The Sapphire Affair (A Jewel Novel Book 1) (19 page)

His own climax crashed into him, and he gripped her hair and groaned her name as he came hard.

He shuddered from the aftershocks. Seconds later, he pulled her off him and planted a kiss on her lips. “You rock my world,” he said to her, and trust or no trust, it was all too true.

“Like mint chip ice cream?” she asked.

“Better.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

As she treaded azure blue waters, Steph splashed Jake. He stood on the edge of the boat in his swim shorts, the early evening sun glinting off his light-brown hair.

“C’mon. I don’t bite,” she said, then swam closer and pretended to grab his ankles, as if she were going to topple him into the ocean. The idea appealed to her. He seemed the type who might enjoy a good water toppling.

“I don’t mind biting.”

“You’re not afraid of the water, are you?” she asked, egging him on.

“You crack me up, funny girl. Now prepare to be dunked.”

“No way will you catch me,” she said, pushing off the shell of the boat with her feet and skimming along the shallow water. They were early for the boat party.
Intentionally.
They’d arrived in the hopes of catching Penny before she was swept into the crowd. The boat, which belonged to Devon, was moored at the end of the dock.

Jake jackknifed into the water, stirring up small waves and sand below her. Then he chased her. She darted and weaved as fast as she could, but soon enough he stretched one long arm and hooked her ankle. Underwater, she laughed. She popped her head up, and so did he.

“Say it.”

“Say what?” she said, splashing water at him.

“Say I caught the mermaid,” he said with a smirk that made her grab his waist and attempt to tickle him underwater. He was impervious, though, and instead he clasped his hands over hers and tugged her in close. “Don’t drive me wild in the water,” he said, low and growly, like a command.

“I’ll do my best, but you’re the one who caught the mermaid,” she whispered, loving the way his fingers gripped her waist, and his voice was just for her.

“I did catch her. I want her all to myself,” he said, and she was sure they were talking in more than mere innuendo. That the undercurrent to this conversation echoed back to last night in his car, to the lifeguard stand, to the parking garage, to the kiss at Happy Turtle, and all the way back to the first night at the Pink Pelican. Dangerous though this was, she wanted the man. He’d felt like an opponent, or even a frenemy, most of the time, but something had shifted after last night. That talk on the beach had brought them closer. They’d both let down their guards, which was scary as hell. He was still after Eli, and she should probably swim away from him.

But she didn’t do that. Her heart was bending toward him.

“I like when you have me,” she whispered, the water making her daring, giving her some kind of liquid courage.

They swam for a few more minutes and then climbed back up on the boat. “I can see why you love it here,” he said, handing her a towel. “This place suits you. It’s beautiful, and peaceful, but also adventurous . . . like you.” And her heart raced from the sweet compliment.

OK, she was definitely going to say something. Go out on that limb. Suggest the island tryst, when her name sounded like a trumpet, reverberating through the air.

“Steph!”

She spun around, and excitement whipped through her as she clambered out of the boat and onto the dock. A woman with bright pink hair and tattooed arms rode a mint-green beach cruiser along the wooden dock in her direction. A golden retriever frolicked by her side. The ultimate island girl and her dog had resurfaced.

Steph ran down the dock and Penny stopped pedaling, letting the bike fall to the dock. Penny raced the rest of the way to Steph, then hugged her with every fiber of her being.

“You’re all I thought about under the stars,” Penny said brightly, the dog bounding up by her side.

Steph laughed. “Girl, we need to do something about the fact that you’re thinking about me while camping.”

“I know, but I couldn’t wait to see you. I made s’mores in honor of you. With my main man, Chase.”

Steph wiggled an eyebrow. “I see no one has replaced the golden retriever.”

“And no one ever will. Speaking of main men, what have we got here?” she asked, tipping her forehead behind Steph. Penny’s gaze landed briefly on Jake, who walked toward them.

“That’s my friend Jake,” Steph said, pointing at him with her thumb, trying to keep it casual. “Met him snorkeling.”

As Jake arrived next to them, Penny eyed him up and down. “Hello there. You’re mighty handsome,” Penny declared.

“And your hair is a lovely shade of pink,” Jake said with a smile.

Jealousy flared in Steph. Out of nowhere. “What are you up to these days?” Steph asked, changing the subject. “I heard you worked for Eli and helped with his club, but Marie said you’re using that green thumb of yours now at a flower shop.”

“I did a little bit for Sapphire, but I helped out at the gallery, too. That place was crazy busy when I was there.”

“They’re expanding it now,” Steph said nonchalantly.

“Probably because they need room for all their precious gems.”

“What?” Steph’s head bounced and
boinged
like a cartoon character. On coiled springs. Eyes popping out of their sockets.

Penny waved a hand in the air and emitted a
pshaw
. Like this was no big deal. Like they were talking about the weather. “He was always moving diamonds in and out of that gallery. Said he didn’t want to leave them at home.” She adopted Eli’s over-the-top tone.
“The gallery is the safest spot for them.”

Penny laughed, and Steph worked on picking up her jaw from the wooden dock. Rearranging her features. Affecting a laugh. This was the easiest fact-finding mission ever. She didn’t even have to ask. Penny had simply offered the delicious intel.

“Like in a safe? Behind the art or something? Like they do in the movies?”

Penny shrugged. “Hell if I know. I just overheard them talking. But let me tell you. He spent a lot of time checking out the frames of the art in the office at the gallery.” She tipped her forehead to the boat. “Let’s get the party started.”

As the pink-haired woman walked ahead, Steph turned to Jake and pumped a fist in victory.

Four hours later, the sun had fallen, the moon had risen, and more than a half dozen women had flirted with Jake on the boat. As if he were the only man around. Sure, he was the most handsome, but Steph couldn’t act like he belonged to her, because, well, he didn’t.

She hung by the edge of the boat, bobbing in the water by the marina. Watching the inky black sea at night, she spent the party chatting with Sandy, Penny, and Reid, and sometimes Jake. With his eight o’clock shadow, ripped arms, and charming smile, he was a magnet. Women flocked to him.

Steph didn’t like it. Didn’t like it one bit. She pursed her lips and gritted her teeth.

By the time 10:00 p.m. rolled around, she’d had enough. She said good-bye to her friends; tapped Jake on the shoulder, since he was in the midst of a long chat with Reid; and told him she was taking off. Whatever sweetness she’d felt in the water earlier had fizzled. She was foolish to have entertained thoughts of trysts, and trust, and letting the man gunning for Eli into her heart.

He shot her a quizzical look, beer bottle in hand.

“I’m tired,” she muttered, and headed onto the dock.

Seconds later, he caught up with her. “Hey. You OK?”

She shrugged.

“That’s a no,” he said.

“Maybe it’s a yes,” she said, offhand.

“You seem annoyed.” He kept pace next to her as she walked toward land.

“You’re observant.”

“What’s wrong?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “I just need to call it a night,” she said, practically race-walking. “We can come up with an art gallery plan tomorrow, right? Isn’t that what’s important?”

“Sure. Of course.”

Her frustration peaked over how easily he shifted gears. “Did you enjoy the party?” Before she could stop the words from tumbling forth, she added, “And the way all the women flirted with you?”

He stopped in his tracks and grabbed her arm. Wrapping a strong hand around her. “What are you saying?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice. Everyone had her sights set on you.”

He shook his head. “Didn’t notice.”

She scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”

He let go of her arm, held his hands out wide. “What else is new? You never believe me.”

She parked her hands on her hips. “Do you blame me? You haven’t been entirely forthcoming.”

“All right. Let’s come forth now. Ask me anything and I’ll tell you.”

Maybe that was too risky a suggestion. But Jake thrived on risks.

She might throw a question at him that he’d want to dodge and dart. But the fact was, he wanted her to trust him. He needed her trust.

She fixed him with a challenging stare. “Anything?”

He nodded. “Anything.”

“Truth or dare?” she asked, the moonlight framing her stunning, sun-kissed face, the ocean breeze sweeping through her hair, the smell of saltwater wrapping around them.

“Truth,” he said easily, reaching for his beer bottle and taking a drink as gentle waves lolled past them.

She arched an eyebrow and raised her chin. Her tough-girl stance, and it made her even sexier. Damn, she was hot when she was feisty. “Tell me the truth for real. Did you know who I was the night you met me?”

He scoffed. “I knew you were the hottest woman I’d seen in ages,” he said, somehow unable to resist slipping around her question to give her a compliment.

She stared at him. “That’s not the whole truth.”

“Fine. I knew you were a pain in the ass.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I knew you were going to drive me crazy.”

“You drive me crazy, too,” she countered, parking her hands on her hips.

“Sounds like we’re just about even, then.”

“No. We’re not. Because you still haven’t answered the question. Did you know who I was?”

“No,” he said, setting his beer on the railing. He stepped closer to her and grasped her bare arms. Her skin was soft and warm. “I’ve told you a million times. No. No. And more no. And I could ask you the same damn thing, too. I could ask if you knew who I was. But I’m not asking. Because it doesn’t matter right now. It doesn’t matter anymore.” He let go of her arms and gestured from him to her. “This? This isn’t about who knew what when. It’s about the fact that I can’t get you out of my head.” He tapped his skull. “It’s about the fact that I’m not supposed to get involved on a job. It’s about the fact that even if I weren’t about to break that rule in spectacular fashion, I should absolutely not break it with you, of all people.”

She pressed her teeth into her lower lip, and the tiniest sliver of a smile appeared on her gorgeous face. Oh hell, he was going to have a field day kissing that smile away all night long, and feeling her melt in his arms when he stripped her down to nothing. Because he was done pretending. Done holding back. Done doing anything but giving in to this electric chemistry that had the two of them in its clutches. Staying away from her was too damn hard.

“But you’re going to? In spectacular fashion?” she asked, her tone soft and inviting now.

“No more questions, Steph. Your turn is up. It’s mine now. So, what’ll it be? Truth or dare?”

She licked her lips and raised an eyebrow. “Dare.”

Smart woman. She was smarter than he was. Or maybe she just wanted the same thing—a dare to match the truth.

“I dare you to kiss me right now,” he said with a grin, knowing she wasn’t going to back down, because this woman backed down from absolutely nothing.

She inched closer.

He raised a hand in a stop sign. “I need to give you fair warning. This time, I’m not going to stop at just kissing you. I’m not going to stop at the backseat of the car. I’m not going to stop until I am buried deep inside you, and you’re coming undone screaming my name.”

Her eyes glinted. “You’d better not stop.”

He was about to break a cardinal rule. He could blame it on days of island sunshine. Hell, he could claim the last few weeks of gray skies before he came here were at fault. Even chocolate could be the cause.

But as he roped his fingers in her hair and pressed his lips to hers, there was no blaming anything but the good old-fashioned fact that he was a man who wanted a woman.