Page 81 of My Ex's Billionaire Brothers

She rubs her arms and nods. “That sounds perfect.”

Together, we walk down the narrow path leading to the beach. The sand is cool beneath our feet, and the moonlight casts silver ripples across the surface of the ocean. She pulls her light jacket tight around her body, shivering when a stronger gust of wind sweeps in.

“Here,” I say quietly, fishing something from my pocket. It’s a scarf, tucked away and rolled neatly. She looks at me in confusion as I unravel it, revealing the soft knit in a pale blue color. Before she can question me, I wrap it gently around her neck and tuck the ends beneath her jacket collar.

Anya’s eyes light up. “Where did you get this?”

I hoped to skip this part of things, but we’ve been together for days. It only makes sense that she’d ask. “I, uh…I made it.”

Her lips part in surprise. “You knitted it?”

“Yeah,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ve been working on it at night, after you and the others go to bed.”

“Gage, it’s beautiful. I love it. It’s so toasty!”

A relieved warmth spreads through me. “I wanted you to have something to remember this trip by. At first, I just thought…you’ve had a rough time, with Calvin being such a—you know. I wanted to give you something nice, to show you that people still care.” I swallow, my voice growing softer. “I guess I didn’t realize how things would turn out back then. How we would turn out.”

“You didn’t even really know me when you started it, and you were still going to make me a scarf?”

I shrug sheepishly. “It’s no big deal?—”

“It is.” She touches the scarf, then wraps her arms around my waist, pressing close enough for me to feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. “This really means a lot.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

She laughs softly. “Like it? Gage, I love it.”

I can’t find words that feel strong enough for the moment, so I lean in and kiss her. The tension in my shoulders melts the second our lips touch. Her mouth is warm, and I can taste the faint sweetness of pie lingering there. She presses against me, her small hands gripping the front of my shirt. Each time we kiss, it feels like something new opens up inside me, something I’ve been keeping locked away for too long.

We linger like that, the surf whispering against the shore a few yards away, and the moon casting shadows behind us. Even though the wind picks up, I hardly feel it. I’m too caught up in her warmth. She parts her lips in a quiet sigh, and my pulse leaps in response. It takes a significant effort for me to pull back, though I can’t bring myself to let her go entirely.

“Anya,” I murmur, clearing my throat, “we should probably head back.”

She looks up at me with a slight pout, though I can see amusement beneath it. “Why?”

“Because if we keep kissing out here, I’m going to forget we’re in the middle of a public beach in your hometown. I’m not going to give a fuck about anyone but you, and I’m going to take you in the sand right here, right now. And I really don’t want to give your extended family even more to gossip about.”

She gasps, her hand over her mouth for a moment. “Well, I’ve never had sex on the beach?—”

I laugh sharply. “I have. You don’t want to know all the places sand can end up. Trust me.”

“Alright, big guy. Let’s get back before I jump you right here and scandalize the entire Markoff clan.”

My heart slams in my chest at her teasing words. I realize in that moment how different things feel now. We aren’t sneaking around or second-guessing ourselves. We’re just…together, with the world’s approval or not.

So we walk back in comfortable silence, her hand tucked snugly in mine, and the scarf I knitted still wrapped around her neck. She smiles every time it catches her attention, and it does something to me. Her little smiles are sexy and adorable at the same time. I want all of them.

When we get back to the cottage, the yard is dark. Only the porch light and a small lamp in the living room window remain on. A row of empty folding chairs lies stacked against the fence, and the smell of extinguished barbecue coals lingers in the cool air. Inside is quiet too, the TV off and the furniture pushed back to its usual layout. I note how tidy everything is—my brothers have done one hell of a job whipping the place into shape.

Sure enough, we find Theo and Hunter in the kitchen, rinsing the last few utensils and wiping down counters. They both glance up as we enter. Hunter’s grin is immediate. “There you two are. Have fun?”

“Yeah,” Anya says, still looking a little flushed. “Just a little walk on the beach. The wind picked up, though.”

Theo nods in that efficient way of his, then turns the faucet off. “We handled most of the cleanup. Your mom insisted on leaving the rest, but we convinced her to let us finish.”

Anya gives a small laugh. “I’m surprised she actually let you. She usually insists on doing everything herself.”

“She was tired. Plus, your dad wanted to head out for the night. Something about a hot tub?”