CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
JAYEAND VELVETgot dressed to attend another bonfire party.
She found it hard to believe their week in Key Largo was almost over. Jaye had given her the time of her life, memories to last a lifetime. For her, they had to. She would need them in the late hours of the night when her body wanted him and he wouldn’t be there. Refusing to dwell on her future, she thought about now. Here. In Key Largo, Florida, with him.
They started each day by jogging together. After their shower, they would enjoy breakfast at one of the local diners. She had to admit it was nice being out among people and not caring about being seen together. After breakfast, they’d engage in whatever activities Jaye had planned that day for them. One day, they’d gone snorkeling, and usually every day they walked to the pier to dolphin-watch. He’d given her a free day to shop, and he’d tagged along. It felt good having him with her as she visited several of the seaside shops, picking up souvenirs. They’d frequented a number of restaurants for lunch and dinner, and one day they’d taken a tour of some of the other islands in the Florida Keys.
Then there were their daily walks on the beach and their games of Frisbee in the evening to work off all the food they’d eaten that day. They’d attended a few bonfire parties where they’d met several people—mostly honeymooners. Every evening, in addition to walking the beach, they enjoyed watching the sunset—although they both admitted they missed their rocking chairs back in Catalina Cove. Jaye had rented a boat and tomorrow they would go fishing after breakfast.
“I’m ready, Jaye.”
He was standing at the window, looking out, and turned at the sound of her voice. She recognized that look of male appreciation in his eyes. “You look fantastic, but is that outfit legal?”
Velvet threw her head back and laughed, knowing why he was asking. She was wearing a dress she had purchased during her girls’ weekend trip to New York with Ruthie. It was short and the neckline daring. “As long as I got a man with me, I’m good.”
“Well, you better believe I intend to stick by your side tonight, and I don’t want you to dance with anyone but me.”
“Getting territorial, are you, Mr. Colfax?”
“Call it whatever you like.”
“I call it being territorial.”
“Then that’s what it is. Are you ready to go?”
An hour or so later, Velvet realized just how serious Jaye was about sticking to her side and not letting her dance with anyone but him. He’d behaved territorial when they’d been together before, but not of this magnitude. When he’d held her close as they danced, she could just imagine what anyone watching was thinking. But she didn’t care. They were people they didn’t know who didn’t know them. A part of her regretted how things would be when they returned to Catalina Cove and resumed their routine of not being seen together.
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight, sweetheart?” Jaye asked her as he opened the door to the villa hours later.
“Yes!” she said, excitedly. They had danced, talked, shared kisses that didn’t have to be stolen, and fed each other the delicious food that had been served. She would miss this place, and especially miss being here with him.
“Whatever you’re thinking about that put that look on your face, don’t.”
She looked up at him. “And what sort of look do I have on my face?”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “I’m not sure. It just didn’t look like a happy one.”
“Is this one better?” She gave him a huge smile, practically showing all her teeth.
He laughed. “Yes, that one is much better. Now come over here so I can give you something to make that smile even brighter.”
“Brighter? Is that possible?” She moved toward him.
“Not sure, but I’d like to try.”
There was no way she would stop him from trying, and figured she would appreciate his effort. When she stopped before him, for moment he just stared into her eyes. When she’d become mesmerized by his gaze, he swept her into his arms and headed for the bedroom.
SOMETIMEBEFOREDAWN, Jaye climbed out of bed after detangling their bodies. He’d gotten a text earlier from his brother Dean saying there was a hiccup in Birmingham. Colfax Construction was ready to begin but there seemed to be a mix-up regarding a prior agreement with the city’s restructuring of the roads around the bank. The restructuring was needed for smooth access to the bank.
That meant when he left Florida tomorrow, instead of returning to the cove, he would fly to Alabama. He sent a text back to Dean, letting him know of his plans. Moments later, he eased in bed beside Velvet, hoping he didn’t wake her. She muttered his name in her sleep and snuggled against him. There was just something about the feel of her naked flesh touching his.
Jaye would miss this island and the time he had spent here with her. He hoped this week had shown Velvet he was capable of wanting more from her than just sex and eventually realize that he loved her.
“AREYOUSUREabout that, Angie?”
“I’m positive, Cassie. The papers came across my desk at the property appraiser’s office. I’m telling you the truth. Our new banker, Jaye Colfax, purchased waterfront property costing over a million dollars in that new area being developed by Mr. Lacroix. Instead of putting it in his name, it’s in the name of Velvet Spencer.”
Allen Bourdeaux, who was in the waiting room of his dentist’s office and flipping through a magazine, overheard the conversation between the two women, although they’d tried whispering. Angie Boston worked as a cashier at the pharmacy and Cassie Kirkwood worked in the property apprasier’s office. He continued listening, interested in what they were saying.
“Velvet Spencer, the teacher?” Angie asked Cassie.
“Yes.”
“Umm, I didn’t know the two of them were an item.”
“Neither did I,” was Cassie’s response. “Considering the cost of that property, it appears they’re more than just an item. Of course, what they’re doing behind closed doors is none of our business. I’d heard Webb Crawford was rather smitten with her. No wonder she didn’t give Webb the time of day. She was holding out for someone even richer.”
“There’s nothing wrong with a woman wanting to better herself,” Angie said.
“I agree and it looks like she struck gold, no pun intended.”
Allen had heard enough. So the teacher who thought she could flunk out his son was sleeping with the banker and had managed to get property worth over a million dollars out of him?
Just like the two women had said, Webb Crawford fancied himself smitten with the woman. Obviously, she was playing Webb for a fool the same way Allen’s ex-wife, Cheryl, had played him. Others, including his teammates, had known the type of woman she was, yet no one had seen fit to tell him. More than anything, he wished they had. It would have saved him a lot of heartache and misery. In the end, the only thing he had to show for their one year of marriage was Lenny. His son meant everything to him.
He tossed the magazine aside. He didn’t consider him and Webb friends, but they had attended school together. Maybe he ought to enlighten him about what the teacher was doing behind his back to save him the pain that he’d gone through with Cheryl.