Holiday by the Sea

by Traci Hall

  “I’m glad we’re close enough to walk.”

  “Those heels will kill your feet.”

  “These heels are divine and meant to be worn with comfort and style.”

  “Maybe you should bring some flip flops, just in case.”

  “You can’t help it, can you? Taking care of everybody?”

  “Nope.” It took everything in him to keep his hands to himself. His own stupid just-friends rule sucked. He should’ve caved and they could’ve spent the last three days be-bopping like rabbits in addition to singing, which was a very sexy thing to do together, and painting, which was hell on his libido with the short shorts Teagan pranced around in. Her tank top was a joke.

  He’d taken a lot of cold showers. Done a lot of running along the beach, pounding the surf. Studying the stars. Writing. Nothing he’d share just yet, but it felt great to compose new words and notes.

  “You can thank me when I’m right.” He got a pair of flip flops from the stack by the door and stuffed them in his back pocket.

  “How can I with a set-up like that?”

  He ignored her complaint. “I dropped off the guitar and amp already. We just need to show up.” What could go wrong, right?

  “Let me know if you change your mind about the video. My viewers would love it. We can send a copy to your mom at midnight.”

  “That would give her a heart attack.”

  “Or it might make her proud of your talent.”

  “Not going to happen.” His mom didn’t understand his love for music. After she’d shared the church story on Christmas Eve, he couldn’t antagonize her with his performance. “This is a one-time deal.”

  He opened the front door and held out his arm.

  Teagan, golden and sassy, asked, “What happened to the no touching rule?”

  “This is different,” he said, breathing in her carnation perfume. “I want to make sure you don’t tip over in those heels.”

  “So, you’re just looking out for me.”

  “Yeah.” He gave her an appreciative nod. “I don’t want any other guy getting the wrong idea.”

  “Possessive?” She shook her head and her gold earrings swayed.

  “Honey, you don’t realize how beautiful you look.”

  She smiled, pleased, and even tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Sweet talker.”

  By the time they got there, the late afternoon crowd was feeling no pain. Two guys tripped over their own feet as Teagan went by.

  “See?” Riley tucked her close to his side. “You’re a danger to the public. A nuisance. You’ll have to stay by me all night.”

  “There’s no place else I’d rather be.” She caressed his arm.

  Riley wished more than anything that she’d say those words and mean it for a lot longer than just a night.

  His plan, to be friends, and maybe convince her to stay in touch while she was away so that she’d see how much he cared and fall in love right back seemed especially lame tonight.

  Riley checked in with the manager, and then got settled on the small 6 by 5 foot stage. He had a chair, Teagan had a stool. As he looked out into the audience, his nerves skyrocketed.

  What in the hell am I doing?

  Teagan’s cool fingers at his nape settled him down.

  “Shall we introduce these people to the great Riley McSorley, or what? We’ve practiced until your fingers bled. You know what they want. Now give it to them!”

  Her confidence spilled over onto him. The audience was filled with people who wanted to dance. Sing along to songs they knew. Have fun.

  He knew how to sing, how to play.

  They liked music, he liked music.

  No big deal.

  “Show time,” she said in his ear.

  “Howdy.” His voice rumbled over the gathering drinkers. Silver horns hooted in greeting.

  “I forgot about the fact they’ll all be drunk,” Teagan whispered, smiling out at them, her legs stretched before her. “We got this in the bag.”

  *****

  Teagan watched the red recede from Riley’s ears and knew he’d be okay.

  They started with a love song, a duet that had the crowd singing along. Women handed him their numbers as if she was invisible. She got a few, too. He did some solo songs, his husky voice a magnet.

  What would it be like, this type of life? Singing in bars, surrounded by women who all wanted her boyfriend?

  She missed a beat with the tambourine. Riley is not my boyfriend. This is not my life. But it could be Riley’s. Would the performing bug get him and he’d be hooked?

  Maybe he’d say screw the day job and decide to tour. She didn’t want to feel responsible for messing up his well-planned life.

  Freedom of choice. Would he hate her for coercing him to perform? Thank her for getting him over the hump?

  Before she realized it, the three hours was over and the applause was wild. Riley put down his guitar and held up her hand with his. They bowed in unison and left the stage.

  The bar manager personally thanked them. “Janey said there was a snafu and you guys stepped in. First round of drinks is on the house.”

  Teagan and Riley each ordered champagne. “Thanks,” she said. Adrenalin hummed through her body, the after-effects of the show. This was way more intense than the vlogging she did. Yes, she connected, but her viewers didn’t sweat on her.

  “My pleasure. Hey, I’ll lock your guitar and amp in the storage room—you can pick it up tomorrow, like you asked. I’ll let Janey know we’d like to use you again.”

  That last line made it all worthwhile. Teagan watched the smile spread across Riley’s face, which flushed with success.

  The manager left and Teagan lifted her flute to Riley. “Well? Are you going to be a regular paid musician?”

  “He wanted us. You and me.” Riley clinked, then drank. “You should forget all about Europe and stay home to be a rock star with me.”

  “You’re so funny.” She tapped her toe in time to the canned music playing over the speakers. Another duo was getting ready to perform on the stage.

  “Yeah, yeah.” Riley’s smile slipped as he studied her.

  “You’ll be able to replace me no problem.” She kept her voice light, as if the idea didn’t bother her in the least. It was agony.

  “Nope.” He touched the back of her hand.

  She cleared her throat. “How many numbers did you get, anyway?”

  “Who cares?” Riley’s fingers circled around her wrist. “I’m with my lady.”

  His caress went directly to her girl parts. Teagan knocked back her champagne. “I could kiss you, but that’s against the rules, right?” The air between them was heavy, their gaze unbreakable.

  “It was a stupid rule.” Riley sank his hands into the hair at the back of her head and captured her mouth in a deep, questing kiss that left little doubt as to what he wanted.

  His firm lips nudged hers apart, his tongue teasing, tempting her to answer back. She did. It was never her intention to be celibate on New Year’s Eve. The fact that he’d held out for so long with the lack of clothes she’d been wearing made him a saint. She’d taken scissors to most of her shorts and tank tops, altering them to get under his skin.

  As a result, she was fired up too.

  He wasn’t the only one to take cold showers.

  “How long until the ball drops?” he asked against her mouth.

  “What do I care?” Seen one ball drop, seen them all. They could watch it later on the Internet. She leaned into his warm body.

  “We have those tickets to dinner.”

  “We can get a cheeseburger.” Teagan’s heels made them closer in height and the angle added different sensations in how they kissed.

  “Let’s go to my place.” He nipped her lower lip.

  “Mine is closer.”

  His tongue swirled over the roof of her mouth and her knees buckled.

  “Yours has a twin bed.”

  She nodded, unable to
speak. Wanting him. Right here in the bar? No, she wasn’t that far gone.

  Pulling free of his embrace, Teagan patted her chest and fanned her face to cool down. Why did he have this effect on her? Tingling and lovely. Terrifying. She could love him. No, no and no. Where had that thought come from?

  “We should eat,” she said, hoping it wasn’t too late. “Watch the damn ball.”

  Riley’s expression caved in like a fallen soufflé. “Are you sure? This isn’t just payback for the last three days?”

  She hadn’t thought about it like that. “No, but it could be, now that you mention it.” She watched the dancers, leaning her elbows back against the bar. Couples moving in tandem. Singles looking to be paired up. “Nah, I was thinking we might regret not using the tickets. It’s kind of a cool thing. Lobster. Oysters. Champagne.”

  He turned her so that she was facing him. “The last time we had a fancy dinner you fell asleep on the beach and we didn’t get to have sex.”

  “Until the next day,” she protested with a laugh. “And then we made up for lost time.” It was too late. She cared. Damn it. The revelation couldn’t change her plans.

  “True.” She shivered as he ran his finger lightly up and down her forearm.

  “You have the tickets?”

  He tapped his pocket.

  Her gaze snagged on the crooked skinny tie, lifted to his curly brown hair and smooth-shaven jaw. His eyes warm with emotion. For her.

  “Screw it. Let’s go home and raid the fridge when we need sustenance.”

  He practically tossed her over his shoulder. “Let’s go!”

  Chapter Twenty One

  Teagan and Riley hurried out of the bar, arm in arm. All she could think about was getting naked. Quick. They had no more time to waste.

  “You were pretty amazing back there. Tonight, with your guitar.” She held him close to her side, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. The chill in the air made snuggling a necessity.

  “You too. Very, very sexy. The way you used your hips with that tambourine?” He made a groaning sound in the dark.

  “It’s in my bag,” she said teasingly, rolling her hips.

  “Can I ask for a private dance?”

  “Maybe.” Why not? She lifted her face to the clouds in the night sky. There was enough no in the world. “I always wanted to learn how to belly dance.”

  “I’d watch you practice,” he offered, helping her over a crack in the sidewalk by spinning her around and kissing her.

  She laughed and tottered on her heels until she regained her balance. “I don’t think I’d get much dancing done.”

  He grinned, his hand settling on her lower back. “Probably not.”

  “Do you have any goals for the New Year?” She did her best to keep her teeth from chattering. “I don’t remember it being this cold in the bar.”

  “Because we were rocking out.” He had one hand above his head like a head banger.

  “Rocking out?” Teagan wrapped her arms around her middle. Neither one of them thought about a jacket when they’d left the house. Flip flops, yes, a coat, no. “Goals. You probably have a million of them.”

  “Why do you say that?” He tucked her close to his side, heat emanating from his lean body.

  Better. She stopped shivering. “Because you make lists. You’re organized. I bet you even have your socks color coordinated.”

  He snorted. “So?”

  “So, it makes sense that you’d try to organize your future.”

  They turned down her street. Three blocks to go before heaven. His body over hers. She hoped they didn’t break her twin bed. How would she explain that to her mother? If things got incredibly wild, she’d blame it on the break-in.

  “I have a few things I’d like to improve on.” His voice lowered. “Is that a crime?”

  “No!” She was making conversation, trying to get to know him. “I have some too.”

  “What are they?”

  “I asked you first.”

  Riley tightened his arm around her shoulder. “To take an astronomy course. Learn more about the stars.”

  “That’s a good one.”

  “Improve my eight-minute mile.”

  “What is it now?”

  “Ten minutes.”

  “Funny.” She wanted him inside of her, touching her. Were these the longest blocks in history? “Is that all?”

  “Well, now that I’ve broken out of my shell, I might decide to play a few more gigs. Although I didn’t think that I wanted to do it? I’m glad. I might even tell my mom.”

  “You got the lingo down. She’d be proud of you.”

  “Doubtful. I have a song I want to finish writing. Your turn.”

  Before she could answer, he stopped, fusing their mouths together, his hand against her back, pressing her into his erection. She moaned. Torture. Each damn step.

  When the kiss ended, he nodded for her to continue.

  How was she supposed to think?

  “Right. Goals. Um, the usual, I suppose. Lose ten pounds.”

  “Knock that one off your list.”

  “Oh?”

  He caressed her backside in the snug dress. “You’re perfect.”

  “Stop.” He made her want to stay and pursue what they might have but she couldn’t. She had her own dreams to follow that didn’t include a boyfriend.

  “You’ll be back.”

  Had he read her mind? “Well, sure, but I don’t know when. Maybe next Christmas. Want me to ask my parents if you could have your part-time job back?”

  Riley scowled as they passed beneath a lamp on the street corner. One block to go. “You don’t have to stay away so long.”

  Was he looking for reassurances? Promises she couldn’t give? “Riley. I like you, I care about you. But once my parents get home, I owe it to myself to fly to Europe and hike those damn hills. Visit the castles. See the ruins. Aren’t you curious?”

  “I love the ocean.” His jaw tightened stubbornly.

  “Guess what? Ireland is surrounded by water.”

  “We’ll stay in touch. I subscribed to your channel.”

  He hated her vlog. “You did?”

  “I wanted us to be friends.”

  “We are, Riley, we are. I haven’t ever been able to count on someone like I have you. You made an impossible situation at the bakery tolerable. No, fun. I can’t imagine working like that with anybody else.” It was true.

  But was it enough to hope a future on?

  She paused outside her house, holding him close so that she rested her head on his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his body. She heard the steady thump of his heart and covered it with her palm.

  “If we’re friends, you won’t forget about me, right?” His voice was a rumble.

  “I couldn’t,” she promised. He’d made her feel beautiful. Treasured. Feminine. “Ever.”

  He nodded and kissed her forehead. Her nose. Her lips. They walked, attached at the mouth, up the front path.

  Finally home. “Come on. I want to show you my room,” she said with a laugh. “We can be best friends, if you want.”

  “Oh yeah.”

  She tugged him forward, hand in hand, stopping under the porchlight. Her heart raced with emotion she didn’t want to look closely at—better to kiss him again than think. She lifted up on tiptoe. He leaned down, putting his hand against the front door.

  It opened inward and they stumbled into her foyer.

  Fear slammed upward, stealing her vocal chords as she opened her mouth to scream. Riley pulled her behind him, protecting her.

  She hadn’t lied about caring for him, and this selfless act sealed the deal.

  Had the burglars come back?

  “Riley.” She yanked on his shirt. “Let’s go.”

  Where was her phone? She’d stuffed it in her purse, in the tote bag with the tambourine. She dug inside, but froze as a voice bellowed down the hall.

  “Schnicklefritz! Is that you?”

  Was
that her father? Confused, she dropped her purse and peeked around Riley.

  Riley switched their positions so she was in front and he got to hide behind her. She didn’t blame him.

  “Daddy?”

  Her mind raced with questions. What were they doing home? They were supposed to be in Germany. For another week.

  Her dad barreled around the corner, a large man with a ruddy complexion and silver hair. Khaki shorts, leather shoes and a printed shirt. “We missed you, liebling. We decided to surprise you.”

  Her mother, dressed in black slacks and a silver shell, shrieked at his heels. “What are you wearing? Teagan Amelia Becker. What on earth is going on? Is that the Irishman?”

  She wished the house would sink into the canal, taking her with it.

  “Hey, Ma. Welcome home.”

  Her mother, tears streaming down her rose-colored cheeks, darted across the living room and pulled Teagan into a tight embrace. “Your hair! Did that dress shrink? I missed you. Now, introduce me to your young man. Do you see this, Frank? Our daughter, with an Irishman.” She peered around Teagan to study Riley.

  Riley held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

  “Not ma’am, no.” Golden brown curls shaking she said, “I’m Greta, and this is Frank.” Her mom waved her poor dad forward.

  Riley shook his hand too, then snuck a glance at her.

  Should have gone to his house, Teagan thought.

  “Nice to meet you,” her dad said stiffly. Then, ignoring Riley, he gave Teagan a hard hug. “The house looks wonderful. A new mattress, new paint? You worked so hard, schatzi.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Riley helped every step of the way. Orders tripled this season. I looked at the numbers from last year...” Teagan forced herself to stop babbling.

  “They did?” Her mom’s eyes rounded, her hand to her chest. “We thought business would be slow.”

  Riley nodded. “Your daughter handled everything like a pro.”

  She nudged him with her elbow. Was he coming to her aid? Sweet. “You’re being too kind.”

  “The sink is new?” Her dad looked from her to Riley.

  “Riley did that too.”

  Her parents exchanged a confused glance. Her mom asked, “Why? Did the robbers break it?”

  So, her mom knew about the burglary. “No, Mom. It’s just a new sink.”