Page 93 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
Tension drains out of me as the reality of what’s happening finally settles in.
I really did get my friends-to-lovers romance. Kristyn would be so proud.
I push against Brody playfully, like I’m going to get up, but he catches my hand and tugs me even closer. He nips at my earlobe with his teeth. “Don’t even try it,” he says, his teasing tone sending shivers down my spine. “You’re never running away from me again.”
“Is that a promise?”
His lips trace a slow line across my jaw, each kiss moving closer to my lips. “I’ll promise you anything. Whatever you want, the answer is yes.”
I’m not sure how long we kiss, but when my empty stomach grumbles,loudly,Brody is the one who pulls away. He chuckles. “Hungry, Kate?”
The familiar question immediately brings new tears to my eyes. “Oh my gosh, you have got to be kidding me.” Stupid tear ducts. “That question is enough to make me cry?”
But it’s more than the question. It’s everything. It’s how well he knows me. It’s how much we’ve been through together and how completely I trust him to take care of me. To love me.
He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss against my palm. “What are you hungry for?”
He shifts sideways so he’s leaning against the stair railing, and I turn the same direction, settling against his chest. He pulls his phone up in front of both of us and pulls up a food delivery app.
I gasp. “Silver Creek has DoorDash?”
“We’re moving up in the world,” he says. “But we only have three choices, and there’s only one guy in town who delivers, so honestly, it’s pretty hit or miss.” He scrolls through a few more screens. “How do you feel about burgers and fries?”
My stomach grumbles, this time even louder than the first time.
“Burger and fries it is,” Brody says. “Oh hey, look at that. Rosco’s delivering tonight. We’re in business.”
“His name is Rosco?”
“Are you really going to judge our only source of sustenance right now?”
“I was just... going to say how lovely the name is.”
Brody chuckles and pulls me more tightly against him.
We stay on the porch while we wait for our food. My ankles are mosquito bitten, but I don’t even care. I could stay like this, wrapped in Brody’s arms, the warmth of his solid chest behind me, forever.
“What are you going to do?” he asks. “About your job.”
I lift my shoulders. “I don’t have a clue. I’ll figure something out. Or maybe...we’ll figure something out? Honestly, I’m kinda tired of figuring stuff out on my own.”
“We will,” he says. “I promise we will. I want to do this right. I want to take you on real dates. I want to hold your hand and walk you to your door and kiss you senseless whenever I get the opportunity. But I also want you to have whatever career you want. I don’t want you to choose me at the expense of all your other dreams.”
“I know. I’m not. I promise. Iwouldlike to find something more permanent, even something similar to the job in London. But there are magazines in the states. Maybe I’ll find a place that will let me work remotely. In the meantime, I’ve got a long list of things in Western North Carolina I can write about.”
He’s quiet for a beat before he says, “I can teach anywhere, Kate.”
I shake my head. “You can’t teach kayaking anywhere.”
“No, but there are other rivers.”
I turn in his arms so I can look at him. “I’ve never had a big family. I know you never thought you’d hear me say it, but I want to be close to yours. I want to live in Silver Creek.”
He responds with a kiss, this one potent with promise and hope.
Our food arrives a few minutes later and we eat it right there on the porch, Charlie lounging at our feet, eating the French fries that Brody drops and the ones that I toss at him when Brody isn’t looking.
And Brody wonders why Charlie likes me so much.
