The Reef Roamer (The Roamer Series Book 1) (17 page)

Struggling to control the rise of déjà vu swimming before her, Jayme thought,
This is exactly, exactly the same place we docked when I held Donald’s unconscious body for the last time.

Mark stepped up behind her. Although he knew that she probably wanted to face this alone, he couldn’t let that happen. He slipped his arms gently around her waist, pressing his body against her back, feeling her warmth, his head lowered.

“Five years ago is a long time gone, Jayme. Let it go.” His words came out as a quiet plea.

A heartbeat passed. Two. Ten. Jayme turned within the circle of Mark’s comforting arms. Her hands now resting on his biceps, she looked up at him, tears clinging to her dark lashes.

“You’re right. It
is
time. I knew that weeks ago.” She struggled, barely lifting the corners of her mouth. “Someday remind me to tell you about a snowy Michigan night and a dream about…sharks.”

Lost in the longing he found in her deep green eyes, Mark lowered his head. Unable to resist any longer, he lightly brushed her lips with his. Knowing if he lingered, once tasting her sweetness, he wouldn’t want to stop, he reluctantly lifted his head. He held her tenderly for a moment more, her head pressed against his chest, then pulled back. Now was not the time to explore his growing need for her. Mark took a steadying breath and climbed out of the boat. Once firmly on the dry dock, he moved to help Jayme out, trying to calm his now-shaking hands. He had never before felt such electricity in a simple kiss. But then, that kiss was not simple. It was a beginning, a promise of more to come.

This was going to be the longest Rotary meeting of his life.

***

Dinner was served buffet style, a combination of Bahamian custom and practicality. Plates full of fried chicken, conch fritters, steamed fish, and sweet bread kept appearing as quickly as they disappeared. Bowls of local fruit and an urn of chowder sent tantalizing aromas throughout the room.

Jayme settled into the seat Mark selected for her, staring at the huge mound of food before her. “I’m never going to be able to eat all of this. I’ll gain ten pounds, Mark!” she protested.

“I hope so. You’re too thin. You need to eat more to keep your strength up.” Mark smiled warmly at her, a smile that reached his smoky eyes and beyond, the double meaning only thinly veiled.

Jayme lowered her eyes from his intensity, feeling the heat rise from the blush that was overwhelming her. Her thoughts immediately returned to the kiss they shared. How brief it was but how it had affected her. A deep, unfulfilled desire blossomed low in her, and she felt another blush begin.

This has got to stop,
she thought and immediately realized that the only way to stop would be to quench the need. Jayme’s pulse rose at the thought of holding Mark, kissing him, making love to him. She chased the thought away—for now.

“Is it too warm in here for you, Jayme? You look uncomfortable,” Mark said with genuine concern.

“Maybe a little.” She cleared her throat. “Do you think anyone would mind if I took a few pictures during the meeting? I’d like to show the club back home what your meetings are like.” Jayme hoped working would keep her mind off Mark’s nearness and what it was doing to her.

“I’m sure it will be fine with the others. I’ll mention it when I introduce you.” His eyes lingered on her mouth, wanting to taste her again. And again.

Throughout the meal, various friends of Mark’s stopped by the table to say hello or to pass along some new island gossip. When Jayme mentioned this, Mark tried to explain that it wasn’t really gossip, only women did that, this was their way of keeping informed on what was going on in their community. Jayme insisted that it was still gossip, no matter what he wanted to call it, and men were getting more efficient at it all the time. They shared an accusing look and then both started laughing. Mark was saved by the call to order bell, signaling the start of the formal meeting.

While the current president went from table to table introducing guests, Jayme noticed there weren’t many women in attendance.

Mark stood. “I’d like to introduce visiting Rotarian Jayme Haller, from Michigan. Jayme’s classification is photographer, and she wants our permission to take a few pictures of our meeting. I told her it’d be all right. See if any of you can say no to her; I sure can’t.” There was no hidden meaning in Mark’s final statement. It was out in the open for all to see as he looked affectionately at Jayme.

“If she’s got the stone doctor melting, the rest of us don’t stand a chance,” the president of the club said, speaking for the group. “Take all the pictures you like, Ms. Haller, and welcome to Abaco.”

Jayme stood. “Thank you. I’ll try not to be too much of a nuisance.” After she sat, she leaned in Mark’s direction and whispered, “What did he mean, ‘the stone doctor’?”

“It’s a private joke and not a very funny one. I’ll tell you after the meeting.” Mark scowled briefly before his attention was diverted back to the speaker. Curiosity nagged at Jayme for a while, then slipped away long before the group dispersed an hour later. True to her word, Jayme took only a few brief shots, determined not to interrupt or interfere with the club’s proceedings.

***

Sitting at their table finishing their drinks, Jayme and Mark chatted easily, like they were old friends. The relaxed atmosphere and congenial company stripped away Jayme’s barriers. The restaurant/bar had a few lingering club members besides themselves when the steel drum band began playing. Island music had always fascinated Jayme, and now she swayed gently with the rhythm while Mark looked on in amusement.

“Think you can dance to this kind of music?” Mark was clearly issuing a challenge.

“I can dance to
any
kind of music, doctor. I was born with ballet slippers on; tap shoes were my only rattles; Ginger was my role model,” Jayme teased.

“Ginger? Not Fred?”

“No, not Fred. He had it easy. Ginger did everything he did, only backward and in high heels. Now that’s dancing!” Jayme countered.

Mark stood, holding his hand out to Jayme. She slid her delicate hand into his strong one, a grin tugging at the corners of her sensuous mouth.

As they moved to the slow, melodic beat, Mark pulled Jayme close to him, pushing and pulling subtly with either his hand on her back or the one he held, expertly leading her movements to match his. Her years of dance training allowed her to match each and every move, gliding as though they were of one mind, one body. Song after song, they moved with the tempo, feeling the exotic music, aware of only each other, delighting in each other’s responsiveness.

“I’m impressed, Dr. Steele. Have you been taking lessons from Adam?” Jayme teased.

“Guilty,” he replied.

When the band picked up the beat, Jayme was relieved that her steps would put her at a distance from Mark. She was feeling heady, almost drunk with sensations of arousal. His nearness was overpowering her. Yet as she moved away, a yearning to be closer came crashing down on her. She felt alive for the first time in years, and a contented grin stole its way across her face. The band had slipped into a slow and recognizable lambda. The sexy music was too much for Jayme to resist. She moved sensuously against Mark, then away, smiling at his reaction. Again she moved in, hands on her hips, being careful of her injured arm, and dipped to one side, brushing her long hair across Mark’s shoulder. His eyes lit up with delight and hunger.

God, she’s sexy,
he thought and reached out to take her hand. Jayme caught it easily, allowing Mark to take her into a spin. Now gripping his hand tighter, a signal for Mark to hold on, Jayme leaned back, rising on one foot, her right arm held straight by Mark. Taking a step forward, she arched her back and pivoted, twirling her silk skirts alluringly against her slim legs. The move had its effect, and she slid into the crook of Mark’s waiting arm. He took his cue as she loosened her hold on his hand, and he slid his other arm around her waist, forming a circle. Jayme beamed and leaned all the way back, her long hair nearly sweeping the floor, and Mark spun her in a half circle. As Mark began to ever so slowly bring her upright, he leaned forward, searching and found her eyes were dark pools of green desire. He brought his mouth down on hers, gently at first. He didn’t want to rush. His tongue gently teased the edges of her mouth. Prodding and probing, coaxing her lips apart, and when she succumbed, his tongue moved deeply into her mouth, tasting the honeyed recesses there. He withdrew when he felt her take in a startled breath, then he claimed her lips again, more demanding than before.

Jayme kissed him back with the same searching, tentative passion. Passion that was building into a raging fire. Warmth spread throughout Jayme’s body. She brought her hands up to his forearms, feeling the easy tension in the muscles as he held her. Exploring, her sensitive fingers felt the energy, the heat, as they continued their journey, ending when they met behind Mark’s neck. She pulled herself up closer to him, oblivious of the strain in her left arm from the recent injury. Mark moaned and deepened his kiss even more, forgetting where they were.

Moments passed. Mark and Jayme didn’t hear the music come to an end. When applause and whooping yells broke out in the audience, they parted, startled by the comments. “
Way to go, Doc!”
and “
Somebody get of bucket of cold water for those two!
”

Jayme pulled back, afraid of the sensations being aroused in her. “I think I need some air.”

Mark led her off the dance floor to the open French doors, out into the warm, steamy evening. As soon as Jayme turned to him again, he pulled her back into his arms, claiming her mouth once more, not gentle this time, but frantic, pleading, taking what he wanted and needed. After a moment’s hesitation, Jayme met his passion, and a low throaty moan escaped from the doctor. His hands moved up and down her bare back, exploring the wonderful silken realm that was now his. He wanted to feel, to taste, to know every inch of her. The approaching moonlight caressed her face, shadowing her features, emphasizing the fine cut of her cheekbones, the gentle slope of her nose, the sculpted eyebrows, and the smooth outline of her lips. He breathed in her perfume, a light, spicy floral scent. It would forever remind him of this moment.

The moment he fell in love.

Jayme’s head felt clouded with new sensations, yet it was remarkably clear. Mark’s touch turned to liquid heat, leaving searing trails down her back, her arms; everywhere he touched her, her skin ignited in passionate flames. She felt dangerously close to losing control. The turbulence going on inside of her was thrilling, yet agonizing. Needs and desires long dormant were now fully awake and alive and raging to be set free. The fierceness of her emotions finally caused her to pull back. Jayme searched Mark’s face for a clue as to what he may be feeling. His gray eyes were dark and clouded with desire. Jayme was frightened. Would she be able to stem the flow of his passion? Did she want to? No, she didn’t want to, but she had to.

She moved away from him, putting some much needed distance between them.

“I’m sorry, Mark. I think things got a bit out of hand…” Her voice was ragged and breathy.

He leaned against the weathered railing surrounding the deck that overlooked the water. “Perhaps they did, but I’m not complaining. Are you?” he asked after he regained his composure.

“Complaining? No, though all that took me by surprise, and I’m feeling the need to cool it down some.” She too leaned against the rail, a few feet from him. It felt so far.

“I see.”

“Do you?” she asked. “We are moving awfully fast.”

“We
are
adults,” Mark reminded her with a tender smile.

“True, but we hardly know each other.”

“Okay, what more do you want to know about me?”

Jayme thought for a moment. “Inside, they called you the stone doctor. What did they mean by that?”

He hesitated briefly. “When I first moved here, I was married and naturally brought my wife with me. At first she enjoyed the island life, and then she got bored when she realized it wasn’t as exotic as she thought it would be. I suggested we start a family. She wanted no part of that; in fact, the thought of being pregnant horrified her. Then her boredom led to a series of affairs, each one with a progressively younger man.” Mark took a breath and faced the dark water. “I shut my emotions down and ignored what she was doing. Even after she left and we divorced, I held onto my
stony demeanor, not getting involved with anyone or anything except my work. Hence the
stone doctor
.”

Jayme processed that information, appreciating that he told her something so obviously painful.

“You’re an excellent dancer, doctor,” she said with a grin.

Mark couldn’t resist any longer. He moved in front of her and cupped her face with his hands, kissing her deeply.

“I think we should leave.” Jayme didn’t recognize her own voice; it came out ragged and breathy through kiss-bruised lips. She felt herself blush, thankful for the dusk-induced shadows to hide in.

Mark’s eyes glistened with pleasure as he smiled down at her. “Wait here. I’ll get your camera and purse. No need for you to put up with whatever my friends might say.”