we’ve been lifelong friends. We’ve lived down the road from each other for years and he’s barely said two words to me in that time. We didn’t go to the same private school but we were both in the same grade. He’d graduated last week. He went to the co-ed private school, and I was put into an all-girls academy.

I could barely breathe without someone watching me. The only time I could be alone was at home, but then my stepfather would just show up. I felt like it was his life goal to make me feel uncomfortable. If it is, he’s winning.

I glance over at Coen and see his eyes are still on me. He looks pissed, but now my stepfather is talking to him. Coen doesn’t stop staring at me while he carries on the conversation. I can see from here he’s breathing heavy. John follows his line of sight, and I look away.

“Couldn’t miss little Eden on her big day. Not only was it just your birthday, but a graduation, too.” His eyes drop to my breasts. “Guess you’re all grown up now. Maybe your daddy won't keep you so locked away now and you can come out and play.”

I look up at him and smile. I’m not sure what else to say. I don’t want to lead him on; I’m only using him to make Coen break.

All the girls at school talk about Taylor. He’s well known around here. He plays some silly sport with a ball that all the girls at school went all goofy-eyed about. But I’d probably do the same if it was something Coen did.

I don’t really get the appeal. He’s a little on the tall side for the boys around here, but anything is tall compared to me. He’s got nothing on my Coen, though, who’d tower over him. Taylor has that clean-cut Abercrombie look with wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes, and that whole super fit thing going on. What do they call them? Washboard abs? Not a trace of body hair on him anywhere.

But he looks like a boy. Not like my Coen. He felt like a man under my touch. Coen’s built like a truck, and nothing about his face is nice. He’s hard all over, and I’m sure he doesn’t even have to try to look like that. He made me feel small next to him, and I can’t help but think if his big hands grabbed me, he’d take me in a firm hold. Not an arm thrown over my shoulder and a teasing smile.

“I’m out right now.” I smile at Taylor, who raises his eyebrows. “We can play all you like.” I pull away from him, taking a step back towards the pool. “Catch me if you can,” I tease, before I turn to jump in the water. Taylor is hot on my heels and jumps in behind me.

I hit the water with a splash, and Taylor is on me, pulling me to him as soon as I surface. I slip away, and he chases me across the pool until I’m standing in the shallow end at the other side. He comes up behind me, grabbing me by my hips, and I look up to see Coen’s eyes. He’s staring right at me, and he looks like he’s about to explode. I wink at him and smile.

Chapter Seven

Coen

I look over and see the expression on John’s face as he watches his daughter. It’s then I remind myself that this is his stepdaughter and the look he’s giving her is less than fatherly. He reaches down and I can see that he’s trying to hide how he’s adjusting himself. He’s getting hard watching her, and it causes anger to flare inside me. He’s supposed to be caring for her, not sneaking looks and getting hard at the sight of her. I can only wonder how long he’s had these thoughts about her, and I guarantee it didn’t start the day of her birthday.

I should be ashamed of myself, but I’m not a father figure to her. My cock throbs and aches for her touch, but I’m the one who can have her. The only fucking one. Looking back over at her in the pool with the boy, I see she’s making a show of rubbing herself against him. His trunks are wet, and he’s furtively keeping his lower half below the water line, no doubt to hide his own excitement for her. She looks like a cross between a Hustler spread and a pin-up girl with her curves and obscene bathing suit. I could look around the pool and see all the dads and young men leering at her, but it would only make me angrier. I’ve got the ability to stop this, and I’m going to. I’m tired of everyone seeing what should be protected and covered. And if I’m being honest with myself, I’m tired of people looking at what’s mine.