Page 12 of Sunsets at Seaside
Sky pulled herself up and sat on the counter, while filling everyone’s glasses again. “They do this to everyone. They just noticed that Jamie had his eye on you, and…” She motioned for Jessica to drink.
Jessica clenched her eyes closed and licked the awful salt from her hand, then tossed back the tequila—Gross!—and sucked the lemon. She drew in air between gritted teeth just like each of them had.
“Well?” Jenna brushed Jessica’s hair from her shoulders. “You still with us?”
Jessica nodded, reeling from the taste. “It tasted like burning water. Is that what it tastes like to you?”
Bella licked her hand and began dabbing salt on it. “It tastes likeI’m about to get drunkto me.”
Jessica pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. The four of them were so different from one another, but they got along like sisters.Thong Thursdays and tequila shots?What else had she missed out on while she was spending hour after hour with music instructors and, later, playing with the orchestra? Heck, what else had she missed out on since she first picked up the cello atsix?
Two shots later, Jessica felt a little numb as they went back outside. The guys were standing by the fire, beers in hand. Jamie looked over and his mouth lifted in a crooked smile. Jessica returned the smile, or at least she thought she did. Her entire body felt relaxed, and all the proper rigidity in her back, shoulders, and even her neck had somehow disappeared.
And she liked it. She liked it a lot.
Jessica swayed a little and reached for the bench as the men came toward them. Jamie’s jeans hung low on his hips, and there was no mistaking his flirtatious smile or the heat in his eyes as he raked them down her body. She held tightly to the bench for support.
“So the strawberries were a ruse?” Pete laughed and wrapped an arm around Jenna. Joey lay down beside his feet and rested her head on her paws with a loud huff of breath. Pete whispered something that made Jenna blush.
“Crap. We left the margaritas inside.” Bella glanced at Jenna, then waved a hand in the air. “Oh heck. We’re good.” Bella plastered herself to Caden’s side, and he looked up at Tony and shook his head.
Blue and Tony exchanged a laugh.
“It’s a good thing I drove tonight.” Blue pulled Sky down to a seat.
“Hey, don’t even think about making a move on my sister,” Pete warned.
“Pfft. Just getting her home safely. We’re friends,” Blue said.
“So were we,” Pete and Jenna said in unison, then shared a kiss.
“Come here, sweet one.” Tony guided Amy to a chair and sat beside her, leaving Jamie and Jessica to look at each other like two kids at a middle school dance.
She couldn’t look away, even though she was sure his gaze was burning a hole right through her and at any minute someone was going to yell,Fire!and douse her with cold water.
Jamie leaned in close and touched her hip. “I guess they initiated you?”
His hand was flaming hot.
“Care to share a bench with me?” Jamie asked.
His voice sent a shiver down her back. Her body was doing all sorts of things it had never done before, including walking with an extra little sway of her hips and getting warm all over. She liked that, too.A lot.She settled into the bench and pulled her feet up next to her. Jamie sank down beside her and draped an arm over the back of the bench. Somehow, even in her tipsy state she was aware enough to stifle the urge to see just how soft his shirt was and cuddle up beside him, because she knew she’d also want to see just how hard his body was.
She felt like she was drifting on a cloud, listening as everyone talked and laughed. Sometime over the course of the hour Jessica began sharing Jamie’s beer, and sometime after that his arm warmed her shoulders. Pete and Jenna and Bella and Caden turned in for the night with promises of coffee in the morning. Or at least that’s what Jessica thought they’d said. Her mind was still a little fuzzy.
“We’d better take off, too. I’ve got to be on a job site early tomorrow.” Blue rose to his feet and pulled Sky along with him. “And you have that tattoo shop gig in P-town tomorrow, right?”
“Yup. Tattoo shop. I’m spending the day tatting up hot guys and girls.” Sky leaned down and hugged Jessica. “See you soon, I hope.”
“Me too. It was fun hanging out with you.” After she hugged Sky, Jessica’s hand fell on Jamie’s leg, and she let it stay there.
“I’d better get our little lightweight to bed.” Tony lifted Amy easily into his arms, and she settled in against his chest with a sigh. Her hand reached for his neck, then fell to her belly. “I have a way with women, don’t I? Good night, kids.”
“G’night, Tony. It was nice to meet you.” Jessica watched him disappear into the darkness, and she wondered how Amy would feel in the morning. Or if they were friends with benefits, although it sure didn’t seem that way when Amy was talking about him inside the cottage.
“Guess it’s just you and me.”
Jamie’s rich voice slid over her, bringing goose bumps to her arms and heating her up even more. How the heck did he manage to pull off laid-back and sensual at the same time? And why was it such a turn-on? She looked down at her hand, still on his thigh, and felt his muscles flex. The fire was nearly out, just a few embers glowing in the darkness. She should probably go home. It was already far later than she was used to staying up, and she had a big day tomorrow. Didn’t she? Didn’t she always? She had to practice and…No. That wasn’t right. She wasn’t practicing. She was vacationing. She had all the time in the world.
