Burned

by Hope, Amity

  “It’s too hot to do much of anything,” he admitted. “But I can think of a few things.” With his hands around my waist he started walking us backwards toward the water.

  “I like this idea,” I said. I wiggled out of his grip and grabbed the hem of my dress. “In fact, I changed into my suit because I’d planned on taking a dip.” I tugged my dress over my head and tossed it aside. I motioned toward the water with what I hoped was an inviting smile. “Join me?”

  “Definitely.”

  I started walking backward, keeping my eyes on Jake. The water was chilly as it splashed against my calves. I barely noticed. Not with my eyes glued to the guy still standing on the beach. I was positive he didn’t have swimming attire on underneath his clothes. He didn’t. That didn’t stop him from yanking his shirt over his head and dropping it next to my dress.

  I stopped walking as his eyes met mine. Waves sloshed against my thighs, gently bypassing me as they scurried onto the shore. I could barely make out his expression but I wondered if his heart had taken off like mine had. He didn’t hesitate as he went for the button of his shorts. He shoved them off and stepped aside.

  Butterflies dive bombed in my stomach. Jake had always been so reserved. I hadn’t really expected him to just strip down without a second thought. His scar stood out, a silver line snaking across his skin under the moonlight.

  Water lapped against my backside as he stalked toward me in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs and a cocky grin. I took a few more steps backwards, my heart suddenly settling into overdrive. Something about the predatory way he was looking at me kicked in an instinct to flee. I let out a little shriek of laughter, but I had nowhere to go; nowhere but into deeper water. I spun around, not willing to dive under. I was vain, didn’t want my hair to become matted to my head. And as much as my instinct was to escape…I wanted to be caught.

  It didn’t take long. I heard a splash behind me. Jake gracefully dove under the water. His hands almost immediately clamped around my waist. His head broke the surface of the ocean and he tugged me off my feet, into his chest. My legs wrapped around his waist as the water swirled around us.

  I didn’t exactly protest.

  “Hi,” he said with a grin.

  “Hi.”

  “You looked seriously surprised that I came in after you.”

  My hands curled around his shoulders. His skin was slippery so my grip was tight. “I was,” I admitted.

  “You think I’d miss out on the chance to have some fun?”

  My fingers slid into the hair at the nape of his neck. It was silky even as rivulets of water streamed down my wrist.

  “What kind of fun?” I teased.

  His hands slid down, around my thighs. My gaze slipped down to his lips. His mouth was mere inches from mind. My body was wrapped tightly around him. The fire in his eyes heated me so that I barely noticed the chill of the water.

  He leaned forward, his forehead pressing against mine.

  I let out a sigh and then we were kissing. There was no easing into it, no teasing, no light nibbles. It was his mouth over mine. His fingers squeezing into me, my legs tightening around his waist, my body pressing against his, wishing to get even closer.

  His fingernails scraped down my back, momentarily tangling in my bikini string. I was tempted to help him out until I realized something wasn’t right. I pulled back and his mouth dropped to my neck, to the sensitive place where the curve of my shoulder began. A hot tongue slid up the back of my neck.

  I snapped myself out of my blissful state. Jake’s hands were still both firmly clamped around my thighs. Both. Both of his hands. He had no free hands to be toying with my bikini top. His lips were on my neck. Not at the top of my spine. I let out a little shriek. My legs shot down in the water as I shoved myself away from him. I spun, coming face to face with Quigley.

  “What the…”

  I didn’t hear the rest of Jake’s muttered curse.

  I shoved the dog away. “Get out of here!” I shrieked.

  His legs sliced through the water. His tongue lolled about. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought his eyes were glinting mischievously. Devilishly. Yes. That was it. That damn dog was the devil!

  “Quigley! Here boy!” Jarrett called from the shore.

  “Go! Get!” Jake scolded. He grabbed the dog around the middle, faced him toward his master, and gave him a shove, propelling him toward the shore. The mutt looked over his shoulder. Disappointment filled his big, brown eyes.

  Too bad!

  “Sorry about that!” Jarrett called.

  I let out a strangled sound, nowhere near an acceptance of his apology. I did a little shudder as I ducked down in the water, hoping to wash away any residual slobber from the back of my neck. I came back up again and scrubbed at the back of my neck just in case.

  Jake let out a roaring laugh. “Well…that was awkward.”

  “Ugh, I thought he was you! He grabbed at my bikini string and I thought…” I faded off, shuddered again. “Never mind. I hate that dog. Have I ever mentioned that to you before?” Jake was still laughing as he shook his head. “Well I do. I really, really hate that dog! He has terrible manners!”

  “How’s the water?” Jarrett shouted as he waved from the shoreline.

  “I think he got his manners from his master,” Jake said under his breath. “Looks like neither of them have any sense of propriety.”

  “They don’t,” I said with a firm shake of my head.

  “Water’s a little chilly!” Jake called back.

  “Very chilly!” I called. Didn’t want to make it sound the least bit inviting. I had visions of both Jarrett and Quigley dashing into the surf to join us.

  “That’s too bad!” he called back. He gave us another wave. “You two enjoy your evening!”

  “Right,” I muttered. The romantic moment felt as though it had passed.

  “Hey! Put that down!” Jarrett scolded.

  I let out another growl of frustration. My dress dangled from the dog’s mouth.

  “I. Hate. That. Dog,” I said through clenched teeth.

  Jarrett tugged the dress from Quigley’s jaws. He dropped it back onto the sand. “Sorry about that!”

  I didn’t trust myself to speak. I was afraid I’d let loose with a tirade if I did. I simply waved him away.

  He took my wave as a sign of friendship. He grinned and then took off down the beach. I was relieved to see the mangy mutt followed.

  Jake’s hand slid across my shoulder. I was tense but felt myself immediately relax under his touch. He came up behind me and I leaned back into him. This time I was facing the shore. I kept a suspicious eye on the dog. I didn’t trust him not to backtrack and interrupt again. I had planned to keep watch but the moment Jake’s lips whispered across my skin, my eyes fluttered shut.

  I thought Quigley had ruined the moment. I had thought there was no getting it back.

  But as I listened to the waves, as I felt Jake press firm, insistent kisses across my collarbone, I realized I was wrong. The moment wasn’t ruined, just delayed. I twisted around in Jake’s arms, pressed my mouth to his, and kissed him like I didn’t have another thought in the world.

  Chapter 15

  The rest of my week off was filled with hanging out with either Jake or Paige. One day I’d even had lunch with Clarissa. She prattled on endlessly about Jarrett and her chatter brought a smile to my face. It was nice to see her so happy.

  Jake admitted that Darby was still calling him. We’d been avoiding the café in an effort to avoid her. In the evenings we’d been hanging out at the beach house. I preferred continuing to get to know Jake in a relaxed atmosphere. Grilling on the porch and swimming in the ocean had become our nightly ritual.

  Even though I wasn’t technically on vacation, I felt like I was. Our time together—paired with such a beautiful, relaxing surrounding—was blissful.

  Two days before Max and Holly were due home I was enjoying having the place all to myself. On
ce they got back, I’d be going back to work. Jake would be going back to his apartment.

  My vacation state of mind would dissipate like the fog at the edge of the ocean the past few mornings.

  A storm rumbled outside, making it the perfect day to stay in. I had decided to work on my culinary skills to pass the time.

  Music pumped out of my phone as I scanned over the recipe I had sitting on the counter. Satisfied that I’d followed the directions for my chocolate torte perfectly, I slid it into the oven. I cleaned up the mess I had made before getting ready to start the raspberry glaze for the top.

  Before I could pull a package of raspberries out of the fridge, my phone rang.

  I smiled when I saw it was Holly. I hadn’t talked to her for several days. In lieu of a honeymoon Max’s mom and her new husband had requested a family vacation. Max’s mom wanted her two sons to get to know their new step-brother and step-sister. Holly had been invited along. The resort where they stayed was smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Cell reception was spotty, at best. Holly and I had managed a few texts but phone calls were a no-go.

  “How was the backwoods adventure?” I asked by way of greeting.

  She laughed. “Not so bad. Max and I are on our way back to town now. I’m covered in mosquito bites, Max has poison ivy. It will be nice to go to sleep at night without worrying about getting eaten by a bear. But other than that…it was great.”

  “I’m not so sure I believe you,” I said.

  “It was actually a lot of fun. We stayed in this huge cabin.” I shook my head and smiled. Only Holly would worry about getting eaten by a bear while inside of a cabin. “There was an outdoor pool. We canoed. There were tons of hiking trails. We had a campfire every night. All of us ‘kids’ left today so the newlyweds could have the weekend to themselves.”

  “How was Mike?”

  Mike was Max’s older brother. He and Holly notoriously didn’t get along.

  “He was tolerable,” Holly said. “Now that Max and I are actually together, he doesn’t seem to hate me quite so much. He only tipped my canoe once and he took the last s’mores right out of my hand, so all in all, I think I’m growing on him.”

  I heard Max laugh in the background.

  “How was the wedding?”

  “I was hoping you would ask! It was beautiful. It was held in this old, rustic church out in the country.” She paused for a moment, apparently working up to what she really wanted to say. “I wish you’d come with us. We met Rick.”

  “Rick?” I scrunched my face in confusion. “Rick as in my latest fake father?”

  “Rick as in your mom’s husband,” she corrected gently. “Who also happens to be a coworker of Max’s mom. How ironic is that? Or maybe it’s not ironic. The town isn’t that big. Did you know they worked together?”

  “Nope,” I said, not sure if I felt more frustrated or intrigued. “I had no idea.” Max’s mom was head of the radiology department at the hospital back home. If Rick worked with her that meant he probably had a pretty decent job. Heck, any job was a novelty when it came to my mom’s choice of men. Unless…“Is he like…the hospital janitor or something?”

  “Actually I think the more politically correct term is custodial engineer,” she teased. “But no. He works in the business office located in her wing of the hospital.”

  “Huh.”

  “He was at the wedding. I mean, he and your mom. They were there together.”

  Something in her tone told me that she had more to say on the matter but wasn’t sure where to start. “And…?” I pressed.

  “Lanna, he was nice,” she said, sounding somewhat surprised. “He was really nice. He seemed put together. He was respectful. He asked me about you and said he was anxious to meet you.” She pulled in a breath and exhaled on a rush of words. “He was different than your mom’s other husbands.”

  “He wasn’t a slime ball?” I interjected with false awe. In all honesty, I was being unfair. There had been an ex or two of hers that hadn’t been so bad. Ironically, those were the ones that were the first to go. They went so fast that she didn’t even bother to marry them.

  “Lanna,” she chided.

  “Sorry. I’m being unfair. This is all new territory for me. Mom with a nice guy? Mom actually trying to make a marriage work?” I shook my head. “It’s just…bizarre. It’s like my mom is finally growing up.”

  I wanted to be happy for her but it was hard to claw my way past the lingering doubt. I needed a little more time, a little more proof, before I believed that this time here marriage was the real deal.

  “People do change,” Holly said.

  I wondered why Mom hadn’t mentioned this, that she planned on attending the wedding. Then I realized that up until a week ago, I had thought they were getting a divorce. Why would she mention that we’d been invited to the same wedding? The invitation had obviously gone to Rick. Without him, she wouldn’t have gone. And up until not that long ago, she’d planned on kicking him out of her life.

  “How was my mom?” I almost hated to ask.

  “Good,” she said. “We talked for awhile. She’s worried about you.”

  I made a noncommittal noise.

  “How are you and Jake?” she asked. I knew she was giving me a reprieve. “I haven’t talked to you in almost a week.”

  “Things are going well. To be honest, I kind of feel like we’re speed dating with him living here. We’ve hung out every single night. We have breakfast together every morning. It’s strange…but nice.”

  “It sounds like you’ll be sad to see him go.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. It’s been nice to see him every day. It’s been nice to get to know him. But I think it might be good for both of us to get back into a normal routine.”

  Holly laughed. “I can relate to that. When I tagged along with Max to California, I had no idea we’d end up dating. Sometimes it was hard to juggle being roommates with being something more.”

  There was a fumbling sound, Holly shrieked in protest and then Max was on the line.

  “If you want to know the truth, Holly had a hard time controlling herself,” Max teased. “I knew she just wanted to barge into my bedroom to ravish me.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. The comment was uncharacteristic for Max. I knew he must be in a good mood after a week away with his family.

  “Give me that,” Holly ordered. “Ugh, sorry,” she said to me when she came back on the line.

  “That was more than I wanted to know,” I teased my friend.

  She scoffed but I could hear the humor in it.

  The irony was that I could understand what they were both getting at. It was hard to go to sleep at night knowing Jake was right across the hall. I often found myself wondering if he was unable to sleep, thinking about me, too.

  So far we had an unspoken agreement to take things slow. I wasn’t sure about him, but for me it was getting more challenging by the day. The temptation to tiptoe across the hallway was almost overwhelming. Soon enough, it wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t be here. And probably that was a good thing.

  I wasn’t sure how much longer I could resist such a blatant temptation.

  “Do you have anything interesting to tell me?” Holly teased.

  I knew she was specifically asking about Jake. I ignored that bit of knowledge.

  “I have tons to tell you. Jarrett and Clarissa are dating, thanks to yours truly. Jake and I went to the café the other night and Darby crashed our date.”

  “She did what?” Holly groaned in sympathy.

  I heard a car door slam. “I think Jake pulled up. I’ll fill you in on everything when you get back.”

  “You better!” she ordered.

  “Bye, Holly,” I said with a laugh.

  The front door opened and Jake said, “Oh, wow. It smells good in here.”

  I glanced at the time on my phone. My torte still had a few more minutes left to bake.

  “What are you making?” Jake asked as he strod
e into the living room. Droplets of rain glistened against his hair.

  “A chocolate torte topped with a raspberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. If I get around to whipping it,” I said.

  “I’m going to miss you spoiling me with food when I leave,” Jake admitted. “All I ever have at my house are Chips Ahoy! and Oreos.”

  “Maybe if you keep being really nice to me,” I teased, “I’ll bring you dessert every now and again.”

  “Promise?”

  “Definitely.” My tone slipped into something a little more serious. “How did it go?”

  He dropped onto the couch next to me. “Good. The apartment is done.”

  “Done?” I echoed. The disappointment I felt clung to that single word.

  Jake took my hand and absently laced his fingers through mine. “Yeah. Can’t believe he finished early. I thought he’d go over, for sure. Figured I’d be asking Max to let me crash on the living room floor. I suppose he’s anxious to get me back in there so I can start paying rent again.”

  “Right. Of course. You’re leaving tonight?”

  “Nah. I figure as long as Max and Holly are still gone, I might as well stay here. The apartment was painted just this morning. It reeks of paint fumes. It makes sense to give it some time to air out.”

  “Definitely.”

  My thoughts quickly wandered and I wondered how long it would take for Darby to show up once he was back. I wondered if she had figured out he wasn’t even staying there. She didn’t seem like the type to give up. I decided not to think about it. There wasn’t anything I could do about it.

  “Besides, I don’t feel like packing my bags and heading back out into the rain. The storm is supposed to hit full force in less than an hour. Is it okay if I just stick around here tonight?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The timer buzzed, requesting my presence in the kitchen. I hurried to the oven and pulled out my latest concoction.

  “Looks good,” Jake said from over my shoulder.

  “I hope it will be. It needs to cool off. I can’t put the glaze on while it’s so hot.” I placed it on the stovetop and bumped the oven door shut with my hip.