Page 93 of For the Boys
Berkley laughed, and an older couple seated at a table nearby turned to glare at her. “Get me out of here, and you can find out for yourself.”
“Done,” Brent said, stacking up their plates of food, grabbing them with one hand and Berkley’s with the other.
Chapter Eighteen
Berkley
From the outside, the Airbnb looked like a log cabin. It wasn’t particularly fancy or large, its small driveway barely big enough for Brent’s truck. Surrounded on three sides by trees, it faced a quiet street, and there was only a single neighboring cabin that Berkley had seen some way up the road on their way in.
Brent stepped to the door, which was adorned with an evergreen wreath, and said, “Cover your eyes.”
She did as she was told, straining her ears as Brent pressed the code into the keypad on the door. It beeped, and he pushed it open, ushering her inside. She had no idea what to expect.
“You can uncover them now,” he said from somewhere across the room. Berkley opened her eyes.
The cabin’s interior was, in a word, cozy. The dark, exposed log walls were brightened by a whitewashed fireplace, a large cream-colored sectional sofa, and a ladder stacked with white fleece blankets. The living area flowed seamlessly into the kitchen, where a giant granite-topped island defined the boundary of the space, and candle light sparkled off the stainless steel appliances. Off the living area was another door that Berkley assumed led to the bedroom and bathroom. A sliding door off the kitchen opened onto a small covered patio where the hot tub was located.
A fire was already burning in the hearth, and a bottle of wine sat waiting for them on the kitchen island.
“Brent…” Berkley didn’t know what to say. Everything was beautiful.
“Do you like it?” The nervousness was apparent in his voice, and he turned away from her to open the bottle of wine, pouring them two glasses.
Crossing the room, she slid her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his back. “It’s beautiful,” she said into his shirt. “But you didn’t have to do all of this for me!”
“I know,” he said, turning to smile down at her, handing her a glass of wine. “We just never get the chance to be completely alone. I didn’t want to have to share you with anyone tonight. This way, we can just relax. Just you and me.”
“Thank you,” she whispered and kissed him again. When she pulled away, she was completely breathless, and her stomach growled. Brent laughed.
They took their wine into the living area and curled up together on the couch, a tray of meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies in front of them.
“Can I tell you something?” Berkley said, breaking the comfortable silence.
“Of course,” Brent said, swallowing hard.
“I feel guilty being here. I feel like I should be at work or studying or something.”
Brent squeezed her hand. “If anyone deserves a night off, it’s you.”
“Thank you for this. As much as I hate to admit it, I needed some time away.”
She tilted her head back, and he kissed her, a sweet slide of his lips against hers. She sighed happily.
“What do you say we put on some music and go out to the hot tub?” Brent suggested.
“I would like that very much.”
“Perfect. You put the music on while I change really quick, then you can do what you need to.”
She took a second to connect her phone via Bluetooth to the speaker system. When she opened her music app, “Hood Go Crazy” by Tech N9ne blasted into the night. She turned the volume down but couldn’t help dancing around a little while she searched for something a little more appropriate. When the song ended, she turned on her OneRepublic station.
She jumped when Brent snaked his hands around her waist. “Nice moves you’ve got there,” he whispered in her ear.
“Oh my God,” she said, turning around to face him. “How long were you watching?”
“I came out of the bedroom around the start of the second verse.” He darted away as she attempted to smack him. “Don’t worry, I enjoyed the show,” he added with a smirk.
She stuck her tongue out at him and quickly turned to run into the bedroom. He caught her and tackled her onto the bed, landing softly on top of her.
