With her free hand, she held the sarong closely against her breasts but still clenched her butt cheeks. She was hoping some last-minute clenches would make it look good.
When they walked up to the beach area she read the sign:
Attention: Nude Bathers Beyond This Point
She stared at Jack in shock. “A nude beach? You’re taking me to a nude beach?” She looked down at herself. “How much more nude can I get?”
He guided her off to the side and set down their bags. Drawing her close, he clasped his hands together at her lower back. “Do you trust me?”
Heck if she knew why, but she trusted this virtual stranger. “Yes.”
In the sunlight, his olive skin glistened. Everything about Jack Vaughn was flawless, from the straight line of his nose to the curve of his cheekbones, to the strong set of his jaw. The man was walking perfection. And what would he ever want with a girl like you? “I would never make you do something you didn’t want to do, but we’re trying new things, right?”
She nodded.
“You don’t have to take anything off unless you feel one hundred percent comfortable.” He kissed her nose, then one cheek and the other, finally laying a soft kiss on her lips. How was it that a simple kiss with no sexual agenda made her feel so adored and safe? And although she would be walking into a so-called nude lion’s den, that one kiss melted away her hesitation.
A group of men walked by and two of them stared, craning their heads as they passed. They were so checking her out.
“On second thought, I don’t know if nude is such a good idea.” Jack covered her with his body.
At that moment, she realized that he would also have the opportunity to bathe in the buff. “What about you? Seeing you might cause a frenzy with all the women.”
“Who said anything about me being nude? Nude beaches aren’t my thing.”
Sterling laughed and hit him square in the chest.
He grinned sheepishly then picked up their bags. “Come on, sweetheart.”
They found a spot at the back of the beach just in front of the boardwalk. Jack laid out their blanket and set down the towels, then kicked off his sandals and slipped his shirt over his head.
She didn’t think she’d ever get used to the sight of his impeccable body. Her eyes roved over his chiseled chest, abs, and hard pecs. And every time she looked at him she got a glimpse of a new shape or line of his tattoos.
Black board shorts hung low on his hips, that chiseled V her favorite thing about his body, a natural indicator pointing to her second-most-favorite spot.
He removed a bottle of water from the bag and set it on the blanket. He patted the space next to him. “Get comfy.”
Sterling gathered the sarong in her hands as she sat down.
A gentle breeze blew across the beach, a welcome respite from the glaring sun. Light waves lapped along the shoreline. Beach umbrellas were stuck in the sand, and windsails dotted the horizon as far as she could see. Men and women pranced around, no shame in baring their goods. He’d been right—not everyone had their junk out, and some of the ones who did were in desperate need of a mirror.
“There is quite a wide range of people at this beach,” she said.
Just then, a topless blonde walked by their blanket, her eyes connecting with the beautiful man beside Sterling. She was the type of woman Sterling expected to see at a topless beach. Blond, svelte, beautiful, a Sports Illustrated model for sure. But when she looked over at Jack, he was staring at Sterling, his gaze curious.
She fidgeted. Was there something on her face? She swiped at her cheeks. “What?”
Without a word, Jack leaned over and captured her lips. Instantly, she heated up. Funny how the hot summer weather was no match for Jack Vaughn.
He inhaled deeply and bent his head, strengthening his hold on her, deepening the kiss. Her hand rested on his chest, and she curled her fingers into his skin when he withdrew, still giving her that curious stare.
“What was that for?”
“No reason.” He shrugged. “You just looked really beautiful sitting there. I couldn’t resist.”
Was it a cosmic joke that the perfect man was an unavailable man? A man who only existed for her on the weekends? Four weekends, to be exact. Two dates with Jack had already demonstrated his superiority to every man she’d ever been with.
But this was what she wanted. Fun. And it didn’t get much more fun than being naked on a beach with a hot man knowing that at any time, you could have him in a bed, up against a wall, or even on a sandy towel.