Bully stepbrother

32. Stranger

MADISON

I didn't respond, merely stood watching his tall figure approach me, barefoot. He wore black joggers and a plain black t-shirt, his hair styled in that enticingly disheveled manner, occasionally falling onto his defined cheekbone as his fingers brushed through it.

As he stood just a foot away, my breathing quickened, and I swallowed repeatedly to moisten my dry throat, forgetting all my thoughts from the office.

The side of his lips curled into a knowing smile, and he made a move that caused me to freeze abruptly.

It turned out to be the darn bicycle. He was only assisting me with the bicycle, nothing more. Our hands didn't even touch.

Why do I react so instantaneously to him? What's wrong with me?

"I'll take this to your room while you prepare to be amazed," he announced excitedly, heading toward my bedroom door.

NO! I was walking into a nightmare.

When he returned without my bicycle, confusion filled his gaze.

"Realize it's your apartment, right?" he asked, gripping my hand. His touch felt unexpectedly alarming, awakening feelings I shouldn't be experiencing—stirring a strange yearning for a stepbrother that I knew was absurd.

He guided me to the kitchen area and seated me at the four-seater dining table.

"How was your day at work? Have you had any sessions?" he asked casually, moving around the kitchen with a plate in hand.

I remained speechless, unable to answer. When he returned with a glass and a bottle of wine, he repeated his question.

"Huh?" I embarrassingly squeaked.

His eyes narrowed as he poured a moderate amount of wine into the glass and handed it to me.

"Drink, please."

Did he just say "please"?

Well, this is where the dream takes an interesting turn.

Slowly and skeptically, I took a sip of the red wine, which surprisingly eased the tension.

Finally, I managed to speak. "Caden, what's happening?"

He chuckled lightly, emitting a resonating sound that was distractingly perfect, accompanied by a captivating smile.

He was undeniably handsome and acutely aware of it.

Straightening up, he returned to the kitchen without answering my question.

He came back with a sumptuous dish of Tso's chicken that could rival a five-star restaurant. Pulling a chair closer to mine, he sat down, the plate of food in front of him.

So, he brought me to the table to watch him enjoy a good meal. How gentlemanly.

He plunged his fork into the rice, his gaze fixed on the saucy food on his plate. He began, "Cooking wasn't too bad. It involves dicing chicken, deep-frying it, then stir-frying it with ginger, garlic, scallions, and hot chili peppers in a sauce made from sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and rice wine." He smiled faintly and shifted his gaze to me, his eyes lighting up as he laughed. "It's what the chef on YouTube did."

His infectious laughter made me smile, revealing a peaceful side of Caden that my dream had unveiled.

"You followed the instructions from the YouTube video?" I finally let go of my shock and embraced the casual, fun-loving Caden.

"Yes," he replied seriously, lifting a forkful of rice and chicken and directing it toward my mouth. My heart raced, and goosebumps rose on my skin as his fork approached. With my mouth closed, I met his gaze, his focused on my lips. "I wanted to cook you dinner, and I've never made a proper meal that wasn't boiled eggs or toast. Haaa!" He mimicked the way my mom used to feed me when I was sick.