Chapter 11

Amy stretched and smiled. She’d slept so well last night. No doubt a result of what happened between her and Brett. She touched her lips. They still tingled from his kisses. He’d actually kissed her. How many years had she fantasized about that very thing? And now that he’d done it, she was terrified of where it would lead. In her heart, she wanted Brett. She’d always wanted Brett. But…God, there were so many buts to consider. She knew she could not survive without Brett in her life—even if it was just his friendship—but if things didn’t work out, there would be no way she could still be his friend. It would hurt too much.

But…damn it, she wanted him. She wanted him so bad it hurt. She trusted him in every other aspect of her life. Could she trust him with her heart, too? He already owned it; he just didn’t know it.

With a sigh, Amy got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Before she could grab the doorknob, the door swung open, and she came face to face with Brett. He was wet from his shower. Amy’s gaze drifted down his chest and torso, lingering on his abs for a moment before lowering to the towel that hung from his hips. What were all the reasons she said they couldn’t take things further last night?

“Morning,” he said with a grin.

“Morning,” she echoed. This is what she was afraid of—the awkwardness between them.

“I was thinking we could head over to the other side of the island and walk through the gift shops; then grab some lunch somewhere.”

She gave him an odd look. “You know I’ll never turn down shopping, but you hate to shop, Brett. What gives?”

He laughed. “I’m hoping if I go shopping with you, you’ll go scuba diving with me.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “We’re back to this, are we?”

“C’mon, Amy. It will be fun, and you know I would never let anything happen to you.” He took her hands and brought them to his lips, giving them a lingering kiss. “You can trust me.”

“I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Okay.” He winked.

* * *

An hour later, Amy and Brett walked hand in hand down the stone laid pathway through the Tri Pinnae Village Shops. During their first walk around the island, she hadn’t realized how many small shops there were. And there were a lot of them. There was even a fresh fruit and vegetable store at the end of the path. To her surprise, Brett followed her into every single shop and didn’t complain once. Man, he must really want to go scuba diving, she thought.

Something in the window of a shop across the way caught her attention. She tugged on Brett’s hand until he followed her. Inside, she inspected the item closer. It was a necklace with what looked like a tiny seashell encased in a clear, turquoise colored rock. It was the strangest thing she’d ever seen. It was also the coolest.

“Excuse me, how much for this?” she asked the woman behind the counter.

“One hundred fifty dollars.” The shock on Amy’s face must’ve registered with the salesclerk because she quickly added, “It’s the only one of its kind. It’s good luck.”

“We’ll take it,” Brett said as he reached for his wallet.

Amy jerked her head to look at him. “What? No, Brett, it’s too much. I won’t let you…” But it was too late. Brett handed the woman money in exchange for the necklace.

“Thank you,” Brett said to the woman, and then he escorted Amy out of the store.

“Why did you do that?” she asked him.

“Because you wanted it.” He unclasped the necklace and held it out as if he were going to put it on her. “And I liked the look on your face when you saw it.”

Amy lifted her hair so that Brett could fasten the necklace around her neck. She touched the charm and smiled. “Thank you.”

Brett spun her around and slanted his lips over hers, taking her momentarily by surprise, but then she embraced him fully, luxuriating in the feel of his kiss. God, he was a great kisser. She could spend the rest of their time on the island standing right here kissing him and she would be happy. It barely registered that she’d told him last night that they couldn’t do this again, but her response to him clearly said the exact opposite. When he released her, she fought to get her eyes to open.

“It looks great on you,” he said.

She touched the charm once again. “I love it. Thank you.”

He put his arm around her shoulders, and they made their way away from the shops. Brett was acting a lot like her boyfriend today and that was a bit unsettling—especially considering she liked it so much. And it felt right, too, natural. Maybe Amy should stop overthinking this thing between them and just let her heart guide her. Let Brett take the lead and see where and how far he took things.

“Where to now?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

His eyes twinkled in that way they always did. She loved it when he got that look in his eyes. It excited her. Amy rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead. “And how long do I have to wait for this surprise?”

“Not long.” He veered off the path and ducked under some low hanging tree branches, holding them out of the way so that she could get through them. A short walk later and they emerged on a secluded part of the beach surrounded by large rocks. A blanket was spread out with a picnic basket on the sand beside it.

Amy took in the scene and was struck by how sweet it was of him to go to so much trouble. “When did you do all of this? How did you find this place?”

Brett laughed. “Jason and Emma told me about this place, and I enlisted Emma’s help. She’s a real sucker for a romantic gesture.” He took her hand and led her toward the blanket. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starved.”

“Good.” Brett sat on the blanket and opened the picnic basket, pulling out a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and several containers of food. He poured her a glass of the bubbly liquid and handed it to her. “To new beginnings,” he said.

“And lasting friendships,” she added before tapping her glass to his and taking a drink. It was Dom Perignon, her favorite. “Is all of this part of your plan to convince me to go scuba diving with you?”

He laughed. “No. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me, how grateful I am that you’re here with me.”

“Can I ask you a question without you getting mad at me?”

“Depends on the question.” The corner of his mouth quirked up and she knew he was teasing, trying to lighten the mood.

“Why now, Brett? We’ve been friends for years and not once have you ever shown any interest in me like you did last night. So, why now? Are you trying to use me to fill the void left by Vanessa?” She chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she waited for him to answer. All though, she wasn’t sure she wanted an answer.

“I would never use you to fill a void.” He settled on an elbow beside her, his hand resting on her knee. “This whole thing with Vanessa has me re-evaluating life and the choices I’ve made in my relationships. And…I don’t know…being here with you has made me see you in ways I didn’t think were possible.”

Her heart raced and her breath caught in her throat. “What kind of ways?”

He trailed his finger up her leg and down again to rest on her knee. “The same way you’ve seen me.”

She swore her heart stopped. How the hell did he know that? Amy had always been so careful to keep her true feelings hidden from him, locked away deep in her heart. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “I meant what I said last night. This can’t happen.” She stood, intent on getting away from him before she changed her mind and threw herself at him.

Brett was on his feet after her. “Why not?”

“When I found out you were marrying Vanessa, I knew our friendship was over. Whether you wanted to admit it or not, it was. I resolved myself to that fact and it hurt like hell, but I was dealing with it. And now this.” She waved her hand toward the picnic and the beach. “It’s too much and I won’t go through the pain of losing you again. We’re friends, Brett. That’s what we do best. Don’t ruin it.” Amy snatched her purse from the ground and walked away. Her entire body was shaking, and she hoped Brett didn’t notice.

“How long?” he shouted after her.

She stopped and turned to face him. “What?”

“How long have you had feelings for me?” He walked toward her.

“Does it matter?” That was something she didn’t want to tell him. It would make her look pathetic and that’s not how she wanted Brett to see her. Nor did she want any sympathetic looks or false admissions from him.

“How long, Amy?”

Fighting back tears, she looked him in the eyes and said, “Since the day I met you.”

* * *

Brett didn’t know what to say or do, so he let her walk away. Since the day I met you. Christ, how the fuck had he been so blind to that? “Sonofabitch!” He kicked at the sand. “You just don’t know when to keep your mouth shut, do you?” he muttered. “You just had to pry.” He grabbed the blanket, rolled it up, and stuffed it inside the picnic basket.

He gathered everything in his hands and went back to the bungalow only to find it empty. “Amy?” After checking the bedroom, bathroom, and balcony, it was clear she was gone. He had to find her and make things right. He had no idea how, but he sure as shit was going to try.

All of her things were still lying around, so she wasn’t attempting to leave the island. That was a good sign. Maybe she went for a walk or something. He scrawled a quick note to let her know that he was out looking for her and to stay put if she came back. Then he left.

Brett checked every restaurant and shop he passed. No Amy. And no one had seen her, either. It was a goddamned island! How far could she have gone? Then he caught sight of that familiar chestnut hair coming toward him along the shoreline. He ran to her. “Amy,” he said, slightly out of breath. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I needed to clear my head. I’m sorry I ruined your surprise,” she said, keeping her gaze hidden from his.

Brett put his finger under her chin and titled her head up. “I don’t care about the surprise, Amy. I care about you, about us and what’s happening.”

“There’s nothing happening.” She turned her face away from him.

He clutched her chin and pressed his mouth to hers, slipping his tongue past her lips and tasting her sweet warmth. Just like every other time, she responded to him by wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning closer to him. She nipped at his bottom lip, and he groaned. “Don’t tell me there’s nothing happening here,” he said.

Then, without warning, it started to rain. Hard. A deluge of water poured down on them, soaking them instantly. Brett grabbed Amy’s hand and they ran toward the closest building, taking shelter under the awning. Moments later, all the lights went out on the island, casting them in near darkness. Black clouds had rolled in and stolen the sunshine.

Beside him, Amy laughed. “I say we make a run for it.”

“To the bungalow? It’s a ten-minute walk on a good day,” he said.

“Oh, c’mon, Brett. Live a little.” She let go of his hand and stepped out from under the awning. “When was the last time you played in the rain?”

He smiled and shook his head as he followed her out into the rain. It wasn’t coming down as hard now as it was a few minutes ago. Amy looked like she was having fun though, so he didn’t complain. She extended her arms, put her head back, and spun around, letting the rain hit her face.

Brett laughed. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Probably.” Then she took off running and Brett chased after her.

Damn, she was fast. He attempted to catch up to her, but before he could, he lost his footing and fell flat on his back, his head hitting the wet sand with a thud. “Oaf,” he grunted.

Amy stopped and turned to look at him. She cupped her hands over her mouth and laughed as she walked toward him. “Oh my, God, Brett, are you okay?” She was still laughing.

Brett couldn’t help but laugh, too. “This sand is a lot harder than it looks,” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

She laughed harder and leaned over him. “Aww, you poor baby.”

He reached up and grabbed her arm, pulling her down on top of him. Amy screamed in surprise, and then started to laugh again. Brett hooked his foot around her leg and rolled her over so that she was beneath him.

“Brett!” she said, pushing at his chest. “Now I’m going to have sand in my hair.”

“Aww, you poor baby.” He grinned; then captured her lips in a soft kiss that quickly turned hot and desperate. Figures she’d kiss him like that when they were lying outside in the middle of a rainstorm. He tried to deepen the kiss when he felt something cold, wet, and scratchy on his neck. Pulling away from Amy, he rubbed at the back of his neck. Sand. “Oh, you’re gonna get it now,” he said, tickling her neck.

Beneath him, Amy kicked and squirmed and giggled uncontrollably. Then, before he could react, Amy grabbed a handful of sand and rubbed it in his hair. He lost focus for a moment, just long enough for her to scramble away from him. She was on her feet in an instant. “There! Now what’re you gonna do about it?”

Brett got to his feet and lunged toward her. With a squeal of laughter, Amy once again took off running. He chased her for a bit, and then stopped, gathered a handful of sand, and threw it at her. It hit the back of her leg. When she turned around and glared at him, he laughed.

“Did you just throw sand at me?” she asked.

He nodded. “You started it.”

“Oh, okay.” She smiled and he noticed that rare twinkle in her eyes. It was something he’d only seen a few times, but he wished he’d get to see it more often. Amy bent and scooped up a handful of sand, which she then threw at him, hitting him in the chest.

Wow. She had good aim. “Okay, that’s it,” he said as he picked up more sand. “This is war now.”

Amy laughed and ran away from him, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to throw sand at her. His aim sucked, only hitting her once out of every five or six times he tried. He was laughing so hard his stomach hurt. As they made their way toward their bungalow, he could see people watching them from the warmth and safety of being inside, but he didn’t care how ridiculous they looked because he was having too much fun.

By the time they reached their bungalow, they were both soaked to the core and covered in sand. “Okay, I give up, you win,” Amy said as she approached the front porch.

Brett pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “You’re covered in sand,” he said, trying to brush it from her hair, which was useless because it was now mud.

“So are you.” She gave him a wicked grin as she shoved two handfuls of sand down the back of his shirt.

He yelped and held out the back of his shirt in an attempt to get the sand to fall out. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, slicing it in half as a loud boom of thunder shook the ground. “Looks like playtime is over,” he said, ushering Amy up the steps and inside.

“I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun.” Amy laughed.

“Me either,” he said, removing his shirt. Clumps of wet sand fell to the floor. He looked down at them, and then back up at Amy who was simply smiling at him. “Now what?”

Without a word, she reached for the hem of her shirt and lifted it off over her head. Brett’s eyes widened at the sight of her standing in front of him in her bra. God, he wanted to touch her, kiss her, fuck her.

“What are you doing?” he asked when she reached for the button on her shorts.

“Well, I’m not going to walk through the place in these clothes and get mud all over everything.”

“Okay, fair enough.” Brett removed his shorts, too, leaving both of them in just their underwear. He slowly raked his gaze over her body before settling on her eyes. “Now what?”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m going to shower.” Amy spun on her heel and sauntered away from him and up the stairs.

Brett stood, watching the way her ass shook with each step she took. His hands ached to touch her, to explore every delicious inch of her body. His mouth craved to taste her, all of her. Damn he wanted to get in that shower with…wait a minute…He took off after her, taking the steps two at a time until he reached the bathroom. “Oh, Amy!”

“Brett! Get out!” She tried to push him out of the bathroom, but he didn’t budge. “You are not taking a shower with me.”

“There’s no power.” She stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “Once you use all the hot water, that’s it. There’s no electricity to run the hot water heater and I’m not taking a cold shower.”

Amy laughed. “I promise not to use all the hot water. Now, go.”

“Uh-uh.” He shook his head. “We can leave our underwear on. It’s no different than being in a bathing suit and swimming together.” That was such a load of crap, and he was pretty sure she knew that, but the idea impressed him nonetheless.

She hesitated for a moment; then pointed at him. “Keep your hands to yourself, Hudson.”

Brett put his hands up in a show of surrender and smiled. “I promise to only touch myself.”

Amy laughed. “You’re such a dork.”

* * *

“Mind doing my back?” Brett handed the bar of soap to Amy. She took it and he turned his back to her so that he was facing the spray of the water.

“Who the hell knew it would be so hard to wash sand off?” she said as she rubbed the soap—and her hands—around on his back.

He drew in a deep breath through his mouth and closed his eyes. Christ, her hands felt good on his body. They were so soft and hesitant. All he wanted to do was shout his permission to the world—to let her know that she could touch him whenever, wherever, and however she wanted. This tiptoeing around, pretending like nothing was happening between them was wearing on his patience. Something was happening and he knew she felt it.

Amy dragged her hands down his back and around to his stomach. It sent chills through his body despite the hot water of the shower. He placed his hands over hers and pulled her around so that she was in front of him. Brett took her face into his hands and kissed her. One way or another, he was going to make her realize just how serious he was about her, about the possibility of a future together that involved more than just friendship.

“My turn,” he said, taking the soap from her and turning her around. Brett lathered his hands with soap and began to wash her back. He pressed tiny kisses along the column of her neck and across her shoulders. She tasted good, her skin like silk beneath his lips. Despite washing her hair and her body, she still smelled like the beach—a scent he’d grown to love over the last couple of days. He eased her bra strap over her shoulder and down her arm, kissing the exposed area of skin. Then he moved on to the other side, waiting for her to whisper for him to stop, but the word never came. Feeling empowered, he unhooked her bra and let it fall to the shower floor.

“Brett.” Her voice trembled when she spoke.

His hands went to her breasts, which were firm and round and perky. God, she had great tits. He rolled her nipples between his fingers, and they hardened instantly. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, tugging on her earlobe.

“That feels so good.” Amy tilted her head to the side, giving him greater access to her neck.

He wanted to devour her, to rip her panties off, pin her against the shower wall, and fuck her until neither of them could walk. But he wanted to savor her, too. Enjoy the feel of her in his arms, on his cock. Shit, he was so fucking hard he thought he was going to die of a stroke.

“I want you, Amy. God I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life.” Brett pushed his hips into her, letting her feel just how true those words were.

She turned in his arms, put her hands on the back of his neck, and kissed him. The feel of her breasts pressed against his chest drove him insane. He eased his hands down the length of her back and grabbed her ass, yanking her tight to him. She gasped; then moaned, causing his dick to twitch with anticipation. This was it. It was finally happening. He was going to have sex with Amy. There was no going back. Not now, not ever. He had never been surer of anything in his entire life.

Brett spun her around and pinned her against the shower wall. He left her lips and trailed kisses down her throat and to her breasts. Taking one into his mouth, he swirled his tongue around her nipple, and then drew it into his mouth, sucking on it for several long moments. “Mmm,” he hummed and moved on to the other one.

Amy speared her fingers into his hair, her fingertips massaging his scalp as he moved back and forth between her breasts, sucking and teasing her nipples into tight, hard peaks. “Brett,” she whimpered. “Brett, oh God, Brett, please…Brett…stop.”

And there was that one word he hadn’t wanted to hear. He put his hands on either side of her head and looked into her eyes. “Amy.” He rested his forehead on hers and sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was stop. “I’m sorry. I got carried away.” He reached over and turned off the shower, which was now running cold. It was obvious she wasn’t ready for this yet. But he wasn’t going to give up. He’d back off, give her a little more time, and then try again.