My Best Friend's Brother by MJ Thompson Page B

around the car to the trunk.
     
    I let go of Hope’s arm and pulled basket out.
     
    Then lock everything back up and take hold of her hand with my one free hand.
     
    “Picnic on the beach?” Hope smiles and kisses the back of my hand.
     
    I nod. “Too much? Too little?” I ask, hoping for reassurance.
     
    I take out a blanket, which was on the top of the basket and unfold it out on the sand.
     
    “It’s perfect.”
     
    We both sit down on the blanket, but before I have a chance to open the basket...
     
     

 
    CHAPTER TWELVE
    I love the beach
     
     
    Nathan
     
     
    ...Hope dives onto me and crashes her lips into mine.
     
    It takes me a second to realize what is happen, but I soon responded.
     
    The kiss only lasts a minute before she pulls away, while still lying on top of me.
     
    I notice a blush on her cheeks as she tries to pull herself from off of me.
     
    I let her pull away and sit up.
     
    I did the same, but I wrapped my arms around her when I was fully upright and pulled her back so she is now sat on my lap.
     
    “So what was that for?” I ask in a teasing manner.
     
    She wrapped her arms around me too
     
    “Um” I heard her mumble trying to hide her face in my shoulder.
     
    “What was that? I didn’t hear you?” I say in a singsong voice.
     
    She pulled her face a way slightly from my neck, but only enough so I could understand her speaking.
     
    “I just... I am having such a great night. I wanted to let you know.” She explained.
     
    “Well, I love the way you say thank you.” I say in a deep gruff voice into her ear.
     
    I felt her shiver in my arms.
     
    “Maybe we can try this more.” I breathe into her neck, leaving a kiss.
     
    “But now I think we should probably eat.” I smirk when I hear a groan.
     
    “I am pretty hungry, now I think about it.” She pulls away, but stays on my lap.
     
    I laugh. “I’m glad. I could do with some food too. It’s a good thing I packed lots.”
     
    Hope looked at me in the eyes and said in a knowing voice “You?”
     
    I grin “Ok maybe not me...”
     
    “Let me guess Lanie?”
     
    “Yes. In my defense I was going to do it but my mom said she didn’t want you going down with food poisoning and she threw me out of the kitchen.” Hope laughed at what I said.
     
    I took one of my arms from around her and pulled the basket closer.
     
    I opened the lid and pulled out a couple cans of soda.
     
    I know not very romantic, but what could I do.
     
    I could hardly put a bottle of wine or something else in, because my mom would have killed me for two reasons.
     
    One, she thinks I don’t drink, well I don’t do much, and
     
    Two, Hope is still not old enough to drink.
     
    “For you Honey.” I pass Hope a can.
     
    She giggles whilst opening it and takes a drink. “Thank you kind sir.”
     
    I raise an eyebrow “Sir is it?”
     
    She nods “Yes. After all you are my senior.” She teases.
     
    I place my can on the ground “Oh I am?” I look her up and down.
     
    “So that means you have to do everything I say. Correct?” I say licking my lips.
     
    She copies my actions and places her can down on the ground and then moves one of her hands up to her face and taps her chin, as if thinking.
     
    “I suppose. What did you have in mind?”
     
    I replace her hand on her face with my own and run my index finger along her lower lip.
     
    “I have a few ideas.” I say, looking at her lips.
     
    “Yes Sir?” She moves in closer, also looking at my lips.
     
    I lean closer to catch her lips.
     
    I cup her face and go to kiss her, but I am surprised when her tongue greets me.
     
    I didn’t pull away as she ran her tongue upwards on my lips and licked my lips.
     
    She pulled away and laughed. “That is for not giving me a kiss earlier in the car.” She said like a child who just got their own back.
     
    I looked her straight in the face and still cupping her face, “I think your plan kind of failed”
     
    She