Page 1 of Tryst

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The beginning of summer break

Here I am sitting onthe deck of my parents’ beachfront rental, like a creeper ogling my father's friend’s ass. I don't remember Ian Fox looking this good. I've met him a handful of times over the years, but damn he's fine. A shirtless fox for real, walking on the beach with abs of steel, and a suntanned chest you want a chance to rub your tongue against. Oh god, what's wrong with me? He's going to be my boss for the summer internship. I'm screwed.

“Hey, sweetheart.” My father kisses me on the head and sits next to me at the table, momentarily drawing my attention away from the off-limit eye candy. “What are you doing on this beautiful day?”

“Relaxing until my friends come later for the barbecue.” I haven't seen them since last year’s summer break. Every year my parents rent this house, and they come over for the weekend. We have a barbecue mingling with my parents and their friends on the beach. But this is the first year I've seen Ian Fox here. I glance over, and he isn't alone. My Aunt Callie stands next to him, and they're smiling and laughing, her hand resting on his shoulder. I press my lips together and turn to my father.

“How come Ian is here this year?” I try to ask nonchalantly.

“Your mother invites him every year, but he's usually busy, or conveniently off with a new girlfriend on that weekend. This time she told him he had to come, or we were going to disown him as an honorable family member.” He chuckles, and the corners of his dark eyes crinkle, betraying his young-looking age of forty-six.

“What's the big deal about this year than the others?” I peek over at my aunt and my new boss. Becoming irrationally but increasingly annoyed by her hand still on his shoulder. Now lightly touching his chest. You don't need to be hands-on to have a conversation. Ian and I had a short conversation yesterday when I came, and I'm pretty sure he was checking me out before my mom said my name and he realized who I was. I was looking at him too, there was a mutualI dig youvibe going on between us.

“He’s going to be working with you, and she thought it would be good for him to become closer to the family again. Your mother always thought he and Callie were a good match together.”

“She's trying to play matchmaker.” I smile, but I really want to say,hell no they’re not a match.

“She thought she did great the first time. They lasted for two years.”

“I remember them dating when I was younger. What happened?”

“Apparently Ian was more serious about the relationship than Callie.”

“Why is mom pressing now, shouldn't she just leave it alone?” She should.

“You know your mom when she get’s something in her head. He’s been single for a while. Your mom thinks it's time for both of them to settle down, and that they'd be perfect together.” He tisks shaking his head. “I tell her it might come back to bite her in the ass if it doesn't work out. But she says matchmaking is a great family talent, going all the way back to her great grandmother in Mexico.“

“How come this is the first time I'm hearing of this great talent?“

“I say it's not that great if it only goes back one great grandmother.” He smiles, pushing up his glasses. She's been here since she was fifteen, and the only people she has matched was those two. And it didn't work out. I don't believe that particular talent was passed down to her.”

If Aunt Callie wasn't smart enough to keep him around, that was her loss. Losers weepers, finders keepers. What the hell am I thinking? Like I would ever have a chance with a man like him. If my father knew I was having these thoughts about Ian, he would freak.

I look over once again to see the once-in-love couple walking off. Aunt Callie's hand wrapped around his bicep prompts a barely audible growl from me. Shocked at myself, I quickly focus back on the conversation with my father, who has changed the topic and is genuinely interest in my life away from home.

This summer is going to be great. I’m going to catch up with my friends and my family. I have an internship lined up with my father's public relations company with pay, thank you very much. He finally believes I'm responsible enough, now that I’m going into my senior year at UCLA. I was before, but he just wouldn't believe that I was growing up and starting to make the right choices. In the past I’ve made some questionable decisions. Who hasn't? Questionable decisions are one of the requirements of being a teenager. College is about growing up, and that’s what I did.

I'm happy he can see the teenager who left New York is not the same person coming home from UCLA, buckling down for two years after declaring my major in English with a concentration in creative writing.

He tells me how proud he is of me after our talk, which makes me smile. I always want to make him proud.

I've run into Ian afew times today after seeing him earlier. A couple of times I even thought I caught him watching me. He looks better than any man should look, eyes intense, clear green pools drinking me in. Each time my breath catches, and then he looks away like he isn't as affected as me. I brushed it off as my imagination until one of the guys my friends brought to hook me up with, and I, are goofing around.

“Steven, no!“ I shout on the beach, when he picks me up by the waist swinging me around.

“Don't worry baby, I'll protect you if a great white attacks.” He sings the theme song to Jaws in my ear, which makes me fight back more. So much so, he‘s thrown off balance.

“You jerk,“ I yell laughing as we furiously splash water at each other. I try to back away almost making it out the ocean. But he catches me, wrapping both arms around my upper body. I suspect the position of his hand is no accident. He's definitely copping a feel.

“Alright, you can let go now, Steven.”

He smiles, loosens his arms, and as I’m moving, his ring snags in the top of my bikini. My breast almost pops out. Thanks goodness for quick reflexes, my hand pulls his back over my breast.

“Jade, if you want me to feel you up, all you have to do is ask.” He smirks.

“In your dreams, I’m that easy.” We have a good laugh and a joke about him undressing me on our first date while we try to get untangled like inept seal cubs.

Almost free, and sure Steven could pick my left breast out in a line up, I look over my shoulder. The look on Ian's face, the set of his jaw, those crystal green eyes aimed at my date, and his offending hand, are lethal.