Desirable Lies

Meet the Family

*Katy*

I'm not sure what I expected, but the following morning when I roll over in the gigantic bed, John is already gone. The crinkled white sheets are the only bit of evidence he'd been there at all. He was a good sleeping companion. Quiet and true to his word, he didn't try anything with me.

I stretch and take my time rolling from the bed. In the bathroom, I debate taking a shower. I'm dying to use the luxurious steam shower with its six shower heads, but decide instead to make it brief in case John is expecting me downstairs.

After smoothing my hair down in the mirror, I wander downstairs in search of coffee. The house is completely silent. As I pass by room after room on my way to kitchen, it feels like I'm walking through a museum.

John is sitting at the breakfast bar, leaning over his iPad with a cup of coffee sitting nearby.

"Morning," I say.

His gaze lifts up to meet mine, his mouth tugged down in a frown. I feel like I'm interrupting him. He taps a few more keys on his tablet and then glances up again, his frown now absent. "Morning."

"Is there coffee?" He said I should make myself at home, and so I try to fight off the feeling that I should retreat to a dark corner of the house and stop interrupting him.

He tips his head to the elaborate stainless steel brewing system installed into one wall. That is not a coffee pot. "My staff, the housekeepers, and cook have all been made aware of your presence here. They think you're a friend who's staying with me. So if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Marta's my favorite. You can trust her, okay?"

I nod. "So, what's our story? About how I know you."

He furrows his brow as he thinks it over. "You're the younger sister of a college friend of mine. You're in LA trying to make it as a model and I offered you a place to stay until you get a job. How does that sound?"

"A model?" I glance down at myself and nearly roll my eyes. "Let's make our story at least somewhat believable."

"Yes. A model. And it is believable."

I chew on my lower lip, processing this information at how he views me. "Okay." Whatever. "Does this brother of mine have a name?"

He thinks it over. "Anthony."

"Where did you and Anthony go to college?"

"Harvard," he says without batting an eyelash.

Wow. Impressive. I guess the multi million dollar home sitting directly on the beach in Malibu makes sense. He has a top notch education. He's smart, powerful, and sexy. Altogether, a lethal combination. I still don't understand how he's single.

Just then, the doorbell rings.. it's an obnoxious chime that goes on for what seems like forever. My eyes flick over to his. "Are you expecting someone?"

He sets the cup down on the counter. "I guess it's a good thing we came up with that story," he says, then heads off to answer the door.

What the hell? I'm standing in his kitchen wearing the baggy T shirt he gave me last night, no bra, and apparently I'm about to meet someone from his life. Perfect.

Seconds later, John reenters the kitchen, followed by two men who share his same features.

It's overwhelming to have them all in the same room, all of their brilliant eyes watching me.

"Who's this?" One of the Johns look a likes asks with a cocky grin. His eyes are devouring me and his mouth is curved up in a smile. He looks to be a few years younger than John, which makes me realize for the first time that John must have a couple of years on me.