“Don’t worry. I didn’t look.”
She opened one eye and looked up at him. That was so much worse. His chin was peppered with stubble, and his chest rose and fell with each breath. Now that she knew what those pecs felt like, each breath felt like it reverberated against her palms again. When she met his eyes, oh wow, those glorious pools of brown sucked her right in. Jenna bit her lower lip to keep from grabbing his chest again.
“I fixed your hot water.” Pete held her gaze, and he didn’t look embarrassed or rattled, which only made Jenna more nervous.
“Th-thank you.” Jenna couldn’t move. She needed to walk past him to get into the bedroom and get dressed, and her legs were stuck. Glued to the floor.
“Are you going to the movie at Town Hall tonight?”
Shoot. She was supposed to be there already. She managed a nod.
His mouth quirked up. “I’ll see you there, then.”
He walked toward the door, and it was all Jenna could do to remain standing. She closed her eyes, relieved and frustrated at once. She didn’t hear the screen door open, and she sensed him standing behind her in the small living room. Was he looking at her? What was he thinking? Why wasn’t he leaving?
All sorts of crazy thoughts went through her head, like turning around and launching herself into his arms and kissing him silly. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought.
“Jenna?”
“Mm-hm?” She couldn’t move.
He was silent for a long time. Maybe two full days; Jenna wasn’t sure. Or maybe two minutes.
“Call me if you need anything else.”
When the screen door closed behind him, Jenna let out the breath she’d been holding. Her insides were trembling. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes, a smile lifted her lips.
My zinger isn’t broken after all.
Chapter Five
THE LAWN BEHIND Wellfleet Town Hall was crowded with couples and families sitting on blankets and in beach chairs, gazing up at the Brave Foundation’s documentary, playing on the back of the tall, white building. An old-fashioned popcorn machine sat atop the concession stand that was set up on the path leading from Main Street to the back of the building. Pete was trying like crazy to concentrate on the documentary, as shark migration had become a major problem in New England, but he couldn’t help watching Jenna and Doophus instead. Charlie. He was actually a nice guy, and Pete felt a little guilty for thinking of him as Doophus. A little, but not enough to stop the thought, especially after having Jenna’s naked body pressed against him. It had taken all of his focus and determination not to kiss her until thoughts of anything other than them disappeared.
He watched her now, sitting beside Doophus, fidgeting with the edge of her cutoffs. Her wide-necked long-sleeved shirt was falling off her shoulder, and her lean, tanned skin begged to be kissed. If he were sitting with her, he’d lean her back against his chest and wrap his arms around that tiny little waist of hers; then he’d lower his lips to her shoulder and kiss every inch of skin between her shoulder and her beautiful neck. After the way she trembled beneath his touch when he couldn’t keep from placing a hand on her as he retrieved her towel, he knew that those kisses would raise goose bumps all over her incredible body. Damn. He was aroused just thinking about touching her.
He shifted in his chair and forced himself to turn away. Pete wrung his hands together, catching bits and pieces of the documentary. Following food…More dangerous to drive a car…Seals…He was still trying to figure out what had actually happened at Jenna’s. Her hot water had been turned off, which meant she had probably turned it off. That had been the first thing he’d checked when he’d arrived at her cottage, and it excited him. He’d thought she’d feigned the need for a repair just to see him, but then she’d acted like she always had—nervous and unable to talk around him. Granted, she had lost her towel. He grinned at the thought. If anything, it would have been the perfect time for her to give him an indication that she wanted him, and when she didn’t, it had totally thrown him off. He was still off-kilter.
“I’m going to get popcorn. Anyone want to go?” Jenna rose to her feet and tugged at the frayed edges of her shorts.
Heck yes.
He tried to act cool, lowering his chin and sliding his eyes to the others as they passed on the invitation. He watched Jenna walk away, her hips swaying seductively as she disappeared into the darkness beside the building. Pete couldn’t believe Doophus was stupid enough to let a woman like Jenna go for popcorn alone. He was the man. He should have gotten it for her or escorted her. If Jenna were Pete’s, he’d make darn sure she was taken care of properly. He waited a minute before getting up and heading in the same direction.
The concession area was lit only by candles on either end of the table. Jenna stood before the popcorn stand with her fingertips on the table and a smile on her lips as she watched the popcorn pop. Her hair ran down her shoulders, and as Pete approached, he thought about the curve of her naked hip beneath his hand. The air shifted and heated as he moved behind her and glanced back at the others, sitting far enough away that they couldn’t see them. He couldn’t resist placing his hand on her hip again. Jenna went rigid beneath his touch and sucked in a breath. Pete leaned down, his cheek beside hers, her intoxicating scent wrapping its tentacles around Pete and drawing him a step closer. His thighs grazed her butt as he whispered, “Hungry?”
Hungry? It had been a long time since Pete had had to court a woman. They usually came to him, and he was out of practice.
Jenna nodded. Another mousy response. Not at all what he’d hoped for. He took out his wallet and paid for her popcorn, and when the elderly gentleman handed her the bucket of popcorn, he had no business keeping his hand on her waist and guiding her from the table onto the dark path, but he didn’t care. Every silent step brought them closer to the others. Pete’s pulse quickened at the thought of sitting away from her again, watching that guy put a hand on her thigh. He hooked his finger into the belt loop of her shorts and tugged Jenna around so she was facing him—and clutching the popcorn. He stared into her troubled eyes. The sounds of the movie faded into the night. Jenna’s lips parted; she barely came up to Pete’s solar plexus. One tug brought her against him.
He leaned down so they were eye to eye, her lips a whisper away.
“Why won’t you talk to me?” It wasn’t what he’d intended to say. In fact, he hadn’t intended to say a single word, but he had to know. Why could she talk to a guy like Doophus when she fell apart around Pete?