by Aliyah Burke
“Feel better?” she asked him without turning around.
“Much,” he replied, setting his hands on either side of her, boxing her in between him and the counter. “Thank you for allowing me to clean up.”
He nuzzled the side of her neck and she shivered beneath his touch. The seductive scent of her intermixed with the aroma of the food.
“You’re welcome. Did you sleep well?”
“Like a rock. Why didn’t you wake me?”
She turned so they were chest to chest. “Why would I do that? You were sleeping so peacefully.”
“Because I came to see you and was rude enough to fall asleep.”
His breath hitched when she looped her arms around his waist.
“You were exhausted.”
Dropping his forehead to hers, he kissed the tip of her nose. “You are a special woman, Kassidy.”
“Hmmm, no need to butter me up, I’ll feed you.”
His lips moved lower and captured hers. She purred and pressed closer to him. Justice took all she gave and asked for more. His body responded full heartedly to her reactions. Teetering on the edge of his control, he ended the kiss. Her eyes, smoky with desire, stared up at him. Swollen lips were slightly parted.
“I’m starved.” And he didn’t mean for food. Every inch of him wanted the woman in his arms. Wanted to divest her of all clothing and lay her back on the bed.
“Great.” Her voice combined with her stepping away nudged his mind back on track.
Within moments they were seated with the meal between them. Corn fritters, pan-seared chicken, arugula salad, and a smooth minty pie for dessert. Over dinner they chatted about the past week. Each bite, every passing second, he knew he fell deeper and deeper for Kassidy.
While he enjoyed the pie, he posed the question that had been lingering on his tongue. “Will you come sailing with me this weekend?”
He watched her expression. Uncertainty, nervousness, and a few other emotions flashed across her normally serene face.
Worrying her lower lip she nodded. “Okay. Sounds like fun.”
He smiled slowly. “Wonderful. Saturday work?”
“Yes.”
The idea of it just being the two of them on his boat made his mouth water. Kassidy in a bikini. He helped her clean up, put his bag in his car, then they headed to the back porch and sat beside one another in a matching pair of Adirondack chairs.
The dusk slowly gave way to night. Fireflies began to illuminate the darkening sky. The sounds of the city were muted. The air was filled with the pungent aroma of all her blooming flowers. His soul was at rest. There was no restlessness within him. No overwhelming need to go out to a large party or a bar. He realized in those moments what contentment was. And he’d been lucky enough to discover it for himself. He shook his head when it dawned on him Kassidy had asked him a question.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Her musical and lilting laughter tinkled through the night. “I asked what I can bring for food on Saturday.”
He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. “Beautiful, the way you cook, I’ll take anything you feel like bringing.”
“Thank you.”
Facing where he imagined her face to be, he opened his eyes just as some gentle blue-hued wall sconces came on. The light exposed her serene expression. A slight smile turned up the side of her mouth he could see.
“Will Libby be alright?” he asked, well aware how much the poodle meant to her.
“I’ll take her to mom and dad’s for the day. She’ll be fine.”
With an easy push, he got to his feet and helped her up as well. Gathering her close, he nuzzled the wild mass of curls she had. The strands smelled like vanilla.
“Thank you for a wonderful afternoon and meal, Kassidy.”
“I’m glad you stopped by, I missed you.”
“Missed you, too, beautiful. I missed you, too.”
He wanted to stay. Longed to spend the night with her, in her arms, her bed. But he didn’t push it. There was still this way she held herself that told him she wasn’t quite ready for that step yet. While he was anxious, he could, and would, wait. He knew this woman equated his future.
“I should get going.”
Her slight body stiffened briefly. “Do you work tomorrow?”
“Yes. I have a few things to take care of in the morning. Then I’ll be all ready for Saturday.”
She drew back and stared at him. “Time and place?”
Here and now. “My boat’s on Pier 8, Slip 6A. What do you say about eleven?”
Her smile grew as she repeated the information back to him. Leading her down the steps and to the gate, he wrapped his arms tight around her, wound one hand in her hair and tugged her head back.
The kiss was intense and proprietary. He thrust his tongue deep into the recess of her welcoming mouth. Mint and ice tea combined with a taste purely Kassidy and he hardened in seconds. A primitive growl escaped as the kiss intensified.
Her lush figure pressed invitingly into him and wore down the thin remaining control he had to be a gentleman. His free hand gripped her derriere, his fingers digging into the flesh through her jeans.
Somehow he ripped his mouth from hers. Chest heaving with each labored and consumed breath, he set her away from him, his mind nearly overrun by the intoxicating taste and smell of her.
“Good night, Kassidy. I’ll see you Saturday.”
One more hard, fast kiss and he slipped out the gate and headed for his car at a jog. His shaft pressed painfully against his jeans and no amount of readjusting relieved it. He cast one more look at Kassidy’s house. The warm inviting glow almost tempted him out of his vehicle. Jaw clenched, he shifted into reverse and backed out of her drive then headed home.
Kassidy on his mind the entire way.
Chapter Five
Friday morning, Kassidy sat across from Lucy at their old hangout for breakfast. She watched her friend as she stirred her orange juice with a straw.
“He just left?” Lucy asked again, disbelief in her tone.
“Yes. Like the hounds of hell were after him. I don’t know, Luce, maybe he’s not attracted to me in that way.” She forced the words out even though it hurt like heck to say them.
“You just hush with stupid talk. Did you ever think maybe he didn’t want to push you into sleeping together?”
“I was ready.” Man was I. She recalled how aroused she’d been. Each time they kissed she got that way. Heck, I’m just thinking about him and I’m getting that way.
“Well, I like him so I’m going with the he-didn’t-want-to-rush-anything explanation,” Lucy continued as if she hadn’t commented at all.
She shifted on the booth seat and watched Lucy’s face. Her expression showed perfect sincerity. “Okay, I’ll trust you on this. I just… just wish I was brave enough to instigate it.”
“Why are you trying to force it to happen sooner?”
She shrugged and stared at her plate. Scooping up a forkful of scrambled eggs, she ate the bite slowly. Lucy’s brown eyes narrowed.
“This has to do with the fool idiot, doesn’t it?” she growled.
Kassidy gave a sheepish smile. “Alex told me I wasn’t a desirable woman. Just wondered if maybe he wasn’t—”
“Stop it, Kassidy!” Lucy’s normally serene voice was full of anger. “That so-called man was an asshole of royal caliber. Listen to yourself. How are you going to give that waste of oxygen any credibility? You told me yourself Justice calls you beautiful. If that doesn’t tell how he views you, I don’t know what it’s going to take.”
Her friend’s vehement outburst stunned her into a moment of silence. She’d known Lucy hadn’t liked Alex but she never knew just how deep that dislike had rununtil now.
Lucy pointed her knife at her and continued, “Justice isn’t Alex and from what you’ve told me doesn’t share a damn thing in common with him other than a Y-chromosome. So don’t judge him like you would Alex.�
� Her voice softened. “Give him a chance, Kassidy. I like the glow of happiness you have about you. Justice is a good man.”
She smiled at Lucy. “Alright, Mom.” Lucy stuck her tongue out. “Seriously, Luce. Thanks. I was beginning to doubt myself.”
“I know, sweetie. For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen you so happy.”
She hadn’t been. But then she’d never met a man like Justice Graham before either. They finished their meal and walked to their cars.
With a hug for Lucy, Kassidy said, “We need to do this more often. It’s been way too long.”
“I agree.” Lucy kissed her on the cheek. “Call me on Sunday and let me know how the sailing went.” With a wink and a wave, Lucy got in her car and drove away.
Kassidy went home and worked in her backyard, putting some plants into decorative containers. Once it got dark, she headed in and began to prepare the food she would be taking with her on his boat. Justice called her that night to ensure they were still on for the next day. When she hung up the phone, her insides were a jumbled mess of nerves.
His seductive voice accompanied her to bed. Her dreams were filled with hot and explicit exchanges between her and Justice. When she woke, her body was extremely aroused and her heart beat outrageously fast.
That morning, she gathered Libby’s stuff and Libby, took her to her parents and returned home to pack the food in a cooler. Her belly began to knot up while she drove to the docks. She grabbed the blue container and walked to her destination. The screaming gulls barely distracted her. Her hands grew a bit sweaty the closer she got.
Turning onto Pier 8 she began worrying her lower lip. A litany of “what-ifs” ran through her mind. With a deep breath, she forced her down panic and uncertainty.
“Kassidy!”
Justice’s deep voice broke through like a welcoming ray of sunshine after a storm.
Lifting her head, she saw him striding toward her. Her breath caught as she took in the vision approaching her. He wore a white t-shirt, blue-white Bermuda shorts, and white boat shoes. They were nice enough but it was the physique beneath them which played havoc on her senses. Delicious was the word that sprang to mind.
Oh my!
“Hi,” she said with a smile.
“Right on time,” he commented, leaning in to press a spine-tingling kiss upon her lips. “It’s really good to see you, Kassidy.”
She relinquished the cooler when he tugged on it.
“Thank you for the invite.”
He remained silent but the heat in his eyes told her so much. Lucy’s advice flitted through her mind before she focused totally on the man slipping his arm around her waist.
“Let’s get this show on the road.”
He guided her toward what she assumed to be his boat, a beautiful white vessel with the words The Dinah Rose painted in an elegant black writing.
“She’s beautiful, The Dinah Rose.”
Justice smiled down at her as he helped her onboard. “Yes, ma’am, thank you. My father dreamed of having his own boat to take us out fishing on. His dream boat had the same name. Dinah after the love of his life, my mom, and Rose after grandma. I never forgot the days we’d spend overlooking the water and watching the boats go. When he was KIA I vowed to fulfill his dream, since he wouldn’t be able to. So, here she is.”
Kassidy could hear the mixture of pride and sorrow in his voice as he spoke. Squeezing his hand, she said, “I’m sure he’s very proud of you.”
He returned the squeeze. “Let me give you the tour, then we’ll head out.”
“What kind of boat is this?”
“A Catalina 28mkII.”
She nodded even though she hadn’t a clue what that really meant. Eyes large, she took it all in. The deck was open and wide, giving her the impression of easy maneuverability. He led the way down into the interior.
“Oh my,” she gasped. It was beautiful and spotless, with a stunning blend of blues and wood finishes. Natural light was abundant. “The wood work is gorgeous.” She reached out and trailed her fingers along some.
“Teak and ash finishes.” He gestured with his hand. “The galley and the head are aft.”
She looked behind where they’d come down in and saw a very tidy and compact cooking area, past which laid a bed, neatly made. Seeing it took her mind down an entirely different path. A closed door stood to the right, which she assumed to be the head.
“Looks like you brought a feast,” he said, sending her a grin that shot up her core temperature quite a few degrees.
She glanced around the main cabin area. Naval images and décor were up on the walls. Over one of the seats hung a collage of photos. Moving closer, she stared at them. The centre picture was of a handsome black man in an Army uniform.
“That’s my father.”
The resemblance was uncanny. She listened as he pointed out the others in the shots.
“What a wonderful group of photos. Your mom and sister are very beautiful.”
He smiled and walked by her, his hand trailing along the small of her back before he ascended to the deck. She turned to follow and noticed a phrase written in blue near where she took the steps.
Semper Paratus.
A question on her lips, she stepped up into the warm sun. Justice had already begun to cast off. She stood by and watched as he steered them with ease and what looked to be minimal effort on his part. He pointed out boats that belonged to his friends as well as waving and talking to people they passed on their way out.
Excitement began to sink in. While in the harbor, it was different. Now they were headed out. The warm wind drifted through her hair and brought a smile to her face.
“Justice?”
“Yes, beautiful?”
“The phrase on either side of the steps. What’s it mean?”
He turned the wheel and pointed the bow toward open water. “Semper Paratus.”
“Yes, that.”
“Always Ready. Motto of the US Coast Guard.”
Always Ready. Two words that, based on what she’d seen of Justice Graham, fit him perfectly.
He winked at her, slow, seductive and yet totally enticing. “Let’s sail.” With a few motions, he released the sails. The boat fairly leapt forward, propelled by the wind. The pristine white sails billowed out. “Come here, Kassidy. Take the wheel.”
Although uncertain, she did as told and listened to him give her a brief lesson on steering The Dinah Rose. It was not easy to concentrate with his strong body pressed up against her back, his hands covering hers where they rested on the silver wheel. A contented sigh left her and she relaxed back into the wall of strength behind her.
* * * *
Justice couldn’t keep his stare off Kassidy. Or it seemed his hands. When he’d first spotted her walking up the pier, he could easily read the nervousness on her face. She was entirely adorable in her red t-shirt and white shorts. Her hair was loose and blowing around her face. He couldn’t see her eyes because of her sunglasses, but it didn’t matter.
Now, Kassidy lay on a towel up on the deck before him. She’d removed her shirt—as had he, which left her in a bikini top and those short white shorts, which hugged the globes of her ass in a way he longed to. Her bikini top was jade green, the color sliced through the nut-brown hue of her skin.
He groaned and forced his nails out of his palm. With his other hand he had the lunch she’d brought. He was hungry, but the deepest craving he had wasn’t for the food he carried, no it was for the stunning woman stretched out on a towel in the sun.
“Here’s lunch.”
Kassidy turned her head and watched him approach, a smile on her face, the wind moving her curls. “Great, I’m starved.”
He clenched his jaw when she sat up fully and stretched out her legs. Crouching beside her, he pulled out the containers of food and spread it out between them. Once everything was out, he withdrew a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“Trying to get me drunk?” Her question teasingly fell.
“Nope, not yet,” he replied with a wink.
Over the meal, Kassidy asked about his boat and he took great pride in answering each and every question she posed. Her interest seemed genuine. After lunch and a slice of delicious peach pie, they cleaned up. Justice lay beside her. He’d dropped the anchor before lunch, so for the moment the only movement came from the gentle rolling motion of the ocean herself. He lay propped up on one elbow, his free hand running up and down her arm, her skin silken and supple beneath his questing fingers.
“This is perfect, thank you.” She turned toward him. “I can’t imagine not loving being out like this.”
He grinned. “There is nothing like being out on the water. The feeling it creates within is unbelievable. Haven’t you gone sailing before? You said you grew up here in Quiet Harbor.”
“Nope. Never. Kinda wish I had though, now that I know what I was missing.”
He traced the outline of her sensual mouth. “I must say, I’m glad this is your first time. Kinda nice to know it was with me.”
She swallowed and her tongue traced the path his finger had travelled seconds earlier. Where he found his control, he hadn’t any clue.
“Yes,” she said, her voice slightly strained. “It does make it a bit more special.”
He gave in to the urge riding him and pressed their mouths together. Her sigh pounded into the thin hold of control he had. Slipping one arm under her, he rolled them so they were chest to chest. Kassidy’s small hands moved up his back, her touch blazing a path of fire along his skin. She purred and molded her body tighter to him.
With a low growl of surrender, he gave in to the desire washing over him. Adjusting so she was beneath him, he trailed one hand up and down her side as the kiss deepened. His fingers caressed the curve of her ass and squeezed. Her nipples could be felt through the cloth of her bikini. The ocean rocked them together in the most intimate of ways.
Tearing his mouth off hers, he removed her sunglasses and stared in her eyes. The gray orbs were dark as were the green flecks within them.