Brunch couldn’t be any more fucking awkward, even if I were to eat alongside my family buck-ass naked. Maybe at least then Katie would stop pretending I don’t exist.

After Charlie interrupted us, I paced the tiled floor as I listened to Katie’s mumbled voice explain to her brother that she had brought “a guest” home from the casino. I get it, because she probably wouldn’t be able to otherwise explain the screams he heard. Then he insisted on meeting her “guest,” and I felt like a fucking coward for not stepping out to man up to him. I was ready to throw my damn fist into the bathroom mirror. Katie told Charlie that she was a grown woman, and it wasn’t his business who she slept with. I had never heard her that angry.

Once he was gone, she tossed my clothes through the bathroom door and barked at me to get dressed. I was so pissed that she was back to treating me like a kid that I took my time, knowing I’d have to wait until I left anyway to make sure Charlie wasn’t lurking nearby. I eventually fell asleep in the tub. When I woke a couple hours later, I found Katie buried in bed under the thick white comforter, back turned to me. It was probably for the best, because at the time I probably would’ve said some things I would’ve regretted.

But damn her, she looks even sexier this morning wearing a white button-down shirt and a knee-length skirt striped with bright colors, long brown hair in flowing waves gathered over one shoulder. Her hairstyle reminds me of the way it fell over her shoulder when she straddled me, the way she tipped her head back and let herself go with my touch. It was obvious she was nervous about undressing in front of me, although I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t have more confidence. Upon seeing her beautiful tits for the first time, I almost shot a load on my stomach. Fuckin’ A, I could shoot a load just thinking about them.

I discreetly adjust my hard dick beneath the table as my sister, Sofia, winds up the story of how she and Nolan eloped.

“Grandma Leona would’ve definitely approved of Fat Elvis,” she says as she snuggles against her husband’s side. Nolan gives her this smug look like he’s the luckiest guy in the world. I mean my sister's great and everything, but what a sap. As a fellow Marine, I’d call him out on it if we were alone.

“Wish we could’ve been there,” Evelyn tells them with an annoyed sigh, arms stretched over her round belly.

“Sorry, Ev,” Sofia answers. “The idea of a big wedding…it just isn’t my thing.”

Charlie wraps his arm behind Evelyn and kisses the side of her head. Then he whispers something that has her giggling and her cheeks pink. I almost groan out loud.

Why do things always seem to effortlessly work out for so many of my siblings? Evelyn left the farm in Minnesota to live in New York with Sharlo, a friend she met online, and bam, she met Charlie—a famous rockstar no less. The effect continued to trickle from there. Our brother James came to New York to drag Evelyn back home and met Sharlo, a hot Brit with a sizable trust fund. Not even an attempt on Sharlo’s life by some psycho and the loss of their first baby could tear them apart. Then as a good friend of Sharlo’s, Nolan, The Millionaire, swept my middle sister off her feet. The rest is history.

Now they’re all rich as hell, making it hard to keep up with all the trips they want me to constantly take across the country to Brooklyn. I know they all had their issues to get past, but they make it look easy to find the right person and settle down for a happily ever after.

At least Angelina and Hunter appear equally annoyed by the dopey love-birds surrounding us. Well maybe just Hunter. Angelina almost seems…out of it. I feel like I hardly know my oldest sister, especially since she lives way the hell down in Miami, so I can’t even guess what’s going on with her. It’s honestly surprising that she hasn’t settled down yet, even though I heard someone mention she’s dating. She’s beautiful and wicked smart. Everything she does comes off as being graceful, reminding me at times of that famous dark-haired princess from England. Maybe she hasn’t found anyone because she’s literally waiting for a prince.

“You alright?” I ask, lightly nudging her in the side with my elbow.

She merely hums in reply, blinking heavily like she’s fighting off sleep. I never heard where she and the others ended up last night. Maybe they never went to bed.

Setting my arm behind her chair, I lean in. “Want me to order you a coffee?”

“No, I’m fine.” She suddenly sits taller, wiping a hand over her face. Then she gives me a little smile. “Just tired from trying to keep up with Hunter.”

As I look away from her, I catch Katie’s gaze. Head tipped down, shoulders curled forward, heavy eyes searching mine, it’s almost as if she’s sorry for what went down last night. But is she sorry we messed around, or sorry we couldn’t continue? I would’ve insisted on staying if I hadn’t been so pissed by the way she treated me. The anticipation of finally having her was almost too much to handle. The pressure in my balls while we were making out was downright painful. And it’s building again.

I still want her. Maybe even more after last night’s little taste test. I had plans for her that would’ve stretched out until dawn. Plans that involved my face buried between her legs and finding other ways to test her limits. From the way she writhed and screamed, my suspicion that she’s never been treated right by a man was confirmed. I’m certain it’d never get tiring discovering new ways to make her come.

“—up for a day excursion?”

Once Katie’s eyes snap away from mine, I realize someone’s asking me a question. I turn to find Evelyn watching me, head tilted.

I shrug. “What?”

“Nolan’s wondering who wants to go to the Grand Canyon and who wants to see the Dam.” Her gaze drifts from me to Katie, then back to me. “Or did you have other plans?”

Fucking hell. Does she know?

Fuck it. The only thing I care about is what Katie wants, and it seems clear that she isn’t going to give in again, especially now that her brother knows something’s up with her and some mysterious man. I can’t spend an entire fucking day around her without at the very least wanting another taste of those hot little lips.

“I’m heading home,” I decide.

The table erupts with noises of protest.

“Seriously, Braden?” Evelyn scolds. “You just got here! You can’t leave already!”

“My buddy could only watch Jazz for the night.” A bullshit lie. “I have to head back.” True, because I can’t be trusted around Katie for another minute.

“Jazz?” Sofia asks, raising her blonde eyebrows. “Did you buy a dog?”

“I rescued her from a shelter,” I say with another shrug. “So what?”

“Our baby brother’s growing up,” Evelyn tells her, winking.

Fuck this. I shove back from the table, glancing Katie’s way. “I’ll see you guys for the wedding.”

Katie’s eyes float away from mine as I stand to exchange goodbyes with everyone. She’s clearly over the spark we started. Giving her any more thought is a waste of time.

* * *

The remaining sunlight warms my back as Jazz runs circles around me, occasionally taking a dip in the water, and barking a friendly hello to other dogs who pass. Running on the beach to clear my head is the best therapy a guy could ask for aside from surfing, which I plan to do first thing in the morning. Best of all, it’s free.

Each time my feet pound into the sand and my lungs take in the salty ocean air, I feel further removed from the clusterfuck in Vegas. I don’t regret what happened with Katie one fucking bit, but I might have regretted taking it any further. Touching her that way awakened something new, a feeling I don't know how to put into words, and I’d guess once I was inside of her, I’d only want more. She lives on the other side of the goddamned country.

Even if I had wanted to take my little crush to another level, there was nowhere for a potential relationship to go. She runs a clothing line with Evelyn and Sharlo in Brooklyn, and her family’s all there. And I sure as hell don’t plan on going anywhere.

An endless list of good shit came out of my time spent in the Corps, but being stationed in Pendleton was the best thing that’s ever happened. Having grown up on a farm in Minnesota, I hadn’t seen the ocean until the day I stepped foot on base. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else in the world.

I’ll admit that since I finished my time in the Corps, I’ve been pretty damn lonely. At least I have the kind of view you won’t find anywhere else. And now I have Jazz. The 3-legged black Labrador has enough energy for both of us, and I’m convinced she doesn’t even know she’s missing a limb. The day I tagged along to the shelter with a buddy, I didn’t plan on finding a pet of my own. But the minute I looked into her big, sweet black eyes, I knew she was something special. Then I heard the story of how she was shot before being abandoned by some asshole, and I knew I had to give her a home.

Aside from Jazz, I don’t have a whole lot to look forward to these days. Sometimes I’m okay with it, and other times I wish I would’ve reenlisted simply because I miss the commodore. A handful of the guys from my unit stuck around like I did, but they’re all settling in, some with families. There are only so many times I can either be the third wheel, or “Uncle Braden” can stop by without overstaying my welcome.

When I reach the end of the dog beach, I call Jazz over to me. Tongue hanging out the side of her mouth, her three powerful legs power down and she arrives at my side in the blink of an eye. Although they guessed her to be three when I brought her home, she has the energy and spirit of a six-month-old puppy. I nearly bust a gut when she sprawls out on her back and gives me this wide-eyed look that asks, “What’re you waiting for?”

Laughing, I scratch her tummy before snapping her leash onto her collar. She scrambles back to her feet and leans against my legs as we watch the glowing sun sink below the horizon. There’s nothing like a California sunset, witnessing the last rays of orange set over the water before twilight gives way to reveal a sky speckled with stars. It’s just another reason I couldn’t stand to leave, knowing the most beautiful scenery nature has to offer is right in my backyard.

Jazz trots alongside me all the way home where I grab a quick shower and a change of clothes. My 2-bedroom rambler isn’t anything spectacular, but it’s the nicest thing I could afford on a construction foreman’s salary. And it came with a small pool that provides a killer view of Palomar Mountain. That was enough for a single guy without a family. I fill Jazz’s food tray and give her fresh water before patting her head and locking her in my backyard. There have been a few unseasonably warm days since I brought her to live with me where I’d find her wet from a dip in the pool, but otherwise she hangs out beneath the patio roof on her cushy bed.

On the short drive to Hap and Michelle’s beachside bungalow in Carlsbad, I’m reminded just how much I envy my Corp brother’s life. He met his girl in high school and she followed him out here from Ohio. We were stationed in Japan when she gave birth to their son. I’ll never forget the way Hap broke down and sobbed with joy when he first saw his baby via video chat. They’ve had their share of speed bumps along the way, and I know Hap works his ass off to pay the mortgage on the prime piece of real estate, but the love they have for each other and their little boy is unreal, and unmatched by anything I’ve ever known.

When I open the fence to their back patio overlooking the now black ocean, I’m greeted by my enthusiastic godson who comes hurtling through the air and into my arms. “Uncle Braden!”

Oomph. Since when did four-year-olds get so heavy? Between his accelerated growth and the way Michelle has let his dark brown hair grow out to frame his light mocha-toned face, I can already picture little Jake dominating the waves in a few years alongside me and his daddy. “Hey, buddy!”

Warmth fills my chest when Michelle appears from the sliding glass doors with a large tray in hand. Hap struck gold when his goofy ass snagged the beautiful little ball of fire with big blue eyes and jet black hair. And now that she’s pregnant with their second child, she’s always glowing. Her belly has grown since I saw them last, stretching her floral sundress to its limits. I’d be a lying bastard if I claimed that I didn’t notice her rack is bigger too.

Her captivating eyes sparkle in the light of the large bulbs strung over the patio as her lips quirk with a smile. “Hey, Brae! You’re just in time! Hap’s on his way out to start the grill.”

Twisting Jake around to my back so he’s clinging to me like a little monkey, I hurry over to kiss her cheek and relieve her of the considerably heavy tray. My stomach rumbles in anticipation with the sight of raw hamburger patties. “Thanks for the invite, Shel. I’ve been looking forward to your cooking all day.”

“I was surprised when Hap told me you were already on your way back from Vegas,” she says, her expression filled with concern. “Were you guys able to pull off your sister’s surprise party without any problems?”

Holding back a heavy sigh that would reveal way too damn much, I simply nod. “Yeah, it was good.”

Eyebrows raised, she crosses her arms. “Didn’t find any beautiful women that were marriage-material, eh?”

“Nah. I heard they’re all in Carlsbad.” I toss her a wink and loosen Jake’s death-grip on my neck. It’s not worth mentioning Katie. Michelle will have our wedding planned out before I can explain why it isn’t going to happen.

She looks beyond me with a hand on her hip and sighs dreamily. “I’d give anything for a wild night in Vegas right now. I somehow forgot how much I hate being pregnant. The first trimester was bullshit.”

“Mommy said a bad word!” Jake chirps over my shoulder.

“Don’t you worry, son,” Hap’s deep voice booms through the darkness. “I’ll wash Mommy’s mouth out later.” He closes the sliding doors with a hip and elbow, his hulking figure as big as a grizzly’s and his skin nearly as brown.

Gasping with her husband’s sexual innuendo, Michelle slaps his ass as he’s handing me a bottled beer and taking the tray off my hands.

“Good to see you, brother,” he tells me.

I clink my bottle against his. “You too.”

Civilian life looks good on Hap even though his worn flip-flops and battered board shorts could use replacing. Since we last got together he’s grown a scruffy goatee the same coal black as the hair on his head. He’s always been a good looking bastard, but the facial hair gives him a more distinguished look. It’s so fucking weird to see my buddies morphing into responsible adults.

He starts for the grill, glancing at me over his shoulder. “How was Vegas? Find any good strippers?”

Clicking her tongue, Michelle motions for Jake to get down. “Time to come inside the house, my little monkey. We’ll give you a quick bath while Uncle Braden and Daddy talk about other inappropriate, adult-like things.”

“What’s a strippers?” Jake asks as I set his feet on the flagstone slab.

Michelle pats him on the head while shooting Hap a dirty look. “That’s a conversation we’ll have as soon as you’re old enough to grasp terms like ‘devaluation' and ‘feminist culture’.”

“Damn, I love that woman,” I tell Hap as Michelle shuts the sliding doors.

“Too bad for you, she’s spoken for. When you gonna find your own woman to annoy?”

I settle down on the retaining wall beside the grill and shrug. “Who the fuck knows? I’ll probably be gray and bat-shit crazy long before the right one comes along.”

“This is coming from the guy who’s spending his free time adopting three-legged dogs, visiting vets at the VA, and willingly spending time with thugs at the juvenile shelter. I’d say you’re already on your way to being bat-shit crazy.”

“Jazz seems to inspire some of the amputees. And some of those thugs just come from a shitty home and need a positive influence.” I look out to where the moon casts a ghostly glow over the water. Too often I feel as alone as that fucking ray of light shining from a distance as everyone else goes on with their lives. “When you can’t spend quality time with a family, you have to create it somewhere else.”

Hap chuckles with a deep, rolling sound. “Shit, Ken Doll. That’s pretty deep, coming from a jarhead like you. If you’re so hard up for quality time, you should sign up for the SMCR. The reserves would be good for you…keep that philosophical mind of yours occupied. Either that or you simply need more pussy in your life.”

I shake my head with his last comment. The idea of any “pussy” that isn’t Katie’s doesn’t hold any appeal, but maybe he’s onto something with the Marine reserves idea.

Anything to make this empty feeling go the fuck away.