Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Skylar

A soft, fuzzy dream-version of Brooks nuzzled my neck, and I woke up with a happy sigh.

When I rolled over and blinked my eyes open, Freddy meowed in my face. That was not the wake-up my dream had led me to expect.

The sheets beneath my hand were cool, because yet again, I was waking up alone. Aside from my furry roommate, of course, who jumped off the bed and ran toward the door.

It stood open a few inches to allow him in and out.

It would be so easy for Brooks to slip in while I was sleeping. I almost wished he would, because maybe with the fog of sleep, I'd let down my guard and accept what I really wanted. But, of course, he'd never do that.

I trusted him enough to leave my door open—and yet I couldn't bring myself to sleep beside him. And why? It seemed illogical. Even when our relationship had gone downhill and Blaize had violated my trust again and again, I slept beside him.

I closed my eyes with a sigh, trying to revisit the dream where Brooks held me close, content with the knowledge it was where I belonged.

I couldn't recapture the feeling. Not entirely. Because this bed was too empty.

In the three days since our cuddle by the pool, Brooks had stopped asking about sleeping together. Respecting my wishes, as he always did. And in those three days, I'd begun to long for exactly that.

More every day.

But something continued to hold me back. Some unnamed fear that once I opened my heart fully again, I'd be hurt. Even though logically, I didn't believe Brooks would ever hurt me like my ex had, the fear remained.

Freddy meowed more insistently, so I got up and went to the kitchen to feed the little monster. He already had food, of course, because Brooks had taken care of it.

There was no sign of the man, so he must be showering already.

An idea sparked, making my pulse spike. Maybe I wasn't ready for a sleepover, but I could get closer to him and wash that dream away.

I slipped into Brooks's bedroom, then tapped on his bathroom door.

Over the rush of water, he called out, "Yeah?"

"Can I come in?"

"Hell yes."

I opened the door, shoved off my sweats, and Brooks opened the shower door to allow me into the wet, humid space.

"This is a good start to my morning," he murmured as I ducked under the spray and slid against his wet skin.

"Mm." I brought our lips together. "I missed you doing planks. Had to get my fill of sexy Brooks time."

His chuckle was sex-soaked. "This is a more fun form of exercise."

We kissed and stroked, using soap and water to slick the way, and when Brooks came apart, his big body trembling in my arms, a rush of power went to my head.

"I want to fuck you soon," I said. "Would you let—"

"Yes." His chest rose and fell with his breaths. "Anytime. You just tell me when."

I smiled at his eagerness. "Okay. Soon, then."

"Soon," he said, his voice full of dirty promise.

We washed up, and I let Brooks shampoo my hair. This was more intimacy than I'd ever shared with Blaize. Sleeping in a bed wasn't really that big of a deal when compared to Brooks combing his fingers through my hair, his eyes fixed on mine, affectionate warmth, rather than heat, filling his gaze.

He guided me under the showerhead, rinsing my hair, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "All clean."

My heart fluttered. "I should go get dressed."

He dipped his head in a nod. "Me too."

We parted ways to finish getting ready for the day. A smile was still playing on my lips when my dad called.

"Skylar," he boomed. "I got a message you called yesterday?"

"Hey, Dad. Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about a project happening in Swallow Cove."

"You mean that resort thing?"

Of course, he knew about it.

"Yeah. You know who's doing it, right?"

"I know," he said, his voice going gruff, giving away his dislike of the Wexlers. "It's too bad they got their grubby paws in the cookie jar."

Last night, Fisher and Hudson had stopped by the pub—attached at the hip again and grinning with heart eyes. While there, they'd asked if I could talk to my dad about potentially taking over the project.

"What if we stepped in?" I asked. "Offered a better proposal? I've put out some calls about permits and contractors already. I could do all the legwork."

He made a thoughtful sound. "Swallow Cove is primed for growth, but I've got my hands full right now. What's the Wexlers' plan? Big resort, maybe some entertainment piece, too? A casino on the lake? Could be profitable."

"That's not what the people here want."

"Hmm, yeah. Tourists would love it, though."

Maybe this hadn't been a good idea. If Dad was just going to come in and greenlight the monstrosity the Wexlers put in place, that would solve none of Fisher's concerns.

Not to mention, it would ruin the character of this sleepy little lake town. Swallow Cove could benefit from more tourism, but they needed the right kind.

They needed slow growth, with a focus on the lake and the ecosystem over drunken gambling and party boats.

"The Lake of the Ozarks is full of party destinations, Dad. Swallow Cove could be something different. Something better ."

"Doesn't get much better than profitable."

"What if I could take the lead and make it profitable but keep in line with Swallowers' values?"

There was a pause. My heart thundered. This was no small ask. If Dad agreed, I'd be stepping up and putting my neck on the line—both with my dad and Brooks's friends.

I thought of lunches with Poppy, of Cash's playful flirting, of Fisher's usually happy smiles.

My friends. They're my friends too now.

"Well, Skylar, you know I've always wanted you to take more interest in my business dealings. If you really want to do it—"

"I do."

"It means seeing the project through. Start to finish. You'd be in Swallow Cove for a long while."

My heart quickened, and not just because I was taking on a lot of responsibility if this worked.

If I took over the project, I'd be here for months, maybe a full year. This relationship with Brooks—whatever it was—wouldn't have an immediate end date.

Would he want to keep seeing me if this was more than a vacation fling?

I guessed I'd find out.

"I'll do it, Dad, but I have one condition."

"Name it."

"I need you to respect that this is my project. I'll handle it. No interference."

He sputtered. "Well, Sky, it's my money."

"Trust me like you would one of the other project managers. That's all I ask. Don't hover and don't second-guess me."

"Fine," he said. "I trust you."

I'd assisted my father in enough deals that I knew what I was doing. I'd even run point a couple of times before I got involved with Blaize. I'd decided traveling all over the world, jumping from project to project with no real connection to it, wasn't for me.

Which brought me to my second condition.

"And don't expect me to suddenly want to jump onboard and be your full-time project manager. This is a one-time deal."

"If you like it, you might change your mind about that," he said. "It's addictive, taking a vision and turning it into a reality. Shaping the future, Sky. That's what I do."

I smiled. My father was passionate and idealistic about his role as an investor and developer, but I didn't want to shape Swallow Cove's future to fit my vision.

I really wasn't egotistical enough to think I knew best.

I wanted to help Swallowers—especially my new friends—realize their vision for a better future here.

"Do you agree to my terms?" I asked.

I hoped he'd say yes, but part of me was also hoping he'd say no. Because if we scooped this project out from under the Wexlers, it would change everything.

"You got yourself a deal," he said, voice warm. "It's good to hear you fired up about something."

I smiled. "I'm doing better."

"I can tell you are. Whatever you're doing, keep doing it."

I laughed, thinking that my dad might not want the details of that. Not that Brooks had magically fixed me. I'd needed time, needed to heal. But Brooks's willingness to support me, to give me control when I needed it, had gone a long way to helping me rediscover myself.

The Skylar I was before Blaize crushed me down, bit by bit. Before he'd convinced me I was helpless without him. That I was weak.

"I'll do that," I promised my dad.

Because I had no intentions of stopping. If anything, maybe it was time to trust myself again and let Brooks all the way in.

I was stronger than my asshole ex had said I was. Stronger than I'd believed in a long time.

Strong enough to lead this project to success, to give Swallow Cove the future it deserved.

And strong enough to open my heart to another man without losing myself ever again.

Brooks came up behind me as I disconnected from the call, slipping his arms around my waist and nuzzling my neck just as he had in that perfect dream.

"Everything okay?"

"Mm-hmm. Everything's perfect." I turned, catching his lips in a brief, sweet kiss. "Call Fisher so we can hash out this plan. The Addisons are onboard."

"Yeah?" I could hear the smile in his voice. "You're sexy when you take charge."

"Good." I turned in his arms, looking him in the eye and summoning all my courage. "Because after we're done with the planning session, I'm going to take you to bed."

His eyes darkened. "Oh? Tell me more."

I skimmed my nose along his jawline until my lips were next to his ear. Then I whispered, "I'm going to fuck you, and then I'm going to cuddle you hard."

He started to laugh.

"And then?" I said. "You can hold me while we sleep."

His breath caught. "You're sure about that? I mean, I understand your need for boundaries."

"Fuck boundaries," I said, tossing caution to the wind. "I want it. Say no if you don't want to go there with me, but—"

Brooks kissed me again. "Of course I want to. I've been practically begging, haven't I? Even if it's just one night, I'd take it. I'd take anything you offered me."

My heart quickened. This was more than sex, more than a fling.

It had the power to be everything.

And for the first time, I was sure I was strong enough to handle it.

I paced the entryway, waiting for Fisher and his friends to arrive. Nerves fluttered in my gut. It was one thing to tell my dad I could do this, but another to keep that promise. Once I committed to a plan of action with the people who were fast becoming good friends, there was no going back.

"You've got this," Brooks said, squeezing my shoulder. "It's a good plan."

I bit my lip. "What if I can't pull it off?"

"You can." He looked me in the eye. "I believe in you."

Part of me wanted to scoff. Brooks didn't know anything about my development experience.

"You wouldn't have decided to do this if you couldn't handle it," Brooks continued.

That's when it hit me. He believed in me, not my resume. He trusted my judgment.

My heart rate settled. He was right. I wouldn't have proposed taking over if I didn't think I had the skill.

While Brooks had worked at the pub, I'd spent the day researching and making phone calls to my father's most loyal contacts, treading carefully so I didn't alert the Wexlers before we were ready to act.

I blew out a breath. "You're right. Thank you."

"Anytime."

"And thank you for being here."

It was the second night in a row that Brooks had left early for my sake. He'd admitted that he'd been living in the pub because all his income was going toward his grandmother's assisted-living expenses.

Missing work couldn't be helping that situation.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," he said, his eyes warm.

The offer to help him financially burned on my tongue. I had access to a trust fund. I could easily cover his grandma's care for the next month—or year.

Considering our sexual relationship, I had a feeling that would come across the wrong way. I didn't want Brooks to think I was paying for services rendered. And he didn't strike me as the kind of guy to accept a handout, even if he deserved help.

The doorbell saved me from blurting out the offer anyway.

Fisher, Sawyer, Cash, and Poppy stood on the porch. Hudson was in the car parked in the driveway, his phone to his ear.

"Come on in," I said. "Thanks for coming all the way out here."

"It's a bit of a trek," Sawyer said. "But this place is nice."

"Let me know if you need any in-house employees," Cash joked.

"What, like a butler?" Poppy said with a giggle.

"He's already got a bodyguard," Sawyer said, nodding toward Brooks, who was emerging from the next room.

Fisher gave me a surprised look, finally catching on, and my cheeks heated.

"Well, I can provide other services," Cash said with a wink.

"Are we talking business or what?" Brooks asked brusquely. "Skylar didn't invite you over to hit on him."

"He wasn't—"

"Oh, am I making someone jealous?" Cash teased. He was always flirtatious, but he was never serious. I'd learned that fairly quickly.

"No one's jealous," I said. "No one's hitting on anyone, right?"

"Right," Fisher said.

Thankfully, the subject changed to the reason for our meeting, and I led them all to the parlor, where we'd set out crackers and cheese.

I ignored the curious glances Fisher kept shooting between Brooks and me. If Brooks wanted to tell his cousin about us, that was his call.

Fisher's friends hadn't all been present when we discussed the Wexlers, so I recapped a bit of their history, and Fisher filled us in on a call he'd had with them, which basically confirmed they didn't have good intentions.

"They said the community meeting was just a formality," he said bitterly.

"That's true, to a point," I said. "It's more difficult if the community isn't on board, but not impossible if you've already gotten the ball rolling."

"Which they have, thanks to me."

Hudson returned as we talked, taking a seat beside Fisher. They put their heads together, murmuring quietly, then leaned in to kiss.

Sawyer threw a cracker at Fisher, and the friends started trash-talking one another. We got sidetracked for a few minutes. I didn't mind, though. I loved how close this group was. It reminded me of my friends in Seattle, in the bonds we'd once had before I followed Blaize's wishes instead of my instincts.

I was rebuilding those friendships from afar, but it'd never be like it was with this group. They weren't just friends. They were family.

"Can we get back to the point of this meeting?" Fisher finally asked.

"Yeah, so as I was saying, I made a few calls," I said.

When I told them that Addison Holdings would invest, but I would be the project leader, I braced for skepticism.

They might believe I was ambitious or greedy.

"I wasn't sure my dad would uphold your vision," I said. "Plus, I'm here, and I can act now. If we want to take the Wexlers by surprise, they'll never see me coming, because I don't normally do this. But my dad has a lot more experience than me, so if you'd rather—"

"No way. Of course we want you," Fisher said, grinning. "This is awesome!"

I wasn't sure awesome was the word I'd choose. More like nerve-racking. But also…enlightening? Fisher's enthusiasm was catching, lighting a spark of excitement in me.

I allowed myself to imagine, for a brief moment, beating the Wexlers at their game. If only I could do the same with Blaize. Finally put him in his place. Show him I wasn't weak at all.

But of course, this wasn't about me and my revenge fantasies.

I outlined a few ideas I had for the resort proposal then Fisher, Hudson, and Poppy chimed in with some ideas of their own. Twenty minutes later, we had a full-fledged plan.

"I think this is actually going to work," Fisher said. "Thank you, Skylar."

"I just hope it all works out for the best. For you and Swallow Cove."

"It will," Brooks said, his voice warm. "Thanks to you."

Our eyes met and held, warmth suffusing my body at what would come later tonight. The friends gathered their things to leave, Fisher raising his eyebrows when Brooks didn't leave with them.

"I think your friends have figured out we're involved," I said as I closed the door behind them.

Brooks snorted. "I think they've known for a while. Does it bother you?"

"No," I said, heart skipping. "Not if it doesn't bother you."

"Not in the least." He leaned in, pausing just shy of my lips. Waiting as always for my nod of approval.

"Kiss me whenever you want," I said. "You've earned my trust."

He swept his lips softly over mine. "Freddy's love wasn't enough?"

I drew back, laughing. "He was a good icebreaker for sure. But now I trust myself to trust you."

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked.

Easy answer to that. I wanted to take him into my bed and show him just how much I trusted him.

"Wash the dishes?"

He sighed. "I guess that's the responsible thing to do."

"But you should go shower while I do."

He raised an eyebrow. "Am I just rinsing off the stink of beer and grease from the pub, or should I be washing my ass too?"

I barked a laugh. "Meet me in my bedroom after you're done, and I guess you'll find out."

His lips curved. He looked smug even though we hadn't fucked yet. "I knew you'd give in to my irresistible charms eventually."

He winked to show he was playing.

But he wasn't wrong. Brooks had charm to spare, and he was irresistible. It was just a good thing he used his powers for good rather than evil.