CHAPTER 13
“He brought you breakfast in bed?” Brynn could feel herself welling up at Jess’s story as she sipped her third drink. “Again?”
“Yep.” Jess practically had cartoon hearts flying around her head as she stared across the bar at her fiancé. “For the third time this week.”
Brynn had known Ethan Steele since they were in middle school, and she would never have used the word “romantic” to describe him. But between the movie-inspired proposal, to the breakfasts (plural) in bed, it would be included in her top three descriptors of the man now.
People were still talking about his proposal, and probably would be for years to come. Someone had uploaded it on YouTube and it had over a hundred thousand views. But the breakfast in bed was more Brynn’s speed. It felt so intimate and was something that no one had ever done for her. It hit an emotional nerve that she was sure had something to do with feeling like she was being taken care of, which hadn’t happened a lot in her life.
Her mother was not nurturing in the typical “mom” way. Shea Daniels believed that children needed to find their own path and be self-sufficient. Brynn was doing her own laundry by the time she was four. In kindergarten, she knew how to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and so she packed her own lunches for school. By second grade, she was in charge of dinner. It usually consisted of peanut butter toast and yogurt, because at seven that had been her culinary limit.
Growing up, Brynn had never questioned her mom’s self-sufficient-based parenting style. But when she became a mother herself, it became clear to her that Shea’s hands-off philosophy was not the way she wanted to parent. She’d been lonely a lot of her childhood and had felt like she only had herself to depend on. She never wanted Ryder to feel like that.
Not that it was all bad. It had taught her to be independent. And that was a skill that had come in handy, since she started her adult life before most of her friends even had their driver’s license.
And as an adult, she had a great, full life. She just wanted a great, full life that included the man of her dreams bringing her breakfast in bed. Maybe it was because she’d always woken up so early, but mornings had always been lonely for her. That’s one of the reasons she loved her walking group so much.
Jess sighed, and it was clear that physically Jess was at Lanterns but mentally she was back in that bed. “He makes me toast that he butters on both sides, just like I like it. He cuts them into hearts, but then saves the excess bread pieces because he knows that I’d want to eat them.”
Picturing Ethan Steele, badass U.S. Marshal, cutting toast into hearts made Brynn smile even as a tear slid down her face.
“Why are you crying?” Ali asked.
“I’m not.” Brynn sniffed and wiped away her errant tear, then chuckled. “I mean, I am, but just because that’s so sweet.”
Liam happened to be passing by and must’ve noticed her tears because he handed her a cocktail napkin.
“Thanks,” Brynn smiled and sniffed as she took it from him.
His fingers grazed the back of her hand, just like Axel’s had, and she waited. She wasn’t expecting the fireworks that her tenant had inspired, but a little spark would’ve been nice.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t even a tiny twinge of awareness from her body that the hot bartender was touching her. It might as well have been Jess handing her the napkin.
“Everything okay, love?” he asked with just a hint of his Irish lilt coming through.
She waited again, and again was met with only disappointment. Her lady parts had no response to the sexy accent coming from the sexy guy talking to her. People always wondered how she’d managed to stay single for so long and she was beginning to think her lack of chemistry had made it a lot easier.
“Yeah. I’m fine, Thanks.” She turned back to her friends as the band announced they’d be taking a short break as Ali’s phone beeped and when her friend glanced down at it her face lit up.
“Oh, it’s ten!” Ali twisted and grabbed her purse from behind her.
Brynn thought it was adorable that Ali set an alarm to take advantage of having the house to themselves.
“I’m out, too.” Jess stood and pulled first Brynn and then Ali into a quick hug.
“Do you need a ride?” Ali offered.
“Nah, I think I’m going to walk. It’s a beautiful night.”
“Are you sure?” Jess questioned. “We can take you, it’s on our way.”
“I’m good.” Brynn assured them.
The girls said their goodbyes and Brynn looked down at her empty drink. She didn’t want to glance in the direction that her friends were walking because she was trying to avoid seeing the man that she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Axel had been at the table with the guys for close to two hours.
Part of her was glad that he seemed to be getting to know people in town, but another part of her was disappointed. It took her a minute to figure out why, but then she realized it was because he’d kept to himself so much that she’d felt special being the one person that had had a real conversation with him. That was no longer the case.
The tears that had welled over Jess’s breakfast in bed, sprang back to her bottom lids. Brynn wasn’t one to feel sorry for herself, but she’d had three drinks and she was a lightweight.
She couldn’t believe how hung up she’d gotten on a man that had paid her no attention and made no attempt to get to know her. Tonight may not have been the Axel-free night she’d wanted, but it was definitely Axel-gut-check night.
He’d been at the bar the entire night and had made no effort to speak to her.
She wiped the tears that were falling down her cheeks from beneath her eyes. She was crying over a guy that she barely knew not talking to her. It was time to call it a night.
With more determination than ever to put Axel out of her mind, she shifted in her seat to stand. When she did, she was faced with a broad chest that unlike Liam’s smile, touch, or voice, had every part of her body tingling with anticipation. Anticipation for something that would never happen.
Her eyes lifted and she felt a flush rise up her cheeks as her gaze drifted past Axel’s kissable mouth. His perfect lips were surrounded by a stubble that made her inner walls clench at the thought of what his prickly hair would feel like brushing against her skin. Preferably the skin of her inner thighs.
She cleared her throat and did her best to push down the graphic images that sprung to her mind. Images of the top of his head buried between her legs. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes, she was met with his deep brown gaze boring into her soul.
“Hey!” Her voice was high as if she were surprised to see him.
“Are you okay?” His deep timbre vibrated through her.
“Um…in general, or…?” She wanted her response to sound casual and unaffected, but instead her words were shaky and breathless.
“You’re crying.” Her words might be trembling but his were strung tight as a drum.
“Oh, that.” She smiled and wiped her cheeks with the cocktail napkin Liam had given her. “I’m fine. Thanks.”
“What’s wrong?”
The genuine concern in his tone sent her heart diving straight off of Swoon Cliff. But her good sense acted as a bungee cord and snapped that sucker right back into place. He was just being neighborly.
“Nothing.” She smiled brightly.
The look in his whiskey gaze made it clear he wasn’t buying her flippant response or forced grin.
“Really,” she did her best to assure him.
There was no way she was going to tell him that she was crying over him. Especially knowing that at any second he’d make some excuse to leave, just like every other time. She decided that this time she would walk away first. It might be a small step, but it was one she needed to take.
“Well, it was nice seeing you.” She started to walk past him when she felt his fingers brush the back of her hand.
It was the lightest touch but she felt it rush through her with the force of a tornado. She froze in her tracks. Her heart was pounding in her head as arousal and awareness flooded her senses. Why couldn’t Liam, or Chris, or Keaton, or Sam or any other eligible man in Whisper Lake have this kind of effect on her?
“Do you want to dance?”
The sound of his voice cut through the arousal whooshing around in her head, but she was sure that she must have heard him wrong.
Her eyes cut up to his. “What?”
This time she heard him loud and clear.
All night, she’d watched people on the dance floor and wished that she was out there. Wished that this exact moment would happen, that Axel would come over and ask her to dance.
But he hadn’t. Not until he’d seen her crying. He was a sweet guy, but that was even more of a reason for her to protect herself.
No. Say no! her inner voice screamed trying to protect her from the inevitable pain she would feel after the dance when he ignored her again. But instead of heeding the warning, she took a cue from Axel and ignored it.
“Sure.”
The left corner of his lips turned up in a lopsided grin that was so sexy it should be registered as a lethal weapon. He rested his palm on her lower back and the heat of his touch spread through her like a wildfire. She felt it everywhere from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.
Her legs were noodles as he led her to the dance floor out on the deck. Since the band was on a break, slow music was playing through the speakers. They joined a half dozen other couples swaying to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran.
One second they were walking and the next Axel had swept her into his arms with a graceful authority that caused her already weakened knees to buckle. She remained upright thanks to the support of his strong hold. She heard herself sigh as she melted into his embrace.
“You smell…delicious.” His deep voice was low with an edge of danger to it.
Her sex spasmed in reaction to his chosen adjective. She’d never known just how naughty the word delicious could be.
“Thank you,” she breathed and she tried to come up with a compliment of her own. It wasn’t that there was a shortage to choose from. She was just trying to narrow it down to one that was appropriate. “You’re a really good hugger.”
That’s what I went with?
Hugger?
He stilled for a minute, before continuing to sway to the music. She lifted her eyes to see if he’d had any reaction to her compliment. She was prepared to defend herself by saying how important hugging was and how bad some people were at it and that this was dancing but it was basically hugging while moving. But when she saw the look in his eye, she forgot what words were. He was staring down at her with a smile that had her heart doing backflips.
“Hugger, huh?” His arm tightened around her as he swayed them in a circle. “That’s a first.”
The entire experience crashed over her like a fifty-foot wave. Being in Axel’s arms beneath a blanket of stars, the romantic music, and their bodies pressed together and moving in sync all conspired to create a false sense of intimacy that she was enjoying way too much.
It’s just a dance, she reminded herself as warmth rose on her face and made her look like a rosy-cheeked Raggedy Ann doll.
Not wanting him to see any physical evidence of how stimulating this interaction was to her, she laid her head on his chest and snuggled against him.
The truth was, she’d use any excuse to be close to him. It had quickly become her favorite place in the world. And just like Whitney Houston, she exhaled.
* * *
Brynn sighed as she rested her head against Axel’s chest and in a split second his entire life changed. His heart cracked wide open. Holding Brynn in his arms, hearing her say that he was a good hugger (which was hands down the sweetest, most sincere compliment he’d ever been given), and seeing her blush as she looked up into his eyes shattered any walls, any protection, any defenses he’d ever constructed.
This was a huge mistake.
Axel knew that he should’ve just left the restaurant when Brynn’s friends did. He could’ve waited for her outside and followed her home from a safe distance. That was what he’d been hired to do. But when he’d seen her crying he hadn’t been able to walk away.
For weeks, he’d kept his distance. He’d spent as little time with her as possible. He’d gone out of his way to avoid having conversations with her. All because he’d known the danger of even one interaction. And he’d been right.
And now it was too late. One dance, one blush, one sigh was all it took for him to fall madly, completely, head over heels in love with Brynn Daniels.
His pulse raced as he tried to plan his exit strategy. He needed to end the dance, get her home safely, and lock himself in his apartment so that he wouldn’t declare his undying love for a woman who didn’t even know the real reason he was in Whisper Lake.
“How’s Izzy doing?”
Her question caught him completely off guard and made his heart swell even fuller with affection for this woman that he’d swear was too good to be true.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly, hearing the raw emotion in his voice.
She lifted her head and a wrinkle appeared between her brows as they furrowed in confusion. “She doesn’t want to talk about it?”
“She doesn’t want to talk. At all. She’s not answering my calls or texts.”
“When’s the last time you talked to her?”
“It’s been a while. A few weeks.”
“Did you guys get in a fight?”
“I guess.” He inhaled slowly through his nose as he told himself to stop talking.
The last thing he needed was to feel even closer to the woman that he couldn’t get out of his mind. Sharing personal details about his life was not something he’d ever been in danger of doing before. But the thing was, opening up to Brynn felt as natural as breathing. Before he could stop himself, he heard the words spill out of his mouth. “Every day she was calling to tell me that she hated school and wanted to leave. And I kept trying new ways to handle it. The last time we talked I tried tough love.”
Her eyes widened. “Uh-oh.”
“Yeah, it didn’t go well. I said some things I shouldn’t have.”
“Did she get upset?”
“Yes, but not in a hysterical way. She was calm.”
Brynn hissed through clenched teeth as she cringed. “Oh boy.”
He loved that she understood that calm was much worse than hysterical. It was like she had a teenage shorthand.
“I’ve tried calling her. Texting her. Even emailing her. And she won’t respond to anything. I’ve been stalking her Instagram just to make sure that she’s alive and well.”
“I never thought I’d say this,” Brynn grinned, “but thank God for social media.”
He felt himself smile and just like that, the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. One conversation with Brynn and everything felt lighter. Safer. Happier.
“Have you…” she hesitated before asking, “apologized?”
“I would, if she would ever call me back. I never thought she’d stay this mad at me for this long,” he admitted.
Brynn’s head tilted to the left as her fingers brushed the back of his neck. He was sure that it wasn’t something she was doing to purposefully drive him crazy, but the sensation of her fingers lazily playing with the hair at the nape of his neck was making him want to crush his mouth to hers.
“I don’t know Izzy so I can’t tell you what she’s thinking. But I’m guessing that she’s not mad at you. She’s probably hurt. Most of the time anger is really just a symptom of pain. An apology can go a long way to healing any pain or hurt you caused, especially if it wasn’t intentional. And I know, you would never do anything to intentionally hurt her.”
He stared at her in awe. Just when he thought he couldn’t fall harder for her, she said something like that and he did. Her blind faith and trust in the person he was made him want to be the man that she saw.
“Sorry.” She shook her head and the fruity vanilla scent he’d smelled when he’d pulled her into his arms wafted through the air. “I didn’t mean to analyze. It’s a force of habit.”
“Don’t apologize.” There was huskiness in his voice that he hadn’t meant to be there. “You never have to apologize for being you.”
She let out a forced laugh. “I think there are a few people that would disagree with you there.”
“You really have no idea how amazing you are, do you?” It wasn’t a rhetorical question. He was honestly stunned that she seemed completely clueless to how fucking incredible she was.
She sucked in a shaky breath and licked her lips nervously. His eyes tracked the light pink tip of her tongue as it traced the seam of her lips. The sight was the most innocently erotic one he’d ever seen. Every cell in his body came alive with fiery desire. Arousal raced through his veins as he inhaled slowly in a failed attempt to douse the flames of lust blazing in him.
Besides his pants growing snugger by the second, the only evidence of his struggle was his hands flexing, causing his fingertips to dig into the soft curve of her hips. It wasn’t something he’d meant to do, but when he did, he felt her tremble beneath his touch.
That was it. That tiny ripple of response was all it took to snap the thin thread of self-control he’d managed to hang onto. Acting purely on instinct he lowered his head. As he did, he watched her eyes widen and then fall to half-mast.
Just as his mouth hovered above hers, the lead singer from the cover band that had been playing came over the mic and announced that they were back for their second set. It was enough of an interruption to burst the bubble that the two of them had created.
His lips grazed hers as he asked, “Do you want to go home?”
“Yes,” she breathed without any hesitation. “Yes.”
Wasting no time, he guided her off the dance floor and down the steps of the outdoor deck. One yes would’ve been enough, but hearing the second one had his heart and other body parts straining with unspoken emotions and desires. Emotions and desires that he wasn’t sure he could contain any longer even if he tried…but after that dance, he was done trying.