by J. H. Croix
“I noticed.”
I was so curious, so freaking curious about Flynn, but I wasn’t about to get nosy with his sister about him.
Nora offered up answers anyway. “He worries because he came home to a bunch of debt. Grant had just started college, and I was in high school when our mom died. He put me and Grant through college, and he’s raised Cat since she was nine. He’s making sure he has enough saved up for her to go to college too. So I tease him, but he’s the best big brother I could imagine. Even if he’s cranky sometimes.”
My heart did a funny tumble in my chest. I didn’t need to go and think Flynn was amazing, in addition to being so sexy that I could hardly stop thinking about that one night between us.
“Wow,” I said. “You’re lucky to have him.”
Nora nodded vigorously. “Yeah, he left the Air Force to come home. I think he was probably ready anyway. We all give him hell sometimes, but we’re really protective of him.”
Just when I thought Nora had forgotten to be nosy about me, she asked, “So what kind of life did you have that you could afford to come to Alaska for a month on your own? How could you change your plans to stay and work for us?”
“Well, that’s more than a question,” I said with a startled laugh.
Nora shrugged unabashedly. “I guess so. We all love you, and we’re beyond happy you stayed.”
“I’m pretty sure Flynn doesn’t love me,” I murmured.
Nora laughed at that. “He loves your food, he loves that you helped him out in a pinch, and he’ll love you even more if you stay.”
I took a gulp of my wine, twirling the glass in my fingers before I set it down. “My answer isn’t simple. One thing I’ve learned in the past year is it’s always better to be honest. It’s kind of heavy, so if you don’t want to hear it, that’s okay.”
Nora’s gaze sobered as she looked back at me. “Tell me.”
“To answer your first question, I was able to afford a month in Alaska after I closed my restaurant because I grew up with money.” I lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “That’s just luck. I don’t think I deserve the money, or my family, for that matter. Trust me, I would trade the money if I could. My whole life kind of blew up about a year and a half ago. I had a son, Brandon. I was married, and I had my restaurant and friends. I thought my life was pretty good. Then Brandon was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer when he was four.”
Nora’s eyes widened, and she pressed her hand on her chest over her heart. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry.”
I’d practiced saying this so many times that I could actually get through it without completely breaking down. My chest tended to feel a little hollow, but I could breathe, and my heart stubbornly kept on beating.
“Thank you. The survival rate for that cancer is not good at all. We knew almost right away that it wasn’t likely he would live.”
“What kind of cancer?” Nora asked softly.
“Medulloepithelioma. It’s rare and usually diagnosed in young children. Five months is the average survival rate.”
I swallowed through the painful knot in my throat as the tears wicked from it. Blinking rapidly, I pushed ahead. “He died four months later.”
Nora reached across the table and caught my hand in hers. We weren’t close, at least not yet, but her touch was so warm and so heartfelt, and that alone almost had me crying.
I kept it together and forged on. “All of that was awful, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But the month before Brandon died, I found out my husband was having an affair with one of my closest friends.”
“Oh, my God. That’s just… it’s just awful!” Nora looked horrified.
My anger usually buoyed me through this part of the explanation, and it did yet again. “Yeah, it was awful. He said it was because I was so emotionally unavailable. I don’t know. I don’t think I’ll ever really know. I don’t really think he loved me. In all honesty, I don’t know that I really loved him. Maybe I loved the idea of what we had, but it was all exposed for the superficial sham that it was when something real happened. That last month was brutal. My friend, or rather my not-friend,” I said with air quotes, “tried to apologize. She was horrified when it all came out because I didn’t bother keeping it a secret. I was too raw. Keeping up appearances for somebody else’s sake just didn’t matter.”
Nora was shaking her head, her eyes wide. “My God. Did she think you’d keep it a secret for her sake?”
“I don’t really know. It doesn’t matter to me either. After Brandon died, I kind of fell apart. I’d already closed my restaurant after we found out about Brandon’s diagnosis, but I refused to go back to work for my family’s business. My father runs an investment consortium, and my ex-husband’s family is partners with him. My friend, who had an affair with my ex, worked there too. My father was nice enough to fire her, but he told me I had to deal with my ex, that he was too important for the company. I don’t hate my parents, but I don’t share their priorities. It’s all business.”
When I glanced over to gauge Nora’s response, she was quiet, so I continued. “I saw a therapist for a while. When I finally had my shit together enough to be able to deal with anything, I wanted a change so extreme that maybe I could figure out what I wanted with life going forward. I found your resort almost by accident. There was an ad when I was searching online. I clicked on it and decided it was far enough away and so totally different from anything I’d ever done that maybe it was what I needed.”
“I can’t believe what you’ve been through,” Nora breathed.
“I’m okay,” I said. I meant it too. “As awful as all of it was, at least I didn’t have to worry about paying the bills. I inherited some money from my grandmother, so that floated me. I can sleep through the night now. I still don’t really know what I want to do long term, so you don’t need to worry about me leaving my job anytime soon. Plus, I like it. Y’all don’t have any expectations, so I’m just switching it up every day and doing whatever I want. It’s fun.”
Nora was looking really worried, with her brow knitted in concern and her eyes scanning my face. “Really, Nora, I’m okay. Either I lie to people about what happened, or I just tell the truth. I promised myself I was going to tell people the truth if they asked. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. Period,” I said firmly.
“Your son died. I just can’t wrap my head around how hard that must’ve been.”
“Oh, it was hard, all right. But I’m still here, and I can find joy. Loss is hard, no matter what. Your mother died when you were still in high school, right?”
“Well, yeah. That was hard, really hard. But she was my mom, not my child. Even though she died sooner than I ever wanted, you always expect your parents to go first.”
“I don’t think you can really compare situations. It’s all relative. Instead of feeling sorry for me, tell me about your family.”
Nora was quiet for a few beats before she dipped her chin in acknowledgment. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. Okay, my family. Well, you know all of us. Flynn’s the oldest by seven years. He has a different father, who we never knew. Our mom didn’t have the greatest judgment in men, but she was amazing. Flynn’s dad took off before he was even born. She raised him on her own until she met our dad. Then it was Grant, me, and Cat came last, but definitely not least.”
I snorted a laugh. “Definitely not.”
“Anyway, our dad was kind of an ass. He wasn’t horrible, but he screwed around all the time and came and went pretty much as he pleased. Money-wise, we scraped by. My mom inherited this property from her parents after they passed. He was a builder, so they started on the resort and started the business, but then he left again. He actually died from a heart attack one day, leaving our mom with a ton of debt and a bunch of other problems. Flynn would send money whenever he could, but it’s not like he made a ton in the military. Our mom had a genetic auto-immune disorder, and she eventually died from complications of that. I still miss her.”
“I bet. I’m glad y’all have each other.”
Nora smiled softly. “That we do. Sometimes we drive each other crazy, but Flynn held us all together. If he hadn’t come home when our mother died, Cat and I might’ve ended up in foster care. Grant was in college, but he didn’t have much money, and the court was concerned he couldn’t financially support us. Flynn immediately intervened from a distance. They let us stay at the house since Grant came home from college. Flynn had to come home really fast. Then he had to deal with me when I was sixteen.”
I smiled. “I bet that was fun.”
Nora shrugged lightly. “It was. It’s funny now, but I was probably a bitch.”
“He loves you, that much is obvious.” Because it was. Flynn might’ve been cranky with me, but his love for his family came through loud and clear in every action.
“My new goal is to find him a girlfriend,” Nora commented.
I almost choked on the sip of wine I’d just taken. “Are you serious?”
“Yes! He needs to lighten up. Maybe if he gets laid, he will. It’s all work, work, more work, and no play for him.”
I decided to remain silent. I didn’t even know what to think about the flash of possessiveness I experienced. I had no right to feel possessive about Flynn in any way.
It’s just I wanted him all to myself. Even though I didn’t believe I’d want anyone ever again. Not to mention, I was pretty sure he didn’t consider me his type.
“Maybe you,” Nora said as she eyed me with an assessing gaze.
“Oh, no,” I said, holding a hand up. Don’t you dare try to set me up with anyone, much less Flynn.”
“Well, the reason I think he doesn’t get cranky with you in the kitchen is because he’s totally got the hots for you.”
My cheeks flamed, but I managed not to choke on my drink.
Chapter Sixteen
Flynn
Late the following night, I drove through the darkness, watching as the moon rose above the mountains across the water. I’d taken an unplanned trip to Anchorage to pick up some plane engine parts after one of ours had some problems.
I figured that by the time I got back to the resort, everybody would be asleep. Although I hadn’t necessarily wanted to take the extra trip, I’d been relieved for the change of pace. Last night, Nora had told me Daphne’s story. I thought I was a hardened man. Seven years in the Air Force and two tours of active duty had taken me on some difficult journeys, yet nothing I’d faced felt as personally brutal as what Daphne went through.
This morning, I’d looked at her across the kitchen as she efficiently made breakfast for all of our guests and seamlessly multitasked while she prepped the upcoming meals for lunch and dinner. She’d lost her son and experienced a painful betrayal, and she was carrying on with that stubborn spark of cheer of hers. Like sunshine slipping through the cracks.
Somehow, knowing her history made me savor the nickname I’d given her. She did have that princess vibe. She’d gotten enough sass and spirit back to let it show.
When she turned and her stunning green eyes collided with mine across the room, my memory clicked onto that night of pure insanity. I didn’t need to start feeling things about Daphne. So I hurried off, claiming I needed to check on two of our planes. I could always check on our planes, but the timing turned out right because one of them did have a problem.
We needed the rest of the planes for tourist trips, so I’d taken my trusty truck through the mountain pass to Anchorage. It was past midnight now as I turned off the highway onto the road that would lead me home. When I parked, I was surprised to see the lights on in the kitchen, but I figured someone had just left them on. The rest of the resort was quiet, and the motion sensor lights came on when my truck set them off.
My boots crunched in the gravel as I pocketed my keys. I ascended the steps quietly. After making my way through the back hallway into the entrance to my family’s private quarters, I dropped my keys in the bowl on the table by the door. Nora had moved into a small house nearby last year, and Grant bounced between here and whoever’s bed he happened to be warming. It was just Cat and me now. Cat’s light was still on, so I reached in and flicked it off, looking over to see she’d fallen asleep while reading. I crossed the room and lifted the book off her chest, sliding her bookmark in and then leaving it on her bedside table.
I aimed for the kitchen to turn off the lights. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Daphne hard at work. In the weeks that had passed since I hired her impulsively, I’d discovered she was a relentlessly hard worker. She was usually up well before anyone else, making an array of baked goods for breakfast and usually worked until past dinner.
I took a moment to absorb her presence. Her hair was twisted into a messy knot on top of her head with tendrils hanging down around her neck. She wore an apron over a T-shirt and a pair of leggings. My eyes lingered on the curve of her hips and the dip at her waist.
My mouth watered at the thought of crossing the kitchen and dipping my head to drag my tongue along the side of her neck. Because I knew she tasted sweet. I also knew she smelled like sugar.
In an effort to distract myself, I called over, “Do you usually bake at night after the rest of us go to bed?”
Daphne jumped slightly and spun around, her hand flying to her chest. “Oh my God, you scared me!”
My common sense immediately forfeited in the battle with my need to be closer to her. I crossed the room, stopping only a few feet away from her.
“Sorry,” I said, meaning it. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But do you really work this late usually? Because I don’t think I’m paying you enough as it is.”
A wash of pink crested on her cheeks. She wrinkled her nose before shrugging lightly. “Sometimes. You don’t need to pay me more. I like to bake.”
“Do you like to sleep? Because you’re up every day by five or so as far as I can tell.”
I was teasing, but then I saw a flicker of something in Daphne’s eyes. Before I could say anything else, she replied, “I’m not the best sleeper. When I can’t sleep, I come down here and bake.”
I wasn’t thinking, or perhaps it was more that I’d thought too much about what Nora told me. Knowing she didn’t sleep well, all I could think was that life had been far too brutally unfair to Daphne. My words got ahead of my brain. “I’m sorry about your son.”
I knew something about sleepless nights just because of life. I could only imagine sleep was an elusive devil in the aftermath of what she’d gone through.
Daphne’s eyes widened, and her breath came out in a startled puff. Watching her, I could almost see her metaphoric cloak of steel armor come down.
“Nora talked to you,” she said, each word careful and measured.
“She did. I shouldn’t have said anything.” I didn’t know how to step back from this and felt I’d walked into an intensely private moment without meaning to.
Daphne shook her head just barely, and her chin lifted incrementally. “I didn’t ask her to keep it private. It’s not a secret. It’s just my messy life.”
We stared at each other, and I contemplated the full picture of what Nora had shared with me—that after Daphne’s son was diagnosed with an apparently god-awful type of cancer, she learned her husband was having an affair with her friend. What a fucking asshole. I wanted to personally slay her dragons.
Since she had, in a way, given me permission, I took a step closer. Because somehow, I needed her to know this. “Life sucks sometimes, and I’m so sorry. Your ex was stupid and an asshole. He didn’t deserve you. You know that, right?”
Daphne’s gorgeous eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a deep pink again. Her nostrils flared as she took a breath. “It doesn’t really matter. It’s the past.”
It felt as if Daphne was trying to convince herself as much as me. I couldn’t say why, but I couldn’t bear that someone had treated her so carelessly and cruelly.
Closing the distance between us in one long strid
e, I lifted a hand and caught a wayward lock of hair falling along her cheek. I brushed it back to tuck behind her ear.
“There’s a reason I call you princess,” I murmured.
Daphne’s tongue darted out, swiping across her bottom lip before she asked, “There is?”
Just like that night, weeks ago now, it felt as if this moment was out of place and time. A moment set aside to forget all the reasons I shouldn’t want Daphne with a need that rattled me to my bones.
“Because you are, to me, and you should be treated like one.”
Daphne stared back at me. As I brushed my knuckles along the downy skin of her neck, I felt the wild flutter of her pulse.
“Oh,” she said.
Because it seemed the only course of action in this particular moment, I dipped my head and brushed my lips over hers. Electricity sizzled between us, zinging through my body in a fiery path.
In an instant, what had started as almost a test—testing if the fire burned as hot as I remembered, testing if Daphne wanted this as fiercely as I did—shifted into something much more real. I brushed my lips over hers. When I heard a little catch in her throat and felt her hand slide up around my neck, with her fingers teasing in the ends of my hair, I stepped closer. This entire moment felt liquid, like warm honey dripping from a spoon. On an exhale, I angled her head to the side as I delved into her mouth with my tongue.
The second her tongue slid against mine, our kiss became a mad dash. I heard my growl, and then I was pulling her flush against me as her tongue dueled with mine in silky, sensual strokes.
As if the gates holding me back had been blown to pieces, I fumbled to pull her closer. Daphne was pure octane poured on a fire already burning solely for her.
I felt the press of her nails as her hand slid down my back in a hurried stroke, and then her palm was warm on my skin when she pushed my shirt up.
