Page 14 of Finally a Bride: Best Friend's Brother

He drops his hand. “You’re right.”

“Please don’t tell her what happened,” I ask.

“Yeah, okay.” He runs a hand through his hair and I regret not touching it and finding out if it’s as soft as it looks.

I stick my head out of the tree house. “Hey, Mal, we’re up here.”

“McCabe fits up there?”

“Hey, I’m not that big!”

And that’s the first I see Mallory smile for the last few hours. It’s not that she’s okay, it’s that she’s still feeling. It’s when we shut down that things get dicey.

“We’re coming down.”

I scramble to turn around and before I can head out feet first, McCabe take the opportunity to plaster his lips to mine in a hard kiss. He wants me to remember this moment and it’s not like I can forget.

But I also can’t forget that he’s going back to Europe in six days… almost five. It’s barely enough time to get to know how he takes his coffee. How can I know him?

Especially when he seems so different.

“McCabe,” I say against his lips and he pecks them before pulling back.

“Damn, I could kiss you all night.”

“But we can’t.”

He pulls back. “Can’t what?”

“You leave in a few days and I’m here. It just doesn’t make sense, right?”

“Does it have to be permanent?”

“I’m looking for permanent, McCabe… for something that’s forever and meant to be.”

He tips his head. “What if we’re meant to be for a weekend?”

“I don’t think it’d be enough for me.”

Swallowing, he kisses my forehead. “You were always too logical and smart for your good… and now for mine.”

“Hey, guys, I wanna watch a movie!” Mallory bangs yells up. “Hurry up!” She sounds like she did when she was a teenager which makes sense. I feel like I’m a teenager again.

I start backing out. “I wish it could be different.”

“But it can’t.”

I make my way down and he doesn’t follow. “He’ll be in later.”

“What were you guys doing up there?” Mallory asks, slipping her arm through mine.

“Nothing, just chilling out for a little while.”

She drags me forward as I look back over my shoulder.

But he’s not there. It’s for the better.

Then why do I feel like I’m missing out on something?

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