Everybody's After Love (9 page)

“Catch anything yet?” Bri’s voice breaks the moment and at the time I’m thankful for it.

Bentley turns to her and holds up his rod. “Here sis, take mine and I’ll go join the guys.”

He winks with his dimpled smile as he walks off and for a second, my disdain for Bri returns. She turns to me with a matching smile to her brother’s and asks, “So what’s going on between you two?”

I feel my cheeks get warm, but not from the sun. I shrug and stare at the water, winding my line. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

In the highest pitch voice that I’m surprised doesn’t have all the fish floating on top of the water, she shrieks, “Come on, Jules! My brother is totally into you!”

I give her a sideways glance then look over at the boys on the boat. They totally ignored her shrieking, completely unfazed by her voice.

“He’s fun, we get along, that’s it.”

“Don’t give me that, Julianna, I haven’t seen him act like this around a girl in a long time,” she says and immediately apologizes when I give her the look regarding the usage of my proper name.

There’s a tug on my line and I shout, “I got something!”

Saved by the line
, I silently thank the fishing gods. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bentley jogging toward us as Bri jumps up and down like a fishing cheerleader. Bentley moves behind me and I nestle into his body as he puts his hands on top of mine, whispering directions in my ear like last time. I’m really growing quite fond of fishing.

Bentley jerks our rod up and out pops a teeny, tiny crappie. Bri lets out the loudest squeal as though it’s the best fish she’s ever seen while Bentley and I both laugh at the slightly larger than a minnow catch. He starts to take it off the line and I stop him.

“I got this.”

With raised eyebrows, he nods. “By all means, do the honors.”

Biting my lip in deep concentration, it takes me a minute, but I finally get the little sucker off the hook.

“Smile!” Bri calls out as she snaps a picture of me with the baby fish.

Bentley takes the fish from me and tosses it back in the water after I give my approval. He stays close by as we fish for another half-hour. Then he starts to pick up the tackle box and poles. He looks at us and asks, “You girls ready to ski?”

Bri nods excitedly and runs back to the boat. I stand there, shoulders dropped, disappointed at not fishing any longer and trying to avoid skiing. Bentley’s finger runs under my chin and he lifts my face up to him.

“What’s wrong?” he ask, his eyes full of concern, which actually makes me smile.

I shrug. “I’d rather fish.”

He grins. “So I’ve turned you into an angular, good. I fish every Sunday afternoon at my parents’, consider yourself permanently invited.” And with that he takes my hand again and walks us back to the boat.

As we walk, I stare at our hands and how easily they fit together. Not to mention how turned on I am by his simple touch. Thinking about Bri’s words, I wonder what she means, but there’s no way I’m about to broach that topic again.

***

I hold on to Jules’ hand as though if I let go she’ll disappear. It’s been two long months without seeing her but life got in the way and I didn’t have a choice. I thought the worst of things were over but I was so far wrong. The random texts with Jules were the one thing that has kept me grounded, the only positive in my life right now. She’s done more for me than she knows but I don’t plan on telling her that anytime soon.

Actually having her here, hand in hand with me is even better than I remembered. The one day we spent together at the baseball game has been the best date I’ve had in a long time. However, I don’t even think it was actually considered a date although our bodies were in contact in some way, shape, or form the entire time, much like today. If it had been up to me, we would’ve been seeing a lot more of each other before now. I still owe her a date so I can see that new dress of hers, although I’m definitely enjoying her attire today.

Unable to pull myself away from her, I nod at Jason to drive as I take a seat beside her at the bow of the boat. Without permission or care about what my friends or sister thinks, I sit beside her and mindlessly brush my lips across her bare shoulder. She tenses beside me but I don’t pull away. My hands move to her hips and I pull her back against me, letting my arms encircle her and rest on her taut stomach and I feel her relax into me. I’ve never been this forward with a woman before, but then again my ex and I had been together since high school. I’m not going to move too fast with Jules because I don’t want to lose her, but I’m not going to hide that I want her either.

CHAPTER 10

The day is shaping up to be almost perfect. The cool breeze blowing off the lake is the perfect contrast to the hot sun rays shining down. Jason turns the boat in a circle as Bri skies behind it expertly. Bentley’s arm is hanging over my shoulder as we sit at the front of the boat, his finger lazily dragging back and forth along my collarbone. His touch makes me feel warm inside, but gives me goosebumps on my skin and I snuggle closer to him to warm up.

He nods toward the back of the boat. “You’re up next, Jules.”

My arm tightens around his torso as I shake my head. “Um, I don’t think so.”

He raises his eyebrow and immediately I know it’s his mission to get me to ski.

I sigh. “I suck at skiing. I don’t have the arm strength to pull myself up.”

The boat slows and we turn our attention to Bri, who gracefully lets go of the pull rope and sinks into the water. Bentley gives her a thumbs up and turns back to me.

“She’s a show-off, been skiing since she was five. She even used to do ski shows with pyramids and everything out in Lake Saint Louis over her summers in high school.”

Paulie and I grew up right beside Lake Saint Louis, but we’d never heard of those ski shows. Then again, most of our summers were spent working with very little time to play, but I won’t mention that. I’ve already stuck my foot in my mouth one too many times about financial situations that aren’t my business.

Bentley stands up and takes my hand, pulling me up behind him.

“What are you doing?” I ask, a hint of nerves in my voice.

He grabs a life jacket and wraps it around my shoulders, pulling my arms through the holes. “We’re going to get you to water ski.”

I laugh and shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. I told you, I’m awful at it.”

A boat races past us, sending waves across the water causing me to lose my balance. Bentley grabs my hips as my hands land on his chest. His finger moves under my chin and he smiles. “I’ll be out there with you, Jules. I promise we’ll get you up.”

Bentley told me he always keeps his promises so we’ll see if he’s telling the truth. His fingers move to the zipper of the life vest and he pulls it up and tugs at the strap to make sure I’m secure. Reaching behind me, he grabs another life jacket he puts on himself and sets his visor and sunglasses on the dash of the steering wheel. Turning back to me, he asks, “You ready?”

Taking a deep breath, I nod, because what else is a girl supposed to do when a man flashes his sexy dimple at her. “Good,” he says and in one quick movement, he picks me up and tosses me overboard, jumping in right alongside of me.

The shock of the freezing cold water takes my breath away as I surface. Bentley’s right beside me laughing and I splash water in his direction.

“Not cool,” I say as I laugh and push my hair out of my eyes.

“Sorry,” he apologizes, not sorry at all as he chuckles. “I always thought it was like a Band-Aid, just rip it off to avoid the slow torture.”

Bri, back in the boat, glides the skis out to us and Bentley grabs them. Both skis now in hand, he looks at me, laughter gone and completely serious. Seeing him so focused makes me smile.

He looks up and notices I’m staring. “What?”

Shaking my head, I grin. “You’re kind of cute when you’re so determined.”

He smirks. “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll do that more often,” he says with a wink and suddenly the freezing water isn’t so cold.

“Okay, Jules, now the secret is not to use your arms.”

I look at him like he’s insane. How are you supposed to water ski without using your arms?

He nods. “It sounds crazy, I know, but trust me. Just hold on to the rope, but it’s really all about your legs. So when the boat starts, just relax and let the boat pull you up. When you get up, act like you’re sitting and enjoy the ride.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I say as the skis make my legs spread apart in opposite directions.

Swimming behind me, Bentley pushes my legs together and his hands rest on the outside of my thighs under the water. I start to tingle between my legs with his hands in such close proximity. His beard tickles my cheek as he nuzzles his face against mine.

“Ready, Jules?” he whispers softly, but his tone makes me think he doesn’t just mean skiing.

Slightly turning my head to him, our eyes lock and my tongue runs over my lips, wondering if his small mustache would tickle my lip if he kissed me. Slowly, I mutter, “Yeah.”

Instead of getting to taste his thin lips that have been teasing me since the day we met, they brush across my cheek and his hands let go of my legs as he swims backwards and nods to Jason to start the boat.

I grip the rope handle tightly, but then remember Bentley’s words and relax. My arms hang loose. I let the boat pull me out of the water and after a couple seconds I’m steady on my feet.
I’m actually skiing!
My entire life I’ve tried to water ski but about five years ago, I’d finally given up, accepting the fact that I wasn’t meant to ever do it. Now here I am, squatting like I’m sitting on the toilet, but I’m being pulled behind a boat on water skis, something I’ve never even been close to before.

On the boat, Bri is jumping up and down cheering, which makes me laugh and as the boat circles around, I hear Bentley let out a loud whoop when we pass him. Grinning ear to ear, I ride along behind the boat feeling a whole new high from this adventure. A few minutes later, I hit a wave from a passing boat and get a little wobbly.

Not quite so gracefully as Bri, I drop the rope. My legs go in every which direction except where they are supposed to as I crash into the water. My nose burns from the water that shoots up it but nothing is going to kill my high right now. As I slip my feet out of the skis, my hands are shaking from the adrenaline which only intensifies when I feel Bentley’s hands on my waist and his chin on my shoulder as he swims up behind me.

“Told you you could do it,” he says smugly, but there’s a bit of pride in his voice too.

Grinning, I turn around and wrap my body around his in a bear hug. He reciprocates and my pulse, already erratic, goes haywire. Releasing my arms from around his neck, I lay back on the water floating, my legs still wrapped around his waist. I let out a loud hoot, the rush from skiing still there. Bentley laughs at me and I feel his hands on the back of my swimsuit bottoms holding me afloat. Leaning forward, I look into his eyes, still grinning.

“Thanks.”

Nodding, he replies, “Of course.”

Our eyes, nor our grins, never leave the other’s until the boat is beside us. Jason grabs the skis as Bentley helps me back into the boat, his hands firmly on my thighs as I climb the ladder. Normally, I’m quite capable of climbing a ladder on my own, but after that adrenaline rush, my legs are nothing but Jello. My feet are barely inside the boat when Bri grabs my forearms, screaming and jumping up and down.

“You did it! You did it!” she shouts as a reminder in case I didn’t recall what I’d just experienced.

Laughing and overlooking how annoying her comment is, I nod with her enthusiasm and pull her into a hug. I don’t know what’s come over me, but I’m just rolling with it.

“I did! Thank you for bringing me today,” I say to her, letting go and stepping back to unzip my jacket.

“Of course,” she says and then drops her voice to a whisper, “Besides, I knew it would make Bentley happy too.”

I pause as she says this and glance over my shoulder. Bentley’s bent over in front of us, stowing the skis. His broad back is a deep tan from working outside and his muscles flex with his every move. The tingle between my legs gets stronger, especially when he stands up and winks.

“You girls ready to go to Party Cove?” he asks.

Bri grabs my hand, leading us to our seats, and answering yes for us. Bentley grabs another Corona and takes a seat beside me, moving us into that comfortable position with my back against his chest as his arm hangs over my shoulder. Bri wiggles her eyebrows at me from the seat across from us and I roll my eyes although I’m really starting to like Bentley being this close.

Bentley and I share the beer as Jason maneuvers us into the isolated cove. Boating by, you’d never know it was one giant party in here. All genres of music fill the air along with flirty giggles and splashes from bodies jumping off the rope swing. As Jason finds some friends of theirs to tie onto their boat, the boys get a few drunken wolf whistles in their direction.