Seaside Embrace(7)

“Yeah, it’s called owning up to your responsibilities,” Hunter said. “Why do you think I don’t have a girlfriend?”

“Because you don’t shave,” Grayson said with a laugh.

“Because you’re a male slut,” Clark added.

“Because I don’t want that responsibility. You think I want to be the person a woman relies on to listen to her and talk about girl stuff? Really, the thought of listening to drama turns my stomach, and sleeping with the same chick year after year? Man…” He shook his head, although he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a woman beneath him besides Jana. Holy shit. Had they been hooking up for that long?

Grayson pointed to the picture on the monitor of the acrobatic, upside-down kiss. “If you’re doing shit like this, I’m not sure you ever have to worry about getting married. Besides, if you’re trying to learn how to be romantic, you really do need a lesson. Romance comes from the heart, not from an article.”

“How the hell do you know?” Hunter asked.

“Jesus. Did we even grow up in the same house? Everything Dad ever did for Mom was romantic. Coming home at night on time was romantic. Helping with us when we drove her crazy all day was romantic. Hell, Hunt. Working in the goddamn hardware store from sunup to sundown was romantic. He did that for her, and for us. To make ends meet and to make sure we all had what we needed and that Mom was happy. Even I could see that.” Grayson stopped at the door to the shop and set a serious stare on Hunter. “And sleeping with the same chick year after year? Look at Pete and Jenna. Sky and Sawyer. They’re happy as hell. You might not want that, but I’m beginning to think we’re the ones missing out.”

“No way,” Hunter mumbled as he watched the door swing closed behind Grayson.

“I hate to agree with him, but you have no clue what you’re talking about, Hunter.” Clark turned the monitor back toward him and laughed at the picture. “Although that is some kinky shit.”

“Wait, why do you say I have no clue? You’re the one who left your wife.”

“Yeah, because we never have sex. Hell, we never even talk.” The anger in his voice was palpable. “But I still love her. I still want her.”

“Then call her, dumbass. Talk to her. Do those things on that stupid article.” Hunter hoped to hell his friend would do the right thing. Even if he didn’t want to sleep with one woman forever, he knew Clark, and the broken guy in front of him wasn’t the stand-up, loyal-to-the-end buddy he knew and respected.

Clark just shook his head like Hunter didn’t understand, and the crazy part was, he sort of did. He thought it all came back to not really wanting one woman forever. He’d never tell Clark that, but despite what Grayson had said, Hunter had to question the whole monogamy thing.

Hunter patted Clark’s shoulder and said, “At least think about it, okay? She loves you, Clark. She texted you a hundred times last night. That’s love.”

“That’s ‘can you drop off diapers tomorrow,’ because Billy has a cold and she doesn’t want to take him out.” Clark sighed. “And yeah, I dropped them off this morning.”

“Good man,” Hunter said as he pushed from the desk to return to the shop.

“Hunt?” Clark called after him.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for letting me crash at your place. I know this is a messed-up situation, and I know you don’t want me to leave Nina, but I need to figure this out my way.”

Hunter nodded before pushing through the doors and getting back to work, thinking about what he’d read on wikiHow and about Clark bringing diapers to Nina. That was thoughtful, wasn’t it? Even if she’d asked him to bring them? Surely leaving flowers for Jana counted, too. But he had a feeling that romance went beyond flowers and diapers. He just had to figure out what else there was—and why he cared.

By six thirty that evening he’d decided that he’d wasted too much time trying to figure out how to be romantic. It probably didn’t matter if he was romantic or not. He and Jana had great sexual chemistry, and he was sure she’d remember just how incredible it was and admit she wanted to do it again. All it would take was a few kisses, and she’d be saying, I want you, in her sleep.

He showered and dressed in cargo shorts and a tank top, pulled on a hoodie, and climbed into his truck. Taking one last glance at himself in the rearview mirror, he studied the scruff on his jaw.

“Goddamn it.” He pushed from the cab and headed back inside. He took the stairs two at a time and stalked into his master bathroom. Every muscle tightened against what he was about to do. His head told him he was a fool, but something inside him urged him on. He was making an effort for a woman, and that made his skin feel too tight. He tugged at the front of his tank top, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. Lathering up his scruffy cheeks, he palmed the razor, trying to ignore the nervous feeling clawing at his gut. As he shaved the whiskers from his jaw, and his clean-shaven face was revealed, he questioned himself again. And a foreign feeling rose within him.

He felt good making an effort for Jana. But the aftershave was only to ease the burn. At least that’s what he told himself.

She probably wouldn’t even notice. Jana wasn’t like most women, getting all dramatic over stupid things.

Feeling slightly emasculated without his scruff, he changed into jeans and forwent the truck, grabbing his motorcycle keys instead on the way out the door.


***

JANA HELD THE phone to her ear, listening to Sky tell her who was coming to the bonfire. They’d moved tonight’s gathering from Cahoon Hollow Beach to Pete and Jenna’s home on the bay, where they’d have to use the large hibachi Grayson made. Open bonfires weren’t allowed on bay beaches.

“Sounds great. I can’t wait to see sweet little Bea and the rest of the girls and their babies.” Pete and Jenna had had a baby girl this past winter, and they’d named her after Pete’s mother, who had passed away unexpectedly a few years earlier. Their friends Amy and Bella had given birth last summer to their daughters, Hannah and Summer.

“We’ll get to see the baby boys tomorrow at breakfast.” Sky’s excitement made Jana smile. “Jessica and Jamie are coming down late tonight from Boston, and Leanna said she and Kurt are making arrangements to stay at the cottage for the rest of the summer. She’s just finishing up a big jam order tonight.” Leanna owned Luscious Leanna’s Sweet Treats, and she made her jam out of a converted cottage on their bayside property. She and Kurt stayed at that house most of the year; then, like the other Seaside cottage owners, they stayed at Seaside during the summers.

“Dustin and Sloan are adorable. I can’t wait to see them again,” Jana said, thinking about how cute Jessica and Leanna’s boys were. They’d been spring babies, and there had been a big party to celebrate their births.

“Want us to swing by and get you tonight for the bonfire?” Sky asked.

Sky knew that something had happened between Jana and Hunter before Sky had met Jana through Sawyer, but Jana didn’t think she knew they’d hooked up several times since. Even though they’d left the bar together the other night, Sky had probably assumed Hunter had just been making sure she got home okay. Hunter was always making sure their friends were okay. In Sky’s eyes, it wouldn’t look like anything more if Hunter gave Jana a ride to the bonfire, so she told Sky the truth.

“Um, no thanks. Hunter’s giving me a ride over.”

“Cool. We’ll see you there, then. Tell Hunt I said to behave.”

Jana laughed, like that was even a possibility? They ended the call, and she looked over her outfit one last time. Skinny jeans and a batik top should send the not-interested vibe, right? She wasn’t wearing a miniskirt or anything that allowed easy access. She’d even French braided her hair, because she knew that Hunter loved tangling his hands in it as much as she enjoyed him doing it, and if it was tied back, there was no chance of that happening. Jana was well aware that each of these little changes were merely crutches to keep her under control as well as him, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do.

Since when have I needed crutches? As she slipped on her flip-flops, a knock at the door sent her heart into panic mode. That was new, too. Lord. Hunter had gotten under her skin. She needed to find a way to get him out. Fast.

Squaring her shoulders, she told herself she could resist Hunter Lacroux. She’d had him, and as magnificent as he was, what they had was a revolving bedroom door. Even though she didn’t want more than that, she knew it was better to bolt that door closed now than to enjoy it time and time again.

Even if every time was better than the last?

She pushed that thought aside and opened the door.

Holy mother of all things sinful. Hunter stood in a pair of low-slung dark jeans stretched tight over his thick thighs. His black hoodie was open in the front, revealing a tank top that clung to his muscular pecs. But it was his face that had her licking her lips, hungry for a taste of him despite her steely resolve to remain distant. His chiseled jaw was on full display, clean-shaven, surrounding full, kissable lips and making him even more drop-dead gorgeous than usual. Top off his cleaner image with the black bike helmet under his arm, and he was the perfect contrast of badass and gentleman.