Momentous Kisses: Love in Sandy Beach
Read Momentous Kisses: Love in Sandy Beach Online
Authors: Jessica Gray
Momentous Kisses – Love in Sandy Beach, Book 1
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2015 Jessica Gray
This book is copyrighted and protected by copyright laws.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission from the author.
All characters, names, and places in this book exist only within the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons or locations is purely coincidental.
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able of Contents
Allison Paxton wasn’t happy. No, she was downright upset. With herself.
She finished adding the ingredients to her mixing bowl and started a skillet heating slowly on the stove. She grabbed a whisk from a nearby utensil jar and mixed the thin batter, incorporating all of the ingredients until a smooth semiliquid remained.
Her next task was to thinly slice some ham and grate Swiss cheese. She’d already pulled a container of fruit from the freezer and had it thawing in the microwave. Another container of heavy whipping cream and some cream cheese waited to be added to the crêpes or whipped into a fluffy cloud of sweetness.
She added butter to the skillet and used a spatula to move it around, coating the bottom and sides of the pan in preparation for adding the crêpe mix.
Normally she loved making breakfast, but this morning, she was going through the motions like a robot. Her mind was firmly fixed on the problem at hand, and even though the sun was shining through the kitchen window, she couldn’t muster even half a smile for the beautiful summer day.
Last night had been wonderful, but in the cruel light of day, all of her sins were exposed and out there for one and all to see. The pleasure of a hot night paled in comparison to how she was feeling this morning.
Before she could begin another self-lecture, a noise in the doorway had her spinning around to see the object of her angst standing in the doorframe, bare-chested and looking just as hot and naughty as she’d evidently found him the night before.
Russell Barkin. He stepped into the kitchen wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, and Allison felt her mouth go dry. He was gorgeous in an Adonis sort of way with blond hair, a sculpted body, and light blue eyes that seemed to see everything. His facial features reminded her of the actor Daniel Craig – one of her favorites; she never passed up an opportunity to watch something he’d starred in.
Russell was that type of man as well. Unforgettable, and the sort who would draw the stares of women and not really care about the attention he was receiving. His face had a rugged look to it; she loved the lightly trimmed beard and mustache he sported. It wasn’t near as scratchy as she’d assumed, and gave him an air of bad-boy wildness she’d found irresistible the night before.
His 6'3" height and his impressive chest made her own 5'8" seem short –something that didn’t happen often unless she was around her brothers. But Russell was the exact opposite of her brothers in so many respects. Despite his blond hair and his gorgeous blue eyes, there was something dark and mysterious about him.
But those deep and soulful blue eyes made her stomach flutter. They, and his amazing smile, had been enough to make her throw her principles overboard and fall right into his arms.
She looked at him once more, taking in the mussed-up hair standing in all directions, and immediately felt her body respond. She remembered why his hair was mussed up. She’d buried her hands in it when he’d began thrusting…
The darker stubble along his jawline matched the color of his chest hair, and she was tempted to touch his bare chest. Allison quickly looked away, trying to hide the furious blush that stole across her cheeks and down her neck.
Do not go there!
Russell had spent the night in her small apartment. He’d been her first one-night stand ever, and she was suddenly more embarrassed and ashamed of her actions than she turned on. She’d always prided herself on using her head before acting, but last night…
He cleared his throat and she looked down at the skillet in an attempt to come up with something to say.
Good morning, thanks for the terrific sex, I’ll show you out.
Well, that wouldn’t work.
Wanna have breakfast to replenish your energies after a lustful night of wild sex?
The long silence dragged on, and she vowed to never go through this unpleasantness again. The morning after was harsh. Forget the walk of shame; everything about this morning was shameful.
She swallowed. She badly needed to get a grip on the situation before it got a grip on her. It was bad enough she’d slept with him, but now her manners had kicked in and she needed to keep up appearances. No matter how uncomfortable the situation was.
“Good morning, Russell. Would you like some crêpes for breakfast?” she asked, busying herself with the other ingredients she’d set out on the counter. Allison was a master of hiding behind her cooking; reliable as clockwork, it helped her deal with her nerves even in the most unnerving situations. Her mother had taught her how to cook, and Allison knew that most men forgot everything else when they were being fed with her culinary creations.
As her mother always said, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” It worked like a charm: give them food and they’d eat out of your hand, giving you whatever you want. She’d practiced this with her four brothers many times and was still amazed at how well the strategy worked. Always.
Thinking about her mother caused her blush to intensify and she panicked as she thought of her mother popping by for a quick visit –something her dear mother was wont to do and without any sort of warning.
I need to get rid of him. Like, now.
While she was trying to come up with a reason for him to leave sooner rather than later, he took her up on the offer of breakfast, apparently unaware of the turmoil going on inside her brain. “Crêpes would be great, I’m starving.”
Sure you’re starving after last night.
Allison looked at him, and another bolt of sexual energy rushed through her body. He was so freaking hot, she had to clutch her hands to the counter in an attempt not to jump on him again.
She pushed those thoughts away as the image of her mother knocking on her front door reappeared in her mind’s eye.
Right. Feed him quick and then get him on his way.
“It’s going to be a few minutes. You’re welcome to take a shower while I finish up here,” she offered, needing some space.
And put some freaking clothes on before you come back.
Russell stretched an arm above his head, rubbing his stomach lightly with the other hand as he nodded. “Sounds good.”
He stood motionless for another minute, and she wondered if he was actually going to leave, or just keep standing there, putting his gorgeous body on display for her. She didn’t know if he was doing it on purpose, or if he was just confident in his own looks. She really didn’t care. His very near-naked presence was muddling her thoughts and causing her no small amount of panic.
When he stretched once more and then dropped his arms to his sides, Allison didn’t even daring to breath, as she fervently hoped he was getting ready to leave the room.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” It sounded like a threat in her ears.
Allison held her breath while he left the room, finally releasing it once he was gone and she no longer had the visual temptation of him standing only five feet away. There was no way she could have cooked him breakfast while he watched. She would have either burned herself, the food, or set the entire kitchen on fire. Judging by the heat in her body, something already had ignited.
She reached for the skillet, pausing for a moment when she noticed her trembling hands.
Thank God, he already left the room.
She really didn’t want to clue him in to how much his presence was affecting her. She wanted to feed him and get him out of her home. The sooner the better.
Russell left the kitchen and headed for the bathroom. He’d briefly entered the room last night, but hadn’t bothered to turn the light on in his hurry to return to her bed.
Allison’s apartment was tiny compared to his own, with one bedroom, a living room with a pull-out couch, a bathroom, and a kitchen. He liked the place, colorful with carefully positioned knick-knacks giving it a friendly and happy atmosphere. Just like her.
He glanced towards the living room and the small couch where he’d been supposed to spend the night before. He’d been relegated to sleeping on her couch, but he’d never even sat upon the thing. As soon as the door had closed, he and Ally had ravaged each other like starving people. Instead of the couch, he wound up in her bed, and stayed there until morning.
Russell reached for the light switch and then stopped to view the bathroom for the first time. He took in the dark gray-blue walls, the stark white vanity and framed mirror, and the accent pieces that tied the small room all together.
She’d chosen a nautical theme, and had used a deep red to help lighten up the dark walls. Nautical=themed towels and a bright red basket added those little extra touches bringing the room together. The small room contained only one sink, but the size of the vanity provided extra counter space and made it look bigger than it was.
He grinned. Allison had told him she worked at the souvenir shop
Lake Memories
at the Sandy Beach marina and loved the lake, windsurfing, swimming, and sailing. He could see that now. The bathroom resembled a sailing boat.
On the wall above the toilet, she’d placed a wonderful watercolor painting of the lake with a sailboat highlighted in the center of the painting. He’d noticed other watercolors adorning her walls, and made a mental note to ask her about the artist. The paintings were absolutely fantastic, something he’d enjoy adorning the walls of his practice.
He turned the shower on, shucked his boxer briefs, and then stepped beneath the cool water. He’d intentionally left it on the cold side, hoping the temperature would help him gain control of his body.
Ever since he’d wandered into the kitchen to see her standing in front of the stove looking sexier than ever, his body had been hard and demanding to repeat last night.
Her beauty and easy-going personality had lured him in. As he let the water run over his head and shoulders, he couldn’t remember another night of sex he’d enjoyed more.
Allison was beautiful in every aspect. They’d started out flirting at the party held yesterday, and he’d been impressed and instantly attracted to her laughter and smile. She’d been so happy, and he’d found her happiness contagious.
The whole evening, she’d been wearing a bright smile that lit up her entire face. It was a face framed by strawberry blonde hair and gorgeous brown eyes – eyes that weren’t just brown, but contained little flecks of green sprinkled amidst the brown.
When did I start paying attention to the color of a woman’s eyes?
Russell scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to wash away the reality of this morning. He rarely, if ever, slept with the same woman twice. It just wasn’t his style.
And he most definitely never woke up beside one. Never. It just didn’t happen in his world. So why now, and why was his body ready for round two?
He shrugged those thoughts aside, adopting his usual mental mantra for these types of situations.
It was nice, but that was it.
Russell wasn’t cut out for a relationship. He knew that and had accepted that fact long ago. And by never sleeping with the same woman twice or waking up beside her, he’d never had to explain his stance.
Until now.
Russell shut off the shower and grabbed a towel from the hanging rack, drying his body off before wrapping the towel around his waist and heading back to her bedroom. He quickly donned his clothing from the night before and then joined her in the kitchen.
She had already set the table with the same love and care she’d used when decorating the bathroom. Everything was color coordinated and placed with intent and function. A plate of food already sat on the table, and he heard her coming back with yet another plate of finished crêpes.
He took the seat opposite her own and then gazed at the plate in front of him. It was a work of art and he almost hated to cut into the delicious-looking meal, but then the smell hit him and his mouth watered at the fragrant aroma rising from his plate.
Allison had outdone herself, not merely making simple crêpes, but making something one might expect from a French bistro on a lazy Sunday morning.
The crêpes weren’t rolled, but rather folded in half. She’d filled the light pastry with a mixture of sour cream seasoned with garlic and mustard, and then added a layer of Swiss cheese. They had been cooked to perfection, the cheese melting and pushing forth between the sides of the thin crêpe.
Several thin slices of ham sat on top of each cooked crêpe, and she’d placed an over-easy sunny-side-up egg on top of that. Fresh parsley was sprinkled over the entire creation as a finishing touch. It looked and smelled delicious.
“This looks amazing,” he told her, picking up his fork and cutting into the dish. He took the first bite and closed his eyes as the wonderful tastes filled his mouth. He nodded at her and took another bite. And another one.
When he was finished, a plate magically appeared on the table full of small dessert crêpes, sweet delights filled with a cream cheese mixture and covered with a berry topping that contained just the right amount of tartness and sugar. The fresh whipping cream added even more delight, and Russell thought he might be willing to do anything she asked just to be able to eat like this every day.
He was a healthy man with a healthy appetite, and this breakfast was beyond fantastic. He served himself two more times and wondered when was the last time he’d enjoyed his food so much.
“Where did you learn to cook like this?” he asked.
“My mom, mostly. And I like experimenting with new flavors and ingredients,” she said.
He’d been afraid he would have a hard time making small talk with the woman he’d slept with only a few hours earlier. But her wonderful food did its task and he started to relax in her presence, and their conversation soon flowed more freely.
“So, tell me about those paintings you have in the hallway and the one in the bathroom.”
“What do you want to know about them?”
“Who’s the artist? I saw the signature, but it didn’t look familiar and I couldn’t make out the initials.”
“The initials are A.P. For Allison Paxton. They’re mine.”
“You painted those?” Russell asked. He hadn’t known she was a painter, but then there were still lots of things he didn’t know about her.
“Are you selling your paintings?” he asked her, trying to keep the conversation on neutral ground.
Allison took her time before answering, but finally told him, “I’ve sold a few of them, but so far not much success. Most of the tourists coming up here don’t have room for large souvenirs, nor are they willing to pay my asking price.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Your paintings are wonderful. You probably need better marketing. I know a lot of people in Chicago would fall in love with your work. You should consider putting them in a gallery there.”
Russell broke off talking before he could offer to help her himself. He bit his lip to keep the words inside, knowing it was for the best if they never saw each other again.
She didn’t say anything else, and soon breakfast was over and she was clearing the table. “Let me help you…”
Allison shook her head, and a sigh of relief nearly escaped him. He wasn’t sure he could trust himself around her in the small kitchen space. “There’s no need. I’m going to sit these in the sink. I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t wait for his reply and he let her go, knowing that his time was up and he needed to leave. When she returned to the small dining area he said, “I should probably get back to Chicago, I have…”
“I’m sorry, I don’t normally do things like this. I don’t know what got into me last night…”
They both stopped talking at the same time and he noticed her cute blush that put his libido on full power again. An awkward pause ensued until he finally picked up the thread and continued on his original line of speech: “I have a very busy practice in the city. As a plastic surgeon, my schedule is booked out months in advance and I really don’t have time for a relationship.”
He watched her shoulders sag in relief, but instead of being happy, he found himself almost sad that she hadn’t wanted to try and see him again. His ego was slightly bruised, but her next words brought him back to the task at hand.
“It’s for the best. We might run into each other occasionally at family get-togethers, and I’m cool with pretending this never happened, if you are too.”
Russell nodded his head, something about the situation not quite sitting right with him. He grabbed his things and shoved his feet into his shoes. As he walked through her front door, a strange emotion overcame him. He realized he didn’t want to leave, but the rest of the feeling was so out of place and unusual he couldn’t quite figure out what was causing it.
Allison had been a one-night stand, and while she was a beautiful, vibrant young woman, she didn’t want a relationship with him any more than he did with her. Leaving was the logical conclusion to their interlude.
So why was he feeling lost?
