*Read as part of The Brooklyn Boyfriends collection*
"One plus one equals infinity."
I take back everything I said about Keaton after I finished Tonight You're Mine, the previous book in this series. He proved me wrong, and I think I like him even more because of it.
"Not kissing this man is no longer an option. I kiss him until I’ve taken his breath away and then given it back to him."
Keaton... Look, the first thing I can say about him is that he genuinely cares about everyone and everything. About his friends, his godson, his dog (even though it's not reciprocated), and about Roxy. I wasn't even surprised to see how much he knew about her, because he watches and he pays attention. And he goes after what he wants, without being pushy and by just being kind and present. And, OK, hot. Even without wearing socks.
"'That thing for me now is Roxy. It’s her body and everything I saw and felt and heard last night and what I didn’t get to see and do or say. It’s who she is deep down when she isn’t being the Roxy Carter she presents to the world.'"
I feel like I'm part Roxy Carter. It's not only about her being a Bruce Springsteen fan, either. She's just so much more than what she shows everyone. Of course she's feisty and a badass. Of course she knows what she wants, and how she wants it, and she's not taking shit from anyone. But there's a side of her that needs to be brought out, and a couple of walls that need knocking down. And she has definitely found her match.
"'What we have is friction. Oil and water just glide right past each other.”
He clenches his jaw for a second before continuing. “I’m more like a match that’s striking against your rough surface. Creating sparks. Producing a flame. Lighting you up.'"
Keaton and Roxy feel left out because all their friends are getting married and having babies. And at one of those weddings, when they're feeling especially vulnerable, they kiss. It's not the peck on the lips variety, it's a full-on-steamy kiss that leaves them both wanting more. And wondering, whether they admit to it or not.
But instead of exploring what might have been, they avoid each other. It's the sensible thing to do, right? Five years go by and life goes on. The chemistry never goes away, though, and when they go on holidays together with their friends, and need to pretend to be a couple, suddenly pretending is the furthest thing from their minds.
"His hands find mine and he laces our fingers together, and it’s beautiful. So much for quick and dirty."
The chemistry between these two is sizzling hot, and everyone can feel it. It's a sexual thing, of course, but it's more than that. It's there in the way they interact with each other, and how they get to know one another. The discovery of who they are together.
"I’m your plus one, Roxy Carter. I’m your emergency contact. I’m your everything. And one of these days, I’m going to be your husband and the father of your child or children. So get used to it."
There's no angst in this book. It's a sweet, steamy read that, even if you're having a bad day, will leave you feeling like life maybe isn't that bad, you know? Maybe there's a Keaton (or a Roxy) out there, someone you can connect to on every level, someone who just fits your life in every way, someone who's destined to be your plus one, even if you try to push them away.
I think the word saudade kind of covers how I feel about this book and this series. I will miss all of them, but I'm also happy I got to experience their stories, and that they'll forever be a part of me.
Yep, feeling sappy here. And a tiny bit emotional too.
I totally blame the epilogues for this! And Kayley Loring.