Waiting for Love

by Marie Force

  “Whoa,” Dan said when they came up for air many minutes later. “You’re making me forget I’m injured.”

  As her lips tingled, she leaned her forehead against his. “If you try to do anything more than that, you’ll remember.”

  “Can we do some more of that later?”

  “Only if you get all your work done.”

  “Let’s get busy!”

  Big Mac took a walk down the main pier of the marina, checking to make sure the boats were secured, the power cords were on the docks and not in the water where they didn’t belong, the hoses had been turned off and everyone was tucked in for the night.

  At the far end of the dock, a forty-two-foot powerboat full of young people enjoyed a Race Week party. Why was it that every year Race “Week” lasted longer and longer? The sailboat races attracted all sorts of people and boats, even powerboats like this one that came to the island for the parties rather than the races.

  “Evening,” Big Mac said to one of the men on the boat’s aft deck. “Is the captain around?” He’d seen the guy earlier in the day but didn’t see him among the crowd.

  “Hey, Tony! The marina guy is looking for you.”

  “Marina guy” was damned proud of the business he’d built over the last forty years from a collection of rickety buildings and falling-down docks.

  The captain emerged from the cabin, wearing a dopey smile to match his glassy eyes. “Hi there, Mr. McCarthy. What’s going on?”

  His regulars called him Big Mac, but he appreciated the show of respect from the young man, even if the words were slurred. “I want to remind you we have an eleven p.m. quiet time here. Have your fun, but wrap it up by eleven.”

  “Oh, we will, don’t worry.”

  “My good friend the police chief makes sure to send someone by every night to make sure no one is disturbing the peace.”

  “I hear ya. We’ll behave.”

  “Thanks very much. Have a nice evening.”

  “You, too, sir.”

  The “sir” was a bit much, Big Mac thought with a chuckle as he wandered to the end of the pier and looked out at the pond, where deck lights on hundreds of boats sparkled like stars in the darkness. He’d been standing right here talking to his son Mac when Steve Jacobson had approached them about recruiting some guys to fill in for a crew that had been stricken with the stomach bug.

  Big Mac had urged his hardworking son to take a day off and go with Steve. Mac had recruited Evan, Grant and Dan to go, too. They’d set off in high spirits, looking forward to the day on the water that had ended so tragically.

  Alone on the dark pier, Big Mac rested his elbows on the top of a piling and used the his palms to mop up the tears that kept coming and coming and coming, no matter what he did. He wondered if they would ever stop. He’d always known he probably loved his kids a little too much. Just as he’d always know that his effusive love drove them crazy, especially when they were younger and more easily embarrassed.

  Unfortunately for them, he didn’t know any other way to love but all the way. An entire day spent pondering what it would be like to lose even one of them, let alone three at once, had broken something in him that wouldn’t be easily mended.

  “Oh, hey,” Luke said. “Didn’t realize you were out here.”

  Big Mac wiped his face and turned to the young man who’d been a son to him in every way that mattered. “What’re you doing here so late?”

  “I suspect the same thing you are—checking on our friends at 11 D.”

  “I had a little talk with them. I think we understand each other.”

  “Oh good. I’m sure you were more diplomatic than I would’ve been.”

  “You would’ve done fine.”

  “See you in the morning?”

  “Bright and early.”

  Luke nodded and started to walk away, but then he turned back. Hands on hips, he leveled a steady look at Big Mac.

  “Something on your mind, son?”

  “I’m sorry… I wanted to say that because I know you’re pissed at me and with good reason—”

  “Pissed at you? What’re you talking about? I’ve never been pissed with you a minute of my life.”

  Under the lights on the main pier, he saw Luke’s cheek twitch, and his jaw was set with unusual tension that told Big Mac a lot about how upset Luke was over their supposed rift. “You’re going to deny you’ve been pissed since last week when I stopped you from taking the boat out?”

  They’d nearly come to blows when Luke physically restrained him to keep him from going out on his own to look for his boys.

  Big Mac rubbed at the stubble on his jaw, trying to think of what he should say to fix this. “It’s true I wasn’t pleased that you stopped me, but with hindsight, I can see you did the right thing. The Coasties didn’t need another missing boater on their hands.”

  “It was bad enough that the others were missing. I couldn’t let something happen to you, too. And the fog was so thick. So thick.”

  Big Mac stepped forward, put a hand on Luke’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m glad one of us was thinking clearly, and I’m sorry if I’ve given you the impression I was pissed. I might’ve been in the moment, but I’m not now. Okay?”

  Luke nodded, the relief showing in his expression.

  “You’re one of my kids, Luke Harris. I could never be truly pissed at you. Never.”

  “Shit… You gotta put it that way, huh?”

  Big Mac hugged him. “’Fraid so.”

  Luke returned the embrace and patted him on the back. “Thank God they’re all right.”

  “Yes. Thank God. And thank you. You did the right thing, but then again, you always do. You’re a good man, and I’m proud to call you one of my own.”

  When Luke stepped back from him, Big Mac thought he saw a tear or two in the younger man’s eyes. They’d all done their share of weeping lately. “You can’t possibly know how much that means to me,” Luke said.

  “Go on home to your wife, son. Everything’s okay here.” And it was, Big Mac thought as he watched Luke walk up the pier to the parking lot. Everything was okay. He just had to keep telling himself that in the hope that someday soon he’d believe it.

  Linda was enjoying a glass of wine at the kitchen table when Big Mac returned from the marina. “Everything all right down the hill?”

  “Yep. Got a couple of party boats still in from Race Week, so I wanted to make sure they aren’t going to keep everyone else up all night.”

  “Remember when that would’ve been us? Up all night with our friends, partying till the sun came up?”

  “That was a very long time ago.”

  “Those were fun times.”

  He popped open a beer and joined her at the table. “Yes, they were. Before five kids came along and ruined everything.”

  Linda shared a smile with him. They’d never done anything more fun than raise those five kids and their assortment of cousins and friends.

  “I ran into Luke down there. The poor kid thought I was pissed with him for stopping me from going out after the boys.”

  “Oh, no. All this time he was thinking that? What did he say?”

  Big Mac relayed the essence of their conversation. “I told him I could never be truly pissed at him.”

  “He loves you so much.”

  “I know. And the feeling is entirely mutual. What a good kid he is to be down at the docks checking on things so late. I sure got lucky when I hired that eager fourteen-year-old.”

  Linda covered his hand with hers. “He got lucky, too. He got a job and a dad out of it.”

  They shared a warm smile.

  “I’m worried about Grant,” she said. “Really worried.”

  “I am, too.”

  “Something happened to him out there. Something big.”

  “I’m afraid you might be right.”

  “Adam has gone to find him.”

  “Oh, good,” he said with a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I thought about
going to look for him, but I figured he wouldn’t want to be found by me. I can tell I’ve been irritating them since…” As his eyes filled, he took a deep breath and blew it out. “Since it happened. I’m trying not to think about it. I’m trying to remember to count my blessings. Trying to remember everyone is safe. Other than that…”

  “I think about poor Steve and his family and how easily it could’ve been ours.”

  He nodded in agreement. “You don’t think I should go looking for Grant, do you?”

  “Adam said he’d call when he found him.”

  Big Mac nodded. “Hard for me not to go after them the way I would’ve back in the day. Gotta remind myself they’re not little kids anymore.”

  “I know, love.” Not being able to go after them had been the worst part of an awful day for him. Old habits were hard to break. “You know what would make you feel better?”

  “What’s that?”

  “We need to go to bed early and watch a movie. I’ll even let you pick. Some James Bond will get your mind off it.”

  “I don’t need a movie.”

  Linda eyed him. “What, then?”

  “I need you.” He stood and tugged on her hand to urge her to her feet. “You can get my mind off it a lot better than James Bond can.”

  Ridiculously complimented by his words as well as the raw hunger she saw on his face, she let him tug her up. She was no sooner on her feet than he was kissing her, his arms wrapped tight around her. His kisses had always had the power to take her breath away, and tonight was no different.

  Reason finally had her pulling back from him. “Mac, wait. We need to go upstairs. Adam is home. He could come back any time. We’d scar him for life.”

  “Hurry,” he said, swatting her on the rear as he directed her toward the stairs.

  Laughing, Linda scurried out of his reach on the way upstairs.

  “Do you still have that doohickey you got at Tiffany’s store?”

  “Um, yeah. You don’t exactly use and return such things.”

  “We’re going to need that.”

  Her heart raced and the breath got caught in her throat as he bypassed the buttons on her blouse and pulled it over her head.

  His eyes widened when he got a look at the sheer bra she wore that left nothing to the imagination. “Where’d you get that?”

  “Also at Tiffany’s store,” Linda said with a saucy smile. “I thought you might like it.”

  “I love it. I love that store. I need to see if she’s in need of some investors. We’ve got to keep her in business.”

  Linda laughed, feeling more carefree and lighthearted than she had since the moment the island’s police chief, Blaine Taylor, found her at the hair salon with the news that her sons were missing. Tugging at the faded T-shirt her husband had worn to work, Linda helped him take it off, giggling as she did every summer at the “farmer’s tan” that encompassed his face, neck and lower arms, leaving the rest of his torso white.

  He scowled playfully. “Don’t make fun of my tan.”

  “Why break tradition?”

  Waggling his brows, he said, “How about you show me your tan lines.”

  Linda made a big production out of removing the dress pants she’d worn to work at the hotel, revealing an equally sheer pair of panties that matched the bra.

  He let out a low whistle as he reached for her.

  “Not so fast, sailor.” She tugged at the button to his shorts and made quick work of them and the boxers he wore underneath.

  They fell on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs. His kisses were ravenous, desperate and so, so hot. The older he got, the sexier he became to her. Her fingers sifted through the thick gray hair that had once been as dark as their sons’. The gray only added to his incredible appeal.

  Tonight he seemed inclined to take rather than give, which was fine with her. He was always a generous lover, and she was happy to return the favor. She’d give him whatever he needed, whenever he needed it.

  He broke the kiss, gasping as he cupped her breasts through the bra. “Lin…”

  “What, honey?”

  “I love you so much.”

  “I know.” She wrapped her arms around him, holding his head against her chest. He was so much bigger than her that she often felt delicate and fragile next to him. Now, however, he was fragile, and she was determined to support him. “I love you, too. I love how much you love all of us.”

  “I love you all too much.”

  She released her tight hold so she could see him. “No such thing.”

  His smile softened his expression as he framed her face with his big hands. “Prettiest girl I ever met,” he said. When he kissed her, he kept his eyes open.

  Moved by his words as much as the gentle slide of his lips, Linda looped her arms around his neck and let him take them both away from it all. So much for her plans to care for him. He took over, removing the bra and panties with practiced skill.

  As he kissed his way down the front of her, he said, “You know what I think about all the time?”

  “What?” Linda said, gasping from the tug of his lips on her nipple.

  “What would’ve become of me if you hadn’t given up your fancy life in the city to come to my island to be with me?”

  She fisted a handful of his hair, arching her back to get closer to him. “What choice did I have? I was head over heels in love. Still am.”

  “With me?” he asked, looking at her with blue eyes that danced with mischief. The relief at seeing his vivacity returning after the terrible fright they’d sustained made her want to weep. Instead of tears, though, she went with humor.

  “With your island.”

  He let out a grunt of protest and dug his fingers into her sides, tickling her as he drew hard on her nipple.

  The combination had Linda tightening her hold on his hair, torn between laughter and screaming from the pleasure. “Mac! Stop! I can’t take that.”

  He tugged again on her nipple, gentler but still insistent. “Tell me who you were in love with.”

  “You, God, only you. I was in love with you from the first second I ever laid eyes on you.”

  He scooped her up effortlessly, drawing her in tight against him as he thrust into her.

  His strength had always been a huge turn-on for her, never more so than right now when he held her so tightly, controlling their every move.

  She loved the way he dominated her in bed but let her dominate him the rest of the time. The dynamic had worked well for them for nearly forty years, and as Linda gave herself over to the pleasure, she could only hope they had many more years to spend together.

  “God, Lin,” he said, shuddering. “That’s so good. So good.”

  It had always been so good, she thought, as she peppered his face with kisses.

  He turned his head slightly, enough to join their lips. “So glad you picked me, babe.”

  “As if there was any choice.”

  “You could’ve had anyone.”

  “I only ever wanted you.”

  “Luckiest guy who ever lived.”

  And then there were no more words as he let his body speak for him, loving her so completely and so thoroughly that Linda was left spent and gasping when it was over.

  “Whoa,” he said after a long period of breathy silence. “We still got it, huh?”

  Linda released a shaky laugh. “Sure do.”

  He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “We’ve been so lucky, you and me. Great kids, great business, great friends, great home, great life. Last week I thought our luck had finally run out.”

  Linda turned on her side to face him. “It hasn’t run out, and it isn’t all luck. A lot of it was hard work and good parenting.”

  “True, but still… How lucky do any two people have a right to be?”

  “You have to stop thinking about it, Mac. You have to find a way to put it behind you. We all do.”

  “I’m trying, babe. Believe me. It’s the last f
reaking thing I want to be thinking about, and yet there it is, all day every day, taunting me with the reminder of how very close we came to losing so much.”

  Determined to keep him distracted, she crawled on top of him and reached over to the bedside table drawer where she’d stashed the vibrating “doohickey” she’d bought at Tiffany’s store.

  Her husband’s eyes lit up when he saw what she had in her hand.

  “What’re you about, my love?”

  “I remember a time,” Linda said, sprinkling his chest with kisses, “when partying wasn’t the only thing that kept us up all night. Remember that first summer we were married, before Mac was born?”

  He massaged her shoulders, working his way down her back to cup her bottom. “Oh, yeah. That was the best summer ever.”

  “It sure was.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “What do you say we make this the best summer ever?”

  “Would this best summer ever include that thing in your hand and whatever else Tiffany thinks we shouldn’t live without?”

  Linda howled with laughter. And she’d thought he’d be resistant to toys in their bedroom. How wrong she’d been about that. “Whatever you want.”

  His strong arms came around her, crushing her to him. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Everything is going to be okay, Mac.”

  “It will be as long as I have you.”

  Linda took a moment to enjoy the sweet warmth of his embrace before she wriggled free and set out to take his mind off his worries for a little while longer.

  Chapter 8

  Adam left the Surf and crossed the street to the Beachcomber, the iconic white hotel that anchored Gansett’s picturesque downtown. He cut through the lobby to the bar, where he took a quick look around but didn’t see Grant.

  “Hi, Adam,” the bartender, Chelsea, said. They’d gone to high school together. “I hadn’t heard you were home.”

  “How’s it going, Chelsea?”

  “Race Week madness. We’ll all be glad when it’s over.”