Page 20 of Hideaway Reunion

He walked her back to the house and opened the door for her. “I need to finish one last perimeter check,” Brayden said reluctantly, kissing her temple. “Go inside, lock the door, and get some sleep. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Sleep?” She gawked at him.

“Yes. We both need the rest.” He tipped up her chin. “There’s no way I’m rushing you or anything about us.”

“This is a side of you I’m not familiar with,” she confessed.

“Patient?”

She chuckled. “Well, yeah. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve gone straight after what you want.”

He could’ve studied the bewildered half-smile on her face for hours. “That hasn’t changed, Roni. I want you.” But not for a night or a short-term fling. He hadn’t taken this risk for such small stakes. He wanted them to become more. She needed time to adjust to that. And he wanted to romance her too. To discover a new facet of her as well.

“Let me handle the job first.” He touched his lips to hers, keeping it light.

“I could tag along again.”

He tortured himself, running his fingertips along the edge of her sleep shorts. She shivered. “Not tonight.”

“Okay.” She raked her fingers through his hair. “Don’t be long.”

He waited until he heard the security system engage and then he backed away, his heart lighter than it had been in years. He flicked on his flashlight and headed out for one last in-person check before he relied on the tech overnight.

CHAPTER 6

Veronica woke up slowly. Her dreams had been filled with Brayden’s heated kisses and her body craved more.

Was she in love with him?

Probably. She really should be sure about this entirely new situation before she allowed things to go any further. Practicality was low on her emotional priority list, although it was central to her core values.

Stretching, her first instinct was to call Natalie. That was an immediate red flag that her hormones had commandeered her brain, seeking validation for the giddy feelings over making the smart decisions.

Well, if Natalie could be responsible on occasion, why couldn’t she be carefree?

Because this was Brayden. Aside from her sisters, there wasn’t a more important person in her life. She owed it to him to stay smart, even with toe-curling, bone-melting kisses on offer.

For a few golden seconds, she wallowed in the best possible outcome. One where they stayed friends, became lovers, and somehow managed to live happily ever after. The potential warmed her from the inside out.

Rolling to her feet, she noticed she was alone in the suite. Either Brayden hadn’t slept or he was already up and working. Both possibilities troubled her—it was way too early. Smelling coffee brewing in the kitchen, she hurried to get around and catch up with him.

She was halfway through a fast shower when she realized it was not only way too early, it was way too quiet. Had the Guardian Agency worked some miracle and managed to run off the developers?

Probably not, but a girl could hope. She dressed for a day with clients—Abigail was expecting her in a few hours—and pulled her damp hair into a twist. As she applied sunscreen and lip balm, her mind drifted right back to Brayden’s mouth. She could kiss him whenever she liked now. That felt so wonderfully, deliciously right.

For years, she had tried to keep her longing for Brayden in check. Guarding her heart, terrified that crossing the line from best friends to lovers would shatter the most stable relationship in her life. Instead, now that he’d made the first move, it felt as if the final piece of her soul had clicked into place.

She walked into the kitchen and discovered a new substitute for her normal wake-up hit of caffeine: Brayden. He stood at the island, tall, broad, and commanding in an island print button-up shirt and khaki shorts. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he was dressed for a day of sightseeing.

He was on the phone, dealing with something unpleasant based on his flat, hard tone. When he saw her, his dark eyes instantly softened, a flash of deep, protective tenderness passing over his features before his professional mask slid back into place.

A sudden chill of apprehension chased away the lingering warmth of her dreams and trumped her thoughts of anything beyond the immediate situation. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she tried not to listen to his end of the conversation.

“Understood,” Brayden said, his back to her. “We’ll be ready. Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I’ll check in once the dust settles.” He swiped the screen to end the call and set the phone on the counter.

“Good morning?” Veronica asked. “Did you get any sleep at all?”

“I did.” Walking over, he brushed a kiss to her cheek. “A few hot dreams,” he teased.