Deciding what to do about it was another matter.
He took his seat next to her on the swing, his strong thigh warm against hers. He smelled of the outdoors, pine and fresh air. She resisted resting her head on his shoulder and shifted away slightly. He pulled two amber bottles out of the paper sack he carried, the glass clinking together. A brightly lettered label proclaimed it Pumpkin Ale.
“Thought you might want something stronger than coffee this time.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Natalie chuckled and took the bottle from him, the glass cool against her hand.
He patted his pockets. “Shoot. I forgot a bottle opener. Be right back.”
“I think I saw one in the kitchen. Come on inside.” Natalie waved him inside her rental, very conscious of the door latching behind her, shutting out the world. Inside the house, it was just her and Jameson. And this achy, unsatisfied, dangerous desire between them.
She led him back to the kitchen and opened two bottles of beer. She handed Jameson his beer, their fingers brushing on the bottle. She met his eyes, acknowledging the heat simmering there, but carefully stepped back and took a sip of the ale. Pumpkin, spices, and bitter hops burst over her tongue as she swallowed.
“Hey, I was going to say cheers,” Jameson complained before sipping his own beer.
“Not much to be cheerful about,” Natalie pointed out. “We lost again.”
“You do realize the Panthers winning a game would be a miracle, right?” Jameson leaned against the counter. “Even scoring would be evidence of divine intervention.”
“If this is your version of a pep talk, it needs work.” Natalie raked a hand through her hair as Jameson chuckled.
“They’re good,” Jameson argued. “Okay, well, not good but better than they were. Better than they’ve ever been.”
“Keep trying.”
“You’re an amazing coach, Natalie, but even you can’t fix everything in less than two weeks.”
“I know. Still sucks to be shut out again,” Natalie squeezed her eyes shut, thinking of that big, glowing zero on the scoreboard. “How’s Kieran?”
“When I left the house, he was showing off his sprained arm to Sarah Woods, who was making appropriate cooing noises,” Jameson laughed.
“I thought he was with Tina Jones now?” Natalie said. “Teenage love is fickle, I guess.”
“I think it’s just hormones.” Jameson pinned her with those amazing blue eyes, the desire in them unmistakeable. Heat rushed through Natalie as she realized how close they were standing in her tiny kitchen, and how much she’d like to close the distance between them.
“Hormones aren’t the sole province of teenagers.” Natalie dropped her gaze to his full mouth. She ached to feel him kiss her again. He ran his long forefinger over her arm and just that light touch made her dizzy with want.
“I don’t think this is just hormones, do you?” Jameson stepped closer to her, his warmth pressed all along her front.
Natalie closed her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t know…” Jameson brushed a feather-light kiss over her cheek, trailing his soft mouth down her neck. She arched into him, desperate to feel the hard planes of his body against her. He wrapped his arms around her, his big palms slipping up her back.
“Wait.” Natalie clutched his biceps, reason fighting the sensation cartwheeling through her. Obligingly, Jameson stepped back and looked down at her face.
“What is it? Some boyfriend back home?”
“No.” Natalie shook her head. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Me neither.”
“I know,” Natalie said. When Jameson raised a single brow, she continued. “We teach in a high school. It’s a hotbed of gossip.”
“What gossip? There’s nothing at all interesting about me.”
“You’re a gorgeous single dad who happens to be principal of the high school. Of course there’s gossip about you.” Natalie laughed at the gobsmacked look on Jameson’s face. “According to school gossip, you’re not dating anyone since a failed outing with someone named Harper over a year ago.”
“It wasn’t a date, actually. We just had dinner together and people assumed…” Jameson began to explain before shaking his head. “That’s not the biggest issue here anyway.”
“What do you see as the biggest issue then?”
“You work for me.”
“Temporarily,” Natalie shrugged, the motion pressing her even closer to him and sending sparks shooting through her veins. “We both know that the school board is unlikely to hire me full time.”
“You’re an excellent teacher and coach. You’d have my support, regardless of anything else.”
“I’m not a man.”
“I’ve noticed.’ Jameson flashed her a grin but sobered quickly. “But, we do work together, in a tiny town that adores nothing so much as gossip.”
“Getting involved would be inviting comment,” Natalie agreed. “Unless we keep a secret.”
“Secrets are tough to keep in Ashford Falls,” Jameson sighed. “We could try, though.”
Natalie swallowed. Making decisions with Jameson pressed so enticingly close to her was a challenge. “We just ignore that friendly kiss then?”
“Sure.” Jameson stepped back and picked up his beer. He took a long swallow. “So, you want to go for that drive we talked about tomorrow? Joe’s girlfriend, Molly, has this pick-your-own place out in the mountains…”
Natalie chewed on her bottom lip. She and Jameson were definitely attracted to each other. As two unattached adults, choosing to act on that desire should be between them. Her job situation did complicate that. But then again, she was unlikely to get to keep the job. But did she want to wait until the job was over to chase this desire with Jameson or take what she wanted now? Natalie had never been very patient.
Jameson trailed off and looked at her, desire plain in his face. “I’m not sure I can do the just friends thing,” he admitted.
“Me neither.” Natalie stepped into his space. She slipped the bottle out of Jameson’s hand and slowly set it on the counter with a click, loud in the quiet kitchen. This close, she noticed he had a tiny scar under his eyebrow and wondered how he got it. Deciding in an instant that she was done waiting, Natalie reached up, cradling his face in her palms and stood on her tiptoes to press her mouth to his.
Instantly, the heat between them bubbled into an inferno. He plundered her mouth, his hands twining in her hair. She dropped her head back, fighting to breathe, dimly aware they were crossing a bright light between colleagues and new friends to lovers. She just couldn’t find it in her to care as his hands slid up her sides to cup her breasts.
She just wanted Jameson.
Right now.
They kissed as though they were starved for the taste of each other, desperate, needy, frantic, everything all at once. She tugged at the waistband of his sweatshirt, sliding her hands beneath to find only warm, satiny skin. He groaned as she stroked her palms up his broad, muscled chest. His clever fingers undid the clasp at the center of her bra and skimmed the curves beneath. His thumbs circled her nipples before he helped her to pull off her t-shirt, skilfully taking her bra along with it. He stepped back and whisked his own sweatshirt over his head before gathering her close again.
Now they were skin to skin, his big hands skimming down her back to her waist to pull her even closer against him. His demanding mouth crashed down on hers again, greedy and insistent. Natalie caressed his shoulders and arms before sliding her hands into the back of his jeans, arching against him wantonly.
The night air felt cool on her fevered skin as Jameson pushed her sweats down. She made to step out of them but he boosted her onto the kitchen island, leaning forward to capture one of her nipples with his hot, eager mouth. Heat pooled through her, melting her bones, making her pliant and ready for him. She opened the buttons on his jeans, the back of her fingers pressing against the impressive bulge beneath as his breathing grew even more ragged.
&n
bsp; Jameson’s long fingers skimmed her thighs before lightly circling her center, making her nearly desperate. He turned his attention to the other breast, his deft fingers finding all the right spots to press and circle and tease. He fumbled in his jeans pocket and withdrew a colorful foil packet. When his shaking fingers failed to open it, she took it from him and rolled the covering onto Jameson, stroking his thick, rigid length, wringing a long, low moan from him.
She wanted to tease him more, learn every inch of him, and find exactly how to drive him the most insane. But there’d would be time for that later. This time, she needed to feel Jameson inside her, claiming her as his. Natalie wrapped her legs around his waist and guided him into her. Jameson, his eyes heavy lidded with lust, thrust deep, rocking against her.
Natalie gasped as he filled her before slowly withdrawing. Their gazes met when he slid deep again, their mouths tangling in imitation of their bodies. He placed one hand on her hip to pull her against him as he rocked while the fingers of his other hand circled her most sensitive spot. They fell into a heated dance, each thrust making them hotter and hotter, burning from the inside out. Finally, when she could bear it no longer, Natalie pulsed around him, a supernova of light bursting behind her eyelids as he found his own release.
He rested his head on her shoulder, his ragged breathing warm against her, lightly stroking her back and sides. Jameson brushed his lips over her collarbone before raising his head to smile down at her.
“Maybe next time we’ll even make it to the bed,” Jameson laughed.
“Or at least as far as the stairs.”
Chapter Six
In the pre-dawn light of the next morning, Jameson crept back to his house. It’d rained overnight, the cool mist rising wraithlike from the ground to dissipate into fog. Droplets accumulated on his clothes and in just the few minutes from Natalie’s house to his, his hair was soaked. He slipped and slid on the sodden fallen leaves as he carefully opened the gate, mindful of the way it creaked. He grabbed his morning paper and put his foot on the steps when he caught sight of his father seated in the rocker in the shadows of the porch, his coffee mug a flash of white in the gray morning.
“Morning.” His father greeted him with a nearly unforgivable level of cheer.
“Gonna lecture me, Dad?” Jameson rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like a kid.
“You’re a big boy, son. It’s not like when I caught you creeping over the back fence when you were Kieran’s age.” Chris put his coffee mug down and picked up his keys. He squinted at his son before tossing his keys in his hand, the cheery jingle overly loud in the still morning air. “You could do a lot worse than Coach Nat. She’s good people.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Jameson flushed.
“Bring her to supper sometime. Tonight, if you’d like. I’m making chicken chili during my shift. I’ll bring some home.”
“I’m not sure we’re quite at the supper with the family point yet.”
“Son, you’re doing the crack of dawn walk of shame with one of your employees, who also happens to be your son’s football coach.” Chris chuckled and stood. “You’re past the are-we-involved point.”
“She’s not from here, dad.” Jameson leaned against the porch pillar and crossed his arms over his chest before he voiced the thought that had been plaguing him all morning. “She’s just a substitute. She’ll go home to Virginia Beach and everything will be like it was before.”
“I’ve seen Cupid catch a lot of folks in my time. They never know when they’re done for.” Chris slapped his son’s shoulder as he headed down the stairs to his pickup truck. “When you fall in love, nothing’s ever like it was before.”
“I’m not in love,” Jameson protested, his heart slamming into his chest. He definitely hadn’t signed on for that. He wasn’t ready to fall in love again or maybe ever, after the mess he’d made of it the first time.
“Just keep telling yourself that, son.” Chris laughed and started the truck, waving before he drove out of sight, leaving his son to ponder his life all on his own.
On Friday night, Jameson headed over to the football field. Before the game, he walked among the parents and milling students, chatting easily, as he did every week. But something was different about the crowd tonight. It seemed slightly larger than the usual parents of team members and cheerleaders Friday night game crew. Perhaps people were beginning to notice the team was doing better?
Stacy Mulligan, the school librarian, shot him a beaming smile and a thumbs up which he returned, confused. A mom in line for coffee at Joe Lockhart’s coffee truck recommended the lovely new restaurant out by Harper’s Ferry, as being just perfect for date night. When he reached the front, Joe gave him two cups of coffee “on the house.” Jameson climbed the bleachers and sat next to his father, attired from head to foot in silver and blue Ashford Falls Panthers gear.
“Was that the fundraiser hat from my Junior year?”
“Nope.” His father snagged the second cup of coffee and sipped it. “It was from mine.” Jameson chuckled and waved to Kieran and Natalie. They were too busy huddled together to acknowledge him but the cheerleaders all broke into giggles. Alice Wells raised her head from her notebook. She glared at Jameson as though he’d done something to interrupt her, before returning to her scribbling.
Jameson sighed. “Everyone knows, don’t they?”
“About you and the coach?” His father straightened his Panthers lap rug to ward off the chill of the October evening, carefully not meeting Jameson’s eyes. After a long pause, Chris finally answered. “Yep.”
“Don’t sugarcoat it, Dad. I can handle it.”
“You didn’t think you’d be able to keep it a secret, did ya?” Chris grinned at him. “Not in Ashford Falls.”
“Well, maybe not a secret but I didn’t expect you and Kieran to blab.”
“Don’t blame me or the boy,” Chris protested. “I didn’t say anything about her coming over for dinner.”
“Well, then, how come everyone knows?”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Son, you practically sky-write it every time you look at each other.”
“We do not.” Jameson snapped.
His father laughed. Annoyed, Jameson headed down the bleachers to the sideline, just in time to see the kickoff. Natalie raised her eyebrows at him as he joined her on the sideline but she quickly became too absorbed in the game to pay him much mind. Jameson had little to do but think as he watched the opposing team score two quick touchdowns.
Natalie gathered her offensive line around her, two bright cherry-colored spots of color high on her cheeks, and her eyes sparkling as she talked to the kids. Jameson liked the way she addressed them, not condescending but direct and to the point. She spoke to them like adults and, as Jameson watched, they responded to her. She really was an excellent coach.
On the next drive, they came within five yards of the end zone before Kieran’s fumble ruined the drive. His son walked off the field, his shoulders slumped, dejection written in every line of his body. Jameson wanted to go say something comforting to his son but instead, Natalie flung an arm around his shoulders and stood on her tip toes to whisper something to Kieran. His son huffed out a laugh and joined his teammates on the bench. Jameson smiled to see how well she related to his teenager, never an easy job.
Natalie’s laser focus returned to the game as Jameson thought about her joining them for dinner the Saturday before, and how much fun they’d all had playing board games afterward. She fitted in his life, like a puzzle piece slotting into place. Natalie really was perfect for him; he liked her, he enjoyed chatting with her and considered her a friend, as well as being the hottest lover he’d ever had.
Jameson groaned when, on the second drive, the offense got within field goal range. Unfortunately, the enthusiastic kicker, startled to be called onto the field at last, went wide. The score remained zero as the tension built on Natalie’s face.
He hated seeing her grim misery. Jameson cared about her more th
an he was willing to admit, more than he was ready to admit.
Maybe his dad was right. Maybe Cupid had smacked him with one of his arrows. It wasn’t love yet, but it could grow to be; the potential was there. Jameson ignored his racing heart, trying to focus on the dismal game to keep any inconvenient realizations at bay.
Finally, as the other team racked up score after score, the Panthers finally got the ball back long enough to get within end zone range. Then Kieran attempted to hand off the ball to Bobby but between the two of them they bobbled it. The ball landed on the grass, in no one’s possession. Kieran scooped it up, recovering it for his team, and dashed for the end zone. The surprised other team didn’t react as the mud flew up behind Kieran’s cleats. In seconds, he crossed the white line into the end zone.
“Touchdown!” the announcer screamed.
Natalie whooped with joy and beamed at Jameson, jumping up and down with glee.
Before he could over-think it, he scooped Natalie into his arms and kissed her, full on the mouth.
It was only a brief kiss, nothing like the passionate, deep kisses they usually enjoyed. But it was enough; enough for Jameson to put his heart on the line for the entire town to see.
The deafening cheers in the stadium rocked through him as her team dragged her away to huddle around her, celebrating their single score with the fervent joy of a championship win. Natalie jumped around, hugging and celebrating with her boys, until the referee came over to remind her they still had seconds on the clock. She shooed the boys out onto the field to finish the game, carefully not looking at Jameson.
“I thought we were keeping things quiet,” she murmured.
“Probably pointless here in Ashford Falls. Everyone knows already anyway.” It dawned on Jameson that he should have talked to her before he abruptly took their budding relationship public. “I’m sorry. I just got caught up and…”
“I can’t talk now. Meet me at the coffeeshop later.” Natalie hustled her team toward the locker rooms. Jameson watched, his heart sinking. Maybe he wouldn’t get a happy ending after all.
Pumpkin Spice (Cupid's Coffeeshop Book 10) Page 3
