Brady was quiet for long enough that despite the hardness I still felt between my legs, I began to worry that he might not want more.
“What are you thinking?” I whispered, hoping I didn’t sound too eager or desperate.
“Okay,” he finally replied. “I’m in. But I want to keep this thing between us. Nobody else.”
Shock had my mouth dropping open. I wasn’t opposed. I was just ... surprised. “You want us to be a secret?”
“Yeah, can you handle that?”
I snorted, despite the weird feeling I couldn’t name. “I can handle it. Can you?” Brady wasn’t known for being subtle. Also, he had a big mouth.
“Sure,” he replied confidently. “Sounds like fun. We can sneak around. Be covert. I’ll get my camo back out.”
I laughed, and I liked that his arms tightened around me when I did.
“But, Mac.” Brady hesitated.
“Yeah?”
“The next time you get scared, don’t run away, okay? You can’t keep doing that.”
My hackles were mid-rise at the accusation, but shame was climbing just as swiftly alongside it. Because Brady was right. Ihadavoided him after the kiss, and again after sex, because I was scared and overwhelmed.
“Just . . . stay, okay?” he said. “Stay and talk. We’ll figure it out. Or we’ll fight it out—we’re good at that. But don’t hide from me.”
“Alright,” I said softly, forcing away the righteous indignation that had come close to bubbling up to the surface.
Brady leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss for my trouble.
When he pulled back, I asked, “Can I come home with you?”
He winced, the movement barely noticeable in the dim light. “I told Abby I’d stay and shut everything down tonight. Wait for everyone to leave and make sure they get where they’re going. Put out the fire. What about tomorrow?”
“We have the Christmas party at Grandpappy’s. I promised to help.”
Brady’s lips twisted into a grin, white teeth flashing. “I’m invited to that, you know?”
“Oh really?” A spark of anticipation burned away the disappointment from a moment ago.
“Yeah, maybe I’ll see you there.”
“Maybe you will.”
He patted my backside and slowly lowered me to my feet. “And maybe we can do some undercover work.”
“Okay, but start an argument or something so no one gets suspicious.”
Brady nodded emphatically. “Yeah, and make sure to call me an idiot.”
With my hands still wrapped around his suspenders, we grinned at each other, proud of our plan.
The unsteadiness that had plagued me receded. The imaginary waves settled, and I felt like I was on solid ground for the first time in weeks.
The scent of woodsmoke and ocean breeze followed me home.
“Mac,” Will called, his head hanging out of his office door. “You got a minute?”
“Yeah. Let me drop these tablecloths off, and I’ll be right there.”
