Jackson: The Sons of Dusty Walker by Randi Alexander Page A

and turned off the lights, laughing when his jog
turned into a full-out run.
    She stepped back out of the way as he pushed in through the
door. “You wouldn’t lock me out, would ya, darlin’?”
    Rori scanned the street to make sure they weren’t being
watched, then stepped up to him for a kiss. Short and sweet, it still made her
want to haul him upstairs with her. They hadn’t tried out her shower yet…
    “Grab your swimsuit. Let’s go to my place and get out on the
lake.” The sparkle in his eyes had her envisioning a younger, less cynical
Jackson.”
    “You know how to drive a boat?” She set her hands on her
hips and raised one eyebrow.
    “I grew up a block from the ocean. Yes, I know how to
‘drive’ a boat.” He opened the door. “I’ll get the truck and pick you up—”
    “Out back.” She shuffled him out of the building. “Pick me
up out back in five minutes.”
    He looked confused, then nodded. Rori locked up and ran up
the stairs, trying to remember where she’d stored her swimsuits. Had she
offended Jackson, asking to be picked up out back? Better that than out front,
where half the town would witness it. She and Jackson would already be a hot
topic around the bars and the restaurant. No sense adding more gasoline to that
conflagration of gossip.
    She pulled her one-piece out of the closet, then grabbed the
two-piece too, and stuffed them, with shorts and a tank top plus flip-flops,
into a big Cyber Wise branded tote bag.
    Checking the back of the building, she didn’t spot any cars
or pedestrians. Since when did she care who knew she and Jackson were together?
Wasn’t that her reason for hooking up with him? Everyone was already talking.
May as well make the best of the short time they had together.
    That reminder hit her like a brick to the chest, and she
rubbed the spot over her heart. “It’s not because of Jackson leaving.” Talking
to herself always helped her sort out her thoughts. She grabbed her sunglasses
and trudged down the steps to the back door, stepped outside, and hid herself
behind her big white Cyber Wise van. “It’s because you do care what people
think of you, silly girl. No matter what you tell yourself.”
    She’d repeat that every time she ached thinking about him
leaving. Something that’d been happening far too often for her own good.
    ****
    Jackson gunned the double inboards on the big-ass pontoon,
propelling them out onto Osprey Lake and put his arm around Rori, who sat next
to him in shorts and a skimpy pink bikini top, her giant, round sunglasses
covering half her face.
    She rubbed her hand along his bare abs, causing lust to
clench low in his gut. He took a breath. Tonight wasn’t about finding new sex
positions and exploring each other’s sensual triggers. He wanted to have fun
with her, show her he wasn’t in this just for the sex.
    But wasn’t this week with her just about sex? True, it was,
but he’d needed somebody to have fun with, to spend time with, and not just
spend every minute together naked and intertwined. Although, the thought of
that made him hard as a hammer.
    Rori pointed to a big white bird flying across the lake.
Osprey Lake was figure-eight shaped, and he’d learned that he and his brothers
now owned over half the shoreline. Convenient for privacy.
    His stomach rumbled. “Okay if we eat first?” He spoke into
her ear as the cool air off the lake rushed by them.
    “First?” She kissed his shoulder. “What do you have planned
for seconds?”
    He laughed. Damn, she was naughty, and he loved it. “Seconds
we’ll have to figure out on the fly.” And not the one on his swimming trunks.
They’d changed in the house then walked down to the docks where two pontoons,
three power boats, a sailboat, and kayaks, canoes, and wave runners stood lined
up and ready to go. He eased back the throttle and turned them in a slow
half-circle until they faced his dad’s big house on the hill. “Quite the
impressive shack.”
    “Yep.” She