Just A Kiss (Angel Sands 4)

But she’d never seen either of them again.

“What’s he doing here?” She was thinking out loud, not realizing she’d said anything until her mom answered her.

“He works with his father. Miller Construction is renovating the old Silver Sands Resort. Isn’t it wonderful to see him? I spent so many sleepless nights worrying about that boy after he left, wondering how he was doing. It’s great to see him so successful.”

Caitie allowed herself to glance over at him again. Somehow the gesture felt furtive, as if she was a child peeking out from behind the sofa, hoping nobody could see her. “He hasn’t changed much.”

Deenie smiled. “He was a good looking boy, and he’s an even better looking man. Devastating you might say.”

Yes, devastating was definitely the right word. Caitie felt the full effects of it all over her body. A flush had broken out on her chest, staining her pale skin a strawberry pink. It was in danger of spreading up her neck and face.

Caitie had spent just as many sleepless nights as her mom after Brecken and his brother left. Their father – David – had picked them up the day after Christmas, once he was able to make the trek after hearing of his ex-wife’s passing. After the funeral, he’d flown them back to his home in Boston, thousands of miles away from Angel Sands and their friends. Caitie closed her eyes, remembering the lost expression in both boy’s eyes, and how desperate she’d been to bring some happiness to them that Christmas.

“You should go say hi,” Deenie suggested. “I’m sure he’d be pleased to see you.”

“He won’t remember me.” She took another sip of her juice.

“Of course he does. He was asking about you. Told me he still remembers how kind you were to him and Daniel when they stayed with us. I’m sure he’d love to catch up with you.”

The thought of talking to him was paralyzing. Of all Lucas’s friends, Breck had been the one who had drawn her in. While Griff and Jack were merrily joining in with whatever scheme Lucas thought up to torture his little sister, Breck was the one who would check if she was okay. He would offer to protect her and she’d developed a little crush on him.

Okay, so it wasn’t that little.

He turned around again. This time his body twisted toward Caitie until his gaze locked on her face. Her skin started to fizz, as though somebody had thrown soda all over her.

Devastating. Somehow the word didn’t seem enough now that they were face to face. How could she have thought he hadn’t changed? Everything about him screamed masculinity, from the sharp angles of his face to the scruff across his jaw. When she was fifteen years old, Brecken Miller had left Angel Sands, and it had felt as though her world had left with him.

Now he was back, all grown up, and Caitie couldn’t form a single lucid thought in her brain.

3

As a child, Breck hadn’t spent a whole lot of time at the Beach Club. Though his mom earned a fair wage working as an admin at Newton Pharmaceuticals, it hadn’t been enough for luxuries like club memberships. The three of them had lived a frugal life. Even buying his first surfboard had been a huge investment, paid for by working the whole summer in Frank Megassey’s hardware store.

He wondered what his mom would think of him now. Coming back into town as a grown man, his business going from strength to strength. Would she be glad he’d mended bridges with his father, or would she be angry that he’d grown to love the man who had been a stranger to them before she passed?

“You want another beer?” Jack asked, inclining his head toward the bar.

“I’m good, thanks.” Breck shook his still-full bottle at him.

“Hey, do you remember the time we all drank Jack’s mom’s whiskey?” Griff asked, grinning. “I swear I lost about thirty-six hours of my life after that. No sixteen year old should feel that much pain.”

They launched into another round of reminiscences, joshing about the kids they once were. Breck couldn’t help but laugh at Griffin’s impression of him stumbling around before being sick in his mom’s leather purse.

“As I remember, you vomited on her dog,” Breck pointed out. “She was a lot more upset about that.”

The back of his neck began to tingle, the same way it did when he had a shave at the barber. He reached up to touch it but the sensation remained. He rubbed the skin with his fingers, frowning.

Griff was saying something to Jack about being a lightweight, but Breck couldn’t quite hear the words. He was too busy turning around to look at the group of people behind him. They were older, a collection of Lucas’s family and neighbors. Brecken smiled when he saw Lucas’s mom, resplendent in a silver dress. When the light caught the thread it looked almost luminous.

A second later, his eyes locked onto a brunette standing with the group. A shock ran through him as he realized she was staring back. As much as he knew he should, he couldn’t pull himself away from those melted chocolate eyes.

He wasn’t sure what about her grabbed his attention. Maybe it was the dark brown hair that cascaded in waves down her back. Or her pale-as-alabaster skin. The only evidence she’d ever been touched by the sun was a line of freckles smattered across the bridge of her nose.

The back of his neck tingled again.

“Oh hey, Caitie’s here.” Lucas had followed Breck’s gaze over to the crowd beside them.

That was Caitie? The gorgeous brunette with curves to kill for was the girl they used to tease and rib mercilessly? His mind was still trying to wrap around the idea when she started to walk toward them, her hips swaying effortlessly as she crossed the distance. When the hell did she grow up?