by Jeannie Moon
“You need walking lessons.”
“Sure you want me to ride a bike? I might hurt someone.”
He took her elbow and moved along the pier. “You won’t hurt anyone, because I’m driving.”
“Excuse me?”
He pointed to their means of transportation for the day. A tandem bike.
Meg stopped. “Good grief. You really are a control freak.”
“No,” he said. “But I do fear for your life. You’re my responsibility now, so hop on and don’t forget your helmet.”
“I’m responsible for myself.” She folded her arms and tossed her head back. The stubbornness was so her, and he’d expected it. “I’m getting my own bike.”
Meg stormed off and headed down the dock toward the bike rental shack. Jason leaned against a pylon. He could have gone after her, but she needed to do this herself. Fine, she’d figure it out soon enough. All he wanted to do was make things easier for her. But no, everything was a federal case, an issue about her independence. Meg needed to face it—they’d both lost their independence the minute his parents decided to go after Molly.
Jason looked around, checked his watch, and almost looked in the water, wondering if Meg had tripped and fallen into the bay. Finally, he saw her dragging her ass back up the pier. No bike in sight. Ha!
“Where’s your bike?”
“Shut up.”
“Shut up?” He followed her to a bench where she plopped down and folded her arms. “Is that any way to talk to your new husband?” Jason reached for her hand, but she yanked it away. “No bikes left?” he asked.
“No. But you knew that. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me?”
Meg leaned her head back on the bench and sighed. Not fighting back was her way of conceding the argument. Jason decided not to press his luck any further and let it all go.
“It’s so pretty here,” she said.
“It is. Want to take a ride and check things out?”
“Okay, but it’s going to make me crazy that I can’t steer.”
He smiled and stood, taking her hand, and loving the feel of her soft skin, as he led her to the tandem bike. Meg, being Meg, was still sulking because she’d been called on her bullshit.
He plopped her helmet on her head, and while she strapped hers on, he did the same for his own. Still, she wasn’t talking. Damn, the woman was stubborn. So freaking stubborn. But it was good. Every time he pissed her off, he saw her spirit, her fire, and he liked that. He liked that she could give him a fight.
“What would you like to do, head to the beach, see the town, shop?”
“Let’s head toward town,” she said. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out from there.”
“Okay. Ready?” He was set on his seat, and she was balancing as best she could. Not delaying, Jason pushed off, and Meg picked up her feet and squealed.
“You could warn me, you know!”
“I did. Don’t be a baby.”
“Oh, God. Jeez! Ahhhh.”
“Calm down! The bike is wobbling.”
“Turn, turn! Oh, my God. We almost hit that old woman. Did you see that old woman? With the cane?”
How did he get himself into this? They should have been having a nice enjoyable bike ride, but no, Meg was a crazy person. She screamed again, right in his ear, and he was convinced she wouldn’t survive the afternoon.
Because it was quite possible he was going to kill her.
“Jason! Jason! OH MY GOD!”
“Would you stop it!” Jason steadied the bike once again and maneuvered them onto a smooth patch of road. She settled down when they were off the crowded wharf. They headed up Main Street, pedaling through the village, and the couple of times he glanced back she was looking around and he thought he saw a smile on her face. All he wanted was to make their time together pleasant. It seemed that, finally, he was succeeding.
They made a decision to tour town after they did some sightseeing, and rode for about forty minutes past white fences and stone walls. The foliage and fall flowers gave a warmth to the scene, and Jason remembered why he liked coming here so much. They pedaled past some beautiful homes with weathered gray shingles and cobbled driveways, and he thought he heard Meg sigh on more than one occasion.
Jason had planned on taking them on the loop past the West Chop Lighthouse. The road became less treed as they went north, and when they could finally see the water, Meg moved suddenly and they almost pitched off the bike.
“Stop, stop!”
He pulled to the side of the road and turned around to see her hop off the bike and nearly break her neck climbing on a split rail fence by a grassy clearing that led to a beach.
“What the hell? Meg?”
“Look!” She pointed toward the water, and out in the distant blue he could see what had her so excited. A pod of dolphins was putting on a show, breaching the surface every few seconds. “That’s amazing!” She took her phone from her pocket and took a few photos, and it made Jason happy to see her so happy. It was an improvement from the last month when her moods changed like lightning.
“You might be able to see them up close if you get up early tomorrow morning. We’ll be cruising to the Cape, and they sometimes swim alongside the boat.”
“Really? Oh, I’m so getting up in the morning.”
They watched quietly for a couple of minutes, enjoying the breeze and the sound of the gulls that were circling by the beach. Meg turned and leaned back against the fence before tucking her phone back in her pocket. “Thank you for planning the trip. I’ve never been here before.”
“You’re welcome. What do you think about my buying a cottage up here?”
“To live?”
“Nah, for weekends, vacations.”
Her eyes brightened a little, excited about the possibility, but there was something tentative, and she hesitated before speaking. “If that’s what you want.”
“I’m asking what you want. There’s an open house back the way we came if you’d like to stop in.”
She bit the tip of her thumb and nodded. This was when he felt bad, when he knew she didn’t feel like an equal because of the money. Meg would never ask him for a thing, yet he wished she would.
“Okay, good. Did you see the house?”
“I did, but do you need it?”
Jason smiled and took her hand as they walked back to the bike. “Everything isn’t always about needs, Megan. Sometimes you just want something.”
***
He bought a house.
Jason pulled open the door of the little café on the wharf and held it for Meg, while he thought about the fact that he just dropped millions of dollars on a waterfront “cottage” he might use a half a dozen times a year. He wasn’t sure what made him do it, but watching Meg wander through the rooms, gazing out at the ocean, and seeing her fall in love with everything about the house had him slipping a note to the agent with a very generous offer on the property.
What he didn’t understand was why.
The hostess sat them in a booth that looked out at the water, and Meg was leaning close to the window to look at the waterfront. She surveyed the scene, taking in the fishing boats, the tourists, the townies, and a little to the east it was easy to see his boat at the marina, dwarfing everything around it.
“I like it here,” she said, flashing him a thousand-watt smile. “I’m glad we were able to get away.”
“Me, too, although I think I’m deaf from your screaming in my ear.”
Meg laughed, and Jason let her joy just seep into him. After a rocky start, this had turned out to be a nice day. He got to enjoy Meg’s laugh and he bought a house. He bought her a house.
“So what’ll you two be having?” Jason’s thoughts were interrupted by the waitress, who was somewhere between seventy and a hundred and four. Her name tag said Jilly.
Meg looked at the menu and smiled up at Jilly. “I’d love a burger. Medium, with cheese, bacon, mayo, and onion. Ex
tra fries and a chocolate milk shake.”
“Good for you, honey,” Jilly said. “Most women tourists who come in here order salads and eat like birds.”
“Not me,” Meg said. “I like food too much.”
The waitress laughed, and Meg continued to chat her up. “How did you know we were tourists?”
“Well,” Jilly said, “I know a lot of people since I’ve been working here for forty years, and the way you’re taking everything in, you’re definitely tourists. Where are you staying?”
Meg grinned at Jason, and he answered. “Our boat is docked at the marina. We’re here for the day and heading to the Cape tomorrow.”
“Yeah? Did you get a good look at the yacht that came in last night? She’s one of the biggest we’ve seen in a long time. Eddie, he works down at the dock, he said it’s some oil tycoon who owns her. Said he’s here with his mistress.”
Jason was never surprised at the stories people made up, but Meg couldn’t contain her amusement. She cocked a brow in his direction. “His mistress, eh?”
“Yeah, you know the type. Young, blond, fancy. Someone saw her on the deck this morning. A real looker, apparently.”
“No sign of the tycoon?” Meg asked, barely controlling herself.
“Nah, no one caught sight of the old guy.”
Jason shook his head and put his menu down, subtly letting Jilly know he was ready to order. Once the waitress left the table, Meg burst into giggles.
“Well, at least I’m a looker. You’re just some old guy.”
“She must have been talking to Nate and Owen. They always call me the old man.”
Meg pushed her hair behind her ear. “That’s because you’re too serious. You always have been.”
“No. I can have fun, but . . .” He hesitated because he hated the thought of appearing weak, but this was Meg; she didn’t judge. She never had. “Growing up in my house kind of sucked the fun out of most things.”
“I can understand that. You did have a good time today, though, right?” she asked. “I did.”
He warmed from the inside out and reached across the table and took her hand. It was small and soft and fit into his perfectly.
Meg laced her fingers with his and gave a little squeeze, letting her eyes meet his. The smile never left her face. It brightened her, and he was glad to see it had returned.
***
Meg walked hand in hand with her husband after they returned the bike to the shop where Jason had rented it. The day had been perfect, and while Meg missed Molly terribly, she didn’t want to go back to civilization. She wanted to curl up next to Jason and enjoy the cool breezes and the quiet. It was rare that she experience quiet anymore, but here she was able to focus on her thoughts, not the noise that tended to drown them out.
When they got to the short gangway that led onto the boat, Meg gasped when Jason didn’t hesitate and lifted her into his arms. “You still haven’t gotten those walking lessons.”
Meg looped her arms around his neck, loving how secure she felt with him, but not missing an opportunity to tease him.
“You’re pretty strong for a senior citizen.”
He chuckled. “I stay in shape. You know, for my young girlfriend.”
Meg giggled. “Those younger women are insatiable, I hear.”
Jason stopped when they stepped on the deck, and Meg was done debating with herself and with him. She wanted to make love with him. Consequences be damned. This was her honeymoon, and she wanted to sleep with her husband.
Meg touched her lips to the corner of his mouth and breathed out, letting the air circle around him while she absorbed his scent. Lightly brushing her lips across his jaw, she felt Jason hold her closer. “Meg, what are you doing?”
“I’m trying to seduce you.” Her tongue flicked his earlobe and he sucked in a breath. “How am I doing?”
“Great,” he ground out.
“Yeah?” She kissed his neck, feeling his body tense, knowing she was driving him crazy.
“Have you thought this through? Are you sure?” They were standing on the deck with the breeze snapping away at the flag on the mast overhead. Gulls circled, and the sounds of the town faded away until it was just the two of them.
Jason forced her to look at him, and his blue eyes just swallowed her. She was never more sure of anything. “Jason, do you know what I think?”
“What?” he asked, his eyes never leaving hers.
“I think you should make love to your wife.”
Chapter 10
Jason set her down and immediately pulled her close, loving how she felt pressed against him and imagining how she was going to feel under him.
Meg’s green eyes had gone misty, and there was a tilt at the corner of her mouth that let him know she wasn’t messing with him. She wanted this, and if Jason didn’t think there was something wrong with thanking the Big Guy for some action, he would have been on his knees saying a prayer.
“Your place or mine, Mr. Campbell?”
“As long as you’re there and you’re naked, I don’t care where we go.”
He gripped her hips and pressed against her, knowing Meg felt the hard ridge of his erection coming through his shorts. Her body was heating up, and he was losing control as her scent, the feel of her, got inside him. Something primal and proprietary took over. This was his woman, his, and no one else’s. He kissed her long and hard, his tongue slipping in her mouth, tasting the ice cream cone they’d had on the dock before coming back on board. She was sweet, always so sweet.
“I need to freshen up,” she said.
“Use my bathroom. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
Meg came up on her toes and kissed him again, not at all shy or hesitant. He was relieved that she wanted this as much as he did. He’d missed her over the years. No one ever fit him the way Meg did. No one read his body, his moods, or his signals like her. Even as teenagers, they were good together.
Over the years he’d been with more experienced women, but no one harnessed her sexuality like Meg. There’d always been this vibe around her, something hot and erotic, something that made men go crazy, and he wondered if that’s why he kept her from his friends.
He told Robert to hold dinner, but had him get a tray ready with champagne and strawberries that Jason brought to his stateroom. The bathroom door was still closed, and he heard the water running. Jesus, he was nervous. He wanted this to be perfect for her. Partially because she deserved the romance and the attention, but also because he wanted her to keep coming to his bed. She was the only woman he wanted, and since she was married to him, that was a very good thing.
He took off his shirt and popped the cork on the champagne. He’d gotten one glass poured when he heard the bathroom door open.
He turned and lost his breath, along with his power of speech. Meg walked into the room and stopped a few steps away.
She’d shed her clothes and was wearing only a silky pink bra and panties. The thong was nothing more than a scrap of material, and he was sure the bra was too small, because her breasts were spilling out. A sexy surprise was the little jewel that winked at him from her belly button. She was a vision. Sensual, beautiful, hot . . . None of those words adequately described how she looked or her effect on him.
“Aww, Meg. God.” He reached for her, pulling her close and letting his hands run all over her body. He groaned a little when Meg arched toward him, needing to get closer. Her hands settled on his chest, and she looked up at him half-innocent, half-seductive, inviting him to take what he wanted.
Slowly, her hands slid up his chest and locked around his neck, and his beautiful wife pulled him down for a kiss, a kiss that seared his brain and sent shock waves through his body.
“I guess I don’t have to ask you if you’re sure about this,” he said.
She nodded. “I’m sure. But you’ll have to forgive me for being so aggressive. It’s been a while, and I just want this so much. Even if it’s just while we’re on this trip, I
want you.”
“Okay. How long has it been for you?”
“Three years. A long time.”
“Wow, so the man you were seeing . . .”
“It hadn’t gotten that far. You?”
“It’s been a few months.” He hoped she stopped talking soon. He really didn’t want her to ask any more questions.
“Well,” she said, reaching for his fly, “I’ll make you forget all about her.”
His shorts hit the floor, and Meg settled back on the bed, pulling him down with her. He held himself over her, taking in her gorgeous body, her beautiful face, and the sweet smile that was just for him. Jason knew this wasn’t a real marriage, but if it were, he hoped it would feel just like this.
***
Somehow, somewhere, Meg realized that when Jason touched her, there was no way to resist him. She’d tried. She’d told herself all the reasons to keep her distance, just like he had done, but there was some force at work, pulling them together. He gazed up and down her body, flicking the pink gem of her belly button ring, and then let his hands go to work.
“Don’t move,” he said. “I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Uh-huh, and it has you screaming out my name several times before this is over.” One hand ran up and down her body, warming her from the inside out. God, she loved when he touched her. She’d always loved when he touched her.
“A little cocky, are we?”
“When I put my mind to something, I always do well. I got straight As in school.” He unhooked the front clasp on her bra and pushed it open.
“I heard something about that.”
He pulled his hand away and let his eyes wander over her. Meg should have felt exposed as he eased the thong over her legs and tossed it on the floor, but instead she moved her body, pushing herself farther into the down comforter and stretching her arms over her head, giving him even more invitation to touch her. There was power in this, in the way she felt with him, in knowing she could bring him to his knees with a touch. Even with everything that had happened, with the sad history between them, Meg trusted Jason, and whatever was going to happen down the road was going to happen. She’d suffered without him for fourteen years; if she lost him again, she’d survive. Meg always survived.
