She settled into a loveseat and he sat next to her. Glancing up at him, she gave him a soft smile that he hoped was an invitation. If not, he was going to make it one. Zack pushed some buttons and the lights dimmed. The movie started. One of the Fast and the Furious movies. He wasn’t sure which. He didn’t sit through movies very often, but he liked Dwayne whatever-his-name-was, the Rock. Kind of reminded him of himself.
He leaned closer to Sydnee. His arm brushed hers a few times; then he got brave enough to lift his arm and wrap it around her shoulder. She looked up at him, and then she leaned in. Brooks wanted to punch a fist in the air. He tugged her closer until she was resting against his chest. With a little sigh that had him dreaming of kissing her, she tucked her feet up on the couch and rested a hand on his abdomen.
Brooks thought this might be heaven. It had been a very long time since he had simply cuddled a woman. He couldn’t even picture the face of the last date he’d wanted to just hold. He went on all kinds of fun or romantic dates; then he kissed them, dropped them off, and that was that. Not that he didn’t want to kiss Sydnee, and soon, but he was really, really enjoying this holding her experience.
“The Rock is such a piece of work,” Sydnee whispered.
“You think? I kind of like the guy.”
Sydnee gazed up at him. “Reminds you of yourself?”
“What? Well, if you say so.” He acted shocked, but was pleased she’d made the connection. But wait, she thought The Rock was a piece of work? What did that say about Brooks?
Sydnee lifted her hand and pressed it against his cheek. Brooks’s breath caught in his throat.
“I guess I should like him, then,” she whispered.
Brooks forgot they were watching a movie with Zack and Maddie on the next couch over. He wrapped both hands around her waist and easily lifted her onto his lap. Sydnee gasped, and it was such a cute sound. He lowered his head toward hers. He was finally going to taste those lips. She smelled like lemon candy again. Delicious.
“Uncle Brooks?” Izzy’s little voice interrupted him like the needle being jerked from an old-style record player.
Brooks’s head popped up. Sydnee slid off his lap, and he was upset with Izzy for the first time since he’d known the little girl.
“Yes, love?” He controlled his breathing.
“Can I sit on you?”
“Of course, my beauty.” He lifted the child onto his lap, ignoring Zack’s obnoxious laughter.
Sydnee was rigid beside him. Had he pushed too hard too fast? Today had been one of the best days he could remember in a long time. He hoped he hadn’t ruined it with his desire to kiss her. He loved to kiss, but he was pretty certain kissing Sydnee was going to be better than even his imagination could conjure. A bit of terror raced through him. He usually pulled women in quickly and then just as quickly pushed them away. Sydnee was a lot more work to reel in than anyone he knew, but the scary thing was, he wasn’t ready to push her away, and he was afraid getting that kiss would just make him want more.
13
Though she missed being with her family in Alabama and her family in Cozumel, Sydnee had enjoyed every part of this Thanksgiving Day. Except how awkward she’d felt after Brooks had lifted her onto his lap and she’d almost kissed him with his friends sitting on the couch next to them. My heavens. Where had her brain gone?
They ate leftovers for dinner, and Sydnee forced herself not to be sad about missing Momma’s sweet potato casserole or creamed potatoes. Zack’s twice-baked potatoes were very good, and it was nice to try something different.
After dinner, she was changing back into her suit to swim with the kiddos when a knock came at her door. She hurried to answer it, smiling to see Brooks standing there.
He grinned at her and held out his cell phone. “I didn’t know if you had coverage here and thought you might want to call your family.”
She stared at him and had to blink away stinging tears. “Thank you. That was thoughtful of you.”
He shrugged. “I’m just that kind of guy.”
Sydnee laughed. He walked off to give her some privacy. She placed the call.
“Hello?” the beautiful soprano twanged out.
“Momma.” Sydnee sighed, loving the feeling of home.
“Oh, sweet girl. It’s Sydnee!” she yelled to the family. “You wouldn’t believe who just dropped off a pie.”
Sydnee didn’t really care who’d dropped off a pie. She wanted to talk to her entire family at once and envision them sitting around the large farm table, their guts busting with yummy food.
“Jace,” her mom continued. “That is one handsome young man, darlin’, and filthy rich to boot. Your daddy might even give his approval of that one.”
Sydnee rolled her eyes. Jace was a great guy, but he didn’t make her tingle at his touch or dream of finally getting the opportunity to kiss him or laugh at his overconfidence. She talked with each of her family members, and Jace, for almost half an hour, then went looking for Brooks. He wasn’t in his room, so she left the phone on a side table and found the family in the pool. Brooks waited for her in a lounge chair.
“How’s the family?” Brooks asked, taking her hand and escorting her into the warm water.
“Everyone’s happy and stuffed with pecan pie. Thank you.”
“No problem.” Brooks squeezed her hand.
It was so relaxing to just play with children and not feel responsible for them. Zack and Maddie were great parents, and Sydnee loved their adoption and wedding story. These children were very lucky to have them.
Zack and Brooks tossed the girls back and forth. Baby Alex was in his momma’s arms, splashing the warm water and babbling. He reminded her of Tomás, and she felt a pang for her children. She knew they’d be fine without her, but she was anxious to hold Tomás and wrestle with Daniel and Alejandro. She should’ve called them too, but that would’ve left Brooks waiting for far too long.
Sydnee watched Brooks’s arms flex as he threw Izzy to Zack, then snagged Chalise out of the air. Two hours a day in the gym? Yesterday she might have said that was excessive. Today she was pretty sure that was time well spent.
The sun set as they were getting out of the pool. Sydnee wrapped herself in a towel and watched the orange orb disappear into the ocean. “Y’all are so blessed,” she said to Maddie.
Maddie cuddled her chubby son against her chest. “We are. Spoiled rotten.”
“Spoiled with love,” Chalise sang as she skipped past them into the house.
“Don’t drip on that wood floor, little girl,” Maddie called.
“I’ll run fast, Momma.” Chalise disappeared into the house with no towel, water streaming down her legs from her little swim skirt.
Maddie handed Sydnee the baby. “Would you take him while I go cuss my child?”
Sydnee laughed and gladly accepted Alex. It was kind of comforting that super wealthy, super nice people still had to discipline. Brooks came up behind her and leaned over her shoulder, playing a little game of peek-a-boo with Alex. Sydnee’s breath caught at his nearness.
Alex shrieked with laughter and arched his back. Sydnee panicked and grasped him tighter, terrified this chubby baby would fling himself right out of her arms. Brooks’s arms wrapped around both of them and pulled her back against his firm chest. She could feel the ridges of muscles against her bare back.
“I’ve got him, love.”
“Looks like you’ve got us both.” Her heart hammered in her chest. Brooks didn’t release her, and Alex was oblivious to the way his uncle was touching this poor woman who could hardly handle any more intimacy. Alex babbled at them and blew spit bubbles.
“That would be a dream come true,” Brooks whispered against her neck.
Trembling from his touch, Sydnee turned slightly and glanced up at him. He stared down at her, and every rational thought scattered.
“That looks good on you,” Zack’s voice came, as if from a tunnel.
“What?” Brooks murmured, no
t taking his eyes off of Sydnee’s.
“The baby and the beautiful lady.” Zack chuckled. “If you’ll just excuse me, I’ll take my son.”
Sydnee snapped out of the trance, and Brooks released his hold on them. Zack lifted the little boy into his arms and tossed him gently. Alex laughed. It was a delightful sound, but Sydnee could only think of how many times Brooks had almost kissed her and they’d been interrupted. She should feel relieved. She wasn’t sure if her heart or her nerves could handle being kissed by this man, but all she felt was repeated disappointment.
Zack had an undeniable smirk on his face as he ushered Izzy in front of him through the great room, and they disappeared.
Sydnee was alone with Brooks. The sky was streaked with pink clouds over the turquoise water, and a warm breeze lifted the hair off her shoulders. Sydnee was more than ready to see if his kiss was anywhere close to as exciting as his touch.
Brooks’s hand circled her arm. Sydnee looked up at him. He took a step closer, and his strong body brushed against hers. Her breath shortened to small pants. Cupping her cheek with his palm, he slowly lowered his head. The waiting was agonizing. Sydnee pushed up onto tiptoes, needing to shorten this romantic moment or she was going to go insane with wanting him.
The French door banged open and Chalise barged out. “Will you help me find my mermaid Barbie, Uncle Brooks? I hasta have it in the tub!”
“Uncle Brooks is busy with something better than a mermaid,” Brooks murmured as he stared at Sydnee. He released her, offering her a smile and a look that said he wanted that kiss as much as she did. The timing just wasn’t right. Ever. “Let’s go dive for it, love,” he said to Chalise.
“Excuse me,” Sydnee murmured, giving Brooks one last glance before she slipped into the house and to the bedroom they’d given her for the duration of her stay. She took a really long shower and then wrapped her hair up in a towel and wrapped another towel around her body. Surveying her face in the mirror, she liked the way she looked with sun-kissed cheeks and a glow in her eyes. What exactly was Brooks doing to her? His friends seemed to think this wasn’t his usual mode of operation. She smiled at herself. She felt special to him.
A soft knock on her door brought her around. Oh, crap. She was in a towel. Rushing to the door, she opened it a crack. Brooks stood on the other side, grinning at her. “Can I come in?”
“No!” Sydnee slammed the door on him.
“Please, Sydnee. My yacht hit a water buffalo and I need your towel to wipe it up.”
Sydnee laughed. “That was really lame.”
“Can I come in after you get dressed?”
“I’ll think about it,” she shot back. Rushing to her suitcase, she pulled out underwear, a tank top, and some cotton shorts and hurried putting them on. She took the towel off her head and combed her fingers through her hair. A quick brush of her teeth and a spritz of her sheer cotton lemonade body splash was all she had time for. Her mother would be appalled at her lack of sprucing up.
Hurrying back to the door, she swung it wide. Brooks was still standing there. Yay for her. His dark hair was wet, and he hadn’t shaved today. He was completely irresistible. Sydnee grabbed his T-shirt and tugged him into the room. “Get in here before Chalise interrupts us again.”
Brooks pumped his eyebrows, coming willingly. “I like the way you’re thinking.”
“Well, don’t get any ideas, big boy. I’m not letting you stay in here. I just need that kiss I keep getting denied.”
“Wait a minute. I distinctly remember being told to not touch you on this trip. Hard to kiss you, love, if I can’t touch you.”
“You kiss me or I’ll be hitting you with a water buffalo.”
“So forceful.” Brooks lifted a strand of wet hair off her shoulder and rubbed it between his fingers. “I like it.”
Sydnee suddenly felt shy. Had she really just begged this man to kiss her? She glanced over his handsome face. Oh yes, she had, and oh yes, she was going to enjoy it. She pushed at his chest, backing him up into the door.
“Whoa.” He lifted both hands palms up. “Somebody finally realized Brooks is the man she wants.”
Sydnee couldn’t help but laugh. He had no idea. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself onto tiptoes. “Maybe. We’ll see if you can kiss with those beautiful lips as well as you can smart off with them.”
“Better.” Brooks wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her against him.
He lowered his head and slowly, gently pressed his lips to hers. Tingles of pleasure and excitement raced from her lips and throughout her body. Sydnee ran her hands up his neck and explored the stubble on his face. Brooks moaned and increased the pressure of his kiss. He lifted her completely off her feet, turned a half circle, and pressed her into the door. Sydnee let out a gasp of surprise, but recovered quickly and wound her fingers through his hair. She inhaled the spiciness of his cologne and tasted warmth and peppermint. Oh my, this kiss was worth waiting for.
The door pounded behind her. “Sydnee?” Maddie called.
Brooks released her from the kiss and cradled her against his chest. Her feet were still dangling off the ground. He opened his mouth to respond. Sydnee clapped her hand over his lips and stifled a giggle. Maddie couldn’t know he was in here. She loved this family, but their timing stunk.
“Yes?” Sydnee responded.
“We finally got the kids settled and Zack said his mango cheesecake has cured long enough. He’s so ridiculous about waiting until the flavor has melded perfectly. He was going to find Brooks. Do you want to come have a slice?”
Maddie was talking forever and Sydnee was hung like a hamper here, but she was in Brooks’s arms so she would never complain. “That sounds great. I’ll, um, be right there.”
Footsteps tapped away from the door. Brooks threw back his head and laughed. “Their timing is awful.”
He set her feet on the floor, but then pinned her against the door and kissed her once, twice, a third time. Sydnee gasped for a breath. “Zack’s going to have a hard time finding you,” she murmured, trailing her fingers over his firm chest.
Brooks kissed her, then broke away and chuckled. “We’re going to walk out there hand in hand and really give him a shock.”
“If you stop kissing me now, I’m going to give you a shock.”
Brooks grinned and proceeded to kiss her until Zack pounded on the door. “Brooks. If you’re in there, Maddie is going to kill me.”
Brooks roared with laughter. “I know you kissed Maddie in here plenty of times before you got married.”
“Yeah, but I have more self-control than you.”
Brooks leaned down to Sydnee’s ear and whispered, “My woman’s more irresistible than his.”
“Only to you.” Sydnee flushed, loving the thought of being his woman.
Brooks’s eyes traveled over her face, and he nodded. “To me.”
14
Friday morning, Sydnee slept late, and then she and Maddie swam laps in the pool while the men cooked breakfast and fed the children.
“I can’t tell you how nice this is,” Maddie confided in her as they stretched in the pool after they’d finished swimming. “I really needed a vacation.”
Sydnee laughed. “Forgive me for saying this, but your life seems like a vacation.”
“I guess it would.” Maddie lay back into the water. “Don’t let me complain, because I love my man and kiddos more than anything, but going from single graduate student to married with three children and isolated on an island was a bit of a shock. But we’re figuring it out, and Zack is so good to me. He cooks most of the time and helps clean too.” She chuckled. “This house was spotless before we got married.”
“It’s such a beautiful house and island.”
“It is. I do love it here, and we get to do a lot of fun things with the girls.”
Sydnee was surprised when she realized the moisture running down Maddie’s face was not from the pool. “Everything okay?”
“Yes!” Maddie brushed the tears away. “Please don’t think I’m not happy, because I am, I really am. I think I’m just hormonal. I’m only twelve weeks along and—”
Sydnee grabbed her new friend in a hug. “Y’all are pregnant?”
Maddie nodded and returned the hug. “Yes. I’m excited, but a little overwhelmed. Four under the age of four. Are we insane?”
“I think you’re amazing.” Sydnee felt such a pang of jealousy. She loved the children in the orphanage completely, but she also wanted what Maddie had someday. Her own home. Her own children.
Brooks poked his head out of the French doors. “Hey. That’s my girl you’re hugging, Madeline.”
Sydnee grinned. Her own man. She wanted him first and foremost.
The two women broke apart. “You’re not the only one who can hug her,” Maddie retorted.
“I should be.” Brooks winked. “Breakfast is ready, and since you aren’t exercising anymore, Zack thought you might want to eat.”
“Thanks. We’ll be right in.”
Sydnee smiled shyly at him. The kissing last night had been amazing. She hoped it would continue sometime today. She wouldn’t complain if it was the main activity of the day.
Brooks gave her that grin that made her knees go to grits. Darn that man and his looks and his lips.
“Seems like you aren’t bothered by him having dated other women anymore?” Maddie said as they climbed out of the pool and wrapped in towels.
Cozumel Escape (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 8