Chapter Three
JESSICA SAT WITH her feet buried in the sand and a dozen red roses in her lap, which she’d bought to give to Vera. She looked out at the harbor while she waited for the quartet to begin playing, having arrived early with the hopes of enjoying the view of the bay and pulling her thoughts together before the concert. The air was crisp, and it carried the salty, fishy scent of the bay. She wrapped her cardigan around herself and drew her knees up to her chest. She’d come to the Cape once as a teenager with a friend. It had been the one and only time she’d lied to her father about where she was going, and she’d felt so guilty that she’d come clean a few days later. He’d grounded her for a week, but his vibrant blue eyes had betrayed his words. I’m disappointed in you, he’d said, but it felt like his eyes conveyed that he was proud of her for breaking the rules. She was used to disappointing her mother. It seemed every missed note was a disappointment. But her father had never been critical of her playing, or of her. And when he’d said he was disappointed, it had crushed her. The combination of his stern words and that look had confused her for years, until her first year at Juilliard, when her mother had been disappointed in one of her performances, and her father, standing beside her mother, had said, Next time you’ll do better, but his eyes clearly relayed the message, I’m so proud of you. At that moment she’d understood how very alike she and her father were—both willing to kowtow to her mother—and how very different they were from her mother.
She inhaled the sea air and blew it out slowly, sending her negative memories into the night. She’d been thinking about Jamie, the girls from the pool, and Vera, all afternoon and evening. For the first time in her life, she was free from the strings of performing that had bound her for so many years. She had time for friends, like the girls at the pool, or Vera, whom she was sure she could talk to for hours.
She also had time to date.
Date. She’d gone on a few dates in recent years, but without fail, her dates would go on and on about something and her mind would fall back to her need to practice. Or, maybe most embarrassingly, she’d simply rather spend time playing her cello than with any of the men she’d dated. But now, as the breeze brought the music from the string quartet to the beach across the street and the notes threaded their way around her like an old friend, images of Jamie and the idea of dating danced closely together.
She couldn’t shake the look in his eyes as they rolled down her body, drinking her in as if he were dying of thirst. He probably thought she hadn’t noticed, but that quick look had sent an unfamiliar, and surprisingly welcome, shudder through her. He had an easy smile, and when she’d lost her mind and snapped at him, he hadn’t gotten angry or taken it as a personal affront. He’d simply offered to help her understand how to use eBay.
She’d put off thinking about how she’d lost that bid, too. She’d wanted so badly to win that auction that even now, thinking about it, made her throat swell. The music stopped, and she inhaled deeply, rose to her feet, and gazed across the street to where the string quartet was playing. The white tent rippled in the breeze as she made her way across the cool sand to the parking lot.
The music started up again, and she crossed the parking lot, her eyes on Vera, sitting proudly, playing her violin. She looked regal in a long black cotton skirt and blouse. Jessica had no hope of stifling the smile on her lips as she lowered herself to one of the metal chairs in the front row. Vera was right; there were only a handful of people in the audience.
A breeze picked up the hem of her dress, and she settled the bouquet she’d brought for Vera over it. She probably should have worn something longer to ward off the chill, but she loved the summery feel of the dress, and she felt more her age in it. She was so used to dressing conservatively for the symphony and social events surrounding her career that when she’d gone shopping for her vacation, she’d had to ask the salesgirl what women her age were wearing these days. She hadn’t realized how out of sync she was with other twenty-seven-year-olds.
“Hey there.”
She turned at the sound of Jamie’s deep voice. She was so caught up in the music that she didn’t realize he’d slid into the seat beside her, and now she couldn’t take her eyes off of him in his slate-blue long-sleeved shirt, which looked so soft and worn that she wanted to cuddle up to him, and a pair of jeans that had the faded marks of an old favorite where his muscular thighs tested the strength of the denim.
“Hi,” she whispered. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“My grandmother is playing.” He nodded at Vera. “Vera Reed, on the violin.”
“She’s the one who invited me here. I met her at the pool.” She glanced at Vera, who was watching them with a smile. “She plays beautifully.”
“She does. I love to listen to her.”
“Shh.”
They turned, and a white-haired man sitting behind them pointed to the stage.
“Sorry,” they said in unison.
Jessica knew better than to speak during performances, but she could barely restrain herself from talking with Jamie. Jamie lifted one shoulder in an easy shrug.
They listened in silence to the rest of the concert. Jessica felt the heat of his gaze as he stole glances at her, and it took all of her efforts not to shift her eyes to him. She held on to the bouquet to keep herself grounded. When the music ended, she finally allowed herself a good look at Jamie. His dark hair was rustling from the breeze, and his warm, contagious smile reached his eyes as he applauded and lifted his chin in Vera’s direction. He glanced down at Jessica, and she didn’t know if it was her newfound sense of freedom, the lingering loveliness of the music, or the way his lips turned up at the end and slipped into something more flirtatious, but butterflies took flight in her stomach.
She felt herself grinning like a sixth grader crushing on a boy when she spotted Bella, Amy, Jenna, and a beautiful, tall brunette coming toward them. She dropped her eyes, hoping they wouldn’t notice the way she was swooning over him.
“Hey, handsome.” The tall brunette embraced him. She, like the others, had on jeans and a hoodie.
“Sky, this is Jessica.” Jamie touched Jessica’s arm. “She’s renting at Seaside. Jessica, this is Sky.”
She wished she could pretend that Jamie touching her arm had meant something, but his other hand was on Sky’s lower back, and she realized they must be dating.
“Nice to meet you.” Jessica shifted her eyes away from Jamie’s hand connecting him with Sky and hoped the disappointment in her voice wasn’t as evident to them as it was to her.
“Sky’s my fiancé, Pete’s, sister. She hangs out with us a lot,” Jenna explained. “I’m sorry about the whole thong thing,” she added.
“Yeah, that was meant for Theresa, but we didn’t expect that you’d be there when she came down,” Amy added.
“I did,” Bella said. “That was the whole point, for all of us to do what we’re not supposed to.”
Amy elbowed Bella.
Jessica didn’t know how to read Bella. If everyone was supposed to wear a thong, how come she was the only one who didn’t?
“What?” Bella’s brows knitted together at Amy. She sighed, and her voice softened. “Okay, so here’s the deal. Theresa’s a stickler for rules, and I like to break them. So…yeah, I knew you might go down to the pool, and if you did, I, like Jamie, hoped you’d wear a thong—”
“Don’t bring me into this.” Jamie held his hands up in surrender, which made Jessica laugh. “I wasn’t even at the pool.”
Maybe he wasn’t dating Sky after all.
“Anyway, it was way more fun with you wearing one, but I never expected Theresa to bare her butt.” Bella laughed. “What was up with that?”
“Oh my gosh, I know.” Amy’s eyes were wide.
“What’s wrong with wearing a thong?” Sky asked.
Jenna explained Bella’s prank to Sky, and Jamie leaned down close and whispered, “Sorry you got caught in the crossfire.”
“Your grandmother saved me. She covered my butt with a towel before Theresa saw me.”
Jamie glanced at Vera. “Did she? Good old Gram.”
“Hey, are you guys up for a few drinks?” Sky asked. “We could go to the Beachcomber.”
“I’m up for a few drinks, but I’m not sure I can handle the Beachcomber tonight. Why don’t we light a bonfire in the quad?” Amy suggested.
“The quad?” Jessica asked.
“That’s what we call the grassy area between the cottages. I have no idea why, but Bella said it one night when she had too many glasses of Middle Sister wine, and the name stuck.” Jamie touched Jessica’s arm again. “It’ll be fun. Join us?”
“Sure.” She tried to ignore the heat his hand was causing to sear through her veins.
“Okay, but there aren’t any single guys at the quad, so you blew my chance at a hot date night.” Sky set her hands on her hips. “Are you single, Jessica? Maybe you and I should hit the Beachcomber.”
I guess Jamie’s not your boyfriend after all.
“I am single, but I’m not really up for a bar tonight. Thank you anyway.” No Jamie, no bar. Quad, here I come.
“Excuse me a sec.” Jamie went to help Vera with her violin, and when he returned with Vera on his arm, Vera ran her eyes over the group and sighed.
“Do you know how much it pleases me to see all of you here?” Vera met Jessica’s gaze. “Together.”
Jessica handed her the bouquet. “These are for you. The consonance was lovely, and the capriccio at the end…” She covered her heart with her hand. “Took my breath away.”
“Why, thank you.” Vera exchanged a look with Jamie that Jessica couldn’t read. “Do you play?”
“A little,” Jessica answered. It was hard for her not to talk about her career, but she knew it would lead to all sorts of questions about how someone so young played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and then Vera would want to know why she’d taken an extended break. She wasn’t ashamed of her reasons, but she also wasn’t ready to give up being a regular person yet. Being a regular person, it turned out, was really fun.
“What’s a capriccio?” Amy asked.
“A quick improv. The spirited piece they played at the end,” Jamie answered.
Holy cow. You just got a million times hotter.
JAMIE HELPED VERA out of the car and into the small cottage. “Are you going to join us for the bonfire, Gram?”
“I think I’m going to turn in. We had a nice turnout tonight, didn’t we?” She sat on the couch, and Jamie spread a throw blanket across her lap.
Jamie had enough money to buy one of the million-dollar estates overlooking the water, but he loved the three-bedroom cottage and the memories it held. Before his parents were killed in a freak accident while on safari, they summered at Seaside as a family. In addition to the few memories of his parents he’d retained over the years, the friendships he shared kept him in the community.
“Yes, and I got shushed.” He laughed, remembering the look in Jessica’s eyes when the man behind them had shushed them. Her cheeks had pinked up, and she looked so stinkin’ cute he’d nearly pulled her against him.
“That little Jessica is a sweet gal, isn’t she?” Vera picked up her book and set it in her lap.
“She’s not so little, Gram. She’s probably in her mid-twenties, but yeah, she is sweet.” He hoped to find out more about her tonight. “Do you want me to make you some tea?”
“No, thank you, dear. You go ahead and have some fun. I’ll be just fine.” She opened her book and leafed through the pages.
Jamie gazed down at the woman who had raised him. He loved her so much, and he knew how lucky he was that she was still in good health. She was the only family he had left, and he feared the day he would lose her, too. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, which was why he’d arranged to spend the entire summer here at the Cape, and now he felt a little guilty for hurrying out to the quad to see Jessica.
“Gram, I loved listening to you play tonight.”
“Thank you, Jamie.” She smiled up at him, then turned back to her book. She’d always been a big reader, and of course a music lover, and she’d traveled the world playing with some of the most prestigious orchestras. That was before Jamie’s parents had been killed, when Vera said goodbye to the best parts of her life to raise him.
“I probably don’t tell you enough, Gram, but thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I couldn’t have become the person I am without you and Grandpa there to guide me.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you.”
She patted his back in the comforting way she always had. “I love you, too, dear. Now go see that pretty little thing before Tony arrives and steals her out from under your nose.”
“I’m not looking for a girlfriend, Gram.”
“Whatever you say, dear.” She kept her eyes trained on the book.
“Besides, what’s a six-two surfer got over a six-two computer nerd?” He rose to his feet and spread his arms out.
Vera shooed him away with her hand. “He’s got nothing on you, but why give him a head start—even if you’re not looking for a girlfriend?”
Behind the cottages, the fire blazed in the large hibachi that Pete Lacroux’s brother had made as a gift for the community earlier in the summer. Hunter Lacroux worked with steel, and his hibachis and sculptures were favorites all over the Cape.
Bella and Caden sat together on a wooden bench, his arm slung casually over her shoulder. Jenna and Pete sat on the other side of the fire in deck chairs pushed so close together they could be sitting on the same one, with their female golden retriever, Joey, at their feet.
Jamie shifted his eyes to Tony, sitting between Amy and Jessica on the longer bench, leaving two empty chairs. Sky sat beside Blue Ryder on Jessica’s other side. Blue was one of the best carpenters on the Cape. In addition to being the contractor of choice for the Kennedys, where he handled everything from new construction to renovations on their multi-home estate in Hyannis, he’d built an art studio on Pete and Jenna’s bay-side property for Jenna, and he’d quickly become friends with the group.
“There’s the man.” Tony got up, pulled a beer from a cooler by the bench, and handed it to Jamie. “We had extras from this afternoon, so you gotta help me finish them off.” With a quick shake of his chin, his dirty-blond hair flopped out of his eyes and then fell right back to center. Tony had on a tank top and board shorts, despite the chilly night. Every muscle was on display. Tony put an arm around Jessica and one around Amy with a Hey man, it’s all cool over here grin on his face.
Hard to get his back up over a friend, but that didn’t mean the streak of jealousy that tore through Jamie didn’t make him stand up taller and pull his own broad shoulders back.
“Thanks, man.” Jamie took a long pull on the beer and sat in a chair across the fire from Jessica. Too far away.
“Thanks for showing up to watch Vera tonight, you guys. It meant a lot to her.” Jamie stole a glance at Jessica. She was still wearing the dress and sweater she’d had on earlier. Her exquisite long legs were crossed at the knee, and her foot kicked up and down nervously. He’d give his left leg to be Tony, with his arm around Jessica right then.
Jessica caught him looking at her and pressed her lips together in a sweet, embarrassed smile that brought out her adorably sexy dimples. What was it about her that had his interest so piqued?
“I really enjoyed hearing Vera play. She’s very talented. Does she play every night?” Jessica lifted a wineglass to her lips.
Jamie was too busy watching her lick her lips to respond.
“Weekly,” Amy said. “And sometimes she plays out on the deck here, which I personally love.”
Tony squeezed Amy’s shoulder. “Is there anything you don’t love about Seaside?”
Jessica ran her finger around the rim of her glass and glanced at Jamie. If he didn’t distract himself from her, he’d be the joke of the night. Bella would call him googly-eyed and other ridiculous names.
He shifted his eyes to Blue, who was sitting in the other seat he’d like to be in at the moment. “Good to see you, Blue. What’s new and exciting?”
“Not much. I just wrapped up another renovation for the Kennedys in Hyannis, and I’m toying with the idea of finding a property to flip to give me something to focus on this winter.” Blue ran his hand through his hair and nodded at Sky. “Unless I can convince Sky to renovate her father’s place.”
“You’re dreaming.” Sky tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll get a place of my own soon and you can knock down walls or whatever it is that you love to do so much.” Sky and Blue had become close over the last year while he was working on Pete’s property. Sky was as beautiful as Blue was handsome, and Jamie was surprised that they’d never taken their friendship to the next level, but Blue seemed more like an older brother to Sky than a potential love interest.
“Oh, Sky, you should let him,” Jenna said. “I love my studio, and Blue’s going to put in even more cabinets so that I can organize it.” She spread her fingers, palms out, and her eyes widened. “I’ll organize my paints, brushes, tarps…I can’t wait.”
Pete pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. “She’s already organized everything in our house and my father’s house. I’m ready to set her loose with Blue at the Kennedys.”
Blue laughed. “Their staff wouldn’t know what to do with her. They have their own way of doing things, and I’ve seen the inside of their cabinets. They’re neat and organized, but not Jenna organized.”
Jamie and Jessica’s eyes connected again. He shifted in his seat. Jamie lived in Boston, and although he had a hectic work schedule and cared for his grandmother, he still found time to date. He had a handful of women he enjoyed spending time with. Women he was sure weren’t after his money, of which he had more than he could spend in three lifetimes. He lived like an average Joe, because if there’s one thing Jamie learned from a very young age, it was that life was short and what really mattered wasn’t what he had, but how he chose to spend his time. Hobnobbing with the wealthy would never bring him happiness, but hanging with the friends who knew and loved him always did. And he hadn’t realized until just now that what was missing was a woman whom he could actually share his life with—and his friends.
“Hey, we have fresh strawberries. Anyone want strawberry margaritas?” Jenna jumped to her feet and reached for Bella’s hand. “Come on.”
“I have a beer.” Bella held up her bottle.
“So what! This is Jessica’s first bonfire with us. We need to initiate her.” Jenna reached for Sky’s hand next. Joey lifted her head, then used Jenna’s escape to stand between Pete’s legs and beg for more attention.
“I’m in!” Amy jumped up, too, as if they’d both swallowed Mexican jumping beans. “Come on, Jessica.” She pulled Jessica to her feet.
“Sounds good to me, but I’m a lightweight. I never really drink,” Jessica admitted.
Jamie and Tony exchanged grins. Not that either of them would take advantage of a woman when she was drunk. They never competed for women, either. Of course, neither had ever dated the women who rented here. Even so, Jamie sensed a hint of friendly competition…Game on.
He watched Jessica walk inside trapped between Jenna and Amy and knew that before the summer’s end, she’d be considered one of them. The question was, would he be on the outside looking in, or the one sitting beside her by the fire?
JENNA’S ONE-BEDROOM cottage was nowhere near big enough for the five of them. The kitchen was about five feet long and wide enough only to open the refrigerator. The counter barely had enough room for the five shot glasses Jenna was filling with tequila. When Bella reached above Jenna and pulled down the blender from a high cabinet, she squished Jenna against the counter.
“Hey,” Jenna protested.
“Oh, hush. You wanted margaritas.” Bella set the blender on the coffee table in the living room, where there was a little more room as long as Sky, Amy, and Jessica remained sitting on the couch.
“Come on, girlies.” Jenna waved them over and they huddled next to the kitchen while Jessica stood a few feet away, watching them. Jenna handed a shot glass to each of them, then poured salt onto a cutting board while Amy squeezed past her and sliced lemons. Each of them sucked on the webbing between their finger and thumb; then they put salt on their wet skin and grabbed a lemon from Amy.
Having never done shots before, Jessica’s stomach was all kinds of nervous. Sky took her hand and pulled her over to the counter.
“Just do what we do.” Sky licked the webbing of her own hand, eyes wide, and nodded at Jessica, encouraging her to do the same.
“Um…” Jessica’s pulse quickened.
“I think we have a virgin with us.” Bella draped an arm over Jessica’s shoulder.
“I’m not…” Oh my gosh. You’re talking about my virginity?
Bella smiled down at her. “Good to know, but I meant the tequila.”
Jessica let out a relieved sigh. Oh, thank goodness.
“To Jessica. The first victim of Thong Thursday.” Jenna sucked back the drink and drew in air between clenched teeth. “Woo! Go on, girls.”
Jessica watched as each tossed back her head and sucked down the tequila like they did this every night. Maybe they did, but Jessica never had. Not once. She rarely even drank wine. With her orchestra friends, drinking was never a part of their evenings out, and when she was by herself, she never had the desire to drink. Watching the girls, she realized again that she had been moving in a very small and sheltered circle. She stuck her fingertip in the tequila and sucked the alcohol off of it. It had a strange taste, not at all pleasant. She wondered what the excitement was all about.
Amy touched her shoulder. “Jessica, don’t worry. I’m a lightweight, too. We’ll take care of you.”
“Like Tony takes care of you?” Jenna raised her brows in quick succession.
“So, you and Tony are a couple?” Jessica had seen the way Amy looked at him, and she imagined it was the same way she couldn’t stop looking at Jamie. He looked so casual and sexy, and every time their eyes met, her body got hot and flustered.
“Don’t I wish.” Amy rolled her eyes. “We’re just friends.”
“Okay. Okay.” Jenna bounced on her toes. “Come on, come on. We gotta do this before Petey comes in here and…”
Bella set a hand on her hip. “And what? Wants to get down and dirty? Trust me. He’ll love it even more when you’re three sheets to the wind.”
Jessica had spent the last few years with people who were reserved, focused on excelling in a highly competitive, highly skilled field that was also cutthroat and unforgiving. This fun banter, this girl talk, was all new and exciting to her—and she didn’t want it to end.
“Okay, here goes, but please don’t let me embarrass myself. And if I throw up, don’t let Jamie see. And if—”
“Ha! Five bucks.” Jenna slapped a hand out toward Bella and wiggled her butt from side to side in a celebratory dance. “Pay up.”
Jessica’s heart crashed to her feet. Am I a joke to them? Like Thong Thursday? Her face must have reflected her horror because Amy took hold of her shoulders and looked compassionately into her eyes.
“Honey. Jessica, honey. We do this to each other all the time. Don’t take it personally.” Amy put her arm around her. “You guys, she’s as sensitive as me.”
“Have a shot, Jessica. It’ll take the edge off of our backward humor.” Bella pushed her shot glass up toward Jessica’s mouth.
“So, you aren’t making fun of me? Because I’m kind of slow on the uptake, I think. I’m not used to this sort of joking around.” Why was her throat thickening? Darn it. Why couldn’t she be stronger, like her mother? At times like this it might help.
Sky pulled herself up and sat on the counter, while filling everyone’s glasses again. “They do this to everyone. They just noticed that Jamie had his eye on you, and…” She motioned for Jessica to drink.
Jessica clenched her eyes closed and licked the awful salt from her hand, then tossed back the tequila—Gross!—and sucked the lemon. She drew in air between gritted teeth just like each of them had.
“Well?” Jenna brushed Jessica’s hair from her shoulders. “You still with us?”
Jessica nodded, reeling from the taste. “It tasted like burning water. Is that what it tastes like to you?”
Bella licked her hand and began dabbing salt on it. “It tastes like I’m about to get drunk to me.”
Jessica pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. The four of them were so different from one another, but they got along like sisters. Thong Thursdays and tequila shots? What else had she missed out on while she was spending hour after hour with music instructors and, later, playing with the orchestra? Heck, what else had she missed out on since she first picked up the cello at six?
Two shots later, Jessica felt a little numb as they went back outside. The guys were standing by the fire, beers in hand. Jamie looked over and his mouth lifted in a crooked smile. Jessica returned the smile, or at least she thought she did. Her entire body felt relaxed, and all the proper rigidity in her back, shoulders, and even her neck had somehow disappeared.
And she liked it. She liked it a lot.
Jessica swayed a little and reached for the bench as the men came toward them. Jamie’s jeans hung low on his hips, and there was no mistaking his flirtatious smile or the heat in his eyes as he raked them down her body. She held tightly to the bench for support.
“So the strawberries were a ruse?” Pete laughed and wrapped an arm around Jenna. Joey lay down beside his feet and rested her head on her paws with a loud huff of breath. Pete whispered something that made Jenna blush.
“Crap. We left the margaritas inside.” Bella glanced at Jenna, then waved a hand in the air. “Oh heck. We’re good.” Bella plastered herself to Caden’s side, and he looked up at Tony and shook his head.
Blue and Tony exchanged a laugh.
“It’s a good thing I drove tonight.” Blue pulled Sky down to a seat.
“Hey, don’t even think about making a move on my sister,” Pete warned.
“Pfft. Just getting her home safely. We’re friends,” Blue said.
“So were we,” Pete and Jenna said in unison, then shared a kiss.
“Come here, sweet one.” Tony guided Amy to a chair and sat beside her, leaving Jamie and Jessica to look at each other like two kids at a middle school dance.
She couldn’t look away, even though she was sure his gaze was burning a hole right through her and at any minute someone was going to yell, Fire! and douse her with cold water.
Jamie leaned in close and touched her hip. “I guess they initiated you?”
His hand was flaming hot.
“Care to share a bench with me?” Jamie asked.
His voice sent a shiver down her back. Her body was doing all sorts of things it had never done before, including walking with an extra little sway of her hips and getting warm all over. She liked that, too. A lot. She settled into the bench and pulled her feet up next to her. Jamie sank down beside her and draped an arm over the back of the bench. Somehow, even in her tipsy state she was aware enough to stifle the urge to see just how soft his shirt was and cuddle up beside him, because she knew she’d also want to see just how hard his body was.
She felt like she was drifting on a cloud, listening as everyone talked and laughed. Sometime over the course of the hour Jessica began sharing Jamie’s beer, and sometime after that his arm warmed her shoulders. Pete and Jenna and Bella and Caden turned in for the night with promises of coffee in the morning. Or at least that’s what Jessica thought they’d said. Her mind was still a little fuzzy.
“We’d better take off, too. I’ve got to be on a job site early tomorrow.” Blue rose to his feet and pulled Sky along with him. “And you have that tattoo shop gig in P-town tomorrow, right?”
“Yup. Tattoo shop. I’m spending the day tatting up hot guys and girls.” Sky leaned down and hugged Jessica. “See you soon, I hope.”
“Me too. It was fun hanging out with you.” After she hugged Sky, Jessica’s hand fell on Jamie’s leg, and she let it stay there.
“I’d better get our little lightweight to bed.” Tony lifted Amy easily into his arms, and she settled in against his chest with a sigh. Her hand reached for his neck, then fell to her belly. “I have a way with women, don’t I? Good night, kids.”
“G’night, Tony. It was nice to meet you.” Jessica watched him disappear into the darkness, and she wondered how Amy would feel in the morning. Or if they were friends with benefits, although it sure didn’t seem that way when Amy was talking about him inside the cottage.
“Guess it’s just you and me.”
Jamie’s rich voice slid over her, bringing goose bumps to her arms and heating her up even more. How the heck did he manage to pull off laid-back and sensual at the same time? And why was it such a turn-on? She looked down at her hand, still on his thigh, and felt his muscles flex. The fire was nearly out, just a few embers glowing in the darkness. She should probably go home. It was already far later than she was used to staying up, and she had a big day tomorrow. Didn’t she? Didn’t she always? She had to practice and…No. That wasn’t right. She wasn’t practicing. She was vacationing. She had all the time in the world.
She realized that she hadn’t responded to Jamie’s remark. Instead of answering him, she tilted her head and looked at him. Really looked at him. He was too beautiful, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t just the tequila that made her think so. His hazel eyes were seductively dark and narrow. His tanned skin blended handsomely with the sexy scruff on his jaw, and his full lips were barely parted. She wanted to run her finger along his lips and feel their softness.
“What?” he asked quietly.
“I’m just…” Thinking about touching your scruff. And maybe your lips. And that crease by your mouth when you smile. There it is. Oh, I love that crease. Oh, and your hands. I’m dying to know what your hands feel like. “Thinking…” It was the only word she could manage without making a fool of herself.
“Thinking about throwing your phone at me again?”
She’d almost forgotten she’d done that. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head, then reached up and stroked his cheek. Holy cow, what were her eyes doing? They were closing, and she was sinking into the feel of him. Oh my, his skin was soft, the stubble rough and prickly. She let her fingers trail down his jaw and dance lightly over his lips. They parted at her touch. His breath was hot against them, and it drew a sigh from somewhere deep inside her. A long, dreamy sigh, which she only realized she’d let out too late and brought her back to reality. She opened her eyes, her hand frozen on his lips.
His eyes darkened even more. Jessica held his gaze and lowered her hand to his chest. Why not? She’d already played her hand. He knew she was out of her mind. Why not take it further? She might never have another chance. Oh my, his chest was hard, so hard. She pressed her palm flat over his heart and felt it beating fast, which made hers beat even faster. She slid her hand over his pecs; all the while he was looking at her like he was there solely for her pleasure. His heart told her what she really wanted to know. He liked her touch as much as she liked touching him.
In the quiet of the night there was only the two of them and the sound of their quick, heady breaths. Her fingers traveled beneath his open collar, through his light spray of chest hair to the hot skin beneath. She’d never done this, taken her time touching a man like this, while he watched her every move. She’d never even made the first move. She wasn’t a virgin. There had been one guy. In high school, when she was rebelling against being her mother’s perfect cello-playing daughter. She’d dated a few men since then, but had never opened herself up to sleeping with them. She’d never wanted to do this to anyone. And just touching clearly wasn’t enough, because she was already aroused. Whoa, it had been forever since that happened spontaneously. She withdrew her hand from his shirt, and he covered it with his, trapping it against his chest.
“Don’t stop,” he said quietly. “That felt nice.”
You have no idea how nice. He held her gaze, and she wanted to sink into the sensual well of emotion in his eyes and bathe in it.
“I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this.” Why was she whispering? They were alone in the dark. The other cottages were dark. Surely no one could hear them. But she wanted quiet with Jamie. She wanted quiet and dark and—
He shifted his weight and brought his right arm around her back, then gathered her hair and drew it over one shoulder.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not usually like this either. I can’t stop looking at you, and it’s taking all of my strength not to do what I really want to do.”
“You don’t even know me.” Shut. Up. Shut. Up.
He shook his head. “But I’d like to.”
Her pulse quickened. Her hand was still pressed to his chest, and she had no plans on moving it anytime soon.
“Wh-what do you really want to do?” She pressed her lips together, unable to believe she’d asked and so thankful that she had. Bella must be wearing off on her.
He drew his brows together. “Stay here all night and talk to you. Kiss those amazing lips of yours and see if you taste as sweet as you seem. Bury my hand in that gorgeous hair of yours—” He slid his hand beneath her hair and fisted his hand in it, angling her head back just a little. “And set my lips on your neck.” He pulled her in close and pressed a kiss to the base of her neck, which zapped her brain cells.
He opened his mouth, his soft lips sending shocks of desire through her body. His tongue slid along her skin as he kissed his way to the tender spot below her ear. She didn’t even know she was sensitive there, but she was trembling against him. “And taste you until you’re squirming so badly you have to kiss me back.”
His whisper stole her breath. She could barely think past the desires coursing through her. He took her earlobe between his teeth, then sucked it into his mouth, and she worried she might die on the spot, it was such a rush. She fisted her hand in his shirt and a heated whisper tumbled out.
“Kiss me.”
Their eyes met for a split second before he lowered his glorious lips to hers and she got her first taste of him. She felt each kiss all the way to her toes, soft and unyielding at the same time. His mouth was hot, every stroke of his tongue, eager and hungry. He deepened the kiss, and it sparked an urgency for more that she didn’t understand but didn’t have any desire to fight. She threaded her hands in his hair, earning her a deep, masculine groan from deep in his lungs, which vibrated in his chest as he pulled her closer. She’d never been kissed like this before. Had no idea a kiss could consume her like this. How could anybody kiss like this and ever move on to anything else? Their kiss eased to a slow passion that burned through every inch of her shiver-ridden body. He kissed her more softly, drawing his lips away, and she pressed on the back of his head, unwilling to relent just yet. This was too delicious, too mesmerizing, too freeing. He met her need and deepened the kiss again. Their tongues crashed, air passed from his lungs to hers, then back again. She felt something inside her whir like a bird’s wings, and as they finally, reluctantly, drew apart, a needful sound escaped.
“I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you.” His whisper was low and gravelly.
She opened her mouth to say something. What, she had no clue. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t speak. She could only want. She pulled his mouth to hers again, melting against him, and she went a little crazy—fisting her hands in his shirt, clawing for more of his sinfully delicious mouth. Oh gosh, what was she doing? She had to stop. She knew she should. She wasn’t this type of girl. She didn’t attack men with her mouth and cling to them like they were hers for the taking. But…he smelled so good, and he was so strong, holding her against him, returning her desire with an intensity she’d only dreamed of. She kissed him harder. She could kiss him all night. They didn’t have to do anything more. Just to have this connection, this inferno blazing between them. It was more than she’d ever felt for anything. Except the cello. She loved playing as much as she loved kissing him. No, no, no! This was so much better, hotter, more satisfying, all-consuming. She needed oxygen, but she couldn’t pull away. Wouldn’t. She’d rather drown in this kiss. Tomorrow the girls would come out and find her body seared from the inside out, lying lifeless on the bench with a smile on her lips, and someone would win five dollars. Just when she was about to draw away with the need to breathe, he breathed air into her lungs. Oh, she was head over heels for him, for his kisses. She was hopeless. She slowly became aware of his heart beating against her hand again. Of his erratic breathing mirroring her own. Of the feel of his hand pressed against the back of her skull, the other hand firmly holding her hip. Her clutch on his shirt softened, and everything in her mind settled and came together in one final, breathtaking press of their lips.
She had to move. She was dangerously close to going further, to pulling his lips down her body…Stop. Stop. Stop.
She didn’t even know him. She blinked several times to try to get past the heat that blurred her vision, and she forced herself to push away from his chest.
There. Space between us. Good.
Not good. Bad. Very bad. She didn’t want that space. It didn’t feel good at all.
His lips parted in a sexy, easy smile that nearly had her falling into him again.
“I should…” She pointed toward her apartment.
He cupped her cheek. “Jessica, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“Hopefully kissing you.” Her hand flew to her mouth, and she slammed her eyes shut. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud. When he laughed, a deep, devastatingly masculine laugh, it drew her eyes open. “I’m sorry. I blame the tequila.”
“I’m buying a bottle tomorrow.”
The flirtatious glimmer in his eyes nearly did her in.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” he repeated.
“Tomorrow. Um…I don’t know.” Her mind was a little clearer now, but her heart was still racing. She tried to remember what she was doing tomorrow. “I want to see if I can find out who won that auction.”
“I’m taking Vera to the flea market in the morning. Want to come with us? We can get to know each other better.”
Get to know each other better. Oh gosh. That drove reality home. They’d known each other only a day, and she’d hit him with her phone and mauled him like a ten-dollar hooker.
She suddenly felt very exposed. She realized she was practically sitting on top of him; her torso was stretched across his lap. She glanced at her legs—her dress was bunched up at the top of her thighs. She tugged at the hem and felt her cheeks flush.
He reached down and helped her right her dress. “I didn’t look. Don’t worry.”
She smiled. Everything about him was easy. He was easy to kiss—way too easy to kiss—easy to like, easy to touch, easy to be with.
She scooted off the bench and wobbled when she rose to her feet. He was beside her in a flash, with one strong arm wrapped securely around her waist, the other holding her hand.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. I’m not a drinker. Or a…” Slut. Temptress. Oh my goodness, could you really think that about me? “A girl who kisses a guy she’s known less than a day.”
He smiled again. Darn that smile. It pulled one from her, too. She couldn’t even really be mad at herself for kissing him. Any woman in her right mind would have done the same. He was sweet, and hot, and hard bodied. Really hard bodied.
“It’s not your fault. I’m hard to resist.” His eyes brightened with the tease.
“That you are, Mr. Reed.” She took a step toward her place to keep from going up on her tiptoes and kissing him again.
“So, you claim you’re not a phone thrower or a kisser. What kind of girl are you?” His arm remained around her waist as they walked down the gravel road toward her apartment.
She shrugged. “I’m not really sure. That’s kind of why I took the summer off. To find out.”
“Well, even if we hadn’t kissed, I’d have still asked you out for tomorrow, just so you know. So whatever type of girl you are, I like her.” He moved behind her as they ascended the stairs toward her apartment. “What are you taking time off from?”
On the deck, she turned to face him, and for some reason her hands found his. This was so nice. She didn’t want it to get weird, and her world was a weird one, full of proper manners, proper attire, and odd hours, which were all reasons she wanted to experience being out of it. He was looking down at her expectantly. He must know at least something about the life she led, given his grandmother’s profession. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
“I’m a musician.” There. Simple, no big discussion.
His brows drew together, like he didn’t quite believe her. Who was she kidding? She’d never believe the generic term musician. It wasn’t like she could pull off being a rock star or even a singer. She was far too reserved for either.
“I’m a cellist.” She couldn’t help but smile at the word. She loved it. Everything about it—from the way it sailed off her tongue and felt feminine and exotic to the beautiful music it represented—everything except the life it made her lead.
“A cellist.”
“Yes.”
Jamie shook his head. “Vera is going to love you, and I have a feeling I’m going to be left in the dust tomorrow. Maybe I need to rethink my position on this date.”
Her mouth went dry, and she dropped her eyes.
With their hands still entwined, he used his finger to lift her chin and gazed into her eyes. He leaned down and kissed away all the worry that had coiled in her belly. When they parted, he stepped closer, so they were thigh to thigh. Her body went hot with desire again.
“Jess, I reconsidered my position, and I like this one even better. Will you spend tomorrow with me?”
Jess. Four simple letters that her mother had fought her entire youth. Her given name was Millicent Jessica Bail-Ayers, after her paternal grandmother. Thankfully, her parents had been kind enough to allow her to use the name Jessica instead of Millicent, but professionally she was known as Millicent J. Bail. Her parents had been smart enough to guide her in that direction as well, allowing her anonymity when away from the orchestra. Along with the middle name concession of her youth, her mother didn’t think shortened names were appropriate or appealing, and Jessica had gotten so used to hearing her mother correct people—Jessica, not Jess, please. It’s unbecoming of a lady—that she nearly corrected Jamie. She’d corrected everyone before him, but she liked hearing it from him.
Her mother was wrong. Jess was soft and feminine, at least coming from Jamie.
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him, because if she didn’t, she’d think about how she’d wanted to all night long.
“Yes. I’d love to join you tomorrow.”
She’d have to relearn how to behave between now and then. Step number one…no tequila.