on the seat and
jumped to the pier. She dropped a loop around a cleat as instructed
and waited as Jay finished docking the boat. Soon, the small vessel
was secure, its fenders cushioning it from the weathered pilings.
He tossed the life jackets into the cabin, tidied up the lines and
lifted the rudder from the water. He slid the cover back on the
flaked mainsail, nodding as he mentally checked items on his
list.
He sprang to the pier and stood next to
Sabrina in the dusk. "Hope that makes up for staring at you in the
bar."
She laughed. "I've forgotten all about that."
She bit her bottom lip, suppressing a smirk and dimpling
instead.
There it is, again , Jay thought and
before he could stop he enfolded her in his arms. "I've been dying
to kiss you."
She felt heat radiate from him as she swayed. He's hypnotized me , she thought, and closed her eyes. When
their mouths touched, his gentle and hesitant, she dove recklessly.
She sought his kiss with demanding lips, leaning into him when the
ground tilted.
He held her as she deepened the kiss, giving
her time to explore, to experiment. Her tongue darted in his mouth
and teased his, then she rubbed it along his parted lips. When she
sucked on his bottom lip, nipping it gently with her sharp, white
teeth, Jay knew he had to stop her while he still could.
He pulled back. "Whoa," he murmured. "Now I
can die a happy man."
She buried her face in his chest, embarrassed
by her wanton exuberance.
Jay wrapped his arms around her and caressed
her back and neck. His fingers slid into her straight, dark hair.
He broke the enchantment. "Do you like seals."
"Seals?" Sabrina giggled.
Jay grinned and lifted her chin. "Yeah; we've
got a lot of seals in Rhode Island, you know. They come up the
bay." He rubbed his thumb against her bottom lip.
"If you'd like, I'll show you. There's a
group sleeping on the rocks behind my place right now. It's just a
block that way," he said, pointing in the direction opposite the
hotel.
"Sure," she said, "why not?" Although
honestly, she knew why not.
They walked along the river towards a high
wooden fence. As promised, seals lounged on a collection of flat
rocks at the edge of the river. At the sound of their footsteps
rustling the grass, a few wary seals lifted their heads and barked.
One began to shake.
"We're too close," Jay said and drew Sabrina
back a few feet.
Once the seals were appeased by the distance
they reclined, keeping their bright eyes on the humans.
"Can we watch them for awhile? Do you mind?"
Sabrina asked.
"Sure. Let's sit down here."
She sat cross-legged in the grass, keeping as
still as possible while watching the seals. Soon, their snoozing
relaxed her and she leaned back on her elbows. She looked at the
dark sky, searching for constellations she could recognize. It was
a futile gesture, so she gazed at Jay.
"Now you're staring," he teased.
"The grass is wet and I'm cold," she
confessed.
"Let's go," he said, standing and offering a
hand. He kept her fingers wrapped in his and hiked back to the
fence. "Watch your step," he said, leading her up a wooden
staircase.
"Where are we going?"
"My place," he said.
"This is where you murder me?"
He laughed softly. "Trust me."
"That's what they all say," Sabrina
retorted.
Jay opened a door and turned on a light
switch. The sparsely decorated loft apartment was trimmed in teak
and brass like the inside of a sailboat. The curtains were made of
old canvas sails and prints of majestic tall ships adorned the
walls. An oversized couch covered in dark blue ultra suede
dominated the room, partitioned by a gleaming, mahogany bar. Behind
it was a small, tidy kitchenette with polished nickel appliances.
Jay picked up a remote and turned on a receiver, tuning it to a
radio station playing rock music.
"You really like sailboats, don't you?"
Sabrina asked, turning in a full circle as she admired the
space.
"No. I love sailboats," he emphasized. "Can I
get you a drink?'
"Sure. I like sailboats,
jumped to the pier. She dropped a loop around a cleat as instructed
and waited as Jay finished docking the boat. Soon, the small vessel
was secure, its fenders cushioning it from the weathered pilings.
He tossed the life jackets into the cabin, tidied up the lines and
lifted the rudder from the water. He slid the cover back on the
flaked mainsail, nodding as he mentally checked items on his
list.
He sprang to the pier and stood next to
Sabrina in the dusk. "Hope that makes up for staring at you in the
bar."
She laughed. "I've forgotten all about that."
She bit her bottom lip, suppressing a smirk and dimpling
instead.
There it is, again , Jay thought and
before he could stop he enfolded her in his arms. "I've been dying
to kiss you."
She felt heat radiate from him as she swayed. He's hypnotized me , she thought, and closed her eyes. When
their mouths touched, his gentle and hesitant, she dove recklessly.
She sought his kiss with demanding lips, leaning into him when the
ground tilted.
He held her as she deepened the kiss, giving
her time to explore, to experiment. Her tongue darted in his mouth
and teased his, then she rubbed it along his parted lips. When she
sucked on his bottom lip, nipping it gently with her sharp, white
teeth, Jay knew he had to stop her while he still could.
He pulled back. "Whoa," he murmured. "Now I
can die a happy man."
She buried her face in his chest, embarrassed
by her wanton exuberance.
Jay wrapped his arms around her and caressed
her back and neck. His fingers slid into her straight, dark hair.
He broke the enchantment. "Do you like seals."
"Seals?" Sabrina giggled.
Jay grinned and lifted her chin. "Yeah; we've
got a lot of seals in Rhode Island, you know. They come up the
bay." He rubbed his thumb against her bottom lip.
"If you'd like, I'll show you. There's a
group sleeping on the rocks behind my place right now. It's just a
block that way," he said, pointing in the direction opposite the
hotel.
"Sure," she said, "why not?" Although
honestly, she knew why not.
They walked along the river towards a high
wooden fence. As promised, seals lounged on a collection of flat
rocks at the edge of the river. At the sound of their footsteps
rustling the grass, a few wary seals lifted their heads and barked.
One began to shake.
"We're too close," Jay said and drew Sabrina
back a few feet.
Once the seals were appeased by the distance
they reclined, keeping their bright eyes on the humans.
"Can we watch them for awhile? Do you mind?"
Sabrina asked.
"Sure. Let's sit down here."
She sat cross-legged in the grass, keeping as
still as possible while watching the seals. Soon, their snoozing
relaxed her and she leaned back on her elbows. She looked at the
dark sky, searching for constellations she could recognize. It was
a futile gesture, so she gazed at Jay.
"Now you're staring," he teased.
"The grass is wet and I'm cold," she
confessed.
"Let's go," he said, standing and offering a
hand. He kept her fingers wrapped in his and hiked back to the
fence. "Watch your step," he said, leading her up a wooden
staircase.
"Where are we going?"
"My place," he said.
"This is where you murder me?"
He laughed softly. "Trust me."
"That's what they all say," Sabrina
retorted.
Jay opened a door and turned on a light
switch. The sparsely decorated loft apartment was trimmed in teak
and brass like the inside of a sailboat. The curtains were made of
old canvas sails and prints of majestic tall ships adorned the
walls. An oversized couch covered in dark blue ultra suede
dominated the room, partitioned by a gleaming, mahogany bar. Behind
it was a small, tidy kitchenette with polished nickel appliances.
Jay picked up a remote and turned on a receiver, tuning it to a
radio station playing rock music.
"You really like sailboats, don't you?"
Sabrina asked, turning in a full circle as she admired the
space.
"No. I love sailboats," he emphasized. "Can I
get you a drink?'
"Sure. I like sailboats,
Similar Books
