Saugatuck Summer (Saugatuck, #1)(55)

That’s what he wanted again. That’s what he’d been requesting when he’d asked me to let the guy he’d met that night off the leash. We’d been so free and comfortable and uninhibited; that was why it had been so amazing.

I couldn’t seem to get that back, though. Everything in my head was jumbled, and the silence between us as we climbed the stairs up the dune bypassed uncomfortable and made a beeline for excruciating. What the f*ck was I doing?



When I came back out of the house after changing, Jace was leaning on my car, looking patient and amused.

And hot. Always so f*cking hot.

Fuck it. Flinging the bag with my wet suit and towel into the back seat, I pinned him against the car and kissed him hard. Just like before, we simply melted into each other. He tugged on my hips, drawing me closer, rubbing our bodies together as I slipped my hands into his soft black curls to grasp the back of his head, and drove my tongue deep into his mouth.

I was shaking when we separated, resting forehead to forehead. So was he, panting as if we’d run a marathon.

“This is more like it,” he rasped, nuzzling my ear. “You know, I lied when I said I wasn’t inviting you back to my room tonight.”

“Good. I wanted you to.” I moaned softly as his lips moved down my neck. “I don’t know if I can, but I want to.”

“Why can’t you?”

“Fireworks, remember?”

“After.”

My thumbs traced the bumps of his nipples through his shirt. “It’ll be late.”

“I’ve got nowhere I need to be. Not for the whole weekend. Do you have to work?”

“No, not until the afternoon.”

“Then why not?”

I couldn’t think of a single reason, at least not one that didn’t begin and end with guilt and self-consciousness about Brendan.

“Yeah, why not?” I breathed against his mouth, my lips brushing his before sealing the kiss. Jesus, my body was on fire. Every nerve was alive, every sense full of him. It had never been like this with Brendan, not even at its most desperate. What had happened with Brendan had been about a whole other set of needs, all of them very messy and complicated.

This was simple. Even pure. I wanted Jace. I just did.

He gentled the kiss, drawing away. “We’d better go, or I’m going to f*ck you right here over the hood of your car.”

“Fireworks first,” I reminded him.

“Of course.” His dark eyes danced again. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”



I thought we’d be conspicuous by our absence if we skipped the fireworks—though I knew Mo wouldn’t have minded—but I almost regretted my insistence on going when I realized Jace still didn’t see any need for discretion. Instead of jostling for position somewhere on the lawns near the harbor, Robin had a better offer for us to view the fireworks. He had a boat at the marina, and though there wouldn’t be enough room for all of us on the boat itself, there was plenty of space on the private dock along the slip where it was anchored. So we had prime seats. Jace sat beside me on one of the quilts on the dock, and immediately began doing what he’d done earlier at the patio table, and that night in the club. His hand was always on me somewhere, again with that proprietary edge, though tonight I couldn’t figure out exactly why.

Was it because, once again, the deal was all but sealed? We knew how this night would end. Everything leading up to that point was just foreplay.

His fingers brushed my neck, and I couldn’t help by shiver. I stole a glance at Brendan, who was sitting with Adele and Mo on the other side of Robin, Geoff, and Ling (who was sitting in the only lawn chair). I bet Robin had arranged that division, or maybe Mo, to give me and Jace some relative seclusion with one another. Brendan was looking anywhere except at us. I didn’t know if he was avoiding looking at me, or if he just didn’t care. Still, I was once again off-kilter and self-conscious, so much so that I half figured Jace would pick up on my discomfort and back off.

He didn’t. If anything, he kept pushing harder, getting more handsy.

“What are you doing?” I murmured, turning my head toward him.

His mouth opened, but then I could see a flippant answer die unspoken upon his lips. His eyes sobered and he leaned close, pitching his voice low.

“I don’t like the way that married guy keeps looking at you whenever he thinks no one is paying attention. It creeps me out.”

“Oh.” I tensed and pulled away from his caressing hand. “Don’t—don’t do anything to make a scene, okay? Just play it low-key and we can talk about it later.”

His eyebrows shot up, and then his expressive face shuttered slightly. “O-kay. Sure.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, pleading for forgiveness and understanding with my eyes.

After a moment, he nodded, looking annoyed, and then I was let off the hook as the Powers That Be decided it was dark enough to cue up the national anthem as a prelude to starting the show. I stood with everyone else and sang along, and Jace was smiling again when we sat back down.

“You lied to me,” he murmured in my ear, so close his lips brushed my earlobe. He scooted closer to me on the blanket, so much so that his body pressed flush alongside mine.

“I did?”

“You said you were just an ‘okay’ singer.” His arm slipped around my waist, and he positioned himself slightly behind me, so that all I would have to do was relax to lean back against him. “And I’m beginning to suspect you’re a better actor than you cop to, as well.”