Lakeshore Love: The McAdams Sisters (By The Lake Book 3)

by Leah, Shannyn

  Why did she even ask? “Randy?”

  “Horny, lustful...”

  “Yes I know what it means and that doesn’t answer my question at all. Are we dating? Are we trying to date? What is happening between us?”

  “What do you want?”

  “I don’t know. It feels like we haven’t stopped fighting since that kiss.” Sydney wasn’t a fighter and the more she fought with him the more worn out she was becoming.

  “I don’t want to fight with you.” He stepped toward her. “I hate fighting with you to be honest. We’ve never played the fighting game.” It was true. Even in their youth, fighting hadn’t been part of their interactions.

  “It’s exhausting,” she admitted, never in her life feeling so emotionally drained.

  “Well, I had a cold shower just so I could spend the afternoon with you.”

  She groaned and covered her face. Why did he have to bring this morning back up?

  “Why don’t we agree not to fight for the entire day?” he suggested. “And no naked body touching, kissing, or randy moves either until we have talked.”

  She slid her fingers down her face. “Alright. But, you know it’s shopping day right?”

  “I don’t know what that even means.”

  It was her turn to chuckle, because by lunch he was going to be fighting to not run away.

  ***

  WHEN JOAN AND Haylee walked through the Hastings Heritage Museum gate, arms looped together, Joan in her white and navy striped capris, another nautical outfit, and Haylee in short-shorts and a long, lose tank top that hung past the shorts on each edge, Sydney grinned knowing they would be lost in the town’s history re-enactment for hours.

  Sydney yelled to them that she would catch up in a bit but they hardly registered her at all with little waves on their way to the souvenir shop. That was their first stop, had been every year to find the goofiest dress-up costumes before entering the village.

  Sydney walked back to the beach and found Jake just where they'd left him, sitting under a weeping willow one leg stretched out on the grass while the other was bent upwards steadying a paper he was reading behind his sunglasses.

  He had lasted longer than Sydney had given him credit for. All morning he shopped with them but clearly only enjoyed the first maybe half hour. He'd sent her warm smiles and they hadn’t fought once. After lunch, he had abandoned them for the very spot he was sitting now.

  Sydney stopped at a food concession and bought two bags of handmade roasted nuts before joining Jake. She wanted to take him back to the heritage museum to watch the actors walk around all dressed up like they were right out of the nineteenth century making butter, quilting, baking and so much more. There was no rush. The two girls would be staying for the supper they put on and into the evening when they closed.

  The closer she got to Jake the faster her heart sped. He was wearing black shorts today, unusual for him being a denim man, but a nice change, revealing his toned-thick legs. He was wearing the white t-shirt with a Hastings Port logo on the front that Haylee had convinced him to buy.

  Sydney watched as women passed checking him out and he didn't look up until her sandals stopped beside him.

  “Is it over?” he asked, his eyes not moving to the paper across his legs and referring to the shopping.

  She smiled. “Yes.”

  He over exaggerated a thankful sigh as she sat beside him and passed him the bags of nuts. He pulled his sunglasses off and his eyes lit up. “These are my favorite.”

  She smiled. “I know. I buy them for you every year and I promised you more than one.”

  “Where are they? I need a year’s supply.”

  She laughed. “I'm never telling or else what would you need me for?” She teased but Jake’s face went serious.

  He covered her hand that was resting on the grass beside him with his own and squeezed. “I need you,” he said. “That's why I'm here. You wanted to know what we are doing and it’s hard to specify because we have already done so much of what couples do, but I guess if you need a title, I want to date you. Call you my girlfriend. Kiss you. Spend the night with you,” he added with a wink.

  Sydney laced her fingers between his. “I want all those things too,” she said low then snuggled against his side and rested her head on his arm feeling him relax against her. “I'm ready to talk Jake.”

  The museum could wait, this was a perfect moment and she wasn't going to rush it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “TOP HAT OR fedora?” Jake asked slipping each one on and posing for Sydney. She laughed sunshine around them.

  “Do they have a cowboy hat?”

  He frowned. “Listen here, I've narrowed it down and these are your options?”

  She sucked in her naturally pink lips debating the choices. “Fedora,” she finally said with a confident nod. “You in a top hat.” She shook her head. “It doesn't suit. However a fedora is like a gangster of that time, kind of a rebel.”

  He plopped the fedora on his head. “You like rebels?” he asked in a dangerous tone that got another laugh from her.

  “I like you and you're known as the rebel of Willow Valley.” She shrugged. “So I guess yes I do.”

  Rebel of Willow Valley. Boy, his reputation preceded him.

  “Well then. What should my gal be wearing?” He glanced around the well stocked souvenir shop that had everything from hats right up to complete dresses and suits for every station from back in the day for tourists to buy.

  Sydney had a large red brimmed hat in her hand which she was considering but his eyes landed on lace and ribbon.

  He grabbed the corset off the rack and flashed it in front of her. “This,” he said.

  Sydney’s face paled and she snatched the sexy bustier away, putting it back on the rack. He was already envisioning it around her tiny waist.

  “I'm taking the hat.” She pulled him toward the check out.

  He laughed and paid for their hats.

  Jake and Sydney took their time wearing their newly purchased hats, just like lots of other tourist bustling around.

  Since Sydney was a regular visitor at the museum, she was excited to show Jake every little detail including a corner where Haylee and her name were written under a picture hanging on the wall. When no one was looking Sydney quickly scribbled his and they rushed out of the house laughing and holding hands like two carefree teenagers.

  Every time her excitement got the best of her, Sydney would wrap her hand in his to pull him a little quicker along or she would slow down and lean against his arm as they walked. Jake reveled in the feeling her touch gave him. The wholeness, the content and the more time they spent together the more he seemed ready to tell her as much as she needed to hear.

  They rounded the corner and a small white church with a steeple came into view. The double doors were held open with purple cascading flowers coming out of urns.

  This was the busiest area they had encountered and there was a closed off section with a tent and more purple flowers everywhere. Lilacs. Sydney’s favorite. The smell had him curdling inside. They were too strong and too floral scented for his nosebuds.

  “They're having a wedding,” Sydney said.

  They walked across the grass, stopping at the satin rope fencing off area.

  She leaned against him and watched the commotion. “I've only ever seen one before,” she said and he realized it wasn't the workers re-enacting a wedding from the eighteen hundreds, but an actual wedding. Guests dressed in their best modern attire flooded around the doors before the bride and groom exited for pictures, as a horse and carriage waited.

  “Look how beautiful it is.” Sydney touched the flowers on the post. “Lilacs.” She told him. “Don't you smell them?”

  Of course he had. They had overwhelmed every sense.

  He nodded.

  She bent down and inhaled them deeply as though the smell wasn't strong enough already.

  She stood back up and watched the wedding g
athering for more photos. “How romantic. What a wonderful place to share vows where everything is so down to earth, you know.” She looked up at him. “No cell phones, no Wi-Fi,” she added.

  “My kind of atmosphere.”

  “It's too bad I can't show you the church. It's so beautiful inside−antique pews and amazing paintings plus there are gowns you can try on.” She smiled and started tugging him away.

  What was with this family and playing dress up?

  Eventually as Jake was starting to get hungry they found Joan and Haylee. They were not wearing fancy hats like the two of them. Instead, a plain peasants old-fashioned dress made Haylee look like she belonged in another time. She'd even rolled her hair into a bun and wore what almost looked like a bonnet. Joan on the other hand, not surprisingly, wore an incredible old-fashioned, sequined, beaded, ribbon-laced, velvet and satin ruby red with black detail dress that looked like it held the heat.

  Sydney laughed, touching their outfits and pulling her cell phone out to take pictures.

  “Uncle Jake I’m totally diggin’ the hat. You look like a gangster.”

  “It suits him,” Joan said and again it was missing the heat behind it that she was accustomed to dishing out.

  “Give me your cell,” Sydney said to Jake holding her hand out.

  When he dug it out of his pocket, she stood on her tiptoes, they're heads touched and she said smile and flashed a picture.

  “Now when you see this you'll want to come every year.” Jake wouldn’t need a picture to remind him he wanted to spend every day with this woman.

  Chapter Fifteen

  JAKE GEARED THE boat down and looked at Haylee to make sure the position was right.

  She gave him a thumbs up so he cut the engine.

  “We don't want to get too close to the boat that is letting off the fireworks or our heads will be looking straight up in the sky,” she explained, arching her neck to demonstrate. She peeked an eye at him from the awkward position. “See what I'm saying.”

  He laughed. “I got ya Haylee.”

  Haylee and her Hastings port friend, Kimberly, went to the front of the boat to wait for the sun to set and the show to begin while Joan stayed on shore visiting a couple at another dock.

  That meant more alone time for him and Sydney. He found Sydney below deck preparing a tray of cheese and crackers. She'd changed into a longer dress and wore a beige cardigan.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist pressing against her back and nuzzling into the side of her neck. “You smell delicious,” he whispered.

  She laughed, continuing to slice through the cheese. “You smell like exhaust.”

  He nibbled her ear. “Do you like it?”

  She laughed. “Not at all.”

  His hand took the knife out of hers and set it on the counter.

  “Not at all?” he asked as he spun her around. He wanted to kiss the laughter that escaped her but he didn't want to complicate things after the great day they’d had together. They needed to talk, but at the same time they wanted the same things...to date. Dating included kissing which wasn’t sex like this morning’s ordeal, but could lead to sex, but...he was confused as hell.

  She tilted her head. “What are you thinking?” she asked her fingers playing with the front of his shirt but her eyes watching him.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I asked you first.”

  He grinned. “I'm thinking about what you're thinking about.”

  She made a face. “What?”

  He took a deep breath. “We haven't exactly talked yet and well I wanted to kiss you but I wasn't sure if I should because I didn't know what you were thinking and after this morning I didn’t know if I should.”

  “You want to kiss me?”

  “All the time.”

  She chuckled. “I have a confession,” she whispered.

  He leaned in close.

  “I want to kiss you all the time.”

  That was all he needed. His mouth covered her soft lips in a gentle and slow kiss. She was as delicious as the night at the beach and as the evening at his place. Only this time there was no background noise in his head warning him because together they were going to figure all this out. Knowing he was going to get to kiss these lips for the rest of his life, he took his time savoring her. And not only her lips, he savored her touch too. First her hands pressing his chest, then as her hands clenched his shirt he relished her knuckles digging into his skin. He appreciated the way her body, her legs especially, naturally welcomed his to move between her. He also took delight in how she felt underneath his hands and his hands couldn't get enough. They wanted to touch her everywhere.

  When she pulled her mouth away and ran her tongue across his, he almost pulled her back.

  “I'm going to take the food to the girls.”

  How was she thinking about the girls?

  “I'm going to have a quick shower.” He smelled like exhaust from helping some of the other guys at the harbor with a boat. “Then I will be right up.”

  It was the quickest shower and he’d ever taken. He met the girls at the bow of the boat and watched an amazing fireworks show.

  The two young girls took off for the nightly campfire at the yacht club building leaving Sydney and Jake alone. Again.

  He wondered why he hadn’t come on more of these trips with her since they were so easily getting in some quality alone time.

  Sydney scooted close beside him, leaning into the nook of his body and touching his leg. Her touch sent desire straight under his zipper but he was trying to do the right thing here. Damn, nothing had ever been this difficult.

  “As much as I would much rather pick you up, carry you below, strip your clothes and step under the water with you...” She gasped and he felt her fingers tighten on his leg. “I think we should have that talk first.”

  Sydney looked up at him. “You're so bold,” she said, surprise lighting her eyes.

  “Only with you.” He kissed her head. “Wanna try it?”

  She looked mortified. “No.”

  “Come on.” He gave her side a little squeeze.

  She laughed. “No.”

  “I might like it.”

  She laughed harder. “Jake, Stop.”

  “Alright. Let's get down to business.” As much as he didn't want to. But the faster they talked the faster they could get into that shower without causing suspicion. “I will tell you everything you want to know about those years in my life but I have one condition.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Alright.”

  “I don't want to know anything about you, Kyle or Haylee.”

  Jake had been expecting her body to become rigid at the request because she wanted to tell him about her life after he left. He didn't want it to be said out loud. It was done and over and they were who they were. Life was good. He didn't want to mess with it.

  “I know there is something about my departure that you need answered, something that scares you. I don't know it is but I want you to be at peace with it. But I don't want the Kyle/Haylee topic. Ever. This condition isn't for now this moment or this year...it's permanent. I don't ever want to discuss it.”

  He pulled away from her and turned on the seat so his leg was between them. He needed to see her whole face and know she understood his condition.

  “I would do anything for you, Sydney McAdams. Anything. But not the Haylee/Kyle topic. I can't do it. That's my condition and if you can't agree now take your time. I'm not going anywhere.”

  ***

  I WANT TO tell you. I want to tell you.

  Sydney battled the words wanting to surface and a full-fledged conversation of rationalizations went through her head.

  He doesn't want to know. That's his condition. He has a right to know. But he doesn't want to know and that is his right. Was it? He's offering you a life. Don't you want it? Yes. Then say alright. Say alright! But he doesn't know. But he doesn't want too.

  Until his hand touched her fa
ce she hadn't realized how zoned out she had become. The warmth soothed her and she forever wanted his warmth to soothe her.

  One condition. Take it.

  “No rush Sydney,” he said. He was so sweet. He was so good to her, good to Haylee. What more could she ever ask for in a man?

  “I mean it.” He bent over and kissed her forehead. She leaned into his touch taking deep breaths. “Tomorrow, the next day. A week from now...I can wait.”

  A week from now! She didn't want to wait a week from now. There was her answer plain as day.

  She pulled away to look into his eyes. “This is hard because I want to tell you.”

  He nodded.

  But she wanted him more. “But I will agree to your one condition if you agree that if the day comes and you want to know, you will ask me.”

  He kissed her. “Agreed,” he said against her lips. “What do you want to talk about first?” He pulled away but held her hands between them on his leg.

  Sydney took a deep breath. She didn't want to talk right now. Today had been a wonderful day with him and sitting alone listening to the distant music like they had the first night she wanted him to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight.

  I'm afraid you will leave me again. It was that simple and yet so hard to say.

  “Do you want to know about my mother?”

  Not really. She knew his mother was a drunk and a drug addict.

  Just say the words Sydney. Tell him flat out what scares you.

  “Do you want to know about Adalyn?”

  Why couldn't she just say it instead of keeping him guessing?

  His confused and concerned smile tore at her heart. He finally wanted to talk and she didn’t.

  Still holding his hands, Sydney stood and walked in front of him. She settled his hands on her behind and he grinned up at her enjoying the position. He even gave her a little pinch that caused a giggle to escape. As she straddled him, his pleasurable surprise made her insides turn over with excitement. Was this what it felt like to be seductive? Because it felt so darn good.