Finding Haven (27 page)

“Please,” she cried out, and her eyes begged him to devour her.

“You’re so damn beautiful.”

Gripping hard on her ass, he thrust into her with command and abandon. His breath
on her neck was hot and rapid as he relentlessly surged through her repeatedly. There
was only one spot she had control, and she tightened and clenched around him every
time he rocked deeper, matching his intensity with her own. Damn, he felt amazing.
Slight trembles split through her. She knew she was at the boundary of spiraling over
the edge. The boundary that would make her quiver and scream until she couldn’t feel
her toes.

Her head rolled back, and she tried to steady her breathing, begging her body to calm
the swells deep in her belly. It had to last longer; she wanted him like this all
night.

“No,” he whispered. “Look at me,” he demanded.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she witnessed pure and total desire in his gaze as he
buried himself in her hard and strong. With both his arms wrapped around her waist,
she snaked her hands against his neck and held on for dear life while she came fiercely
in his grasp, wave after wave. Their eyes locked as he squeezed her tighter in his
embrace and let the release bring them to their knees.

“Oh my God, Haven.” He breathed heavily in her ear. Both of them draped across the
floor, unable to move, a tangled web of bodies entwined.

“Yeah, that.” She exhaled, running her fingers through his hair. Her body had never
felt so exquisite—damp, warm, tender in the spots he had touched, his. She felt like
she was his.

He kissed her shoulder and struggled to prop himself up. “Feel better? Did that clear
your head?”

“Is that what that was about? And I just thought you were excited about the sleepover.”
She giggled at him. He looked cute like this—his face flush, his body relaxed.

He reached over her head and snagged a piece of paper off the table. He held it out
to her.

“What’s this?” It was dark. She could barely make out the words.

“In honor of hanging out for five weeks, I wrote something for you. It came to me
all of a sudden.” He smiled, showing his white teeth.

Haven couldn’t believe it. He had never shown her any of his writing even though she
had begged for weeks to read a chapter from his book. She held the page out, catching
the crack of light from the window.

It would be easier if

You didn’t taste so sweet

If kissing you didn’t make me whole

My world wouldn’t be right if we didn’t meet

It’s like you looked at me and stole

My breath, my heart, and I’m in deep

It would be easier if

I didn’t crave your lips

If your warmth in my bed

Didn’t take me on a summer trip

This is something I’ve never said

But, baby, you saved me

“So? What do you think?” He was propped on his elbow, waiting for her to say something,
but she didn’t know how to respond. What do you say when everything you’ve wanted
to hear is written on a piece of paper? It was beautiful, simple, and perfect.

“I love it. I think it’s amazing.” She reached toward him, crushing his lips against
hers. If he never said it out loud, it was ok. She knew he loved her. It was all in
the words. “But I didn’t get anything for you. Was I supposed to?”

Jay laughed. She didn’t know what he thought was so funny. “No, darlin’, not at all.
Lying here with you on the floor is all I need.”

“Good.” She crawled toward him, hovering over his chest. “But I think I know something
you might like.” She kissed his neck. “Think you’re up for it?” Her teeth grazed against
his collarbone.

She loved the smile on his lips. “Baby, I’m up for anything you have planned.” He
settled onto the floor, and she did her best to show him that the past five weeks
were the hottest, most amazing weeks of her life.

E
VAN GROANED
at the sound of the crickets. First, his phone and then Haven’s chirped with the
morning alarm. It was dark, and he heard the rain pelting the aluminum roof. A man
couldn’t possibly get out of bed with that perfect symphony tapping overhead.

A low rumble of thunder echoed, and she snuggled under his arm, radiating warmth against
his bare chest. He pulled her against him. There was no way they were going into work
at five thirty. He fished for the phones and silenced them, powering each one off.
To hell with Denton Owen if he had a problem with it. Other than the hurricane, they
never slept in together. Today was an exception. The store could take care of itself.
He wanted to hide under the covers all morning with Haven and listen to the rainfall.
He needed this; he needed her in his arms.

“I’
M GOING
to be in so much trouble. I can’t believe you turned our phones off.” Haven bent
next to the bed to collect the lacy lingerie set Evan had peeled off her body last
night.

“Do you ever call in sick? Have I ever called in sick?” he teased. He could tell she
was annoyed, but he didn’t regret it for one second.

“That’s not the point.” She turned for the bathroom. “My father probably used to like
you. Now, you’re done.” She closed the door behind her, and he laughed.

“I’ll take full responsibility. Ok?” he called to her through the flimsy door. The
sink was running. He wasn’t sure she could hear him.

She slid the door open. “What are you going to say? That I stayed over here last night?
Uh-uh. No way.” She closed the door. “You do
not
understand.”

Evan strolled to the hall and leaned against the opposite wall so he didn’t have to
speak as loudly. “You don’t think he knows about us? Come on, Haven. We’re adults.
We can do whatever we want. Who cares what your dad thinks?”

The water stopped and the door moved to the side. She clutched her toothbrush firmly
in her hand. “I care. I don’t want him to think I’m anything like him.” Her eyes hit
the floor, and he recognized the look when she was trying to push tears away.

He had never considered she would connect their relationship to her father’s affair.
It wasn’t bad; it didn’t hurt people. Was it because they weren’t married? Sure, they
were in a conservative part of the South, but Haven wasn’t close-minded. She had been
to a liberal arts college, had relationships, slept with other guys—as much as he
hated to think about that part.

He tried to gauge where all of this was coming from. “You know what we have isn’t
in any way like some secret affair, right? We can be together, go out. There are no
other people. There is nothing wrong with what is happening between us.”

She put her toothbrush back in the holder and turned to face him. “I didn’t mean for
that to sound like it did. Of course, I don’t think there is anything wrong about
us. I love being with you. I loved last night.” She smiled. “But my parents have preached
waiting for sex until marriage since the day my mother gave the birds and the bees
talk. As far as they know, I’m as virginally white as it comes. I’ve never let them
think otherwise. When he finds out, my father is going to think of me the same way
I think of him. Like I’ve done something bad.” She paused. “And he’s going to hate
you
for corrupting me.”

Evan arched his eyebrow. If they weren’t in the middle of such a serious discussion,
he would throw out a joke about how there was no way he was the corruptor in this
scenario, but that was better left alone.

“Then, that’s his own damn fault for not knowing what’s right and wrong.” Evan reached
for her waist. “Because, this is about damn near perfect.” He kissed her lips, tasting
the fresh mint on her mouth. “Don’t let him make you feel guilty about us.”

“I don’t have one ounce of guilt about you. This has been the best summer of my life.”
He loved when her blue eyes lit up like this. “But part of me still doesn’t want to
disappoint them. Is that stupid?”

“It’s not stupid at all.” At twenty-eight, he was still doing things to get his dad’s
attention. Hoping the next movie would elicit some kind of praise or compliment. Where
his mother was concerned, he didn’t want to embarrass her or cause her any pain. It
wasn’t stupid. Haven loved her parents, faults, sins, and all. It wasn’t something
you outgrew.

“But, at some point, they have to recognize you as an adult. And you can’t feel guilty
about it.” He kissed her on the forehead before walking to the bedroom. His extra
towels were in a drawer at the end of the bed.

“That’s easy for you to say. Your father isn’t having an affair and getting ready
to find out you’re sleeping with the clerk you hired.” Her eyes closed and she leaned
against the door. “This day is going to be a freakin’ disaster.”

“Did you already forget about your call this afternoon? It can’t be a bad day.” He
grabbed one red and one white towel.

“How can I forget that? I woke up thinking about Austin.”

He was glad she was so excited about the call. Blue Steel Records was owned by one
of the wide receivers he played with in college. Bruce was a good guy; he would watch
out for her.

He threw a towel at her. “Here.”

She tilted her head to side. “What’s this?”

“Get in the shower. Now.” He stood, towering over her.

“Oh no. There’s no way we’ll both fit. You can barely get in there.” Her head shook.

“Darlin’, we
will
fit.” He turned the knob on the hot water side. “But we only have seven minutes for
me to wash all of these problems away for you, so stop arguing with me and get in.”
His eyes darted to the stream of water sputtering behind her. For a second, he thought
she might not take him up on his offer. He considered lifting her up and putting her
under the water, but before he could act on it, she tugged the tank top off her chest,
shimmied out of something silky and blue, and stepped into the shower.

“Damn, girl,” he muttered, bracing himself against the wall. Maybe she thought he
did all of these things to make her feel better, to erase her doubts and fears, but
she didn’t know that making her smile turned his world right side up.

“M
R.
O
WEN
, sir. I’m really sorry Haven and I weren’t here to help Nell open the store this
morning.” Evan folded his hands behind his back and waited for the store owner to
give it to him. He was prepared.

Denton stayed seated in the cramped office. “Son, I have brought you into my business.
Maura and I had you over for dinner.” He cleared his throat. “And I’m having a real
hard time right now listening to this.”

Evan realized this wasn’t the most comfortable conversation between two men. If he
ever had a daughter, he knew he would be the kind of dad who eagle-eyed any boy who
stepped within ten feet of her. Regardless of the situation with Betra Meeks, Evan
did feel for the guy sitting behind the desk. This was damn awkward.

“I know. I know. And I appreciate everything, sir. I did not intend to keep Haven
from work. It won’t happen again.”

“Fell asleep watching a movie and you both forgot to charge your phones?” the father
asked skeptically.

Both men knew that wasn’t the entire story, but Evan was sticking to it. They could
all pretend that’s what happened and maybe the consequences for Haven wouldn’t be
so bad. He had volunteered to face the firing squad to spare her the embarrassment.

“Yes, sir. It was irresponsible on my part.” He hoped they could drop the details,
and Denton would let him get back to the kayaks and snorkel sets.

“All right, let’s just leave it at that.” He cleared his throat. “If it happens again,
you won’t get a warning.”

Evan nodded. “Yes, sir. Understood. It won’t.” He turned for the door, anxious to
end the conversation. He had had knock down, drag out arguments with directors that
were easier to deal with than the tension in this office. He closed the door behind
him and strolled out to the docks.

A grandfather was teaching his grandson how to pin fish at the edge of the pier. The
clouds had dispersed, and there were patches of sunlight peeping through.