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Jake tilts his head, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You sure about that?"
I can feel myself blushing, and I know he can see it too. "Yes," I say firmly. "I'm sure."
He leans in closer, his lips brushing against my ear. "Because it looked to me like you were about to tell me how much you've missed me."
I can feel my body responding to him, my heart pounding in my chest. "Maybe I was," I say softly, unable to resist the pull he has on me.
He smirks, his hand sliding down to rest on my lower back. "Well, I've missed you too, Sarah," he says, his voice low and seductive.
I can feel the heat radiating off his body, and I know I should probably pull away. But I'm powerless to resist him, his touch sending shivers down my spine. I lean in closer, my lips just inches from his.
And then, just as things start to get heated, we're interrupted by the sound of Ryan shouting from across the campsite.
"Hey, Auntie Sarah, come play with me!" he calls out, waving a frisbee in the air.
Jake and I pull apart, both of us breathing heavily. "Looks like duty calls," he says, laughter in his voice. "Let's catch up later...somewhere more private."
I nod, unable to find my words.
I can't wait.
Chapter nine
Jake
Ishould'veknownshewould be here...and that, as soon as I saw her, all those feelings would come rushing back.
She's been the star of all my sweetest dreams when I was at sea, a feature of my dirtiest fantasies. I don't know what it is about Sarah Chandler that gets to me, but I'll be damned if I ain't gonna have her again.
Still, I want to be discreet--because if I do anything at this barbecue, the whole family is gonna be talking about it tomorrow.
I tiptoe around her for the rest of the afternoon, until our food settles and the sun beats down hard enough that we all decide to take a dip in the lake. Sadie and Eli jump in first, while Piper stays on the shore with Jesse and their kid. Grayson's daughter, Blythe, is well on her way to learning how to swim, and he guides her through the shallows with floaties while Claire takes pictures. They all look so happy.
And there's Sarah--holding Ryan as he splashes around in the water, sitting next to him and splashing him right back.
She's dressed in a retro black and white polka dot bathing suit that accents her curves, her chestnut hair in long waves spilling over her shoulders, a floppy black sunhat on her head. She looks like a classic Hollywood movie star, wide hips and thick thighs luring me in.
I don't know what's gotten into me, but for a second I imagine that's our kid sitting next to her.
No...no way. Sure, she's gorgeous and funny and smart...but I've never been one to settle down. And the impression I got was that she isn't either.
I'm interrupted by a tap on the shoulder, and I whip my head around to find my cousin's wife, Reagan, standing behind me. She puts her hand on her hips as her gaze darts from me to Sarah, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"It was you," she says, like she's Velma from Scooby Doo and I'm some kind of criminal draped in a sheet.
I snort. "Not sure what you mean, Reagan."
"Oh please, don't play dumb with me," she retorts, rolling her eyes. "I saw the way you were looking at Sarah. And don't think I didn't notice the two of you disappearing after the wedding last year."
My heart races at the memory, even as I try to hide my reaction. She didn't tell Reagan, right? It would've only been a matter of time before it got back to Caleb, then Gray, then Claire...then the whole damn family.
My aunt Teresa would have been on my case about it months ago if Sarah had told.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Sarah and I are just old acquaintances catching up."
Reagan raises an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Well, just be careful. You know how gossipy our family can be."
With that, she turns on her heel and walks back to her husband, who's playing horseshoes with Teresa. I watch her go, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. She's right, of course. Our family loves to talk, and if they found out that I've been harboring a crush on Sarah for years, they'd never let me hear the end of it.
