This town—and the people in it—had grown on me, settling deep into my soul. And now…I wasn’t sure Iwantedto leave. At the very least, I wanted to stay to see through what I’d started with the motion for discovery on that piece of land. I might’ve only been here for a short time, but I loved this town enough to want to make sure a corporation didn’t snuff out the beauty of Starlight Cove. I’d seen enough to know bringing in a national chain would only crush every single locally owned store along their beautiful Main Street. Businesses would fold. Families would suffer. And I didn’t want to see that happen to the people I’d grown to care for.
I didn’t want to see that happen to Brady and his family, which left me in quite a tight spot, considering our goals were conflicting.
But after? I had no idea. It’d always been my plan to leave, and I hadn’t been quiet about that. Hell, it could’ve been the whole reason Brady felt secure enough to start something with me in the first place—because he knew it wouldn’t last. That I wouldn’t last.
I’d never ached for anything permanent in my life, but as I ended the call, I couldn’t ignore the sharp tug in my heart that felt an awful lot like yearning for permanence. And not just any permanence, but permanence here. With him.
Slipping my phone into my pocket, I stepped through the door to the main inn. I didn’t make it two steps inside before Addison snapped her head up from where she stood behind the counter next to Aiden.
“How’d it go?” she asked with not a little bit of apprehension in her voice.
Shaking off my feelings of unease and grateful for the distraction, I shot her and Aiden a wide grin. “Great! We made plans for tomorrow morning at the Williamsons’ property. She’s going to join me so she can get a front-row seat as I chain myself up and get the scoop straight from the source.”
Addison reared back, her mouth dropping open on a gasp, as Aiden stared at me with wide eyes.
I didn’t even make it ten seconds into the bit before I cracked up, laughing at their horrified expressions. “Oh my God, you should see your faces.”
Aiden scowled, resembling Brady more with every furrow etched into his brow, and Addison actually stomped her foot, her hands fisted at her sides. “That wasn’t funny.”
“Oh, come on.” I giggled. “It was a little funny.”
“What was a little funny?” Brady asked as he stepped inside. His gaze swept over me from head to toe in a move that almost seemed perfunctory if not for the careful way he studied me as if checking that I was all in one piece, or how my nipples peaked at his perusal.
“Luna woke up this morning and chose violence, apparently,” Addison said, glaring at me.
“I don’t know what that means. She hit you? Why, what’d you do?”
“No, she didn’t hit me, you idiot.” Addison rolled her eyes. “And for the love, Brady, would it kill you to at leastscrollsocial media once in a while? You’re not eighty.”
“I’m also not interested. Why don’t you harass Aiden about that?”
Aiden leaned a hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s cute that you think she doesn’t.”
Addison rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’m an equal opportunity harasser when it comes to my dumb brothers. Speaking of harassing, why are you out of your uniform? You’re not thinking of going to the festival, are you?” she asked incredulously.
I slid my eyes over to Brady in time to see him shrug. “Don’t know,” was all he said. Enlightening.
Addison smirked and split her gaze between Brady and me, her eyes alight with interest. “Well, well, well, that’s certainly new.”
“What is?” I asked.
“Brady doesn’t usually—”
“Why are you still here?” Brady interrupted. “Who’s helping Beck at the festival?”
“Point taken, you big oaf. And Ford’s with him.” She shut her laptop and tucked it away before stepping out from behind the counter. “I’m heading over there now. Aiden, you good?”
He waved her off without a word, and she headed out. Then, after I’d gathered my bag—which Brady immediately took from my hand—we did the same.
Once outside, Brady walked straight to the passenger’s door and opened it for me, setting my bag inside. But before I could slip in, he pinned me to the car with his body, one hand gripping my hip and the other cupping the back of my neck. With his thumb under my jaw, he tipped my head back before brushing a featherlight touch over my pulse.
“You good?” he asked, his eyes searching mine. As if it was more than a superficial question. As if he truly wanted to know the answer.
So I told him the truth. “I was a little shaky this morning, but I’m okay now.”
He hummed low in his throat, darting his eyes all over my face, probably checking to make sure I was telling the truth. He must’ve concluded I was because he lowered his head and kissed me. Soft and slow until he slid his tongue against mine and turned the kiss into something hungry and deep. Like he was reacquainting himself with my taste. Like he wanted to drown in it.
Finally, he pulled back, leaving me panting for breath and wondering if it’d really be that bad to jump his bones right out here in the open, even with his brother so close. But before I could, he shot me a look that said he knew what I was thinking as he helped me into the car and then shut the door behind me.
