Seaside Sunsets (18 page)

“That’s what I’m trying to decide this summer. If I should continue to play with my orchestra, or if I want to back off for a while. Maybe teach music to children or something similar.” She hadn’t really considered anything beyond making a decision about the orchestra yet, but the idea of teaching kids was appealing. She hoped one day to have a family, and she loved children. She imagined it would be fulfilling to bring children and music together in a fun way, rather than the high-pressure tutoring sessions she’d endured.

“Come on, babe. Let’s dance so I have an excuse to have your body against me.” Caden pulled Bella to his side.

“You never need an excuse.” Bella laughed and waved as they walked down the beach arm in arm toward the band.

“Wait for us!” Leanna grabbed Kurt’s hand and they followed Caden and Bella.

Jessica tucked the idea of teaching away for later consideration. There was so much love in this group of friends. She felt as though she’d left Boston and been plunked down on a whole new planet. She sat beside Jamie by the fire.

“Hey there.” He pulled the marshmallow he was roasting off the stick and fed it to her.

She bit part of it off, then guided the rest into his mouth and tried not to laugh when the sticky marshmallow stuck to his fingers. He shook his fingers up and down.

“I think it’s stuck for life,” he joked.

She swallowed the piece she was eating and captured his hand in hers. Their eyes met. He knew what she was about to do. She saw it in the darkening of his eyes, felt it in the tension in his hand. She had no idea that following her heart would take her down such a dirty trail, but follow she did as she drew his finger into her mouth and rolled her tongue over the sugary sweetness, sucking until all that was left was the taste of him. She held his gaze as he drew his finger slowly out of her mouth. Jamie was breathing hard. His hand came around the back of her neck, hard and hot against her skin, and their lips came together in a hungry kiss that had her mind sprinting down the dirty trail again. She was one stroke of the tongue away from climbing onto his lap, wondering if they could unzip his pants and make love beneath her dress with no one knowing. She pawed at his shoulders, his chest, and—
Oh God
—a moan slipped from her lungs into his. Surely everyone around them was thinking they were going to rip each other’s clothes off any second—because man, oh man, did she want to.

She forced herself to tear her lips from his. A quick scan of the beach told her that nobody cared that she was wet and he was probably hard as a freaking rock, or that she’d been ready to make a spectacle of both of them.

“Let’s get out of here.” It wasn’t a question. Jamie pulled her to her feet and crossed the sand like he was on a mission. “We’re taking off!” he yelled over the music in their friends’ general direction. Then with one arm around Jessica’s back, her take-charge boyfriend led her toward the dunes.

JAMIE WAS HOT, hard, and hornier than a bunny on Viagra. The image of Jessica sucking his finger with that seductive look in her eyes that did him in every time played over and over in his mind. They were halfway to the dunes—the parking lot was three minutes away. Four, tops. And there was no way he was going to make it. He had to feel her against him. They were shrouded in darkness, far away from the band and the lights. He swept Jessica into his arms and cupped her perfect ass. Her eyes were at half-mast, full of desire and the same well of emotion he’d seen earlier. Jesus, he was so far gone, he couldn’t ignore his feelings for her if his life depended on it. He forced himself to slow down. After how aggressively he’d taken her the first time, he wanted to cherish every inch of her, show her how good she could feel with tenderness instead of heady need. He ran his thumb over her lower lip and heard the breath leave her lungs.

“Jess.” He breathed deeply, reminding himself to be sweet and tender, and forcing his greediness away. He lowered his mouth, a whisper away from hers, so they were breathing the same air. He had to taste her, to feel the woman who had seared herself into his heart so fast. He dragged his tongue along the swell of her lower lip, and she inhaled a jagged breath. A seductive, intoxicating sound that nearly brought him to his knees. He grazed her lips with his, kissed her softly, resisting the urge to deepen the kiss. His hands slid lower on her ass, and he felt her heat through the silky fabric of her panties. His tongue slid over hers, to the smooth enamel and jagged ridges of her teeth. Her jaw dropped open and she melted against him, giving herself over to him as she’d done from their very first kiss. Allowing him to lick the insides of her lips, the creases and corners, as he memorized every dip and curve of her sweet mouth.

He could barely think for the need to be inside her. He drew back, putting distance between their lips, if not their bodies. There was no way in hell he was letting go of her.

Her eyes opened and her lips curved into a contented smile. “Hi.”

Her whisper brought his forehead to hers. “Hi.”

“Kiss me more,” she pleaded.

“I’m going to kiss you all night long.” He forced his hands from her butt and circled her waist, lifting her into his arms. Her legs wrapped seamlessly around his waist as their lips met again in another interminable kiss. At some point, maybe a minute later, maybe ten, he became aware of his hands on her ass again, beneath her panties and inching closer to the promised land.
What the hell am I doing?

He parted from her delicious lips, and his powerful legs carried them up the sandy path to the top of the dunes. Jessica rested her head on his shoulder, her hot breath on his neck, and ran her fingers through the ends of his hair.

“Hurry,” she whispered, as he picked up her flip-flops from where she’d left them.

The word shot through him like a bullet. The temperature had dropped, and a chilly breeze swept over them. Her body was so damn soft as she gripped him tighter and cuddled closer.

“Dune or bed?”

“Whatever’s fastest,” she answered.

He tangled his hand in her hair and tugged softly, so he could see her eyes.

“Baby, I want to love every inch of your body the way you deserve to be loved. I want you to feel how good your body is capable of feeling, learn each of your most sensitive spots. Hurrying is the last thing on my mind.”

Her eyes went dark. “Bed.”

He carried her to the car and settled her into the passenger seat. God, he loved taking care of her. Jamie climbed into the driver’s seat and leaned over for another kiss.
Bed. Bed. Bed
. He started the car and set one hand on her thigh as he drove. He was surely going to hell, because he slid that hand up until he could feel her heat. When she spread her legs and rested her head back, eyes closed, he slid his fingers beneath her panties and stroked her already slick, sensitive folds. He tried to pay attention to the road, but his eyes darted toward Jessica. He loved the way her body responded to him. She was practically panting for more. She licked her lips and shifted in her seat so he could slide his fingers into her.

“Mm.” She fisted one hand in her dress and clenched the edge of her seat with the other. “Oh God.”

Someone behind him honked, and Jamie realized he’d eased off the gas. He wasn’t about to leave her hanging, and they were still a few blocks from Seaside. He turned down a dark, deserted road and cut the engine. Without the rumble of the engine or the road noise, the car was silent, save for Jessica’s heavy breathing. He leaned over the console and drew her panties down to her thighs. She tried to spread her legs, but they were restrained by the thin material. He slid his fingers in deeper, and then he lifted her dress and leaned across the center console, bringing his mouth to her clit, swirling his tongue, taking it between his teeth and sucking, licking, teasing. Sexy little noises filled the car as she squirmed against his touch, pleading for more and holding his head so he had no choice but to continue. A thrill rumbled through him. He loved when she took a little control, and he couldn’t wait to explore more of what she liked. He stroked her wetness with his tongue and felt her thighs tense.

“Look at me,” she whispered.

The mimicking of his words brought his arousal to a whole new level as he met her gaze, and she cupped her breast, then squeezed her nipple as he’d done the night before.

“Holy Christ, you’re sexy.” He quickened every stroke of his tongue, feeling the orgasm grip her, her body pulse and swell. He watched as her eyes slammed shut and her jaw dropped open.

“Jamie. Jamie. Jamie.”

A rush of whispers that made him want to drive his hard length into her.  

A few blessedly hot minutes later, she opened her eyes and he brought his mouth to hers. It was a desperate kiss, each clawing for more as she licked her sweetness from his tongue.

“Home,” she whispered.

Less than five minutes later they were unlocking the door to her apartment. Jessica fumbled with the keys as Jamie kissed the back of her neck, his hands exploring her taut stomach and the undersides of her breasts, beneath her dress.

She turned in his arms and held her hands up by her head, surrendering herself to him again. “I can’t unlock…”

He settled his mouth on the curve of her neck.

“Unlock the door,” she whispered.

He pressed his hips to hers and held her wrists against the door.

“I think it’ll be a little embarrassing if everyone comes home and finds me buried deep inside you right here on your deck.” Just the thought had his body twitching.

She strained against his hold, craned her neck, trying to kiss him. He lowered his mouth, leaving a sliver of air between them.

“Or they might find me on my knees between your legs.”

“Jamie…” she said with pleading eyes.

“Or you on your knees.”

She narrowed her eyes seductively and licked her lips. “Open. The. Door.”

He slid her wrists closer together against the smooth wood and held them both in one hand, then pulled down the strap of her dress and lowered his mouth to the silken crest of her breast.

“Now you’re just getting demanding.” He smiled up at her as he kissed a path between her breasts.

“Please open the door? You’re killing me.”

His heart sank, and he released her wrists. “Did I hurt you? I’m sorry, babe.” He cupped her cheek, and she leaned forward and kissed him.

“No, silly. You’re killing me in a good way.” She handed him the keys, then wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her cheek to his chest.

He blew out a relieved sigh.

“We need a safe word.” He fumbled with the keys.

“Safe word? Like to make you stop?”

Jamie closed the door behind them and tossed the keys on the table. He wrapped his arms around her waist and touched his forehead to hers.

“Yeah. You know, so I know I won’t hurt you.”

She furrowed her brow, obviously thinking it over. “What if I hurt you?”

He laughed. “I somehow doubt that’s going to happen.”

“What if I tie you up and it’s too tight? Or I do something you don’t like?” She pressed both hands against his chest and smiled playfully up at him.

“Tie me up? I thought you’d only been with one other guy.”

“Two.
You
, remember?” She slipped off her flip-flops and tossed her long hair over her shoulder.

“And you want to tie me up?” Jamie arched a brow.

“No. Not now.” Her cheeks pinked up and she turned away.

He turned her by the shoulders and drew her closer to him. “You can tie me up, tie me down, or ride me to heaven and back, Jess. You don’t need to be embarrassed.”

She placed her hands softly on his chest again in what he’d come to think of as her spot. “I don’t know what I’ll want to do, but if I need a safe word, then I want you to have one, too.”

“So this is all about being fair?” The side of his mouth quirked up. “Okay, how about the word
red
?”

“Red?”

“Red.”

She slid her hands beneath his shirt and pushed it up to his armpits. She pressed her lips to his abs and trailed kisses up to his pecs as her fingers danced over his nipples, making every nerve stand on end.

“Then if I say green, does that mean
go
?” she asked.

He pulled her dress over her head and the air rushed from his lungs.

“Green. Green. Green,” she whispered.

 MUCH LATER, SATED and a little sore, Jessica lay on her side, spooned against Jamie’s chest, listening to the even cadence of his breathing. As promised, he’d made love to her slowly and sensuously, and after a brief reprieve, he’d made love to her hard, fast, and every way in between. She looked at the chair by the bedroom door, where Jamie’s jeans were hanging over the armrest, his shirt spread across the back. She could get used to falling asleep in his arms, but she knew that until she made a final decision about her career, that was a dangerous thought. He had a business to run and a grandmother to care for. She’d have to travel, and there was no way she’d ask him to give up his time with Vera. It was easy to play house on vacation. She wasn’t so sure it would be as easy back home when she was bunned, busy, and working crazy hours.

She thought about how good it had felt to play her cello with Vera and the accolades Vera had rained on her afterward. She’d even asked her to play with her quartet Thursday night.
And I forgot to mention it to Jamie
. She’d even forgotten about checking her cell phone for the call from the new owner of the baseball. She wrapped her hand over Jamie’s, and in his sleep he hugged her closer to him. Before she’d come to the Cape, her life was regimented, her schedule dictated by playing the cello, and now she knew exactly what she’d been missing. Now she knew Jamie.

I love playing the cello
.

She eyed the case propped against the wall just outside the bedroom and felt her heart squeeze. Was she wrong? Could she maintain a relationship and find a healthy balance between the man she was falling for and the instrument she adored playing? Her eyes drifted upward to the clock on the wall. It was three fifteen in the morning. Should she wake Jamie? Didn’t he need to go home so his grandmother didn’t get upset? Would she? He was a grown man. Maybe she didn’t care. But that generation? Maybe she did.