Back with the Stuntman_A Single Dad Second Chance Romance)

by Amanda Horton

  I shook my head. I didn’t want to think right now, I just wanted to enjoy the presence of a man I actually respected. A man who wasn’t promising me anything, but also wasn’t cheating on me.

  As we reached the doors to our rooms after the walk I didn’t want to let Jeff go. I knew I had to, but…

  “Now that’s what I call a proper evening stroll — sunset, palm trees swaying in the wind, a beautiful woman on my arm…” Jeff grinned at me and winked, but I could sense the warmth radiating from him, too. The desire. The kindness. It made my legs feel like jelly. As I looked into his eyes, I wanted to kiss him goodnight.

  Scrap that: I wanted to throw myself at him and tear his clothes off. But, I reminded myself, not now. Not yet. I needed to know more.

  “I fully agree with you. That was one hell of an evening stroll!” I remarked. “Now I need my beauty sleep. As do you. It’s a full day tomorrow!”

  “So it is, so it is,” Jeff nodded, looking just a tad disappointed. “Alrighty then, good night and sweet dreams to you!”

  “And you,” I said and disappeared into my room before I did something I’d regret.

  As I stepped inside, I checked my cell that I’d left behind. There was a message from Bill.

  “Really Pat, I’m sorry. I’ve looked for you everywhere in L.A. Please. We need to talk. I need to see you. We need to make this right. I love you.”

  Oh, please. We? No, he needed to make it right. Still, I wasn’t interested.

  “I’m in Hawaii, filming. Leave me be, Bill. I’m not interested in making things right. We’ve had our time and it’s over. I want a divorce and nothing will change my mind.”

  Fuming, I got ready for bed — this was not the kind of thing I had expected to ruin my peace!

  Chapter 8

  Pat

  “Pat, are you ready?” The director shouted.

  “Ready,” I said as I sat on the bed. Ready as I’d ever get — this was a scene where my character asserted herself as the sexy red-head femme fatale that she truly was. She was getting ready for a night of detective work in a club and put on sexy lingerie underneath her outfit. My character was a bombshell who’d always wear lace underneath her outfits for that sexy feeling. No matter no one would see her naked — she knew what she was wearing. I made a mental note to update my own lingerie section when I got back to L.A. — I wanted to feel just as sexy, even if I had a different sense of style than Victoria. I was an artist at heart, but I did like satin and lace, just a bit more…cute and quirky than the daring outfits Victoria went for.

  I saw Jeff was in the background, doing something. I blushed. This was about Victoria, I reminded myself — nothing to do with Jeff.

  “Camera rolling…and action!” The director yelled.

  Slowly I rolled up the stocking. Adjusted the leather skirt. Tucked in the satin shirt. Then I stood, put on my heels and, finally, stuck the gun in the holster on my leg, underneath the skirt.

  I was feeling Victoria — the woman who risked her life on a day-to-day basis to fight the bad guys. A woman who’d had to grow strong, steely, or she’d break. Almost numb to some things. But still, a woman who had a heart underneath the tough exterior.

  I threw one look in the mirror, added some lip gloss and then headed for the door, grabbing a jacket on my way out.

  “And cut! That was perfect. I like it. We really get to know her better here. Fine. It’s a wrap for today. We’re ahead of schedule today so make the most out of this evening as we have a ton to get through tomorrow.”

  I looked towards the director and saw Jeff staring at me. His gaze was intense. I swore there was heat in those blue eyes of his…

  This was just my character, I reminded myself. It was Victoria he had the hots for. Quickly I went to a room that had been set aside for me to change. We were filming most scenes on a small set that had been built in an abandoned factory. If the series was green lighted, I’d spend a lot of time in this place.

  As I changed, I suddenly felt lonely. Maui was paradise, but there was no one to return to at the end of the night. Just an empty hotel room. I sighed. At least there wasn’t a cheating husband! I shook my head. I couldn’t believe Bill had looked for me in L.A.! He’d tried calling a few times when I first left, and sent several apologies, but then he went silent. I assumed he got the message, but apparently not. Maybe he thought I’d come crawling home and when I didn’t, he panicked?

  There was no point wasting time thinking about it. It was over. I didn’t regret the first part of our marriage, but back when I was around thirty-nine, realized he was cheating and still had the chance of getting pregnant, I should have left. I frowned. Hadn’t I just decided not to think about it?

  A knock on the door interrupted my reveries.

  “Pat?” I heard Jeff’s voice call.

  “Come in,” I replied.

  “Hey,” Jeff said as he walked in. “Fancy some company? Shaun and Monica are on some all day, all evening excursion and I don’t feel like working tonight. It’s still light outside, so I thought I’d go for a bike ride. Wanna join?”

  I lit up. I didn’t have to be alone, after all.

  “Sure! I’m game. Where do you want to go?”

  “How about you ride on my bike so we don’t have to drive at snail speed and I take you to this diner I know on a cliff, looking over the ocean?”

  “Now that sounds like the kind of place I’d like,” I said.

  “You will. It’s a diner, but it serves oysters and champagne. It’s a seafood diner with a very unique menu, let’s just put it that way.”

  “I’m intrigued. Lead the way!”

  We both got into our motorbiking gear and headed out to Jeff’s bike.

  “I’m kinda glad you’re driving,” I said. “I could use a break from always thinking about what I’m doing. It’s not like driving a car yet, where I’m all relaxed.”

  “It will be one day.”

  “I know, especially if this series goes ahead, but for now, a break is nice!”

  “I hear ya!”

  Then we got on the bike, Jeff revved the engine and off we went.

  Sitting so close to Jeff made my body tingle in a pleasant way. Silly, I chided myself. But it felt so solid, so reliable and good. I just wanted to relax into him, feeling protected and safe. So, I did. Who says one can’t take a liberty, or two?

  As we drove along the coast I breathed in the sea air and smiled happily. The sun would soon start to set and the ride back would probably be in the last light of sunset.

  The longer we drove the more I became aware of Jeff’s body. What was wrong with me? The scent of him soon overpowered the scent of our surroundings. I felt his muscles move with each twist and turn. And with each muscle moving I wanted to scream. If my body had ever ached for a man, it was now, for this man. I felt like I was twenty again…

  Suddenly Jeff slowed down.

  “Hey, how about I take you to a secret hang-out first?”

  “Sure,” I replied — I’d probably agreed to a trip to the moon with him at that point.

  Jeff turned into a dust road, that led into the forest. Soon we were surrounded by trees.

  Then, suddenly the trees opened up to a beautiful glen with a waterfall. I felt my eyes open wide — it was like something out of a movie.

  Jeff stopped the bike and let me get off, then got off himself and removed his helmet.

  “This is beautiful,” I said, as I took off my helmet and shook out my red hair — it shone in the evening sun.

  “It is, isn’t it,” Jeff said. “So are you,” he then added, studying me as I shook my hair.

  “Thank you,” I said and gently reached out to touch his arm. He grabbed hold of it. Then he turned fully towards me. “Pat?”

  “Yes,” I replied, my voice but a whisper as I felt like I couldn’t breathe when he looked at me like that.

  “Do you still feel we should just be friends?”

  His eyes were intense as he studied my r
eaction. I could see lust in them, but also respect and…kindness. He cared about what I thought. And I knew he would respect my wishes.

  “No, maybe not,” I replied.

  “Maybe?”

  “Well, I’m not sure it would work out…if that’s what you mean?”

  “Yes, that’s what I mean.”

  So, he meant a relationship, not just sex…

  “We could try,” I whispered. “Slowly. Dating. See where it takes us.”

  “Slowly?” He asked and stepped closer. Now I really couldn’t breathe properly. I felt every cell in my body tingle.

  “Mhm,” I replied.

  “Like this?” he asked and kissed me. Slowly. Thoroughly. His lips teasing mine, his tongue exploring. I moaned and he deepened the kiss. Still slow; seductive. I felt like I wanted to get closer, even though I was standing just next to him.

  “I want you,” I said and he broke free for a second to look at my face. His gaze was inquisitive, as if he wanted to find out if I really meant it. I did. Looking reassured, he smiled.

  “I think we should go for a swim,” he said.

  “I don’t have my bikini,” I replied, still breathless from the kiss. I hadn’t wanted him to stop. The ache inside of me was by no means growing less painful.

  “That’s the point. Let’s skinny dip.” He grinned.

  “Skinny dip? I haven’t skinny dipped since I was like twenty-five!”

  “So, now is the time to do it. Come on. Wearing leather in this heat has made me steaming hot.” He looked at me. “In more ways than one. I need to cool off.”

  And then he started undressing. I soon joined him and he looked at me as intently as I looked at him. I wanted to see him — all of him. Judging from his gaze, he felt the same. The need in his eyes made me feel comfortable. I wanted to show him who I was. Unlike some women I’d never been ashamed of my body; I’d always looked after myself and never desired to be super thin, or any curvier than I was. Some women had better asses, some firmer breasts, but I was happy in my skin. I was no longer a twenty-year-old with a twenty-year-old's body, but I was now sexually experienced and happy. At twenty, I didn’t know which way to turn in the bedroom. Now I just liked to explore. And I knew Jeff wanted to explore me.

  As he started to remove his shirt, I whistled.

  Jeff laughed.

  “Look at those muscles,” I said with a wink.

  “Hard work,” Jeff replied. “Fun work.”

  “And this scar?” I asked as I walked up to him. I was now wearing only my panties and Jeff’s eyes were clouded with desire as he took me in.

  “This one?” Jeff asked and pointed at his right bicep.

  I nodded and touched it with the tip of my finger. My breasts were now almost touching his bare torso. As I touched him with my finger he shivered.

  “You do things to me…” He mumbled. “I got it from a fall. Fell off the bike in too tight a turn. I wasn’t always wise, or risk averse.”

  Then he grabbed me in an embrace and let his hands travel down my back, eventually grabbing my ass.

  “You still have your panties on,” he whispered in my ear, nibbling at my earlobe.

  “So what are you going to do about it?” I asked, teasing him.

  “Hmm, let’s see…” He reached down and in one swift movement pulled them down.

  Then I removed his boxers and felt his hard on press against my skin.

  His hands moved through my hair and he pulled me in for a deep kiss. This time it was rough; hungry. I moaned loudly and a bird took off. At first, I tensed; it suddenly occurred to me that we were in a public place.

  Jeff seemed to have read my thoughts.

  “You like adventure, don’t you? This is adventure. This is freedom. Sex, in the open. In the wild.”

  I did like it. I’d always liked exploring, but I’d never had sex in a place like this — totally out in the open.

  “I like adventure with you,” I replied.

  “Good, because it’s kind of my thing,” Jeff said and grabbed my hair harder. It turned me on, feeling him controlling me. His hands then traveled down my body, exploring. He took a step back as he fondled my breasts, drinking me in with his eyes. Then he leaned forward and kissed my throat and neck, working his way down to the breasts. My nipples were so hard they actually hurt as his tongue explored them.

  “God, Jeff,” I moaned.

  He kept exploring. He kissed my belly, as he knelt down, grabbing my ass with his hands. Then he opened my legs and explored the wetness between them.

  At that point, I felt like I was in pain all over — like my body would explode with lust.

  Then, all of a sudden, Jeff pulled away and stood up, looking at me with a sense of heat I’d never seen in a man. I’d seen heat, but his was different. He was so intense. I felt the power of him pulsating inside of me with every heartbeat.

  “Let’s swim,” he said.

  I nodded, breathless and he took my hand and walked with me to the water. Then he kissed me again, before leading me to the water’s edge.

  “Come on, it’ll feel sweet.”

  And it did. As the warm water enveloped my body, it felt like an embrace in its own right.

  Once we’d entered the water fully, Jeff pulled me towards him, and lifted me up so that I could wrap my legs around his hips.

  As we made out in the water, I rubbed myself against his hard body. I felt his desire course through me. He was moaning, saying my name over and over again. As he held me, I felt his muscles work. It was pure male essence.

  “I can’t take this anymore,” I breathed, “I need you Jeff, please.”

  He looked at me, blue eyes smiling with delight.

  “Your wish is my command. Let’s get a towel from the saddle bag and lie down.”

  We walked up to the bike and Jeff got the towel. I couldn’t help but admire his body as he stood next to the bike naked and dripping wet — it was the sexiest thing I had ever seen.

  He turned, threw the towel on the ground, sat down and reached out to pull me towards him. I knelt in front of him, taking him in my mouth, then, when he couldn’t take it anymore, worked my way up to his mouth and straddled him.

  “You’re a goddess, Pat,” he said.

  I felt it. My red hair blew in the gentle breeze as I sat on top of him. I was free. I was in paradise. And this moment, so out in the open, felt like a protected bubble that belonged to myself and Jeff.

  As I felt him inside me, I moaned, loudly. He was hard. And felt so good.

  “Jeff, oh please, Jeff,” I panted.

  Our rhythm grew more and more intense until finally we both came in one big explosion that I felt certain could be heard all the way to the moon.

  Chapter 9

  Jeff

  The morning after making love to Pat, I woke up with a grin on my face. At first, I thought it was a dream, but then I remembered the love making session out in the open, followed by champagne at the seafood diner. I could barely drink as I was driving, but Pat enjoyed two glasses and we shared a platter of the most divine Hawaiian treats. It was the best night I’d had in years.

  The intensity of our lovemaking was something I hadn’t experienced since Jen died. This was the first time in years I felt truly engaged in the sex. The other women had just been for fun. This was more. So much more. There was a genuine connection. And I loved how liberated she was out by the waterfall. Those eyes that had been so sad when we first bumped into each other on Mulholland had steadily grown happier and last night, they were filled with lust. Pure, unadulterated lust.

  I shivered just thinking about it. I wanted to make love all night, but I think we both felt like there was a tomorrow. We said we would take it slow. Spending the whole night together wouldn’t have honored that agreement. We needed breathers. Too much too soon would mess with us both. But that didn’t mean I didn’t want it. I was so hard just thinking about her it was all I could do not to run over to her room, and bang on her door… />
  Thankfully Shaun was there to distract me.

  “Wake up, Daddy, I want breakfast. Monica is still asleep and I heard her say she was tired last night, so I don’t want to wake her.” Shaun was standing outside my door, knocking. It was a habit I had taught him early on: never enter a door without knocking.