by KaLyn Cooper
A man in his early forties was seated alone at the table behind her, ball cap with logo low on his head. Mandie seemed to know him, another regular if Jillian had to guess, but the hostess ignored her this time and hurried back to her station where several people stood waiting.
Soon after, Brandy appeared with the ceviche. “Here you go. Want me to wait for Jack before I get your food orders?”
“Yes. Please.”
With the flash of a busy waitress smile, she delivered a beer for the man at the next table with a few spoken niceties of familiarity.
The mound of chopped shrimp, fresh onions, and colorful peppers soaked in lemon and lime smelled heavenly. Jillian scooped up the appetizer with a cracker and stuffed it into her mouth. Her taste buds exploded with delight. Everything today seemed better. The air smelled fresher, the sun shone brighter, and food tasted better. For the past two years of her life, she had been on autopilot, and now she was once again living.
Her heart panged at the thought of her turning point, releasing the remains of Jimmy. It wasn’t just the ashes; it was the essence of him. It was as if he’d freed her as well from their marital bonds. She would always love him.
Jack had made a good point. She and Addison needed a man in their lives. She automatically looked out the big window to him. He prowled the shadows like a tiger on the hunt. Tonight he would change her world, releasing another set of shackles to her past.
The restaurant had filled up while Jack was on the phone. Jillian had put a serious dent in the food and finished her glass of wine.
He entered the restaurant and swept past Mandie’s empty station. He caught up with Brandy, who wrote down their order on her pad with nods and her ever-present smile.
Sliding back into his seat, Jack apologized. “Sorry about that. It won’t happen again.” He touched a few buttons before slipping his phone into the side pocket.
He seemed agitated so she lightly said, “Good thing you returned when you did, or there’d be nothing left of the ceviche for you.”
“They’ll make more if we want it, but our meal will be out soon.” He grabbed a cracker and dove in.
A thought struck her. “Have you finished looking through the boxes I brought? I still need to sort through a few more before your mother gives them to Professor Tzuc.”
His whole face brightened. “No. And I won’t let her give them to him, not just yet. I saw where Jimmy had translated some entries, and I think he got it wrong.”
“Really?” Jillian was excited that Jack had taken an interest in Jimmy’s work.
“I’d like to look through more of it and take some of it to Kuk. He’s an expert in the language. It seems to me that everything is centered on the Virgin Mary on Isla Mujeres.”
“So you think the Mayan idols were really hidden? That was your grandfather’s impression.”
“Gramps hunted those damn things for years. I haven’t gotten to his notes yet, but he and Jimmy were convinced of the folk lore.” Jack wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know, but the idea that he might take on the quest to find the idols was exhilarating.
Jillian leaned back in her chair, enthusiasm growing within her. “Do you think we can find the golden Mayan goddesses?”
Jack shrugged. “We can look. There’s a lot more research to be done, and I think Jimmy was on the right path.” He stuffed another piece in his mouth and scanned the restaurant. His eyes stopped on the man at Jillian’s back.
Jack swallowed and scowled.
Chapter Fourteen
“So when do we start?” Jillian placed her hand on Jack’s and gave it a little squeeze. He didn’t look at her. He was studying someone over her shoulder. When she glanced that way, she saw only the man who’d been seated while Jack was gone. “Do you want me to go through the manuscripts and diaries looking for references to the goddesses?”
Jack’s gaze flew to hers. He looked angry. At her.
“We’ll talk about this later.” His brusque tone was so far from the playful man who had flirted with her all day.
What had she said? Had she done something wrong? Now she questioned her decision to sleep with him later. Or even talk to him. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.
Jack closed his eyes and shook his head once. When he opened them again, the softness was back. He leaned into her and kissed her cheek.
His words were barely audible, even though his lips were right next to her ear. “The man behind you is a notorious sea scavenger and a major pain in my ass. If he thinks we’re onto the goddesses, he’ll do everything he can to beat us to them.”
Jillian’s stomach dropped. The thought of someone stealing all the hard work Jack’s family had done riled her to her core. “How can he do that?”
“Not here. Not now.” Jack sat back and changed the subject, “So what’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Deep-sea fishing? Snorkeling?”
“I’m not sure. What other fun things can we do in the next nine days?”
As Jack talked about all the sightseeing and activities available, he sounded like a tour guide. In a moment of “duh,” he probably got asked that question a million times a day while captaining his boats. She listened as he spoke of the area he obviously loved.
Once their meal was served, Jillian found she was still hungry. At the last bite of her fish, she felt the man behind her stir then stand.
Jack’s back stiffened. He tracked the man’s progress with only his eyes.
“Hello, Girard.” The man nodded as he approached their table. His finely wrinkled face was the color and texture of worn leather, but his body was that of a much younger man, fit and lean.
Jack stood. “Chastain.”
Jillian could see Jack’s muscles tense as he rose to his full height. He had a few inches on the other man, which gave the effect of Jack looking down his nose. They didn’t shake hands, and neither smiled. “I’d appreciate it if you’d tell your captains to be more careful when approaching a boat with a diver down flag waving. One of your boats swamped my tour group a few days ago.”
Chastain’s grin was anything but apologetic. “Oh, son, I’m sure your boy exaggerated the incident.”
When Jack drew in a long, slow breath, he became even larger and more foreboding. “I’m not your son.” The vehemence in Jack’s voice sliced through the tense air.
Jillian saw his fists clench, but they remained at his side. She worried that she was about to witness a fight. She was sure Jack could take the man, but he might get hurt in the scuffle.
Chastain ignored the comment and said condescendingly, “My men are trained in the ways of the sea, and they’d never do a thing like that.”
Jack took a step closer to Chastain and in a low voice warned, “My boys are former Navy SEALs, like me. I won’t hold them back if it happens again. Make sure your crew knows that.”
The older man’s demeanor shrank just a fraction, but his gaze never faltered.
“You always were a belligerent little shit, even as a child.” Chastain adjusted his shoulders. “What you needed was a real man in your life, not a half-crazy grandfather chasing ancient legends. Glad to see that you’re smart enough to leave the treasure hunting to the experts. Too bad your father spent all his time in Chicago with Levi so he didn’t have time to raise his two youngest sons. Maybe then you wouldn’t have grown up to be such a bitter young man.”
A sardonic grin crossed Chastain’s face. “Stop by my docks later in the week. I’m taking delivery of my new sixty-six-foot catamaran to accommodate my growing tourism business. Sorry, but I won’t need to refer customers to your company anymore. Nothing personal, son. It’s just business, and mine is very good lately. It’s allowed me to concentrate on my salvage company.” With an eat-shit smirk across his sun-dried face, Chastain stepped around Jack and headed toward the door.
Jillian stood and placed her hand on Jack’s arm. “You okay?”
“Let’s get out of here.” He threw bills on the tab
le and placed his hand on the small of her back. Her skin heated under his touch and shivers ran up her spine.
As soon as they were outside, Jillian asked, “Who was he?”
“Johnathan Chastain. It was his boat with the drunk college boys yesterday.” She recalled just how upset Jack had been that they’d allowed those young men to dive. He hadn’t chastised the man about that incident.
“He seemed to know your family dynamics quite well.”
“Before I learned how to drive the boat, Gramps would hire the Chastain Salvage Company to help him look for Mayan treasures. He was really good at finding sites, but could only get away a few times a year back then. He’d always bring me and Jimmy. He called it our man time. The more Dad took over the company, the more time Gramps had for us and our treks to Cancun.”
Jack took her hand when they reached the docks. “Johnathan is about fifteen years older than me and took great pleasure in calling me and Jimmy boys. He did most of the diving back then, although Gramps often strapped on a tank. Once I got SCUBA certified, Gramps almost never dove. It was me and Johnathan under the water.”
“What happened?”
“One Christmas, Gramps met with a professor friend before we were to start diving and was told about the great find Chastain had made on the very site we’d spent a week exploring during our fall vacation.”
“Oh, my gosh.” Jillian couldn’t hold in her alarm. He’d stolen their hard work.
“Needless to say, Gramps was angry. When he asked Nathan Chastain, Johnathan’s father, about the discovery, he claimed that they simply had a feeling about the site and returned to it after we’d left. Finders keepers.”
“I’m so sorry.” Jillian couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“It wasn’t your fault.” He wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to his side. “That’s why I didn’t want to discuss the Mayan goddesses anywhere near him.”
“I understand.”
Jack stopped. The BACats sign overhead spanned a wide dock that jutted out into the lagoon. She’d seen that logo on the boxes in the storeroom.
The speedboat they’d used yesterday was tied to the dock that ran along the shore. Behind it was the biggest catamaran Jillian had ever seen. Across the wooden planks bobbed a typical dive boat and another catamaran, about twenty feet shorter than the first. All were emblazoned with the same logo. The enormity of Jack’s business rocked on the gentle waves in front of her.
He twirled Jillian to face him. “I have to grab something from the office on Fritz. It’s pretty dark in there. I’d understand if you wanted stay here on the dock and wait for me.”
Was he suggesting she stay here…or giving her an option to back out? No. She had made up her mind that tonight was going to be the night, and Jack was going to be the man. She was going to do this.
She hoped her smile was sultry and a little seductive. “Show me the ropes, Captain Jack.”
His mouth came down on hers with such force she almost fell over. Thank goodness he was holding her upright. He tilted his head for a better angle and nipped at her bottom lip. She opened for him. He tasted of beer and fish and the unique taste of Jack that she was learning.
The sensation of being held by a man, desired by him, filled years of emptiness. She wanted more. So much more. She stepped into him, their bodies aligning perfectly. His erection pressed into her, and her body reacted on its own, rocking into his, seeking what she desired. Their joined heat boiled the passion she’d denied for too long.
Jack slipped his hand under her shirt and ran it up and down her spine as he deepened the kiss. His hand was so gentle compared to the ferocity of his mouth on hers. She could feel his restraint in every tense muscle.
Was he holding back for her or for their location? They were standing on a dock surrounded by restaurants, hotels, and condominiums filled with people. People watching them.
Jack slid his hand to her breast and gently massaged it through the thin lace of her bra. Long forgotten sensations raced to her feminine core. She leaned into him, increasing the warmth of his body on hers, the pressure of his hand on her breast. He ran his thumb over her taut nipple.
Jillian gasped.
She broke the kiss and tried to calm her breathing to a manageable pant.
His aroused eyes intently stared at her, questions crinkling the edges.
“We’ll get arrested if we continue this here.” Jillian brushed her lips across his. “I thought you were going to show me your boat.”
“Yeah. Come on.” He grabbed her hand and all but dragged her to the largest catamaran tied to the dock. He released her and jumped on board. Just as Jillian was about to follow him, he turned and held out his arms.
Her stomach bobbled and her clit pulsed. A Mayan God waited for her, completely prepared to take her to that secret edge of ecstasy that only two other men had shared with her. The first broke her teenage heart. The second died and shattered it into a million pieces. She had no intention of investing such a valuable part of herself in this man. This was purely sex, and Jack would show her the way back to the dating world. He just might show her a few new things along that path.
Jillian grinned and took a deep breath.
Then, with a leap of faith, she jumped into arms that captured her with strength and assurance that he’d always be there to catch her.
Jack glided her body the length of his, and she felt every inch of his erection as it passed over her. She considered wrapping her legs around his hips but got caught in the moment when he nuzzled his face in her breasts before continuing the slow descent to the deck.
She skated her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers. When she touched her lips to his, it felt good…better than good…great even. Right. As if they had always kissed like that and had been doing it for years.
This time Jack broke the kiss, breathing hard. “Come on.”
Jillian tried to glance around, but Jack’s long strides forced her to scurry to keep up. Good thing he had her hand and warned her at the last minute of the step down. As it was, she nearly tripped. She could make out an open-air kitchen behind a bar.
The light from the moon coming through the window that faced the stern barely illuminated the tiny office. Jillian could make out some kind of dark wood counters that filled three sides and a chair slid under one corner.
Jack pulled her in and closed the door behind her. He spun her around and plastered her back against the rippled fiberglass milliseconds before his mouth was pressed on hers. He forced his tongue in, and Jillian’s brain disengaged completely as her body took over.
She ran her fingers through his long hair, and a soft caress flowed to her very center. The passion she’d denied herself for far too long was a welcome salve to her tortured heart. She needed this.
Jack rocked his pelvis into her as he mimicked the desired action with his tongue. Oh yes. This is what she wanted. Needed.
He moved his hand under her blouse and cupped her breast through the beige lace bra she’d debated wearing this morning. She wondered how soon Jack would get to see the matching thong that was now damp with the ache of her need. She lifted her knee to his hip to get closer to his erection, to feel the promise of everything to come.
Jack gasped.
He picked up her other knee and wrapped both legs around him. “Hang on.” His gruff order sent a rush of heat to her clit. She was perfectly aligned with his erection and could feel it pulse through the layers of clothing.
She wanted to feel him naked and throbbing with the same desire she had for him.
He swung their intertwined bodies around and planted her butt on the empty desk. She could make out most of his face now in the moonlight.
“I want you so much it hurts, but this isn’t where…I... I wanted to take my time with you. You deserve more than a quick fuck on a—”
Jillian grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss that she hoped said everything. She’d heard enough. He wanted her. She w
anted…no, needed him. She was afraid that if she didn’t do this tonight, she’d talk herself out of it. It was going to be right now.
She opened her mouth to him and slid into his. He didn’t respond as she had hoped. He was still holding back for some reason. She was not going to let him back out of this. Not now.
She slid her hand to the edge of his shirt and walked her fingers under it. The light hairs just above his waistband tickled her fingertips. She paused her journey to play with them for a second, following the path to his belly button. She encircled it a few times before she quickly followed the trail southward under his shorts to the thick patch at the base of his cock.
Jack moaned and left her lips to kiss his way down her neck.
She drew her fingers through the hair before she encircled his erection.
He groaned as he rocked into her hand and bit her nipple through the lace. He had her blouse opened, and both hands cupped breasts. She’d been enjoying his body so much she hadn’t noticed.
Jack reached around her and unsnapped her bra, and unrestrained breasts bounced out. She was usually embarrassed by their size, larger since giving birth, but tonight Jillian hoped Jack would appreciate them. He had stared at them often enough.
In a move she was sure he’d honed with years of practice, he had her blouse and bra off. He stared down at her half-naked body. She fought the urge to cover herself, but that would mean releasing his cock, which grew even larger the longer he gazed.
Heat rushed from his sigh and bathed her naked chest. “You are so beautiful.” His hand hesitated as he reached to cup her breast again. He slowly lowered his head and brushed a light kiss over her lips on his way to her breasts. Gently massaging them, he pulled on one nipple with his thumb and forefinger while sucking on the other.
Jillian’s body arched, and she reflexively squeezed his cock. She wasn’t sure who made the whimpered groan. Her breasts had always been a source of pleasure, but whatever Jack was doing to her, if he kept it up, she would come.
