Rough Edges (8 page)

“Bahama Mama. They’re really good. You should try one,” she said as she took a sip.

“Naw. Think I’ll stick with beer.”

“What does that mean?” she asked and pointed at the symbol on his shirt.

“It’s the Hayabusa symbol. My bike.”

“Your bicycle?” Summer asked and Tony immediately choked on a laugh.

“Um, no. Motorcycle,” Jake said mockingly insulted, and then winked at Becca who smiled behind her drink.

The waitress brought the beers for him and Tony then took their food order.

Summer and Tony dominated the conversation, but he didn’t care. He was content to watch the ocean and look at Becca. She had let her flip-flops fall to the floor and sat cross-legged in the chair.

When the sun lowered, a waitress lit a candle on their table and party lights that hung along the two side walls came on. It cast Becca’s face in a perfect glow. Her lips were wide, the lower fuller than the top. Her brows arched over her expressive brown eyes and her nose was as small as the rest of her. When she glanced his way, her lips curled up slightly. It made him feel on edge, wondering what thoughts skittered through her mind.

“I hope you didn’t mind me calling you that day, Jake,” Summer said. “I was only looking out for my friend.”

“Nope. Didn’t bother me at all. Someone needs to look out for her,” Jake replied.

“You know. I can take care of myself,” Becca piped in. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

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“We never said you did, doll. But that’s what friends are for,” Summer said and patted her hand.

Becca rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “Yeah. They’re there to be a pain in my ass.”

“I was there when you called, Summer. We got a good laugh out of it,” Tony said.

“See.” Summer poked Becca. “I told you he didn’t care.”

The light breeze picked up strands of her hair and they trickled across her cheek.

“There are stages up and down the boardwalk. You guys want to walk down to one and listen to some live music?” Becca asked.

“Sounds good to me,” Jake replied.

“As long as Summer dances with me,” Tony said.

“Depends on if he asks me,” Summer said sweetly.

“Oh, hell.” Becca looked at Jake, turning her back on Summer and Tony. “You want to go with me to the stage? I don’t care what those two do.”

Jake chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll go with you.” The bill already paid, he stood and grabbed her hand.

“I guess we better follow them,” Summer said with an exaggerated sigh. “No telling what kind of trouble they’ll get into without us.”

“I never get into trouble,” Becca said.

“That might be true. But you’ve never been with Jake,” Tony replied.

“Only time I get into trouble is when I’m with you.” Jake eyed his friend.

“Otherwise, I am trouble free.”

This time both Tony and Becca laughed.

“What? You think I’m trouble?” he asked Becca.

Her little smile and the way her lids slanted at him sent heat straight to his groin.

“Of course you’re trouble. I can tell by that grin.”

With that she turned and walked toward the door, her little ass swaying in the skirt.

He took off after her ignoring Summer and Tony’s laughter in the background.

Becca smiled as she walked off, loving the feel of his gaze on her. He had looked surprised at her comment, but she felt like she had gotten her edge back. The man had been staring at her the whole time through dinner. It unnerved her and made her ache.

Fortunately, Tony’s banter had kept things down to a low simmer.

She stepped through the restaurant door and he was right beside her. Glancing at him she couldn’t help but admire his looks. Had she met him before all their talk online and on the phone, she never would have approached him. He was just too intimidating.

Tony and Summer were still laughing as they stepped outside. She was glad they had hit it off so well.

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They walked down the boardwalk toward the stage. Darkness pressed in around them, only the light from randomly placed poles lit up the area. Clouds drifted slowly across the night sky and she was content just to walk beside Jake. He hadn’t said much, but it didn’t bother her. She had known he wasn’t much of a talker. Tony and Summer made up for it with their incessant chatter.

As they got closer to the stage, she realized Latin music was playing. Its hot sultry sounds a perfect mix for the way she was feeling. She glanced over her shoulder and wasn’t surprised to see Summer already moving with the music, Tony watching her with an appreciative gaze. The man oozed charm.

Reaching the stage, Summer wasted no time in grabbing Tony’s hand and dragging him to the dance area. She and Jake moved off to one of the small tables scattered about the area.

“Would you like a drink?” Jake asked.

“No, I’m okay.” She watched Summer roll her body against Tony’s and she smiled.

“They make a striking couple.”

One dark brow arched up. “They do. Typically, this is where I would tell you to warn your friend about him. But I have a feeling Summer is in charge.” He looked at her with his lopsided grin in place which made her knees wobbly.

“What would be the warning?” she asked. She really didn’t care but she loved seeing that glint in his eyes.

“Well, he’s a womanizer. And then I would add, don’t let your friend get too attached to him. But usually he is the one being pursued. I don’t think that’s the case today. And I find it damn amusing.” Jake chuckled.

“Wouldn’t he be mad that you said that about him?” Becca asked a little confused.

“No. He wants me to tell them that.”

“But why?”

He leaned an elbow on the table and looked at her. “Because he doesn’t want to be attached. And if a woman knows that upfront, it’s for the best.”

“Does he do that for you?” she blurted before she realized she didn’t want to know the answer.

“Yeah.”

Somehow, she knew he was going to say that and it didn’t surprise her. She still hated hearing it. “But you think it’s not necessary now. Is it because you’re only here for the weekend?”

He stared at her. “No. I think he is pursuing her.”

“Oh,” she said quietly.

The intense way he looked at her gave her goose bumps. She had no idea what his look meant, but she had a feeling she was missing some key point. He got up abruptly and grabbed her hand.

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“Come on. Let’s walk.”

“You don’t want to dance?” she asked, feeling a little out of sorts.

He laughed. “No. No one wants to see that.”

She glanced at Tony and Summer who were laughing and grinding to the music.

Summer was in her element and she didn’t have to worry about her.

Jake’s warm hand held hers as he led her through a throng of people. It was funny to watch people just step easily out of his way without a word from him. She never had that effect on anyone. It wasn’t that he was insanely tall, it was more the way he carried himself. Almost a “don’t fuck with me” attitude. Whatever it was about him, people took notice. Soon they were on the boardwalk again.

As they drifted farther away from the stage, the music faded into the background.

She took a deep breath of the crisp salty air and could actually hear the sound of the ocean again. Its gentle lap—lap—lap against the shore.

He never let go of her hand. Warmth spread up her arm and trickled throughout her body. But his body heat startled her the most. It rolled off of him in waves and she had never experienced that before.

He stopped and leaned against the railing that lined the boardwalk and looked out to sea. She noticed he hadn’t led her so far away from the stage that she wouldn’t feel safe. A smile tugged at her heart. He was as considerate as she thought he would be.

Regardless of what he wanted the world to see, he was a good man.

Jake’s profile captured her as he looked out at the ocean. His jaw was strong, his lips firm but sensual. He had, of course, told her his height and weight, she asked him when they were chatting online, but she hadn’t imagined he would be so big. Six-one he had said, the same height as her ex, but he seemed taller and was definitely broader.

His dark gray cargo shorts and black t-shirt seemed to suit him, nothing flashy or overstated. She liked that he didn’t wear a hat now. Dark brown hair hung slightly into his face like it needed to be trimmed.

“You don’t mind being away from the crowd do you? It’s not really my thing,” he said.

“No, this is fine.”

When his gaze landed on her, her skin prickled with awareness.

“Your picture doesn’t do you justice,” he said, catching her off guard.

She shifted and wondered what someone said to a comment like that. Heat invaded her face as she glanced away. The man made her nervous as a teenager.

“Yours didn’t either,” she said finally, thinking that definitely was an understatement.

“You know, when I heard you say my name at the volleyball nets and I turned to find you, I was surprised. I had seen your picture, but somehow I had you all wrong.”

“What did you expect?” she asked, wondering if she really wanted to know.

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“You’re—sweet, innocent.” He raked a hand through his hair like he was frustrated, and she found it almost funny because what he was saying seemed so out of character. “Wholesome and so damn little. I feel like I’ve corrupted you or something.”

She smiled at him and laid a hand on his arm. “Jake, you can’t corrupt people.

That’s not how it works. And I’m definitely not innocent.”

He met her gaze, a slight frown marring his face. “You’re too damn good for me. I know that much.”

Pursing her lips at him, she wanted to whack him on the head with something.

“That’s bullshit.”

The muscle in his arm tightened under her hand as he gripped the railing. “Is it? If you knew what I wanted to do when I saw you, then you might realize the truth. Hell, if you knew what I wanted to do now, you would take off at a dead run. And I wouldn’t blame you.”

She didn’t know if he was trying to warn her away from him or daring her to stay.

Either way, she wasn’t moving. He was scared. That was why he acted the way he did.

She knew it, but it still pissed her off.

“Jake, it was probably the exact thing I wanted to do to you.” Her reward was his shocked expression.

“I highly doubt it,” he muttered.

She ducked under his arm so she was face to face with him. All she could smell was him, earthy male and dark musk. The light was dim here, but not so dark that she couldn’t see his eyes narrow.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice had dropped an octave and it sent a thrill down her spine.

“What I wanted to do when I saw you.”

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Ashlynn Pearce

She didn’t know where she found the courage because she was never this forward.

Maybe it was because she knew he wouldn’t make a move or maybe it was because she knew she would never see him again after tonight. Or maybe it was because, God, she wanted to touch him.

Her heart thudded in her chest as her fingertips brushed over his shoulders, amazed at the thickness and lines of muscle she could feel through his t-shirt. The air thickened with tension and his stare never left her face, but he didn’t stop her.

Swallowing hard, she reached up with one hand and her thumb drifted across his jaw.

“Becca…I don’t think you know what you’re doing.”

He was rigid, his arms locked, but she felt his slight shudder. Moving forward away from the rail, she leaned up on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his briefly. She didn’t know what to think when he still didn’t move. His eyes had darkened and they were intensely focused on her, but he didn’t do anything.

She wasn’t brave enough to push it any further. Why didn’t he do something? Say something? A muscle in his jaw twitched, but other than that it was like he was made of stone.

“I…ah.” Shit, she had made the wrong move. Embarrassment flooded her and it left a bad aftertaste in her mouth. She’d never come on to anyone, not even her ex. Finally deciding to retreat, she moved to duck under his arm.

“Don’t. Move.” His voice was firm.

She stopped to look at him. His brows were furrowed in concentration, like he was barely holding onto control. Confused, she did as he asked. “Jake,” she said and reached out to touch his chest.

And then he was there. His mouth on hers, devouring her. She didn’t have time to react and the heat from his body seared into her skin. She couldn’t breathe, think. All she understood was he was finally kissing her. His large hands tilted her head so he could taste her deeper. His tongue swept across her lips and she opened for him. She had to.

God, she needed to be closer. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned against him. His arm curled around her waist and his leg slid between her thighs. The movement pushed her skirt up dangerously, but she didn’t care. She had dreamed of this forever and he was finally really here. Not just a typed message or just a voice. In the flesh. Touching her, making her feel.

When he finally broke the kiss and trailed his lips down the curve of her neck, she gasped for air. Not that she could get any. His hands gripped her hips and rocked her 50

Rough Edges

on his thigh creating a friction that had her head spinning. She was beyond wet, and beyond caring who saw.

He was hard everywhere and she clung to him like a lifeline. Nothing prepared her for Jake and the way he made her feel. From the very start, she had been helpless against him. She was completely lost now. His teeth nipped at her skin and she inhaled sharply.

As quickly as it had begun, it stopped. He jumped back, looking ready to run. “Oh hell, Becca. I’m sorry. I hurt you,” he muttered.

She leaned against the railing behind her because otherwise she would have fallen and tried to make sense of his words. “What are you talking about? You didn’t hurt me,” she said.

“Dammit, you’re so little.” He raked a hand through his hair.