Chapter Eleven
MARCONI BEACH WAS just a few minutes south of Seaside. Known for being a family-friendly beach during the day, with ample restroom facilities and lifeguards, Marconi Beach transformed at night into an oceanfront dance club. Colorful spotlights illuminated a makeshift stage that was brought in for the band and disassembled and removed before the next morning. Tonight there were crowds of people milling about the wide beach at the bottom of the high dunes. Some people danced barefoot in the sand, while others gathered in groups, talking and laughing. Beach chairs were set up in circles around bonfires and down by the shore. Jessica had never been to an event like this, and although she felt dressed for the occasion in her new tie-dye dress with a hoodie hanging open over it and flip-flops that she left dune side, her heart was racing.
Tony opened the cooler and handed them each a beer. “Party on, my friends.”
“Thanks, Tony.” Jamie opened one bottle and handed it to Jessica, then opened his own.
“Come on.” Leanna pulled Jessica’s hand, leading her toward the band. “Even Kurt is going to dance. Come on, Jamie! Everyone’s over here.” She guided them through the crowd, with Tony on their heels, and there in the thick of scantily clad dancing twentysomethings were all of their friends, including Pete’s sister, Sky, and Blue—and Amy and Jake.
Jessica shot a look at Tony. His eyes were narrow and his jaw was clenched. She went up on her tiptoes and whispered to Jamie, “Can Tony dance with us?”
“Three’s a crowd,” he said with serious eyes. “But as long as I don’t have to share you later, it’s fine with me.”
He settled a hand on her hip, but before Jessica could say anything to Tony, a cute brunette began dancing with him.
“Sorry. I just felt bad for him.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “You’re too sweet for your own good.” Jamie began swaying to the music, and Jessica fell into the rhythm effortlessly. It was easy to be in sync with him. He moved fluidly, without tension or worry about what other people thought. While their friends danced and laughed around them, making funny comments and drinking their beers, Jamie’s eyes were locked on Jessica’s. His hips pressed to hers, and the seductive smile on his lips sent a shiver right through her.
He pressed his unshaven cheek to hers. “I’ve been thinking of your sweetness all day, and I can’t wait to be close to you again tonight.”
His heated whisper on her skin, the prickles of his five-o’clock shadow on her cheek, and the enticing innuendo had her entire body hot. Jessica circled his neck with her arms, and their hips took on their own slow, sensual rhythm, while the band played a fast beat. Jessica had never worried too much about safety, as she’d always traveled with the group of musicians she worked with, but here, on the beach amid all those people, she felt safe in Jamie’s arms. She’d seen him come right over in the pool when Tony closed in on her, and later, instead of peppering her with questions about the symphony and her hiatus—or her future—he kept her secret close to his chest. And now, as she pressed her cheek to his chest and breathed in his scent, feeling the steady beating of his heart, she knew she was falling for him, and at some point, all those important questions would have to be answered. But not tonight. Tonight she wanted to enjoy her new friends and disappear into Jamie’s touch.
“I bought you something today.” She slid the mood ring off her thumb and held it out to Jamie.
“A ring? What exactly are you proposing?” He arched a brow.
“That we see what you’re feeling. See how it’s purply right now? It’s a mood ring. This color means I’m amorous, sensual. Mischievous. Put it on. Let’s see what you are.” She watched him slide it on as they danced. “We only have to worry if it turns black.”
“What’s black?”
“Intense nothingness. A black hole. Angst so deep you can’t push your way out of it.”
“I can tell you what I’m feeling without a ring.” He pressed his hips to hers and sent another thrill through her. The ring turned dark blue.
“Ooh, you’re love-struck. Deeply relaxed,” she whispered.
He pulled her close. “I am not deeply relaxed. Intensely turned on, but not relaxed.” His voice was low and deep, and it pulled her under his spell again as he lowered his lips to hers and took her in another brain-numbing kiss.
The song ended, and Jenna waved everyone over to one of the bonfires, where Pete handed out sticks and marshmallows. Jamie leaned down and kissed Jessica passionately, pressing her body to his, stroking her tongue as if he were making love to her mouth. She came away breathless, momentarily unable to think, much less walk.
“I love how your body reacts to me,” Jamie whispered in her ear.
“My legs are jelly,” she admitted.
“Too bad I can’t lay you down right here and make your whole body feel that way.”
Every nerve in her body was on fire, and they’d only just arrived at the beach. How was she supposed to make it through the evening without falling to pieces? Everything he said, every brush of his cheek, every glimpse of his sexy smile, made her insides quiver. With her body aching for him, now that she knew what it felt like to be in his arms, to be as close as two people could possibly be, she could barely clear her mind enough to think of anything else. The ocean breeze, the music, Jamie…it was all so romantic. The perfect night to hang out with friends and relax, and there she was, wanting to tear off his clothes and play him like an electric guitar, wild and uninhibited, then slowly, memorizing the feel of him.
She shook her head to clear the dirty thoughts and realized Jamie had been watching her the whole time. He pressed his cheek to hers again and whispered, “I love that look in your eyes. It makes me want to take you right here.”
Yes, please. She clutched his waist.
“Want me to cook you a marshmallow to take your mind off of what we really want to be doing?” he asked.
Marshmallow, yes, that’s good. Marshmallows have nothing to do with sex. That should help get her mind out of the gutter. She’d never had a dirty mind before, and as surprising and new as it all was, she didn’t fight it. She reveled in it, wondering what was happening to her.
She looked up at Jamie. You’re happening to me. “Sure. A marshmallow sounds great.” They joined the others by the fire.
“Petey’s making mine golden brown,” Jenna explained. “Not golden, not brown, golden brown. Which reminds me…” She ran her fingers through her dark hair, then reached into her pocket, pulled out a plastic tiara, and settled it on her head.
“And your marshmallow has arrived, princess.” Pete held the marshmallow up for Jenna to inspect.
Jenna lifted her chin as she assessed the marshmallow with a scrutinizing gaze. She slid it from the stick with a wide smile.
“Perfect! Thank you!”
Pete leaned down and kissed her lips, then smiled at Jamie. “Gotta treat her as she deserves.”
Jenna stared adoringly up at Pete.
“That’s too cute. How long have you been together?” Jessica asked.
“In my mind? Six years, but in real life? A year,” Jenna explained.
Bella, Caden, Leanna, and Kurt joined them as Jenna was talking.
Pete wrapped his arms around Jenna from behind. “Guys can be thick-headed, or so I’m told.” He slid his eyes to Tony, still dancing with the brunette.
“Not all guys. Caden and Kurt knew what they wanted and went for it.” Bella leaned against Caden’s side.
“Hey! Are you dissing my man?” Jenna put up her fists and pretended to box with Bella.
“Put those puppies away, Jen, or I’ll unorganize your closet,” Bella teased.
Jenna dropped her hands and looked up at Pete. “I tried to defend you.”
“That’s my girl.” He kissed her again.
Bella draped an arm over Jessica’s shoulder and looked at Jamie as he crouched by the fire. “At least Jamie’s not thick,” Bella said with a smile.
Jessica bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from saying, Yes, he is. “No. He seems to know exactly what I’m thinking all the time.”
“You kicked butt on your cello tonight,” Bella said. “You should play professionally.”
“That’s what I’m trying to decide this summer. If I should continue to play with my orchestra, or if I want to back off for a while. Maybe teach music to children or something similar.” She hadn’t really considered anything beyond making a decision about the orchestra yet, but the idea of teaching kids was appealing. She hoped one day to have a family, and she loved children. She imagined it would be fulfilling to bring children and music together in a fun way, rather than the high-pressure tutoring sessions she’d endured.
“Come on, babe. Let’s dance so I have an excuse to have your body against me.” Caden pulled Bella to his side.
“You never need an excuse.” Bella laughed and waved as they walked down the beach arm in arm toward the band.
“Wait for us!” Leanna grabbed Kurt’s hand and they followed Caden and Bella.
Jessica tucked the idea of teaching away for later consideration. There was so much love in this group of friends. She felt as though she’d left Boston and been plunked down on a whole new planet. She sat beside Jamie by the fire.
“Hey there.” He pulled the marshmallow he was roasting off the stick and fed it to her.
She bit part of it off, then guided the rest into his mouth and tried not to laugh when the sticky marshmallow stuck to his fingers. He shook his fingers up and down.
“I think it’s stuck for life,” he joked.
She swallowed the piece she was eating and captured his hand in hers. Their eyes met. He knew what she was about to do. She saw it in the darkening of his eyes, felt it in the tension in his hand. She had no idea that following her heart would take her down such a dirty trail, but follow she did as she drew his finger into her mouth and rolled her tongue over the sugary sweetness, sucking until all that was left was the taste of him. She held his gaze as he drew his finger slowly out of her mouth. Jamie was breathing hard. His hand came around the back of her neck, hard and hot against her skin, and their lips came together in a hungry kiss that had her mind sprinting down the dirty trail again. She pawed at his shoulders, his chest, and a moan slipped from her lungs into his. Surely everyone around them was thinking they were going to rip each other’s clothes off any second—because man, oh man, did she want to.
She forced herself to tear her lips from his. A quick scan of the beach told her that nobody cared that she’d been ready to make a spectacle of both of them.
“Let’s get out of here.” It wasn’t a question. Jamie pulled her to her feet and crossed the sand like he was on a mission. “We’re taking off!” he yelled over the music in their friends’ general direction. Then with one arm around Jessica’s back, her take-charge boyfriend led her toward the dunes.