“Care to share a bench with me?” Jamie asked.
His voice sent a shiver down her back. Her body was doing all sorts of things it had never done before, including walking with an extra little sway of her hips and getting warm all over. She liked that, too. A lot. She settled into the bench and pulled her feet up next to her. Jamie sank down beside her and draped an arm over the back of the bench. Somehow, even in her tipsy state she was aware enough to stifle the urge to see just how soft his shirt was and cuddle up beside him, because she knew she’d also want to see just how hard his body was.
She felt like she was drifting on a cloud, listening as everyone talked and laughed. Sometime over the course of the hour Jessica began sharing Jamie’s beer, and sometime after that his arm warmed her shoulders. Pete and Jenna and Bella and Caden turned in for the night with promises of coffee in the morning. Or at least that’s what Jessica thought they’d said. Her mind was still a little fuzzy.
“We’d better take off, too. I’ve got to be on a job site early tomorrow.” Blue rose to his feet and pulled Sky along with him. “And you have that tattoo shop gig in P-town tomorrow, right?”
“Yup. Tattoo shop. I’m spending the day tatting up hot guys and girls.” Sky leaned down and hugged Jessica. “See you soon, I hope.”
“Me too. It was fun hanging out with you.” After she hugged Sky, Jessica’s hand fell on Jamie’s leg, and she let it stay there.
“I’d better get our little lightweight to bed.” Tony lifted Amy easily into his arms, and she settled in against his chest with a sigh. Her hand reached for his neck, then fell to her belly. “I have a way with women, don’t I? Good night, kids.”
“G’night, Tony. It was nice to meet you.” Jessica watched him disappear into the darkness, and she wondered how Amy would feel in the morning. Or if they were friends with benefits, although it sure didn’t seem that way when Amy was talking about him inside the cottage.
“Guess it’s just you and me.”
Jamie’s rich voice slid over her, bringing goose bumps to her arms and heating her up even more. How the heck did he manage to pull off laid-back and sensual at the same time? And why was it such a turn-on? She looked down at her hand, still on his thigh, and felt his muscles flex. The fire was nearly out, just a few embers glowing in the darkness. She should probably go home. It was already far later than she was used to staying up, and she had a big day tomorrow. Didn’t she? Didn’t she always? She had to practice and…No. That wasn’t right. She wasn’t practicing. She was vacationing. She had all the time in the world.
She realized that she hadn’t responded to Jamie’s remark. Instead of answering him, she tilted her head and looked at him. Really looked at him. He was too beautiful, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t just the tequila that made her think so. His hazel eyes were seductively dark and narrow. His tanned skin blended handsomely with the sexy scruff on his jaw, and his full lips were barely parted. She wanted to run her finger along his lips and feel their softness.
“What?” he asked quietly.
“I’m just…” Thinking about touching your scruff. And maybe your lips. And that crease by your mouth when you smile. There it is. Oh, I love that crease. Oh, and your hands. I’m dying to know what your hands feel like. “Thinking…” It was the only word she could manage without making a fool of herself.
“Thinking about throwing your phone at me again?”
She’d almost forgotten she’d done that. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head, then reached up and stroked his cheek. Holy cow, what were her eyes doing? They were closing, and she was sinking into the feel of him. Oh my, his skin was soft, the stubble rough and prickly. She let her fingers trail down his jaw and dance lightly over his lips. They parted at her touch. His breath was hot against them, and it drew a sigh from somewhere deep inside her. A long, dreamy sigh, which she only realized she’d let out too late and brought her back to reality. She opened her eyes, her hand frozen on his lips.
His eyes darkened even more. Jessica held his gaze and lowered her hand to his chest. Why not? She’d already played her hand. He knew she was out of her mind. Why not take it further? She might never have another chance. Oh my, his chest was hard, so hard. She pressed her palm flat over his heart and felt it beating fast, which made hers beat even faster. She slid her hand over his pecs; all the while he was looking at her like he was there solely for her pleasure. His heart told her what she really wanted to know. He liked her touch as much as she liked touching him.
In the quiet of the night there was only the two of them and the sound of their quick, heady breaths. Her fingers traveled beneath his open collar, through his light spray of chest hair to the hot skin beneath. She’d never done this, taken her time touching a man like this, while he watched her every move. She’d never even made the first move. She wasn’t a virgin. There had been one guy. In high school, when she was rebelling against being her mother’s perfect cello-playing daughter. She’d dated a few men since then, but had never opened herself up to sleeping with them. She’d never wanted to do this to anyone. And just touching clearly wasn’t enough, because she was already aroused. Whoa, it had been forever since that happened spontaneously. She withdrew her hand from his shirt, and he covered it with his, trapping it against his chest.
“Don’t stop,” he said quietly. “That felt nice.”
You have no idea how nice. He held her gaze, and she wanted to sink into the sensual well of emotion in his eyes and bathe in it.
“I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this.” Why was she whispering? They were alone in the dark. The other cottages were dark. Surely no one could hear them. But she wanted quiet with Jamie. She wanted quiet and dark and—
He shifted his weight and brought his right arm around her back, then gathered her hair and drew it over one shoulder.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not usually like this either. I can’t stop looking at you, and it’s taking all of my strength not to do what I really want to do.”
“You don’t even know me.” Shut. Up. Shut. Up.
He shook his head. “But I’d like to.”
Her pulse quickened. Her hand was still pressed to his chest, and she had no plans on moving it anytime soon.
“Wh-what do you really want to do?” She pressed her lips together, unable to believe she’d asked and so thankful that she had. Bella must be wearing off on her.