Twenty-seven

LILAH

A heavy weight is thrown across my abdomen waking me.

It’s Andrew’s arm pulling me to him.

Opening my eyes, I take in the lavish décor of the bedroom and remember where I am. Andrew’s beach house in the Hamptons.

Last night is a blur as my eyes adjust to the sunlight streaming in through the open bay windows in the corner of the room. I can hear the waves breaking against the sand because his backyard opens up to a private beach.

Talk about heavenly…

Despite the house being situated on the beach, there’s still a pool and Jacuzzi near the back of the place. It’s absolutely breathtaking and so different from his extravagant estate back in Connecticut.

Not surprisingly, I find that this house is a better fit for his laid-back personality and artistic lifestyle. When he told me he only comes out a couple times a year, I was floored.

I’d pack up my life in a second if I owned a place like this…

“What are you up thinking about so early?” Andrew grumbles from behind me.

His already deep voice is sleep laden and even sexier than usual. I swear if my body wasn’t so exhausted from last night’s marathon session, I’d probably be rubbing up against him like a cat in heat.

“Good morning,” I say, rolling onto my back to look up at him.

Waking up beside him feels way more comforting than it should. I’ve grown so used to sleeping alone in my bed that it catches me by surprise how acclimated I’ve gotten to having him with me in such a short period of time.

“How did you sleep?” he asks, burying his head in my neck.

The stubble on his chin tickles my sensitive skin, making me squirm before I sigh blissfully at the hot kisses he presses against my throat.

“You taste good,” he murmurs as his tongue sweeps over the exposed flesh.

Melting into the plush mattress, I feel the pulse reignite at my center.

His fingers make a lazy trail down my naked torso and dance over my abdomen. Suddenly I’m awake and on fire under his touch.

So much for me being tired.

Just as I let my legs fall open under the cool sheets, there’s a knock at the door causing us both to swear under our breaths at the unexpected intrusion.

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds,” Charli sniggers through the door, indirectly informing us that she heard our muttered curses loud and clear. “But I need to speak to Lilah.”

Andrew’s grin is proud as he slips out of bed naked and heads for the connecting bathroom on the other side of the suite.

I hop out of bed when he closes the door. Slipping into his discarded button-up from last night, I hurry to the door.

“Charli, this better be good.”

“Chill out, this will only take two seconds,” she promises, hiking an oversized beach bag up on her shoulder.

That’s when I notice the rest of her getup. Her untamed curls are perfect and she has on a bikini under an off-the-shoulder top and denim shorts. Flimsy flip-flops complete her look.

“Where are you running off to?”

She can barely contain her radiant smile. “Gabriel is taking me surfing for the day. I just wanted to tell you before I disappeared.”

Smirking, I vaguely remember them getting cozy last night before the wine had taken its toll. Gabriel couldn’t keep his hands off her and she seemed to love every second of it.

After our dinner for four, they were ducked off in a corner of the room all night sharing secret glances and secret words.

“There’s a beach in the backyard,” I point out, my grin growing wider.

They’re trying to sneak off and while I think it’s cute as hell, I’m still going to give her hell for it.

“I know that,” she tells me, growing exasperated. “But he says Ditch Plains is much better for beginners like me.”

“Mhmm,” I hum knowingly. If I know anything it’s that she definitely won’t be getting a lot of surfing in today. Not if Gabriel has anything to do with it.

Luckily enough, he seems like a nice guy. Not her usual asshole type at all. The moment he’d been introduced to Charli, he’d only had eyes for her. And I can admire that.

“Bye! Don’t pretend that you’re not excited as hell to get rid of me. I know I probably interrupted sexy time for you and you know who,” she says, eyebrows dancing on her forehead.

There’s no denying that one so I don’t even bother blushing. After telling her to be safe, I close the door and venture back into the suite to see what Andrew’s up to.

***

After our indulgent morning in bed, Andrew agreed to act as my tour guide.

The shops lining the streets in Montauk are adorably quaint yet exclusive.

As he shows me around the town where he spent most of his summers growing up, I feel undeniably closer to him. I realize it’s the first time I’m getting a glimpse of him in this light and I don’t take it for granted.

He doesn’t come right out and say it, but I’m realizing he’s more of a rebel than I thought. He’d been raised to follow a certain path and his art career is way more than a slight detour.

I always thought his unapologetic attitude was hot, but now he’s damn near irresistible.

When he pulls me into a boutique with opulently dressed mannequins in the window, I lift my brow at him but he just kisses me erasing my confusion.

I’m practically drooling over a caftan style dress I just found when someone comes up to Andrew and starts a conversation. It’s happened so much since we’ve been out that I think nothing of it.

Until I hear the silver-haired man ask him a question I’m not expecting.

“What about that brother of yours? How’s he doing these days?”

It’s impossible to miss the palpable tension that stiffens Andrew’s shoulders as he gives his terse response.

“Fine as far as I know.” Then he discards the shirt in his hands. “It was good seeing you again, Mr. Brennan.”

Next I feel a hand at my elbow pulling me in the direction of the door.

“Let’s go, Cupcake,” he says tightly. Even with the use of my playful nickname, he sounds on edge.

Once we’re on the street, I stare up at him trying to read his closed-off expression.

“Is everything okay?” I want to know.

“Fine,” he responds, not meeting my eyes.

“That man,” I say, using my thumb to gesture behind us. “He said something about a brother. I didn’t know you had siblings.”

Andrew pushes a frustrated breath through his nose and stops walking when I say this.

“I have a brother. We’re not close,” he provides tersely.

Now I stop walking and stare at him waiting for elaboration. When it doesn’t come, I take matters into my own hands.

“You have siblings? I didn’t know that. How many? Where does your brother live? What’s his name? Wh—”

“Just the one,” Andrew interrupts, fixing his gaze on something over my shoulder. “Last time I checked, he was living on the west coast and his name is dickwad.”

I open my mouth to fire another round of questions at him, but he shuts it down in a heartbeat.

“Let’s go. I’m starving.”