Here With Us (The Archer Brothers)

“Archer,” she says as her fingers brush my hair away from my ear. There’s something about the way she says my last name that drives me insane. My hands lock behind her back, pulling her close until her body presses against mine. I thought I was happy our friends came to help, but now I want them all to leave so I can be alone with her, in our new home. “Thank you.” Her lips briefly press against mine. The kiss doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d like, but we have an audience, and I’m not about to embarrass her. I’m saving that for the day she finally becomes my wife.

“For what?”

“For this house. For moving us when you weren’t sure it was the right thing to do. I don’t know why, but being here feels right. Coronado is our home.”

“Yet, we met in Washington. One could easily say our home is there.”

Ryley nods and pulls her lower lip in between her teeth. “One could, but our lives started here.”

“I beg to differ. Our lives started the day I threw the football at you.”

“At me?” she cocks her eyebrow.

“Errant throw, but clearly someone was helping us along, making sure we met.” And thank God we did because she would’ve met Nate the next day, and I … well, I don’t want to think about what it’d be like not to have Ryley in my life. I’ve already lived it once. “We can argue all day about where we should or shouldn’t live. If being here makes you happy, I’m happy.”

“But I want you to be happy here.”

I lean down and kiss her, holding my lips there a bit longer than she did. When I pull away, I lightly cup her cheek. “As long as I have you and EJ, I’m happy. We could live in an igloo in Alaska or a tiki hut in the middle of the desert for all I care. As long as we’re together, my life is complete.”

Ryley rises onto her toes and kisses me again. “I love you. Now put those boxes in the kitchen.” She tries to pull away, but not before my hand swats her on her ass. She lets out a little yelp as she hurries away from me. I do as I’m asked and deposit the boxes into the kitchen before heading back out to the truck.

CHAPTER 2

RYLEY

The sun barely peeks over the horizon, casting a soft glow into our room. Evan’s pressed against my back, holding me tightly. He’s been this way since we moved back, and I fear he’s going to live with a constant internal battle, wondering if we’re being watched or not. Part of me wishes I hadn’t suggested we move. I wouldn’t if I had known he was going to be on edge. Evan tells me he’s happy, that he’s fine, that moving was the right thing for our family, but I wonder if he’s ever going to stop looking over his shoulder.

Soft lips brush over my shoulder while a strong arm pulls me even closer to his warm body. I smile and snuggle into the embrace of the man who is so close to being my husband. Our wedding day is finally within reach. We’re down to weeks, no longer months, and I can’t wait to walk down the sandy aisle to marry my best friend as the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash into the shore. My mom is finally able to walk on her own, and I told Evan once she could, we’d marry. Seeing her take those first steps without any assistance was one of my happiest days.

“Are you ready for today?” Evan’s lips ghost over my skin, causing goosebumps to pebble all over. I shiver, even though I’m not cold.

“I suppose today will be like any other day with our family and friends.”

“Mhm, something tells me you’ll be pampered.”

I roll over his arms to face him. “What do you know, Archer?”

“Nothing,” he says, smiling. “I swear.”

“Why do I not believe you?”

Evan shrugs and kisses the tip of my nose. “I don’t have a clue about these things, Ry. I’m just guessing that a bridal shower’s the time when the bride gets pampered by her friends.”

“And what will my groom be doing?”

“Standing in the background, admiring my soon-to-be wife.”

Evan and I lean in simultaneously, and his body starts to roll over mine. That is until our bedroom door bursts open, and we’re attacked by fifty pounds of dog with a slobbery tongue. I scream out while Evan wrangles Deefur away from us, and EJ laughs in the doorway.

“Time to get up,” EJ shouts. Since we’ve been back in California, I’ve seen a difference in him. Before, he was a kid, going through the motions of a daily routine. Now, he’s jubilant and excited to do any and everything he can before the sun goes down. I know a lot of that has to do with my father and the fact that he picks him up every day for fishing, hunting, shooting, and any other sport-type activity they can do.