by Lane,Lena
This must have been Sharon’s old room, and was clearly where all the guests’ things had landed, because the bed was filled with various summer jackets and bags. Sarah found her own backpack on the top of the pile and walked toward the bed to grab it. As she did, she looked around the room, taking in the youthful feel of the room.
There were typical bedroom items, a bed and a dresser, a small desk in the corner, all held typical teenager things—jewelry, books, music. But what caught Sarah’s attention were the framed architectural designs that hung on the wall. Some were clearly of modern buildings, drawn from a bird’s-eye view and with just a hint of color to bring out details. But others were stunning replicas of historical structures, stark black-and-white drawings that directed the viewer’s attention to the complex layers of each building.
“I never thought of floor plans as art, but these are spectacular.” Sarah walked over to one to take in all the details.
“Our father’s influence,” Scott said from the doorway. “Sharon loved to watch him draw as a kid. She found these when she was in high school and had to get them framed.”
“I can understand why.” She turned to smile at him, and her breath caught as she looked at him. He was standing in the doorway with his elbows on the doorsill by his head. The pose had pulled his T-shirt up to expose the flesh right above his jeans, making her wish she could take a bite at his hip. Focus, Sarah! She turned to look at the drawing again. “Not everyone can imagine these buildings, never mind put them to paper. They’re so complex.”
“Yeah. She considered going to school for architectural design but the real estate office needed help so she just went with it.” He shrugged.
Returning her attention to the backpack, she said, “She could still pursue it.”
“Maybe,” he said simply.
Sarah pulled her summer dress out. Shyly, she looked at him, torn between which side of the closed bedroom door she wanted him on while she changed.
Without her asking, he understood. “I’ll be right outside,” Scott said before pulling the door closed behind him.
It’s better this way, Sarah tried to convince herself. She unwrapped the towel from around her waist and let it fall to the floor while she thought about the man outside. Dave was very sweet, but she couldn’t give all of herself to him, not when she wanted Scott so much. It wouldn’t be fair. She would have to tell him and officially break it off. Another first to add to the long list of things she was doing because of Scott. Usually, she was on the receiving end of The Talk, the: It’s just not working out. You’re wonderful but…
Shaking the thought away, she took the bikini off. Sarah swapped it for lacy panties and a bra before pulling the light summer dress on. It wouldn’t do much to keep her warm, but it was better than just a bikini. Maybe there would be a fire? Or maybe you could stand close to someone for body heat. Immediately, Scott came to mind. She left the room to find him.
The slow smile on his face indicated his appreciation, as did the way his eyes roamed over her from head to toes. “You look very pretty.” The smoldering look he gave her told her the words were a mild version of his thoughts.
“Thank you,” she said simply. Frightened that she might jump him, she began to walk toward the stairs. He fell into step beside her as they headed out.
Passing the second floor man cave, Sarah saw through the French doors that it was empty, and wondered where they had all gone. Probably outside, she considered. She could see through the windows that the sun had set almost completely, the darkness of night taking over.
Family members had gathered in the center of the yard and she saw they were preparing for fireworks. “Is this safe?” Sarah asked as they approached them.
“Yeah. Sammy has done this every year since he was eighteen, and he doesn’t do anything crazy.” Scott said calmly. With slow steps, they joined the edge of the group to watch.
“Hey, there you are.” Dave’s voice caught their attention and they both turned to see him leaving the house. “I was about to send a search party,” he joked with a smile.
“No, no need,” Sarah said quickly. “I’m safe and sound,” she said with a quick glance at Scott.
“I gave her a tour of the house and then met up with the guys inside.” Scott raised his chin toward the center of the group, where Scott’s father and brother stood, ripping open boxes of fireworks. “Although they’re out here now.”
“Yup, they just got here a few minutes ago.” Dave turned to Sarah and said, “Come on, I know the best spot to watch the show.” He took her hand and began to lead her toward the deck.
Sarah looked over her shoulder at Scott and gave him a wan smile. She didn’t want to go with Dave but good manners dictated that she should, so she allowed herself to be pulled in the opposite direction, away from him. She knew Scott watched them go and eventually, bodies of his family members and friends came between them, and they were lost in the crowd.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Friday Fish
The text came through while Sarah was driving to a home inspection. Although she hated to wait, she restrained herself from grabbing her phone to read it immediately. Impatiently, she waited until she stopped at a red light to look at it.
“We need to go out again.” The text was from Scott, and it set her dragon off. It flapped its wings happily in her belly, spinning round and round. He wanted to see her again!
The light turned green before she was able to respond. But that was a good thing because she wasn’t sure of what to say. Her initial impulse was to text back, “Hell yeah, let’s go out again. Right now, this second.” But the logical part of her mind told her to reply with something a little less desperate. She considered calling, and explaining that she was driving and couldn’t text, but if he was texting her, she wanted to act as casual as him. Follow his lead.
Again, she anxiously waited for another red light to respond. “That would be great.” Playing it nice and cool.
Her eagerness turned sour when no additional texts showed up. Sarah arrived for the inspection and unlocked the house for everyone. Dutifully, she followed them through the house, answering questions as they arose and occasionally making small talk to be polite. But the entire time, she kept looking at her phone, making sure it was still on and working. Two and a half hours later, it finally dinged.
“How are you at cooking?” It read. For a moment, Sarah wondered if Scott had made an error and intended to send this to someone else, but she decided to play along.
She hesitated before replying. Honesty was the best policy, right? “I’m great with cereal and milk. That’s about it.”
The reply was quick. “Good. Are you available tomorrow night? It starts at 6 and goes to about 9.”
Available for what? She wondered what he was planning, but then laughed at herself. Wherever he wanted to take her, she would go happily. “Yeah, I’m available tomorrow night. What are we doing?”
His reply didn’t include that information. “Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and tie your hair back. I’ll pick you up at 5:30.”
Jackie would no doubt be very disappointed that she wouldn’t get to meet Scott again, but at least it was a proper Friday night dinner date this time. Sarah frowned. He’d never actually said dinner, but considering the time frame, it would be reasonable to assume dinner would be had. She certainly hoped so, anyway.
True to his word, he picked her up promptly at 5:30. As he’d instructed, she’d worn her hair back in a loose French braid. She was dressed casually in jeans, a purple short-sleeved button-down blouse, and sneakers. Sarah couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn sneakers on a date but he did say to wear comfortable shoes, so here she was. The dragon in her belly was doing a caper while she waited for him. The sensation was unnerving.
The dragon was forced to settle when she saw Scott walking up the steps to her condo in a very similar outfit: blue button-down shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Sarah opened the door for him before he ha
d a chance to knock.
“I was afraid I was underdressed,” she said grinning.
“No.” He shook his head and smiled. “You look perfect.” He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “If you’re ready, we should go, or we’ll hit traffic.”
Quickly, she grabbed her bag and closed the door behind her. “I’m ready.” Once they were settled in his car, she asked, “Where are we going?”
He gave her a sideways glance while he started the engine. “Remember how you said you liked fish?”
Cautiously, she responded. “Yes. And?” Should she be afraid? She liked most fish in most cases, but he was being quite secretive. What was he up to?
“And I hope you like crab cakes and cod,” he said, “because we’re going to a hands-on class on how to prepare and cook a traditional New England seafood meal.”
Sarah snorted lightly. “Scott, honey, did I mention I only cook cereal?” She stared at him, caught between horror and amusement. This could be a lot of fun, or a disaster of a dinner date.
“Yes,” he chuckled, “but it’s a cooking class, with a professional chef and step-by-step instructions. It’ll be fine. Trust me.” He gave her a reassuring grin.
She wasn’t convinced. “All right,” she joked with him, “but if we end up poisoned, I’ll blame you.”
The class was far more fun than she could have ever imagined. They were paired up with another couple and over the course of a few hours, they managed to throw some ingredients together for a meal. They had some moments of disgust as they handled raw fish, but also some hilarious accidents, including their attempt to panfry the crab cakes, which ended up looking more like flat pancakes. Still, the food was delicious and the company entertaining. And before the night was through, she’d made some new friends and scheduled a double date for next week.
Sarah looked at Scott as he was saying goodbye to the chef, awed at how perfect the night had been.
“Thank you for bringing me here tonight,” she told him when he joined her to leave.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” he said. “It was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?”
“It was,” she assured him. “It was quite perfect, actually.” She beamed at him.
“Good,” he said, “I’m glad.”
Summer was in full swing. Even at nine o’clock at night, the air in the parking lot was heavy and humid. If it hadn’t been so oppressive, Sarah would have asked Scott to go for a short walk before heading home; she was reluctant to leave him again. But weather like this made that idea a bad one. Their clothes were already sticking to them and it was only a short walk to the car.
“Has it gotten hotter? Is that even possible?” She asked him.
“Yup, it’ll be in the low hundreds tomorrow morning,” he told her as he opened the passenger door for her.
A miserable groan was her only reply.
The trip back to her condo was far shorter than the drive in, and she was disappointed when he pulled the car up. Sarah looked at him. “Thank you for tonight, it was a lot of fun.”
“You’re very welcome.” He put the car in park but left the engine running.
This is the part where you ask him in, the little voice in her head told her, but she couldn’t speak the words aloud. Why? Why aren’t you asking him in? Sarah didn’t really know. She’d never really asked anyone in before and now she felt awkward. Jackie was in there, probably watching television in the living room. Or maybe reading in the kitchen. Sarah wasn’t ready for Jackie to meet him yet. That girl was a powerhouse. Besides, the engine was still running, which made her think he didn’t want to come inside. While she was debating with herself, he made the decision for her.
He leaned over and caressed her cheek, gently turning her face to his. His lips touched hers and sent hot flames through her body. That’s all it took, a simple kiss to ignite her fire for him. Her body reacted to his, her nipples tingling, her insides clenching. She leaned over to him, wanting to be as close to him as possible. She framed his face with her hands and opened her mouth for him, an invitation he readily accepted. But that’s as far as he wanted to take it tonight. Gently, he pulled back from her and said, “Have a great night, Sarah.”
She almost moaned with disappointment. Instead, she asked breathlessly, “Would you like to come inside?” Her dragon danced gleefully in her belly, doing cartwheels at the words. Please say yes, I need you.
Scott gave her a sweet smile but shook his head. “I have some things I need to take care of.” Her features must have expressed her letdown because he quickly asked, “May I have a raincheck?”
“Of course.” She forced a smile. She turned to open her door but his voice pulled her back.
“How are things with Dave, by the way?” His face and voice were impassive, not giving her any idea as to what he was thinking, what he was feeling.
“They’re fine,” she answered, hoping to sound as neutral as he did.
“Are you still having commitment issues?” He asked nonchalantly.
Sarah sat back to look at him, really look at him. Was she having commitment issues? Absolutely. Now more than ever. Dave was sweet, and warm, and kind, and reliable, and everything someone else would look for in a partner or a husband. But she wanted more than that. She wanted spice and the thrill of a kiss that set her body on fire. She wanted someone she could laugh with, someone who wouldn’t fix her crab cake when she flattened it to a pancake. Dave was always trying to do everything for her, fix everything for her. What she wanted was a partner. “No, no more issues. It’s become clear what I need to do. I just need to do it.”
He looked away from her and nodded. He didn’t ask any other questions, and she didn’t volunteer any more information.
Quickly she got out and, before closing the door, she wished him a good night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Beach Trip
The morning air was hot and humid. Again. Eight o’clock in the morning and already Sarah’s tank top was sticking to her body. She walked to her car and put the beach bag in the trunk. The water will feel so good today. She went back inside the condo for the small cooler she’d packed and took the opportunity to call for Jackie.
“Are you ready yet?” Sarah yelled as she grabbed the cooler from the kitchen table. “It’s not a beauty pageant, it’s the beach.”
Looking as gorgeous as ever in a floral tankini, Jackie walked into the kitchen wearing a smirk on her face that quickly turned to a scowl when she was interrupted by Sarah’s phone ringing. She stopped by the kitchen table, a hand on her hip.
Sarah pulled her phone out of her pocket to look at the caller ID.
“Don’t answer it, whoever it is.” Jackie insisted passionately, eyes narrowed with suspicion. They’d lived together long enough to know what a ringing phone could do to their trip.
“Good morning Bobby, happy Sunday to you,” Sarah said as she answered the phone. She made a face at Jackie, then spun around to take the cooler out while continuing the call.
“Hi, Sarah, happy Sunday.” Bobby greeted her in return. She could hear the smile in his voice and the gleeful girls in the background. “So, we talked it over, and we’re ready to put that offer in. Can you take care of it?”
Bobby might be happy that she’d answered the call, but Jackie was not. She was scowling at Sarah as she threw her bag into the trunk and slammed it shut. Ignoring her roommate’s anger, Sarah just smiled and walked around the car to the driver’s seat. She sat down but didn’t start the car. She wanted the call to end first.
“Yes, of course. I’ll put a call in, but since it is Sunday, they may not be available to reply. Not all agents work on Sunday. Can you meet me in the office tomorrow morning to sign the offer?”
“Yeah, but we don’t want to lose it. Are you sure we shouldn’t send it today?” He persisted.
“No need to panic, Bobby, I’ll call the listing agent now and let you know how that goes, okay?” Sarah said confidently.
“Yeah,
okay.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you soon.” Sarah hung up and looked at her phone, wondering whom she should call. Technically, Scott was the listing agent, but he’d said Sharon would handle the transaction should her buyers want to make an offer. Had he told Sharon? Sarah didn’t know, and she didn’t want to call Sharon out of the blue if she wasn’t in the loop.
With the decision made, she started the car and turned the air conditioning on, then gave Jackie a look to keep her quiet as she dialed Scott with her Bluetooth connection. The phone rang only once before Scott answered and his voice filled her car, causing her belly to tighten with delicious anticipation.
“Good morning, Sarah,” Deep and rich, his voice was like chocolate mousse. It made her instantly hungry for him.
“Good morning, Scott,” she echoed, trying to stay focused even as she wondered what he looked like when he woke up. She wanted to know firsthand.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” He asked.
The original reason for the call forgotten, Sarah looked at Jackie with a mix of excitement and nerves, wanting to reply that she’d love to have breakfast with him, but unable to since she’d already made plans to head to the beach.
“Not yet,” Jackie spoke, filling the silence left by Sarah delayed response.
“Who’s that?” Scott asked, curiously.
“I’m sorry, Scott, I should have mentioned that I’m in the car with my roommate, Jackie. We’re heading to the beach and I’m using the Bluetooth in the car.” Sarah said apologetically.
“Good morning, Jackie.” His smile could be heard in his voice.
“Good morning, Scott. Would you like to join us at Moonbeam Bay?” Jackie’s words shocked Sarah and her head spun in her direction. Sarah shook her head vehemently, but Jackie just grinned at Sarah and continued, “We could stop for breakfast somewhere along the way.”
It’s a good thing the car is still parked. Sarah dropped her head onto the steering wheel in dismay. Resting her forehead on the warm leather, she took big gulps of air, the dragon waking up and spinning in her belly. She would not be able to relax if Scott was there, and she hadn’t had the conversation with Dave yet. Sarah needed more time to broach the subject with him.
