Just The Way You Are(46)

Tessa was grateful when Timothy dumped a bag of oysters between them. She couldn't talk about Sam or Alli, not with the two of them standing just a few feet away.

"What now?" Jimmy asked.

"Now we go back to shore and start shucking," Tessa replied.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll show you how. It's easy."

"You know how to shuck oysters? You are full of surprises."

"I once shucked ten oysters in one minute. A family record," she said smugly.

"In case you haven't guessed, Tessa was the best at everything," Alli interjected.

"There's one in every family," he replied.

Tessa tensed as Jimmy and Alli shared a small smile that seemed filled with secrets. Then she felt Sam's hand on her arm and immediately relaxed. What did she care if Alli and Jimmy were getting along? It didn't mean anything. In fact, it would give her more time with Sam. And wasn't that what she wanted?





* * *





Chapter 13



« ^ »

"Okay, I want a kiss," Jimmy said to Tessa a few hours later as the four of them sat at a picnic table overlooking the bay with piles of empty oyster shells in front of them.

"I have eaten more oysters today than I have in my entire life and I am definitely in need of one juicy, wet kiss." He puckered up his lips and waited for Tessa, who was sitting next to him, to kiss him.

She put a finger against his lips instead. "No way. I am not giving you a kiss just because you got turned on by a mussel."#p#分页标题#e#

"You are an unfeeling woman, hard, cold, absolutely no compassion," Jimmy said.

"My God, someone who actually knows the real you," Alli mocked from her vantage point on the other side of the table.

Tessa sighed, realizing their unspoken truce had come to an end. For most of the afternoon, their conversation had centered on the oysters and the scenery, with Alli and Sam on one side of the table, Jimmy and her on the other. Now the gloves were apparently off.

"I'll kiss you, Jimmy," Alli offered, leaning forward.

"Okay," Jimmy said easily.

Tessa had to bite down on her tongue to stop herself from shouting "No." She looked over at Sam. "Aren't you going to stop her? She is still your wife—at least for a few weeks."

"Alli pretty much does what she wants," Sam said tersely.

"Come here," Alli said.

Jimmy met her halfway across the table, planting a brief kiss on her lips.

"You're never satisfied, are you?" Tessa couldn't help asking Alli. "If there's a man around, and he's with me, you have to have him."

"But they always ask you first, don't they, Tessa? I just get your leftovers." She stood up abruptly. "I think we've done enough for today. I'm going to wash my hands." She glanced over at Sam. "I'll meet you at the truck. We should go if we want to get to Megan's soccer game on time."

"Fine," Sam said, getting to his feet. He paused and looked back at Tessa. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded. "Ten o'clock."

"Tomorrow?" Jimmy asked as Sam walked away. "What's tomorrow?"

"I'm going sailing with Sam. I'm sorry, but you can always go back to L.A. if you're bored."

"You sound like you're mad at me," Jimmy said with a quirk in one eyebrow. "Now, why would you be angry? Alli was right. I did ask you to kiss me first. You turned me down."

"I thought you were kidding. You're always kidding. But I don't care who you kiss."

"As long as it's not your sister."

Tessa played with one of the empty shells in front of her.

"Alli stole Sam from me. I'm a little touchy where she's concerned."

"She's a little touchy where you're concerned." He paused. "Do you really think a divorce is in the works?"

"That's what they both say. Are you that interested?"

"Oh, I'm interested, all right."

She sent him a wary look. "Because you want Alli or because you want me?"

He turned sideways, putting his leg over the bench so he was straddling it, so he was facing her. "That's the first time you've ever admitted that you even noticed I want you."

She swallowed uncomfortably. "You flirt with everyone, Jimmy. It's part of your DNA."

"I'm not flirting with you right now. I'm serious."

"How would I know that?"

"Because you know me." He put one hand on the side of her face, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. "You know I want to kiss you right now."

"That's the oysters talking."

"That's me talking."

"Jimmy, don't."

"Don't what?"

"I like our friendship."