Barefoot Bay: Unconventional Love (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Scarred Hearts Book 1) Read online

  His lips played over hers, exploring, tasting, taking his sweet time savoring her in a way he hadn’t ever savored a woman. The sweet strawberry flavor of her drink lingered there, just a hint of flavor on her full, pink lips.

  The minute her lips parted, he tasted her with his tongue, a brief dip, but powerful enough to know he wanted more. A whole lot more.

  She pulled back, just enough, and kissed his chin. “What about you, Jack? What about forgiving yourself for your son?”

  He stiffened at her bold question, the way she turned the tables on him.

  “Hey, don’t get like that. Did you ever think that maybe he had a really great life and he might thank you for giving him that?”

  He hadn’t thought about that. Of course it was possible but, Christ, he gave his son away. He trusted strangers to vet adoptive parents for him. How could he have done that? And what if they were wrong? What if his son had a shitty life and would have been better off with him after all?

  “Hey, I see all kinds of turmoil in that head of yours, Jack. Don’t do that to yourself. Seems to me, you and I have a couple choices. I can work on accepting that shit happens and that’s why my husband is dead. You, you can focus on the very likely scenario that your son grew up happy, healthy, and became a good man because you loved him enough to give him that.”

  He closed his eyes, not wanting to hold on to that hope. He knew if he ever found out different it would swallow him whole, but then so had this.

  “Shit,” he muttered, shaking his head.

  She cupped his jaw. “Hey, I’ll do it if you do it. Come on, don’t you want to do it with me?” she said with a quick grin, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

  He let out a gruff laugh. “Are you offering?”

  “I might be.”

  “I’m going to give you a chance to think that one through. As painful as it is,” he teased, adjusting his pants. Okay, so he really did have to adjust his pants, but damned if he would tell her that.

  “What if we never see each other again after tonight?”

  “Oh, we’re seeing each other.” He hooked his arms under her round ass and picked her right up off her feet, making her squeal. He hadn’t thought this through. This put her breast at mouth level and, just like that, his mouth ran dry with the image of dipping his tongue into that cleavage of hers and having a taste.

  Just a taste. God, he was a liar. If he had one taste, he’d have a second, a third.

  “Jack?” she whispered, hands clutching his short hair.

  “Yeah,” he ground out, his eyes roaming over the swell of her skin. He leaned forward and grazed his lips over one curve, leaving a trail of kisses along the way. When he dipped his tongue between the two, she whimpered and held his head to her.

  “I want more.” Her voice dropped to a lusty whisper, telling him just how aroused he’d gotten her.

  He loosened his grip and let her body slide down his, her toes sinking into the cool sand. He could give her more, right here. Not everything, she wasn’t ready, but more? Oh, he was on board with that idea.

  He dropped to his knees and her eyes widened in surprise. His hands shook as he cupped her ankles and slid his hands up her smooth skin, exploring, memorizing, until they disappeared under her skirt.

  She swayed and braced her hands on his shoulder, her heavy-lidded gaze hot on what he was doing. The feel of her smooth thighs under his palms had him hard in a way he couldn’t ever remember being. He’d give her pleasure and then he’d walk crooked, but it would be worth it to see how she looked when she lost control.

  She gasped when he slid his fingers under the straps of her panties stretched over her soft, round hips and worked them down her thighs. When he got to her ankles she lifted one foot, then the other, a willing participant in what was about to happen. If the way her breathing had deepened was any indication, an eager participant even.

  He took those panties and tucked them into his back pocket, with no plans of returning them to her. He intended to see her again, but if fate stepped in he’d have that souvenir of this time together.

  Gathering her skirt in his fists, he lifted the fabric and bared her most private parts to his voracious gaze. The moonlight shone just enough that he could see the heart of her, in the V of her thighs, right there for the taking.

  He swallowed hard. “Last chance to change your mind.” He closed his eyes, praying she would stay brave and still want this as much as he did.

  She let out a whoosh of air and nodded.

  He shook his head and gritted his teeth. “Not good enough, Laura. Tell me what you want.”

  “I, umm…” She bit her lip and winced.

  “Say it, Laura. Tell me what you want from me.”

  Her eyes drifted shut. “I want you to taste me,” she whispered, her face turning beet-red.

  The impact of her words drew a low growl from him. He leaned forward, inhaled her sweet scent, and licked into her. Hard.

  He didn’t go easy.

  He didn’t show her grace.

  He went full bore into what he wanted to do to her.

  She moaned and swayed on her feet. He clenched her thighs tighter, holding her up before licking again, harder, faster, over and over, suddenly needing the taste of her. Each slide of his tongue over the tight nub buried between her lips, each taste of her arousal drove him to take more and more.

  She panted over him, her skin covered in a sheen of sweat.

  Her thighs shook.

  Her fingernails dug into his shoulders.

  And still he kept on while his cock throbbed painfully in his jeans. He’d have to do something about that when he got home, and he was building one hell of a memory to relieve himself to.

  The muscles in her thighs grew rigid under his hands, her body stiffened, and she screamed as her release tore through her, drenching his eager mouth.

  Suddenly he wanted more. So much more. He didn’t let her catch her breath before he slid two fingers inside her and curled them forward. Moving in and out and maintaining the assault from his tongue, he drove her to the brink again.

  Her orgasm slammed into her so hard she locked onto his fingers, making it impossible to move. She collapsed over his shoulder, unable to hold herself up any longer while she gasped for each breath. In her struggle for air she couldn’t cry out, and instead a low groan vibrated through her into him.

  He held her there while her muscles released. When they did, he pulled his fingers free and drew her down into his lap while she slumped against him and gathered herself.

  He brushed at the strands of hair that clung to her skin. “That was incredible,” he murmured into her hair.

  “Mmm,” she hummed against his chest. “Jack? Can we do that again?”

  He laughed into her hair. “God, I hope so.”

  They sat a while, both quiet, her chilled skin finally telling him it was time to go.

  He walked her back to her car, his arm around her, as they returned to the parking lot, parking in the same spot she had. They met around the back of the car, where he cupped his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her. He didn’t dare touch lower or he’d throw her over his shoulder caveman-style and haul her home.

  As much as he would love to do that, especially with her warm lips teasing him and those white teeth of hers nibbling on his bottom lip, it wasn’t the time. He suspected she hadn’t been with anyone since Ken, and he would respect that. He’d let her tell him when it was time. Hopefully she realized that he planned to let her set the pace.

  “Will I see you again?” she mumbled against his lips, still kissing him.

  He laughed. “You want to see me again?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Then you’ll see me again.” He gave her one last kiss, tucked her into her car, and watched her leave. He didn’t have her number or her address, but in a few days he’d drop into Mimosa Key Dental and maybe get a glimpse of another pair of those cute pants she liked to wear.

  By
the time he got home, it was almost ten. Normally he’d be in bed by then. During the week, he was up at 5AM every day. Builders started early, especially when dealing with the Florida heat.

  He quickly sorted through the mail, stopping when he spotted a business envelope from Orange County Private Investigators. His skin prickled.

  He dropped the envelope and snagged a beer from the fridge. Leaning back against the granite counter, he eyed the envelope as though it were a snake hissing, ready to strike. He drank half of his beer before his need for self-preservation fled and his curiosity got the best of him. With a satisfying rip along the edge, he tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.

  Dear Mr. Jack Stephenson,

  My name is Alan Hodges, Lead Investigator at Orange County Private Investigators. I’m contacting you on behalf of my client, the biological son you put up for adoption in 1986, who seeks to reunite with you. Time is of the essence, as there are pressing matters involved. Please call my cell the minute you get this letter.

  His son had found him. Jesus. He went numb. Couldn’t feel a damned thing. His heart raced and a dull hum started in his ears.

  And, from the sounds of it, something might be wrong. Jack yanked his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number. This Alan guy said the minute he got it so that’s what he’d do.

  The phone rang once before a deep voice said, “Hello, Jack.”

  Jack pulled the phone from his ear and looked at it with narrowed eyes. “How did you know it was me?”

  “I have your cell number. I have your address even, but in adoption matters I like to send the letter first. Not all biological parents are happy to be found.”

  “I’ve got to be honest… I’m not sure if I’m happy or not.”

  “No, I don’t suppose you are, and it’s perfectly normal. I’ve had some grown kids come to me, looking for a parent, acting completely normal, and then when they meet that parent all hell breaks loose.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s not do that.”

  “Well, in this case, things are a bit different. Your son, Chris, is trying to find you to help save his little girl. She has leukemia and needs a bone-marrow transplant. They’re struggling to find a donor.”

  “Did you guys reach out to Megan, too?”

  “Megan is deceased.”

  Jack dropped onto a dining room chair and held his head in his hands. Megan was dead? Why that bothered him so much, he didn’t know. They hadn’t seen each other in thirty years. Shortly after their son—er—Chris was born, they broke up and she moved out to California to live with extended family and get a fresh start.

  There had been no communication, but he had hoped she was out there, living life, having fun, moving on, and finding a way to forgive herself for what they had done.

  “How?”

  “It wasn’t pretty, Jack. She had a drinking problem. A bad one. She died of cirrhosis a little over three years ago.”

  So she hadn’t forgiven herself. Or maybe other things had happened. Shit. He didn’t know. Right now he didn’t have time to care, because maybe he could help the living. “What do I need to do?”

  “You’re willing then?”

  “Jesus. Of course. I gave him up so he’d have the best life possible, not because I was a selfish prick,” Jack growled.

  “Easy, Jack. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that it’s involved. Maybe you want to think about it.”

  “There’s nothing to think about. If there’s something I can do, I’ll do it. Doesn’t matter if it’s involved or not.”

  “Okay then. Good.”

  “Does Chris want to meet me?”

  “Uh, no, not yet.”

  And wasn’t that just a kick in the ball sac. It didn’t matter. Jack had been doing the right thing for this long. He’d do the right thing again.

  “Tell me what to do.”

  “Your HLA type can be tested at Naples Community Hospital. After that, there’s nothing for you to do but wait until you hear from them as to whether you’re a match.”

  “I can be on the road in an hour.”

  “Whoa. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but first thing in the morning is fine. The staff will be there by 7AM. I’ll call and get everything set up for your arrival.”

  “Thanks,” Jack said, his throat thick.

  “I should be thanking you.”

  “Alan…” Jack cleared his throat when his voice broke. “What’s her name?”

  “Your granddaughter’s name is Sophie.”

  The line went quiet. Jack lost all ability to speak as he choked up.

  “She’s a fighter, Jack. She’s already defied the odds.”

  He laughed as tears welled in his eyes. “Yeah, she’s a Stephenson, so she would be.”

  “Get some rest. I’ll call you first thing in the morning and make sure you have all the details you’ll need,” Alan said before ending the call.

  Jack tossed his cell onto the couch, leaned back, and stared up at the ceiling. His son, Chris. A good name. A strong name.

  And he didn’t want to see Jack.

  He got it. He really did. Maybe he didn’t want to meet the guy who so easily gave him up. Maybe his focus was on Sophie, where it should be. It didn’t matter.

  What mattered is that Jack would step up.

  He’d pray that he was a match.

  7

  Four days had passed since Laura’s “date” with Jack, and nothing. She didn’t know what the heck she’d expected. He didn’t have her number, her address, nothing. He didn’t know her schedule. All he did know was that she was a dental hygienist, but even then, she’d never specified if she worked on Mimosa Key or commuted to Naples.

  Idiot.

  She’d never had a man do to her what Jack managed to do to her on the beach. Ken had been a great man, she’d enjoyed their sex life, but she never knew there was this intensity, this point past pleasure that led to a sensation so incredible that she couldn’t imagine going without it ever again.

  “Laura? Did you hear me?”

  Laura snapped out of her musings to find her mother, father, sister, yeesh, even Bryce staring at her.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” They had met at Junonia at the Casa Blanca Resort on the southern tip of Mimosa Key. Her parents had started a new family tradition of Sunday brunches twice a month when Maureen and Laura made the move to town. Ordinarily, Laura enjoyed the time. Her parents had a new glow about them since they’d retired and moved, but today, all she could think about was when, or if, she’d see Jack again.

  “I asked you about the new dentist joining your dental office. Martha from the library said she met him last week. He’s about your age, handsome, and single.”

  Laura pulled her son’s tablet from her pocketbook and handed it to him. These brunches were the only times she allowed Bryce to have electronics at the table. Mainly so he’d be so engrossed he would miss the conversation around him, a temporary measure at best.

  And now time #32, or was it #33, her mother tried to steer her towards a man.

  “Oh, umm, I don’t know. I haven’t met him yet. We’re supposed to have dinner together Wednesday night.” She pushed the fruit salad around on her plate.

  “Are you all right, dear? I would have thought you would be more excited. You two may have a lot in common.”

  She set her fork down and took a sip of her orange juice. “It’s a business dinner. He’s taking each of the employees out individually to get to know them.”

  Her mother’s perfectly made-up face lit up. The woman didn’t show her face, even to her family, without her signature pink lipstick. “All the more reason to dress yourself up, make sure you stand out.”

  Laura smirked. “I hardly think getting involved with my boss is a good career move, I especially think his wife would take exception.” And there was no way in hell she would wear pink lipstick in her lifetime.

  Maureen grinned at their mother and leaned forward. “I think Laura’s
plate is quite full with… other prospects,” Maureen said with a wink.

  “Maureen,” Laura warned, elbowing her sister in the side.

  “Did you have…” her mother had the good grace to check on Bryce before she whispered, “…a date?”

  “You could probably call it that. Look, my time is otherwise occupied for now. Let’s just leave it at that, please?” Laura said, sending a pointed look in Bryce’s direction.

  “Sure, dear, we’ll discuss it another time. Maybe I’ll give you a call later.”

  Oh, well, wouldn’t that be freaking swell. And what was she supposed to tell her mother?

  Well, I propositioned him the one week and then let him go down on me the second week. At the rate I’m going, I’ll end up accidentally knocked up by March. If I ever get around to giving him my telephone number, or getting his, that is.

  And why hadn’t she run into him? She had gone to the Toasted Pelican two more times, just in case. She’d asked the bartender; Jack hadn’t been seen. If she kept it up, people would think she was some bar whore.

  Her dating skills could use some work.

  “Sounds good,” Laura muttered. She’d rather have a root canal. She turned to Maureen and gave her a pointed look because, hey, why should she be the only one on the spot? “In the meantime, Maureen, anything going on in your love life Mom and Dad should know about?”

  Maureen twirled her glass in her hand and smirked.

  Oh, shit. Here it comes...

  “I’m seeing a new guy. He’s a little on the pink side. Five different speeds,” Maureen said, setting her glass down and picking up her bagel.

  Laura choked on her orange juice, the burning liquid getting into her sinuses, making her eyes water.

  “Watch your mouth, young lady. There are some things your parents don’t need to know,” her father said in that rigid tone of his from when they were kids, the one that said he expected no lip.