Page 28 of Luck Be a Genie

I chuckled as my brother went quiet again. We always joked in my family that my brother Kian was a force of nature, but I think Lucky was even more so, just in a different way.

“We actually want to get a poker night going, and we’d love you to join us.”

Lucky nibbled on her bottom lip, which just about killed me dead.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on a brothers’ night.”

“I’m sure,” Declan said, and I blinked when his tone sounded almost warm. “And if the others don’t like it, they can kick rocks.”

Lucky laughed. “Okay,” she said shyly. “I’d love to. I’m not very good at poker, though.”

“Even better.”

I rolled my eyes at my brother. It wasn’t like we played for money and he could hustle her.

“What do you guys play for?” Lucky asked, as if reading my mind.

“Whatever you want. We generally don’t bet anything valuable, though.”

“Hmm, how about peanut butter M & M’s?”

“Sounds good. I’ll bring them. Is seven okay?”

Lucky looked at the clock on my bedside table. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m so excited to meet you guys!”

Declan chuckled, which almost made me snatch the phone back and demand he give me our family’s safe word so I knew he hadn’t been body snatched.

“See you tonight.”

Lucky and I spent the whole rest of the day in the oasis area of the resort. We went down the lazy river a few times, but ended our day in one of the adults-only hot tubs, which was miraculously empty for the moment.

It was an infinity hot tub, and looked out over the ocean. The sound of the ocean below us and the light breeze blowing through the dense foliage surrounding us was crazy relaxing.

Lucky had been kind of quiet today. She was still affectionate, so I wasn’t too worried, but I didn’t know what to do or say to help her feel better. Not that she had to feel better. I just... hated it when she was sad. It felt like someone kept stabbing my chest with a dull blade.

Finally, unable to bear it anymore, I pulled her onto my lap, making her squeal and laugh. The hot water and the jets splashed around us, making the surface bubble, but my focus was a hundred percent on my girl.

“You’ve been quiet all day,” I said gently. “Want to talk about it?”

She shook her head, then nodded, which did not help my confusion any.

She laughed at whatever expression was on my face, then kissed my cheek. “I mean, no, I don’t, but yes, I do. It’s both. I guess I just...” She sighed, then met my eyes. “This all feels like a dream, Nick. I guess I’m just afraid one day I’m going to wake up and it’ll all be gone.”

I wrapped my arms loosely around her waist, and rubbed her back, making small circles over her cherry red swimsuit. “Okay, first, it’s not a dream, Lucks. Do you know I know?”

She shook her head.

“Because it hurts sometimes Sometimes I stick my foot in my mouth and hurt your feelings. Sometimes you say something that hurts me or makes me frustrated, but we keep showing up for each other. In the big ways and the small ways. We’ve done it as friends, and now we get to do it as more than friends.”

I brushed her beautiful hair back away from her face. “You’re it for me, sunshine. I don’t want anyone else. So the only way you’ll lose me is if you force me out of your life.”

I kissed her, and she made a small mewling sound of discontent when I pulled back after a moment, making me chuckle softly.

Putting my forehead to hers and looking into her eyes, I whispered, “Please don’t force me out of your life. I know you’re afraid. I am too sometimes at the thought of losing you. But we can work through that together.”

She nodded, her eyes filling. This time, she trusted me and didn’t hide the tears from me as she quickly wiped them away, then she cuddled against me, resting her face in the curve of my neck.

“Maybe one day we’ll stop being afraid,” she said softly.