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“Family comes first.” Charlie struggled to form a complete thought despite the sensations coursing through her body as he began to kiss the other side of her neck. “And this is your sister's wedding. I shouldn't even be here.”
Jake's arms left her waist and he spun her around so she faced him. “Did Sara say something to you?”
His initial reaction took her aback. Had his sister complained about his choice of dates? The youngest Sherbrooke hadn't joined the rest of the family until the wedding rehearsal, so Charlie had barely spoken to her. Still, she had noticed that Sara kept herself somewhat separated from everyone during both the rehearsal and the dinner party that followed.
“We only talked for a few minutes. She just asked how we met. Why, do you think she said something?” Charlie found it odd that he'd suspected Sara and not anyone else.
Jake took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Sara doesn't trust people much anymore thanks to her last boyfriend. Not even family. When she met Callie last year she was less than accepting. Even now things are a little rocky between them.”
“Oh,” Charlie said, now starting to understand why Sara had kept to herself during the rehearsal. “Really no one said anything. But most people don't take virtual strangers to family weddings.” She might as well tell him exactly what she thought.
Jake's stance relaxed and he once again wrapped his arms around her. “What better way to learn more about each other than to spend the weekend together.”
Talk about not getting the point. Did he really think bringing her along was no big deal? Perhaps he did things like this all the time. “Do you always invite strangers to your parents' house?” The question slipped out before she could stop it. “Forget I even asked. It doesn't matter,” Charlie said disgusted by her lack of control. She didn't have a monopoly on him.
Jake chuckled and she felt his chest rumble beneath her breasts.
“You're the first I've invited to spend the weekend.”
A warm tingly feeling spread through her body at his words, and Charlie fought it down. She didn't for one second want to think she was special to this man. She didn't want to think that he viewed her any differently than he did any other woman he spent time with.
“And it's not like I just pulled you off the street.”
Charlie couldn't argue with him there. They'd seen each other every day since his arrival in North Salem. Still, she knew he didn't get what she meant, but she didn't feel like pressing the issue either. Why ruin the mood?
“I'm probably going to leave Massachusetts either Tuesday or Wednesday. There isn't much else that I can do there and I've got issues waiting for me in Virginia.”
Jake's words brought an unexpected and unwanted physical pang to her heart. She knew his departure was inevitable. She had in fact been expecting it. Despite this, sadness rolled over her.
“How much longer will you be up here? If it's going to be awhile I can come back up but otherwise I thought we could see each other when you get back home.” Jake looked her in the eye as he spoke.
His question sent her mind into overdrive. He wanted to continue their relationship or whatever this was past his time in North Salem. But did she? Could she continue to spend time with him and keep her heart firmly locked away? She'd never doubted it with other men but with Jake the uncertainty plagued her. Perhaps if she could figure out what it was about him that reached her on such a deep level, she could adequately protect herself. As of yet she hadn't been able to narrow it down.
“Not sure. I have a few more weeks of leave. I plan on spending at least some of it up here.” She hadn't decided when she would go back to Virginia. Charlie found being with her family a nice change despite the hurricane and the destruction it caused. Not to mention that on this trip she felt no urgency to return home. On her last visit up she'd counted the days till she could get back in her car and drive home.
In the bright moonlight she saw Jake nod his head.
“I'll plan on coming back up then. Maybe next weekend.”
Before Charlie could say anything, Jake grazed her lips with his. The kiss started out gentle, but quickly it changed as he applied more pressure. Soon he set about coaxing her lips apart, and Charlie happily gave him access. At the same time he slipped his hands under the hem of her shirt. Slowly he ran his hand up her back leaving a trail of fire across her skin. Unwilling to do much of anything else Charlie circled her arms around his neck and enjoyed the fire coursing through her body. Right then under the moonlight outside a nineteenth century mansion with the sound of the waves in the background and the fragrant smell of flowers around her, Charlie felt like the heroine from a classic black and white movie.
Jake took his time getting to know the contours of her back and Charlie relished every second of it. Once his hands made it to her shoulders, he let them begin to wander down her back. When they reached the hooks at the back of her bra they slowly circled around to the bottom of her rib cage. Charlie inhaled deeply as his fingers skimmed over her ribs before cupping her breasts. At the same time he kicked up the intensity of his kiss sending white hot desire spiraling through her body. Then inch by agonizing inch he pushed her bra down till his hands were on skin. She'd been with men before, but she'd never felt passion like this. Charlie feared her legs might give out so, unable to do much of anything else, she tightened her hold on him as he moved his lips away from hers and began to suckle the frantic pulse in her neck.
She moaned as his hand brushed across her nipple and she heard him chuckle. Part of her wanted to whack him for laughing but another just wanted to stand there forever while he lavished her body with attention.
In the end Charlie decided on a third option, to return the sweet torture. So she pulled his shirt out of his waist band, slipped her hands under his shirt and mimicked the same trip he'd taken. She made it up to his shoulders when hushed voices brought her game to an abrupt end. Without warning, Charlie jerked away from Jake's embrace.
At first Jake looked about to protest. He actually took a step toward her, but then he stopped.
“Damn. Who the hell is that?” He kept his voice low as he stuffed the back of his shirt into his pants.
Charlie struggled as she attempted to fix her own clothing. Talk about rotten luck. Whoever was out walking could have gone anywhere on the property and they had to head in this direction.
By the time she finished adjusting her top, she could clearly make out Dylan and Callie’s faces. They walked holding hands and leaning into each other. Both looked happy and very much in love.
What would it be like to be in love with someone like that? The thought leaped into Charlie's head. The concept of love, marriage and happily ever after had never entered her mind, not even when she saw her friends getting married. But tonight the ideas were swirling around in her head.
“I didn't know you two were out here.” Dylan stopped alongside Jake. “Hope we're not interrupting anything.”
