Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
They release, and his dad laughs. “It’s going.” His dad walks around the counter. “I’m still not used to a helicopter landing on the property. I didn’t pay for it, so I’m not complaining since I’ve seen both your brothers more in the past few months than I have combined in the years prior. Your mom flew to the city last Wednesday to spend the day with Lark and Tuesday, so it’s getting some use.”
“I’m thinking I should come for a game soon. If I get tickets to the Yankees, you want to go?”
Noah comes to my side and rubs my lower back. “That’d be good.”
Bending down, he pulls out a bottle of white wine and two beers. “You have all that space; I could stay with you.”
Noah doesn’t bristle, but he stills his hand. There’s a noticeable pause that ushers in a wave of discomfort. Max. I hate that Noah can’t tell him. Their bond is obvious, so this must be impossible for him to hold this information inside. “Yeah, sure.”
His dad’s eyes narrow, and a humorless chuckle follows. “You don’t sound so sure.” Glancing at me and then back to his son, he adds, “I can stay with Loch or Harbor if it’s not a convenient time for—”
“I’m sure. You’re always welcome, Dad.”
He twists the top off a beer bottle, and then says, “If you’re not in a hurry to get to the play, we can have a drink together.”
I look at Noah. He looks at me, and says, “We have time for a quick one.”
Port asks, “Wine, beer, liquor, water? I even have tea and coffee.” He holds up the bottle. “I’ve got a great white out of New Zealand.”
“Tempting,” I reply, resting my middle against the marble. “You twisted my arm. I love a light white in the summer.”
“And since you’re not driving,” Port says, looking out the window at the helicopter. “I like her already.”
“Since I am driving downtown, I’ll have water.”
As if he can’t be more perfect, he proves me wrong again. Max will never be safer than when he’s with us—separately or together. I’m confident about that.
We toast and take a sip. I like how casual this is—us just hanging around the kitchen island. “How did you meet my son, Liv?”
I practically spit my wine. I look at Noah, who fails to keep a straight face. My heart races as I thumb through every possible excuse I can use. “We work together,” I reply, thinking it’s the safest route to go. Instead of telling him I met his son on a beach at night and decided on a whim to sleep with the stranger because I thought he was hot and was the rebound I needed at the time, knowing full well there wasn’t any sleeping happening in that bed.
Yes, a lie is better. For now.
I take two gulps, then turn to Noah. “Where’s the restroom?”
“I’ll show you.” He’s chuckling under his breath as he walks me through the living room and toward the large entrance to the home. “You did good.”
“Gee, thanks.” I roll my eyes. “Ever hear of saving someone?”
“Honestly, I was blank as well. Well, my mind wasn’t blank, but sharing what I was thinking about wouldn’t have gone over well.”
Too intrigued to let this opportunity pass me by, I stop, and whisper, “What were you thinking?”
“Having sex with you against that balcony door. The moonlight trailing in and the sounds of your coming mixing with the crash of the waves on the shore.”
Did it just get twenty degrees hotter in here? I pluck the front of my shirt to try to cool myself, but now remembering that time in the Hamptons, I don’t stand a chance. “It was pretty fantastic.” As I look at the door tucked under the staircase, my mind wanders into the territory of possibilities. No, don’t even suggest it, Liv.
As if I’m not utterly hot and bothered in front of him, he asks, “Would you like me to wait for you?”
I should not offer to have sex with him in this bathroom behind me. That would be frowned upon in polite society. But lately, polite society is the last thing I care about. His dad is just around the corner, though, sooo . . . “I’m okay. Go spend time with your dad. I’ll be quick.”
Leaning down to kiss my cheek, he leaves the sweetest of impressions on my skin before moving to my ear. “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about every second and every position we shared that night. We should do that night all over again.”
I drag a finger lazily down his face, turning so my mouth touches the corner of his. “Rent the house, and I’ll be there.”
He quiets, then straightens to his full height. With his brow furrowed, he asks, “Rent? That’s my family’s house.” He sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. “You said you tried to find me by going back to the house and calling the local rental management companies.” He falls back against the wall.