by Carrie Banks
SEA CREST
KISS
Carrie Banks
©2019 Carrie Banks
All Rights Reserved.
Cover design: Carrie Banks
Beta Read by: ZiLlah Raven, Zulfa Cupido and Char Denae
Edited by Carrie Banks and D.B. Miller
BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
Sea Crest: Crush
Sea Crest: Kiss
Sea Crest: Secrets
Sea Crest: Break
Sea Crest: Burn
Sea Crest: Forever
CHAPTER ONE
TESSA
Gabby keeps staring.
“What?”
“I’m not looking at you. I’m trying to see behind you. I thought I saw someone I know…there are too many people in here to get a good look.”
I can barely hear her over the noise.
“Oh… wow.”
“What?”
“Don’t turn around, keep dancing.”
“He’s here. Isn’t he?
“Yep.”
“Kyle’s a damn stalker—he’s going to ruin my weekend.”
“It’s not Kyle.”
“Ryan?”
“Yep.”
A shot of excitement races through me. I was hoping something like this would happen, even though I pretended otherwise.
My heart starts racing as fast as the beat.
I feel his eyes on me. Gabby’s widen even more. But I just keep on dancing until the song ends and I’m out of breath.
“Hello, beautiful.”
His voice is possessive as it slides over me. Slowly, I turn around. The butterflies fly free and I’m falling headfirst into another summer crush, faster than the one I fell into last year.
“See something you like?” I challenge.
“You know I do.” He bends down so I can hear him over the next song that starts playing.
“Too bad. You’ll just have to keep looking.” I grab Gabby by the arm and lead her deeper into the dance floor.
“That was hot, Tessa. You just burned him and made him want you even more. I can tell. His eyes are all over you.”
I shrug, stopping close to the stage. My hips move to the beat, faster and faster. I’m getting a lot of attention and I know Ryan’s eyes aren’t the only pair on me. A few guys want to grind, but I don’t want anyone else but him.
“Who were you checking out?”
“Barron.”
“Barron?”
“We’re friends. I’ve been exchanging texts with him every night after work.”
“Please tell me this isn’t another ambush?”
“No. I swear. I didn’t know they would be here. I thought Barron was taking the boat out to the Hamptons… Crap. Don’t turn around. I think Ryan’s here with someone.”
Mike from the band sees us and waves us up to the stage. I don’t hesitate for a second. “Come on, let’s show the Kings of Sea Crest what they’re missing!”
The band start’s playing Uptown Funk, and I can’t believe my luck. Gabby and I still know our routine from sophomore year to this song by heart. Out on the stage, I block everything out. The two of us will put on a show no one here will forget anytime soon.
Ignoring the corner of the bar where Gabby said Ryan was drinking with Barron and some girl—I run my fingers through my hair, grab the mic, and belt out the lyrics. The crowd goes nuts, cheering and whistling. As the song ends, we all laugh and high five. Finally, I look across the floor and lock eyes with Ryan. He’s zeroed in on me—totally oblivious to the girl pressed up against him. He says something to Barron, who nods. Then they both start cutting through the crowd to the stage, leaving whoever she was behind.
Ryan lights me on fire. I just hope I don’t get burned.
“Nice moves.”
“Hi Barron, what’s up?” I give him a polite smile.
Before he can answer, Ryan pushes him aside and puts an arm possessively around my waist. “I’ve missed you.”
Pressed up against his side, I forget everything. The second he touched me, my anger and my questions about his past evaporated. For now.I’ll get my answers in due time but right now all the ions in the air around us are charged. I can see it in his eyes. He wants to kiss me again.
Badly.
I want it, too.
Barron’s watching us practically melt together. The heat between us, even seems to turn him on.
He finally looks away, towards Gabby, who’s pretending to ignore him. She’s loving the attention that she’s receiving from our performance with the band.
This is going be interesting. She’s trying to play the ultimate player.
Ryan’s blocked out everyone but me. I have his complete attention and it’s overpowering. In many ways, I’m still a girl while he’s such a man already.
“Hey stranger danger,” I say before I can take the words back. He has me tied up in knots.
“Stranger danger?” Ryan asks with a wink, “we’re going to have to fix that. Do you let strangers kiss you?”
Before I can answer, his mouth is on mine. I moan, clutching his hair. I’ve dreamed about his kisses for days. I don’t know what happened that night at Barron’s house, but I don’t care anymore. I knew he was cocky, heart-breaking trouble when we met and yet I can’t stay away.
He nips at my lips and kisses my mouth. His tongue sweeps inside. I press my tongue against his and feel myself getting restless in all the right places.
Groaning, I thread my fingers through his hair. Ryan’s arms pull me closer. I feel him pressing against my stomach… I’m not the only one getting carried away.
“Are you two going to suck face all night? I’m buying a round.”
Ryan ends our torrid kiss, but before he completely pulls away, he lays one last sweet peck on me.
Our eyes lock.
He smiles but unlike a few weeks ago, there’ no challenge…no game. He seems lighter somehow.
“I’ll have the usual and I’m buying.”
Still holding me by the waist, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet.
“Just a water for me.”
“Are you sure, Andrews?”
“What? A full moon is still not in the forecast.”
He leans over and whispers in my ear while gently toying with the straps of my dress. “Seeing you up there on stage in this was all the reminder I needed.” His warm fingers slide up and down under my shoulders traps, caressing my bare skin. He picks me up and moves me, so my back is against the bar. It’s a signal to everyone in sight that I’m his.
He stands close, caging me in. His right hand holds his black America Express card ready to pay for our drinks while the fingers of his left hand slowly slide under my dress to skim across my thighs.
He’s such a dirty, bad boy.
I knew he was.
And I kind of like it.
The bar is packed, dark, and crazy. But Ryan is so slow and deliberate, his hand now boldly splays across the back of my thigh while he bends down over me and kisses my neck. I tip my head back to stare up at him.
The world disappears. We’re the only ones left.
With our faces inches apart and our mouths almost touching, he leans his forehead on mine.
“I know I never called, but I thought of you every damn day.” His fingers slide down the back of my thigh one more time before he pulls away.
“I never called to thank you for sending me flowers either.”
“Forgiven?” he asks.
“Forgiven.” I breathlessly reply, still stunned he just boldly touched me like that. And shocked at myself that not only did I let him, but that I wanted more.
I pull him down for a quick kiss. He drop
s his card on the bar and hauls me against him.
“What are you both doing here anyway? I thought you were taking Her Majesty out to the Hamptons?” Gabby asks.
“That was the plan until Ryan found out his little sweetheart was going to be on Block. He insisted we change course. It wasn’t my first choice for this weekend but hell, he’s practically my brother. I had to make him happy,” he pats Ryan on the back, then gives Dex his credit card. “Open up a tab for us.”
“I’ve got it Barron.” Ryan steps in.
They stare one another down, battling over who will pay.
“What’s wrong with Block?” I interject.
Barron seems uncomfortable with my question, trying hard not to be impolite.
“Nothing. The harbor here is too small to accommodate the Majesty, especially with all the ferry traffic.”
“Oh my God. Did Barron Foster ride a public ferry?” I finish dramatically placing a hand over my heart.
“Of course not,” he laughs.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I know this isn’t as swanky as the Hamptons, but Block has a certain charm that’s almost magical.”
“To a magical weekend,” Ryan toasts as our drinks come.
“It’s on the house,” Dex replies, handing both men back their cards. His eyes are full of disappointment when they look at me. But at least he doesn’t hold a grudge that Ryan foiled any plans he had of hooking up with me.
“Thanks.” Ryan grabs my hand and leads me back to the dance floor. Gabby and Barron follow. She’s in full sexy mode, tousling her hair while staring seductively at Barron.
This is going to be a sweet romance or an epic disaster.
I know she loves her job working for his father and if this ends badly, it’s going to be awkward at the office until summer ends.
After a few songs, I catch her eye, and we excuse ourselves for the ladies’ room.
“Are you sure about pursuing Barron?”
“I know there are risks but I’ve had feelings for him for a while now. I need to make my move now—this summer before he goes to HSB.”
Washing our hands in the sink, I stare at our reflections side by side in the mirror. I shake my head at the two of us making risky choices, but hey, you want who you want. I’m not going to judge.
We finish primping in the mirror and Gabby tells me Barron has invited us both back to Her Majesty. The yacht was too big to dock, so they had to moor offshore on the other side of the island. No wonder why we didn’t see her from the ferry.
“Do you want to go?” She asks.
“Yes. But we are not doing the walk of shame back to Dex’s. Pinky-promise?”
“Pinky-promise.”
As we make good on it, the other women in the bathroom laugh. We make our way back to our boys and find JD to tell him our plans.
“Are you sure about this? You know what they’re probably expecting, right?”
JD breaks away from the girl he’s dancing with, his eyes conveying worry.
“We’re big girls, JD. Tessa and I know what we’re doing.”
Do we?
“She’s right. Besides your coming with us,” I inform him.
“I am?”
“Of course.” Gabby answers, placing her hand on his arm, leaving him without a choice. He ends up convincing Lisa, the brunette he met to join us. Looking up, I meet Ryan’s anxious eyes as we prepare to leave.
What have I committed to?
Isn’t this what I wanted?
Should I tell him I’m a virgin?
Our group walks out into the night, towards New Harbor where Barron’s Zodiac will take us aboard.
Ryan puts an arm around me pulling me close.
Neither of us says a thing. Our truce is only hours old and I think we’re both afraid the magic of the night will end, if one of us brings up what happened the last time we saw each other.
All the bars are closing shortly and the night’s winding down. Crowds of people spill out onto the street walking back to wherever they are spending the night.
There are few cars here since everything’s located within a quarter mile. Well, everything except the harbor where Barron had to moor his lady. I just found out that we have to walk a mile in the dark.
Barron grabs Gabby, bending her back over one arm and kisses her wildly. Taking my phone out of my wristlet, I capture the moment.
“How much longer? I’m getting blisters.” Lisa wails.
Looking at her shoes, I can tell she’s a Block Island newbie. Her high heel sandals look painful.
“It’s not much longer to the dock where the Zodiac is—maybe a quarter mile?” Barron answers.
“What? I’ll never make it,” Lisa replies, dropping down in the grass.
“I’ve got ya,” JD tells her holding out a hand. She takes it and climbs onto his back for a piggy ride and he gallops down the street.
Gabby jumps onto Barron’s back. The two couples recreate some weird horse race.
Yes, my friends are wasted.
Ryan and I walk behind. He grabs my hand, holding it tight.
When we arrive at the docks, both couples are making out, oblivious that we’ve arrived. Ryan starts untying the ropes to the Zodiac and steps in.
Wordlessly, he holds out a hand to me. I take it and he helps me get in. Before he lets go, he hugs me tight against him. “I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. Everyone else is doing it.”
He kisses me under a thousand stars.
I don’t know how it’s possible, but every kiss feels hotter than the previous one. But before we get carried away, he pulls back.
“Come on, let’s go.” Ryan’s in charge of herding our drunken friends safely into the watercraft since the two of us are the only sober ones.
When everyone’s in securely, Ryan starts up the powerful engines. The boat cuts across the dark water, racing away into the night. And before I know it, we’ve arrived.
Ryan pulls up alongside the stern and ties off to the launch.
I’m stuck in my seat.
The impressive size of the Majesty looms above me, and suddenly I feel way out of my element.
It’s just occurred to me that once we board, we’re stuck here for the night.
There’s no chance I can make my way back to Dex’s if I change my mind at the last second.
“Tessa?”
Ryan holds out his hand. The lights from Her Majesty illuminate the sky behind him. With string lights hoisted above the top deck to the bridge, she looks prepared to host a ball and Ryan’s staring at me as if I’m his princess.
Letting out a quick breath, I give him my hand standing on shaky legs. I force a small smile and let him lead me aboard.
JD knows his way around the ship, and he gets permission to give Lisa a “tour.”
“Come on Gabby—feel like getting in the hot tub?”
“But I don’t have a suit, Barrie.”
Barrie?
“Who cares?” He laughs, taking her hand and leading her up to the top deck. Suddenly, we’re left alone. I stare awkwardly at Ryan. Should I just launch myself at him? Or tell him right now I’m not going all the way?
“I’ll be right back.” He surprises me by looking unsure as well.
“What? You can’t leave me here. They are practically right above us. I can’t listen to them. It’s just gross.”
He smiles, amused at me for being so uncomfortable.
Barron’s shirt falls at my feet.
Gabby must’ve just ripped it off him and chucked it below, just for the hell of it. I hear her giggles followed by splashing water and shake my head.
“What? You’re not into voyeurism, Andrews?”
Glaring at him, I hit the button that opens the glass door to enter the bar area where three weeks ago I sat in a heap on the floor.
“Wait in here. I’ll be back in five.”
He walks through the main salon toward the bow. He’s gone for a full ten minutes, and I don’t want to s
it here alone, waiting any longer.
I’m chickening out. What the heck is he doing? Taking a shower?
I open a side door to a deck rail. I never thought I’d be here again, onboard Barron Foster’s boat in the middle of Block Island Harbor.
The sea matches the sky all the way out to the horizon, inky black and dark blue. Thousands of stars are out, and the breeze comes across the water chilling my skin.
“You’re freezing.”
Ryan’s hands briefly touch my shoulders. He opens a bench where life jackets and blankets are stored, pulls out a thick, plaid blanket draping it around me.
“Come on. I have a surprise.”
He leads me along the deck rail to the impressive bow.
He’s taken a sail and tied it across the rails, making a small tent. Outdoor cushions are strewn underneath creating a cozy spot for lounging. A hurricane lamp sits in the middle of a blanket functioning as a tablecloth. A bottle of chilled water, cheese and crackers, with a few bunches of grapes are on a small tray.
“You did all this, for me?”
He takes the blanket off my shoulders and sits holding out his hand for me to join him.
I don’t hesitate to climb under his makeshift tent and lie down next to him. He tucks the blanket around us. We lie in silence, staring out at the night sky.
A shooting star streaks by so fast I almost miss it.
“Did you see that?’
“Yes, make a wish.”
I snuggle into his side. The yacht gently sways, and the ship’s flags rustle in the wind. I sigh in contentment starting to relax. He does have a sweet and romantic side to him and I couldn’t be happier about it.
“I think this is a record.”
“What?”
“You haven’t done or said anything crazy or called me, ‘sweet cheeks.’ I like this side of you very much.”
He kisses the top of my head, pulling me closer.
We’re like magnets, the pull is strong and I can’t fight this anymore. But I need to know what happened with Emily. What Anna told me weeks ago still bothers me and it wouldn’t be fair to him to pretend to be oblivious about his past.
“Did you know that I’m working as an assistant manager at one of the touristy hotels this summer?”
“Barron mentioned it…?”
“…I’ve worked at The Wharf Inn every summer since sophomore year. Anyway, the hotel only employs about twenty workers during peak season, so you get to know everyone. We’re like family. We hired a new girl a few weeks ago to help for the next few months until the height of the season is over. She said she knew you.”