AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I can hardly breathe,” I say to rile her up.
“This from the man who’s lived at a mile above sea level his whole life. I almost died when I moved there, you know. I thought my lungs were going to explode the first time I mountain biked.”
“Altitude sickness, I hear it’s no fun.”
“Ahh… I’ve missed this so much. You may not get me back to Colorado.”
I chuckle. “I’ll buy you a beach house here and you can come visit anytime you want. As long as you don’t have work to do.”
She cracks an eye open, the sun blazing down on us. “Don’t tease.”
I sit down next to her. “I’m not teasing. I’ve been wanting to invest in a vacation home I could rent out during the year. I’ll just buy one here. What did you say? It was the best-kept secret as far as beach destinations?”
“It is.” She sits up, shakes sand out of her hair, and gestures to the clear, crystal-blue water. “I mean, look at it.”
“I’m looking,” I say. “And you’re right.” I stand. “Now get up, we have dinner in two hours with your folks.”
I help her stand and we walk back into the room, closing the sliding glass door. Then, I push her onto the bed where she lands with a giggle. “First, christen the room, then we shower. I’m sweaty from standing outside for five minutes.”
She leans up and presses her lips to mine. “Wimp.”
Thirty
Quinn
“My land, that is one tall drink a water, honey child,” Memaw says as Lincoln chats with my dad. Last I heard they were talking about crypto currency, I think, which I certainly have no interest in, so I’d parked my butt at the end of the table so I could sit next to my grandmother.
“I know, right? He looks so handsome in a suit, too.”
“Mmm, I bet he does,” Macy says from next to me, taking a sip of wine and staring at him.
“Since when does Rudy’s serve wine?” I ask, pointing at her glass.
“What? Wine goes with barbeque.” She swallows the rest. “Wine goes with everything.”
“You’re not wrong,” Memaw says. “Pass me the bottle, will ya?”
I grab the bottle and fill her glass.
“So y’all comin’ to the beach with us tomorrow?” I ask as I watch Linc with my dad.
“Yep, but I can’t be stayin’ in the sun a lot,” my grandmother comments.
“We rented a big-ass tent and chairs, don’t worry, Memaw,” I say.
“Me and the kids’ll be there,” Macy says.
“Us too,” Leanna comments.
I look at my brother Rob’s wife, Ashlee. “Yep, bringin’ the kids, they can’t wait.”
“I can’t believe you got a beachfront room at the Beach House. I bet it’s gorgeous, huh?” Leanna asks.
“Oh, yeah, it’s beautiful. I’ll show y’all my suite tomorrow. It’s so fancy.”
“I bet,” Macy says. “That place is expensive, but I bet he can afford it.”
I just smile around the rim of my beer bottle. I’ve told them the bare minimum about Lincoln’s wealth. Just that he and his family own a brewing company. They have no idea he’s a billionaire and I plan to keep it that way. I don’t think they would suspect or accuse me of dating him for his money. They need to know that I would love him even if he had no money at all. I don’t need his wealth or his money to rescue me. I’m fine on my own. He’s rescued me emotionally and sexually, and if he were to lose everything tomorrow, I’d be there by his side to help him build it back up. We could live in my little townhouse and be happy as two bugs in a rug for the rest of our lives, as long as we had each other.
