by Sierra Brave
“Thank you, gentleman. I’ll be right back with those drinks and to get your order.” She headed over to the bar to let Ryan know what she needed.
“Nice table you got there!” Ryan raised his eyebrows at her, and she widened her eyes while fanning herself with her hand.
She leaned over the bar. “I know, right? Yum yum!”
“Delish!” Ryan licked his lips. “Dibs on the blond.”
Caroline took a quick look over her shoulder, getting another peek at Tanner before turning her attention back to Ryan. “Really?”
He gave her a sideways look and lowered his voice. “Umm, ping ping…definitely! I bet he’s the one who ordered the shots too.”
“Yeah, how’d you know?” Caroline snickered as Ryan poured the whiskey.
“He’s overcompensating. At least one, probably all of those guys don’t know about him. They all look military.”
“Right again—don’t ask, don’t tell.” Caroline winked just before Ryan turned to fill the beer mugs.
“That was repealed a while back.” Ryan shook his finger at her as he added, “Miss History teacher.”
“Oh I know that! I’m just agreeing with your point that bullshit self-righteousness and the insecurity of alpha males doesn’t disappear overnight.”
He smirked. “You got that right.” He placed the first two on the tray. “Oh, I would definitely ask if he would make his way over here.”
“You are shameless. He’s only twenty-two.”
“Be still my heart.” Ryan obviously didn’t care as long as Tanner was legal.
She shook her head. Gay or straight, men were men.
Caroline took the tray with the drinks back to the table full of hotties. “Here we go: four cold beers and four shots of whiskey.”
“Salute,” Brent said and all four picked up and drank their shooters without another word, smacking the shot glasses back down on the table and chasing them with beer.
“How about some food with your booze?” Caroline took her pad back out of her the short black apron with Sharky’s embroidered across the front in bold teal lettering. The apron, along with black shorts or long pants and a matching teal polo shirt, was the restaurant’s standard uniform. Caroline had opted to wear shorts with hers though Ryan always wore long pants.
“What do you recommend, Caroline?” There he went with her name again, making a volcano spewing butterflies erupt in her tummy.
“Honestly, it’s all pretty good, especially if you like fried food. The catfish basket is on special tonight, comes with french fries and hush puppies.”
“Sounds perfect.” His gaze never left her face.
“Sounds good to me too.” Tanner ordered the same thing.
“I think I want a burger. Can I get the bacon double cheeseburger?” Brent asked as he handed the menu to her.
“Sure thing, and you?” Caroline turned toward Derek.
“Do you guys have salad?”
“Oh my God!” Brent hemmed and hawed, disparaging his ginger friend’s manhood.
“I just like to be healthy,” he protested vigorously.
“I can get you a salad.”
“No, God forbid I not bloat up like these three while we’re out tonight. I’ll get the chicken sandwich with mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles. And I don’t want any fries.”
“You don’t have to eat them, but they come with the basket. You pay for them either way.”
“I’ll eat them,” Brent said, and the group erupted in laughter.
“Of course you will. You’d eat the legs off the table.” Jake elbowed Brent playfully.
“You’re lucky you’re my boy or I wouldn’t take that.” Brent laughed at his own expense along with the rest of his friends.
“I’ll go put your food order into the kitchen and come back and check on you guys soon.”
“Don’t be gone too long, Caroline.” Jake’s sexy voice sent a bone-chilling shiver up her spine.
After Caroline submitted their order to the cook, she hurried off to check on the rest of her tables. Sharky’s was packed with tourists excited to visit the Crystal Coast, leaving Caroline with more than enough to keep her jumping all night long. She managed to check on Jake’s table a couple more times and refill their drinks but didn’t exactly have time to stick around and chat. They asked for their checks a lot sooner than she had hoped, and Caroline begrudgingly obliged.
“Thanks for joining us tonight. I hope everything was good.” She handed them their individual checks.
All the men nodded and agreed the food and service had been good.
“And congratulations on completing your degree.”
Jake grinned from ear to ear, clearly proud of his accomplishment. “So when do you get off work, Caroline?” His green eyes were so gorgeous they put the rainforest to shame.
“Not until closing at ten, and then I have to help clean.” She pursed her lips and shrugged.
“The concert should still be kicking by then. Maybe you could meet up with us,” he said.
“Umm…” Caroline didn’t know what to say. Fantasizing about eye candy was a lot different than going off with four guys she didn’t even know. “You guys are going to the concert at the pier?”
“Yeah, we’re heading there after we leave here,” Tanner spoke up while brushing his honey-blond bangs back from his forehead.
“Maybe Ryan and I will check it out if we’re not beat when we finish up here.”
Jake’s face fell. “Is Ryan your boyfriend?”
Caroline laughed. “No…I’m not his type.”
Jake eyed her and tilted his head. “Well, then he has bad taste. What’s his type?”
“The kind who wears boxer shorts and muscle shirts,” Caroline said with a wink.
“Oh, that explains it.” Jake’s cheeks turned slightly red as he averted his eyes and chuckled.
“It doesn’t explain it to me,” Derek said.
Tanner gave Derek the side eye. “Did you eat paint chips as a kid?”
“No.” Derek still didn’t seem to get it.
Jake sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll explain it to you later.”
All four men paid in cash, tipping generously, and that was it. They headed out the door and out of Caroline’s life though Jake would likely be in her fantasies for some time to come. She doubted she’d head out to the concert after work, but part of her wished he had asked for her number.
The rest of the evening moved along in a blur—lots of food, lots of drinks, and lots of people pulling her in all different directions until about nine o’clock, when two equally wonderful things happened. The crowd started to thin out, and even better, Jake returned, sat at the bar, and ordered some coffee.
As soon as Caroline made sure the few customers she had left at her tables were all set, she went over to say hello. As she approached, her heart started thumping harder. The things he’d said before…he was probably just doing the same type of mindless flirting a lot of customers do with their waitresses. It probably didn’t mean anything. Caroline swallowed down the nerves jittering up from her belly and into her throat. “You weren’t enjoying the concert?”
Jake looked up from his coffee and as he set eyes on Caroline, his worried expression melted away and his face lit up. “Not that eighties cover bands aren’t my life, but it was loud and crowded…lots of flashing lights. I’ve not been in the mood for that sort of thing in a while.”
“I hear ya. Well, I’m glad you came back to see us. Let me know if you want anything else to eat. We have really good apple fritters.”
He twisted on his bar stood and patted his perfectly flat stomach. “I better stick to coffee.”
“All right then. I’ve got to check on my tables.” Caroline waved as she headed off. Had she imagined the heart-pounding, spine-tingling connection between them every time they looked into each other’s eyes?
By the time Caroline’s last customers left the restaurant, she had already wiped down all of he
r other tables and cleaned the waitress station.
She was just about to check the restrooms when Ryan came up behind her. “Would you go talk to him before he goes into a caffeine coma?”
“Huh?” Caroline turned to look at Jake and shrugged.
“He’s downed two coffees and has been nursing the third for the last fifteen minutes. He keeps looking in your direction. Home slice is not here for the java.”
Caroline wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow. “Please don’t ever say home slice again.”
Ryan laughed. “Deal if you’ll go talk to him. I’ll tidy the restrooms. You go tend the bar.”
“That’s an offer I can’t refuse.” Caroline ducked into the ladies’ room, calling out to make sure no one was in the stalls before Ryan entered. She checked herself out in the mirror, tidying up her hair and smoothing her uniform. Ryan held the door for her as she exited. “Okay, I’m ready and it’s all clear.”
She got behind the bar. “You’re going to be up all night.”
He looked up at her. “Probably. I haven’t been sleeping so well lately anyway.”
She gave him a sympathetic look. “I know how that can be.” He looked at her with confusion. “School can be very stressful, especially final exams, but now that you’re all done, maybe you’ll be sleeping like a baby again soon.”
His expression was wistful and also a little sad. “That would be nice. Say, you want to get out of here? Go for a walk or something?”
Cautiously, Caroline looked over her shoulder at Ryan who was already back by the bar and standing just close enough to eavesdrop. He nodded at her, making a shooing motion with his hand.
She untied her apron and handed it to Ryan. “Just let me get my purse.”
* * * *
”I guess you’re Ryan.” Jake stared at the tall, slender-but-fit man who had been serving him coffee.
“That’s me.” He held out his hand, and Jake shook it firmly.
“How long have you known Caroline?”
“It’s been a while. We work in the same school system though I teach high school, and she teaches middle school.”
“Oh, she’s not a full-time waitress?”
“Nope, we’re just here for the summer. Her aunt owns Sharky’s. Say, can I see your ID?”
Jake gave him a sideways look. It wasn’t like this guy needed to card him for coffee, but it wasn’t like he had anything to hide either. He reached into the back pocket of his shorts and pulled out his wallet, opening it and presenting his military identification card.
Ryan reached under the bar, got his phone and took a picture of Jake’s ID before handing it back to him. “There you go. Either you have her home no later than one a.m. or she calls me. Otherwise, I get in the car and start hunting you down.”
Jake chucked. “I like you. I promise she’s in good hands. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Good deal.” Ryan gave a pitiful two-finger salute.
Caroline strolled up, looking as pretty as a picture. She’d taken her long brown hair out of the ponytail and brushed it out so it hung down to her shoulders and framed her heart-shaped face. When she smiled, her brown eyes shined and the shimmery lipstick she had applied just heightened the breathtaking effect.
* * * *
Sharky’s had a patio with an excellent beach view and its own beach access across the dunes. Caroline led Jake out of the side door of the restaurant and showed him the way. The bridge was sparsely illuminated, but there was some light from the nearby festivities at the pier as well as from the half-moon hanging in the night sky. When they got to the end, Jake turned around, taking Caroline’s hand and helping her down the stairs. She appreciated his good manners and enjoyed the tiny spark that ignited when his flesh brushed against hers.
“Let me slip off my shoes and socks.” She always wore her white tennis shoes and no-show socks to work. Her hands shook with nervous anticipation as she untied the laces. It had been a good six months since she had even been on a date and a lot longer since she’d had a good one. Of course, this was more of a spur-of-the-moment invitation for a stroll than an actual date. She tucked her socks into her shoes and carried them in one hand.
This beach was Caroline’s favorite place in the world, and everything about it was familiar, from the coarse sand under her feet to the smell of salt water wafting through the air on the wind whipping up from the crashing waves. During the day, the natural wonder was at its most majestic, but at night, when most of the tourists had taken the kids in after a long day of sun and surf, the serenity was soul-recharging bliss.
“Are you cold?” Jake reached up and touched her shoulder, drawing her out of her nostalgic spell as nervous energy stirred in her stomach.
“I’m…I’m okay.” She shivered, the wind blowing her straight locks away from her face.
“Sure you are.” He smiled knowingly as he reached over and put his arm around her.
Caroline’s heart skipped a beat as he tucked her under his arm, against the side of his warm body. She felt secure, protected and comfortable as if she belonged there with him.
“Better?”
“Yeah.” Caroline looked up at the sky. “The stars are out tonight. It’s pretty.”
“I have to say I like the night sky here better than anywhere else I’ve been.”
She agreed. There was something about the serenity of the Crystal Coast. Everything seemed a little brighter, and those twinkling gems in the sky were like stepping stones to heaven.
“So who are you, Jake Devoe, and where have you been?” Caroline turned her head to look up at his face and catch his eyes.
“Well, I guess you got the basics from my identification card, name, age, height, weight, eye color…”
Caroline laughed. “I only checked the name and age, but I’m sure there’s a lot more to know.”
“Not too much. I’m a simple kind of guy.” He chuckled lightheartedly. “I like cold beer, mellow music, and pretty, brown-eyed brunettes.” Jake stroked her hair gently.
Slightly embarrassed by his compliment, she averted her eyes. “So what brings you to the Crystal Coast?”
“The military ocean terminal. Those idiots you met earlier and I work in the same unit and we’re all on temporary duty assignment here. Basically, we keep track of what type of ammo and other equipment gets loaded onto ships. I’ve been here since April and I’m scheduled to stay until November, but my enlistment ends in September, which is why I’m so psyched to have finished college.”
“Is your job interesting?” Caroline couldn’t imagine dealing with inventory day in and day out would be too much fun.
He laughed, shaking his head. “Not at all, but it’s…it’s important to make sure my brothers-in-arms have what they need, and those kind of things have to be meticulously accounted for with perfect record keeping. It’s mundane and tedious, but there is something to be said for the security of monotony.”
Caroline pursed her lips and tilted her head. “Huh?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but after two tours in combat zones, I have a lot of appreciation for a work environment that keeps my heartrate steady.”
She raised her eyebrows as her eyes widened. “Oh.”
He turned to face her, towering over her, his broad shoulders casting a large shadow in the moonlight. He slipped his strong, muscular arms around her waist. His face was bathed in moonlight, emphasizing the perfect lines and angles of his chiseled jaw and cheekbones as he looked down at her. “There are far better ways to get my heart racing.”
Caroline’s breath hitched in reaction to his touch, but she raised her hand, placing it on his chest, still unsure if she was going to push him away. His pectorals were as hard as concrete. She quivered, absently palming his torso while tracing a row of perfectly sculpted abs with her fingertips. Wow!
Breathless with desire, she pushed her hand back up to his massive shoulder. He trailed one of his fingers down her jawline, stopping at her chin and l
ifting her face toward his. As he leaned in, she closed her eyes in surrender. He brushed his lips against hers, sweetly at first and then more hungrily.
She dropped her shoes in the sand and then snaked her arms around his wide back, grasping at the muscles before pushing her hands beneath his shirt and dragging her fingernails lightly across his skin.
“Mmm,” he moaned into her mouth before opening his lips more and deepening the kiss. Jake lapped lightly at her bottom lip before plunging his tongue within to explore. He tasted like Irish coffee.
Caroline breathed him in, enjoying his rich manly scent, a mixture of spicy-sweet cologne and no doubt lots of pheromones.
As the kiss broke and they separated for air, she panted, and he pulled her closer. Her ample breasts pressed against his firm torso as her body quaked. His warm breath settled over her neck just before he tasted its cradle.
Caroline pushed the rational thoughts about how this might be a bad idea that would end in heartbreak way back into the far reaches of her mind, allowing her body to melt into his as he held her close. He nibbled her earlobe before engulfing the shell of her ear with his lips. Her knees went weak and she murmured small sounds of pleasure, expressing her bliss without words.
He whispered, “You’re a beautiful girl, Caroline.”
She didn’t know what to say. Caroline didn’t think of herself as beautiful. She was average height and slender with amble breasts and a plump rear, but she considered herself plain, nothing special—just a brunette with freckles.
Instead of replying, she reached up, placing her hand on the back of his head, running her fingers along the short fade leading up to the spiky locks on top. She brought her other hand to his neck, pulling his head toward her face and capturing his lips. Her entire body was trembling, and the juncture between her legs was firing on all cylinders, making the two inches of cotton covering it damp. She didn’t even know this man but she wanted him so badly.