Chapter 16
“Ali, I…” Rosalie’s voice trembled, her thoughts in complete disarray even as something fluttered in
her chest.
Alistair gently took her hand, his voice a soft caress. “I didn’t want to frighten you away, so I planned to tell you when you were ready. Then you left for New York, and I’ve been waiting all these years, watching you from a distance.”
Rosalie struggled to process this revelation, her world tilting on its axis.
She asked quietly, “But Mom and Dad… what would they think about this?”
Alistair smiled reassuringly. “Before you returned, I talked with them about my feelings. They’re completely supportive, Rosie. Actually-” he laughed softly, “-they told me they’ve suspected how I
felt since we were teenagers.”
Still skeptical, Rosalie let Alistair drive her home to confirm this extraordinary claim.
When they arrived, their parents welcomed them with knowing smiles. Her mother took Rosalie’s hands in hers, eyes gentle with understanding.
“Sweetheart, we’ve watched how devoted Ali has been to you all these years. The way he’s always put your happiness above everything else. We couldn’t imagine entrusting you to anyone who would cherish you more.”
Her father nodded. “He’s waited patiently for you to grow into your own person, never pressuring you. That kind of respect and love is rare, Rosie.”
Rosalie’s mind was reeling, her heart racing with unexpected emotions.
Sensing her overwhelm, Alistair squeezed her hand gently. “You don’t need to decide anything now. Let’s take some time–go on real dates. Get to know each other in this new light. If feelings develop, wonderful. If not-” his eyes held nothing but sincerity, “-I’ll always be your brother and protector,
no matter what.”
The simple promise of choice, of respect for her autonomy, touched something deep inside her.
In the days that followed, Alistair kept his word. Monday through Friday, they embarked on carefully planned dates, each one helping Rosalie see him through new eyes.
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The Ultimate Payback: When I Married Your Enemy. My Stepbrother
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Chapter 16
On Monday evening, Alistair took her to Il Cielo in Beverly Hills, widely regarded as one of the most romantic restaurants in Los Angeles. The historic venue was breathtaking–string lights twinkled in the garden, creating a canopy of stars, while inside, candlelight cast a warm glow over antique wooden beams.
Sitting across from him at their window table overlooking the garden, Rosalie felt uncharacteristically nervous, fidgeting with her napkin.
Alistair noticed immediately. With the same attentiveness he’d always shown, he reached across the table, his fingertips lightly brushing hers.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said, his voice different somehow–lower, more intimate than the brotherly tone she was accustomed to.
Rosalie blushed, still unable to meet his eyes directly. “This feels strange, I don’t know how to act.”
Alistair’s smile was gentle. “Whenever you feel uncomfortable, just tell yourself one thing.”
She finally looked up. “What’s that?”
His eyes held hers steadily. “He’s not my brother. He’s a man who has loved me his entire life.”
Something shifted in her chest at those words–a small, tentative awakening.
Throughout dinner, she found herself noticing things she’d always taken for granted: how attentively he listened when she spoke, the way his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners when he smiled, how he remembered every detail of her stories, referencing conversations they’d had years.
ago.
Unlike Dante, who had often checked his phone during their dates or steered conversations back to himself, Alistair seemed genuinely fascinated by her thoughts, her dreams, her smallest
observations.
By dessert, Rosalie realized she’d stopped reminding herself he wasn’t her brother. She was simply enjoying the company of someone who truly saw her.
Tuesday afternoon, they drove to Malibu Beach, walking barefoot along the shoreline as the Pacific
crashed against the sand.
Rosalie wore a flowing white sundress that caught the ocean breeze. As they walked, Alistair kept a respectful distance, close enough to catch her if she stumbled but never presuming to touch her.
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Chapter 16
“Remember when we used to come here as kids?” she asked, watching seagulls circle overhead.
Alistair nodded, smiling at the memory. “You were always collecting shells, trying to find the perfect
one.”
“And you would carry them all in your pockets, even though it made your clothes sandy.”
“I’d carry anything for you,” he said simply.
A sudden gust of wind caught Rosalie’s wide–brimmed hat, sending it spiraling toward the water. She reached for it instinctively, nearly losing her balance.
In an instant, Alistair was there, one arm steadying her waist while the other caught the hat with surprising grace. Instead of merely handing it back, he carefully placed it on her head, his fingers lingering slightly as he adjusted it.
Their faces were inches apart, his eyes dropping momentarily to her lips before meeting her gaze
again.
“There,” he said, his voice slightly rougher than usual. “Can’t have you losing your hat.”
Rosalie felt her pulse quicken, a warmth blooming in her chest that had nothing to do with the California sun. Something was changing between them–a delicate metamorphosis she wasn’t sure she wanted to stop.
On Wednesday evening, Alistair surprised her with a trip to the Vineland Drive–In Theater, where they parked his vintage convertible among other cars beneath the vast night sky.
“I thought you might prefer this to a regular theater,” he explained as he adjusted the radio to the correct frequency. “More privacy to process… everything.”
The thoughtfulness of the gesture–how he continued to prioritize her comfort even now–made something soften further inside her.
The movie was “Culpa Mía,” a Spanish film about step–siblings whose initial animosity transforms into a forbidden romance. Rosalie couldn’t help but notice the parallel to their own situation, wondering if Alistair had chosen it deliberately.
As the protagonists on screen moved from tension to undeniable attraction, she became increasingly aware of Alistair beside her–the subtle scent of his cologne, the steady rhythm of his breathing, the warmth radiating from his body in the cool evening air.
Inome Mr. Starbrother
Chapter 16
When the film reached its emotional peak, the main characters finally surrendering to their feelings. in a passionate kiss, Alistair’s hand moved tentatively toward hers. His fingers brushed against her palm, a question in the touch.
Rosalie turned to find him watching her, not the movie–his eyes dark and intense in the dim light from the screen. The desire there was unmistakable, but so was the restraint, the absolute respect that she’d always known from him.
Her heart stuttered as she realized how much control he was exerting, how carefully he was moving
to ensure she never felt pressured.
Instead of pulling away, she turned her hand, interlacing their fingers. Something bloomed in his expression–hope mingled with disbelief.
Slowly, giving her every opportunity to retreat, he leaned closer. His free hand rose to cup her cheek with exquisite gentleness, his breath warm against her lips.
“Rosie,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion, “may I?”
She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she closed the remaining distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that felt like coming home and embarking on an adventure all at once.
It was tender, reverent–nothing like the calculated seductions Dante had employed. This was a man who had waited years just for the chance to love her openly, and the realization made her heart
swell.
When they finally separated, both slightly breathless, Alistair rested his forehead against hers.
“I’ve wanted to do that since I was eighteen years old,” he admitted softly.
Rosalie smiled, the last of her reservations fading away. The boundary between brother and lover had finally dissolved, leaving only what had perhaps always been there beneath the surface–two
hearts perfectly aligned.
The flower of love that had been quietly growing in the shadow of their shared history had finally
blossomed in the light of truth.
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The Ultimate Payback When I Married Your Enemy, My St
