Brothers of Paradise Series

I run a hand along my jaw. “And you come up with this the morning of our sister’s wedding?”

Rhys throws me a wry look. “It’s shit planning, but it’s a good idea. You know it is. It’ll make her cry.”

“Everything will make her cry today.”

“Yes, but this one will be because of us.” Something softens in his gaze. “She deserves the best day we can give her.”

“They do,” Parker corrects. He glances at his watch. “So we have… an hour to sort this out before we need to head to the venue. Rhys and I brought our tuxes, so we’ll change here. Is that cool?”

Of course. Even as grown men, they rely on me to fix things, to be the host, to crash a morning I’d planned to spend with Faye.

“Yes. We’ll write a combined speech, and we’ll give Lily the best moment of her life.” I drop my voice a few octaves. “And when Faye comes out of that bedroom, you’ll both tell her she looks beautiful, and you’ll thank her on your damn knees for cooking all this for you with only an hour’s notice.”

“Of course,” Parker says. “Thanks, man.”

Rhys cocks an eyebrow. “For us? Henry, she clearly did this for you.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I have no idea what to say to that.

His words stay with me for the rest of the morning, even as we compare notes and add anecdotes to the different parts of our speech. We won’t have time to rehearse, but I doubt we’ll need to.

“It’s nearly twelve,” I say. “Use the spare bedroom to change.”

Rhys grumbles at my heavy-handedness, but they obediently grab their dressing bags and head into the spare. The door to Faye’s room is still closed.

I knock twice.

“Come in!”

Having been near her for days now, you’d think that I’d be used to her beauty, but it still strikes me like a physical blow.

She’s standing in front of the mirror, putting in an earring. Her hair falls in soft waves, some of it pinned back, framing her face. She’s painted her lips a deadly shade of red. Her dress is modest, but it still hugs her curves, showing me the waist I had my arm around and the ass that tormented me all night long.

“Henry?”

I realize I haven’t said anything. I close the door behind me and lean against it, needing distance between us before I do something I’ll regret.

“You look stunning.”

Her lips curve into a small smile. “Thank you.”

“You always look stunning.”

She cocks her head, putting in the other earring. “What’s all this?”

“Have you eaten anything?”

“I had some breakfast before you woke up.”

“You could’ve joined us, you know.”

She frowns. “Sorry. I just figured you’d want to discuss family stuff, so I might as well get ready.”

I shake my head, this conversation already slipping out of my grasp. “Thank you for cooking and for baking. I really appreciated it.”

“You’re welcome,” she says. “Am I the best assistant you’ve ever had, or what?”

Assistant. All I can manage is a weak smile. “Yes. The very best.”

“You should go get changed. We need to leave soon.”

I close the door to her bedroom behind me and shake my head at myself. Well, that wasn’t what I had wanted at all. I don’t want to be her boss, and her my assistant.

And I want her to sleep in my arms every night.

Faye

The wedding is held in the small Paradise Shores chapel, a beautiful wooden church with weathered wood and stone floors. It looks like something out of a fairy tale, filled to the brim with bouquets of lilies, one after the other, the smell heady and intoxicating.

When I comment on the flowers to Jamie, she shoots me a grin. “That’s at her mother’s insistence. And I’ve been told that if anyone asks, we’re to repeat that fact, so no one thinks she’s that narcissistic.”

I laugh. “I’ll do the same, then.”

Jamie hurries to take her place as one of the bridesmaids and I head to my allocated seat. It’s on the front row, right next to Mrs. Marchand, alongside uncles and aunts.

In the front row on the right side of the church is a handful of people. An elderly-looking man and a young woman with hair the color of Hayden’s. A few men sit beside them-Hayden’s military friends?

My gaze travels back, inevitably and predictably, to the front of the church. Henry in a tuxedo is not something to miss. He’s the tallest of the four men up there, his brothers and Hayden. Altogether, they’re a stunning display of masculinity in its prime-thick hair and broad shoulders, all of them tanned from time spent at sea. I can practically feel the pride and emotion radiating from Mrs. Marchand next to me.

Henry’s eyes land on me, and under his heavy gaze, something tightens in my chest. Happiness, longing, fear. Uncertainty and embarrassment. Twice in two days, I’ve basically asked him to sleep with me. And twice in two days, he’s said no.

He’s clearly more in control than I am. And despite us agreeing that it wouldn’t, this weekend has changed things. Last night changed things, with his hand in between my legs and lips against my neck.

I can’t have him as my boss anymore.

It’s the only way forward, even if this is just an inconvenient attraction to him and nothing more. I couldn’t bear it if I had to schedule his dates or plan his trips-to see him at work every day, but never get anything more in return.

He’d wanted a game about who could be more professional, and he’d been right when he said he always won, because I’ve reached my limit. My heart is already too invested.

I’m done playing.

Mrs. Marchand leans in closer, whispering in my ear. “Isn’t he handsome?”

She means Henry, who is still looking straight at me, a small crease in between his eyebrows.

“Yes,” I murmur. “He’s amazing.”

An expectant hush falls over the congregation, and in the silence, a single violin starts to play the Wedding March. It’s hauntingly gorgeous. Heads turn, expectantly, but I don’t look at where Lily is entering. I look at Hayden.