With This Ring (Windswept Bay Book 6)

by Debra Clopton

  Kevin’s expression lit up like a Christmas tree. “I can take him to show-and-tell.”

  That got laughter from everyone.

  Later after the cake and punch had been eaten, Levi drove Jessica and a very sleepy Kevin back home.

  Even the dogs had curled up in the seat on either side of Kevin.

  “It was a wonderful night,” Jessica said softly.

  “I’m glad you and Kevin came.” In the darkness of the cab, Levi felt contentment surround him. “I really mean that, Jessica.”

  He heard her almost silent sigh beside him. “I’m glad we came too.”

  Chapter Twelve

  By the time they got home, Kevin could barely hold his eyes open. Jessica led the way into the house while Levi carried her son behind her. She unlocked the door and led him through the house to Kevin’s bedroom and watched as Levi gently laid her little boy in his bed. She fought not to let her emotions get involved but seeing the way Levi was so careful with him touched her heart once again.

  She removed Kevin’s shoes and quickly changed him into his pajamas. She was tugging his pajama top over his head with Levi’s help holding him up when Kevin opened his eyes and smiled at Levi.

  “This was fun tonight.” Then he leaned back on his bed and snuggled into the covers.

  She met Levi’s gaze and he smiled. His eyes were serious as he looked down at her son and then back at her. “You have a great kid here, Jess.”

  Her heart clutched, as it had been doing so often around Levi. Adam had called her Jess.

  She led the way back into the living room, not exactly sure of the emotions fluttering through her like the wings of a thousand butterflies. “Can I make some coffee?”

  He stood close to her in the hall and she was so very aware of him.

  “I would love that, if you’re sure.”

  “I would really like that.” And she meant it. So many emotions and feelings crowded inside her chest at the moment and she just didn’t want to be alone right now. Maybe it was because she had just spent so much time with his large family. Maybe spending time with his family made her miss her family. Made her miss all the times she and Adam had spent with their families.

  All of the above, but really, she just wanted to spend some time with Levi. Just for a few moments.

  “I’ll go get the dogs and let them play in the backyard while you make the coffee.”

  “That would be great.”

  A few minutes later, he came back inside and she had taken two cups out of the cabinet. The scent of coffee filled the air. Levi came back into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. The kitchen seemed suddenly smaller with his presence.

  She filled the cups with coffee and remembered that he liked his black, like she liked hers. “Here you go.” She handed him a cup. Their fingers brushed as he took it from her and that tingle of awareness danced up her arm. She moved quickly away and picked up her own cup, holding it between her hands. She leaned against the counter and met his eyes once more over the brim. The rich scent of the coffee surrounded her, she wished like a shield—a shield of protection against the emotions tightening inside her. She watched his fingertips move in gentle circles on the cup before he took a sip and her thoughts went to his gentle touch on her arm earlier as they had driven to his parents’ home. She shivered involuntarily.

  He set his cup down on the counter and moved to her. “Are you cold?”

  He was so close, she gripped her cup tightly, holding it between them. “No, I’m not.” Her pulse pounded and her mouth went dry as he took her cup and set it on the counter beside her. And then he leaned in and brushed his lips over hers.

  Every fiber of her soul trembled at the touch of his lips. Her knees weakened like putty and she moved closer. His arms went around her and drew her against his chest.

  “I don’t want to scare you, Jessica, but you should know that I have feelings for you. This is no casual date.”

  She didn’t even bother to say this wasn’t supposed to be a date; instead, she snuggled into him and lifted her face to his. “Could you kiss me again?” She slid her arms around him. She didn’t have to ask twice. Levi’s arms held her tight as he lowered his lips again to hers and this time the kiss took her breath away.

  She could feel his heartbeat thundering against her own, feel his muscles in his back tense at her touch and knew that he was fighting to hold in his emotions, just as she was.

  His lips were firm and warm and ignited a firestorm in her. She was breathless when he lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

  “I think I better go for tonight.”

  She didn’t want him to. “Can you just hold me for a little longer?” It had been so long since she’d known the feel of loving arms around her. And she wasn’t sure she could give them up again.

  “Honey, I can hold you as long as you want me to.”

  Jessica breathed in his scent and laid her head against his shoulder. She could stay like that forever, she realized.

  “I care for you, Levi.” The words were muffled against his shirt but still clear, and she felt him stiffen and grow still.

  He kissed her forehead. “We’ll go as slow as you need us to go. But that makes me happy.”

  “I can’t promise you anything,” she said. “I’m scared out of my wits but I can’t deny that I have feelings for you.”

  He smiled. “Music to my ears.” And then he took her hand and led her to the living room. He sat on the couch and pulled her down into his arms and then he kissed her again.

  Jessica’s heart felt so full of joy as she gave in to the kiss and the emotions she felt for Levi. They would go slow, but having admitted that she felt something more than just attraction for this wonderful man was a step in the right direction.

  Wasn’t it?

  She just had to ignore all the negative voices in her head. The ones saying he was a police officer, his job was too dangerous and the voice that repeated again and again that her heart wasn’t ready.

  The day after her mother’s birthday party, Jillian walked into the office she shared with her sisters Cali and Olivia at Windswept Bay Resort. She had what she considered an extraordinary promotion idea for the resort and was excited to share it with her sisters. Of course, these days, since finding out she was carrying a baby in her womb, everything was exciting and joyous to her. She was practically floating with happiness and wanted everyone she knew to feel such amazing joy. And maybe that was why this idea had slipped into her dreams last night.

  The resort had been focusing on weddings and had been doing great, but her idea might jumpstart more weddings for the upcoming year. She had called and asked all of her sisters to be at the meeting. She had asked Shar to attend too even though she no longer worked in the resort office. She worked full-time with her sea turtle rescue foundation that she and Gage had founded after their wedding. But she wanted Shar to be at the meeting to get her input because it involved their brothers.

  Especially Levi.

  It was nine o’clock when she walked in and everyone was arriving at the same time. “Hey, everyone. I’m so excited about this and glad you are all here.”

  Cali pulled her jacket off and put it behind her seat. “You sound so excited I can’t wait to hear what’s on your mind.”

  “I feel the same way.” Olivia walked in, dropped her purse in her chair and went straight to the coffee pot. “And you’re being so secretive. Shoot.”

  Jillian hadn’t told any of them anything over the phone—despite every one of them pushing for more information.

  Shar was still in her jogging suit, and had probably just come in from jogging along the beach, where she was always on the lookout for sea turtle nests first thing in the mornings. “I’m all ears and really, really curious. So spill the beans, sista.”

  Jillian laughed, she was so excited. “Okay, because I can’t stand it any longer I’m just going to shoot straight. I want to have a Valentine Bachelor Auction here at the resort as a
PR campaign for the resort. And the biggie is I want to have our brothers involved as some of the bachelors. But, most especially, Levi.”

  Her sisters’ expressions were instantly enthusiastic and everyone began to talk at once.

  “This is such an awesome idea.” Cali’s smile was brilliant.

  “Amazing!” Olivia nearly dropped the coffee pot.

  “Oh yeah,” Shar growled and pumped her fist in the air while she laughed and nodded her head. “Levi will kill us and yet it is totally perfect and worth it.”

  “I agree on all levels.” Jillian tried to control her excitement. “Maybe it’s because I’m so happy, with marrying Ryan and now finding out that I’m going to have the baby—both of my dreams come true—I just can’t not do this. At Mom’s birthday, I felt that there was something between Levi and Jessica. When Ryan and I suggested to Kevin that Levi would be perfect as his class show-and-tell, we both had in our mind that Jessica and Levi might be a good idea. And then at the party, they were there together, and you tell me if you didn’t see something between them?”

  “I thought there was something,” Shar said. “Levi looked at Jessica across the room and you could feel his heart beating.”

  “BJ and I talked about it on the way home,” Olivia said. “Even though we both had been hoping that when his sister comes for a visit soon that maybe she and Levi would be a match, we ditched that idea because he looked pretty snared by Jessica.” She laughed. “Of course, we do have five brothers, so maybe if she ever has a break in her work with the wildlife parks and gets here for a visit, maybe one of them will still be available.”

  Shar shot a question look at Olivia. “Are you two getting into the matchmaking business?”

  “Maybe,” Jillian said. “I’m sure one of our brothers will be available and if it’s meant to be for one of them to fall for BJ’s sister, then it will happen.”

  “Right,” Olivia agreed.

  “Shar,” Jillian added, “I’m not really thinking matchmaking for the guys but I can’t help thinking that because of what Jessica has been through, she might need a little incentive.”

  Cali frowned. “You might be right about that, since she lost her husband and moving forward might be hard for her. But are you sure auctioning off Levi will help that? He might get bought by someone completely different, if we’re able to talk him into it in the first place.”

  “I thought of that. I’m thinking that it can go a few different ways. If she doesn’t bid on him and someone else gets him, then maybe that will push her to move forward and even fight for him if she feels threatened—”

  Shar broke in excitedly, “And of course she would only feel threatened if she is interested but having trouble moving forward.”

  “Right. Does that make sense?”

  Her sisters all grinned at her.

  Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “What has happened to our quiet Jillian? I never knew you had such a devious mind.” She laughed.

  “Like real devious,” Shar agreed with emphasis, obviously enjoying the aspect of Jillian coming out of the shadows of her sisters.

  “But she has sweet intentions.” Cali smiled thoughtfully. “I see exactly what you’re thinking and I think it’s a wonderful idea. I went through a hideous divorce and had trouble moving forward, so in a completely different manner I know moving toward a new future isn’t always as easy as it seems.”

  “But you cared for Grant.” Jillian smiled.

  “I did and that changed everything…though it wasn’t easy. I’m one hundred percent on board. As the PR person for the resort, I thank you for coming up with an amazing PR promotion that I didn’t have to come up with. This is going to be so fun. After the huge Christmas season and boatload of weddings we had here, this might supercharge the summer wedding season.”

  Olivia paused, her coffee nearly to her lips. “Goodness—think about it. This is only the end of January. That gives all the auctioned-off bachelors and their buyers time to fall in love and book a wedding at the resort they met at.” She laughed. “I am totally in. Let’s do this.”

  “I’m going to add in my buddies down at the Sea Turtle Hospital into the bachelor pit.” She laughed, sounding a little devious herself. “John and Alex are both bachelors. And obviously are devoting time rescuing sea turtles and not spending time cultivating dating opportunities.” She beamed mischievously. “I feel the need to help out—with at least getting them a date and maybe something will happen.”

  Everyone laughed and looked genuinely thrilled. “This is going to be fun,” Jillian said, so happy her sisters were on board with the project. “So, when should we start planning?”

  Cali looked around the room. “I say let’s do this and dig in now. We have less than two weeks and that’s not a huge time frame to get this off and running and advertised.”

  Instantly everyone agreed and to Jillian’s great delight, the planning began right then and there. Their brothers were going to either blow gaskets or play along for the fun of it. She figured the ones or one who blew the gasket was whose heart was starting to long to settle down.

  Either way, it was going to be a great Valentine promotion.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Wait, what?” Levi glared at his sister, certain he’d just heard wrong about what his sisters were concocting.

  Smiling jubilantly—as if she knew something he didn’t know—Jillian looked from him to her husband. “It’s going to be a fantastic, fun time and will benefit the resort with all the publicity Cali is lining up with this Valentine Bachelor Auction. Tell him, Ryan.”

  Ryan looked both amused and skeptical. “Honey, I know you’re excited. But you’ve put your brother in the hot seat and he has a different view from where he’s sitting.”

  “Ya think?” Levi snapped.

  Ryan was enjoying this. “He did just have a classroom of first graders tell him their moms were going to be upset if he was getting married. Riots could break out over Levi.” Ryan laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

  Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m really glad you find this funny.”

  “I’m trying not to—honest, I am. But the more I think about it, the funnier it gets. Jillian, I can see the headlines now: ‘Catfight at the Windswept Bay Resort Over the Sinclair Brothers’! Who knows? It might make national news.”

  Levi watched his sister’s eyes widen. “National news could be great.”

  What was Ryan thinking, egging this on? But he had to admit that if the shoe was on the other foot, he would find it pretty entertaining—men enjoyed watching their friends in the hot seat.

  The problem was he was just now making progress with Jessica. There was no way she would be bidding on him at the auction. Would she?

  “Ignore Ryan. This is for a good cause and it’s just dinner. You’ll be helping us out and who knows, you could even get a date you enjoy going out with. If not, it’s just dinner.”

  Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose. His sisters worked really hard to get the family resort running and profitable, and if he could help out, he could sacrifice one evening for that.

  “Fine.” He groaned. “You know I can’t refuse to help out. But I don’t have to like it.”

  Jillian put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, big brother. I knew you would.” She stepped back and looked at him. “How’s it going with Jessica?”

  “You ask that after you set me up?”

  “Well, yes. Do you think she might bid on you?”

  “We’re friends.”

  “I thought I saw something a little more interesting than friends pass between the two of you at Mom’s.”

  He cocked his head to the side and studied her. “And so you decided to do a Valentine Bachelor Auction and throw me into the fray? That’s real helpful of you.”

  A twinkle lit her eyes. “Maybe a little competition or pressure is a good thing. Jessica might decide to bid on someone and maybe she would bid on you.”


  “We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks. Give me some time here. Besides, I don’t see Jessica as the bidding type at a bachelor auction. And that may be one of the things I like about her.” The woman in the grocery store came to mind.

  Jessica backed away toward the door, smiling. “I guess we won’t know until February 14.” She chuckled and waved, blew Ryan a kiss and then walked out the door.

  Betty Lou poked her head around the door of the dispatcher’s room. “I think I’m going to have to come to that Valentine auction myself to see who bids on you. I might bid on you myself and help the fireworks.”

  Levi’s brow dipped into a frown in automatic response to his sixty-something-year-old dispatcher. “Betty Lou, if it gets bad, I might pay you to jump into the fray and buy me out of it.”

  She grinned. “Hey, that’s an idea. I can be bought for a price. Otherwise I might just have to sit back and watch you suffer.” She winked and then went back to her dispatching.

  Ryan’s shoulders shook; he was laughing so hard while trying not to make a sound as he watched Levi through splayed fingers across his face. He pulled his hand away. “The entertainment factor on this is going to be worth selling tickets to. I might have to start a raffle.”

  “I think I’m about to say something I never thought I would say. But right now I wish the paparazzi would come back to town and give me something to do other than to sit here and listen to you tease me about this auction.”

  “Well, hold onto that thought because if catfights break out over you, the paparazzi might show back up and put you on the front of the tabloids.”

  “Hey, now. That’s too scary to even contemplate. Oh gee, look—my shift is over.” Levi stood, grabbed his keys off the desk and then headed for the door. “You and Baker have a good evening holding the fort down. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He heard Ryan’s chuckles as the door closed behind him. This had been a crazy day—even before Jillian had come into the office. He’d had a drunk driver hit a tree—better that than an innocent family—then had a disturbance at the marina when a tourist decided a charter captain had cheated him—which hadn’t happened. And then a petty theft at the grocery store. A bunch of odd little events…making Jillian’s scheme fit right in.