Chantal, Jillian - Surfer Bride (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Jillian Chantal

  “No fair,” she laughed, “you cheated.” She shoved him aside and darted past him to the door.

  Finn had the key in his hand and stood over her to unlock the door. He pressed against her. Couldn’t help it. Being near her was driving him mad. His penis was hard as a rock with desire for her. She still had the scent of the ocean that he remembered and overlaying that was the scent he recognized. She may be denying it, pretending she doesn’t notice how hard I am, but she wants me. I know it. I can tell she’s wet. It’s like we were never apart.

  “You gonna open the door, cop?”

  “Yeah. I guess so. Since you insist.” He stuck the key in the lock.

  “Thought you were cold.”

  “Not anymore. I seem to have gotten warm pretty fast.” He opened the door and followed her in, bereft as she moved away from him.

  “The run heat you up?” she asked over her shoulder.

  “You could say that. Or not.”

  Quincy didn’t look back at him. She bounded over to the small bedroom, went in, shut the door, and yelled through it. “I’m getting on my suit. You coming with me?”

  “Yeah. I can’t let you out of my sight.” Not only because of the job, but because I’m bewitched all over again.

  Within seconds, she came through the door. She wore a T-shirt over what he presumed was her suit. He grabbed his jacket. “If I’m gonna sit on the beach while you’re out there freezing your tail off, I’m gonna be warm.”

  She passed by where he stood and punched him in the arm. “Wimp.”

  He rubbed his arm as if she’d hurt him. “Yeah. That’s me. A total wimp.”

  She tilted her head. “Maybe not a total wimp. You did come to get me from Bali.”

  He bowed low. “If that’s a thank you, you’re welcome.”

  She dipped her chin. “Yes, that’s a thank you. A very sincere thank you.”

  He quirked an eyebrow, “I can think of another way for you to thank me.”

  “Stop it, Finn. Don’t push me.”

  She walked over to the door and went out.

  Almost before Finn got the door shut, Quincy had run across the boardwalk and sand. Tossed the T-shirt over her head and threw it down. She was in the water in just a few seconds after that. Finn followed at an amble. It would be a while. It was her favorite way to unwind. He knew it as well as he knew his own name. The woman was a creature of the ocean, and his two year absence from her life had done nothing to change that.

  Finn sat in the sand, leaned back against a palm tree, and settled in for a long wait.

  Finn sat and watched Quincy swim and float around. She mostly just floated on the waves. He thought over the way he’d treated her two years before and the way she seemed to be responding to being around him now. He resolved to trust her, to believe she wasn’t a woman like his mother, and to put all his jealousy of Craig Miller aside. She’d said that she and Craig were friends and always would be. He knew he’d have to believe that if he was going to have any chance at all to be in her life.

  As he saw her swim, he made a conscious decision to accept that friendship in her life and move past it, to make an effort to befriend the man himself. He knew it’d be hard. Miller was a fine looking man, and it would be hard to watch Quincy be around him, to watch the man he’d looked at as a rival put his hands on her. It sure seemed like Miller was always touching her. But he’d do it, be friends with the guy, if that’s what it took to win her.

  Resolved to tell her all that when she got out of the water, he stood and wiped the sand off the back of his pants. He paced the beach for a few minutes until she got out of the water.

  Quincy stood up in the spume. He gasped at her beautiful body. How could he have forgotten how exquisite she looked in that red knitted bikini he’d bought her? He remembered her delight when he’d given it to her. He’d accompanied her on a trip to a competition in Costa Rica and while she practiced, and he’d found it in one of the shops on the beach. Glad to see she kept it even if she was upset with me. That has to mean something, doesn’t it? Stop it, moron, she just likes the suit is all.

  As she stepped out of the ocean, Quincy grabbed her hair and pulled it over her shoulder to wring it out. She walked toward where Finn stood. “Hey there, did I take too long?” She shivered.

  He held out her T-shirt. “You’re cold. Put this on.”

  She took it from his hands and pulled it over her head. “That’s better.”

  “I can’t resist asking this, Q.”

  “What? Like I said earlier, you can ask me anything.”

  He snorted. “Yeah. I doubt that. As I recall, there’s still a question from our last conversation that you haven’t answered.”

  She shrugged. “What’s the new question then?”

  “Ah. So, I can’t ask you anything.”

  “I said you could ask. I didn’t say I’d answer, Finn. That’s a whole other matter. Answers, that is.” She shrugged.

  “You haven’t changed at all. Still sassy.” He grinned.

  In a quiet voice, she said, “I have changed, Finn. I’m not as vulnerable as I was. I’ll never let my heart go like I did once.”

  From the look she gave him, he knew she meant with him. It broke his heart to know what an ass he’d been, how he’d hurt her.

  He reached toward her. “Q. I’m sorry. I hate what I—”

  “Never mind. You had a question.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t ask.”

  “Now you have to.”

  “Ok. I will. I see you have on the red suit I bought you in Central America. I just wondered why you kept it.” He tilted his head. “If you hated me, why keep the suit? It has to remind you of making love with me in the sand on the beach in Costa Rica.”

  She shook her head. “I confess I had it packed away. I pulled it out to take to Bali with me. After I saw you.”

  His heart soared. “After you kissed me on the beach?”

  She laughed. “As I recall, it was you who kissed me. Not the other way around.”

  He took a step toward her. “Want to do it again?”

  She took a step back. “No. I don’t. Let’s get back to the apartment. We need some sleep. It’s an early morning tomorrow.”

  He shrugged. “I had to try.”

  She turned to walk back across to the apartment. “You did, and you failed. C’mon. I’m ready to shower and get to bed. I can’t wait to get home.”

  He trailed behind her. This time when he unlocked the door, he didn’t try to press against her. He needed to give her space. He knew he was pushing her too fast.

  She went into the bedroom for a couple of minutes. She came out with her shower gear and headed to the bathroom. As she passed Finn sitting on the couch, she said, “I notice there’s only one bedroom. Do the cops usually sleep with the witnesses?”

  He looked up at her. “No. The Special Agents sit out here and keep vigil. Usually people stashed here are in danger from very bad people. Special Agents sleep on their off time not on duty. So, no need for two bedrooms.”

  “So, you’ll take the couch?”

  “That’s what I just said.”

  She looked at the smallness of the sofa where he sat. “But you’re much larger than me. Wouldn’t it be better for me to sleep on the couch?”

  “No. Don’t worry about it. I’ve slept in worse.”

  “I just bet you have.” She turned around and walked into the bathroom.”

  In just a few seconds, he heard the water running. It drove him mad to know she was in the next room, naked, wet, and soapy. He spent the whole time she was in the shower fantasizing over all the memories of them making love in various bodies of water and hotel showers. He thought of how the soap always foamed over her breasts and how he’d liked to lick it off her rounded curves, taking her nipples in his mouth last. He groaned at the memories and stood up to go outside to cool off just as she came out of the bathroom in a large mens’ T-shirt.

  She looked at him. The size of
his erection was unmistakable. She put her hand to her mouth. “Oh my.”

  He was on her in two steps. He pulled her against him and plundered her mouth with his. His tongue teased hers, and he nipped her on the bottom lip.

  She threw her arms around him and pressed her hips to his. She returned his kiss, as desperate as him.

  He tugged her bottom toward him and slid his hand up her back, under the shirt. The tips of his fingers ran lightly up and down her spine.

  She was on her tip toes as she ran her hand across the nape of his neck.

  Still kissing her, he moved her backward toward the couch. When the backs of his calves hit the sofa, he sat and dragged her down on top of him. His right hand went around to cup her breast and he murmured into her mouth, “I love you, baby. I want you.”

  She sat bolt upright, back to her senses. She jumped off his lap, a little chagrined as he grimaced at the pain in his groin.

  She skittered across the room to the bedroom door and leaned on it. “Finn. I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  He didn’t get up. He physically couldn’t for the moment. He stared at her in disbelief. “What do you mean? You clearly have feelings for me. You couldn’t respond like that if you didn’t.”

  “I’m not denying that I want you. What I’m saying is that I can’t do this. What you want.”

  He stood and made a move toward her.

  She held her hand up. “Stop. Don’t come closer.”

  “Quincy.” His words were a plea.

  “Finn. Don’t.” She opened the door to the bedroom.

  “Just tell me why, Q. Tell me why.”

  The tears streamed down her face. “Because if I sleep with you while I’m engaged to Percy, I’ll be exactly what you thought I was two years ago when you thought I cheated on you with Craig. I am not that kind of person and—”

  “I know you aren’t. I trust you. I was wrong about Craig. I know you didn’t cheat on me.”

  “If I sleep with you now, Finn, you’ll never be able to trust me. You’ll always have that in the back of your mind. It’ll be in your head that I did the same with Craig as you want me to do with you. You’ll always think that I’m a cheat and a liar. That I’m like your mother.”

  “I won’t. I know you aren’t like her. I promise I’ll never mistrust you again. It was the worst mistake of my life, and I promise it’ll never happen again.”

  She shook her head. “You can’t promise that, Finn. You can’t. You couldn’t control it. The doubts of my fidelity would always be there.” She turned, went in the room, and shut the door.

  He heard the lock click, locking him away from his love. He sat on the couch with his head in his hands.

  * * * *

  Quincy leaned on the door and looked around at the bedroom. The lonely room felt doubly empty to her. Since she knew she could walk back out the door and be with the man who always knew the right way to bring her to bliss, she steeled her spine and resolved to keep strong. You can’t give in to lust. There’s no way he’s changed. He can talk all day, but he’s still the same. If you sleep with him, he’ll think he was right about you.

  She sighed at the drabness of the room. Plain and sparse, a bedside table with a clock and a Bible and, across the room, a dresser with a small television on top. No other furniture in the room. There was nothing on the walls but paint.

  She walked over and lay down on the bed, her hands behind her head. Deep sigh. May as well look at the ceiling for all the stimulus this room offers. What kind of place is this? Enough to drive a protected witness into the street hoping for a truck to smash them to smithereens. She giggled. It was better than fretting about the man in the other room. She knew she wanted him. She wanted him to be the stimulus in the room. Oh how she wanted him to stimulate her senses.

  Quincy sat up and punched her pillow. She lay on her stomach and closed her eyes. In a couple of minutes, she faced the clock. After she stared at the little red analog numbers for a full five minutes, she flipped and faced the other wall. Within a few minutes, she lay on her back again and stared at the ceiling. She fought the bed for hours and punched her pillow over and over, trying to find a comfortable spot that would allow her to rest. All night long, she fought her inclination to run to the other room and leap on Finn. Finally, around dawn, she fell into a deep sleep.

  After what seemed like less than twenty minutes, a rap on the door startled her awake. “Quincy. Q, can you hear me? We need to get ready for the airport.”

  “I’m up. I’m up.” She sat up, ran her hands through her hair and winced in pain. She has snarls from hell. Tons of them. God, I really beat up my bed last night. Hell, I beat up myself.

  She put her bare feet to the floor and padded across the room, wearing her favorite nightwear, an oversized T-shirt, and panties. She opened the door and peered out at him. “I’ll just be a moment.”

  She had to grab the doorknob for support. Finn stood just outside the bedroom, looking all clean and wonderful. His face freshly shaven and so handsome. His hair still damp, it was all she could do not to reach up and touch it. She’d always loved the smell of his freshly shampooed hair and the scent of him when he got out of the shower. Her knees went weak as the remembered smell wafted over her. He smelled like Head and Shoulders and Irish Spring. It was his special smell that she adored.

  Finn looked down at her and flicked her hair. “What happened here?”

  “What?” She put her hand up to her head.

  “Looks like Medusa moved in.”

  “Very funny.” She flounced past him to the little bathroom. She had to move away. She had to before she made a fool of herself.

  She took a quick shower and pulled her hair back in an elastic band. Finn was right. It looked like Medusa’s tresses.

  Once Quincy was dressed and had all her gear back in her bag, they headed out the door to the waiting Expedition. It was a different driver than the day before. They rode in the back again, and the driver took them back to LAX and dropped them at the check-in area.

  Finn got out first and handed Quincy her bag. “I got the only direct flight today. Five hours total. Paid extra but figured we didn’t want to change planes in Cincinnati. I figured you were tired of planes.” He swung his bag. “Not checking my bag, are you?”

  “Nah. But I would like to go to the check-in desk to see if I can upgrade us to first class. It’ll be my treat.” She smiled at him. “I don’t want to be squeezed in the back row again.”

  “Even without hand cuffs?”

  “Even without.”

  “But it’s so cozy back there.” He winked. “We could cuddle.”

  “Being too cozy is precisely why I want to be in the front. I’m not going to cuddle with you, Finn.” She flounced across the sidewalk and to the door. She looked back at him. “You coming?”

  He shrugged, disappointed. “Yeah. I’m coming.”

  They got upgraded and to the gate early enough to enjoy a cup of coffee and a bagel. After she swallowed a bite of her bagel, Quincy said, “Thanks for being so nice today. This is a change from the last flight, huh?”

  “I was trying to be nice on the other flight, Q. I just couldn’t let anyone know I was a friend of yours.”

  “Is that what we are? Friends?” She took a swallow of her coffee.

  “I’d like to think so.” He squeezed her thigh.

  She nodded once. “I think I can live with that.”

  “It’s a start.” Finn’s phone rang. He held up his index finger. “Hang on.” He opened the phone. “Fennimore Smith.”

  All Quincy could hear was his end of the conversation. “Yes. I’ll be at Miami International around five-thirty p.m. with the time change.” Pause. “Yes. I have her with me.” Pause. “Yes, I’m fine.” Pause. “No, no need for the club.” Pause. “Coop, I’m fine. Really.”

  When he closed the phone, Quincy said, “Your brother?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He worried about you for some reason?”

/>   Finn turned to face her and put his hand on her cheek. “Yeah, seems like he thinks you’re gonna hurt me again.”

  Her jaw dropped and she slapped his hand away. “Me hurt you? What the hell—”

  “From his perspective. Remember, all he knows is my side. And we do have the same mother.”

  “You both have issues, is right. I have no idea what club you were talking about, but you two belong to a club, all right.”

  He laughed. “I’ll tell you the story about that club sometime. I was subjected to a meeting of it before I came to get you. I think we need more members. Dilute the blood so to speak.”

  She glared at him. “I’m not even going to try to understand that. Waste of brain cells.”

  Before he could say anything, the airline staff person called the flight. They stood and made their way to the boarding door, tossing their trash in the can on the way.

  Once they were airborne, Quincy said, “I didn’t sleep much last night. I may end up taking a nap.”

  Finn put his hand on top of hers where it rested on the arm rest. “Are you all right?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’d have thought you’d sleep like the dead your first night in a real bed.”

  “Oh yeah, that. I thought I would, too, but it didn’t happen.”

  “Why?”

  “I had too much on my mind.”

  His hand still on hers, Finn looked in her eyes. “I hope it was me. I hope the thought of me hard and wanting you on the other side of the door was the reason you didn’t sleep.”

  “No.”

  “You said that too fast. I don’t believe you.”

  She pulled her hand out of his. “Don’t use your interrogation techniques on me, cop.”

  He laughed. “Can’t help it, sweetheart. It’s who I am.”

  She sighed. “I know. I know.” She waved the stewardess over and when she got to their seats, said, “Can I get a blanket and pillow?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The woman bustled off to do her passenger’s bidding.