“You thinking of giving Chase a brother or a sister?” Quinn asks me.
“I…no…not really. I’d need a guy for that?” I say jokingly, and from my peripheral vision, catch the way Jamie is looking at me.
I turn the conversation back to Katee and her pregnancy as I finish the food on my plate. Soon enough, our bellies are full, and everyone makes their way home to get ready for the day. I take Chase upstairs to get him washed up and dressed for his first fishing expedition in a stocked lake. I coat him with sunscreen and when Jamie pokes his head into the bathroom, I hold the bott
le out to him, “You need this too.”
“Yes, Mom,” he teases and Chase laughs. I give him a scolding glare as he tugs off his shirt, and my gaze instantly drops to take in his striated muscles, many covered by tattoos. My fingers itch to touch him and I grow warm between the legs as I take my time admiring him. He makes a noise and I lift my eyes, catch his smirk.
Busted.
He coats his hands and rubs the lotion over himself, and I help Chase from the counter. “Go find a ballcap to wear,” I say to him. He runs off to his room and Jamie hands me the bottle.
“Would you mind doing my back?”
I squeeze a generous amount on his back and his muscles flex as I rub it in, and cop a feel at the same time. I study his tattoos, and my hands still.
What the hell?
“Jamie…”
“Yeah.”
I touch the name on his back, in such small letters that I never caught it before. I trace the letters and he stiffens, like he knows what I’m about to ask. “Why do you have my name on your back?”
His muscles flex, and relax beneath my fingers. “Because I…because you’re my friend.”
We both go so quiet, I can practically hear my son breathing in the other room. I scan his back, look for Sara’s name, but it’s nowhere to be found. Shocked, touched, and maybe a little confused, I ask, “When did you get this done?”
“A long time ago,” is all he says, and I get the sense he wants to drop the subject.
I go back to rubbing in the lotion and slide my hand down, beneath the band of his shorts to run my palms over his scrumptious ass, and his breathing changes.
“Ah, what are you doing?” he asks.
“Just want to make sure to get all the spots,” I say, and take my hand from his shorts when Chase comes running back to us.
“I don’t want to touch worms,” Chase says and makes a face.
“It’s not so bad, bud,” Jamie informs him, and my heart nearly bursts with the love I have for these two. “Let’s go.” Chase darts down the stairs, and Jamie nods to the bottle of lotion in my hand. “Oh, wait, did you need me to rub this on you anywhere?” he teases and leans in for a kiss. It’s so damn sweet and tender, a wave of warmth wells up inside me, and I nearly lose the ability to stand upright.
What the hell was that?
“Go,” I say, and give him a shove before I fall against him and ask for another kiss just like that one. A kiss so beautiful it could make me forget that were just two people having sex.
God, I have to get my feelings under control.
I shake my head as they take off, and change into a sundress. By the time I comb out my hair and make myself a little more presentable, Quinn pulls into the driveway in her SUV. I head outside, and climb into the back with Katee and Sam, while Nina sits in the passenger seat. The cool air conditioning falls over me as I buckle up. We all make small talk as Quinn drives along the coast until we come to a quaint village I’ve never before explored.
She squeezes the big vehicle between two small cars, and when we climb out, the scorching heat of the day, radiating off the black pavement, falls over me, and I damn near melt.
“Holy hot,” Sam says and tugs on her T-shirt to pull it away from her body.
Katee walks ahead. “Let’s get inside where there’s air conditioning.”
I follow them into the big store, which is full of antiques and oddly enough, smells like warm apple pie. Then I realize why. In the back there is a counter where they sell fudge and homemade goods. Jamie always did love a good apple pie. What am I saying? It didn’t matter if it was apple or not. Jamie simply loves food. I make a note to grab a couple for dinner before heading out.
I find myself gravitating toward a really pretty area rug that would look great in my entrance way, but then I remember I’ll be moving soon. I walk around, touch the aged side tables, dressers, and headboards, but stop when I come to a God-awful dinner gong. It makes me laugh.