Page 120 of The Honeymoon Hack
“Right there,” she gasped, pushing back against me. “Oh god, yes.”
Her confidence was intoxicating. During our first time in college, she’d been hesitant, uncertain. Hell, we’d both been inexperienced. Now she knew exactly what she wanted andwasn’t afraid to take it. The contrast between that nervous girl in my workshop and this self-assured woman drove me wild.
She began to tighten around me, her body signaling how close she was. I increased my pace, chasing my own release.
“Will—I’m—” She didn’t finish the sentence as her orgasm crashed through her, her body clenching around me in rhythmic waves.
The sight of her climax, the sound of my name on her lips as she came, pushed me over the edge. I buried myself deep inside her one last time, bliss tearing through me with an intensity that left me breathless and trembling.
We collapsed together on the bed, our limbs tangled and hearts racing. I gathered her against my chest, pressing a kiss to her temple as something warm and profound settled in my heart. This wasn’t just physical satisfaction—this was coming home.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that,” I murmured against her hair.
“Same.” Brie turned in my arms, her smile soft and satisfied. The morning light caught in her eyes, lighting up the green in her right iris. “But I’m willing to keep trying if you are.”
We shared a quiet laugh, then lay in comfortable silence for several minutes, simply breathing together. I drew lazy patterns on her back, savoring the simple intimacy of the moment.
“I think I’m ready,” I said finally.
She lifted her head, one eyebrow cocked in question. “Still nervous about seeing your mom?”
“I think I’m ready now.” I traced my fingers along her bare shoulder. “Your distraction technique was… highly effective.”
“Told you so,” she replied with a smug grin and kissed my chest. “Nothing clears the mind like endorphins.”
“Hopefully, today’s a good day for her.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying not to focus on the dark bruisecovering half her face. “And I think… telling her about us might make her happy.”
Brie shifted, propping herself up on one elbow to look at me more directly. Her fingers gently traced the still-fresh cut above my eye, careful not to disturb the stitches. “She’s going to be more worried about our injuries than about us dating.”
My gaze moved from the angry purple bruise to the scratches on her shoulder where I hadn’t managed to protect her from the debris during the explosion.
“Although the last time we visited, she already seemed convinced we were together, anyway.”
I caught her hand, bringing it to my lips. “She’s seen you banged up before, you know. You remember that time you borrowed Zac’s motocross bike and ate dirt spectacularly?”
Brie snorted a laugh. “Twelve-year-old me, determined to prove I could handle Zac’s bike, ended up with gravel embedded in my palms and that huge bruise along my jawline. Your mom cleaned me up while lecturing us both about helmet safety.”
And if it wasn’t one of her good days today, maybe some of those stories would help her remember. What if it didn’t, though? What if those stories sent her mind somewhere else, to when she’d been young? Or what if it blanked everything out for her, leaving her reeling in confusion?
If Brie moved in with me, or vice versa, that wouldn’t be an issue for Mum. But what if we got married? Could she attend a ceremony? What if she was too far advanced to recognize our children when we had them?
“You’re overthinking,” Brie said, brushing her thumb across my furrowed brow.
“I’m not overthinking. I’m planning. There’s a difference.”
She laughed, the sound jostling my chest enough to let go of the worries. “Will Reaney, you’re absolutely overthinking. She’ll be happy, no matter how many times we need to tell her.”
Brie was probably right. My mother had loved her as a second daughter for over twenty years. I didn’t need to protect either of them from this truth.
“All right,” I conceded, kissing her again because I could—because the novelty of being allowed to kiss Brie Reynolds whenever I wanted still hadn’t worn off. “Get dressed. Let’s go see my mother.”
Chapter 46
Will
As we pulledinto the visitor parking lot at Northwind Place, the guilt began brewing in my chest. I’d left her here. And when I’d returned from the Bahamas last night, I hadn’t raced to see her. Brie had reminded me it was all right to be tired after the whirlwind we’d just been through, but maybe I’d been avoiding the inevitable.
I turned off the car and sat still for a moment, looking at the building where my mother now lived. It reminded me of an upscale apartment building from the outside, with its elegant facade and manicured lawn. Burning bushes near the entrance were all brilliant red, their leaves one stiff gust away from falling.
