19. Milo
19
MILO
I have no idea what the town is thinking.
To anyone else, living anywhere else, they probably wouldn’t think twice about it. Hell, I normally wouldn’t think twice about it.
Tonight, however, opening my truck door for Brenna and holding on to her hips as she slides out, that’s exactly where my mind goes. Well, that’s where it goes after I think about how much I like holding on to her.
“Town movie night got fancy,” she comments, looking around Newton Field, the community’s recreational area. We’re parked in the very last row, but can still see the massive movie screen on the other end of the field perfectly, despite the rows of cars, lawn chairs, and blankets in front of us.
Hickory Hills has hosted a town movie night for as long as I can remember. Probably longer than I’ve been alive. I’m sure there is some storied tale about how it was started to serve the town, since the closest theater is thirty minutes away and drive-ins are a thing of the past. All of which is true. More than that though, it’s a chance for the town gossips to get everyone in one place and fuel the rumor mill.
Hence why I’m suddenly all too aware that I don’t know what this town is thinking.
“Hayes donated a new projection system and big screen a couple of summers back after the last one got ruined by the Conrad boys,” I tell her, slipping my hand into hers.
It’s a natural move, one that I’ve been doing without thinking every time we’ve been out over the last couple of weeks. To anyone paying attention, it’s perfectly clear that something is brewing between Brenna and me. Dinner at Little Slice of Heaven, breakfast at Dolly’s, and a trip to the Farmers’ Market—on top of us being together at the Fourth of July picnic—doesn't require a lot of imagination to pick up what’s going on. Especially with all the hand holding. And the kiss I stole at the farmers’ market this morning. So much for keeping those private.
And yet, not a single comment. From anyone.
Not from my brothers. My sister. Either one of our mothers. Jack Keller, my father’s best friend who was standing right there as I stole that kiss. And especially not from Mrs. Chamberlain, the town math teacher, who always has to be in the know about everything.
Actually, I take that back. There is one person. Ken Noble, the town mechanic.
Shortly after Brenna walked away answering Brandt’s call, Ken’s head popped up from under the hood of a truck like one of the animatronic vermin in a whack-a-mole game. Smiling at me like I’d just given him the winning lottery numbers, he gave me a single nod, his deep southern drawl rivaling my father’s as he said, “Don’t worry, son, secret’s safe with me. You’re not the first guy to steal a kiss from a pretty girl in this parkin’ lot.”
And I believe him. On both counts .
Still, I would have thought one of the town’s most eligible bachelors—Mrs. Chamberlain’s words, not mine—so freely holding the hand of his best friend’s little sister, who is twelve years his junior, would register. Please don’t get me wrong; I have no complaint that it’s not. I’m simply also waiting on the other shoe to drop.
“They’re hellions, aren’t they?”
I chuckle, squeezing her hand. “That’s one word for them. If you see them walk into the drugstore, keep an eye on them.”
“They’d have to make it past Libby before I saw them, and I don’t know how much tolerance she’d have for that.”
“Good point.”
Laughter wafts over from some kids on the playground, filling the heavy summer air. A large crowd is already forming under the food tent, everyone trying to grab dinner before the movie starts. Guiding Brenna that way, I don’t bother to hide my smile.
Being with her like this is about as good as it gets. Not every date can be an event, and while our first two were fabulous, all the rest have been a lot more low-key, but just as magical. Maybe more. There is something about listening to her talk, laughing together, spending time together—just us, no expectations, no plans, no worries—that is good for the soul. Maybe it’s because we were able to skip all the “get to know you” questions—not having to ask each other about favorite colors and movies and books—and were able to slip into the more in-depth stuff that made it feel richer. Or maybe Brenna is that special.
We say some hellos to people as we grab a couple of slices of pizza, making the requisite small talk. Even that seems easier with Brenna by my side.
“There’s my star protégé!” Mr. Hovland calls out.
Brenna freezes, letting out a little groan. I wrap my free arm around her, pressing my lips to her temple gently, letting her know I’m here. That we can escape this interaction with ease.
“Hi, Mr. Hovland,” she says, turning to greet the older gentleman.
“I’m glad to see you taking a break from studying for the evening.”
“I’ll be right back at it tomorrow morning, don’t worry.”
“Oh, I’m not. I know how diligent you’ve been,” he replied. “Which is how I know you’ll pass with flying colors, and then we can set a plan into motion about the future of Hickory Hills Drugs.”
Brenna swallows hard, but the polite smile she has plastered to her face doesn’t falter. Damn, she’s a pro. The only two people I’ve seen better at that are Miss Belle and Willa—and theirs is all from pageant training.
Discomfort flows off Brenna as she nods, looking for the right response. I know she doesn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I also know she isn’t sure about staying here. We talked about it the other night while cleaning up at Pour Decisions. My stomach flips, just like it did the other night—and then again this morning—when she mentioned it, hating the thought of her moving away. But I also know what it’s like to have a dream and the chance to follow it. I want that for her just as much as I wanted it for Brandt and me.
“Willa!” I shout, catching sight of my sister out of the corner of my eye. She looks over, waving at us and nodding her head in a way that tells me she understands we’re looking for an escape. “Mr. Hovland, if you’ll excuse us, we have to meet up with Willa and Nash.”
Taking the hint, Mr. Hovland excuses himself, making a beeline for Hattie Burch, one of the other loudmouths in this town. No doubt to catch up on the latest “news. ”
“You chose your sister as our out?” Brenna mutters, low enough so only I can hear.
Willa sashays our way, a devilish look on her face, and I instantly regret said choice. This could go a lot of ways, and after how I took Nash’s side during their little tiff earlier this year, I’m starting to wonder if it’s payback time.
“First the Fourth of July picnic, and now movie night,” Willa says, leaning in to give Brenna a hug. “You apparently have magic powers the rest of us do not.”
“Wills…” Nash says from behind her. It’s a warning if there ever was one, and I’m glad he beat me to it. Because I know exactly what she’s insinuating there.
“What?”
Brenna laughs it off, her body relaxing and her smile widening. “No more than any other little sister out there.”
“Oh, this isn’t little sister powers,” Willa counters. “This is?—”
“Okay, that’s enough, you two,” I cut them off.
Both women turn to look at me, each with an eyebrow raised in mirrored expressions that are freaking me out. Last thing I need is these two ganging up on me.
“What’s the matter, Milo? You can dish it out, but not willing to eat it?”
Yup, this is payback…
Brenna glances back and forth between the two of us, her forehead creasing in confusion. “I missed something…”
“Nope,” I reply, nudging her around my sister and Nash, who has been suspiciously quiet this whole interaction.
Until now.
“Yup,” Nash adds. “Although with these two, staying out of it might be safer.”
“Pssh!” Willa scoffs. “We’ll do lunch. I’ll catch you up.”
I roll my eyes, pushing forward. My truck is in sight, and I know once we’re there, we’ll be safe. Or at least I think so .
“What was all that about?” Brenna asks.
“Little sisters are a pain in the ass, that’s what,” I say. Lowering my tailgate, I take her food from her, placing it on the bed.
“I’m a little sister,” she returns.
“Thankfully, not mine.” I grab hold of her waist and lift, planting her on the lowered tailgate and stepping between her legs. “Cause then I couldn’t do this.”
Leaning in, I capture her lips in mine. They’re soft, sweet, and send a zing through me that feels as if it should be illegal. That zing is also strong enough to erase the reminder that her big brother is my best friend.
I linger there for a moment, then run my tongue along her bottom lip, letting her know just how much I like being able to do this. Brenna coos, her fingers grazing along my biceps, returning the unspoken compliment.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, reminding me we’re in public. Saying a little prayer that it’s not Brandt long distance interfering for a second time today, I pull back, hating to let go, and check my phone.
Willa
I really like you two together
Me too…
“Who’s that?”
“No one,” I answer without thinking. Hopping up into my truck, I hand Brenna her food, taking a big bite of my slice. “Tell me about The Well Nest.”
“Do you always do that?”
“Do what?”
“Abruptly change the subject when you’re uncomfortable.”
Busted .
“Yeah…old habit,” I admit. “And that was Willa. Still giving me shit.”
“I love that you two are so close.”
I open my mouth, about to comment that we’re not any closer than she and Brandt are. In fact, they might be closer than Willa and I are. But that’s not what I want to be thinking about right now. I don’t want to invite him into this space. Because if I do, that means I have to acknowledge that he might not like what’s going on.
“Do you deserve it?”
“From Willa?”
Brenna nods, a smile forming on her lips that I want to kiss off so bad I can taste it. But I hold back, thinking for a minute. Or pretending to. I know the answer, and let’s not lie, so does Brenna.
“Probably.”
My admission earns me a laugh, Brenna knocking me with her shoulder. We continue to eat, the night dimming around us, chatting about the potential opportunity she may have, and how her pharmacy school advisor recommended her to a small, regional chain of boutique drugstores based out of Savannah. Earlier this summer she’d been excited about the idea, but now, I can hear the hesitation in her voice, like she’s still not sure about any of it.
“I’m probably crazy for thinking about anything past passing the boards, but…” she trails off. “My mind can't help but go there.”
“I get it. You want to make a plan. Nothing wrong with that.”
“I know. And this sounds like it could be a really good opportunity. They have five stores in the greater Savannah area, and they are about to open a new one on Somerset Island, and that’s what they are looking to staff.”
Somerset Island, wow. Nestled just off the southern coast of Georgia, and about forty-five minutes outside of Savannah, Somerset Island is home to pristine beaches, a world-class golf course, bike trails, and historical landmarks, making it an incredibly popular vacation spot—and a highly sought-after wedding locale.It was once privately owned by the Somerset family, who bequeathed it to the state in the 1950s, and is still a relatively small community. Not much different than Hickory Hills. Just a lot less rural.
“Wow, a brand-new store. That’s big.”
Brenna shrugs, popping the last bite of crust into her mouth. “It is. But at the same time, I kinda feel like I’d be trading one small town for another, you know?”
I do…
“You can always tell them no. It’s not like you don’t have the option of staying here and taking on the illustrious operation of Hickory Hills Drugs.”
“I’ve missed Hickory Hills while I’ve been gone. I loved Athens, but this place is home. Where else does the town gather together in lawn chairs and truck beds in the middle of a field to watch…I don’t even know what tonight’s selection is.”
“Errrrr…” I should know this. I did look it up. But it clearly was not something special enough to register fully. “Some family friendly epic. No one has convinced Women’s Club to start featuring the Mouse After Dark yet.”
“The Mouse After Dark?”
I nod, pulling her into me, scooting us back to prop up against the pillows I tossed back here for the evening. I steal another kiss, this time letting our tongues meet long enough for my dick to twitch.
“You know, classics like Chitty Chitty Gang Bang and The Loin King .”
Brenna half groans, half laughs. “Seriously? ”
“Could always go with You’ve Got Male , or Everyone I Did Last Summer , or The Boobyguard .”
“ The Boobyguard ? Really?”
I shift so that she’s facing me now, our legs intertwined. Resting my forehead against hers, I slowly run a hand up her body, loving the feel of her curves. Every inch of her is soft and perfect, and I’ve been dying to feel her—taste her—again. Slipping a hand up her shirt, I cup her breast, running my thumb over the cotton of her bra, feeling her nipple pebble under my touch. Brenna’s eyes flutter shut, her breath shuddering.
Fuck, is she beautiful…
“You mean to tell me these don’t need guarding?”
“That depends,” she whispers, sighing heavily. “Is what you’re doing right now considered guarding?”
“Sure is.”
“Then they absolutely do.”
Brenna licks her lips, her eyes going dark a split second before her lips are on mine. She kisses me hard and fast, like she’s on a mission—one that I’m happy to accompany her on. I kiss her back, just as hard, but I slow down the pace, wanting to drag this out. I enjoy kissing her too much to rush this.
“Hello, Hickory Hills!” Mayor Barbour’s voice sounds tinny through the microphone, but it’s more than enough to kill the mood. Brenna and I pull back from each other, only a little, both of us smiling like kids on Christmas. “Thank you for joining us for movie night! I hope y’all have your snacks?—”
“Oh, I do…” I quip.
Brenna giggles, playfully shoving me. The mayor continues on, neither of us fully listening to what he has to say. I consider kissing her again, but I hold back, knowing that if I do, I won’t be able to stop. So I force myself to sit up. To focus on the pillows and arranging them so that we can see the screen. On anything other than the fact that I want to take her home and strip her down.
“Do you want a blanket?” I ask, the screen coming to life before us.
“It’s eighty-five degrees out.”
“You might still get cold,” I suggest, giving her a wink.
“Isn’t that what you’re for?” she tosses back, those cute little lips tugging into a coy smile.
Well, fuck me…
“It absolutely is.”
The screen fills with the opening credits, music swirling around us. That’s my cue, so I yank Brenna into me, her giggle rivaling the music in my ears, wrapping myself around her. She fits so perfectly as she settles in with her back to my chest. It also gives me the perfect angle to slip my hand under her shirt again, my thumb instantly finding the still stiff peak.
“Hmmmm,” Brenna moans softly.
“These still need guarding.”
We do our best to pay attention to the cartoon playing out in front of us, enjoying being wrapped up like this. As much as I’m enjoying the story of all the emotions and their personalities—something I’d never thought I’d say—I'm enjoying Brenna’s enjoyment of it more. Of getting to watch her laugh at something funny, or groan at the dad joke. Of feeling her body move against mine as she does, my dick trying desperately to behave itself.
Looking around us, I note that we’re alone. All of the others parked around us must have moved in closer, leaving us with a decent amount of privacy, considering we’re at a town event, and giving me more than a little bravado.
“Here’s what I don’t understand—why isn’t horny one of the emotions?” I whisper into Brenna’s ear, nipping at the lobe.
“Because the main character is a child,” Brenna retorts.
“Ohhhhh…” I flick one of her nipples with my thumb, nipping at her ear again, earning me not only a moan but a wiggle of her hips. The movement is enough to make my already hard dick spark to life, looking for more. “So then if I were to look in your head?”
I trail my fingers down her belly, walking them slowly, one in front of the other. When I reach the button of her shorts, I stop briefly. Brenna lets out a gasp, jutting her hips forward, as if silently goading me. I flick the button open, continuing my trek, letting Brenna’s stuttered breathing guide me.
“You’d find horny,” she answers in a breathy whisper.
“Yeah?” I follow up, dipping my hand into her panties. “And what would I find here?”
I keep moving, her smooth skin soft under my fingertips. My whole body zings, electricity flowing through my veins as I reach Brenna’s clit. I circle it once, her pussy already so wet that it makes my mouth water remembering how sweet she tastes. Brenna’s hips move, trying to force more contact, rubbing against my cock.
Fuuuuckk…
She keeps that up, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to behave. I’m already pushing it, my hands down her pants like this out in public. It’s dark, and the wall of my truck bed helps, but the whole town is here. And they might have kept their mouths shut about us until now, but if I’m caught with my hands down her pants, plenty will be said.
That doesn’t stop me though.
I kiss my way down the side of Brenna’s neck, pausing right at the spot where it meets her shoulder. I nip at the sensitive skin, circling the swollen bundle of nerves again. Brenna squeaks, and it makes my pulse jump. Fuck, do I love all the little noises she makes. Every single sound that comes out of her mouth fuels me more. Makes me want to make her come over and over and over again just to hear them.
“Milo…”
And then there is my name on her lips. It’s like a prayer, whispered so reverently that my heart can’t do anything but stop. She owns me when she does that. And she has no idea.
“You like that? You want more?”
I don’t wait for an answer. I move away from her clit, sliding two fingers inside her. She’s so tight, hot, and wet for me, and it’s all I can do not to let out my own groan. But I know that if I do, it wouldn’t be as quiet and beautiful as hers. No. It would be a roar. It would be me claiming her.
I continue my efforts, finding that sweet spot inside her that I know rocks her world. Because that is my only focus right now—rocking her world. Brenna moves her hands to my thighs, digging her nails into them. The sweet sting of them through the fabric of my pants is more than welcome. It lets me know that what I’m doing is working. But working isn’t enough. I need to get her there.
Over the edge.
“Come for me, Bren.”
As if my words are all the permission she needs, Brenna shatters. Her whole body goes rigid, head thrown back, a silent scream escaping. Not wanting to take any risks, I grab hold of her face, pressing my mouth to hers to capture the scream. I kiss her hard, my hand now working double time to stay with her as her climax racks her body.
A long moment later, Brenna collapses into me, all her muscles relaxing. Removing my hand from her pants, I let her catch her breath, savoring her taste from my fingers. Fuck, she’s even sweeter than I remembered .
“Milo…” She twists in my lap, those gorgeous brown eyes looking up at me, stealing my heart.
“Yes, beautiful?”
Running her hand along my hard length, Brenna licks her lips. Anticipation floods my system, my mind racing with all the possible things that she could say or do next. With all the things I want her to do. With how much I want her.
But this has to be mutual. She has to want these next steps as much as I do. I know that everything we’ve done so far has been consensual, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready for the next step. It’s a big step. One I won’t push her to make until she’s ready. All she needs to do is say the words.
“What if we looked inside your head?”
Well then…
“You’d find a different thought entirely.”
“Such as?”
“That we should finish this at home.”