A murmur of excitement went through the interns. Debra’s eyes lit up. “We don’t mind at all.”
Debra and the interns headed down the pier to where his boat was anchored. Danielle had stuck behind, as he’d hoped. He wanted a few minutes alone with her.
“Anyone else coming?” he asked.
“I invited the board president and vice president. They’ve agreed.”
“Is one of them the council member?”
Her hair was held back by a dark blue headband and hung to just below her chin. The breeze had blown a few strands into her eyes. He fought the urge to reach out and push them away.
“Yes, the vice chair of council and president of my board is Liberty Myers. I also invited Mr. Springfield.”
“Springfield? Is the creek named after him?”
“Not him, his family. The Springfield family owned much of the land around the creek for decades. Clear Water’s discharge, if the permit is approved, will go through his land, too. He has an interest in preventing the permit, as well.”
She shifted on her feet and tugged at her bra strap beneath her shirt. Maybe it wasn’t a bra strap? Hope that he would still get to see her in a bikini sprang in his chest. “Do you think she knows that she’s invited so I can change her mind?”
Danielle shook her head. Her arms crossed beneath her breasts, pushing them up. Jacobe’s eyes dipped. He forced them back up. He wasn’t an adolescent. He wouldn’t stare at her like he couldn’t wait to see what was beneath her T-shirt.
“As board president, it makes sense for me to invite her on a trip set up as a reward for the River Watchers. I wouldn’t come on too strong, though.”
“I like coming on strong.” He took a step toward her. Jacobe ran his finger along the edge of her glasses.
“You’re also very persistent. Jacobe, I meant what I said on our date.”
Those were words that should have made him take a step back. Words that should remind him that Danielle wanted a relationship. Relationships required trust, and he wasn’t ready to trust anyone again.
“I know what you want, Danielle.” He ran his fingers down her cheek and neck, stopping at the rapid beat of her pulse at the base of her throat. “I also want you.”
A line formed between her brows. Dozens of questions floated in her warm brown eyes. “What does that mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I want you.”
Voices and footsteps drew nearer. Jacobe dropped his hand and took a step back. He looked in the direction of the noise and saw a man and woman approach. The woman appeared to be in her early forties. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore shorts and a T-shirt. The man was older, fifties, if Jacobe guessed, with graying hair. He too was dressed casually for a day on the water.
They spotted Danielle and Jacobe. The woman smiled and waved before they both walked toward him and Danielle.
“Hello, Danielle. Jacobe Jenkins,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “I’m Liberty Meyer and this is Jeff Springfield. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Jacobe shook her hand. “Pleasure meeting you, as well. Danielle has told me how much the board has supported her efforts as the director of the River Watchers. I insisted that we invite you to show our appreciation.”
Liberty’s eyes shifted to Danielle, then back to him. “We?”
“Danielle and I are good friends. We’ve known each other since college. I’ve always been impressed by her passion for bringing attention to causes that are easily ignored.”
Jeff nodded in agreement. “Danielle is the perfect person for the job. She is very dedicated.”
Danielle adjusted her glasses. “I just try to do what’s right.”
Jacobe rubbed her back. She stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. She was lucky rubbing her back was all he’d done. He wanted to pull her against him as if they really were a couple. “Not many people are willing to fight for what they believe in. Come on aboard. I’ll let the captain know we’re ready.”
They went aboard and Jacobe left Danielle with her people and his teammates to give the captain the instructions. Not long after they were heading to sea. He turned on music. He preferred old-school hip-hop, but with the mixed crowd he opted for the new music his friend Dante Wilson was putting out. A fusion blend of classical, hip-hop and jazz. He’d been skeptical of the idea of the fusion mix when he’d first learned about it, but after hearing the music Dante and his group, Strings A Flame, were making, Jacobe had become a fan.
He’d ordered food for the daytime excursion since they planned to be out for most of the day. They stopped about twenty miles offshore and dropped the anchor. That’s when Kevin and Isaiah mentioned Jet Skis and swimming. The group congregated on the back deck. Debra and the interns and even Liberty and Jeff quickly stripped down to bathing suits and life jackets, and jumped on the Jet Skis.
Danielle opted out of getting in the water and sat in one of the leather seats and watched. Jacobe chose to stay with her while everyone else played. She had stealthily avoided him while they were heading out to sea, talking with his teammates, Debra, the interns or board members. He guessed she was trying to figure out what he’d meant. He was trying to figure that out, too. He wanted her, but how much was he willing to surrender himself to in order to have her.
When he sat beside her close enough for their legs to brush, she quickly scooted away. “Not going out with the rest of them?” he asked.
“Okay, don’t laugh, but I’m afraid of getting on a Jet Ski.”
He drew back with exaggerated shock. “The river general is afraid of a Jet Ski. You go under snake-infested bridges without batting an eye, but you’re afraid of a Jet Ski?”
She laughed and hit his arm. “The bridge wasn’t snake infested. It was inner-tube infested.”
“They look the same.”
“No, they don’t.”
He shifted closer. “We’ll agree to disagree. Why don’t you do Jet Skis?”
“I fell off a Jet Ski once in college and haven’t gotten on another since.”
“How did that happen?”
She shrugged. “Went to the lake with some friends. My boyfriend took off before I was ready and—splash, I fell off, and he zoomed on.”
Jacobe’s ears perked up at the mention of a boyfriend. His anger rose, too, with the thought of the guy leaving her behind. “Sounds like a jerk.”
She shook her head. “Not at all. That was nothing but a lack of communication. He immediately turned around and scooped me out of the water. I was fine, but a bit frightened. Neither of us got back on the Jet Ski and spent the rest of the day chilling on the beach.”
The nostalgic smile on her face, full of sweet remembrance of a fond memory, made his stomach clench in knots. Jealousy? Really?
“You liked that guy?” He hoped she didn’t say the ex-boyfriend’s name. Without a name, he didn’t seem quite real.
“I did.” Her brows drew together, then she looked out over the water at the group cheering and playing.
He wondered what that frown was about, but he wasn’t interested in hearing any more stories about an ex-boyfriend. “Come on the Jet Ski with me.”
“No, thank you. I’d rather not find myself plunged into the middle of the ocean.”
He laughed. “You won’t. If you prefer, I’ll get behind you and hold on. You can plunge me into the middle of the ocean if you prefer.”
“You can be annoying,” she said with a grin. “But I don’t want you to fly off the back of a Jet Ski.”
“It’ll be fun. Come on, let’s try.”
She watched the others and bit her lip. “Give me a second to think about it, okay?”
“Sure.” He slid closer to her on the seat. She didn’t notice and didn’t move away. “That time in college—was
it the first time you’d ridden one?”
“No. After Hurricane Fabian in 2003, my parents and I traveled to Bermuda to help with efforts to restore the coastline. My dad took me out on one once during that vacation.”
“Sounds like a fun vacation,” he said, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.
“Actually, it was fun. It was the first time I’d gone anywhere with just me and my parents that I can remember.”
“You traveled with others a lot?”
“There were always other people around my parents. I’m an only child, but my parents always busy with other things. There are so many people who need help in the world, it’s only right that they answer the call.”
Her words had that rehearsed sound he’d heard before when she’d tried to hide that she was upset they hadn’t come to the cleanup. The sound of someone used to being forgotten.
“When the opportunity to help after the hurricane came up, Dad signed us up to go. We helped rebuild the coastline and even worked on a few houses during the day. Sometimes, we got the chance to just hang out, but there was so much work to be done. Dad rented a Jet Ski and took me out. We had so much fun, laughing and going fast. Mama nearly had a heart attack.”
“That does sound fun.” No sarcasm. “Did you go out a lot on the Jet Ski?”
“No. It was just that afternoon. There were too many other things to be done. The best vacations are ones where you’re giving back.”
He stretched out his legs and rested his arm behind her. The position allowed him to brush his thumb across her shoulder. He liked touching her. “To me, the best vacations are the ones where you do nothing but relax and have sex.”
Her eyes snapped to his and she sucked in a breath. “What?”
“Exactly what I said.”
She frowned. “That’s not the point of a mission trip.”
“Maybe not, but I’d find the time. I’d also make sure I planned vacations that are about nothing but having fun. If you spend all of your free time giving to others without doing something for yourself eventually you run out of things to give.”
She looked away and sat up so he couldn’t touch her. “That’s a selfish thought.”
“No, it’s a true statement. We all have to relax and recharge. The world won’t end if you take a second to just enjoy it.”
“I was raised to believe it’s the responsibility of every person on this planet to do what they can to make it a better place.”
The general’s voice again. “Really, so what’s your dream vacation, then?”
She looked sheepish. “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but there’s this group that provides water-purification systems and builds wells for people who don’t have access to clean drinking water around the world. I’d love to volunteer and go with them one year.”
Jacobe sat up straight and pulled back his hand. Not because he disliked her idea but because her dream vacation was so noble. So damn honorable that it reminded him that he should walk away and stop pursuing her. She deserved better than the friend-with-benefits relationship he was able to give.
“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”
Jacobe took her hand in his and squeezed gently. “No. I actually think you’re amazing.” He looked into her eyes. “I admire your passion, and your compassion. But, can we at least agree that it’s also the right of every person to take care of themselves, as well? Having a little fun, without guilt, isn’t the end of the world. You know that. You’ve done that before.”
A low blow. He didn’t care. Right now he wanted the little bit daring, little bit wild Danielle who’d come to a party that night in college to come out for a little while.
“That night was...”
“A mistake?” He really hoped that wasn’t what she was going to say.
She shook her head. “No. It was the only time I did something truly reckless and just because I wanted it. Because I wanted you.”
“The world didn’t end, and as you said, you moved on.”
“Not easily, but I did.” She whispered the words, then pulled her lip between her teeth.
He squeezed her hand again, fought the urge to pull her in close and kiss her. There were too many people on the boat. Too many people who had no reason to not tell the world that he’d kissed her. He normally didn’t care who knew about the women he slept with, but he wanted whatever happened between him and Danielle to be between the two of them. Just like their night in college had been. Their own sweet secret.
“Ride the Jet Ski with me?” he asked. He needed something to do besides sit there and try not to kiss her.
She glanced at the group on the water, then back at him. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
* * *
Danielle had avoided getting on a Jet Ski ever since Luke dropped her into the lake back in college, but fear of falling off wasn’t what caused her insides to flutter as she settled into the seat. The searing heat in Jacobe’s eyes when she’d stripped of her jeans and shirt was the reason. Appreciation followed by the thorough inspection he’d given as she removed her outer layers made her feel like she was wearing the sexiest of bikinis instead of the sporty blue-and-black two-piece.
Before she could get a good grip on the gears, Jacobe sat down behind her, and wrapped her with the heat from his body. The inside of his legs pressed tightly against hers. The firm muscles of his chest were flush against her back, and his oh-so-long and strong arms wrapped snugly around her waist.
There was no way she should feel his body heat between two layers of life jackets, yet he seemed to burn into her flesh. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her.
He leaned forward. “You good?” His lips brushed her ear.
She tensed and gripped the handles. Jacobe ran one hand up and down her arm while the other squeezed her in what she guessed was a hug from behind. “It’s okay, I won’t let you fall.”
Falling was not where her head was at right now. She cleared her throat and nodded. “I’m good. Just getting comfortable.”
“Am I holding you too tight?”
He could hold her a lot tighter and she’d be cool. “Uh...nah. You’re fine. You sure you don’t mind being behind me?”
His hands gripped her waist and he pulled her farther into the crook of his legs. Heat shot through Danielle’s body, and she fought not to twist backward in his embrace. “I’m loving this position.”
His voice sounded thicker. She didn’t dare glance over her shoulder to see if the look in his eye matched. His sexy voice and hot looks were all well and good when they were on the boat, not so much when his hands could singe into the bare skin of her hips and thighs and his very essence surrounded her.
“You ready?” he asked.
She nodded. The sooner she started the sooner this ended. “Let’s do this.”
Debra clapped from the back of the boat. “Have fun, Danielle.”
Danielle shot her friend a glare, then laughed when Debra wiggled her eyebrows.
“Hold on.” She twisted the controls and they shot forward.
Why had she told him to hold on? One hand stayed on her hip, and the other wrapped around her waist. He moved with her in perfect harmony. His body melding to hers as she zipped and streamed through the water. The Jet Ski hummed beneath her, but that was nothing compared to the vibrations going through her body. Despite the mist of water that hit them, she felt overheated, burning with a need to get closer to Jacobe.
Jacobe moved his arms from around her waist. One hand clasped her shoulder, and the other pressed against her upper thigh. His fingers trailed up to her hip then back down where he squeezed. Danielle’s grip jerked and the Jet Ski lurched forward. His arm shot around her waist and he held her tighter than before.
“All right?” he asked.
Her heart thudded. “Yeah
, I’m going back in now.” She yelled over her shoulder and made her way back toward the yacht.
When they returned, she quickly took Kevin’s outstretched hand and hurried off the Jet Ski. She didn’t wait for Jacobe to get off as she hurried onto the deck.
A few seconds later, Jacobe lightly touched her arm. “Are you okay?”
She spun around and stepped out of his reach. Concern filled his eyes and he moved closer to her.
“Yeah, maybe it was all the jostling around, but I feel a little light-headed.” A lame excuse, but she needed a second to compose herself.
Liberty walked over. For the first time in a long time, Danielle was happy when the woman interrupted her.
“You two sure looked like you had a good time,” Liberty said. She held a small plate of shrimp cocktail in her hand.
Jacobe glanced at Danielle. “I always have fun hanging with Danielle.”
Sharp curiosity filled Liberty’s gaze. “Do you two hang out a lot?”
Danielle shook her head, but Jacobe spoke. “More so recently with the proposed permit for Clear Water. I live on the river and some of the boys in the mentoring program I sponsor live in Crescent Acres. We’ll all be affected if their permit goes through.”
Danielle had to give him props. He’d eased the conversation to the permit easily. But, then again, Jacobe had always been smooth.
“You’re following the Clear Water situation?” Liberty sounded surprised.
“I am. Closely. Not just the situation with the possible pollution, but can the creek even handle the excess flows? I mean, it’s a decent size, but will the extra water cause flooding of properties along the bank in larger rains?”
Danielle’s and Liberty’s jaws dropped. Liberty was too busy watching Jacobe to notice Danielle’s shock, which gave Danielle the chance to snap her mouth shut. For him to bring that up meant he had to have done more research on his own. The point had been minor in her speech during the public hearing. She got a giddy, glowing feeling in the pit of her stomach, along with a tightening of her skin and an overwhelming urge to grin uncontrollably. There could only be one reason.
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