Roadtrips and Romance (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 5)

by Kimberly Loth

  “But then how would I get to work?”

  “Helicopter.”

  She shook her head, disbelieving.

  “Okay, enough about money,” Adam said. “How many kids do you want?”

  “I dunno. A few. You?”

  “Two or four.”

  “Not three?”

  “No. With three, someone is always left out. I want them close together too. None of this five year apart crap.”

  It was a strange conversation to have with a guy from high school she used to think was a rich idiot. But for some reason, it seemed to fit.

  “See, you know some things you want in life.” She almost said, “other than me” but left that part out.

  “I’m starting to figure it out,” he whispered.

  They both watched Nona prance around in the ocean. Kids with Adam. She barely even thought about kids with Tanner. She’d always assumed she’d be a mom, but she rarely thought about the logistics.

  Adam continued the inquisition. “Are you okay with a nanny?”

  Liz had never had the luxury of thinking about it, but it didn’t sound too bad. “Sure.”

  “Where do you want to honeymoon?”

  That she knew the answer to. “Maldives.”

  He laughed. “Of course. You know, I’ve never been there.”

  “Good. It would be a first for the both of us.” She froze. For a second she’d forgotten this was just a game. She wiggled out of his arms and stood.

  Nona dropped the stick in front of her, and she threw it as far as possible. Adam made no move to get up. Maybe he’d forgotten it wasn’t real either. Liz didn’t know why, but the whole idea made her sad. She wanted it to be real.

  They got to Brookings just before dinner and stopped at the Shopko to pick up some chicken and veggies. Adam insisted he could make kabobs on the fire even though he’d never done it before. Liz was skeptical. The good thing was they were close to town, so if dinner was a total fail, they’d be able to go out.

  Adam was more relaxed than she’d ever seen him.

  “You pick gorgeous sites. Seriously, you should plan all of my vacations for me.” Adam stared out over the ocean once again.

  “I’m a pretty good researcher. Where do you want go next? I’ll see what I can do.” She open the hatch because she wanted to set up camp.

  He grabbed the tent and a chair. “The Maldives,” he said with a wink. “You’re coming with.”

  Her face flushed. She wasn’t sure how to handle her feelings. Technically she and Tanner were taking a break, and she was exploring things with Adam, but she didn’t know how she was supposed to behave. We’re they now supposed to act like a couple? Adam sure seemed to think so.

  She let him handle the fire while she set up the tent. She could feel his eyes on her, and after starting the inflator on the air mattress, she spun and confronted him.

  “Why are you staring at me?”

  “Because you’re beautiful.”

  She dropped her eyes. She didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” she muttered and turned her attention back to the tent. She set up his sleeping bag and threw both of their pillows in there.

  Adam had a roaring fire going, which he poked at every once in a while.

  “We need to go back into town,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “I still don’t have a sleeping bag.” Last night they’d just been friends. But tonight everything had changed. She was having trouble controlling her own feelings.

  He reached out and pulled her close to him. She hesitated for a moment but wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. His eyes sparkled.

  “You know, last night wasn’t too bad.”

  “Are you kidding? We both nearly froze to death.” She was being dramatic, but just trying to break the tension. This was still uncomfortable for her.

  “Well, if we keep the sleeping bag zipped up, we’ll stay plenty warm.”

  She chewed on her lip, thinking. This could have dire consequences, but she wasn’t going to lie. She wanted to know what it would be like to wake up next to him. It could get out of hand quickly.

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’ll be a perfect gentleman. I promise. I want to hold you.”

  She gave him a grin. “I’m sure you like to do more than that.”

  “Of course I would, but I’m happy honoring your wishes. I have a question though.”

  “What?”

  He dropped his head and whispered in her ear. “This no kiss thing. Is that just on the lips?”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her heart racing.

  “Can I kiss you on the cheek?” He brought his mouth to her cheek.

  “Yes,” she said, not sure how this could go wrong. The kiss was light and sweet and would’ve been fine, but he trailed kisses along her jaw, moving across her chin and to the other side. Fire burned in her belly.

  He whispered against her skin. “What about your nose, can I kiss your nose?”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “Yes. Just not the lips.”

  “So everything else is fair game?” he asked in a raspy voice.

  She couldn’t bring herself to speak, so she just nodded and closed her eyes. His lips formed a feathery path all over her face. She felt his tongue lightly run along her eyelashes and she nearly melted.

  He moved toward her neck, and she broke away breathless. “We should make dinner.”

  While he cut up the chicken, Adam kept up a one-sided conversation about all the fun things they could do in Vegas when they got back. She chopped the vegetables mindlessly, her thoughts still on his kisses.

  “Earth to Snow. You okay?”

  She jerked her head around. “What? Yeah. Sorry. Here.” She handed him the cut up peppers and onions, and he threaded them on the skewer.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He didn’t take his eyes off of her. “Did I make you uncomfortable earlier?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The kisses.”

  She shook her head. “But I can’t stopping thinking about it.”

  His face split into a grin. “You ready for that ring yet?”

  She returned the smile. “Maybe tomorrow.” She danced away, knowing she’d gotten to him. This was different than her relationship with Tanner had been. For one thing, the tension was palpable. She liked it. She also liked teasing him. Tanner had no sense of humor.

  She let him get into the sleeping bag first, and she slid in after him, staying as close to the edge as she could. This was a decision she immediately regretted. It was one thing to tease and play in the wide open, but here, anything could happen. She’d hoped Nona would wiggle between them, but she curled up at Liz’s feet. At least those wouldn’t freeze. This was different than her own sleeping bag because she couldn’t pull it around her, and the space between her and Adam was cold.

  “You’re shivering. Come here,” Adam said.

  “Adam, no. This was a bad idea.”

  “We’re not doing anything.” He put his hand on her shoulder. Her teeth chattered a little. He was right. They were adults and could handle sleeping in the same sleeping bag together.

  “Okay, fine. But the second I think your trying something funny, I’m gonna punch you in the nose.”

  “Fair enough, now come here.”

  She wiggled into him and he pulled her tight against his body. His chest was warm on her back. She and Tanner had slept in the same bed together a few times, and he’d always held her close. But it was never quite comfortable and usually within a few minutes his arm would’ve fallen asleep or she’d get too hot. Tanner never held her tight either. There was always just a little bit of space.

  Everything about the way Adam held her felt right. From his light breath in her ear, to the way he curled his legs into hers. She knew she shouldn’t like it, but she wanted this night to last forever.

  Chapter 19

  Onc
e again, Adam awoke grinning at his close proximity to Snow. His grin widened when as she opened her eyes and smiled.

  “Morning,” he said.

  “It’s freezing,” she said and wiggled close to him. She pressed into his side, laid her cheek on his chest, and held tightly to him.

  “Good morning to you too.” He loved holding her. He wanted her in his life permanently. To wake up to her beautiful face every day.

  “Don’t get excited. I’m just cold. You’re warm.”

  “How’d you sleep?”

  “Pretty good. Nona is a good foot heater.”

  “We should go check out the morning view. What do you think?”

  She pressed into him. “But I’m comfortable. Can we just stay here for a few minutes longer?”

  Adam couldn’t figure out what she was doing. She was so nervous last night. Now he wasn’t thinking straight with her pressed into him like that. He was afraid he might try something dumb with her so eager.

  “No, we need to get up.” He wiggled out of her grip and slid out of the sleeping bag. She made no move to get up.

  “You know, this wasn’t so bad. Maybe we don’t need to get me a new sleeping bag.”

  He unzipped the tent and thought for a second before saying anything else. “You know, we probably shouldn’t do this again unless you’re ready for that ring.”

  Adam had trouble concentrating on the road as they drove into Newport. She had gotten into his head, and he didn’t know how to get her out. Not that he wanted to stop thinking about her. And now that she wasn’t officially dating Tanner, she was technically a free woman. But that didn’t mean she was ready or willing to run into his arms.

  He could remain permanently friend-zoned. He’d never been okay with that with any other woman he really wanted. The lengths to which he was willing to go for Liz scared him. He’d never felt so vulnerable in his life.

  They pulled into the parking lot of the Sylvia Beach Hotel. The four-story inn was right on the beach. A view from the top must be incredible. Snow scrambled out of the car and grinned up at the building. Adam put Nona’s leash on and followed her into the lobby and to the front desk.

  “Excuse me, I have a reservation for Tanner Stone,” Snow said.

  The woman behind the desk looked up. “Ah, yes. You must be the lucky young lady. The Hemingway Room.”

  Snow’s face fell.

  “Not a Hemingway fan?” Adam asked.

  Snow glowered. “No. It’s Tanner’s favorite.”

  “Do you have any other rooms available?” Adam asked the woman.

  “Don’t be silly, you can stay with me,” Snow said.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The room only has one bed,” the woman said.

  Who was this woman to judge them?

  “And we’re two consenting adults,” Snow snapped.

  Adam put his hand on her back. “I was just seeing if one of your favorites was still available.”

  “I’m a bit confused,” the woman behind the desk said. “Mr. Stone already checked in.”

  Snow’s eyes went wide. “Tanner is here?” she asked the woman.

  “Yes. He checked in an hour ago. Told me you’d be coming, but he didn’t mention the other man.” The woman stood and put her hand on her chest. “No dogs allowed. I’m sorry, sir.” Adam barely registered the woman’s words. Just when he thought things with Snow were going somewhere, Tanner showed up.

  Adam gave the woman a tight smile. “No worries. I’ll stay somewhere else tonight. We’ll figure things out tomorrow.”

  “Adam, I don’t know what to say,” Snow said, looking completely shocked.

  “I know. Go figure things out with Tanner.” He didn’t want to pressure her. He knew if he stayed there much longer, he’d say more than he should, and if he pushed her into making a decision, he knew the answer would not be in his favor. The thought of her spending the night with that bastard made his stomach churn, though.

  He spun and tugged on Nona’s leash.

  “Wait,” Snow said.

  He didn’t, though. He couldn’t. He raced out to the car without stopping. Once he got there, he took a couple of deep breaths. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for him to have a night to himself. He hadn’t been thinking straight since the moment this trip started.

  His hands shook as he tried to get the key into the ignition. He was going to lose his head over this girl.

  Chapter 20

  Liz stood in the lobby, completely lost. She simultaneously wanted to run out to the car and away with Adam and race upstairs into Tanner’s arms.

  “Your key, miss.”

  Liz turned and smiled at the woman. What must she be thinking? “Of course. Thank you.” Tanner. He deserved this. He’d just flown thousands of miles to be with her. If nothing else, by the end of the evening, she’d make a decision.

  Liz climbed up the two flights of stairs and found the door. She turned the key, still not sure what she wanted or what she was going to do. Tanner and she were on a break. This was the last thing she was prepared for.

  Liz turned the handle, still a little miffed that he picked the Hemingway Room. She pushed the door open and saw Tanner rummaging through his bag. He spun and gave her a million-watt smile, his skin bronzed from the South American sun. He ran for her and gathered her up in a hug. She relaxed into his arms, his hugs feeling so familiar and comfortable.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I know we said we were going to take a break and give each other space, but I just couldn’t envision my life without you. I was wrong. I should have given you time on those calls, and I didn’t. I’m so sorry.”

  She held him tighter and rested her head in the nook of his neck. She missed this smell, something that was just so familiar. She forced herself move back a bit. “I’m sorry too. I got really upset and shouldn’t have gone off on you like that. I’m so glad you’re back.” She meant it too. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking with Adam. She belonged here in Tanner’s arms.

  He let go and led her to the bed. “Tell me about your trip.”

  They snuggled on the bed, and she told him about her adventures up the coast. Tanner listened intently and laughed in all the right places.

  “Sounds like we need to get you a dog when we get home.”

  “Maybe.” She rested even deeper on his shoulder and pulled him close. She so desperately missed this kind of contact. And to think she’d have this feeling for the rest of the trip. It might get a little strange, what with Adam being on the trip too, but they’d figure it out. And Tanner would see that while Adam and she did have a certain kind of chemistry, it was nothing that was acted upon. They were friends and would remain so.

  “I’m so glad you’ll get to finish the trip with me.”

  Tanner’s shoulder sunk a bit, and he exhaled loudly. “Oh, babe, I’m sorry. I won’t. I have to go back. I’m only here for one day. I know you talked about priorities, and I know how much this place meant to you, so I was able to make it to this one day. Just for you.”

  “You flew up all the way from Honduras for one day?” The high she was riding only moments before quickly deflated.

  “Yeah, you were worth it.”

  “That must have cost a pretty penny.” She was surprised Tanner would spend that kind of money on her.

  “I told my YouTubers there was a chance I could lose my girl to a Vegas playboy, and they came to the rescue.”

  Liz pulled away. “You had your YouTubers pay for your trip here?” And Adam wasn’t a Vegas Playboy. Why would he say that? Tanner didn’t even know Adam.

  Tanner nodded excitedly. “One of them is even going to film the proposal. It’s bound to get tons of views.”

  Liz closed her eyes. She didn’t want her proposal videoed. She wanted that moment to be between her and Tanner. Things were quickly unraveling.

  “When will you be back?” she asked.

  “Two months. You can pick me up at the airport, and we’ll go get our m
arriage license before we even get home. Then we can start the real fun.” He leaned into her with the biggest smile and wiggled his eyebrows. “How does that sound?”

  His goofy look almost caused a real smile to grow on her face. She had no idea what to say to this.

  “And I thought about what you said. About priorities and everything,” Tanner said.

  Hope bloomed in Liz’s chest. Okay, he had heard her. He’d thought about his priorities, obviously, since he was here and at least holding up his promise to propose to her.

  “And what did you decide?” Liz asked.

  Tanner grabbed her hands and squeezed them. “You are so important to me, Liz. So I worked it out with the building crew that after we’re married, we’ll head back to Honduras for a year, and then you and I will figure it out from there.”

  “No. I’m going to open up my own shop. We talked about this.” Was he freaking kidding? After all the fights they’d had, this was what Tanner thought was a compromise. “What about my shop?”

  “It’s just a year. Then we can come back and open up that shop. I tried to get out of going back, but they just need us so badly there. I couldn’t say no. And when you meet them, I know you’ll see all the good we’re doing and agree with me.”

  Liz gaped at him. That was his plan. If they spent a year in Honduras, he was hoping she’d agree to a life of volunteering. And maybe she would. Maybe she would be able to give up her dream to own her own shop.

  But shouldn’t she get a chance to try her dream out? And shouldn’t her husband want her to have that chance?

  Tanner leaned forward and kissed her nose, most likely interpreting her silence as something other than the inner anger and turmoil she felt.

  “I’m famished,” he said. “Shall we go get something to eat? Talk about this a bit more later?”

  All she could think about was the last kiss on the nose she’d gotten. The one from Adam. It held far more tension and promise than the one Tanner had given her.

  This conversation wasn’t over, but she didn’t feel like arguing with him when he traveled all the way from Honduras. “I saw a great Irish pub down the road.”

  “That’s all meat and potatoes, right?” He wrinkled his nose.