Page 82 of Dreaming at Seaside
“You know Jenna. She’ll shake it off in five minutes and be back to her bubbly self. Please do me a favor, though. Can you clue her in that Pete was bummed? You know it feels like a rejection even if it was a valid excuse.”
“Sure.” He followed Jenna across the deck.
Bella watched as he gave her the news. Jenna hugged him, and Jamie said something that made her laugh; then he slung his arm over her shoulder and offered her a cookie. She was glad to see Jenna smiling again.
The boat moved swiftly through the water as they left the marina and headed out into the open water. Bella and Caden leaned against the railing at the bow of the boat. The crisp air stung against her skin, but beneath Caden’s protective arm, Bella was toasty warm.
“Evan’s really excited about TGG. I don’t think I properly thanked you.” He kissed her cheek. “It means the world to me that you include Evan in your thoughts.”
She turned toward him, and her hair whipped across her cheek. Caden reached over and gathered her hair in his big hand and held it away from her face. “That’s how you first stole my heart, remember?”
“I remember.” He glanced at Evan, feverishly texting on his cell phone.
She loved the way he was conscious of acting appropriately in front of Evan. It made their stolen kisses even more special. Heck, she loved everything about him, stolen kisses or heated, exposed kisses, and it still surprised the heck out of her, because she’d been dead set on sticking to her plan.
“I missed you last night.” He moved so close she could see his long eyelashes tangling at the corners of his eyes.
She felt her cheeks heat up as the others joined them.
Caden took a step back, but the heat of him remained.
“None of that kissy-face stuff, please. It’s depressing me.” Jenna pushed her way in between them. “I’m instigating a five-foot rule.” She pointed to Leanna and Kurt, standing arm in arm. “You too. Five feet between you at all times. Give a girl some slack, will ya?”
“You’re such a nut. Jamie said Pete was bummed about not coming with us.”
“I know. But Jamie’s so sweet he probably made that up.” Jenna smiled at Jamie.
“I’m not that nice,” Jamie said as he joined them by the railing.
The captain cut the engine and the boat slowed.
Amy ran to the railing. “Oh good. Now we get to fish. I’m so excited.”
“Fish barbeque in the quad tonight?” Tony whipped off his shirt. Caden, Kurt, and Jamie followed his lead, and the bare-chested men began readying the fishing lines.
“Who needs Pete with this much eye candy around?” Jenna slapped Jamie’s butt.
Bella caught Caden’s eye and blew him a kiss. “You’re telling me?”
Tony was helping Amy with a fishing rod. “Hey, Ames,” Jenna called. “Hands off Tony’s rod.”
Amy blushed.
Bella laughed, glad Jenna was back to her old self.
Bella couldn’t tear her eyes from Caden. She could still feel his hips against hers, his muscular thighs, heavy and tense as they joined together last night.
“Hey, girlie. If you keep looking at him like that, his son is going to learn a lot more than fishing on this trip.” Leanna bumped her shoulder against Bella’s.
“Sorry.” Bella turned away from Caden. “Now I know how you felt with Kurt. I’ve never felt like this before.”
“Neither had I. Remember how it freaked me out?” Leanna shifted her eyes to Kurt and sighed. “He’s everything to me, Bell.”
“I know, and I get it. I feel the same way about Caden, and of course Evan.” She glanced at Evan, who was still texting. “As a matter of fact, I think I’ll go talk with him a little and see if I can get him away from his cell phone for a few minutes.”
“Hi, Ev.” Bella sat beside him.
He pressed the lock button on his phone. “Hey.”
