Summer with a Brother’s Best Friend (Love Beach Collection)

21. Reece

21

“I’m proud of you,” Isaac whispers into my hair as we walk along the sand, our fingers intertwined, the breeze a gentle caress after a long day.

“Thank you for being here with me.”

Isaac pulls me to a stop and brushes a lock of hair behind my ear. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.”

His lips are soft but firm against mine, a kiss to seal a promise, rather than the fiery passion we’ve become accustomed to.

We’d lived a lifetime in the span of a few hours today. Maddox had defended me in a crowded room, and I’d never been more terrified or thankful for my brother than in that moment.

Our mother had been surprisingly shocked by what he said, and we’d had a moment on the stage where it felt like everything might be okay. She’d hugged me tight again before we left and promised that she’d do better—make up for the way she’d pushed her own aspirations on me instead of building me up like I deserved.

But I didn’t need all of that. I just wanted a clean slate so we could enjoy the present and future instead of dwelling in the past. We already had a tentative date to play tennis next week to catch up, and then she surprised the hell out of me when she offered to help set up my classroom for the fall.

Maddox had snickered at that, and she’d volunteered him for all the heavy lifting.

I wasn’t mad about it.

We all healed a little today, forgiving the things we couldn’t change and making promises for all the things we had to look forward to.

“Mr. Nowak, it’s not dark enough out here for your wandering hands,” I murmur against his lips as he grips my ass through the cotton fabric of my dress.

“Can’t be helped, and besides,”—he pulls me tight against his body, his erection digging into my belly—“I thought you liked the thrill of people watching.”

“Almost watching. I like the idea that we could get caught—not actually getting caught.”

He chuckles and pulls away, taking my hand again as we head toward the car.

“Well, let’s get you home so I can get you out of that dress and coming all over my face.”

“I love everything about that sentence,” I purr. And I do. I love that he worships my body like a starving man, and I love the idea that after all this time, we finally get to be home.

“Good. We’ll get you moved in tomorrow, and you can act like your shoes don’t take up half my closet space already.”

“Act like you don’t like it.”

“I’m already imagining you strutting around the house naked in every pair of heels.”

“That’s wildly impractical.”

“Not in my mind it’s not.”

I snort as we make our way onto the sidewalk, the streetlights blinking on as Love Beach’s nightlife awakens. Signs glow and fairy lights twinkle in the distance, and I can’t help the sigh that escapes because there really is no place like this town.

Like home.

“What’s that look for?” Isaac asks, pausing by the passenger side door.

“I’m just happy. I’m relieved and exhausted in the best possible way and praying we don’t have to deal with any other theatrics from our family and friends.”

“And?” he asks with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“And I’m happy to be here with you and cannot wait to be your wife.”

Isaac presses me against the side of the car, boxing me in with his body and threading his fingers in my hair. “I’m going to take every opportunity to call you my wife just like in those books you read.”

His face nuzzles into the crook of my neck, and I gasp as he peppers kisses along my jaw. “I just don’t want a big wedding.”

“Three days ago you told me I couldn’t propose yet,” Isaac croons against the shell of my ear.

“And three days ago you told me it would happen real soon.”

“We can have whatever kind of wedding you want, but I need to get you home.”

“Courthouse?”

“Maybe not,” he says, finally looking up at me.

I pout and he chuckles, shaking his head as he says, “You’d be sad not having your brother and Marigold, Vienna, and your parents there.”

“I feel like we’ve already shared so much of our relationship with other people, and I just want something for us.”

“Okay, how about this,”—his thumb trails over my bottom lip—“intimate ceremony, extended honeymoon, and then a casual reception when we get home.”

I open my mouth to speak and then tilt my head to the side as the idea takes hold. “We’ll have to honeymoon over Christmas break.”

Isaac nods. “Vienna and the new guy, if I hire him, will be able to watch the bar while we’re gone. I can find extra coverage if we need it.”

“I don’t want to wait that long to get married though.”

“Well, Ms. Baylor,” he says with a wicked grin, “how do you feel about the end of summer?”

“I think we better start planning, Mr. Nowak.”

“I’ve been planning all day, Baby.”

I look at him in surprise. “You have?”

“Yeah, I’ve been planning on how to get you out of that dress since you put it on.”

He laughs and I roll my eyes. “You’re such a romantic,” I muse as he holds my door open for me.

“I’ll do it right; don’t you worry.”

“I’m not worried,” I say, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down for a kiss. “All I need is you.”

“And most of the closet and dresser space. And another bookshelf and?—”

“Get in the car, Nowak. You owe your future wife some orgasms.”

Isaac laughs, walking around the hood of the car before dropping into the driver’s seat. Without a word, he cups my face and slants his mouth over mine in a searing kiss before resting his forehead against mine.

“Best summer ever,” he says quietly.

“Best summer ever.”

With my brother’s best friend.