Summer Temptation (Hot in the Hamptons Book 2) (8 page)

“But I can’t…”

He lifted his head and let out a frustrated breath. “God, Leigh. No buts. ‘Summer of Fun,’ remember? Two weeks down, only six to go.”

“I don’t want you to think that because I may be…” I was starting to despise the word pregnant.

“Knocked up?”

That would do. “Yes, knocked up. I don’t want you to think I’m easy or that I sleep around, because I don’t.”

“Honey, the last thing I want to do with you is sleep.” Hair blew across my face, and he carefully pushed it aside. “I want to do wide awake things. Fun things.” He pulled me close and nuzzled up to my ear. “Arousing things.” He let out a hot, moist breath that shot tingles straight into my jaw.

“And naked things, no doubt.”

He leaned back to look at me, smiling. “Well, now that you brought it up…” he teased.

“Mommy, look,” a young voice said. “Ewww. They’re kissing.”

No, we weren’t, but still. I tried to jump away.

As if anticipating I might, Nick held me tight. “We’re being watched,” he whispered, not concerned at all.

“I’m really not into that,” I whispered back, trying to push out of his arms.

He laughed, still not letting me go.

“Honestly,” a woman huffed. “You’d think
people
would be more considerate of the fact there are children on the beach.” I imagined her covering her child’s eyes and dragging him or her away from our indecent public display.

“It’s late,” I whispered. “Shouldn’t her child be in bed instead of out on the beach?”

“Children ruin everything,” Nick said in my ear. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he stiffened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay.” I twisted, and this time he let me go. “I’m guessing a lot of guys feel that way about kids.” Suddenly cold, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I might find myself saying the exact same thing in a few months.”

“Leigh. I didn’t mean—”

I couldn’t look at him. Instead, I stared out at the ocean. “I know.” Even so, his words made my chest ache.

“Leigh.” He took me by the shoulders and turned me to face him. “Don’t do this. Don’t think about what may or may not happen after the summer. Let’s enjoy the time we have together, right now. Tonight.”

I wanted to, I really did. But tears leaked into my eyes. Maybe they glistened in the moonlight, because Nick saw them and looked stricken. “I am such an ass.” He drew me into a hug. “I’m sorry.”

Unable to speak, I nodded, more tears coming. His arms felt good, so strong and safe. I would have liked nothing more than to remain wrapped in his protective embrace forever, but I couldn’t. “I’m sorry, too.” I stepped back, wiping my eyes. “I’m not usually emotional.” Yet, in the short time of our acquaintance, I’d already broken down into tears in front of Nick twice. Not a good sign.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re under a lot of stress.”

I hoped stress was the only reason.

“Come on.” He held out his hand. “Let’s keep walking.”

I looked around, wondering where that awful woman had gone.

“I think she went that way.” Nick pointed, reading my mind.

“Then we should go this way.” I took a step in the opposite direction, which happened to be the way back to Storme’s house.

That’s the way we went, my hand in his, both of us quiet, until Nick said, “There are lots of fun things we can do around here with our clothes on, you know.”

I smiled. “Like what?”

“Parasailing, stand up paddle boarding, wave runners. We can go hiking or biking or on a picnic.”

“Or we could sit around Storme’s pool and eat hot dogs. Or lie on the beach under an umbrella and read books.”

“Since either one of those activities would give me a chance to see you in a bikini, yes to both.”

“A bikini? You want to see me in a bikini?” How flattering.

“Yes, I do. Please tell me you brought one.”

I’d brought three. “I guess you’ll have to come over tomorrow afternoon to find out.”

“It’s a date.”

We reached the portion of beach directly behind Storme’s house way too soon. Rather than turning toward the stairs, Nick turned to face the ocean, positioning me to stand in front of him, so my back rested against his front, before clasping his hands at my waist. “It’s a beautiful night.”

Yes, it was, made even more beautiful because of the man standing behind me. I rested my head against his cheek. A wave rolled in. When the water receded, my feet sunk into the soft, wet sand.

“If you had one wish,” he said. “One wish guaranteed to come true, and you could wish for anything, what would it be?”

So many things came to mind, starting with the greater good: World peace. An end to hunger, oppression, poverty or disease. Then to more personal matters: A negative pregnancy test result, but that would be selfish. Maybe an improvement in Grandpa’s health or an end to Dad’s heart condition.

“I can almost hear your mind at work trying to decide,” Nick said.

“There are so many possibilities. I can’t choose just one.”

“But you only have one wish,” he said, as if he actually had the ability to grant it. If only…

“I’ll have to give it more thought.” I gathered up some of my hair in my fist to keep it from blowing in his face. “What about you?” I asked. “What would you do with your one wish?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Make love to you.”

What? “You’d waste your one wish on having sex with me?”

“It wouldn’t be a waste.” He kissed my head. “And it wouldn’t be just sex.”

Not knowing what to say, I stood there in silence, until Nick said, “Do you want to know why?”

I nodded.

“You’re the total package, Leigh. Looks and brains, kindness and compassion. You’re something special, and I feel a real connection to you. Under different circumstances I’d have no problem taking it slow and seeing where things might lead. But who knows what’s going to happen at the end of the summer? What if right now is all we have? I want to make the most of every minute of our time together. I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

He turned me to face him and said, “So I’d selfishly use my one wish to make love to you, sooner rather than later.” He stared into my eyes, the intensity of his gaze warming me. “It already feels like the six weeks we have left isn’t going to be enough.”

The next day I sat at a table on the deck, under the umbrella, pretending to read on my Kindle, waiting for Nick.
It already feels like the six weeks we have left isn’t going to be enough.
My heart squeezed. I could really fall for that man…if circumstances were different.

“You’re awful quiet.” Storme sat down beside me, dressed for town.

“Just thinking.”

Kelsey sat down on the other side of me, wearing a bikini with a loose fitting tank. “You’ve been doing a lot of that lately.”

I had a lot to think about. “I invited Nick over today.” I looked at Storme. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course it is. My house is your house.”

I smiled, remembering when I’d first met Storme, three freshman squished into a dorm room meant for two.
What’s mine is yours
, she’d said on that first day
.
“Thank you.”

She leaned forward until she made eye contact with me. “You sure you’re okay?”

I nodded, glancing away quickly, unable to look at her for fear she’d be able to see that I was not okay at all.

Thank goodness Nick chose that moment to walk up the back steps to the deck. “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said with a big smile. Then he held up a grocery bag. “I brought dinner. That is, if you like hot dogs. If you don’t,” he held up a grocery bag in his other hand, “I brought snacks.”

“I love both,” Kelsey said. “But I’m not sure I’m going to be here for dinner.” She glanced at her watch and stood. “Depends on how my afternoon at the beach turns out.”

“Going to look for Sean?” Storme teased.

Sean Dempsey, AKA the Hampton Hottie, who just happened to be the lifeguard Kelsey had met the day she’d arrived in the Hamptons.

“Won’t need to look hard,” Kelsey said. “I know exactly where he’s going to be.” And with that, she left.

Storme stood. “I’m off, too. My wedding favors are in.”

“Oh. Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked. “I would have come with you.” Isn’t that something a maid of honor should do, go with the bride to check out her wedding favors?

“I know you would have,” Storme said. “But then you’d have seen the very special gifts I ordered for you and Kelsey. I couldn’t have that, now, could I?” On her way back into the house, she looked over her shoulder. “You have the house all to yourselves. I’ll probably grab a bite in town, so I won’t be home for
hours
.”

I felt my face heat. “Could you be more obvious?”

“Obvious?” Nick asked. “Obvious about what?”

Storme laughed, and then she was gone.

Leaving Nick and me alone. “So...”

“I should probably put some of this stuff in the refrigerator.”

“Right. Sorry. Why didn’t I think of that?” And why was I suddenly so nervous?

“Hey.” I felt his hand on my shoulder. “Come here.”

I turned, and he kissed me; a slow, sweet, caring kiss. “Relax.”

I smiled, feeling a little shy. “Thanks, I needed that.”

He smiled, too. “Any time.”

After we’d put away the groceries, we went back outside.

“That’s the pool cover-up you wore to the bonfire,” Nick said approvingly.

“Storme made one for each of us.” Beautifully styled to fall off one shoulder and show lots of leg, in a bold print I never would have purchased for myself, but that I’d grown to love.

“I like it,” he said. “Now take it off.”

“What?” I laughed. “You first.”

He looked down at his lime green tank and baggy gray shorts. “Me first what?”

“I want to see you in your bathing suit first.”

He pulled the tank over his head and held out his arms. “This is me in my bathing suit.”

Man, he had a sexy chest, firm abs and muscled arms. But, “You’re kidding, right?” I crossed my arms. “You want to see me in my little bikini, all of my goods on display. The least you could have done is worn a Speedo so I could see all of
your
goods on display.”

I was teasing, of course.

But Nick got this serious look on his face, and he walked toward me, slowly, not stopping until I could smell his coconut-scented skin.

I swallowed.

“You want to see my goods?” He moved his hands to the front of his waistband. “Here? Or would you rather go inside?”

This had to stop. I hated feeling off balance around him, so I dug deep and found some self-confidence that had been lollygagging around of late. “Sorry.” I looked him straight in the eyes. “I need a little more foreplay than ‘you show me yours and I’ll show you mine.’”

He laughed.

Whew.

Then he reached into his bag, pulled out a tube of suntan lotion, and held it up. “How about we try some hands-on activities?”

I walked over to him. “How about we let it happen when it happens and stop trying to force it?” I held out my hand. “But I’ll be happy rub you with lotion if you’d like me to.” Lord help me, that didn’t come out the way I’d intended.

Nick hesitated, as if trying to decide how to proceed. “I’d like you to.” He smiled a plain old, regular handsome smile. No innuendo, no lascivious intent.

I appreciated that. “Thank you for your restraint.”

“It wasn’t easy.”

“I’m proud of you.”

His smile grew. “I’m proud of me, too.”

‘You show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ may not have worked as foreplay for me, but rubbing lotion on Nick’s bare back sure did. He stood before me as my moistened hands caressed him, his muscles defined, his shoulders rounded, his skin warm and smooth and tan. I rubbed up to his neck, down to his low back, up his sides, an activity I’d have been happy to perform all day. All too soon he said, “I think I’m done.”