Chapter 1

The week was off to an odd start. Josh had already been back from college for a few weeks. He deemed a summer job necessary to stay on top of the student loans and help ease his liability on his mom. Working as a bartender did pay quite well and allowed him to keep some social interaction while he was away from school, even if it was among half inebriated townies. Josh's mom, Elyse, had carried the burden of raising three children on her own since their father nearly drove them bankrupt between alcoholism and gambling debt. She'd put her foot down and gave him an ultimatum to choose addiction or family; that was the last they'd seen of him. As Josh grew older, he saw that had his father remained in their lives he and his sisters would've ended up very different people, for the worse.

Josh spent the first few days at home catching up with the few friends who still came home on their summer breaks. Many of his friends had opted for renting places of their own and seeking internships close to school over the summer. By the second week home, he was bored out of his mind. Bartending kept him busy at night and a few days during the week, but daytime at home was extremely uneventful. So to keep him company, there was Breanna. He'd affectionately shortened it to Bree ever since they were little kids and the name had kind of stuck. The two would play XBox together, watch movies and Josh would even help her out with laundry. A young college guy's definition of relaxation usually doesn't revolve around spending every waking hour with his younger sister, but to him it felt more like catching up with an old friend.

The awkwardness of being home began when Bree had been incessant upon sending their mom on a getaway with friends. It was a very selfless act for her to encourage her mother to take some R&R. Josh didn't mind looking after his two sisters while his mom was away. She really did deserve it; the only trips the entire family ever took were weekend ventures to the beach. Josh had no clue how long it had been since she had a vacation to herself. He and his sisters were all at the age where they could easily take care of themselves anyway. He felt pretty responsible for 22, Bree was turning 21 in a few weeks, and they'd celebrated Chloe's 19th birthday back in April. Just keep the fridge stocked with food, no crazy parties, and he knew they'd do fine.

Josh really didn't mind the attention; the degree of it was just a bit unexpected. Bree was one of the nicest girls he knew, her friendliness never surprised him. She had quite a bubbly personality, a lighthearted sense of humor, and he never minded the attention from a pretty girl. It was early in high school when he really began noticing her turn from a coltish adolescent into a pretty young woman. All the while he only had a couple inches on her and his voice was still awkwardly squeaking. Her fiercely competitive nature in both lacrosse and field hockey could be quite intimidating at times. Despite her petite stature at 5'4", she played one of the roughest cover points on the team; she was no less subtle as a midfielder on the hockey field.

Josh knew Bree well enough to get the impression that her involvement in sports was a strategic choice. Bree knew she was pretty, yet she chose to hide it. Dressing modestly at school, she usually wore her hair up in a ponytail. Her glasses also did little to earn her any positive attention. She said she wore them to help her see better in class, however given the choice Josh was pretty certain nine out of ten teens preferred contacts. No friends said it to his face, but he got the sense they thought of her as the nerdy girl. At home however, Bree was a completely different girl. She was flirty and fun, and she mostly wore her hair down, which gave her a wild, untamed look. She rarely wore glasses, and when she did it was only to enhance her already sexy appearance. Her dress code was noticeably more liberal, many evenings privileging Josh to copious amounts of eye candy.

Bree had her casual boyfriends, and Josh had his girlfriends. However, none of the relationships got serious, and Josh always felt he botched them up before they got too far along. It took him a while before he really understood why he caused their implosions. Journaling allowed him to see that he was comparing each girl to Bree. It was an enlightening moment as he methodically dissected the downfall of all those relationships, only to discover how each subsequent girlfriend was comparable to her. She truly was the embodiment of everything he wanted. Josh's dating life grew stagnant as he became extremely picky about prospective dates. His friends thought he was nuts for having such an intense criteria that was extremely meticulous if not downright impossible. He just didn't see the point in wasting his time on girls who wouldn't measure up. In the back of his mind, he wasn't sure there was a person that could mean as much to him as Bree. Even she teased him about lowering his standards.

Then there was Chloe. Josh's spunky youngest sister was quite the pistol. While Bree was the easygoing sister growing up, Chloe was inherently the bratty one. Always trying to one-up everyone and gain attention. Neither Josh nor Bree were really sure how that attitude came about. She received plenty of attention from her mom, so perhaps she was trying to get it from both of them too. Josh and Chloe developed this continually sarcastic dialogue with each other. They always knew where to draw the line with the prodding and pushing of each other's buttons. He just didn't know how to act around her after she ... developed.

It was seemingly overnight during middle school when she hit puberty, and puberty hit her hard. She became really moody, which was to be expected of an adolescent tween. Since her mother was a bit chester than Bree, Chloe leaned on her for support during their bi-weekly shopping for new bras. It was awkward for Josh to watch her go through all those changes. He had already gone through it once with Bree, but that only caused a brief fork in their relationship; Chloe's caused a bit more strife. She and Josh had remained estranged ever since. No guys like to deal with moody chicks, not even stacked ones like Chloe. Her blossoming body made dealing with her all that much harder, and Josh wasn't alone in the frustration.

What else is there to say about her? Chloe's a busty girl. Her breasts were naturally larger than any girl Josh knew; he could only guess that she was at least a D cup. The issue of her bust size probably wouldn't have been awkward if she was in a larger package, but she wasn't. Standing at an average height of 5' 6", she was thin where a girl should be and had supple curves where they count. Needless to say, she drew plenty of attention. Whether at the mall or out for a meal, pretty much wherever Chloe went, guys of all ages shamelessly ogled her. Summer trips at the beach were worse. Bree was left to compete with a bombshell younger sister, and Josh always wondered what to do with his eyes -- so he tried hard to look her in the face. He figured that was the respectful thing to do. It never seemed like a chore to him; he thought she had a very pretty face. Her slightly almond shaped eyes were a pale blue that reminded him of Caribbean waters. He found them quite striking against her coppery blonde hair and golden skin.

Of all the guys Chloe had encountered, Josh was probably the one she'd be least bothered by for checking her out, but he didn't -- or at least tried hard not to. She hadn't made it all that difficult on him at home. Much of the time she'd dressed more conservatively than Bree. She preferred wearing loose fitting shirts and baggy sweats – all in an attempt to hide her curvy figure. Contrary to Bree, she preferred to dress modestly at home, and be a vixen in public.

All the attention Bree showered Josh with felt bittersweet. He knew he couldn't have her as a girlfriend, but they were still as close as a brother and sister could be. That's why he was so persistent in finding out why she really wanted her mom to get away. With all the time at home spent together he had plenty of opportunity to ask, but the timing always seemed a bit awkward. Finally Josh just decided to flat out ask her before leaving for his evening work shift. Elyse was still at work, but Bree was in the kitchen prepping some dinner. She rarely made dinner for her mom. Josh felt something was awry; it was time to prod her about it. He sidled next to her at the counter, "Making dinner for Mom? You trying to butter her up for something else in addition to taking this trip?"

"Why does there have to be some ulterior motive? Can't I just make dinner for the family?" she guffawed.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Nothing wrong with making dinner for the fam, it's just you usually only do this when you want something. Seeing as you were so persistent to send her away on this trip and she's agreed to it, I'm just wondering what else there could be."

Her tongue was tied, and she shot him an impish grin. Sometimes she could be so easy to read. "I don't see it as sending her away. She's been so good to us over the years. You and I both know it hasn't been easy on her raising us without a dad. She hasn't even tried dating anyone else. It's always been about us. Don't you think she needs to treat herself?"

"I suppose. You've got to admit, your prodding her into going was out of left field. What gives? You're up to something else and I know it."

"Think what you want, but you're barking up the wrong tree, bro. Try this sauce for me?" She held a wooden spoon to his lips, imploring him to sample her dinner creation. It tasted like a creamy pesto sauce, and he thought it was delicious.

"When did you learn to be such a good cook? When Mom tastes this, she's gonna have you fixing dinner every night, you realize that?"

She giggled, "A girl learns a thing or two by vegging out on food network. You really like it?"

"I really do. I wish I was staying for dinner."

She looked genuinely disappointed by his news. "I didn't know you had to work tonight."

Josh felt bad for not telling her earlier. It's not like he could have called out that late on his shift, though. "I'm sorry, Bree. Promise you'll save me some for later?"

"Alright, I suppose I could save you a couple bites." She cracked him a slight grin.

"Bree, you're the best," he said, giving her a quick hug goodbye. "Later, sis."

The forlorn look in her eyes caused a twinge of guilt inside him as he left. Though she never said it, he felt like she was making dinner to impress him, not their mom.

Josh returned home from work around 12:30. Bree had left him a covered plate of leftovers adorned with a post-it note:

Heat me, eat me, think of Bree :)

He couldn't help but smile as he placed it in the microwave and went looking around the house to see if his ladies were still up. The TV was still on in the den and sure enough, Bree and his mom were passed out on the couch. Josh gently stirred Mom. Groggy eyed, she looked up at him and smiled. "Hey sweetie, how was work?"

"Mehhh, a bit slow, but still walked away with $100. Do you want some help up to bed?"

She sat up and stretched. "I'll be fine. Bree left you some dinner in the fridge."

"I saw it. I've got it reheating."

"Alright, baby. Well I'm heading up." Elyse softly cupped his cheek and kissed him before giving him a warm hug. She buried her head against his chest as she softly whispered to him, "I've missed you, Josh. I feel like with our schedules I don't even get to see you while you're home."

"I love you, Mom," he said, squeezing her tightly. "I know it's hard with us on different shifts, but I'll try to spend some time with you before your trip in a couple weeks."

"Alright, if not it's okay. Night, sweetie."

Josh grabbed his dinner and returned to the den, taking a vacant seat on the sofa. Jimmy Kimmel live was mildly entertaining; as he expected, Kings of Leon put on a decent performance. The remainder of the guests didn't pique his interest, so he decided to quickly eat his dinner and head off to bed too. Bree's chicken pesto was good, even reheated. He briefly remembered that disappointed look on her face when he left earlier. If it really was meant to impress him, she'd still done that. After putting away the dishes and turning off the TV, Bree was still asleep. She tended to be a very heavy sleeper, so he just peeled back her blanket and carried her off to bed. She stirred enough to wrap her arms around him and rest her head against his shoulder, softly breathing on him. Her warm little body felt good against him, but he felt torn as he enjoyed these little intimate moments. While he would quickly dismiss the gesture as strictly brotherly, he knew his motivation went deeper than that.

Thankfully Bree was already in her PJs, since it would've been a bit awkward if he had to change her for bed. He couldn't help but notice the way her thin, pink tank top clung to her like a second skin. It was so threadbare that it was nearly transparent, clearly revealing the shape of her perky, rounded breasts. Offering an unmistakable outline of her protruding nipples, the sheer cotton even described their dusky color against her otherwise copper skin. Yes, they were just nipples, but they were hers, and like so many other things he worshiped about her, they couldn't look more perfect. The skin of her bare legs was soft and supple, her muscles firm and toned. Even though she no longer played competitive sports, she still exercised enough to keep her fit physique.

Setting her down on the bed, he pulled back the sheets and tucked her in. His gaze lingered on her longer than what was probably appropriate. He wasn't looking at her like the cute little sister he'd known all his life. He was admiring the gorgeous woman she'd become. Their mom was also very pretty, so as Bree got older he knew she would only continue to look more and more stunning. The fact that she was one of the sincerest girls he knew only made his heart pound for her.

Josh whispered under his breath, "Bree, why do you have to be my sister?" He loved her, but he wanted her. Grasping her hand and giving it a little pump, he whispered, "Night, sis."

"Josh?!"

He snapped his head back to see Chloe's silhouette at the bedroom door.

"Chloe, I thought you were in bed."

As he stood to walk out of the room, she crossed her arms and blocked his exit. Even though the little imp was only a few inches shorter than him, he played along with her dominance for just a minute.

"I was just up in my room. You seem jumpy or something," she remarked giving him a sly grin.

"I'm not jumpy. Just trying to get everyone settled in for the evening." She hadn't moved an inch. "Stay up if you want, but you gonna at least let me go to sleep, brat?"

"Getting pretty cozy with Bree lately, aren't you?" Then she attempted to change the subject. "You never carry me off to bed."

Josh wasn't in the mood to conjure deep emotional explanations of why he connected more to one sister than the other. "You probably wouldn't let me even if I tried," he deadpanned.

"You could try sometime and find out. I see how the two of you act around each other. I just feel ... left out. We all know I was an unintended child." There was that bullshit excuse again being pulled out like a trump card to get her way.

"Do not start with that 'I was a mistake' bullshit. Being unintended and being a mistake are completely different." His voice grew a little louder than he intended, so he pulled Chloe out into the hall and continued as he shut Bree's door. "Chloe, I'm sorry if you feel like the odd one out. I don't intentionally do that. It's difficult making time for you, Mom and Bree on top of this summer work schedule."

She furrowed her brow in the dim hall light spilling from her room. "Josh, you make time for the things that matter most to you. I know Mom and Bree have missed you, but so have I. I just see how close you and Bree are with each other; it's always been that way as long as I can remember. I want that kind of brother too you know." Her words were inconveniently true.

He found her honest sentiment surprising, yet refreshing. She usually hid behind sarcasm, only rarely saying how she really felt. Josh was guilty of doing the same thing, especially with Chloe. He was pretty sure she could be just as sensitive as Bree or Mom. "Why do I have to live in a house with so much fucking estrogen?" he wondered to himself.

"Come here, sis." Josh pulled her into his chest for a hug. "I'm sorry I've been treating you like this. Like I said, I didn't mean it. If I'd known it made you feel that way, I would have been acting differently a long time ago. You want the Bree brotherly treatment from now on?"

She nodded against his chest.

"Alright, you got it from now on. Just do me a favor," he implored.

She pulled back and looked up at him with soft eyes. "What's that?"

"It's easier to be nice to you when you don't act so impish." He smiled warmly at her.

"I'll work on that," she replied, flashing him a mischievous grin. "Night, Josh."

Despite Josh's promise to both Chloe and their mom to spend more time with them, it was difficult to manage due to his work schedule. Cursed as the closing bartender, he was consistently getting home at 2:30 for the entire weekend. He'd wake in the morning, do some chores around the house, get ready for work and continue the vicious cycle. His break from the drudgery came on Monday when he swapped his evening shift for a double, where he'd be home by 9:00 at the latest. He was still exhausted on Monday; lack of sleep was taking its toll. His mom was working a late evening herself, but Josh had managed to muster enough energy after work to have a movie night with his two sisters.

When he rapped lightly Chloe's door frame, she took a break from typing on her friend's Facebook page to turn back toward him.

"Hey there, squirt," he said. "We're having movie night. You in?"

She grinned, "I thought we were working on the name calling, ass."

He rolled his eyes at her and tried again. "My dearest Chloe, we're having movie night. Are you in? There, is that better?"

"Much better," she giggled with a warm smile. "I'm in, as long as it isn't one of Bree's chick flicks."

"It's my pick tonight, The Hangover."

"Thank god." she chirped, as she went back to typing. "I'll be down in a minute."

Bree was seated on the far end of the couch with her legs folded up and a bowl of popcorn in her lap. He thought she looked really damn cute as she was plucking single kernels of the most buttered pieces to savor. Josh laughed to himself as he flipped off the lights and took a seat at the opposite end, cuing up the movie.

"Josh, what gives? Have I got cooties or something?" She had a dramatically sad look and was patting the vacant spot next to her.

He wasn't sure whether or not to look cozy with her after Chloe's comment from the other night. However, she did have the bowl of popcorn and he figured he could probably appease both of them if he was in middle. He shifted over and looked across the room just as Chloe entered. Josh's eyes widened when he saw that she was dressed in significantly less than what she'd just had on only a few moments earlier. A little less clothing wasn't totally shocking in their house. His mom usually wore her plush robe in the evening, and even Bree was showing a bit of skin in a tight baby tee and cotton shorts. This however was the least amount of clothes Chloe had ever worn in front of him. She had on a wispy tank top and black lacy boy-short panties. Josh probably wouldn't have even been shocked by the tank had it not been two sizes too small for her. Her oversized breasts stretched the very confines of her top. He thought at any moment if she took a deep breath it would literally rip. Then his eyes traveled down to her legs. He'd only seen that much of her legs at the beach in a bikini, and even then she was wrapped in a sarong most the time. While not quite as toned as Bree, Chloe's legs were still gorgeous pillars of tanned, tone flesh.

"Got room for one more, Josh?"

"Ummm -- yeah, sure," he stammered. Sitting down, she folded her legs beneath her and molded her body against him. He felt his face go flush as he could distinctly feel the protrusion of her nipples digging into his side. Baseball. Grandma. Hockey. He was trying to think of anything but Chloe's body against him.

Josh wasn't the only one noting her lack of apparel. Looking to his left, he noticed Bree was also quite shocked at what Chloe was wearing. "Comfy enough, sis?" she asked, with a twinge of sarcasm.

"Quite," Chloe cooed happily. Josh shot Bree a look of surprise, and there was an unmistakable flash of anger in her eyes. Attempting to play mediator, he pulled her closer to him and whispered,"You alright?"

The flash of anger was gone as she looked up into his eyes. "Yeah, I'm alright. Go on and start the movie."

The two coeds curled up against him kept his blood flowing, as he eventually felt comfortable enough to rest an arm around Chloe. He kept exchanging glances between the girls in attempt to stave off any catty behavior. Twenty minutes into the movie, they both seemed to be behaving themselves, though Bree was periodically glancing over at Chloe.

"Josh, can you let me up a sec?" He pulled his arm back as she sat up to pull of her tee. "You're a pretty good snuggler, but you're making me a bit toasty," she added.

He felt a surge of warmth as his eyes feasted on her bare skin. He sighed a mixture of relief and disappointment as she was still clad in a white sport bra. He was unsure where to rest his arm as she curled back into him, so he just kept it resting atop the sofa. "You more comfortable now, Bree?" he asked nervously.

"Almost," she said, looking up innocently. "You can put your arm back around me though."

"Umm, I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he answered.

She stared at him without flinching, "You won't." She reached around to place his hand on her back. "There. That's better. Will you scratch my back for me too?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied quickly. He noticed Chloe casting jealous looks Bree's way as he grazed fingernails on her skin. "What the hell is with these two?" Josh asked himself.

"Josh, a little scratchy scratchy for me too?" Chloe requested in a baby-like voice.