Page 15 of Embraced at Seaside
Hunter knew he was on the verge of saying things he would regret. He took a step back, trying to regain control.
“Don’t you think you should be putting your time into your relationship with Nina? The mother of your child?” As he said the words, he pictured Clark out at a bar, sidling up to a random pretty woman, while Nina sat at home with Billy, probably crying her eyes out over their separation.
“Come on, Hunt,” Clark said. “I thought you were on my side in this.”
“I am on your side. But I gotta be honest, Clark. I’m on Billy’s side, too. Have you thought about what Nina’s doing while you’re out drinking and picking up women?”
“I didn’t pick her up.” Clark began pacing again. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Nina won’t talk to me. She said I need to grow up.Grow up!” He scoffed, shook his head. “I work my butt off to keep her and Billy in a nice house, to put food on the table…”
“Listen, Clark, I don’t claim to know much about relationships, but maybe Nina needs to feel like a woman as much as you need to feel like a man.”
Clark stopped pacing.
“Think about it.” Hunter leaned against the workbench. “I know it’s been forever since you guys have had sex, but take that further. When’s the last time you hadwild, crazy,uninhibitedsex with your wife?”
Clark shrugged. “I don’t know. Before Billy, maybe?”
“Well, maybe you don’t need to flirt with other women. Maybe you need to flirt with your wife. When was the last time you told her how beautiful she was? When was the last time you looked at her like you couldn’t keep your hands off her?”
“She doesn’t talk to me, Hunter. I’m sure I look at her like I’m trying to decide if I need to walk on eggshells or not.”
“That’s an even better reason to put forth more effort, man. Youmarrieda woman who used to make you excited when you heard her voice. Remember? You told me that she owned you.Owned you, Clark. She’s the same woman, only now she’s also the mother of your child.”
“She’s even more beautiful than the day I met her, but—”
“No. Stop. No ‘buts.’” As he said it he knew just what Clark needed to do, and it surprised him that he was the one who realized it first.
“Let me babysit Billy tonight while you go out with your wife. Call her up and ask her out on a date. Show her you want to try to remember the couple you once were. Flirt with her. Let her know you think she’s beautiful.” The more he thought about it, the more he wanted this to work. “I’ll even do you one better. Take her to a B&B for the night. I’ll stay overnight with Billy.”
Clark scoffed again. “You? Babysit overnight? I can ask my mom or something. You don’t need to do that.”
“Do you want your mom knowing you’re having trouble in your marriage?” Hunter knew he wouldn’t want that. Clark’s mother was a primo meddler. “Let me do this for you. Go make plans to have sex with your wife until she can’t remember why she was mad at you in the first place. You’ll both feel better.”
“Really?”
Hunter nodded.
“Who knew that you had marriage advice in you?” Clark slapped him on the back and headed toward the front office. He stopped halfway to the door and turned back. “When you talk about me and my wife, it’s nothaving sex. It’s making love. There’s a huge difference. When it comes to Nina it’s all about love, man, nothing less. Thanks for reminding me.”
Hunter smiled to himself, and he realized that he was no longer pissed. He zipped off a quick text to Jana, then set aside the rods he’d been working with and started up the forge.
AFTER TEACHING HER classes and organizing her thoughts for the next day’s classes, Jana filled in at Undercover, finally arriving at the little cottage she rented at a few minutes after eight. She was tired from being out so late again last night, and as she retrieved her mail, her muscles burned in places they rarely did, a gentle reminder of what she and Hunter had spent their time doing before the bonfire.
She rifled through the mail on her way across the seashell walk that led to the front door. She loved the cozy cottage. It wasn’t in walking distance to any beaches or tourist attractions, and she liked living tucked away at the end of a dirt road. The cottage had only one bedroom, with a kitchen barely big enough for one, a living room–dining room combination, and one full bath, which was perfect for her. As much as Jana loved being with people, hanging out and listening to music, when she was home, she wanted privacy.
The owners of the house had a landscaper who maintained the yard, and she loved having her first cup of coffee sitting at the kitchen bar while the sun crept over the backyard. That first morning light gave the yard a magical feeling as it shined down on rosebushes, rhododendrons bursting with large blooms, and tall pitch pine trees surrounding the lush green lawn.
As she stepped onto the front porch, she thought of Hunter again, standing in her doorway with his helmet under one arm, looking like sex personified. She smiled, then quickly wiped the grin from her face as she remembered his earlier text.Ready to admit it yet?
No, she wasn’t ready to admit anything to him. Why did he even want her to?
She shook her head as she unlocked the door, stopping cold when the memory of his cologne hit her. She couldn’t remember him ever wearing cologne before, and it dawned on her that maybe he’d worn it for her.
No way.
She thought of his freshly shaved cheeks.
Maybe…
