by Ranae Rose
She shot him a lingering look he couldn’t quite gauge.
His inability to read her grated.
She was the same woman he’d grown up just a few streets away from, who he’d walked alongside during so many days at the beach. They’d even gone to the same high school, although he’d been two grades ahead of her. And yet, she was different. She’d barely been a woman then; now, she seemed sure of herself. Mature.
It occurred to him that her interest in him might’ve disappeared along with the last of her immaturity. That thought grated too, although there was only one way to find out.
“I remember.” She arranged the flowers just so, then set the vase in the middle of a round kitchen table with just two chairs. “You worked so hard at that construction job. And look at you now – you must’ve worked hard to get this job, too. It’s impressive.”
Just like that, she divided him – he was torn between pride and shame. She knew truths about him that he’d chosen to leave in the past. After joining the police force, his relationships with his old childhood and high school friends had slowly disintegrated. In general, he didn’t talk about his life before becoming a cop.
The only part of it he really wanted to think about was the time he’d spent with Belle. That he was pursuing her despite the fact that she knew damn well the people who’d raised him were no better than the people he was prone to arresting now was a testament to just how strong her allure was.
“I thought you got a job somewhere out of state after graduating from college,” he said. “What made you decide to move back?” He hadn’t expected to see her again when she hadn’t returned after finishing her education.
They hadn’t had much contact during her last year of college, and none afterward. Keeping in touch while knowing she wasn’t coming home had been too torturous – for him, at least.
“Well, there was the job. And I missed this place. I guess you could say I got homesick.”
He nodded. When she’d been younger, she’d always loved the best of what the area had to offer: warm beaches and even warmer summer nights.
“I worked in Atlanta for several years,” she said. “I hated living hours from the coast, but I had to take what I could get, looking for a job straight out of college.”
“So you’re planning to stick around?”
“I’m home.” She touched one of the lilies. “Why would I leave again?”
“I didn’t realize you liked it here so much.”
“Who wouldn’t?” She smiled.
He didn’t quite smile back, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
“So what about you?” she asked. “You’re not going anywhere, are you?”
“No, I’m not.” He’d worked for years to become qualified for his job, and he wasn’t about to give it up. Besides, he loved the coast too – it was home. He’d never had much of a family, but like Belle, he’d always enjoyed the views and amenities the island had to offer: a wealth of natural beauty, great food, warm weather and – for the most part – good people.
“Well then, I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
“You can be sure of it if you keep driving like you were today.”
She shot him a wry smile. “I was born and raised here. You know I can’t help it. As I recall, you’re just as bad – only now you’ve got a car with sirens and can get away with it.”
He shrugged. “Perks of the job.”
“Do you still live on the island?”
“Got an apartment over on Devoir Street.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Well, we’re not neighbors, but we’re not too far apart, either.”
“No, we’re not.”
She surveyed him with those dark eyes, and he saw more of the woman he didn’t know: the stranger whose mind he’d once known and body he’d once tasted.
How had she lived during those years in Atlanta – how had she changed?
She shifted her gaze away from him and to the fridge. “Would you like a drink?”
She sounded breezy, at ease. No longer teasing him.
He took her up on the offer, and she pulled a pitcher from the fridge and poured two glasses of iced tea.
“So why are you really here?” she asked. “Just to catch up, or…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
A wave of heat raced down his spine and swept through the rest of him. He was here for the possibilities she’d left unspoken – here because she drew him as the moon drew the tide.
She always had, and however they’d both changed over the years, that was still the same.
What he needed to know was whether there was any chance of picking up where they’d left off six years ago. Maybe it was a longshot, or maybe not.
He was going to find out.
CHAPTER 2
Belle sat across from Jackson in her kitchen, and it was almost surreal. He’d walked in as if they’d never been apart, presenting the bouquet of lilies and accepting a glass of sweet tea in exchange. His company wasn’t unpleasant, but she knew it wasn’t without reason, either.
Whether that reason was the one she suspected, she needed to find out.
“I haven’t seen you in years.” He answered her question, his blue eyes locked with hers. It was nice to see them, unhidden by the glasses he’d worn earlier today with his uniform. “I’ve wondered about you more times than I can count.”
A frisson zipped down her spine, all the more intense for his honesty. It was good to see that his frankness wasn’t a quality he’d lost. She’d always liked that about him.
“I’ve wondered about you too,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again. I wasn’t even sure if you were still living on the island.”
One corner of his mouth twitched, whether in the beginning of a smile or a frown, there was no telling.
“I’ve been here my whole life – never left.”
“Did you have to go to college to become a cop?”
“Yeah, I got an associate’s degree in police science. I did that at the community college, though, right here on the island.” He settled back a little farther in his chair, his broad shoulders rising and falling beneath a blue t-shirt that clung to them. Did he know how good he looked in that color?
She almost asked, then bit her tongue.
It would’ve been so easy to slip into a teasing banter with him. But the last time they’d been together he’d only been twenty-three. Closer to thirty now, he’d matured into a man she didn’t really know. A gorgeous man, sexier than ever. It took effort, but she curbed the temptation to be too impulsive or flirtatious.
After all, she’d grown too. She wasn’t twenty-one anymore, and she wasn’t going to throw herself at a man she barely knew.
Not even Jackson, the Hot Cop Extraordinaire who she’d once considered a friend and had already slept with.
“And you said you’ve been working for the South Island Police Department for four years?” God, thinking back to him in uniform earlier that day gave her hot flashes.
He nodded.
“You like the job?”
“Love it.”
She could hear the honesty in his voice, and it made her smile. “It must be an exciting career. In comparison, mine seems pretty boring. I enjoy it though, so I’m not sure what that says about me.”
Light gleamed in his eyes. “You’re very interesting to me.”
Heat burnt high on her cheeks, and she had no doubt he could see the resulting blush. For the first time that night, she felt embarrassed. Last time they’d seen each other, they’d slept together. Was he hoping she’d be willing to jump into bed again?
The look in his eyes was worth a thousand words – a thousand dirty words, if she was reading him right. Her body warmed beneath his gaze, and her skin tingled.
“I’m flattered, but I may not be quite as interesting as you remember. I’m less impulsive, for one. And…” She shifted in her seat. It was awkward to talk about, but if he had the wrong idea
about what she’d been offering by inviting him inside, she needed to set the record straight.
A ghost of a frown crossed his handsome face. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I didn’t think—” Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable. “I wasn’t thinking at all when I decided to show up here, if I’m being honest. I’ve been wondering about you for years, and seeing you today got me all worked up. Sorry if my showing up here was too much.”
“It’s okay.”
“Maybe I should’ve asked first, but I had my dashcam running, and that would’ve broken a few rules.”
“Unlike memorizing someone’s address and showing up on their doorstep?” She arched a brow, unable to resist teasing.
He shrugged, his lips twitching. “I took a chance, no doubt about it – now I can only hope you won’t report me.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. It was a surprise, but I really am glad to see you. I’m just not sure what you’re expecting, considering how things went last time we were together.”
The heat in her cheeks burnt steadily. Just saying “last time” out loud made her heart skip a beat. Several years had passed, but the memories from that night still gave her an electric thrill every time she thought back. Jackson had been her first and was still the only man she’d ever slept with who hadn’t disappointed her at some point afterward.
A cynical voice in the back of her mind told her that that was probably only because she hadn’t given him a chance to. She’d left the island the next day and hadn’t come back, with the exception of the occasional weekend home to visit her parents.
She hadn’t sought him out on those occasions – it would’ve been too hard to leave the island after seeing him. Atlanta hadn’t been her first choice, but she’d needed the job she’d landed in the city. There hadn’t been any job openings she’d been qualified for on the island – she’d checked.
He pressed a hand against the table top, still frowning. “Belle, I didn’t come here to ask for anything you don’t want to give or to make you uncomfortable. But surely you can understand why I’m interested in you.”
She shrugged, shifting her gaze beyond him as butterflies came to life in the pit of her belly. “Because I—”
“Because I had you once, and I never forgot it. I’d wanted you for years before that night. Now you come back more beautiful than ever, and it’s all I can think about. I know we’ve both changed. I won’t blame you if you don’t want now what you wanted years ago, but I’ve gotta try.”
His words struck her dumb. By the time she found her tongue, her heart was racing.
From any other man, the words wouldn’t have been so powerful. But he’d been her first, and there was no denying that he was by far the most attractive man she’d ever been with. The combination threw her off kilter in a way no one had for a long time.
“Thank you, and it’s not like that – you’re still very appealing to me. It’s been a long time though and now that I’m home for good, I don’t want to make any decisions I might regret later. There won’t be any escaping them if I do.”
His frown returned. “I see.”
The way his eyes darkened tripped some sensor inside her, and her heart sank.
Too late, she realized how what she’d said had sounded.
“I didn’t mean for that to sound so rude.” She set down her tea, searching his eyes for some hint that he understood. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You were always smart Belle, and you still are. I get it.”
She sensed him pulling away from her, even before he pushed his chair back.
“Jackson.” She stood without thinking, pushing back her own seat. “Don’t leave just because I put my foot in my mouth.”
Guilt swept through her. Why had she said something so dumb?
He met her eyes, a wry smile flickering into place. “Don’t worry, my feelings aren’t that fragile – I just don’t want to intrude. I took a chance showing up uninvited, and I can tell I’m making you uncomfortable. I hoped this would go a little more smoothly. Sorry I ruined your day.”
“It takes a lot more than a speeding ticket to ruin my day.” Now it was her turn to smile, even if she sensed he was acting tougher than he really felt. “I’m not seventeen anymore.”
She’d cried when she’d gotten her first ticket, which had happened long enough ago to seem funny now.
He nodded. “That’s for damn sure. Night, Belle.”
“I feel like I’m rushing you out – you really don’t have to go.”
“Tell you what: I wrote my number on the card in that bouquet. If you decide you want to get together, give me a call and we can choose a place and time.”
She agreed, and in that moment, the years melted away. She couldn’t see the man in uniform who’d pulled her over that day, or even the man who’d shown up on her doorstep that night with flowers. She saw Jackson, young and familiar: the man who could nearly stop her inexperienced heart with a look.
She didn’t want to say goodnight, but she did, and the moment passed.
A near stranger again, he left her alone with the lilies and a restless feeling that stayed with her throughout the night and lingered well past sunrise.
* * * * *
Jackson disliked working traffic. So many bad drivers called the island home or visited from the mainland that writing tickets was like shooting fish in a barrel, especially during the busy summer tourist season. On mornings when he knew he’d be assigned a post monitoring traffic, he stopped at the Tempest Café for breakfast.
It was a busy little place built of clapboard they claimed had been salvaged from a wrecked ship more than a century ago. Whether or not that was true, the place had been granted a plaque by the city’s historical society, and it swelled with tourists around lunchtime. At a quarter after five in the morning, though, it was nearly empty.
He took his usual seat at the far end of the breakfast counter, where he could easily observe anyone who came and went. He’d barely sat down when a familiar voice called from the kitchen.
“Jackson, my favorite customer.” A short twenty-something brunette in a red apron sprang into view, a big smile in place.
Ashley always made it a point to serve him when he stopped in. Only on her days off was he served by anyone else.
She didn’t seem to have many days off.
“Morning, Ms. Cass.” He addressed her as he would’ve anyone else while working, but it only made her giggle and tell him, for the millionth time, to call her Ashley.
“Your usual?” she asked, tapping her pen against her note pad.
He nodded.
“Coming right up.” She twirled, her apron strings fanning out behind her, and went to deliver his order to the kitchen.
Within seconds, she was back with a cup of coffee. She set it down on its own, knowing better than to offer sugar or cream.
“Busy lately?” she asked, lingering by his section of the counter.
“Busy enough.” He shoved away thoughts of yesterday’s wreck, thinking instead of the breakfast he had coming. He could already smell the beignets, hot dough and sugar that tasted like heaven on earth.
“I read that there’s more crime in the summertime. It gets hot, and people get crazy.”
He took a long sip of his coffee and nodded. It was true enough.
“My uncle had some furniture stolen right off his patio the other day,” she said, leaning on the counter. “Maybe you heard about it?”
“Afraid not.” He bit his tongue before he could tell her that the South Island PD didn’t notify all its officers every time a patio table grew legs.
She shrugged. “Well, at least that’s something I don’t have to worry about. No patio furniture when you live in an apartment. Of course, there’s no point in looking for anything bigger when I live alone.”
He drank his coffee, nodding as he watched an elderly man shuffle through the door and take a seat at the other end of the counter.
As
hley had a habit of mentioning that she lived alone, and he had a habit of nodding silently when she did so. He never took her bait, but she never stopped throwing it out there, either.
Moving at half the speed she had when he’d come in, she went to serve the old man.
As soon as she was gone, she disappeared from his thoughts, replaced by the same recollections that’d kept him up half the previous night.
Belle in her car, speeding over the bridge onto the island. Belle in her kitchen, pouring him tea. And most of all, Belle jumping on his dick with an enthusiasm that’d belied her inexperience. That had happened years ago, but he’d sooner forget to breathe than forget the details.
Time and distance had forced him to chalk it up to a stroke of sheer dumb luck – something to think back on whenever he took his cock in his own hand. He’d relished every detail more times than he could count and the years gone by had turned the experience into a fantasy.
One night, and then she’d left. One night of finally caving beneath the pressure of his attraction to her – one night he’d remember for the rest of his life, even if he never got to touch her again.
Yesterday, coming face-to-face with her again had forced him to realize that the star of his fantasies was a living, breathing woman still capable of taking his breath away.
God, she was beautiful. Fifteen minutes in her presence had been enough to assure him that she still retained her old grace of movement and that those dark, dark eyes hadn’t changed a bit.
In the course of a single day, the fantasy he’d turned to so many times in the dark had crept into every waking hour, causing his dick to stand at attention at random, inconvenient intervals.
Now, he could only hope she’d call despite the speeding ticket and his awkward appearance at her house.
He was miserably aware that it was a lot to hope for.
“Here you go.” Ashley lowered a plate in front of him, forcing him to divide his thoughts between Belle and breakfast.