Blake might have had a good idea with night swimming. I’d love to make her come with the waves crashing over us. Yes, our night is going to be one hell of a good time.
Chapter 13
McKinley
I’m so excited to be having everyone at Braden’s house tonight. It will be nice to not have to drive home for once. We just got back from the store and he bought way too much food and alcohol, but he said he wanted to be sure everyone had fun.
We are in the kitchen marinating the steaks and I start to giggle. He looks over at me and I smile. “I was just thinking about the first time I helped you barbeque, at Blake’s. God, I wanted you so bad,” I admit.
He washes his hands and pulls me to him. “I wanted you just as bad. You have no idea how hard it was for me to walk away from you.”
He kisses me, letting his hands roam down to my ass. Every time his hands are on me, I melt. I’ve never felt like this before and with just the simplest of touches, I’m ready for him to take me to his bed.
The doorbell rings, breaking our moment and I pull back. “Damn,” I say gripping onto his shirt.
“Our night is just starting baby, I promise you that,” he says, kissing my nose before going to answer the door.
Kallie and Jax are the first ones here and help us finish up in the kitchen. After a bit, Braden tells me and Kallie to go relax outside and they will finish up. So, we each make a vodka and cranberry and go sit outside.
“McKinley, real fast because I don’t want tonight to be about work. I finished the edits, and I will send the photos next week. They came out even better than I thought. You need to go online and make yourself a modeling page. If you need help, just ask, but Braden is a genius with computers too.”
I haven’t seen any of the photos yet, but just hearing her say that is enough. If she is impressed, they must be amazing. “Thank you, Kallie. I’ll do that this weekend.”
We sit quietly for a few minutes just watching the waves crash onto the beach, enjoying the calming sounds, that is until Kallie says, “So what’s going on with you and Braden?”
Confused by the question I turn to look at her. “What do you mean?” It makes me worry for a minute that maybe I am seeing things differently than everyone else.
“I mean, are you two serious about each other? It’s really none of my business, but I’m just protective of my brother and nieces,” she says, taking a sip of her drink.
I smile and reach out placing my hand on hers. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. He’s my world, Kallie, I would never do anything to hurt him or the girls. You have my word.” And I mean it.
A huge smile breaks out on her face and she pulls me in for a hug.
“Oh, am I missing some girl-on-girl action?” Blake asks, walking out the door. Both Jax and Braden punch him. “Ouch, damn.”
“Where’s London?” Kallie asks.
“She’s coming, she has to get her book off to her editor if she wants to release it on time,” he says, cracking open a beer.
After a while, it is full-blown party mode. Everyone is here, and we are having a blast. We finished eating and moved down to sit on the sand. Since Braden owns this property, we can have a fire and that’s where we are, sitting by the fire. All the girls are pretty trashed and it’s a nice change.
I pay close attention to Brinley and Max and I can tell even though they aren’t sitting next to each other that something is going on. The way they keep eye-fucking each other makes it’s obvious. I look over at Braden and wonder what if it is obvious to anyone how turned on, I am just looking at him. He’s sitting there with a beer and laughing at something Blake said and it makes me want to straddle his lap. Watching him enjoy his friends is just so sexy to me.
“McKinley, I was talking to Kallie and she told me the shoot was amazing. I can’t wait to see the pictures,” London says, drawing my attention away from Braden.
“Yes. It was amazing. Thank you again for this opportunity London. It means so much to me,” I say, taking a sip of my drink.
“I call them like I see them, and you fit my character’s description perfectly,” she says, smiling.
A part of me believes her, but another part makes me wonder if she is just giving me a chance because of Blake. I know her doing this has made him extremely happy and I really hope that’s not the only reason she chose me.
I look around at everyone, at the connections they all have. You can see that they all love each other and if I’m honest I find myself loving them all too. I feel like I’ve been accepted into this secret group of kick-ass people and I am so grateful. In all my life, I’ve never had friends like this. Friends that actually care about you, help you and support you. Add Braden to the mix and I dare say that things are almost perfect for the first time in my life.
I feel a hand on my leg and snap my head away from looking at the fire. I turn and look at Braden’s concerned face.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, moving the hair off my face.
I smile and lean over placing a soft kiss on his lips. “Nothing. I was just thinking about how happy I am.”
He pulls me onto his lap and wraps his arms around me. “That’s what I like to hear and just
