When we were done snorkeling, the banana boat took us back to the beach and we dried off as well as we could. But our swimsuits were all soaked, so when deciding on a place to grab lunch, Sage’s dad decided it would be best to go to a seafood restaurant nearby with a deck so that we could sit in the sun and dry off a bit.
We were all at a long table, and I sat beside Sage. We were so close that our legs kept brushing against each other under the table, and I couldn’t keep my erection at bay no matter how hard I tried. Did she have any idea what she did to me? How badly I wanted her?
Sage’s parents were seated across from us at the table, and Cole managed to take a chair on Sage’s other side while his parents were at opposite ends. I was starving since I skipped breakfast that morning and ordered myself shrimp scampi with extra shrimp and a basket of fries on the side. When the food arrived, I put the fries between me and Sage, insisting that she help herself.
“So, Briggs, tell me about yourself,” Sage’s dad said as we dug into our meal.
This was the first time I’d been spoken to directly since Sage introduced me. Her parents had been more content to talk to their friends than us as we got our shoes and clothes back on and decided where to eat. I didn’t particularly mind it because I had Sage at my side, but a part of me wondered why Cole was sticking around when he was obviously the odd man out. I would have felt sorry for him if he wasn’t trying to sleep with Sage.
I swallowed a mouthful of pasta and took a sip of my beer before answering. “Not much to tell, really. I work for the NYPD back home and as I mentioned before, I have a son. He’s ten years old.”
“And do you think you’ll want to have more kids if things keep progressing with Sage?” her mom asked, and Sage choked on her lemonade.
“Mom!” she admonished once her coughing fit had passed.
Sage’s dad nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Elise, take it easy. You don’t want to scare the guy away.”
I suspected that maybe she did. She seemed to really have her heart set on Sage ending up with Cole. I figured it had more to do with who his mother was than the man himself.
“It’s okay, Mr. Morgan—” I started, but he cut me off.
“It’s Joe. Please.”
“Okay, Joe. It’s fine,” I said with an easy going smile as I wiped my fingers on a napkin. “I don’t scare easily. I grew a pretty thick skin in the service.”
“You were a soldier?” Cole’s dad asked, and I could see the approval on the other man’s face.
Cole glowered at me, like it was my fault that his dad was interested in my time in the military.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “I was in the Army for five years right out of high school. Did two tours. One in Iraq, and one in Afghanistan.”
I glanced over at Sage, and the surprise on her face was almost funny. She was a terrible actress, which meant that she might give away our little secret. Thinking fast, I put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer to me. Lifting my fork to her mouth with a piece of shrimp on the end, I tilted my head down so that I was speaking into her ear in a low whisper.
“Try it,” I said, and the moment turned unexpectedly seductive. Her lips closed around the fork and her eyes flared. A shiver ran down my spine, but I wasn’t going to get caught up in the moment again. Not yet.
We finished our meal, and Joe kept asking me questions about myself, and I kind of liked the protective nature of them. He wanted to know if I was a good guy, a provider. He wanted to know if I would take good care of his little girl.
I would, of course, but first, I had to convince her that what was happening between us wasn’t entirely fake for her family’s sake. I liked her too much for that.
When lunch was done, Sage was supposed to go meet Faith and the other women in the wedding party for some kind of tour of the wineries on the island. I had enjoyed our afternoon together, even if we weren’t alone, and I wasn’t happy to be parting ways so soon.
I held her hand again as we headed toward the street where I’d parked the rental car, which was in the opposite direction of everyone else. I didn’t want to let Sage leave without finally getting a taste of her, so as we reached the car, I impulsively turned her around to face me. With my hand on the back of her neck, I pulled her in close, sealing her mouth with mine in a heated kiss.
I felt my entire body come alive as bliss washed over me. The simple contact was electrifying, and I wanted so much more. I longed to lick my way past her soft lips and run my hands over every inch on her body.
My cock grew hard and the muscles in my body were taut as I held myself back. It was a sweet torture to keep myself from escalating things, but I knew that this wasn’t the place for that. The kiss would help solidify our relationship status to her family, but everything else I wanted from her was just for the two of us.
When we pulled away, there was stark hunger in her eyes, and I vowed to get another taste of her as soon as possible.
I wasn’t faking anything with her, and she’d know that soon enough.
CHAPTER7
Sage
Icouldn’t stop thinking about Briggs or the toe-curling kiss we’d shared yesterday afternoon. I had a great time trying out wine with the other women afterward at the various wineries, but my mind kept going back to him.
He’d played his part a little too well, and I found my heart fluttering every time I pictured those bright blue eyes or remembered the way his kiss made me shiver. I wanted to explore that physical connection further, which wasn’t like me. I barely knew Briggs, and I usually liked to date a man for a while before jumping into bed with him.