The Step Bro Situation (Situationship #1)

by Jesse H. Reign

I hand the sunglasses to him, torn between feeling resentful that he’s paying and feeling pissed at myself for not choosing a more expensive pair.

“Your dad is the only dad I’ve ever known,” he says lightly. He turns his gaze and fixes me with an overly intimate smile. “Thanks for sharing him with me.”

I know my value, that’s how. And you’re not going to talk to her like that,” I point furiously back to where we’ve just been, “and talk to me the way you talk to me through the wall.”

“Feels like my heart’s beating out of my chest when you smile at me like that.” I smile and whisper, “This is it, Jess.” “Mmm?” “Right here, right now – this is what good feels like.”

“My heart feels a little swollen, like it’s too big for my chest, and I feel like I’ve done something I’m not used to doing. Something big, you know?” He steps closer to me and whispers, “I feel okay most of the time, but when I’m away from you it hurts.”

“It’s not ‘cause you’re a guy,” I say, mumbling a little this time. “It’s because you’re you.”

What do you think’s going to happen? We just live happily ever after? “Yeah. Pretty much, actually.” Well, fuck me sideways. That doesn’t even sound like the worst idea I’ve ever heard.