Just a Little Kiss

by Renita Pizzitola

  “That wouldn’t have been too good.”

  He shifted his weight and glanced around. “So, uh, Mason’s a cool guy, but, you know, I told him…that you’re kind of, like, off-limits—”

  Mason asked about me? But—“Wait. You told him what? And what is that even supposed to mean?”

  “C’mon, Felicity, you’re my friend and he’s my cousin. I don’t want to get in the middle, bu—”

  “Then don’t.” Damn Colby. Always trying to watch out for his friends almost to a fault. “Anyway, who’s to say there will be a middle? I met the guy yesterday and unless he’s some type of horrible person you need to warn me about…” I paused and looked at him. When he didn’t say anything, I continued, “Then I really don’t think you need to worry about this. Any of it.” I heard the defensiveness in my tone, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew where this was really coming from. It wasn’t only the fact that Colby and I had grown up together; I also happened to be his best friend’s ex. But I was no longer Brody’s girlfriend, and I sure as hell didn’t need his friends treating me that way.

  I appreciated Colby’s concern for my well-being, except when it came to my relationships. Damn this small town. One of the many reasons I chose Summer Boys. Nobody knew them, so nobody was in my business.

  “Hey, I’m sorry, it’s just…” He dug his shoe into the wooden planking on the floor.

  “Hi.” Isla walked up and glanced between us. “You grabbing dinner?”

  Colby’s stance instantly changed and he smiled. “Yeah. Been out on the boat all day.” He grinned then tugged her into a sloppy hug that involved practically mashing her face into his armpit.

  “Oh my God, you stink,” she squealed.

  “You like that? It’s the smell of a working man.”

  She pretended to gag. “I’m pretty sure most working men don’t smell like fish guts.”

  He laughed and ruffled her hair before releasing her. “So you coming to my house Sunday night? We’re cooking up Felicity’s favorite. All-you-can-eat fish fry.”

  “Ooh, sounds yummy, huh?” Isla said with a smirk.

  I forced back my earlier annoyance and gave them my best condescending smile. “Delicious.”

  They both laughed at my clear revulsion over fish.

  “Who all is going?” Isla asked with a little smile tossed my way. Subtlety wasn’t her strong point.

  Colby leaned against the wall again and crossed his legs. “The usual guys…and my cousin.”

  “Oh, yeah?” She smiled at me again.

  When we were ten, Isla and I tried to convince everyone we were telepathic. This was one of those times I wished we really were.

  She went on. “I haven’t met him yet. Mason, is it?”

  Colby’s gaze slid to me. No way could I pretend I hadn’t been talking about him now.

  “Yeah, Mason. I’m sure you’ll meet him soon enough, considering he’s Felicity’s neighbor for the next few weeks.”

  I had to get away from this conversation. “Sunday sounds fun, and I’ll bring something actually edible.” I grabbed a menu and smiled. “My table needs me. Isla, can you check on his order?” I was already halfway across the restaurant before I heard her answer.

  I did a quick sweep of my remaining tables, refilling drinks, picking up checks, anything to keep me busy until I could be sure Colby would be gone.

  “So what was that about?” Isla asked as I ran table twelve’s credit card.

  “Colby told Mason I was off-limits. I suppose his intentions were good, but…I need people out of my business.”

  “Why would he say that?” She tugged at the tip of her ponytail, winding it around her index finger. “Does he…Do you think Colby likes you?”

  “No! God, no. He’s watching out for me because he still treats me like Brody’s girlfriend. It’s stupid, but that’s all it is. He’s not interested in me.”

  Her shoulders visibly relaxed. “I guess that makes sense. He doesn’t want some guy using you, even if it’s his cousin.”

  I tucked the customer’s receipt and credit card onto the little black tray. “But he needs to realize I make my own decisions…and I’m not Brody’s anything now.”

  I spun away and took the receipt to my last table of the night, ready to call it a day, but unsure about having a drink with Mason now. It was clear we had a mutual attraction. He’d been asking about me, and I’d been talking about him. But now I had one friend telling me to keep my distance, while another wanted me to run away with him. What happened to my happy medium? I just wanted a freaking summer fling.

  As I left Eddie’s Grille, I promised Isla I’d call her later to fill her in on my night. I also assured her we’d go to Colby’s fish fry, regardless of how things turned out. Which wasn’t hard to do, considering at this point, my night was ending the moment I stepped onto the boat. My body was tired from a long shift, and I was ready to crash. But as I walked up the pier, Mason came into view.

  His hair hung in wet chunks over his forehead as he spread a towel over the side of the boat’s railing. There was a dark streak right between his shoulder blades where his damp skin had pressed into his shirt.

  He turned and totally busted me staring.

  His mouth curved into a grin. “I survived.”

  “So I see.”

  “Thanks, by the way.”

  “No problem.”

  He walked to the edge and leaned against the railing closest to me. His shirt tightened around his shoulders as he crossed his arms. “Hopefully, you like beer because it’s all I have.”

  So much for crashing. My body was wide awake now. “Beer’s good. I just got off though. I need to change real quick.” I tugged at my work tank top.

  “I’ll be here.” He grinned, and I couldn’t help but notice he had a perfect smile. Really nice teeth. God, that was weird to notice. But man, he was a seriously good-looking guy. Nothing I could pinpoint as the feature that made him exceptionally attractive; everything just came together nicely. Like those people who have perfect facial symmetry, which tricks the brain, making them attractive to everyone. He was one of those people. And my brain most definitely appreciated the flawlessness.

  He was still grinning as I studied him, and it suddenly hit me, I was standing there. Staring. Geez. “Sorry. I’m exhausted from my shift. Sort of out of it.”

  He nodded slowly, clearly not buying my excuse. “Well, get changed and come relax. We can bitch about our day, gripe about our aching bones, maybe get in a fight over whose turn it is to cook dinner.”

  I stifled a laugh and played along with his old married couple reference. “Which will, of course, lead me into reminding you that my lasagna is never as good as your mother’s.”

  “Ah, but we can’t forget, I always overseason when I cook.”

  “And while we are talking about dinner, we should probably discuss the fact that dishes don’t wash themselves.”

  “Well, if we’re going there, you might as well remind me that the floor is not a hamper.”

  “Obviously.” My smile finally broke free. “Then I’ll complain of a headache, and we’ll call it a night.”

  “Wow.” He leaned back and rubbed his chin. “I’m sorry to say it, but I think this relationship is moving too fast.”

  “Relationship?” I raised an eyebrow. “We’re one dirty sock away from divorce.”

  He laughed, and my chest fluttered because it was one hell of a sexy laugh. “Get changed and come on over. I’m eager to get to know my future ex-wife.”

  With what I’m sure could only be described as a stupid grin, I said, “Be right back.”

  I hurried into my cabin and stared at my closet. I could hardly remember the last time I wanted to wear something for a guy. Which was probably why I hadn’t gone shopping in forever. I had nothing.

  I finally settled on a simple white dress. The whole thing had the airy feel I loved. It also happened to be on the short side. And that might have helped with my decision, as well.
I pulled my crazy waves of hair into two loose braids then applied a little lip gloss and blush. Hopefully, the makeup was subtle enough that Mason wouldn’t notice I’d put it on. I didn’t want to seem as if I’d tried too hard to look good for him. I slipped on some sandals and headed back up.

  Since my dress was short, I used the stairs of the boat to get on the pier. I walked over to Mason’s boat right as he emerged from the cabin.

  He stopped in his tracks and stared at me.

  Chapter 4

  Mason

  That dress was killing me. Death by blue balls. That’s how I’d leave this world.

  I’d convinced myself over the course of the day that I’d just be friends with Felicity. She obviously meant a lot to Colby—though I still wasn’t quite sure if it was romantic or platonic—but either way, he’d been right about me. I’d hooked up with my fair share of girls, and Felicity shouldn’t be one of them. After scoring the blonde’s number—and ten extra bucks—I’d decided there were plenty of girls in this town to have some fun with. No point in making things tense between Colby and me.

  But then she put on that dress.

  How in the hell was I supposed to think of anything besides getting it off her? It practically didn’t even exist. It barely covered her ass, yet it was loose and not at all traditionally sexy. I couldn’t make out any of her curves in it, but I knew exactly where they were hidden, which somehow just made it hotter. She looked…I don’t know. Like a girl I’d want to take on a date just so other guys could see her with me. Fuck.

  It was as if my loyalty was being tested by the damn dress. But let’s face it. I was ready to wave the white flag and swear fealty to the body hidden underneath.

  Felicity glanced at the two beer bottles I was holding.

  This was a bad start. Colby’s friend. The reminder hardly helped, but I’d just keep repeating that and eventually it’d sink in.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  “Yep.”

  She stepped onto the boat, but there was nowhere she could sit in that dress. It was crisp and white, and would look amazing on the floor next to my bed…I forced back a groan. Shit. Focus. Colby’s friend.

  “Uh, I’m not totally sure the boat isn’t covered in crap you don’t want to sit in.” I gestured to the cabin. “Want to go inside?”

  “Sounds good. Not to mention, it’s crazy hot out here.”

  “No kidding. Do you ever get used to this humidity?”

  “We tolerate it better than out-of-towners, but can’t say we enjoy it either.”

  I handed her a beer, and she followed me downstairs.

  “I’m impressed,” she said, running her hand along the counter. “Of course, I don’t know why. John’s Charter attracts all the suits on vacation, unlike some of those other guide services that attract bachelor parties and frat boys.”

  I stood off to the side while she checked out the layout of the boat. I was kind of surprised she’d never been down here being Colby’s friend and all, but he had mentioned that his dad didn’t really like anyone down here.

  Wonder if Uncle John would mind this visit? Probably not as much as Colby would…

  Felicity glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “It’s roomy too. Really nice.”

  “Uncle John takes good care of it. I’m just glad he let me crash here for the summer. Beats sleeping on Colby’s couch.”

  She turned, fixed her eyes—which were clear gray tinted with green and unlike anything I’d seen before—on mine and smiled. “So I take it your motion sickness passed?”

  “Thanks to you. That stuff is awesome, by the way.” I slid into the L-shaped couch that doubled as kitchen-table seating.

  “Glad it helped.” She sat in the smaller section, angled across from me.

  I placed my beer on the table and wrapped one arm over the top of the cushion, glad she’d finally sat down, hiding those tan legs. My shorts were already getting uncomfortably tight. I needed her ass in a chair far from me, and our conversation needed to stay as neutral as possible.

  “How was work?” I asked.

  “The usual. Busy like always in summer.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But can’t complain. The day went fast. How was yours?”

  The guys made it a little more fun than I’d expected, but the actual work part…yeah. “I have no clue what I’m doing out there. I’m not sure what I was thinking, offering to help out.”

  She studied me, her gaze sweeping over my face, up to my hair then back down to my clothes. She leaned forward, pressing her elbows into the table.

  And it hit me. Her eyes were the color of sea glass.

  “So when you aren’t working on a fishing charter, what do you do?”

  “I’m a sophomore at Sutton.”

  She sat back with a small smile as if I’d confirmed what she’d expected to hear. “What’s your major?”

  “Computer science, and I work in the computer lab during the regular session too.”

  “Wow. Computers. That’s very different than fishing.”

  “I’ve discovered it helps a little when it comes to the boat’s GPS. But other than that, I’m pretty useless out here.”

  “Yeah, but in the real world, computer skills are way more important than fishing.”

  “I don’t know. As they say, teach a man to fish…” I teased.

  She scrunched her nose into what was probably supposed to be disgust but instead just ended up looking completely adorable. “That’s assuming the man likes to eat fish.”

  I chuckled. “Good point. So what about you? How long have you been working at Eddie’s?”

  “Since my junior year of high school.”

  Holy shit. What if she was still in high school? No wonder Colby wanted me to keep my dick far away from her. “How old are you?”

  “I’ll be twenty in October.”

  I was relieved, though part of me would have preferred to have a reason to make her off-limits.

  “October, huh?” I smiled. “Me too.”

  “No way. What day?” she asked, setting down her bottle.

  “The nineteenth. You?”

  “The sixteenth.”

  “Wow, an older woman.” I tilted my beer to my lips to hide my grin.

  She laughed. “Those three days do add a lot of maturity and experience.”

  “Clearly. You’ll have to excuse my youth and ignorance.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, like she was thinking hard about something, but then she grabbed her bottle and took a drink.

  “So I hear Colby is having a fish fry Sunday, and with your love of fish, I can’t help but wonder if you’ll be there.” I picked at the label peeling off my bottle.

  She glanced up. “Actually, I will. I promised my best friend Isla we’d go. It’s been a while since we’ve all hung out. Despite the fish, it’ll be fun.”

  If Colby wouldn’t fess up about his feeling for Felicity, maybe she would. And this was the perfect conversation to get some answers. “You guys all went to school together, right?”

  “Yeah. There’s only one high school in Port Lucia.”

  “Colby’s a bit protective of his friends.” I grinned at her and leaned back, while twirling the brown bottle with one hand. Then decided to cut to the chase. “You don’t have to answer this, but do you two have a history?”

  Her face twisted, like a flash of something I couldn’t quite read. But definitely not anything that suggested feelings on her part, maybe a hint of annoyance?

  “I’ve known him most of my life.” She paused, as if thinking about what else to say, then added, “He likes to watch out for his friends, I guess.”

  “Makes sense. It’s hard trusting other guys with your friends. Even if you’re related to them.”

  Whatever had shadowed her face moments before slipped away and was replaced by what I was ninety-nine percent sure was a flirty smile. “So are you trustworthy, Mason?”

  And I’ll be damned if that d
idn’t get my blood pumping. With a slow nod and a grin, I said, “Very.”

  Just then my phone buzzed from where it sat charging on the counter by the sink. I could have ignored it, but it might be my mom, and then she’d freak out and call my uncle to check on me, which would lead to him having to call me and maybe find out I had a visitor…yeah, not worth it. I slid out of the booth. “Sorry, let me check who’s calling.”

  “No problem.”

  Brinley’s name flashed across the screen and without even thinking, I answered.

  “How was your first day?” she asked. “Did you survive?”

  I laughed. “Yeah, I survived.”

  But the sound of her voice reminded me of home. And of her. And of everything I needed to be away from. Why the hell did I answer? It was like a knee-jerk reaction to jump at anything involving Brinley, but I had Felicity sitting not even two feet away. Dammit.

  “Can I call you back later?” I glanced at Felicity, who was watching me, then turned toward the counter.

  “Do you have a girl with you?” Brinley teased.

  “Maybe.”

  “Oh my God, I’m sorry! I didn’t…You’ve only been there a few days…Geez, you work fast. Okay, call me when you aren’t busy. Good luck, um, with everything.”

  I laughed because despite my needing space from her, I loved Brinley. As a friend, of course. “Okay. I will. ’Bye.”

  I set my phone down and turned back around.

  “Sorry about that.” I gestured to her drink. “Need another?”

  “I’m good. Thanks.” She stood. “I’m actually scheduled earlier tomorrow. And you probably have to be up in, like, six hours or something. Y’all head out pretty early.”

  “Yeah, way too early.” I leaned against the counter, picking up on her not-so-subtle decision to bolt, post phone call. And though I wasn’t sure which part of the conversation made her decide to leave, I’d wished even more now that I hadn’t answered the call. I could have called Brinley back anytime. It wasn’t worth blowing things with Felicity. Not that we should have “things” between us, but she had been flirting. And I had liked it. But now she’d thrown up some walls and was ready to hightail it out of here.