Chapter 7
SEVEN
Shocked at her behavior, Jenna gave herself a good talking to.
Stop being so rude. What is wrong with you?
Jonathan is the one you should be angry with, not Cormac.
She was typically not a mean spirited person but she was having such a hard time controlling her mood.
One minute she was calm and the next she was ready to explode and she was afraid she was taking it all out on poor Cormac.
She didn’t know how she could make it up to him without giving him the wrong impression, but she’d try.
She checked in on her guests, making sure they all had enough food and drink and then she went off in search of Cormac.
She found him outside seated by the pool, lost in thought.
“Hey,” she said as she sat down next to him.
He didn’t say anything. Instead he continued to look out over the water.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me and I certainly don’t know why I keep yelling at you.
You’ve done nothing but try to help and I’m grateful for that.
” She tipped her head so she could get a look at his face.
Receiving no response, she touched his arm and felt a head to toe rush of wanting him leave her weak.
He felt it too, she could tell by the way his head jerked up and his eyes found hers.
They were so blue. How was it possible for anyone to have eyes like that?
She could see the hurt she had put there and her heart ached.
He placed his hand over hers, where it rested on his arm and before she knew what she was doing, she softly brushed her lips over his.
His response was immediate as he reeled her into his arms and kissed her back, gently at first and then passionately.
Jenna allowed herself to let go of the control she so carefully kept in place, throwing her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his silky black locks.
His tongue played at the crease in her lips asking to be let in.
Lost in passion, Jenna allowed it. He tasted salty and sweet all at once and he also tasted of beer.
His hands settled on the curve just above her backside, pulling her closer.
Jenna didn’t resist, melding her body to his in order to be as close as she possibly could.
The sounds of the party had faded into the background and she didn’t care what other people might think of her as she placed herself fully in Cormac’s hands.
Coming up for breath, they looked longingly into each other’s eyes.
There was an unspoken agreement passing between them and then the spell was broken by Dylan and his friends as they picked each of them up and threw them into the pool.
Jenna sputtered to the surface and could barely see with her drenched hair hanging into her eyes. Cormac came up right next to her and pulling her close, gently brushed her hair out of her face. They looked at each other and simultaneously laughed.
“Dylan! I’ll get you for this,” Jenna shouted at her cousin, although secretly she couldn’t think of anywhere she’d rather be than in the grasp of Cormac MacBayne, whose muscular arms held her securely against him.
A tidal wave washed over them as everyone began removing shirts and shoes and diving in beside them. Cormac’s facial expression was one of horror as he watched Jenna pulling her very tiny little dress off. He tried to stop her, but she was having none of it.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got my bathing suit on under this,” she smiled. “You might want to take that kilt off. It must be pretty heavy with all that water it’s soaking up.”
“Are ye sure, Jenna?” Cormac questioned.
“Yeah, go for it.”
Cormac unwrapped the length of plaid fabric around his waist and Jenna suddenly remembered what the appropriate attire was beneath a kilt.
Absolutely nothing. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and grabbing her dress, swam to the side where he deposited everything.
His tight backside emerged as he dove under the water and swam back to her.
She was speechless to say the least, when she found herself up against a very naked Cormac MacBayne.
The rest of the crew in the pool decided they’d join in on the skinny-dipping and Jenna found that she could not find a place to look amidst the group of suddenly very naked men and women. There was plenty of laughing and splashing, but no one, other than Jenna, seemed the least bit uncomfortable.
“I’d better get out and make sure everything is going smoothly inside.
” Jenna excused herself as she disengaged from Cormac’s embrace and swam to the steps.
As Cormac began to follow her she shouted, “Stay where you are, Cormac. I’m fine, really.
” She did not look back as she headed for the house.
“I’m just going to get towels for everyone.
” Good excuse, she thought, needing to get away from Cormac long enough to distance herself from emotions that were pushing her I’m-not-getting-involved attitude to the side in pursuit of the lusty agenda her body had in mind.
***
Needing to cool his ardor, Cormac swam to the waterfall and let the icy water splash over his body.
Watching Jenna walk away in the odd little bits of clothing she called a bathing suit had him more than ready to follow, partially to cover her from the view of the others and partially to find out if that kiss they shared would lead where he hoped it would.
Closing his eyes, Cormac tipped his head back and enjoyed the feel of the water coursing through his hair.
The sounds of female giggles nearby alerted him to the fact that he was not alone and upon opening his eyes he was surprised to see he was surrounded by a number of naked women all smiling and observing him with obvious admiration.
“Ladies,” he nodded. As he attempted to move away from them, the circle around him tightened.
“You’re a cute one,” the red-haired lass with the emerald green eyes said.
“Cute?” Cormac asked, not knowing what she meant.
“I’m Amy. And you are …” she asked.
“Me name is Cormac. I’m pleased to meet ye.”
The girls all giggled.
“I love your accent,” the dark haired girl on his right said as she moved closer.
“Thank ye.” Cormac replied. “Are ye a friend of Jenna’s?”
“No, we’re here with the guys.”
He wasn’t sure which guys, so he looked around to see if anyone was missing them. No one seemed to notice his dilemma.
“Dylan’s friends,” yet another girl said.
“No one told us there was going to be a hot English guy here,” Amy said.
“I be Scottish, lass,” he replied, feeling insulted.
With that they all started oohing and aahing.
Cormac was getting a bit nervous. That was not his usual reaction to women who were interested in him, but this time he didn’t want their attention.
In the past he would have enjoyed the company of the lot of them, but now he suddenly and inexplicably wanted to be out of the pool.
Where had Jenna gone to? He moved to go past the girls, when the redhead wrapped herself around him.
She had her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She was looking him right in the eye, with her nose touching his.
Of course, at that very moment, Jenna returned along with some of the catering help.
They all had armloads of towels. She took one look at Cormac, dropped the towels and ran back inside.
“Hey, Amy. What do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to be here with me,” Tank yelled from across the pool.
“Just having some fun, babe. Nothing for you to worry about.” She disentangled herself from Cormac and swam to Tank, giving him a kiss on the lips and putting herself in the exact same position she was just in with Cormac. The other lasses followed, latching on to the rest of Dylan’s friends.
“Jenna’s pretty pissed,” Dylan said, as he swam up to him. ‘What did you do that for?”
“The lass threw herself at me. I didnae ask her to. I need to find Jenna and explain to her,” Cormac worried.
“I’d leave her alone for now, if I were you. Let her cool off. I’ll talk to her later for you.”
“Dylan, I canna ask ye to intervene for me every time something goes wrong with Jenna.”
“Okay, but I’m telling you, she’s not going to want to hear it.”
“I’m going to go find her,” Cormac said with determination in his voice.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Dylan, I’m nae afraid of yer cousin. She’s but a wee lass with a big temper.” Cormac swam for the side of the pool and grabbed a towel, which he wrapped around his waist before beginning his search for Jenna.
***
Jenna couldn’t believe her eyes. She had just started to stupidly think Cormac might be what she needed in her life at this moment in time.
She wasn’t out of his sight for more than five minutes and he was already glued to some girl she didn’t even know.
Typical man. Well, she wasn’t about to let that happen again.
To think she had kissed him! What was wrong with her?
She couldn’t seem to keep her lips to herself when he was around.
I hope you learned your lesson this time, Jenna.
Men are not to be trusted, no matter how good they kiss.
“Jenna, I must speak with ye.” Cormac appeared in the doorway to her bedroom.
“Not interested.” Jenna shut him down. “Please leave my room.” She walked to the door, waiting for him to leave and prepared to close the door and lock it behind him.
“Nae. I’ll not go until ye’ve heard what I’ve come here to say.” Cormac stood, hands on hips, filling the doorway looking very determined to speak with her.
“I already told you, I’m not interested. What don’t you understand about that?”
“Jenna, yer eyes saw something that was not as it seemed.”