Sandover Beach Forever (Sandover Island Series Book 5) Read online

  “I’m single.”

  He smiled, then stared down at his beer for a moment before meeting her eyes again. It was adorable the way he fumbled with his words, just a hair's breadth from stuttering himself. He had confidence, but humility too. Not a shred of cockiness in sight.

  This guy was the kind of guy she could really fall for. Or, was already starting to fall for? Not that you could know someone that well in ten minutes. Amber tried to tell herself that, because it already felt like a big piece of her heart had let Nick stake a very real claim. She had never believed in instalove, but this felt like insta-really-really-really-like.

  “I haven’t dated anyone in a year and a half,” Amber blurted. “I’m rusty.”

  That certainly didn’t need to be said. Amber fanned her face. In the future experiments with living, one glass of wine would do, at least on an empty stomach. There was also the very real sense that Jimmy and Emily were watching her.

  “That’s not a problem.” Nick’s grin touched her, like a fingertip trailing up her spine slowly, leaving heat in its wake. “I’d prefer not to imagine you with anyone else.”

  Ooooh, hello, touch of alpha male. That made for a combination Amber liked even more. Sweet, but possessive. Wait—was he already feeling possessive about her? Did he hate thinking about her dating other people?

  Nick continued, oblivious to the way her thoughts were carrying her away. “Is the island so hard up for eligible gentlemen?”

  “What?”

  “I only meant to say that there must be a shortage of men if you are still single.” He grimaced, setting the bottle on the bar and wiping his hands over his dark jeans. “But, I realize that also sounds like a line. I’m sorry.”

  His smile appeared, then faded as he peeled the label from his beer with clean, short nails. Strong fingers. They would feel good wrapped around her waist. Strong, and firm. Secure and warm.

  The flush from earlier returned, creeping from the center of Amber’s chest to her cheeks. She shouldn’t be considering the way his hands would feel wrapped around her, not when she’d known him less time than it would take to watch an episode of The Office.

  Nick’s eyes, like a cut piece of crystal hiding sapphire underneath, drew hers.

  “Don’t be sorry. As I said before, I wouldn’t mind you using lines on me.”

  Amber knew she shouldn’t answer so quickly, sound so desperate for his affection, which had hardly been earned. She hadn’t been at top form. Stuttering, saying stupid things, and getting defensive didn’t usually get you the guy. Did he see something else in her? Hard to imagine.

  Amber knew she had a pretty enough face and a body that, while it wasn’t in the wouldn’t quit category, at least fell into the realm of wouldn’t look too terrible in a bathing suit. Still, she wasn’t the kind of woman who commanded attention. Made only more obvious by the fact that Emily sat with Jimmy right over there, looking all beautiful and modelesque with her legs for days and long, blonde hair.

  Amber decided she didn’t care why Nick was interested in going on a date with her. He was attractive, seemed like a decent guy, and wanted to go out with her. She wanted to go out with him, like now. If it came down to skipping dinner with her father, she’d do it in a heartbeat.

  With a sinking feeling, Amber remembered her appointment with Dr. Espana just a few hours ago. There was an ovarian cancer pamphlet at the bottom of her purse, probably next to a few gum wrappers and a receipt from CVS.

  She had cancer. Maybe she would survive, a woman with a permanently useless womb. And maybe she wouldn’t.

  In front of her was a handsome, charming man who made her feel things she hadn’t ever felt. He was interested in her. And he was having dinner with his mom, further proof that he was a good, trustworthy guy.

  I want to live, Amber thought. If not for long, at least for now. It was time to do brave things. The kinds of things she normally wouldn’t ever do. Her living list, not her bucket list.

  And that thought made Amber lean closer, resting her hand on Nick’s shoulder, whispering, “Would you think less of me if I asked you to kiss me?”

  Had she planned this out, the way Amber did most things, she might have made a contingency plan. It would have come in handy right at that moment. Nick’s eyes widened, and his smile turned nervous. He chuckled, rubbing a hand up the back of his neck.

  And THAT’S why I don’t go outside the box. The box is safe and warm and doesn’t result in total humiliation.

  Amber was on her feet, muttering an apology before she had even taken a breath, hoping Jimmy and Emily weren’t watching this part. But those same strong fingers she’d been admiring grasped her elbow gently, holding her in place.

  “Amber—”

  “I’m sorry.” She couldn’t face him again. She couldn’t. But she did let him stop her, let herself soak up his quiet touch, the affection she had been so starved for. A tiny indulgence.

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. You just surprised me.”

  “I surprised myself,” she said. “I got some news today. Unexpected. Disappointing. I’ve got an uncomfortable conversation coming up with my dad. And I think I hit the wine on an empty stomach.”

  Nick’s fingers traced up the inside of her elbow. “So, you only asked to kiss me because of the wine and a bad day? No other reason?”

  He was teasing her, lessening the awkwardness of the moment.

  “Maybe another reason. Or two.”

  Amber resisted leaning into his touch, but barely. Her self-control was held by a thread. When Nick’s fingers tightened, spinning her gently toward him, that thread snapped.

  Their eyes met, his blue chips of ice and her own boring brown. What did he see when he looked at her? What caused the intensity of his gaze now?

  He pulled her closer until she stood between his knees, his hands warm anchors on her waist. Those strong fingers felt just as she had imagined they would. The scent of him, aged leather and spice, rose up stronger than it had when he first sat down.

  “Could I try to answer that question again?” Nick asked.

  “W-what?”

  The caress of his gaze fell to her lips. What was happening? She felt his eyes on her mouth, as warmly as though his fingertips rested there instead. An invisible touch.

  “You asked me something a moment ago and I …” He swallowed, licking his lips before continuing. “I didn’t respond as I should have.”

  “Oh?”

  Her mind hardly registered his words. Something about a response. Who could follow conversation when a man who looked like Nick stood so close? And how did such a strong face come to have such soft lips?

  Lips that were coming closer …

  “I definitely don’t think less of you for asking me to kiss you. May I?”

  The question had hardly left his lips when Amber realized he actually meant to kiss her. Even though she had been the one to ask him, somehow the reality of it hadn’t registered. Not until now.

  And then, as her gaze shot up to his eyes, he did kiss her.

  It was the lightest, softest, most perfect kiss Amber had ever known. His strong hands tugged at her waist as his mouth met hers. It ignited something in Amber. A desire for more—and not just more kisses. More of him. All of him. She felt slightly feral, and had to hold back something like a growl when he pulled back.

  Nick brushed one fingertip over her cheek as he pulled away, ripping a bit of her heart with him as he went.

  There weren’t words for how deeply that brief, sweet kiss rattled her soul. Nick’s hands dropped away, his lips parted, he blinked, looking every bit as overcome as she felt. Could he possibly feel as much as she did? It seemed impossible, considering the fact that Amber felt far more than she should after this brief conversation and even briefer kiss.

  Amber stepped back, needing distance before she did something stupid, like kissing him again or climbing into his lap. She searched for words, but there were none. What do you say after that kind o
f kiss? Nothing. Words would only take away from the moment they just shared.

  She took one more step back, noting with a tiny bit of satisfaction that Jimmy and Emily were watching.

  That’s when she heard her father’s voice behind her. “Amber! There you are.”

  Could he have had worse timing?

  Actually, yes. He could have walked in while we were kissing. That would have been terrible.

  When she turned, Nick stood, moving beside her, still keeping what seemed like a safe distance between them.

  Amber lifted a hand when her father did, only then noticing the woman beside him. Not just beside him, but clutching his arm in a familiar way. Looking nervous, yet ecstatic. She waved, and Amber froze when Nick raised his hand to wave back.

  Half turning, Amber exchanged a confused glance with Nick. Understanding passed over his features first, and he squeezed his eyes shut, saying only one word. “Unbelievable.”

  The realization slid into place only a moment before it was confirmed by her father. And unbelievable was right.

  “We meant to tell you both the happy news over dinner, and it looks like you’re a step ahead of us.”

  Her father smiled, a familiar grin, one that usually could cheer up Amber’s darkest mood. Today that smile was like the sound of a slamming door.

  “Amber, meet Linda, my fiancée.” He grinned again, his eyes sliding to the woman beside him. The affection there made Amber feel the wine sloshing around in her stomach. “And you’ve clearly met Nick, soon to be your stepbrother.”

  Chapter Three

  Of all the women in the world to kiss, especially after vowing to avoid women altogether, Nick had kissed his future stepsister. That felt like two degrees away from kissing your cousin. He was lucky to be able to keep down his dinner.

  Especially when Amber was seated across from him and he had to keep seeing her beautiful eyes. And the lips he had kissed not an hour before. Her twin dimples, which made every smile that much more, were nowhere to be seen.

  Stepsister. Stepsister. STEP. SISTER.

  Chanting this in his head only gave him a headache. Which served to make Nick’s dark mood more bleak.

  He was angry, no, furious. How could his mom spring this on him? He had just moved to Sandover—out of concern for her, so she wouldn’t be so alone after his father’s death almost a year ago. As the youngest brother, Nick got the short straw. And after his relationship with Kim went down in flames, Charlotte felt claustrophobic to him. Nick wanted as many miles between his ex and himself that he could manage. It seemed like a win for both of them. Now that he knew she was not only in a relationship, but getting married—he felt cheated.

  His mother obviously didn’t need Nick here, and he didn’t know if he wanted to have a front-row seat to this.

  Maybe she wouldn’t want to get married, if only I tell her—

  He shook that thought off, turning to Amber’s father. Nick was just as furious with her mother’s fiancé. It was hard to even think of that word. Tom kept looking at Nick’s mom with totally besotted eyes. It appeared genuine. But then, his father had appeared genuine as well, and fooled them all the same way.

  Did his mother and Tom not think about how awkward and awful it would be to announce their relationship and engagement at a public place with two of their children??

  Then, there was Amber. He wasn’t angry with her, but he had no idea what to do with the things he did feel. Looking at her gorgeous face set his blood to boiling.

  Amber seemed as shocked as he had been. But that couldn’t be right. Moments before their parents had arrived, Amber said she got disappointing news earlier today. She had anticipated an awkward dinner conversation. She knew about this.

  Amber hadn’t guessed that Nick was about to be family, but the thought that she knew and he didn’t made him feel even more like a chump. This news was unexpected and disappointing to him too. And the dinner was more than uncomfortable.

  Nick wondered if Amber was handling this okay. She couldn’t meet his eyes. Through most of dinner, she’d kept her arms wrapped around herself and her gaze on her plate. He wished that he could take her hand or put his arm around her or even whisk her out of the restaurant. But he couldn’t do any of that, not in light of the big announcement.

  “We know it probably seems sudden, but we’d like to get married soon,” his mother was saying. “Before all the holidays.”

  “Thanksgiving is seven weeks away,” Amber said softly.

  Nick’s mom shrugged and gave Tom a goofy, in-love look that belonged on a teenager or something. “So, I guess in the next six weeks, then. I’m sure we can pull it off.”

  Six weeks?!? His father hadn’t been dead a year. Nick’s jaw tensed and he could hear the sound of his teeth grinding. At least that would still give him time to talk his mom out of it. Later, in private. If he needed to, maybe it was time to finally tell her what he should have told her years ago.

  “Amber?” his mother said.

  Nick’s gaze snapped up, but his mother wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at Amber, who finally looked up. Nick wasn’t sure Amber had looked at his mom since the awkward moment they’d made introductions.

  “Yes?”

  Amber’s voice had changed so much in the past hour, losing its color and brightness. Nick hated seeing her stripped of the joy that had drawn him to her in the first place. He noticed her the moment he walked into the restaurant and walked straight to her. He couldn’t help himself. And she was only more attractive to him the more he sat with her. She was adorable and too honest and funny and completely beautiful in that unassuming way that made him stare even harder.

  Until he found out that she was going to be his stepsister. What was he supposed to do with his feelings toward her now?

  Nick’s mother smiled at Amber. “We were hoping you could plan the wedding.”

  Oh, heck no. Nick’s protectiveness surged. They weren’t going to force wedding planning on Amber. Couldn’t they see how upset she was?

  Nick’s brows furrowed, and the hopeless look in Amber’s eyes made his fists clench. He really needed to breathe and focus. His anger had always been an issue, but Nick made real strides in the past year with managing it. The last thing he wanted was to lose his cool now and make a scene.

  Lord, let me be quick to listen, slow to speak, and even slower to become angry. Nick silently repeated that verse, which had become something of a mantra in the past year. It took the edge off, but dealing with the full brunt of his emotions would take some time, and maybe a hard run or workout.

  Amber twisted her napkin in her hands and glanced between her father and Nick’s mom. “I, um …”

  Her father reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “We’d pay you of course, sweetheart.”

  Amber gave a small smile but stiffened at the touch. Nick wanted to rip Amber away from her father and literally carry her out of the restaurant. He could almost imagine their parents’ faces if he did. Instead, he found himself rooted to his seat, watching this horror show play out.

  “Nick will help,” his mom said, reaching over to pat his hand.

  “I’ll WHAT?”

  His voice was almost a roar. All the silent prayers in the world wouldn’t remove his anger right now. People at neighboring tables glanced over.

  His mom shook her head at him, pursing her lips, then looked back at Amber, who seemed to be sliding down in her chair. In a moment, she’d be under the table. If things weren’t already ruined because of their parents, this was about the time that Amber would realize he’s the last guy she would want to date.

  “It would be a good way for you to get to know Sandover,” his mom said. “And make friends.”

  “Am I five, needing a babysitter? Someone to help me make friends on the playground?”

  Amber’s cheeks flushed. She was chewing her lip, looking down. Nick hated himself more than a little in this moment. His mom glared daggers, but it was Amber’s father who spoke
up, his tone harsh.

  “Son, I know we’ve just met. This all may be a surprise to you. But that’s no way to speak to your mother.”

  Was he serious right now? This balding, nerdy-looking man in a shirt with a ketchup stain on his collar wanted to tell Nick how to speak to his own mother?

  He scoffed. But Amber spoke before Nick could say a word.

  “Dad.” She shook her head.

  “It’s fine. I don’t need you defending me.”

  Before the words were out of his mouth, Nick felt horrible, even worse than he had a moment ago. He was a few levels below scum of the earth. Shame paired terribly with spaghetti.

  “Excuse me,” Amber said, practically jumping from her seat. Her cloth napkin landed in the center of her almost untouched plate.

  Amber’s father glared at him. Nick’s mom looked both disappointed and furious. Before either of them could say anything, Nick was on his feet.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he muttered, cracking his neck as he walked.

  Nick found the door leading to the bathrooms right next to the bar. He had just stepped into the small hallway when Amber burst out of the men’s room, flattening Nick into the wall.

  “Oh! I’m sorry!”

  Her hands clutched at Nick’s shoulders and his hands found her waist naturally, like they’d done it dozens of times, not just the once.

  And for exactly six seconds, Nick forgot everything except the feel of Amber in his arms again. His eyes dropped to her lips, which he could still almost taste.

  Step. Sister.

  Doing his best to keep his temper caged, Nick gently but firmly scooted Amber out of his arms. She dropped her hands, wringing them together. Her cheeks were the red of strawberries, and as she dipped her head, that gorgeous blonde hair hid her face. This was torture.

  He cleared his throat, wishing it would also clear his head. “Were you in the men’s room?”

  “Wrong door. Sorry.”