Page 130 of Ever With Me

This was not going well.

Even the weather seemed to be against her. The sun had been shining in the blue sky but was now stuck behind increasingly thick clouds, everything a lot grayer in appearance.

Maddie sidled up beside Pops, glad for his presence. “Have any chocolate in your picnic basket?”

“For cranky pants?” He smiled at Brooks.

“No, for me. I’m going to need it to survive his mood.”

“You know I can hear you,” Brooks said, setting his arm around Audrey, whose feet swung from her seat.

She tossed him her best smile. “Oh, can you? Good. Maybe you’ll work on cheering up.” Unable to admit that it bothered her he wasn’t putting any effort into making the most of an unpleasant situation, she looked away from him.

Yes, he could be grouchy.

But why did it also feel like sometimes he just dug in his heels about things that had other solutions? He seemed to make up his mind about some things and only increase in inflexibility if he was questioned.

That side of him . . . scared the shit out of her.

A determined Brooks was a force to be reckoned with. The negative side of that might have consequences she didn’t want to consider.

Then again, while they continued to be in this “one day at a time” situation, who knew if she would evenhaveto consider it? The label had been easy enough to accept at first, because she didn’t want to lose him. As more time passed without them really figuring out what they were doing together, though, the more it weighed on her.

So far, she’d been doing what had been the easiest—avoiding thinking about it. She had a feeling he was doing the same.

That couldn’t last, though.

They were soon cutting across the lake, speeding toward the dock where Pops always met Brian. She’d put her sunglasses on to shield her eyes from the wind, and the cool air stung her face. With her hair whipping past her cheeks, she glanced over her shoulder to look at Brooks and Audrey.

She was holding on to his arm but eagerly looking out over the water, her face radiating her excitement.

He . . .clearly needs to cheer up.

She knew something that might help, actually.

Pops seemed completely at ease as he approached the dock, but Brian didn’t appear to be there yet. “Want to hop out and see if Brian is up in the parking lot?” The dock was a community one near the state park. “We’re early, but sometimes he beats me up here and then sits in his truck listening to the radio.”

Maddie nodded and started toward it. “Hey, come with me. I want to talk to you,” she said to Brooks. She glanced at her grandfather. “You have Audrey for a minute?”

Pops smiled. “Sure. I can show her some lures or something but tie me up on the dock.” He handed her the dock lines.

After tying the boat off, she tugged Brooks off the boat. At least here there weren’t any paparazzi. With it being September, they also had the advantage that the park was empty. Few people were on the water this time of year. They checked the parking lot—no Brian—and then Maddie started into the woods.

“Where are we going?” Brooks asked with a frown. “This the part of the movie where you leave me in a shallow grave for being an asshole?”

She gave him a sly smile, then stopped and got to her knees. “No. I just thought you might need some relaxing. And we’re completely alone . . .”

A devilish smirk came to that kissable mouth of his. “Oh really?”

Unbuttoning his jeans, she pulled the zipper down. The hardening head of his erection was already peeking through the top waistband of his boxer briefs, and she leaned forward and kissed him right there. He groaned softly. No matter how many times they’d been together the past two weeks, the sight of him instantly aroused her. But this wasn’t about her.

“I want to take care of you,” she murmured as she tugged him free, her hand wrapping around his length. “And considering I can’t stop dreaming of fucking you . . .”

“That dirty mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble,” he growled.

She trailed the tip of her tongue down his length, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from him and a shiver from herself. She wanted to savor him, this freedom she had with him.

I’m his. He’s mine.

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