Page 32 of Embraced at Seaside
Chapter Thirteen
“DO YOU LIKE to read?” Jana asked as they followed Main Street toward town, passing Herridge Books, which was closing for the evening. The town was reminiscent of days gone by, from the old-fashioned storefronts to the books residents read—paperback or hardback, not e-readers. The world of e-readers and smartphones belonged more to tourists than residents.
“Yes. How about you?”
“I do. I don’t have much time to read these days, but I love a good science fiction or fantasy novel.”
Hunter laughed. “No way.”
“Way.Bigway, actually. I love them. Harper makes fun of me for it, because I’m a total closet Trekky, and don’t even get me started onDoctor Who.”
“Jana Garner, I think you just made me like you a little more.” Hunter had been aDoctor Whofan forever, but he’d never met a woman who liked it.
She leaned her head against him as they walked, and she felt so good, so right, Hunter was sure she belonged there.
They talked about their favorite episodes and how they both kept their love of science fiction quiet, for fear of being teased. He loved discovering that they had much more in common than just great sexual chemistry.
They passed the Wellfleet Market and the consignment shop, where a family was gathered out front eating ice cream cones.
“Tell me about this studio you want to open. I had no idea you were even contemplating doing something like that.”
“I wouldn’t say that I was contemplating it.” She pulled him toward the street. “Want to get ice cream?”
He laughed as she hurried across the street with a bounce in her step. “I thought you were too full to dance.”
“I was, but I can never pass up ice cream, especially not here, where they have my favorite flavor, Chunk O’ Funk.” They followed the stone path around to the back of the A Nice Cream Shop, where the line to order was at least ten couples deep.
“We don’t have to wait.” Jana looked up at Hunter, and he wondered how, in just a handful of days, she’d gone from the hot chick he wanted to sleep with to the only woman he wanted to be with.
He shrugged. “I’ve got time to wait if you do.”
“Really?” She scrunched her nose, looking impossibly cute.
“You’re my only plan for tonight.” He leaned in for a quick kiss. “But only if you tell me about this dance studio you want to open.”
“It’s still a little unbelievable to me. I’m trying to come to grips with it all, so it’s hard to talk about.” She hooked her finger in the front of his pants, and he could see the excitement in her eyes, tempered by worry.
“Do you want to try? Or would you rather not share it yet?”
Her forehead wrinkled, and her face grew serious. He hated the idea of being locked out of something so important to her, but he wouldn’t push if she wasn’t ready.
“It’s okay, pretty girl. Tell me about your current job. Why do you want to quit? Is that something you’re comfortable talking about?”
She explained about her boss leaving town on what was supposed to be a short-term basis but had turned into months, and how she was forced into taking over the job of a full-time manager. Irritation tightened his chest at the thought of Jana being taken advantage of.
The line moved quickly as she explained. After getting their cones, Hunter pulled her in close again as they walked back toward Main Street eating their ice cream.
“Have you talked to your boss about hiring someone new to handle some of the work you’re doing?”
She ran her tongue around her ice cream and peered up at him from behind a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. Holy cow. There was absolutely nothing sexier than Jana eating ice cream.
She licked her lips and nodded.
He was wrong. Jana licking ice cream from her lips was neck and neck with her tongue sliding over the mound of ice cream. He couldn’t tear his eyes away.
“You’re killing me.” He tightened his jaw and forced himself to look away. “Warn me next time not to get you ice cream unless we’re alone.”
“Why?” she asked with feigned innocence.
