by Addison Cole
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine…”
“It was a freak accident while they were on safari in Africa. A lion attack.” He breathed deeply.
“Oh, Jamie.” Her heart ached for him.
“Thank goodness for Vera; that’s all I can say. She was the best surrogate mother I could have had. I took her last name when I was a teenager. It felt like the right thing to do, and I’m glad I did.”
“Do you still live near her?” she asked. “She said she lives in Boston.”
“When we’re not at the Cape, she lives in an assisted living facility. I’m only five minutes away. I stop by and see her every day on my way home from work and on weekends. Take her out, that sort of thing.” His eyes softened. “I usually come to the Cape on weekends to spend time with her during the summer, but time is going by quickly. That’s why I’m here for the summer this year. I want to spend as much time with her as possible.”
Vera returned with a pleasant smile that reached her eyes. “It’s quite warm today. Why don’t you take me back to the cottage and the two of you can go enjoy the beach.”
Having just heard that Jamie wanted as much time with Vera as possible, Jessica didn’t want to monopolize him.
“Oh, goodness, thank you,” Jessica said. “But you must want to go to the pool and cool off. I can fend for myself this afternoon.”
Jamie took Vera’s arm as they made their way through the parking lot toward the car.
“I’ve had enough heat for one day. You two kids should go enjoy the sunshine.”
“You sure, Gram?” Jamie helped her into the car.
“Quite sure, dear.”
Jamie opened the car door for Jessica. “What do you say? Want to hit the beach for a while?”
You in a bathing suit? How on earth will I keep my lips off of you?
“Sure. I’d love to.”
Chapter Five
JAMIE HAD BEEN to the beach in the rain, fog, sweltering heat, and on gorgeous days such as today, and regardless of the weather, there was always a crowd. Cell phones didn’t work on the ocean beaches of the lower Cape, which made days spent there even more relaxing. This was his first time at the beach with Jessica, and he was especially glad that cell phones didn’t work there. The last thing he wanted was to be interrupted when he was with her. Besides, he worked hard, and he deserved a little private relaxation time without being tethered to emails and texts.
Jessica lay on her back in her light pink bikini, looking like she’d slipped off the page of a glossy magazine right onto the blanket. The bottoms tied on the sides and, thankfully, she wasn’t wearing a thong, given that Jamie’s body reacted to her every time they were close.
He lay on his side, perched on one elbow with a book beside him, although he hadn’t made it through a single page. He was too drawn to Jessica.
“What are you reading?” Her eyes were closed, the edges of her lips were curved in that sweet smile she sometimes tried to suppress, and she was so incredibly beautiful that it was hard for him not to stare.
“I’m not getting much reading done, but it’s one of Kurt Remington’s thrillers, When Evil Comes. Kurt is Leanna’s fiancé.”
She turned toward his voice and opened her eyes, shading them with her hand. “He’s an author?”
He nodded. “Bestselling author. He’s really good.”
She rolled onto her side, and her bikini top shifted, exposing the milky white fullness of her breast. He tried not to stare, but his eyes kept revisiting the view.
“That’s so cool.”
“That’s why he’s not around much this summer. He’s on a tight deadline, but I’m sure you’ll meet him at some point. He’s a great guy.” He wanted to touch her, to lay his hand on her hip, to kiss her lips, but he didn’t want to take a chance of embarrassing her on the beach. Instead, he set his book aside and moved closer, leaving only inches between them.
“I hope you didn’t mind that Vera was with us this morning. I’m glad you came along.”
“I really like your grandmother. She’s so nice, and you’re so sweet with her. I think I had more fun watching the two of you than looking around.” She was leaning on her elbow, just as he was.
Jamie moved his fingertips on top of hers on the sand and smiled. “Do you want to go in the water?”
“Maybe in a minute. Right now I want to just lie here with you.” Her eyes darkened, narrowed a little. “I like spending time with you.”
As if his other hand had a mind of its own, it landed on the hot, sun-kissed skin of her hip. She narrowed her eyes in an inviting, seductive way, and he inched closer, bringing them thigh to thigh.
“I like spending time with you, too. When we get back to Seaside we’ll see if you heard back from the seller of that baseball.” He loved that family was important enough to her that she wanted to track the baseball down for her father.
“I’d like that.”
“Do you mind if I ask where you’re taking a hiatus from? Where do you play your cello?”
A group of teenagers ran by and kicked sand on her legs and back before she could answer. She leaned forward, against his chest. Man, she felt good. Instinctively, he began brushing the sand from her legs, butt, and back. She leaned back, her hand still on his chest, her lips slightly parted. He flattened his hand on her back and pressed her to him as he lowered his lips to hers. She pressed her fingers into his chest and he deepened the kiss. Their tongues met in long, passionate strokes. He slid his hand up her back and buried it beneath her hair, cupping her head. She had the most sensuous lips he’d ever kissed, and as he angled her head, she opened them further and rolled onto her back. He slid his leg over hers. If he didn’t stop he’d never be able to, but she smelled like warm coconut and tasted hot and sweet. He couldn’t help but rock his hips against her thigh. The last thing he wanted to do was tear his lips from hers, but it’s what he needed to do, because in his effort to keep from embarrassing her, he was practically making love to her right there on the crowded beach, just feet from the lifeguard chair.
Her eyes fluttered open and her lips curved up. There wasn’t a hint of regret in her eyes. He loved kissing her, loved the way she looked at him. He touched her cheek, then pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
“I’m not even going to try to pretend that I don’t want to keep kissing you.”
She blushed. “I’d like that.”
She opened the door and he walked right in. Their lips met in another heated kiss. His resolve to back off liquefied, and his hand slid down her ribs to her hip and over the soft swell of her thigh. He eased back, softly kissing her lips a few times before forcing himself away again.
“Now I’m going to pretend I don’t want to kiss you, or we’re going to get kicked off the beach for indecent activities.”
That earned him a soft laugh. He moved his leg off of hers, allowing her the freedom to move. She remained on her back, the pulse at the base of her neck beating wildly, and a satisfied smile on her lips.
“Want to go in the water to cool off?” she asked.
“I think I need a minute.” Or ten, to let my body cool down.
They spent the rest of the afternoon swimming, kissing, and lying in the sun. As the afternoon sun disappeared and evening rolled in, they gathered their things and headed back to the parking lot. Jamie couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so relaxed and happy. They threw their things in the back of his car and he reached for her hand and drew her in close.
“I’m not ready for our day to end. How about if we go back to Seaside, see if you’ve heard back about the baseball, shower, then head into town for dinner and a walk?” He gazed into her eyes, and she flashed her dimples with a sweet smile.
“I’m not sure I know you well enough to shower together.” She lifted her brows and he had to kiss her again.
“Shoot. I had my hopes pinned on the shower.” He opened the car door for her and helped her in.
“What about Vera? Maybe we should in
vite her to dinner.”
“I love that you’re thinking of her, but I don’t think she’ll mind if we go alone.” He slid into the driver’s seat. “In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s at home hoping we stay out all night. I smelled matchmaking going on with her this afternoon.”
Back at Seaside, they checked her email and she still hadn’t heard back from the seller, so they sent another message.
“You know, we can probably find the seller’s actual store and then send a message there, too. Have you searched for it yet?” Jamie stood behind Jessica’s chair, looking over her shoulder at her laptop.
“Searched on eBay?” She looked up at him with eyes so wide and innocent he had to lean down and kiss her forehead.
“No, on OneClick.”
She drew her brows together. “Isn’t that a thing like Google? I always get lost when I’m searching. I end up spending an hour going from website to website and never find what I’m looking for.”
“Here, let me show you.” He sat beside her and typed in OneClick.com and the OneClick search window came up. “Type in My Mom Threw Out My Baseball Cards.”
“What’s that?”
“The name of his store. Didn’t you see it on eBay?”
She shook her head. “I only saw Seller.”
He put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. “I’ll give you a quick lesson on eBay after we do this.”
“No, that’s okay. After I find this baseball, I’m done. This stuff is hard for me. Give me sheet music or even just play a few notes, and I’ll pick it up fast, but this?” She pointed to the computer. “It’s like one big headache waiting to happen.”
“What would make it easier?” He searched for the store and found that it was no longer around. He turned his attention back to Jessica and made a mental note to do his own search later that evening.
“It would be easier if you did it for me.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “I can pay you in kisses.”
He drew her onto his lap. “Now, that’s a deal I’ll take.”
He sealed his lips over hers, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as she had the other night, only this time, he knew her mind was clear of alcohol. He liked kissing her even more without the distraction of wondering whether she’d remember it in the morning and if she’d regret it. She was still wearing her bikini beneath her sundress, and she felt so good that his hands began to wander, to her hips and her outer thighs. She tightened her arms around his neck and arched her chest into his. She was open to taking this further, but Jamie had never been a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of guy, and he really liked Jessica. Maybe more than he should after two days.
Tearing his lips from hers drew a groan from deep within him.
“You groaned.” A playful smile curved her lips.
“Yeah, I know.” He blew out a breath. “It was either that or…You’ve got to get off my lap before we head someplace you may regret.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why would I regret it?”
“I don’t know. Because you’re a woman, and…” He lifted her easily from his lap and set her on the other chair, then ran both hands through the sides of his hair to try to clear the lustful thoughts from his mind.
“And? Do women often regret being with you?” Her voice was serious, but her eyes were teasing.
He took her hands in his. “Not that I know of, but…It’s easy to jump into sleeping together. Three moves and we’re there.” He lowered his voice. “Not that I don’t want to make love to you. I can’t even think about it without getting all hot and bothered.”
She pinked up again, and oh, man, he liked her reactions.
He kissed the back of her hand. “I want to know you, Jess. I want to know about your life, your family, why you’re on a hiatus. If we start with a sexual relationship, I don’t know. It’s just that I like you too much to do that. It would feel like we were working backward.”
She let out a long breath. “Really? You don’t mind waiting?”
“Don’t mind? No. Jess. Do you mind? Maybe it’s just me, but this feels different from just another date. Being with you feels different.”
She dropped her eyes to their hands and bit her lower lip. He lifted her chin so he could see her eyes.
“What is it?”
“I…Okay, this is really hard to say aloud, but…” She closed her eyes for a beat, drew in a breath, then opened her eyes with a nervous smile. “I’m a little relieved.”
“Was I pressuring you?”
“No, no. Nothing like that. My body was pressuring me. I keep wanting to touch you, to go further, but I’m not used to all of this. Well, any of this, really. I almost never date, Jamie. I don’t spend the day at the beach or walk around flea markets with hot guys and a woman I could spend all day talking to. My life is hours of practicing my cello and evening concerts. I’m almost always in symphony mode. You know, prim, proper, demure. It’s been ingrained in my very soul since the time I was a little girl.”
“Jess, I like who you are. All of you.” Jamie loved how open and honest she was being, and he could tell that it wasn’t easy for her to reveal her innermost feelings to him. He wanted to reassure her, to let her know he wouldn’t push her.
“We’ll take it slow.”
She nodded, swallowing hard and blinking away the dampness in her eyes. “I don’t even know if I want to go slow. I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never wanted to touch anyone the way I want to touch you. You’re like…chocolate-covered potato chips. Sweet and salty. A guilty pleasure. Oh gosh, I’m making no sense.” She covered her face and he folded her into his arms.
Every single thing she did endeared her to him. She was completely different from any woman he’d ever dated, and he liked her more for it.
“You’re making total sense.”
She pressed both hands to his cheeks and gazed into his eyes. “Make no mistake about me wanting you. Ever since I beaned you with my phone and you smiled at me, I’ve wanted you, and then we kissed, and…I was a goner. As relieved as I am that we’ll take it slow, let’s not take it too slow, okay?”
He laughed, then touched his forehead to hers. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe we should have parameters, like a three-date rule or something.” She lifted one shoulder and blushed.
“Babe, tell me what you want and I’ll do the best I can, even if it means three cold showers a day. What is a three-date rule?”
“You know, like we won’t be intimate for three dates, then…” She lifted her shoulders. “Then I guess we go with whatever we feel.”
“Three dates? We went to the flea market, then the beach. Is that two?”
She laughed again. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
“Okay, so no touching for three dates.” He nodded. “I can handle that.”
Her smile faded.
“What?”
“I thought we were talking about being really intimate, not touching.”
He groaned again. “I have a feeling I’m going to get detention for misbehaving. There are too many gray lines I might cross.”
“Okay, okay. How about this? Nothing below the waist for three dates.” She drew a line across her waist with her hand. “For either of us.”
“Thanks for the clarification. I thought I might get lucky.” He pulled her into his arms. Nothing below the waist. He felt a little like he was a kid again, wanting more from a girl than he probably should. He wanted below the waist—he wanted above the waist. He wanted all of her. But for Jessica to feel comfortable and safe, he didn’t mind holding back. “I’d wait a month if you wanted to.”
“This means you can still kiss me, you know.” She pursed her lips.
“If I have to.” He took her in a greedy kiss that left them both breathless.
JAMIE PULLED THE car into a parking lot and parked in front of Zia Pizzeria.
“Are we having pizza?” Jessica loved pizza, though she rarely a
te it. She didn’t allow herself to indulge in much of anything outside of the cello. Now she wanted nothing more than to do just that.
“If you’d like.” He cut the engine and stepped from the car.
When he opened her door, wearing a white tee that pulled tight across his chest and wrapped itself around his biceps like a second skin, the breeze carried the scent of his cologne, something masculine and spicy that sent a little thrill through her.
How on earth will I make it through three dates with you smelling like that?
Jessica wore jeans and a black lacy tank top. She was so used to wearing fancy clothing when she went out that she was taking full advantage of being on a break from her real life and wearing all the things she’d never had a chance to. Still on tap were her cutoffs, a tight minidress she probably had no business wearing, and she even hoped to find an appropriate place to wear a pair of overall shorts she’d loved on the mannequin when she was shopping for summer clothes.
She turned in the direction of the pizza parlor, her mouth already watering. Jamie draped an arm over her shoulder and turned her around, heading for an ice cream parlor.
“Everyone should experience ice cream for dinner.”
She gasped. “You are a very bad influence, and I really, really like it.” She rested her head against his shoulder, feeling like the luckiest girl on the planet. Not because of the ice cream, but for the thought behind it. Jamie had listened to what she’d said when she was talking to his grandmother, and that meant a lot to her. The few men she’d dated were very self-important, and she’d always felt like an afterthought.
After getting waffle cones bursting with enough ice cream to feed three people, they drove down to Nauset Beach and walked along the shore while they ate. Jamie held her cone while she put on the sweatshirt she’d brought and rolled up her jeans; then she held his cone while he rolled up his jeans.
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked as she handed him back his cone.
