Page 44 of Enemies to Lobsters
My snort laugh echoes through the lighthouse tower. “Why do you ask?”
“I heard some things when I was getting your whoopie pie. Townie scuttlebutt.”
“Ike.” I cluck my tongue. “Ike, Ike, Ike.I thought we’d moved past believing the silly Cape Georgeana gossip.”
His fingers drag across my back again. “I don’t hear you denying it.”
Tom Selleck’s grinning face pops into my mind, then that scene from TV the other night—Magnum P.I. walking out of the ocean. Heisa handsome man. And now my face feels warm.
“Oh my gosh.” He draws out the words. “Youdohave a thing for Tom Selleck.”
Heat claws up my neck. I have to explain myself. “No, it’s just what brought me up here that night—the night you rescued me. I had a dream about him up in this lighthouse, and it reminded me that I hadn’t visited in a while. It made me realize that I’ve been unhappy for a long time. I haven’t been myself, or…” Or maybe I don’t even know who I am.
“Must’ve been some dream.” His smart mouth hitches. “What were you and old Tom doing up here?”
My eyes dart up to the lantern room where Tom and I kissed. I shrug. “Just… innocent stuff.”
He knows I’m full of it. “You and Tom Selleck were doing… innocent stuff.”
Am I crazy, or does he sound jealous of the dreamworld version of an 80s icon that I may or may not have done “stuff” with? His big, brown eyes are going to be the death of me.
“Y-yeah.”
Ike moves closer, propping his chin on his hand so we’re almost eye level. “Would you do that innocent stuff up there withme?” he asks playfully.
“Yes,” I murmur. Nothing to be ashamed of. “Because it was allinnocent.”
We sit in silence for a few seconds. Then his voice is slow and rumbling when he asks, “Did he kiss you?”
I can’t answer. My blushing face does all the talking, anyway.
His chin lifts. “Hedidkiss you.”
I bite my lip.
Ike tracks it. His eyes flash. “Okay.” He stands quickly, dragging me to my feet. He pulls me up a few steps.
“Ike.” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the climb to the lantern room earlier. Logically, I know the staircase is safe now, but my legs were too shaky. I’m steady with Ike’s fingers laced through mine, though. “What are you doing?”
He doesn’t answer, and he’s moving quickly, tugging me up the stairs behind him. When we reach the top he drops my hand, pacing a few feet away. We’re both winded.
“What are we doing up here, Ike?” I pant.
He straightens his ball cap, looking at me. Something settles in his eyes. He strides toward me, and I back up until my shoulder blades are against the freshly-painted bricks.
What is he doing? I think I know, and oh, how I hope I’m right.
There’s a question in his dark eyes. They’re asking,Can I do this?
I barely nod, stifling a dazed smile.
His hand curls around the back of my neck, burying his fingers in my tangled hair. His thumb drags down my cheek. He moves in, and his lips brush my earlobe. “I’m going to kiss you now, wifey.”
“I’m not your wifey—”
Then his mouth is on mine before I can get the silly word out. Oh, I love when I’m right.
With a groan, Ike kisses me like he’s been waiting for this moment for too long. He’s impatient, but careful. Slow and meticulous. He isn’t leaving any part of my lips unexplored. Ike kisses the way he lives—fully, giving everything, singlemindedly making the people around him happy.
