Page 64 of Madden

I’ve seen the look in her eyes she’s giving me.

“Brielle,” I warn, holding my hand out to her to help her on, but not before she kisses me again.

She carefully steps on the footrest and climbs on behind me. When I start the motorcycle, she giggles and wraps her arms around my waist, her hands roaming up to my chest and back down.

She’s not going to make this easy on me.

I grip her thigh, squeezing it, cautioning her to be careful. I don’t need her wandering hands distracting me, even if I love every minute of it.

“Wow,” Brielle mumbles when I cut the engine, pulling up outside of Breaking Waves. “I thought the view from my apartment was incredible, but all the high-rise buildings have me missing the best part.”

The sun has started to set, turning the sky a mix of blue, yellow, and orange. The water glistens as waves crash along the shoreline and the scent of sea salt lingers in the air. The weather is warmer, but nothing like the heat of the summer.

It’s a nostalgic feeling being here again after so long.

The crowd along the beach and the boardwalk has started to thin out.

“What is this place?” she asks, stepping off the back of the bike to gaze out onto the beach, then over to Breaking Waves.

“We used to come down here all the time when we were younger. We tried one summer to give surfing a strong go before realizing we weren’t cut out for it and decided to stick to music instead.”

She giggles, and I reach for her hand, guiding her to the patio along the back of the surf shop, down the stairs leading to the dock. Two boats are parked in the marina, but other than that, not a soul is in sight.

Brielle studies me when we get to the end of the dock, and I kneel, urging her to take a seat between my legs. She never lets go of my hand until she reclines against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her.

We sit there for a while, talking about trips she’s taken with her friend Serena, including one up to the Hamptons. It was her first time ever driving a jet ski. We listen as the waves roll in and watch the boats moving past.

“It’s crazy to think we’ll be heading on tour again in a month,” I mutter against her temple.

“Are you getting excited?”

I lean in, pressing my face against the side of her head, thinking about what it would be like to bring her with me on the road.

“I’m pumped. A lot has changed since our tour last year. I’m just excited to get on stage and play new music.”

“I bought a ticket for your show in New York,” she says, and I slip my arm around her, pulling her against my chest.

“You did?” I roll back, and she follows with me, bursting into a fit of giggles.

She turns, climbing up to straddle my lap. Her hair hangs over us, and she grins.

“I sure did.” Her smile beams. “I guess I wanted to see what the fuss is all about.”

“Is that right?” I circle my arm around her waist and turn her over, pinning her against the dock.

When I lean in close to her face, rubbing my facial hair over her cheek, she fights to get away before I mutter a low tsk in her ear.

“You think I’m gonna let you go anywhere? Not a chance.” I grip her wrists, leaning over her and tempting her with a kiss.

She lifts her head, trying to meet me halfway, and huffs when I pull back.

“Oh, so you’re gonna tease me now?” She narrows her eyes.

We both freeze when my phone starts ringing, blaring one of our songs. I reach into my pocket, not bothering to see who it is, and send the call to voicemail.

“Now, where were we?”

“You were getting ready to kiss me.” She snickers.

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