Maybe the saying was true, all really was fair in love and war.
When she didn’t answer I glanced back over and her lips were pursed. As soon as she caught me looking, she covered her expression with a smile.
“Did it go okay?” Damn. I’d thought that her knowing Cheyenne was in the pro column of things I had going for me. I didn’t even consider it might be in the con.
“Um, yeah, actually I wanted to talk to you about that. I, sort of, told her I was seeing you. Or, you know, that I have seen you. That I saw you before and now I’m seeing you tonight.” She spoke so fast I barely caught every word.
She paused and I waited, thinkin’ she’d tell me what she was gettin’ so flustered over.
I heard her inhale. “I hope that’s okay. Is it okay?”
Did she really think I’d be upset that my sister knew about us?
I glanced over at her and I saw the worry in her eyes.
She did.
“Well first, I’m surprised she didn’t already know. Nothin’ stays quiet long around here. And second, darlin’, I’d put an ad out on the front page of the newspaper if I didn’t think it would scare you off.”
It was astonishing to me that Bella would ever think anyone would try and hide that they were seeing her. She was gorgeous, well-spoken, sexy, sweet, hot, and smart. She was a damn unicorn. One that the first day on that boat I’d been scared was a figment of my imagination, and I still was.
A loud thump pulled me out of my inner thoughts. It was followed by a vibration, and a loud flapping sound and the wheel pulled to the left.
“Shit, I got a flat.”
This was the last thing I wanted to happen. She was a city girl. I doubted she’d appreciate getting a flat on a backroad.
“You did?!” Bella craned her neck as she looked out the window to try and see.
“Yep.” I pulled the truck off the road.
“Oh, can I change it?” She clapped her hands together. “I’ve always wanted to change a flat tire.”
I chuckled, sure she had to be fucking with me. But when I shut off the engine and looked at her, I saw genuine enthusiasm there. This woman continued to surprise me. Who would be excited about getting a flat tire?
“Are you serious?”
She nodded.
“Why? Why would you want to change the tire?”
“Sheltered, remember?” She smiled brightly. “Can I?”
“You might get some grease on ya.” It always bothered me when people worried about gettin’ dirty, but I felt like I had to warn her.
“I don’t care.”
Damn, I really might love this girl.
CHAPTER 17
Isabella
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I grunted. It took all my might to turn the tire iron. That sucker didn’t want to budge. Hoping for some leverage, I used the weight of my body to lean into it.
“Do ya want some help?” Jimmy offered for the third time.
“No.” I blew a piece of hair off my forehead.
Finally, it moved. Success!
Pride washed over me. Sure, it was just one lug nut, but I’d done it. By myself. Well, with Jimmy talking me through it, but still.
Once I got the first one loosened the rest of them were a little bit easier. After that, I used the jack to raise the truck. Jimmy patiently walked me through each of the following steps and pretty soon I had the spare in place. I knew that this was taking twice if not three or four or ten times longer with me being the one to put on the spare. But I couldn’t get over how sweet and accommodating he was.
After I released the jack, I tightened the lug nuts again. I put all my might into it, wanting to make sure the tire wouldn’t fly off when he was driving. I suddenly had an all new respect for mechanics. Their work could save or cost someone’s life.
“Breathe. You need to breathe.” I heard Jimmy say beside me.
I let out a breath that I hadn’t even been aware I was holding because I was straining so hard and thinking about the life and death of it all. As soon as I did, I felt light-headed. I tried to stand but I wobbled on my shaky legs.
“Whoa.” Jimmy’s arms immediately wrapped around me, steadying me.
I gripped his biceps and even in my dizzy state, I couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles felt under my touch. He was so solid. So strong. So sexy.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes and voice brimming with concern.
His face was shaded by a ball cap, but that didn’t stop me from swooning over his gorgeous hazel eyes as I nodded. “I think so.”
“Why don’t we sit ya down for a sec, get ya out of the road.”
He ushered me to the side of the road and cradled me as I lowered onto a patch of grass. He handed me a bottle of water that he produced from who knows where.
Once I was settled, he went back and finished the job easily. What would’ve probably taken me another ten minutes, he did in less than one. And looked damn good doing it, I didn’t mind saying. I wasn’t just impressed he was taking such good care of me, but also how efficient he was at everything he did.
Cheyenne had mentioned that her little brother had a way about him, a capableness. That was before I knew that she was talking about Jimmy. At the time she said it, I wasn’t sure what she meant. Now I knew.
When I was with Jimmy, I never worried about anything. I felt like whatever happened, he would handle it. Being with him was the only time I wasn’t anxious about the past or the future, I was just in the present. It was a quality in someone I never knew was so attractive because I never knew it existed.
“How you doin’?” He lowered down beside me, holding a water bottle of his own.
“Better.” I took another drink of mine. “Did I do it right?”
“Yes, ma’am. You can officially say that you’ve changed a tire.”
My lips turned up in a smile. I was crossing things off my list left and right.
“And you looked damn hot doin’ it,” he said, before taking a swig of his own water bottle.
“I’m sure.” I laughed, assuming the hot must be referring to my being a sweaty mess.
He finished his drink and turned toward me. There was an intensity in his light brown stare that hadn’t been there moments ago.
“I’m serious. I was havin’ a hard time keepin’ my hands to myself. Literally.” His eyes dropped to his waist and I saw a bulge behind his jeans.
“That’s for me?” I’d never imagined that changing a tire would be a turn on. Although it was for me when I watched him, so I guess it worked both ways.
Now he was the one that chuckled. “Yeah, that’s for you.”
I looked back up at him and thought for a moment that he was going to lean forward and kiss me. I was hoping he would. But instead, he shifted and pulled a blue bandana from his back pocket. Then he placed it over the top of the water bottle and turned it over. Once the bottle righted again, he lifted his arm and pressed the bandana to my neck, wiping it down. “Ya had a little grease.”
The coolness of the cloth combined with the sensation of his fingers brushing along my shoulder sent a shudder through me. “Thanks.”
“Mmm.” He made a sound of male appreciation and removed the cloth.
My heart thudded behind my ribs as I tilted my neck to the side. “Is it gone?”
He started to lean closer to me and I felt the heat of his breath fan over the coolness of the damp spot. “I think I need a closer look.”
The next thing I knew his mouth covered the space that he’d just wiped. One hand cradled the back of my neck and the other gripped my hip as he lowered me down to the ground. My pulse raced with anticipation beneath his lips as my entire body surrendered to him.
Any time his hands were on me I felt safe. Protected. Having limited, or no, experience with intimacy, it surprised me every time he inspired those feelings because they were two emotions I’d never imagined I would feel from any sort of sexual activity. I’d expected arou
sal. Need. Desire. But not safe and protected.
As it turned out, it was actually my favorite part of it.
He trailed kisses up my neck, along my jaw, and finally landed on my mouth. I parted my lips, and his tongue slid inside, meeting mine. His kiss was forceful, yet sweet. Dominating, yet gentle. It was possessive, masterful, and left me feeling even dizzier than I had a few moments before.
As his tongue explored my mouth, a deep ache, a need began to pulse low in my belly. Jimmy shifted so that his body was above me. My legs parted automatically and when he lowered down, I could feel the bulge, the one that was for me, pressing against my throbbing core.
A needy moan rose from my chest, but Jimmy swallowed it with his all-consuming kiss. I was so lost in the sensations that were flowing through me like the rapids, I didn’t hear anyone approaching.
“Hey Comfort, you givin’ that girl mouth to mouth?”
At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, I froze in fear. Jimmy didn’t have the same reaction. He pressed one more kiss to my mouth then lifted his head as if we’d just been playing checkers and someone had interrupted us.
The least I’d expected was for him to move off of me, but he remained where he was.
“Hey, Tanner. Don’t you have somewhere you need to be protecting, or people you need to be serving?”
I peeked up and saw that Tanner wasn’t just a good Samaritan stopping by to give Jimmy a bad time, he was wearing a police uniform. I pushed at Jimmy’s chest, to get him off of me, but he didn’t budge.
“Come on, Comfort. You don’t want to have a repeat of the beach.” Tanner said.
The beach?
I wondered what happened on the beach.
Reluctantly, Jimmy pushed off of me. I tried to stand of my own accord, but I wasn’t fast enough. Jimmy picked me up and steadied me. After quick introductions were made and promises of grabbing drinks between the men had been exchanged, we were back on the road. Thanks to Jimmy I was going to be able to mark one more thing off my list today. And if things kept going like they were, I might be able to put a check mark by number seven. Fall in love. When I wrote it down, I hadn’t realized how scary it would feel. Now, I wasn’t so sure I wanted it on my list.
CHAPTER 18
Isabella
Jimmy guided me through the crowd at the packed Firefly festival and my entire body was buzzing. I wasn’t sure if it was the atmosphere which was electrifying, or a residual buzz from the hot kiss that had been interrupted by the law.
The air was crackling with excitement and fun. Everyone appeared to be having the time of their lives. I didn’t have, “visit a small-town festival,” on my list, but I was going to be adding it and then checking it off.
I scanned my fellow festivalgoers and wondered if anyone else had a list like I did. Or what secret each person might be hiding. I assumed that people looking at me would never guess that I had a bum heart and a before-I-die aka BID list. I don’t think a single person who wasn’t privy to knowledge of my medical history would single me out as a walking, ticking time bomb.
Jimmy’s arm brushed against mine. At the point of contact, a bolt of awareness shot through me. That’s when I knew that the vibration I was feeling was Jimmy and not the crowd. I’d made contact with at least a hundred people, but only Jimmy’s arm had made my body light up like a slot machine that hit the jackpot.
That realization caused guilt to creep up in me. I still hadn’t told Jimmy about my condition. Things had gone well when I’d told Cheyenne that I’d been hanging out with her brother. She’d been over the moon, in fact.
I’d felt a little embarrassment when she’d told Reagan and Nadia, but they’d been cool about it. Nadia gave both Reagan and I “props” for bagging a Comfort. I’d made it clear that I hadn’t bagged anyone.
Sure, I’d felt better after confessing to Cheyenne, but that was because the stakes weren’t that high. I wasn’t worried that she’d stop talking to me—or worse, feel betrayed. I wasn’t sure what Jimmy would do. I’d always thought I had a strong moral compass, but I wasn’t sure which way due north was on this one.
When I told Mrs. B over breakfast this morning that I’d been spending time with Jimmy, and that he was taking me to the festival tonight, I thought for sure the first question she’d ask me was, “Have you told him?”
But it wasn’t. She’d just told me to have fun. If anything, she’d seemed tickled about the news.
“Jimmy!”
“Jimmy!”
I looked up and saw two gorgeous blondes who looked like they belonged on a Victoria Secret catwalk waving in our direction.
Jimmy’s arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me close to him before dipping his chin. “Ladies.”
The way he tugged me against his side was a clear display that I was with him in a subtle, not in your face sorta way. One of the guys that I’d briefly dated would put his arm around me whenever a man would notice me, but I’d never had a guy do that when they were the ones that were getting attention. I had to admit it was a welcome change.
I wasn’t the only one that noticed his gesture. The Doublemint twins also picked up on it. If looks could kill, my heart wouldn’t need any help taking me out, those two would’ve assassinated me.
Once we passed the two bombshells he apologized. “Sorry. I would’ve introduced you, but I can’t remember their names.”
“You can’t remember their names?!” I would think any man that had met those two would have their names permanently engraved on their frontal lobe.
The corners of his eyes crinkled as they narrowed. “No, why?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “They were just, really beautiful.”
He shrugged. “They’re good looking.”
I just stared at him, mirroring the perplexed expression he’d just had. If he thought they were just good looking, what was I? I wanted to ask, but I stopped myself. That question didn’t fall in my new “say and do what I want” parameters. It was under the umbrella of not comparing myself to other people.
“What?” His eyes searched mine. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing.” I smiled and continued walking.
I’d barely made it a step when I felt myself being jerked back by the belt loop in my shorts and then spun around to face Jimmy. My hands landed on his chest. His very muscular, very broad chest.
My eyes shot up at him in surprise and arousal rushed through me. Apparently, I enjoyed being manhandled. Or, at least, I enjoyed being manhandled by Jimmy. His eyes continued to search mine, and as they did my breathing grew labored. The intensity in his stare combined with being pressed up against his very hard body sent tingles racing down my spine straight between my legs.
In the back of my mind, I knew that we were in the middle of hundreds of people. But in the front of my mind, there was only me and Jimmy. We were the only two people that existed.
His hand cupped my jaw and he ran his thumb across my cheek. I shuddered at the rough edges of his callouses. I knew how those felt in other places.
“You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?”
“What?” I’d been expecting him to kiss me. It took a second for his words to hit my ear and process through my brain.
“That’s why you got that look when I said those women were good looking, right?”
Oh, crap. If he could actually read my mind, we were in big trouble.
His head lowered, slowly, until he closed the distance between us and claimed me in a soul-stealing kiss that had a delicious sensation singing through my veins.
When he pulled away, I was dazed. I stared at him in stunned silence. A wide smile spread on his face. He looked satisfied by the effect his kiss had on me. Then he took my hand and continued through the crowds.
After a few minutes, the haze of lust cleared, and I was able to think clearly. As soon as I returned to my senses I went to my go-to anchor for any conversation: facts, information. That was my comfort zo
ne. And right now, hanging out in there sounded like exactly what I needed.
“So, this is the fiftieth anniversary of the festival?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Do you come every year?”
“Nah, I haven’t been since I was a teenager.”
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know, I guess it just sort of got old.”
I never considered that even though this island seemed to hold magical powers to me, growing up here would probably take some of the shine off of it.
We rounded the corner and came face to face with a huge banner.
“There’s a pie-eating contest?!” I said a tad too enthusiastically.
I couldn’t help myself. I’d always wanted to do some sort of eating contest. It was on my list.
“There sure is.”
“Is it too late to enter?” I had no idea what the rules were for these things.
He shook his head. “Sorry, darlin’, but my pie-eating contest days are behind me. I’ve been banned.”
“You were banned from pie-eating contests?”
“Sure was.”
“Why?” His banning from the pie-eating contest reminded me that I needed to ask him about the beach incident that Tanner had referred to. I filed it in the back of my mind as a return-to-later. “What did you do?”
“I won.”
“You won?”
“Yep, five years in a row.”
“They banned you because you won?”
“It wasn’t fun for the other contestants. And Rory Finch accused me of cheating.”
“Did you cheat?” He seemed like an honest person, but I didn’t think I’d known him long enough to assume that he’d never cheat.
“Hell, no. The only thing I ever cheated on was my diet.”
“You were on a diet?” He also didn’t strike me as the diet type.
His lopsided grin returned. “Nah, but I’ve always wanted to use that line.”
I almost said that he could check it off his list, but then I remembered that not everyone had one of those.
“So, is it too late to enter?” I asked again.
Sex on the Beach (Southern Comfort Book 2) Page 12
