Page 18 of Hearts at Seaside
Jenna’s stomach clenched tight with jealousy.
Lacy kissed Dane’s cheek. “Well, you’re the most romantic man I know, so you were definitely worth waiting for.”
“Romance is so hard to come by,” Amy said. “To me, the most romantic thing a guy could do is to take care of you when you’re sick, or something simple, like carry your bags when he sees you’re struggling.”
“Or ride your pink bicycle just to see you?” Leanna touched Kurt’s cheek, and he leaned in for a kiss.
“Those are all romantic, and Kurt looked adorably sexy on that pink bike.” Jenna smiled at Kurt, who rolled his eyes. “To me, sexiness and romance aren’t about doing what people expect; they’re about caring enough to do the things that aren’t expected, or loving a person enough to see things in them that others didn’t. Like making her coffee just the way she likes it, or like Caden installing new locks on Bella’s doors and windows, or, I don’t know, singing just to see your girlfriend smile, even if your voice cracks.”
“Singing? Got that, Charlie?” Amy laughed.
“Don’t look at me. I can’t carry a tune across the street.” Charlie took a sip of his beer.
Pete shifted his eyes to Jenna, and for that brief second, she knew exactly what romance was. Romance was the look in Pete’s eyes, the connection that they were both fighting tooth and nail. He looked back at the blonde on the dance floor.
Or maybe not.
When the blonde headed for the ladies’ room, Pete followed. “Excuse me.”
Oh no you don’t.Jenna was not about to be teased with promises of erotic, sensual experiences and then thrown away for some blond bimbo. She pulled her shoulders back, inhaled deeply, and rose to her feet. “Excuse me a sec. I think I see someone from the library.” She stalked into the restaurant, then circled around to the back entrance to the hall that led to the restrooms. She didn’t even know what an erotic experience was, although bondage and other things came to mind.
She froze at the thought. No, she had to be wrong. Pete wasn’t like that. Sweet, docile Pete?Ha!The only thing docile about Pete was—oh geez. She couldn’t even pretend there was anything docile about him anymore. She forced her feet to carry her around the corner to the entrance of the restrooms. As if to prove her thoughts, Pete stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his biceps twitching, powerful legs planted like tree trunks, and his eyes locked on the blonde from the dance floor. He shifted his gaze and caught sight of Jenna. A coy grin slid north to his eyes. He touched the blonde’s arm, said something, nodded, then closed the gap between him and Jenna.
Jenna stumbled backward until her back hit the wall. Pete leaned a palm on the wall beside her head and bent down so they were eye to eye. Before he could say a word, Jenna’s thoughts burst from her lips.
“What are you doing?” She was breathing so hard her boobs rose like they were riding the swell of an ocean liner.
“You’re speaking to me?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Sheesh. You’re…”Making me hot and bothered, and confused. Wickedly confused.
He arched a brow, and she wanted to smack that amused look off his face, then plaster her lips to his.
“Jenna, if I have something you want, just tell me.”
Kiss him. Just press your lips to his and—“Ugh!” She pushed past him and stormed into the ladies’ room. “Something I want. Something I want?” She paced the floor, ignoring the looks from the blonde he’d been talking to and the two brunettes washing their hands at the sink. She grabbed a paper towel and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow.
“He has that effect on women.”
Jenna spun around and faced the blonde.
“Pete. I assume that’s who you’re talking about. The guy I was talking to who had a bead on you the minute he saw you?” She raked her eyes down Jenna’s body. “He’s a big tease, choosy as all get out.” She moved in closer, like she was Jenna’s best friend, and lowered her voice. “Only, I hear that when he’s not teasing, which apparently doesn’t happen as often as we might think, he’ll blow your mind.” She licked her lips. “And he’ll leave you begging for more.”
Holy cow.“Ha—have you…been with him?”I don’t want to know. Don’t tell me. Please don’t tell me.
“Pfft. Me?” Blondie laughed. “Don’t I wish. I’m not even close to being in his league.”
Jenna quickly assessed her: chesty, lean, pretty, but not overly made-up. Her hair fell to the middle of her back in lustrous waves, and she had legs that went on forever. IfBlondiewasn’t in his league, Jenna wondered if she was even good enough to sit on the bleachers.
