20. Leah Mae #2
“That there is the rusty reef,” Jameson said, nodding toward Jonah. “We used to tow the zip line with a truck, until Nash drove his old Ford into the lake and couldn’t get it out. That’s when we switched to a four-wheeler. Jonah’s standing on the truck now.”
“There’s a truck out there?”
“Yeah,” he said. “We moved the zip line a bit so we’re less likely to crash into the truck—Buck learned that the hard way, but we appreciated him figuring out the physics for us.”
“Oh my god, was he okay?”
Jameson waved his hand. “Broke a leg, is all. He healed up just fine.”
I felt bad for laughing, but Jameson was so nonchalant about it.
“Are you going to do the zip line?” I asked.
“Course,” he said. “It’s a hell of a lot of fun.”
“Hey Jame, I’m up,” Gibson called. “You driving? ”
“Yeah, I got you,” Jameson said, then looked at me. “What do you think?”
I looked over at the zip line. It started up the slope and went out over the water. “I think I’ll just watch.”
One corner of Jameson’s mouth hooked in a subtle grin. “You won’t be sayin’ that later.”
I blinked, gaping at him. I wasn’t sure if we were still talking about the zip line.
“Make yourself comfortable, darlin’.” He winked and pulled off his shirt, letting it drop to the sand, then stepped out of his shoes. “I need to go take Gibs for a ride. It’ll be your turn in a while.”
He backed away a few steps, still facing me, in nothing but a pair of shorts, his fantastic torso on full display. I couldn’t stop staring. He was lean and muscular without being bulky, and he had a tattoo across his chest and left shoulder that I’d never seen before.
I’d spent the last dozen years around models—male and female—and none of them had anything on Jameson Bodine.
His appeal wasn’t in being photogenic, although I was sure he was.
It was in his slightly messy hair, his stubbly jaw, and his body that looked like it was built to be used, not just to look pretty.
In his rough hands and the scars on his forearms. In that boyish smile and the little trail of dark hair that disappeared beneath the waist of his shorts.
He winked again before jogging over to the four-wheeler. I swallowed hard and had to resist the urge to fan myself. But god, he was sexy.
“He’s really not bad, is he?” Cassidy asked. She was propped up on her elbows, looking over at Jameson from beneath her sunglasses.
“He’s a Bodine; of course he’s good-lookin’,” Scarlett said without looking over .
“I mean no disrespect, Leah Mae,” Cassidy said. “I’m just saying, objectively speaking, he’s a fine-looking man.”
I noticed Bowie scowling over by the fire, glancing back and forth between Jameson and Cassidy.
“My brothers are a right pain in the ass,” Scarlett said. “Each and every one of ’em. But they’re a good sort.”
“Mm-hmm,” Cassidy said.
I spread out my towel next to them and stripped down to my bikini. The warm sun felt good on my skin.
“Don’t forget sunscreen,” June said, tossing me a bottle of spray-on SPF-30. “Ultraviolet rays from the sun cause premature aging and skin cancer.”
“Thanks, June.” I sprayed on some sunscreen and rubbed it in. My skin was fair; I definitely needed it.
The four-wheeler started up again. Jameson drove it back down the dirt road while Gibson climbed the hill.
They both disappeared from sight, and the sound of the four-wheeler faded.
A moment later, Jameson drove down the road—fast—kicking up a cloud of dust in his wake.
Gibson raced down the zip-line at breakneck speed, then let go and plunged into the water.
The people on the beach cheered. He earned sixes from Cassidy and June, and a seven from Scarlett. Jameson smiled at me from across the beach, and damn it he was adorable. In all the time we’d been friends, I’d never seen him smile as much as he had in the last few days.
I was smiling a lot, too.
“Girl, you are plum sprung on that man,” Scarlett said, grinning at me.
I adjusted my sunglasses and felt my cheeks flush. “Sorry. But… yeah, I am.”
“Don’t you apologize,” Scarlett said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother this happy. Whatever you’re doing to him, you keep doin’ it, and maybe don’t ever stop.”
I laughed, because I wasn’t doing much of anything to Jameson.
Not like that, at least. We’d kissed. Made out in his truck for hours.
And it had been breathtaking. There was no doubt I wanted more, but I wasn’t sure how he felt about it.
Jameson was a bit old-fashioned. Maybe he’d want to wait before we took things further.
I hoped he didn’t want to wait too long.
Gibson swam back in, and he and Jameson switched places.
Jameson climbed the hill, towing the zip line handle with him, while Gibson drove the four-wheeler down the dirt road.
My stomach fluttered with anticipation, and a little fear.
A minute later, Gibson came roaring back on the four-wheeler, with Jameson riding the zip line just behind.
Jameson’s muscles flexed, and he hollered as he rode the line down. Right when he let go, he leaned backward, tucking his legs, and did a back flip before plunging into the water.
I clapped and cheered, as did most everyone else on the beach, then held up both my hands for a perfect ten. Cassidy and Scarlett gave him tens as well, and June held up nine.
“Tough critic,” Cassidy said to her sister.
June shrugged. “He could have straightened before hitting the water for less of a splash.”
Cassidy laughed. “It’s not the Olympics, Juney.”
“I have my criteria, you have yours,” June said.
Jameson swam to shore and got out of the water. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he walked toward me, dripping wet. He slid his hands through his hair, and the water ran in rivulets down his body, tracing the lines of his muscular frame .
He grinned and held out a hand. “Come on, darlin’. Your turn.”
I took his hands in mine and he helped me to my feet.
He looked down at me, biting his bottom lip.
I’d always felt a little uncomfortable in my own skin.
Growing up, I’d been the tallest girl in class.
My limbs were long, and it had taken a lot of ballet and model walking lessons to learn any sort of grace.
But the way Jameson was looking at me made me feel beautiful. Comfortable.
It made me feel other things, too, but I was very aware of the crowded beach. A crowd that included all his siblings.
He twined our fingers together and led me toward the slope, grabbing the zip line handle on the way.
“Tell you what,” he said as we walked to the top. “I’ll drive. All you do is hang on and let go when you’re over the water.”
“Promise I won’t hit the rusty reef and die?”
He laughed and handed me the zip line handle. It was above our heads now, but I could still reach. “I’d never risk hurting you. It’s a rush, and worth doing at least once. Besides, where else can you ride a zip line being towed by a motorized vehicle?”
“Good point.” I nibbled on my bottom lip, my limbs tingling with anticipation.
He tapped my nose and planted a quick kiss on my lips. “I’ve got you. Just hang on until the rope starts to move, then lift your feet. I’ll tell you when to let go, then I’ll meet you in the water.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl.”
He ran down the slope and I heard the four-wheeler roar to life. A minute later, there was a quick tug on the rope and it started to move .
I gripped the handle tight and picked up my feet.
Before I could take another breath, the rope went taut and I was flying down the zip line, the wind whipping my hair back.
I went so fast, it felt like flying. The ground fell away beneath me as the beach sloped down, and I screamed—both in fear and exhilaration.
The water sparkled below me, and I heard Jameson yell, “Now!” And I let go.
Mostly by instinct, I straightened my legs, pointed my toes, and held my arms tight against my sides. I sliced through the warm water, taking a quick breath before my head went under.
I kicked up until my face broke the surface, coming up laughing. I raised my arms, like a gymnast who’d just stuck her landing, and the girls all held up both their hands, giving me three perfect tens.
Jameson swam out to meet me. He pulled me close and I wrapped my arms around his neck. My body pressed against his—nothing between us except my little pink and blue bikini.
We kissed like crazy in that bathwater-warm lake. Kissed like no one was watching, until Gibson yelled at us to get out of the way so someone else could have a turn.
Jameson just laughed and told his brother to shut his face.
After we swam back to shore, we laid out on our beach towels to dry off. My hair was tangled, the bit of makeup I’d been wearing had washed off, and the sun was probably giving me the smattering of freckles I’d always hated across my nose and cheeks.
But no one was going to complain that my photos would need retouching because of my freckles. Or care that there was sand in my messy hair. There was just Jameson, lying next to me, his blue eyes taking me in like I was the best thing he’d ever seen.
We ate lunch and drank a few beers and lay in the sun. Got back in the water when we needed to cool off. There was more zip lining, and the guys wound up playing a game of king of the mountain on the rusty reef that had the rest of us laughing until our stomachs hurt.
By the time the sun started to go down, I was warm, tired, and about the happiest I’d ever been in my entire life.