Page 97 of Authentically, Izzy
“Your grandfather sounds as though he had a deep love for this community.”
“Aye, he did.” Brodie nodded and gestured toward the nearest bookshelves with his chin. “And books.”
“It was a beautiful combination of personality traits that his son inherited as well.” Ellen’s smile softened as she ran a hand over a few books atop the nearest shelf, her love for her husband as palpable as the scent of books in the air. Ellen’s gaze came up to rest on Brodie. “And his grandson.”
“Now, Mum, you don’t have to lather it on.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ve already promised to collect dinner from Farrow’s this weekend.”
She chuckled and shot a look over to Izzy. “It’s only the best seafood you’ll ever eat, Isabelle, but it is in Port Quinnick, a good hour drive from here.”
“And since I have a meeting about our bookshop in Port Quinnick on Friday, I gave my word to bring back Farrow’s in celebration of your visit, Isabelle.” He leaned toward Izzy and said in a stage whisper, “And because Mum wouldn’t forgive me if I’d traveled to Port Quinnick and failed to return with Farrow’s.”
Izzy’s gaze switched between the two, her grin growing at their comfortable camaraderie. Mother and son. So many memories about her mother had faded with time, but one conversation stood out, especially now. After witnessing a young man tenderly caring for his elderly mother in the grocery store, Mom had nodded toward the pair and said,“You can get a very good idea about a person when you see the way they treat their parents.”
“Well, you’ve definitely heightened my anticipation for this Farrow’s feast.” Izzy stepped closer to a few of the bookshelves, examining their contents. Excellent secondhand books. Definitely a venture worth promoting.
“Let me give you a proper tour of Sutherland’s of Skern.” Brodie moved to her side and held his hand out to her. “What do you say?”
She slipped her fingers into his and he tugged her through each row, giving snippets of tales from his childhood growing up among these storied walls. She caught glimpses of the sneaky ten-year-old hiding a plastic mouse on his father’s stool or gluing pages of his math book together so he wouldn’t have to do his homework. The love for the space oozed through him like the deep percolation of his voice, as story after story drew them up the winding stairs to a book-laden second floor with some children’s books, and up to an arched third floor filled with antique furniture and taped-up boxes.
Brodie stopped talking midsentence, and with barely time for Izzy to prepare, he swept in and brushed his lips against hers, feather light. Skin barely touching skin. And then, as if that appetizer wasn’t enough, he cupped her cheeks in his warm palms and took a deeper, longer taste. Sweet mercy! Warmth spilled from his touch, reverberating throughout her entire body and nearly puddling her to the dusty wooden floor. Her palms slid around his waist to smooth against his back. He’d kissed her when she arrived and once more as he said good night, but this kiss... This was a lover’s kiss, a promise. He was playing for keeps.
Her breath hitched as she tightened her hold against his back, giving him full permission to keep ambushing her senses in such a knee-weakening way. Despite the uncertainties, she was playing for keeps too. That much she knew.
One of his hands slipped to cradle her neck and he brought the tantalizing kiss to a close, lowering his forehead to hers. His breath pulsed against her face as his fingers kneaded the base of her skull with some combination of soothing and need. Kind of like that kiss.
Only the sound of their breaths punctuated the quietness of the room. He remained so close. If she puckered just a little bit, her lips would find his again.
“How has something as simple as a month become much too long to be apart from you, Isabelle?”
Her eyes fluttered closed as the thrum of her name from his lips cascaded down her neck with pleasant tingles attached. Had any man ever wanted her like this? Not just the physical connection but...her?To have Brodiemissher andwanther? Like this? Warmth pierced beneath her eyelids, threatening a teary release. It seemed too sweet, too good.
“After a kiss like that, a week will be too long.” Her voice barely made it above a raw whisper.
She felt more than saw his grin. “Ah, I see my plan is working then.”
“Capture me with an addiction to Brodie kisses, huh?” Actually the idea sounded rather intoxicating.
He tipped his head back to look into her eyes. “Well, I was hoping my charm and wit would suffice, but if you only want me for my kisses, I can make do with that.”
“Actually, yourLord of the Ringsreferences are really what swept me off my feet, but your kisses are a close second.”
“And what would you do if I started speaking Elvish?”
“Good heavens!” Her eyes popped wide and her palms tightened against his back, drawing their bodies flush again. “I’d probably marry you on the spot.”
His laugh rushed out, followed quickly by a lengthy silence as he brought his lips to hers again, thoroughly convincing her that she was an addict. Undeniably. One week? She was pretty sure she didn’t want to go a day without being wrapped in his arms and encased by the scent of pine and mint.
“What brought on that rather wonderful display of affection?” Izzy asked, once she found her voice again.
He studied her with such tenderness, Izzy nearly rose up to let him know she’d never had a man touch her heart with a glance. “I’m glad to have you here.” He gestured to the room. “In this bookshop. In my town.” His grin crooked as he caressed her face with another look. “You can’t really know me properly without being introduced to this place, these people. It’s such a part of who I am. And”—he gave her fingers a squeeze—“with you here everything seems to fit rather beautifully together.”
She averted her gaze from the intensity in his eyes, heat making a steady climb into her cheeks. All of that authentic admiration? For her? What was she supposed to do with that? She stifled a shudder. Wasn’t this the part where the fairy tale started to unravel and all the lovely fantasy disappeared to reveal a pumpkin, some mice, a lost shoe, and a woman who’d gotten too caught up in the magic?
“Come, this way.” He tugged her along to the corner of the room and then, after sending a rather dashing grin over his shoulder, opened a door that revealed a ladder. “Not quite a wardrobe, but an excellent view.”
Her laugh burst out in surprise as she took Brodie’s proffered hand, emerging into a sunny sky and warm breeze. A rooftop view? His warm, strong fingers wrapped around her cool ones as he drew her up and forward, steadying her against him as they reached the top. Izzy cataloged another “movie moment” next to all the ones she’d experienced since meeting Brodie Sutherland at the airport. Heaven help her! How could she go back to normal life after this?
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, as if he felt the same zing as she had. He guided her to the corner of the roof where quaint town met green country and then blended into gray-blue sea before disappearing into a cerulean sky. Maybe shehadstepped through a magical wardrobe, except into a world that was always gorgeous and never gloomy, with a little Mary Poppins chalk picture painting sprinkled in.
