Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Glancing over at my vibrator, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Good thing I had a stockpile of these babies. I had a feeling I’d need them with all the Brax time I was getting.
I put my vibrator in a side drawer with the others in my collection and quickly got dressed and ready. It was going to be a long day if we were heading to Lighthouse Island to wait on Ms. Seaside to show up. Little did Brax know, she’d be with him the entire time.
I wasn’t worried about my article because I’d already changed the date, time, and location for the drop-offs. I could easily send the article to my father by email, but it wasn’t worth the risk of someone stumbling upon it, nor was that as fun as the cloak-and-dagger game I had going on. Plus, anyone who was smart enough could eventually trace an email back to me. I couldn’t have that.
So the new plan was simple. Dinner with my father and mother on Monday nights, and I’d give it straight to my dad when my mother wasn’t paying attention. He liked that plan much better as well. He hated paying a runner extra money to head out to Lighthouse Island.
Pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I frowned. A part of me felt bad for Brax. He was going to be wasting so much of his time searching for Ms. Seaside. I met my gaze in the mirror and wrestled with my conscience.
For half a second, I actually thought about telling him that I was Ms. Seaside. But I knew the moment he found out, he’d never speak to me again. And that was not something I was willing to risk. No one could ever find out Ms. Seaside was me. In my mind I told myself I wasn’t doing harm, but the idea that my closest friends and family would turn their backs on me made me shiver. So instead, I’d have to run Braxton all over Seaside on false leads.
With a shrug, I whispered, “Oh well. You shouldn’t have broken my heart, Braxton Bradley. Revenge is a dish best served cold, after all.”
As I made my way back to the living room where Brax was sitting on my sofa, scrolling through his phone, I worked to calm my racing heart and steady my breathing. Being close to him without anyone else around was doing strange things to me.
“Coffee?” I asked, making my way into the kitchen.
“I could use a cup.”
“Have you eaten breakfast?” I grabbed a pod out of the basket and put it in my Keurig.
When he didn’t answer, I turned to look at him. He was staring at me. One glance into those eyes and I was transported back to the night we’d spent together. He had the same look of hunger in them now as he did then.
Did Brax…want me? Surely not.
But then why was he looking at me that way?
With a tilt of my head, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
He seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in and mumbled, “Nothing. How about we swing by Maine Bakery instead? That way we can catch the early ferry and get right to the island.”
“If that’s what you want. Who’s driving?”
Clearing his throat, he said, “I’ll drive. Make sure you grab your hat and gloves in case we want to get out and walk around.”
Letting out a groan, I replied, “I’m not really looking forward to this, you know. Please tell me we’re not planning on sitting in your truck all day? It’s freezing outside.”
Brax led us through the house to where he’d hung up his coat. Putting it on, he said, “I would think you’d be desperate to find out who it is. She seems to be targeting you lately.”
I liked how he ignored my question about the truck. I shrugged, then allowed him to help me put my own coat on. I tried to disregard the way it made my chest flutter when his fingers brushed the back of my neck as he draped my scarf around me. “I don’t really care what she says about me. My dating life, or lack thereof, is none of her business.”
Brax raised a single brow. “You don’t care in the slightest?”
“Nope.” Smiling, I asked as we stepped outside, “Does it bother you what she says about you?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Hell no. I don’t care what she says about me.”
I folded my arms over my chest. He was such a liar. “Then why were you and Palmer so hell bent on finding her? And you still are, I might add.”
He paused for a moment. “I just want to know who it is. The curiosity outweighs everything else. I have to admit, I was hoping she’d be young.”
“Why?” I asked, now my curiosity was getting the better of me. Even though I knew I would regret asking.