16. Beth #2
“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing over at her, and then to the shore where the guys were.
As nervous as I was coming out here today, Felicia made it feel like it wasn’t a big deal, like we had known each other for years.
It felt like friendship even though we had just met. They all just made it so easy.
“Johnny.” She nodded toward the shore, looking at her daughter, Ryan, and Johnny with a wistful expression on her face. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him laugh like this. It’s just, really nice.”
I followed her gaze. “Yeah, we have a lot of fun together, that’s for sure. More than I was expecting, frankly.”
“You’re from up north?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Not exactly, but I guess it is for you guys.”
“When do you go back?”
“Little over a month now? I’m just here for eight weeks,” I said, and for the first time I really wished that wasn’t the case. That instead I could figure out a way to stay in what had become my happy place.
“That’s too bad,” she said. “I figured—I guess it doesn’t matter what I figured.”
“No, tell me.”
“Well, I just figured, if you liked it, maybe you would stick around. But maybe I was wrong.” She shrugged.
My stomach dropped, watching her. As much as I could dream about staying, I knew it wasn’t realistic, even though deep down I longed for a place like Port St. Clair. I’d have to start over.
“I have too many things going on at home. I help run the business with my family. It was a huge ask of them to pick up the slack while I’m here at all.
I’m getting some training and some new skills to take back with me.
At least that’s the plan. Only a few more weeks.
” I grimaced, not liking feeling guilty about being here and feeling like I’m letting everyone down.
Felicia waved her hands in the air. “Oh, I didn’t mean to be presumptuous. I just meant—” She paused. “Let’s just say, if Johnny’s mood is anything to judge by, you guys are good together. That’s all.”
“Yeah, we agreed to casual though, so that’s what it is.”
“I guess casual can be fun too,” she said, giving me a smirk. “You know? Ryan and I started out as casual. You know how sometimes that turns out?”
I glanced back at her, smiling. “No, what does that mean?”
“It means that sometimes a fling is more than just a fling. Just keep it in mind.” At that, she put her glasses on the end of her nose and looked at the guys with Kinsley back on shore.
Later that evening, after showering, I met back up with the four of them at the cottage Ryan and Felicia were staying at.
The afternoon at the beach was exactly what I’d needed.
Seeing the three of them interact, ribbing each other with jokes, and doting on Kinsley, it felt easy, really nice.
It was good to see Johnny light up like that.
He’d said he wasn’t that close to his family, but it was hard not to see the bond that him and Ryan had.
“Burger or brat?” Johnny gave me one of his goofy smiles as he held out a one of each.
“That depends,” I answered. “Which is the chef’s specialty?”
“Brats, of course.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ve never had a complaint. In fact, I’ve only had raving reviews.”
“Gross!” Felicia yelled from across the yard.
I grabbed the brat from his hand and noticed his glow after a day in the sun. He had the slightest tan lines on his face from his sunglasses, and the subtle combination of tan and sunburn on his cheeks. Plus, he had on that damn backward hat that made me want to fall to my knees.
Through dinner, we watched Kinsley play with Oberon on the lawn—her chasing his blonde tail, then him chasing her with one of his dog toys. She was adorable in her Minnie Mouse pajamas.
“Time for bed!” Felicia called out.
She chased Kinsley across the yard, taking her inside, and three of us wandered back to the patio set.
Just as I was about to sit next to Johnny, he pulled me into his lap.
I squealed in surprise and let out a giant snort as I laughed and wiggled uncontrollably in his lap.
“I didn’t know I was that funny,” Johnny said.
“You scared me!” I said through giggles as he started to tickle me.
“Nah.” He pulled me tight against him and kissed my nose and I looked him in the eye.
His wide smile hit me like a truck, and I couldn’t help but return it.
I don’t know what was happening, but a switch flipped today.
I didn’t know if it was seeing him with his brother, or Kinsley, or just a different version of him—an even more relaxed one—but it made me feel something different, something real.
Something I shouldn’t be feeling when I only had a few weeks left this summer.
But I kept thinking about what Felicia said at the lake.
What would it look like if I stayed?
“Need me to go in the house with the girls?” Ryan asked, smirking while sipping his beer. I had forgotten he was there.
“No, I think we’re good.” Johnny loosened his grip on me and set his hand on my hip, still holding me on his lap.
His hand seared through my shorts. The guys continued talking, but all I could think about was his fingers resting on my hipbone, running slow circles as his other hand sat on my knee.
My breath hitched, and even with the slightest movement, his movements radiated everywhere, and I knew he could feel my heat against him as well.
Ryan was still talking as Johnny leaned in, barely touching my ear as he whispered, “Want to get out of here soon?” He squeezed my hip, and I whipped my head back to see him. His eyes were dark and full of need.
I nodded.
After Felicia came back from putting Kinsley down, we sat outside, just laughing and watching the fire for a bit longer before saying our goodbyes.
Johnny led me to his truck, helping me up and waving back at his brother and sister-in-law. They were leaving tomorrow, and even though he hadn’t mentioned it, I could tell he would miss them when they left.
As we drove down the side streets to his house, Johnny turned up the Luke Combs tunes in his car and grabbed my hand.
I wasn’t sure what had gotten into him this weekend, but he seemed so much more relaxed, more touchy than he usually was—not that I was complaining.
We were almost to his cottage, and his hand had drifted to my thigh.
He was leaning away from the steering wheel to hold me like that, and it made my stomach flip in anticipation.
The heat of his fingers sent a jolt through my body.
His rough calluses tickled me as his hand made its way to my inner thigh and grabbed on, sending a surge through me.
The heat between my legs radiated, and even though my instinct was to clamp my thighs shut, I widened them to give him more room to explore.
We were getting close to his house, but my head was buzzing, I was only paying attention to what those fingers were doing—what I knew they were capable of doing.
I tried to make it not so obvious that I was spreading my legs, but I heard him let out a little groan as it happened.
I was in my usual cut-off jean shorts, and he slowly traced his finger up, lightly touching me along the way.
I leaned back, and his pinky traced the seam of my jeans, hitting me in the perfect spot.
I was on fire. My breathing slowed, and I closed my eyes as he traced the same line up and down.
All of a sudden, I felt his hot breath on my ear, and he whispered, “We’re here.”
I looked up at him from under my eyelashes, looked at his lips, and took his mouth with mine. He kissed me back, tugging my lip between his teeth, leaving a trail of wet kisses until he reached my ear.
“Let’s go in, baby.”
We unbuckled our seat belts and made our way up the driveway.
We staggered into his house, grabbing onto clothing and stealing kisses and touches as we went, him slamming the door behind us.
He grabbed me, pulling me into him, then pushed me back against the front door.
The lights were out except for a dim glow in the kitchen, so I could only see his silhouette and as he looked me up and down, licked his lip for a brief second before grabbing my ass and lifting me up.
“You feel so good, so soft,” he said, whispering in my ear. “I love it.” He squeezed my ass as he spoke.
Every time any breath came out of his mouth and into my ear, my back arched and my body flooded with heat for him.
I wrapped my bare legs around his jean-clad body and pushed myself into him.
I could feel him thick against me, and that combined with the seam of my shorts rubbing back and forth was driving me wild as I pushed myself up and down against him.
He circled my ass and my thighs until he let his fingers inch up the bottom of my jean shorts and under my lace underwear.
“Oh God,” I said, knowing that under my jeans and panties I was soaked.
At that, he put me back on the ground, and I looked at him like he was crazy before he proceeded to pick me up, wrap my legs around him, and carry me to his bedroom.
Once we got to his bed, he threw me down. His lips were swollen, his eyes dark, and it was hard not to make out the giant bulge in his jeans.
“You are so beautiful. You know that?” He just gazed at me before slowly peeling off his gray t-shirt and pushing down his jeans.
I got up on my knees and met him while he was still standing and started kissing his neck, down his chest, and his abs. He had ink that trailed down his chest, and I traced the black lines with my tongue, tasting him.
At that, he pulled off my tank top and struggled as he unbuttoned the top of my jean shorts, slowly sliding them over my butt and down to my knees.
“These need to come off,” he huffed, pushing me back on the bed.
I let him slide the jeans all the way off, and he grabbed my ankles, pulling me toward the edge of the bed as he knelt down to meet my lace-covered pussy.
“These will come off too, just not yet.” He kissed up my inner thighs, tracing slow circles as he went, forcing me to push myself into him.
I groaned. “I need more.”