Saugatuck Summer (Saugatuck, #1)(54)

“Why is that?” I asked, blurting out the somewhat tasteless question I’d been sitting on for weeks. It was a graceless interruption, because those fingers were sending shivers of awareness through me, making my thoughts trip over each other. “That you don’t have any tattoos, I mean.”

Geoff smiled slightly, and flicked a glance at Robin, who looked a little smug to my eyes. “I could say it’s because I have a bleeding disorder and I have to be careful about anything that could result in bleeding or infection. I’ve known about it since I was a kid, of course, but what did I do? I grew up to be absolutely, insanely in love with body art. And lots of us hemophiliacs have tats, but my mom was one of those moms, and if I got one, it would have sent her into a panic because of my disorder.”

Ling nodded silently, confirming this.

“Okay, that really blows.” I gave him a sympathetic smile and he nodded.

“It did. But after she passed on, well . . . by then I had other things I wanted more.” He and Robin exchanged another glance that obviously communicated things the rest of us had no part in. Robin smiled into his drink.

“Anyway, like I was saying, I finally found an artist willing to take me on as an apprentice. And I have Robin and Jace to do my most elaborate work on, so basically at this point it’s just a personal choice.”

I nodded, thinking it was obvious there was more to it than Geoff was saying, but before I could ask any more questions, Jace’s fingers began skating lightly up and down my spine from mid-back to sacrum, and I forgot how to do words.

Thank God Brendan was on the other side of the table where he couldn’t see what was going on. Still, it was all I could do to try to remain unaffected, not to arch into the touch. I couldn’t help growing hard under the table, but luckily no one could see that, either.

The conversation moved on. Jace’s hand didn’t, except to widen the range of its roaming. Each pass brought it a little higher up my spine, a little closer to the point of being conspicuous. When it reached my neck I nearly jumped out of my chair.

“Hey, it’s getting late. I should go for my evening swim before we head down to the fireworks.” Yeah. Hopefully Lake Michigan would be cool enough to take care of this boner, even in July. “Maybe all of you should go on ahead, stake out a good spot, and I’ll join you when I’m done.”

The plan was met with general agreement, and I thanked God that I’d been smart enough not to drink a lot, so no one could suggest I shouldn’t swim or drive. Ling and Brendan were the only others who had limited themselves, and I imagined they’d be designated drivers, so there was no chance of Brendan opting to remain behind.

I refused to meet Jace’s eyes as I scurried away to change into my suit and grab my towel, but merely gave them all a hurried wave as I retreated down to the beach, which was—thankfully—emptying out as everyone else decided to head to the fireworks display as well. It was still light, of course, but prime spaces to sit would disappear quickly.

Congratulating myself on winning an hour of much-needed solitude, I stripped off my shirt and tossed it carelessly onto the sand with my towel. Then I sprinted into the lake and plunged beneath the waves.





No one said it would be easy

Take off that blindfold that you hide behind

Nowhere to run to when the end arrives

We will be left to justify our own lives

—Casey Stratton, “When the End Arrives”

It was only when I looked back to shore to see Jace standing by my towel that I realized I might as well have issued an engraved invitation.

He liked swimmers. Duh.

Maybe it had been an invitation. God knew I wanted him so bad I was vibrating with it, even with all the weirdness.

And, oh, hey! Lake Michigan in July was not, in fact, cool enough to get rid of my wood. I supposed that shouldn’t have been a surprise to me, considering I’d heard people talk about f*cking in the lake. Thank God I’d worn trunks rather than the Speedo.

Not that it wasn’t still going to be very, very obvious.

I could at least delay things awhile by getting my workout. I did several laps in toward shore and back out, working on different strokes, getting a little more winded each time I had to fight the waves. Finally, my arms aching, I swam to shore.

He was watching me with a very satisfied smile that grew even broader when I emerged from the water, his appreciative gaze dropping without shame to my abs.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” he murmured, handing me my towel. I barely bothered drying my shoulders and hair, more concerned with draping it strategically in front of me.

I cleared my throat. “You’re not going to the fireworks?”

Teeth flashed. Eyes twinkled. “I thought I’d catch a ride with you.”

“Wow, that’s subtle.” I whistled between my teeth.

“Are we being secretive for some reason?” His head rocked toward his shoulder curiously.

“Oh. No, I guess not.” I shook my head. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m feeling self-conscious today.”

I so did, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that.

“Well, let’s figure it out in the car. They’re waiting for us.”

I shook the sand from my shirt and pulled it on, then gave in to the inevitable and draped my towel around my neck rather than trying to hide my crotch. If he copped a look, I missed it, and seriously, why did I care anyway? Why should I be ashamed that he turned me on like a light switch, or mind that he knew it? I hadn’t minded that night at the Dunes. We’d both known what we’d wanted from each other, and we’d reveled in it.