Her Best Friend's Brother

HER BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER

by NICOLETTE LYONS

Electronic and print editions published by

Starfish Publishing House,
August 2013.

Copyright © 2013 Starfish Publishing House/Nicolette Lyons

Cover art © Deposit Photos
/
@ iofoto

ISBN-13: 978-1491287231

ISBN-10:
1491287233

Copyright 2013 by Nicolette Lyons.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction, in whole or in part in any form. This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

To all the girls who had crushes on their BFF’s older brothers.

CHAPTER ONE

Aruba’s sugar-white sand sifted between her French pedicured toes as Chloe Alexander stood looking out at the waves crashing onto the beach. Scraping up the cash to fly down for her best friend’s wedding had been worth every minute of the second job she’d had to work to make it happen.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight.”

The huskily murmured words turned Chloe’s head and sent her heart racing. Max— Maximus Xavier Lawson— AKA her best friend’s brother and life-time crush, stood inches away, drop-dead gorgeous as he’d been since he turned fifteen and changed out of that gawky stage into what could only be described as a hunk.

Max
was sans jacket, his tuxedo tie undone, sleeves rolled up. She could see the little dark hairs on his forearms, and those above his shirt buttons, reminding her of all the times she’d studied him behind her sunglasses while swimming at his parents’ house. “Thanks.”

Max leaned against one of the terrace columns lining the ankle-deep tanning pool, his dark eyes glittering beneath the lights above their heads, and those sparkling in the water a few feet away.

“Dance with me.”

She opened her mouth to immediately deny the requ
est, but Max plucked the champagne glass from her fingers with one hand while wrapping his arm around her waist, tugging her up the single step and onto the concrete terrace. “The dance floor is over there,” she said when he drew her beneath the columns and the shadows there.

“I like it here.”

“Um…okay.”

The wedding reception had wound down after the bride and groom had taken their leave, but plenty of younger party guests remained. As Maid of Honor, Chloe’s duties included sticking around and making sure the remaining wedding guests had fun. Not a hard thing to do considering the glorious setting, and the resort’s amenities.

Max’s hot breath stirred the curl dangling by her ear. It tickled, and she instantly tilted her head in response, feeling the bristle of his jaw rub lightly against her cheek. Oh, that felt good. So good she did it again. Discreetly, of course.

They moved together well. She wasn’t a good dancer. Her mother had enrolled her in ballet classes for years hoping to help with the clumsiness, but finally gave up when she’d joined Science Olympiad instead. Now she wished she’d stayed in dance a little longer.

She felt awkward and uncoordinated, until Max pressed her so tightly against him that she matched her moves to his and they flowed together, moving as one.

So that’s what it’s like when a man knows how to lead.

One song blended into two and then three. The DJ played all the romantic favorites, a few dance songs, and then announced last dance. With a start she realized she and Max were one of the few couples left in the resort’s open area between the restaurants and shops, and the buildings housing the expensive, all-inclusive suites.

“I should probably go make sure everyone makes it back to their rooms,” she said, reluctant to leave his arms.

It wasn’t the first time she’d danced with him. The first time had been at her Sweet Sixteen, when Max had come home from college for the weekend and reluctantly joined the mass of high schoolers gathered together to celebrate her special day. He’d danced under the sparkly ball at the center of the town hall party room, but the moment the dance was over he’d led her off the dance floor with a wink and a squeeze of her hand, and left to go find more mature company.

“I put Peter and Tyler in charge of that. You’ve been going non-stop dealing with bridal issues all day. They were glad to help out,” Max said.

Relief poured through her at the news. Honestly, the last thing she wanted to do was have to walk tipsy guests to their doors. “That’s great. Thank you.”

He smiled down at her before glancing away when a waiter walked by. She studied Max’s profile, remembering how as a teenager she used to sneak pictures of him when he wasn’t looking.

Max was four years older than his sister, Emma, and as kids they were forever torturing Max by following him around. Later that childlike awe turned into a full-fledged crush and she’d been completely and totally in love with Max since she was a gangly freshman, and Max a senior in high school. College and distance had separated them, turning Max’s visits home into desperate drop-ins on Emma to catch peeks of Max. By the time she entered college Max had graduated and moved on, becoming one of the country’s most talented up-and-coming architects.

Still, he’d taken the time to come to her parents’ funeral to hug her close and give her his condolences on the car crash. Until recently
, when Max had moved back home to Cincinnati, she’d only seen him a handful of times. The most memorable being the time she’d dropped off Em’s Christmas present, and found Max sprawled out on his sister’s couch post breakup with a San Francisco socialite.

But six months ago Max had moved home, and ever since then she saw him on a regular basis. At his sister’s apartment and cookouts, family events. Even a movie nights when the now married couple gathered together all their friends to see a flick and have some fun.

“I booked a suite at the sister resort for the next two weeks. Em told me you’re there too.”

The music ended and she reluctantly stopped swaying as a result, clapping in thanks when the DJ said his goodbyes. “Yes. But only for the night. I fly out tomorrow afternoon,” she said, wishing she could stay longer now that the mad-rush of the wedding was over. But on her teacher’s salary it just wasn’t possible. Flying down four days early to help Em settle in, enjoy an on-island bachelorette party, and do the pre-wedding scope of the resort had used most of her allotted time on the island. As much as she hated the thought, tonight was her last night.

“I’ll walk you back.”

A shuttle ran between the resorts every fifteen minutes, but a moonlight walk on the beach to the resort sounded wonderful. Her fatigue disappeared in an instant when she thought of adding the experiences with Max. Em was constantly telling her to make her feelings for Max known, but she wasn’t that kind of girl. She felt that if a man liked her—Max included—then he would make the first move. Otherwise she would always wonder if her interest was returned, or if he simply didn’t want to hurt her feelings. “I’d like that.”

He lifted his hand and fingered the curl dangling at her cheek, tugging on it gently before letting go and using his grip on her hand to lead her away from the shallow pools. They crossed to the edge of the terrace and picked up her heels and his jacket from the table they had shared earlier in the evening. With a last glance at the beautiful reception area, they stepped off the edge into the sand, and moved toward the water.

She wasn’t sure what to make of Max’s handholding behavior, but she wasn’t about to protest of point it out and potentially make him uncomfortable. There was a certain magic between them, she’d always felt it, and for once after twenty plus years of crushing on him, Max looked at her like a woman, and not his little sister’s best friend.

They fell into step beside each other, the warm, sultry breeze carrying the scents of flowers and water and food. Things were winding down at both resorts, but the beachfront bars were still full of laughing, happy people who had yet to call it a night.

They walked in silence, toward the moon hanging low in the sky. Stars glittered like the confetti used on New Years’ Eve, but the sounds and smells from the resort faded with every step they took, their fingers loosely linked, palms brushing together and apart. “It was a beautiful day,” she said, sliding him a look from beneath her lashes.

“Emma’s happy. So’s Ethan. Neither one of them could stop smiling.”

“I noticed. It’s sweet, isn’t it. Ever since the accident on the playground they’ve been inseparable.” Emma was also a teacher, one who loved to play with her physically challenged students. One afternoon she had taken part in a game of ball toss and a missed catch had resulted in her getting knocked out cold. Ethan, a fireman on his way home from his shift, happened to see the incident and stopped to help out. According to Emma, she’d felt like Sleeping Beauty when she’d opened her eyes and saw Ethan, still in uniform, hovering over her and smiling at her as she regained consciousness.

The resort lights faded as they approached the midpoint of the their walk. Their shoulders brushed, fingers tangled together. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” she said, emboldened by the way he looked at her and Emma’s encouraging words to open up to Max to find out his feelings, one way or another.

“Tell me what,” Max asked.

Distracted by his question, she smiled. “I had the biggest crush on you when we were kids.”

CHAPTER TWO

His grin flashed bright in the light of the moon.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” he said, repeating her words back to her, “but I noticed.”

“You did?” she said, gasping in mortification that he’d
known
. “Seriously? You…knew?”

He stopped walking and turned to face her, dropping his shoes to the sand.

“You weren’t exactly subtle. Every time I entered a room you were in you blushed.”

“Oh my word.”

“And if that wasn’t enough of a hint, Emma told me.”

She blinked her eyes open in surprise. “What!” Emma told him about her crush—then? Or the one she carried for him now? Chloe shook her head, dazed by the news, and backed away from him, toward the surf behind her. The sand stuck to her feet and she sank a bit into the shoreline, but she was too embarrassed by Max’s words to care whether the ocean wet her dress.

But apparently Ethan wasn’t the only one who could come to a lady’s rescue. Max did just that when she wobbled in the surf as a wave crested around her calves and feet.

“Come back here before you get sucked out to sea,” Max said.

He took her hand in his once more and linked their fingers, lifting hers to his mouth to kiss the back of her hand.

“Want me to share a secret to make you feel better,” he murmured, his voice a low, sexy rumble.

“Sure.” She seriously doubted his secret could be as embarrassing though.

Max drew her away from the water and deeper up the sand. She searched the darkness to see where he headed and finally spotted his destination—a lone beach recliner left behind by the staff of the hotel. On sunny days the chairs stretched between the two resorts lining the water, but someone had carried this to the midpoint, probably to have a little more space and privacy.

“Let’s sit,” he said.

“Um…sure.”

Max straddled the chair and then tugged her down, snuggling her hips between his spread legs, her back to his chest.

“Comfortable?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, staring dreamily up at the sky in an attempt to slow her pounding heart. She’d sat by Max a million times in the past but this… This was different. “I’m good.”

But truth be told she was way better than good. Between the romantic night and the surf and Max’s hot, hard body behind her, the arm burning across her stomach where he touched her, she was in bliss. Who knew a trip to Aruba for Em’s wedding would result in— whatever this was— with Max?

She angled her head on his upper arm to better see him, wetting her mouth before she spoke and noting the way his gaze lowered to watch the path of her tongue across her lips. “Tell me,” she said simply.

A brief hint of a smile curled the corners of his lips before he pressed them against her temple.

“Chloe?”

“Hmm?” Since she couldn’t look at him now, she stared out at the churning waves tumbling toward the shore. So beautiful, yet so fierce. Majestic. The perfect example of God’s grace, powerful and awe-inspiring, washing the shore clean.

Max lowered his head until his lips brushed her ear, creating a shiver that ran the full-length of her body.

“You’re weren’t the only one with a crush.”

She blinked in surprise. Surely he hadn’t just said— He’d had a crush on her?

“Don’t say anything yet,” he murmured. “Let me get this out.”

She nodded, speechless and willing to let him have his say because doing so kept her from having to find the words to respond.

“I’ve always noticed you. Always liked you. But you were four years younger and when it became obvious that I liked you, my father and yours sat me down and had a talk with me.”

“About what?” she asked, unable to believe something like that could have taken place and her not know a thing about it.

“Right before your parents died,” he said. “You and Em were about to graduate and go off to college, and they were afraid you would drop out to be with me if we got together.”

“I can’t believe— They shouldn’t have interfered,” she said, indignant that so many years had passed in the time since.

“I’m glad they did.”

Oh. Well that hurt. He didn’t want to like her?

“You needed the opportunity to be on your own,” he continued. “To go to college and have fun. Spread your wings. And I think we all know I had some growing up to do.”

“I see,” she said softly, even though she didn’t. Not really. Unless… No, way. To offset the confusion whirling in her head she said, “Does this mean you’ve finished growing up?”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a seductively handsome smile. She could see it in her peripheral vision, hear it in his voice.

“No. But I am ready for the next stage of my life.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” Her pulse was already faster than normal but at his words her heart pounded against her ribs, bringing a flush to her wind-cooled cheeks.

“Marriage.”

Her eyes widened. Marriage?

She sat up and twisted to face him. “You got back together with your ex?”

Max chuckled, the sound gruff as it emerged from his chest.

“No. I meant, to
you
. I’ve waited a long time for you, sweetheart. I wanted to give you the space and opportunities your father and mine wanted for both of us. But I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“But— we haven’t even dated. And how can you say that when you’ve dated other women. You stayed at Em’s that time completely brokenhearted over that-that Hailey woman.”

“I wasn’t that heartbroken. Em and I had just had words before you showed up. I was upset over what she said, not over the breakup..”

It was too much. Max was saying all the right things but how could she believe them now? After all of these years?

She used his chest as leverage to push herself up and off his hard yet oh-so comfortable body. She took a few steps away, needing time and space and a lot of fresh air to clear her spinning head.

The wind lifted her curls and sent a chill through her since she didn’t have Max’s warmth to keep her bare shoulders warm. And even though she knew she ought to put her feet into motion and go back to her hotel room to finish packing, she stayed, trying to come to terms with what he’d said.

As a little girl she’d dreamed of the day Max would ask her to marry him, but for him to do it now, like this…

Too much. Too soon. Too fast.

That was the thing. In her heart of hearts she knew how good they would be together, but her mind wouldn’t let her heart overrule her common sense. The wedding had affected both of them. Em and Ethan’s love for one another filled the air, and as they’d said their vows, Chloe noticed even uninvited passersby had stopped and shed a tear or two because of the emotion-filled ceremony. She couldn’t help but think Max was caught up in the moment, that he had drank a little too much, and that combination was the root source of his sudden declaration. She couldn’t take his wanting to marry her seriously.

But that didn’t mean she could walk away from her first and what might be her only chance to be with him. She loved him so much she didn’t want the sun to rise without knowing what it was like to be loved by him. Even if it meant she’d go home with a broken heart once Max came to his senses and realized his feelings for her were a product of a romantic day in a glorious location.

“Chloe.”

Max’s large hands settled on her shoulders, his touch instantly warming her. She closed her eyes, aware of her body responding to him the way it always did whenever he was near.

She took a breath and turned, staring up at him and feeling her heart clench.
I do,
she thought, her heart bond to his as it been for years. But instead of saying yes or I do, she said, “Kiss me.”