business.
This businesslike Jared seemed out of place on the SandJack , considering her first impression of him. Insolence had rolled off his napping pose and his feet had been bare and the beer bottle had held a place of honor on his lap. And his eyes had been shaded until he’d looked directly at her and nearly killed her with his laser blues.
Of course she wanted to know why he looked so cool and composed, it was natural after their intimate relationship, but she liked him too much to put him on the spot by asking. She’d do them both a favor and walk away without speaking.
He vaulted off the SandJack to the dock. “Roll your suitcases over so I can get a grip.”
She did as requested and watched as he lifted her suitcases and set them down. The glance he gave her was cursory, moved from the top of her head to her feet. “Can you manage?” he asked without offering his hand.
“Good idea. We probably shouldn’t touch again.” She passed him her carry-on bag and he took hold of it from the far side so they wouldn’t brush hands. The action made it clear that Jared wanted to move on. A muscle in his jaw jumped as she climbed over the railing and hopped onto the dock.
“I see you’ve got your shoes,” he said. “You’ll be wearing them again soon.”
She appreciated his tone. Soft, easy, and natural. Like the man himself. “Not on board,” she said and lifted her hand, the stilettos dangling.
He nodded but his gaze went from the shoes to her feet and back again. “Jesus, Teri, just put them on.”
She set them on the dock and when she rose to full height again, she found him looking toward a couple who were quickly advancing toward the SandJack . They looked flushed, happy and excited.
“They look the way honeymooners should look,” she said, “and not at all the way I probably did.” A week ago she’d marched up this dock dragging her luggage, fuming with hurt and anger and a mix of emotions she wouldn’t wish on her worst frenemy.
“Damn, they’re early,” he said and set his hands on his hips.
The other couple neared and she heard the bride speak to her newly-minted husband. “Look at that boat! What a beauty.”
“I can’t take my eyes off of you,” he replied.
Teri looked where they were looking and saw the Sally-Rose moored a couple hundred yards off shore. She glanced at Jared at the same time he looked at her. Her heart kicked up a notch at his expression. Lust.
And not the kind he’d directed at her for a week.
The gleam in his eye was all about business and she wondered why he was suddenly wearing shoes. “Are you thinking what I think you are?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m considering an offer for her,” he drawled. “One might call it a proposal.”
Teri’s heart stalled. She looked at her shoes, one upright and the other lying on its side. She straightened the shoe and prepared to put them on. It was an automatic gesture, not tied to anything he’d said. The word “proposal” bounced around inside her head, taking up all the room she used for thinking.
The other couple jostled past her in their excitement to climb aboard. Jared lifted their bags to the deck and then handed the bride up to her groom who’d leaped aboard with all the agility of a seasoned sailor.
Their unbridled happiness and obvious love created a stab in the center of Teri’s chest. She couldn’t look at them a moment longer. Instead of facing them and Jared she considered her shoes as they waited to pinch her toes and make her back ache.
Adrift, bereft of the comfort of Jared she bit her lip, trying not to cry at the notion of slipping her feet into those damn stilettos.
She waited a moment, not knowing what it was she waited for.
Jared MacKay was the captain of the SandJack , ready and willing to give his customers everything they needed for a romantic getaway.
She knew exactly what Jared was, because Teri had had the romantic getaway. Jared had been perfect.
But Teri had gone
This businesslike Jared seemed out of place on the SandJack , considering her first impression of him. Insolence had rolled off his napping pose and his feet had been bare and the beer bottle had held a place of honor on his lap. And his eyes had been shaded until he’d looked directly at her and nearly killed her with his laser blues.
Of course she wanted to know why he looked so cool and composed, it was natural after their intimate relationship, but she liked him too much to put him on the spot by asking. She’d do them both a favor and walk away without speaking.
He vaulted off the SandJack to the dock. “Roll your suitcases over so I can get a grip.”
She did as requested and watched as he lifted her suitcases and set them down. The glance he gave her was cursory, moved from the top of her head to her feet. “Can you manage?” he asked without offering his hand.
“Good idea. We probably shouldn’t touch again.” She passed him her carry-on bag and he took hold of it from the far side so they wouldn’t brush hands. The action made it clear that Jared wanted to move on. A muscle in his jaw jumped as she climbed over the railing and hopped onto the dock.
“I see you’ve got your shoes,” he said. “You’ll be wearing them again soon.”
She appreciated his tone. Soft, easy, and natural. Like the man himself. “Not on board,” she said and lifted her hand, the stilettos dangling.
He nodded but his gaze went from the shoes to her feet and back again. “Jesus, Teri, just put them on.”
She set them on the dock and when she rose to full height again, she found him looking toward a couple who were quickly advancing toward the SandJack . They looked flushed, happy and excited.
“They look the way honeymooners should look,” she said, “and not at all the way I probably did.” A week ago she’d marched up this dock dragging her luggage, fuming with hurt and anger and a mix of emotions she wouldn’t wish on her worst frenemy.
“Damn, they’re early,” he said and set his hands on his hips.
The other couple neared and she heard the bride speak to her newly-minted husband. “Look at that boat! What a beauty.”
“I can’t take my eyes off of you,” he replied.
Teri looked where they were looking and saw the Sally-Rose moored a couple hundred yards off shore. She glanced at Jared at the same time he looked at her. Her heart kicked up a notch at his expression. Lust.
And not the kind he’d directed at her for a week.
The gleam in his eye was all about business and she wondered why he was suddenly wearing shoes. “Are you thinking what I think you are?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m considering an offer for her,” he drawled. “One might call it a proposal.”
Teri’s heart stalled. She looked at her shoes, one upright and the other lying on its side. She straightened the shoe and prepared to put them on. It was an automatic gesture, not tied to anything he’d said. The word “proposal” bounced around inside her head, taking up all the room she used for thinking.
The other couple jostled past her in their excitement to climb aboard. Jared lifted their bags to the deck and then handed the bride up to her groom who’d leaped aboard with all the agility of a seasoned sailor.
Their unbridled happiness and obvious love created a stab in the center of Teri’s chest. She couldn’t look at them a moment longer. Instead of facing them and Jared she considered her shoes as they waited to pinch her toes and make her back ache.
Adrift, bereft of the comfort of Jared she bit her lip, trying not to cry at the notion of slipping her feet into those damn stilettos.
She waited a moment, not knowing what it was she waited for.
Jared MacKay was the captain of the SandJack , ready and willing to give his customers everything they needed for a romantic getaway.
She knew exactly what Jared was, because Teri had had the romantic getaway. Jared had been perfect.
But Teri had gone