A Long Time Coming (Cane Brothers, #3)

“I know, I said it was stupid, but it’s hard not to feel that way when the guy who is . . . well, whatever this is between us, when he’s gorgeous, rich, and extremely well endowed with the kind of experience that would make any woman blush. I don’t feel worthy.”

He forces me to look at him by looping his finger under my chin. “I can’t tell you how to feel, and those feelings are something I will help you work through, but I want you to know this right here and now. I’m the one who feels lucky, okay? I’m the one who feels like they’re trying to dig their claws into you so you don’t run away. That insecurity lives heavily in my heart as well. I fear you’ll wake up one day and realize that you made a mistake, that you miss Brian, that you should never have called off the wedding. Or that maybe I’m the rebound guy, that I shouldn’t have made a move on you so soon.”

“Breaker, you know that’s not the case.”

“I want to believe that, but in my head, I know I didn’t go about this the right way. I didn’t pursue you appropriately, normally. I should have eased more into the sexual aspect.”

“Why did you jump in headfirst?” I ask.

“Because I wanted to show you that there was chemistry between us. I didn’t want to give you an inkling that there wasn’t. And frankly, I wanted you. I want you. Badly, Lia. The moment you put on that wedding dress, everything changed.”

I smile softly. If I think about his reaction when he saw me in the wedding dress, I’ll get teary. I was so emotional that day, and Breaker’s unconditional support was the only thing that held me together. I had never seen his face look so . . . adoring. Or perhaps wowed. “You look . . . fuck, you look stunning, Ophelia.”

“I think everything changed in me at that moment too.”





“I hate you,” Breaker says. He’s leaning against a low fence, taking deep breaths while I giggle next to him, Jorge taking in the scene as well and trying not to laugh.

“Why do you hate me?” I ask.

His eyes shoot to me as he says, “You know I despise that godforsaken ride. It’s death waiting to happen.”

“It’s a kid’s ride,” I say about Goofy’s Skycoaster.

“That is not a fucking kid’s ride, that is . . . that is a nightmare.” He takes a deep breath, and Jorge walks over to him. “Can I get you some water, Breaker?”

“Oh, he’s fine,” I say, but Breaker tells him differently.

“Water would be amazing. Thank you so much, Jorge.”

“Not a problem. Be right back.”

Once Jorge leaves, Breaker stands straight and grabs my wrist, pulling me in close to his chest. With a firm hold on me, he says, “You’re going to pay for that later.”

“Why? I didn’t force you to go on the ride. That was your own choice.”

“You taunted me and then pleaded. As if I can fucking deny you anything.” He nods toward the ride behind me with the sharp C curves that make you feel like you’re going to fall right off the track. “You knew I hated that ride.”

“I would have been just fine riding that on my own.”

“Bullshit.” He chuckles, his chest rumbling against mine. “Jesus, you’re such a liar. Face the facts, Lia, you’re going to pay for that.”

“What are you going to do? Spank me?” I ask.

His eyes darken as his hands fall to my lower back. “Yeah, I might just fucking spank you. I’ll spank you so hard that your pussy is drenched, begging for my dick, and then . . . I’ll leave you completely unsatisfied.”

I swallow hard. “You . . . you wouldn’t.”

“And then, when you’re lying there, restless, your cunt throbbing for release, I’ll make myself come all over your beautiful sloped back just to remind you who owns you.”

Well, good God.

“Here you go, Breaker,” Jorge says, coming up to us.

And as if someone turned off a light switch in him, Breaker goes from dominating alpha to cheery park guest. “Thank you so much, Jorge.” He shakes his head. “That Goofy Coaster gets me every time.”

“Me too. My niece loves it, and whenever I bring her here, it’s a requirement. I think she’s testing my love every time she makes me go on it.”

“I think Lia is doing the same . . . testing my love.”

And with one wink, my stomach bottoms out. That wink, and his use of the word love, it just about makes me throw my arms around his neck and kiss him.

And . . . why hasn’t he kissed me yet? For a moment, at lunch, I thought it was going to happen. Or earlier, when we were on the Ferris wheel, just enjoying the view while I sat on his lap, I thought that maybe it would happen then, but it didn’t.

If he wasn’t already intimately involved, I would have suspected that it would never happen.

Or even last night, that would have been the perfect moment, after we were done being all . . . carnal, when I rested in his arms, that would have been perfect. So I don’t understand the wait.

“You ready for the next ride?” Breaker asks. “I think we’re headed over to The Little Mermaid, right?”

I smile up at him. “Yup, I believe we are.”

And then hand in hand, we move on.





“Right this way,” Jorge says as he lifts a red velvet rope blocking a bench from the public.

After a few more rides, we were taken back to The Office, a secret restaurant in California Adventure with a beautiful view of the pier. It’s where we were served some of the best lobster I’ve ever had. And the room was so cute. We had to walk through a vault to get into it, and then it was covered in cartoon pictures of animators.

Of course, Breaker had to sit right next to me in the booth where he could always keep a hand on me and occasionally feed me food with his fork. I loved every second of it.

After that, we headed back to Disneyland, where we rode Indiana Jones one more time and then proceeded to pick up desserts from the Candy Palace. I got a Rice Krispie treat, and Breaker got caramel popcorn. We took the train around the park while we ate our desserts, and Breaker even got a cookie for Jorge. And then after one more ride of Space Mountain, where Breaker held my hand the whole time, laughing, Jorge took us to our roped-off bench that looked over the castle.

“Fireworks should be starting shortly. Can I get you anything else?” Jorge asks.

“No, thank you, I think we can take it from here.”

Jorge nods. “And you have your pass to get back to your parking lot?”

Breaker nods. “Yup.” He then reaches into his pocket and slips something into Jorge’s hand. “Thank you so much for everything. You have been fantastic.”

“Of course. Thank you, Breaker. Miss Lia, it was a joy meeting you. Before I leave, can I offer to take one more pic of you two?”

“Nah, I think we’re good. Thank you, though.”

And with another goodbye, Jorge takes off, leaving us alone.

“What did you slip into his hand?” I ask.

“One thousand dollars,” Breaker answers casually.

“One thousand dollars? Oh my God, Breaker.”

He chuckles. “What? He did a good job.”

“You probably just made his day.”

“Yeah, well, it’s the least I can do after he made this day so special for us both.” He drapes his arm over the back of the bench and snuggles me in close. “Did you have a good time?”