Finding Haven (26 page)

Evan watched as the couples shuffled their feet together, and then rocked back on
one heel. Some had more pronounced moves, while others seemed content to count out
the beat almost at a standstill. It was nothing like the two-step.

He scratched his head. “I don’t know what in the hell they’re doing.”

“I’ve seen you move.” She winked. “Just follow my lead.”

Before he could protest or study the steps, Haven tugged him into the center of the
street turned dance floor, and locked a firm grip on his hand.

“Ok. It’s easy. Watch my feet. One, two, three, one, two, three, and then rock back.
Like this.” She showed him the simple move and paused to let him give it a try.

This was the first time he had taken to a dance floor in flip-flops, but was pleasantly
surprised that they were perfect for the steps.

“Got it?” Her eyes sparkled as she started her first triple count.

Evan grinned. “Baby, I was born to shag.” He matched her steps and rocked on his heel
as Haven’s laughter shot out.

“Please, no more jokes. Shagging is serious.” She zeroed in on his eyes with a mock
reprimand.

Evan pretended to shake the humor from his face. “Like this? All serious?”

Haven spun under his arm and leaned into the crowd. “Yes. Exactly like that. There’s
no laughing in shagging.” She let a giggle slip as he curled his hand around her waist.

The band played until midnight, and they didn’t leave the festival until the last
note was launched in the air. Evan was fairly certain he had danced with every woman
who lived on Perry Island and a few who didn’t. He also had the chance to show off
his two-step, even though he knew this crowd was partial to their beach music. He
didn’t know if he had ever laughed so hard or danced so much.

He draped his arm around Haven’s shoulder as they headed to the parking lot, his legs
slightly achy from four hours of dancing.

“Did you have a good time?” She smiled at him.

“The best.” He kissed her on the forehead as he shuttled her into his Jeep.

“Wait. What about my car?” She looked over her shoulder at her parking spot.

“Oh, we don’t have time for that.”

“We don’t?” He loved the puzzled look on her face.

“No. I’ve got to get you home.” He jumped into the driver’s seat, cranked the engine,
and peeled out of the lot, spewing gravel in all directions. He loved dancing with
her all night, but he couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms and dance a little more
where no one else could watch.

H
AD IT
really been five weeks since he started working at the store? He wasn’t keeping track,
but Haven had mentioned it in passing. He knew girls didn’t drop hints like that for
nothing. It was some kind of milestone. She was coming over for dinner tonight, and
Evan knew he needed to do something special to commemorate five weeks together, but
hell if he knew what that would be. Flowers? No, that seemed too cliché. Wine and
candles? No, they had done that.

If they were in L.A., he would take her to a five-star restaurant that overlooked
the canyons. In Atlanta, they could go somewhere and listen to a cool indie band.
She would love all the music. More than anything, he wanted to take her to his ranch
in Texas, but all three of those ideas weren’t options tonight. He needed to think
of something creative, something romantic, something that would make her smile, and
something he could come up with within the hour before she arrived.

He lifted the screen on his laptop. After one of his calls with Allan two weeks ago,
he realized if he was going to send out an email, he would have to find a computer
on the island. He broke down, ordered one that night on his phone, and had it express
shipped. More surprising than being connected to the world again was that Harry and
Shug had wireless at the campground. Shug told him they had too many visitors who
complained without it. It wasn’t worth the hassle to argue with them about the benefits
of going internet-free. Harry had the wireless installed last summer.

Evan typed in “romantic date ideas” and waited for the search results to pop up. He
took a sip of beer and skimmed the first few articles on the screen. Everything was
the same old standard stuff: dinner, movie, flowers, champagne, bubble bath. He placed
the bottle on the table. One item on the list had merit. He checked the time. He didn’t
know if he would be able to pull it off, but he would try. For a pretty girl with
blue eyes, he would try.

H
AVEN LOOKED
at the copy of the email she had printed out and folded in half. The edge was peeking
out of her purse. She was nervous, over-the-top nervous, and excited. She had been
waiting for this day since graduation.

Out of nowhere, all of a sudden, Blue Steel Records emailed her. She repressed the
burst of squeals that kept bubbling to the surface.

She had made it almost to the end of the summer without hearing from a single one
of her inquiries, but the persistence had paid off. She didn’t have any details or
any more information other than what was in the email. They wanted to set up a call
with her tomorrow afternoon to talk about a three-song contract. Three whole songs.
This was everything she had waited and worked for. At four o’clock tomorrow, she would
be on the phone with the label, securing her place in music history.

Jay was going to be the first to hear the news. He would help her figure the rest
out, she knew that much—he always did.

She pulled into the Perry Campground and slowed the car to a snail’s pace. There were
children playing near one of the tents, still in their swimsuits. Haven remembered
those days when she would spend the entire day at the beach building sandcastles with
her mom. It was a great way to grow up. But with one little email, life was sending
her in another direction—far from the beach and sandcastles.

Haven parked next to Jay’s Jeep. Before she had a chance to step out of the car, he
had already opened the back door and grabbed her overnight bag.

She laughed. “Ready for a sleepover?” She closed the door behind her, and his free
arm encircled her waist.

“You have no idea.”

Technically, they met seven weeks ago. They had talked about the morning Jay first
visited the store and laughed at the memory, but they both knew the moment things
changed between them was the night of her first visit to Silver Belle. The night after
they dunked each other in the creek, the night he kissed her in the dark. Haven knew
it was exactly five weeks ago. A girl didn’t forget a night like that.

“Are we having cowboy steak for dinner?” Haven looked at the fire. He had loaded it
with driftwood.

“Actually, no. I picked up take out from Sailors on the way home. I thought we could
take it easy tonight.” He stepped into the camper with her bag and emerged with a
glass of wine.

“You serve wine now?” She smiled and took a sip.

“Yep. I serve anything you like.” He brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed
her shoulder.

She loved how he was so comfortable with her, kissing her when and where he wanted,
touching her because he couldn’t keep his hands off her, as if she belonged to him.
It made her feel wanted. His confidence was contagious. It always brought out her
bolder side.

“I have news.” She tried to steady her voice as she followed him to the fire.

“You do? What is it?” He looked at her expectedly.

“I got a contract!” She finally squealed. “I just read the email before I came over.”

“Congratulations. That’s awesome.” He wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead.
“That’s really great.”

She inhaled the hug, feeling the warmth in his arms. This moment felt surreal.

“I knew someone was going to pick up your songs. You’re a natural.” He beamed.

“I’m really excited. They asked me to call in tomorrow at four to go over the details.
I don’t think I can wait that long.” She bit her lip.

“Darlin’, it’s not that far away.”

“But, I’m so nervous and what if I screw it up? What if I say the wrong thing? I’ve
never had a contract call before. You know, I don’t even know what three songs they
are interested in. I’ve sent so many, I’ve lost track which label has which song.”
She downed the rest of the wine in her glass and handed it to Jay.

He took the glass and placed it on the table. “You aren’t going to screw it up. We
can talk about it and figure out what makes sense for you before you get on the phone.”
His eyes flickered from the firelight.

“Really?”

He shook his head.

“Ok, ok, that sounds good.” The offer was a relief. She had no idea how to approach
a business call. The music came naturally, but all the rest was like sailing without
a map. She paced in front of the fire, all of the questions about tomorrow’s call
swirling in her head.

“Are you going to sit?” He watched her circle the chairs.

“I can’t. I’m too nervous. I was fine, and then I started thinking about it and I’m—”

Jay stood from the chair, tucked one arm under her knees, and lifted her against his
chest.

“What are you doing?” She searched his face for an answer, but he ignored the question
and headed straight for the Silver Belle door.

He slammed it behind him with his foot and released her from his hold, only to press
her against the closest wall. His hands tangled in her hair, his mouth hot against
hers.

She groaned as he pushed her thin shirt up, and his fingers slid under the lacy edge
of her bra. She had seen bedroom eyes before, but the look he gave her made her legs
feel shaky. These were I’m-taking-you-up-against-the-wall eyes. If he didn’t keep
her pressed against the wall, she would fall into a heap on the floor. His lips were
firm against her neck as he trailed along her collarbone.

“Tell me,” he growled.

She knew what he wanted to hear, but she just wanted him to do it. Make her feel alive,
consume every part of her.

He pinned her wrists above her head, slamming them against the wall. “Tell me, what
you want me to do.” His other hand rolled over her nipple, and she bowed from the
wall, wanting to absorb the intensity.

“Take me,” she breathed in her ear.

“Here?” He pressed his waist against her, and she could feel his want for her. She
loved it.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Right here.” Was that her sexy and seductive voice, begging him
to fuck her against the wall?

“I want you so much.” He groaned as if she was the one torturing him, not the other
way around.

His mouth descended on hers as he released the button on her shorts. She wiggled until
they were touching the tops of her feet, where she could kick them away.

He freed her hands only for a hurried second to slide the tank top off her body and
toss it to the floor. A devilish grin spread across his face before pinning her where
he wanted her again.

“You know I love your body.” He growled as he kissed the top of her breast. She turned
her head to the side, trying to steady herself, but she felt like she was melting
into the wall with each lash of his tongue. He pulled the lace over each nipple so
that they were exposed, ready for him. His tongue circled one, and then the other.
Each lick shot heat between her legs. Haven arched into the wall, jutting forward
and giving more of herself to him as he sucked and bit against the sensitive skin.

There was no thinking, only bursts of heat and want. Behind the darkness of closed
eyes, she drifted into his hands, into his control. He nudged her wrists higher against
the wall, reached below, and unfastened his shorts. A powerful tug brought her thigh
around his waist, securing her heel against his backside.

He smiled as his lips came within a breath’s reach of hers.

Raking her teeth over her bottom lip, she tried to keep the whimpers at the back of
her throat. If he didn’t take her now, she would scream. Scream for him to possess
her and fill her.

As if he knew he had pushed her as far as she could go, he shifted between her, nudging
her legs to spread for him. A ragged moan escaped her lips as she waited for him.