Boyfriend's Brother Read online

  She loved him. She truly did. She didn't know how or why she let it happen, but it didn't matter. Not now. The awkward… would be a little intense, and she honestly didn't know how everything would play out.

  The future she pictured sat right beside her. She didn't have to be in a hurry to reach out and grab it.

  She met Jace's gaze. "I wanna be with you. Here and now. Can we take it a day at a time and let the future unfold how it will?"

  Jace nodded. "Yeah, we can do that."

  Chapter Fourteen

  A horrible, obnoxious pounding woke Jason from a dead sleep. He stumbled out of bed, made his way through the living room, and yanked his door open.

  "Geez, Marc. Do you realize what time it is?"

  Marc nudged his way into the apartment. "Rough night?" He waved a bag of bagels. "I brought breakfast."

  Jason yawned and started the coffeemaker. "What has you up at the crack of dawn?"

  Marc shrugged. "Never went to sleep last night. Too keyed up."

  Jason cracked a smile. "Buying a house can do that to you."

  Marc filled the toaster with bagels. "It's huge, bro. Never thought I'd own a home."

  The coffee finished brewing, and Jason poured three mugs. He added cream to Marc's and left the other two black.

  Marc lifted a brow in question, but Jace held up a hand. "Wait for it…"

  "Ah, God. Coffee." Chloe crashed into the kitchen. "Need some. Now." She wrapped her hand around the mug and tilted her head up to catch Jason's lips in a hard kiss. "I love you."

  Marc laughed. "You love his coffee." The bagels popped up, and he snagged them, buttering the warm surfaces.

  Chloe leaned back against Jason's chest. "That, too. Yes." She grabbed a half of Marc's breakfast and plopped down at the island bar. "You wanna do lunch with us, Marc? We're headed for the river walk."

  Marc shook his head. "Nah. Gotta pick up Rachel. She's coming in on furlough for two weeks."

  Chloe shot Marc a wry glance. "How is the wife? She have you packing up stuff for the move yet?"

  The stupid grin Marc wore at the mention of his marital status made Jason so damned happy for his brother. After six months of awkward moments over Jason and Chloe being a couple, Marc met Rachel and told everyone he planned to marry her. Ten months later, he did. And Jace got to be the best man.

  Jason lifted a brow. "Only two weeks. Not a lot of time to get settled in a new home. In her case, the R&R should stand for raring and ready to go."

  Marc shrugged. "See… here's the thing. She thinks we're doing the whole deal over her leave." A sly smile crossed Marc's face. "She doesn't know it yet… but it's done. The guys from my unit came over last weekend, and we got my place and hers sorted and moved everything into the new house." He preened. "I'll be taking her there after I meet her transport."

  Jason gaped. Marriage definitely agreed with his brother… enough to make him take initiative on his own. A month after the wedding, Rachel got deployed, and Marc had to handle the final details on the closing for the house. And apparently, it also had him doing things to make his new bride happy.

  Pride filled Jason, and he clapped Marc on the back. "Way to go." He poured another cup of coffee. "Why didn't you say something? We'd have helped out."

  Chloe snorted. "Exactly when, Jace? We just got back from training your old squadron on the new simulators you developed." She hopped off her seat and gave Marc a huge hug. "Rachel's gonna love you more than she does now." Chloe paused and narrowed her eyes. "You didn't, like, hang pictures or put stuff away, did you?"

  Marc laughed. "Oh, no. No way." He winked. "I figure we'll want to do all that stuff together, you know."

  Chloe smiled and eased into Jason's arms. He knew exactly what her thoughts were. Marc had finally found the perfect someone. The one woman to make him stop and think and wait for the right moment with everything.

  Chloe didn't say it out loud, she didn't have to, but she'd found the right person, too. Jason pressed a kiss to her forehead and thanked the universe he'd gone to see her the day Marc punched him in the face.

  She still wanted to take life a day at a time, and Jason had no problem doing so. Why would he complain? His work challenged him. Chloe made him happier than he'd ever been. They'd settled in… shared their days and nights, traveled together, talked about everything under the sun…

  And most of all, best of all…

  They never got bored.

  The End

  About the Author

  Currently a writer and editor by trade, ML Skye, also writing as Skylin O'Thomas and Skye Ritchey, can usually be found on IM or browsing the web while the TV plays in the background. She credits her parents for developing her fascination with 'what if' scenarios.

  Growing up, she watched a mish mash of science fiction, westerns, and military dramas and read about other worlds and distant times along with contemporary romance… thanks to her mom's reading group—a wild, wacky bunch with diverse tastes that never failed to entertain.

  She started writing short stories in grade school, switched to poetry in high school, and got sidetracked by a myriad of jobs and starting a family. But the writing called again and now she gravitates toward the genres she grew up loving, combining them with sensual and erotic romance set in different times and places. Meeting her husband on a blind date—after swearing she'd never go on one—ML Skye decided to never again say never.

  'What if' couldn't exist if she did.

  She resides in Ohio with her husband and children.

  Website:

  www.skyewrites.com

  Facebook:

  www.facebook.com/MLSkye

  Blog:

  http://mlskye.blogspot.com

  Email:

  [email protected]

  Titles by ML Skye

  Available from Silver Publishing

  Boyfriend's Brother

  Available from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

  CAPITAL CITY SEASONS

  Midwinter Crises

  FURLOUGH 99

  Shyler: Finding Home

  Titles by Skylin O'Thomas

  Available from Silver Publishing

  HOLIDAY WISHES

  Merry and Bright

  Busted in Bubbles

  Available from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

  SOUTH OF THE BORDER

  Down in Mexico

  Titles by Skye Ritchey

  Available from Silver Publishing

  MAGIC AND MAYHEM

  A Magical Affair

  Reviews

  A Magical Affair

  Why shouldn't there be sublime magic within exquisite entrepreneurialism? Well yes, 'A Magical Affair' presents just this kind of wonderful marriage. So three friends are going to be at a magical mansion as a Halloween weekend tryst. The two gals are scripting this to fulfill all of Heath's fantasies. Oh, this sounds so delightful. I'm in!

  Romy Bludd went to inspect Magic Meadows in preparation for their ad layout and ended up getting an invitation for their first trial run. Romy is totally confident that Jarvin and Vivica's new retreat will manage to produce and support all of Heath's fantasies that pretty much matches Romy's fantasies as well. The young couple is in for the most amazing weekend of their lives.

  Heath Graystone loves Romy completely… mind, body, and soul. Her penchant for calling all the shots sometimes drives him nuts, but he is simply completely under her spell. After Heath is fairly blown away by his initial impression of Magic Meadows and his delight that Stacie would be joining them, he slides right into character and laps up the luxury, the sense that the supposed illusions feel extraordinarily real, and his early recognition that his long held fantasies are coming to life!

  Stacie Williams is a very good friend of Romy and Heath. She is also up to snuff on participating in all the scenes that call for her involvement. She provides a solid third member for the trial run, as she also seems to have to no hang-ups, just like Romy and Heath. Stacie was a real treat! The Meadows supposedly
sits atop an ancient wellspring of magic. Given what goes on during our trio's three days in fantasyland, I believe real magic was mixed in with professional finesse. I wanted to book my fantasy weekend shortly after the first scene! I recommend you put your sense of doubt on the shelf and have an absolute blast!

  Reviewed by jj

  —Rainbow Book Reviews