Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Island County Book 4)

by Karice Bolton

  “Are you serious, Walter?” I pulled up the sheet and exchanged glances with Jake. “I thought it was you.”

  “I’m not that hairy, and I had no idea I was welcome.” A glint of delight flashed through his expression.

  “Walter is a good snuggler. His breath’s a little iffy, but I was willing to overlook it.” I wiggled my brows and Jake snickered.

  He’d already showered and dressed, his wet hair shoved behind his ears, and I thought long and hard about inviting him into my twin bed to share with Walter and me.

  I stretched toward the ceiling and felt completely energized.

  “This was the best sleep I’ve gotten in ages.” I rubbed Walter’s belly, and he rolled over willingly for more. “Maybe I’ll take you home with me.”

  “How do you know it wasn’t because I was in the room?”

  “You were? I didn’t even remember that.”

  I smiled, and Jake bent down and kissed my head.

  “Breakfast is downstairs. Everyone has already eaten, so you and I can just enjoy ourselves without snooping eyes and ears.”

  “I can’t imagine anyone trying to snoop around here.” I chuckled.

  “Believe it or not, Chance is the worst.”

  “You know, I do believe it. That’s just like Nick. He totally interferes more than anyone.”

  Jake laughed himself down the stairs, and I slowly made my way out of bed.

  I showered, dressed, and stared out the window overlooking the beautiful lavender fields before heading downstairs. Several people were working the fields, and others wandered quietly. There was something very therapeutic about being here, and it was impossible not to see the connection between Hildie’s life observations and her farm.

  There was a perfectly woven amount of chaos at Purple Farm, and I really loved the energy.

  I wandered down the stairs to see Jake sitting at the table, reading a magazine. It was hard not to wish he’d been the one snuggled next to me this morning, but I didn’t want to rush anything.

  “Well, you look awfully sexy being a reader type,” I told him.

  He looked up, and his gaze instantly warmed. “You look amazing.”

  I’d changed into a pair of jeans and a navy long-sleeved shirt so I didn’t get burned. He had a beanie on, a red plaid shirt, t-shirt, and jeans. He looked like he’d stepped off the cover of Men’s Health.

  Jake stood up and walked over to the kitchen island. “There are fresh pastries, banana bread, oatmeal, hardboiled eggs . . .” his voice trailed off. He looked a little tense.

  “I’ll take a slice of banana bread.”

  “My favorite.”

  “It is?”

  He nodded and took a slice too.

  “I wasn’t sure you were going to show up,” he said with a mysterious smile.

  “I try to keep my word, unless I have a library emergency or something,” I said.

  Jake chuckled, and I saw him relax slightly, and I wondered what had him nervous.

  “So we can start at the buildings where products are made and move on to the gardens.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me.” I took another slice of banana bread and followed Jake out the door. The sweet scent of lavender drifted through the morning air and invigorated me for the day’s adventures.

  “There will be a spectacular firework show. Purple Farm puts it on every year for the island. In about an hour, these fields will be surrounded with families vying for the best seat.”

  “It seems like no matter where a person sat, the sight would be outstanding.” I ate the last piece of bread, and Jake looped his fingers through mine.

  “Probably true.”

  “But nothing was as gorgeous as the helicopter ride,” I told him.

  “So you liked it?”

  “Loved it.” We walked a few minutes in silence, making our way over to a rustic barn with rusted metal stars hung at the peaks. The barn stars had once been brilliant in color but had faded from the elements. “Thanks for doing that for me. I never imagined that I’d be able to look out the window and concentrate on my surroundings.”

  “Really?” he asked.

  “Totally. You know those swings at the fair that go round and round and go higher and higher with each pass?”

  “I love those.”

  “I passed out when I was on one.”

  Jake’s laughter filled the air, and I nodded.

  “Had I known that, I doubt I would’ve put you in the chopper.”

  I giggled. “Then I’m glad I haven’t revealed all my neuroses.”

  “There’s more?” His brow arched as he opened the barn door.

  “I’m deathly afraid of turtles.”

  “Turtles?” He stopped and turned around to look at me. “I don’t even think that’s a thing.”

  “Oh, it’s a thing. Those chompers—”

  I shivered.

  “You do know you can outrun them, right?”

  “I don’t ever want to put myself in a position where I have to.” I grinned and took over opening the door the rest of the way.

  The barn had been turned into a rustic workspace. Bunches of dried lavender, soaps, wreaths, and cleaning products filled the tables, and a shipping area was filled to the brim with boxes ready to go out.

  “This is where the magic happens.”

  “It’s beautiful and just like Hildie described in her book.” I looked over at him. “I know you might not think you’re ready to read it, but her words are magical.”

  “It’s up next.”

  I took in a deep breath and let the spicy sweet scent fill my lungs. “Everything smells so fresh.”

  “Ready to see the gardens?” he asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  We wandered out of the barn and began looping around the house. I assumed Jake had been talking about lavender gardens, but where he took me stole my breath away. Behind her house, a brightly colored garden wrapped the sloping hillside. Brilliantly colored hot pink climbing roses wrapped around an arbor, and two stone pathways followed behind.

  “Oh, my gosh,” I muttered. “This is absolutely insane. I can’t even imagine the work behind this.”

  “She does it all by herself. It’s her retreat. She has help for the lavender fields, but this is all her own.”

  Low mounds of orange coreopsis dotted the walkways, spikes of pink coneflowers reached for the clouds, and white alstroemeria swayed in the gentle breezes. I could imagine finding a bench and burying myself in the pages of a good book.

  We slowly walked along the pathways that introduced more palettes of color and whimsical garden artwork. The water was in view, and I spotted a narrow pathway winding down to the beach.

  “We’re headed that way,” Jake said, pointing to the very path. “It’s one of the few private beaches on Hound.”

  “That’s pretty cool.”

  Jake slid his arm around my waist and slowly helped me to navigate the rocky trail. Every so often, I would stop to look at some wildflower I didn’t recognize, and he’d happen to know the name.

  “So seagulls, alpacas, wildflowers . . .” I shook my head. “So much knowledge in that tiny head of yours.”

  Jake grinned and pulled me tighter as we reached the small inlet. As with most beaches around here, it was covered in pebbles, but I spotted a section of sand in the distance.

  “That doesn’t happen very often.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  Barely a ripple touched the water as we navigated the rocky beach toward the square of sand. I noticed a blanket already spread out and a bottle of champagne.

  I glanced at Jake, who looked a little nervous—a reaction I’d really yet to see—and I wondered what all he had planned. My heart fluttered at the thought, and I pulled in a deep breath as our shoes touched the sand.

  Jake stopped and turned toward me, his hand sliding along my cheek.

  “I’ve wanted things to be perfect for us, but life kept interrupting.”

&nb
sp; “That’s what happens when a person falls for a fireman.”

  “Part-time fireman.”

  “Full-time thrill seeker,” I added, looking around before bringing my gaze back to his.

  Jake slowly parted his lips, his eyes dropping to mine, and my heart squeezed with hopefulness.

  I felt the need rolling off him as he took a step forward and brushed my hair aside. It looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he slowly brought his mouth to mine. My body trembled with delight as his hands slid under my shirt, teasing my senses with the slightest of touches, and a soft moan rolled from my lips. He smiled against my mouth, his kisses sending me deeper as he circled his arms around me and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he continued kissing me with an urgency I understood all too well.

  Jake laid me down on the blanket and watched me with hungry eyes as I unbuttoned my jeans. His eyes darkened as I slid them down. He pulled off both his shirts, and I tried not to act mesmerized at the beauty of his body. Every muscle beneath his skin had been carved with definition. I reached up, running my fingers along his stomach, and my body filled with the most intense desire I’d ever experienced.

  Jake leaned over me, my hands still skating across his bare skin, memorizing every ripple and imprint as I took in a deep breath. He propped his arms around me, enclosing me under him. His mouth hovered over mine and his eyes stayed hungry. It felt like he could read every thought and desire running through me, and for the first time in my life, I was okay with being this exposed.

  “I’ve wanted this for a really long time,” he murmured, and a slight twitch of his lip made my belly dive into a twisted ride of euphoria.

  I nodded, my hands gliding around to his back.

  “Me too,” I whispered.

  Before I had a chance to even take the next breath, he delivered the most erotic and sensual kiss of my life, working my emotions into frenzied anticipation of desire and longing.

  He slowly slid his body down, and my breath quivered as he slowly moved my shirt up, exposing my belly and skittering it with tiny kisses. His strong hands gently ran along my waist, sending deliberate need through me as I imagined his hands elsewhere.

  He pulled my shirt off and unclasped my bra as I reached for his jeans. I wanted to feel him next to me with every fiber of my soul.

  Jake undressed the rest of the way, and I was nearly beside myself with need as he stayed away, only teasing and taunting me with what I wanted so badly. His fingers slid along my bare skin, only to be followed with gentle kisses and licks of his tongue. I ran my fingers through his hair, bringing him up to me.

  His mouth devoured me with want, and I clung to him, smiling as the anticipation built. Jake’s hard body pressed against mine, and I felt so small and safe underneath him, but I wanted more.

  I slid my hands down his back and wrapped my legs around his waist. He let out a low growl and pulled away slightly, my legs dropping to the sides as he buried his mouth into the crook of my neck and slowly slid his tongue along my chest. My body quivered from his touch as his mouth teetered between tenderness and possessiveness. His hands slid along my body, and he slowly climbed back on top of me.

  Jake’s blue eyes locked on mine as I felt his knee nudge me open, and I shot into heaven being in his arms with every movement of his body.

  When I thought I could bear no more, my body exploded into a collision of emotion and ecstasy. His body shuddered into mine as I drew in a gasp, feeling him rock so steadily, our longing being replaced by need as my world spun into the unexpected place of love.

  “Sometimes, we’ll never know why certain people show up in our lives at a particular moment.” He smiled, and my heart warmed knowing he’d been reading my blog posts. I nestled into him and took a deep breath, my lips pressing against his bare chest as I let myself fall in love with Jake Harlen.

  It was the day after the Fourth of July, and we were wandering through the small shopping area on Hound Island. Neither of us wanted this trip to end, and once we got back on the helicopter, we’d be back to real life and all the complications it brought.

  Tourists sprinkled the sidewalks, enjoying the last day of their holiday vacation, and I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend mine.

  For the first time in my life, it felt like things were as perfect as they could be. A weightlessness followed me and pushed me to be the most open with Jake than I’d been with anyone without even saying a word.

  “Want an ice cream?” He combed his fingers through his hair.

  “I will never turn down ice cream.”

  “My kind of woman.” He opened the door to the pie and ice cream shop, and sweetness filled the air.

  “If I could roll around in sugar, I think I would.”

  “And I’d like to see it.”

  “I bet you would.”

  “Welcome to Chilly Tarts,” a gal from behind the counter called out.

  A glittery pink menu lined the back wall, and several varieties of waffle cones were stacked neatly next to the toppings. A large group of customers waited for the orders to be scooped, and I beelined toward the glass counter with Jake barely able to keep up. My eyes landed on the colorful display of ice cream, and I took in a deep breath of absolute contentment. This had to be the best Fourth of July weekend ever.

  “I know what I want,” I told Jake.

  “That fast?”

  I nodded. “Huckleberry sorbet. Everything else will pale in comparison.”

  “That does sound good. I’ll do that too.”

  We placed our order and paid. While waiting for our ice cream, I glanced at some knickknacks for sale like a waffle cone magnet and a Chilly Tarts mug.

  When our order was called, Jake walked over and snatched each cone while I grabbed a whole bunch of napkins.

  “Outside?” I asked.

  He nodded, and I opened the door for him. We found a table in the shade, and before I took a seat, I grabbed my cone from him and took a lick. The mix of sweet and tart coated my mouth, and I knew I’d made the right decision.

  “How is it?” he asked, reaching for a napkin.

  “Like heaven.”

  I took another lick and looked out toward the marina, where several kayakers paddled out to sea. There was this shift in the universe, where suddenly my hopes and dreams involved a sprinkle of Jake. I wasn’t only thinking of me. I was thinking in terms of us.

  “This is good. I think I’ll follow your lead on all ice cream selections going forward.”

  “It’s a big part of my life.” I smiled, taking another spiral lick of the huckleberry sorbet. “I can pick out good books and ice cream.”

  “Seeing you lick that cone makes it extremely difficult to concentrate,” he whispered, and I giggled.

  “Good thing you don’t have much concentrating to do.” I took another lick for good measure and relaxed in the chair right when a text came over from Nick, and I groaned.

  “That doesn’t sound promising.” Jake smiled.

  “BlznBookie is going to be on Fireweed,” I informed Jake.

  A dash of confusion spread over his features. “Why’s that?”

  “Nick set up a meeting at Norma’s.” My stomach tensed at the thought. Chatting with Blzn came at a time in my life when I needed to get my feet wet. He gave me sound advice and planted a seed of adventure, but now that I had Jake, I wasn’t sure it was right to continue the communication.

  “Wow, Nick is persistent.” Jake laughed.

  “I should’ve told him I’m in a relationship. We are in one, right?” I grinned.

  “As far as I know.”

  “Well, it’s a group thing, so—” My brows rose.

  “I kind of think I’d be interfering,” he said in all sincerity.

  “Maybe that’s what I need.”

  He took another lick and let out a deep breath.

  “Don’t think I’m judging you. I’m not, but I’m curious.”

  “Yeah?”

&
nbsp; “Do you think you might have feelings for this BlznNerd?”

  I thought about his question. If I were being honest, the answer was yes. At some point, I’d developed feelings for him. The feelings were a bit detached, and I knew they could never be trusted. I didn’t know the man, and as Nick liked to point out, who even knew if he was who he said he was?

  “So when’s the date?” he asked, his expression unsettled.

  “Tonight,” I mumbled.

  “Excuse me?” he asked, smiling.

  “Tonight.”

  “Wow. Okay then. I’ll finally get to meet my competition. The storyteller from another land,” he teased.

  “A month ago, maybe some. Now there’s no competition. His stories had put me at ease and helped me through some rough patches. He kind of popped into my life when I needed him to. Not to mention, his writing is lyrical.”

  “Sounds like you’re completely disinterested.” He laughed, and so did I.

  “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a man who knows how to use words, but I promise . . . I’m all yours.”

  “We’ll see.” His brows furrowed.

  “It’s true.”

  “What about tonight?” he asked. My entire body stirred with the thought of getting to be with him again. The way he worked my body and made me forget my inhibitions drove me to another time and place. I’d actually hoped for another session, but with so much family swimming around, it just didn’t seem like the right moment. Now, tonight? Totally in.

  “We both know where things are headed.” Jake sat back in the chair. The umbrella shaded him from the sun.

  “And where’s that?”

  “Years of passionate sex, friendship, and plenty of adventure.”

  “That’s presumptuous,” I teased.

  “Which part?”

  “All of it.” I giggled, hoping he’d continue the list.

  “We can’t build our relationship on only the physical.”

  “That’s a shame.” I smiled.

  “Don’t you have a long list of books to read?”

  “You mean my infamous to-be-read pile? Yeah, it’s a few miles long.”

  “That’ll give you plenty to read while we’re awaiting our next adventure.”

  “What do you have in mind?” I asked, my brow arching.