My jaw drops. “You flashed Wes.”
She laughs, and covers her face. “There was this bathing suit incident one time when we were at Watauga Beach.” She licks her finger and checks the air. “Bathing suit one, Jules zero.”
We both laugh and head to the cabin, and I’m grateful I packed my one piece. Not that I think I’ll be swimming, even though I’m completely overheated thanks to Wes. But the ocean is freaking cold. I tug off my T-shirt, and pull on Wes’ shirt, tying it at the waist.
“Wes looks good on you,” Jules says with a grin.
“You mean, Wes’ shirt looks good on me.”
“Maybe I don’t.” She glances out as the two men stand there and talk. “You really don’t think he’s cute?”
“No,” I say and mean it. Wes isn’t cute. He’s drop dead gorgeous and I can’t take my eyes off him.
She laughs at that. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“We sort of have a history,” I admit. “He wasn’t always nice to me.”
She frowns, and her head jerks back in shock. “Are you serious? Wes wasn’t nice to you? He’s nice to everyone. He’s Canadian and that’s like Canadian law or something, isn’t it?”
I chuckle. “He said some things that weren’t so nice.”
She shakes her head. “Are you sure you’re not mistaken? That doesn’t sound like him. Even if it was, he’s not that boy anymore, and you two make a cute couple.”
“I’m not looking to be a couple, Jules.”
She holds her hands up. “I’m sorry. Not my business, but it’s the nurse in me, always prying, asking questions and making observations.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
“Oh, okay then.” She points to Wes who is staring right at us and jumps right back in with both feet, adding, “Then you might want to get yourself some of that, or you might be the one who’s sorry.”
My pulse leaps at her playfulness and I pray to God Wes can’t hear her. “I like you, Jules. Don’t make me throw you overboard.”
She laughs at that and I turn my attention to the wheel as she steps from the cabin. I shake my head. I like her. A lot, and there is a part of me that thinks she’s right. I start thinking about a hook-up again as I change course and head toward Brier Island. The sound of boots on the deck behind me, signals I’m not alone. I don’t need to turn to know it’s Wes. His energy surrounds me, and raises the hair on my skin in delightful ways that take my brain down a dirty path with a dirty farm boy who is good with his hands. I really should get behind that, or at least underneath it.
“Hey,” he says and steps up behind me, close enough that I can smell his skin.
“Hey yourself.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just adjusting course.”
“What uh, what did Jules say to you?” I glance over my shoulder to find him rubbing his chin.
“She just said your shirt looked good on me.” And that I should jump your bones, but I think it’s best if I leave that out.
“She can be a bit blunt at times. I think it’s the nurse in her.”
I point and redirect the conversation. If I keep thinking about his body, I’m liable to crash my boat. “See that right there?”
He leans over me, his breath hot on my face as he rests his chin on my shoulder. “Is that Brier Island?”
“Can you see the seals sunning themselves?”
“Wow, that’s incredible.”
“Call the others up here so they can see.” He calls out to Jules and Rider and they squeeze into the cabin with us. “That’s called seal cove,” I tell them.