Summer Temptation (Hot in the Hamptons Book 2) (7 page)

In the not too distant past I would have come up with a reason to strike up a conversation, or created an opportunity to interact with them. But today, thoughts of Leigh filled my mind, like how fantastic she’d look in one of those skimpy string bikinis and how much I looked forward to seeing her in one.

It caught me off guard, because she might be pregnant…with another man’s baby. I should have taken the chance she’d offered to rescind my dinner invitation and used my time in the Hamptons to search out an uncomplicated woman looking for a fun, sex-filled summer fling.

Yet I hadn’t. I felt drawn to Leigh and wanted to be there for her. If anyone could give her a summer of fun, I could. At the expense of a fun summer for myself?

No, I didn’t think so. I enjoyed her company, liked talking to her and looking at her and making her blush. And I was really looking forward to spending more time with her, which made me wonder when she’d be back? I pulled my phone out of my bag, grabbing my water bottle at the same time. Taking a few chugs, I checked the time and decided to give her a call.

She answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

“It’s Nick. How’s your visit going?”

“Dad’s doing well. My grandfather is the same. I’m on my way back to Storme’s house.”

The news gave me a little buzz of happy anticipation. “On your way back as in driving in the car right now? Are you okay to talk?”

“I’m hands free. You’re coming at me through my speakers in surround sound.”

I smiled. “How’d your bridal fitting go?”

She didn’t answer right away. Uh oh. “Leigh?”

“Yes. I’m here. The bridal fitting was…enlightening.”

Not a word I’d expected, but okay. “Care to elaborate?”

“Not really, except to say after what I learned, I have some doubts as to whether Storme’s wedding will be taking place as scheduled.”

“Oh boy.”

“Tonight the three of us are having dinner together. Storme really needs Kelsey and me right now.”

My little buzz of happy anticipation faded. “Oh.”

“But I was thinking, if you want to hang out, and absolutely no pressure if you don’t, but if you do, maybe you could stop by the house later on for a walk on the beach? We could discuss plans for our ‘Summer of Fun.’

I liked the sound of that…but waited a few seconds to respond so I didn’t sound overly eager. “That’d be great.”

“I’ll text you the address. Say around nine?”

“Perfect.” Sure it’d be dark, so I’d have to wait a little longer to see her in a bathing suit. But that was okay, because maybe, just maybe, it felt a little odd to be lusting after a possibly pregnant woman. “Is it weird that I hardly know you, yet I can’t stop thinking about you, and I’m really looking forward to seeing you tonight?” And that I felt perfectly comfortable telling her that?

“I hope not, because I can’t stop thinking about you either, and I’m really looking forward to seeing you tonight, too.”

Yes!

“In all the time I’ve been spending alone in this car,” Leigh said. “I’ve come to the conclusion it’s probably because I’d rather think about you than…other things. And keeping secrets is exhausting. But since you know mine and I know yours, we don’t have to pretend everything’s okay or be on guard around each other. We can just be ourselves, and there’s something very appealing about that.”

Appealing indeed. “You mean it’s not because I’m handsome and sexy, and you want to jump my bones?” I teased.

“That’s not the main reason, no,” she said.

Shucks.

“But it is an added bonus.”

I laughed. God, I liked her.

“Okay. Lots of traffic. I need to concentrate.”

“Drive carefully. See you tonight.”

“Bye.”

After putting away my phone, I went back to sunbathing, my mind on Leigh and all the fun things I wanted to do with her this summer...clothes on and clothes off.

Later that night I knocked on the door of a truly spectacular Wainscott mansion, feeling under-dressed in my shorts, flip flops and old college sweatshirt.

Leigh opened the door with a smile that warmed my insides. “Hi.” She handed me a glass of white wine. “Quick,” she whispered. “Drink this.”

Anything for a friend. “Damn.” I looked at the empty glass. “That was good.”

“Storme’s family owns a vineyard.” Leigh stared at my lips, then lifted her thumb to the corner of my mouth. “You have a little…” She touched me, her skin so soft, her scent enticing. It was all I could do not to turn my head the tiniest bit and suck her finger into my mouth. As if she could read my dirty mind, she retracted her arm with a jerk. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

I reached for her hand and dropped a kiss on her knuckles. “You can touch me,” I lifted my eyes to hers, “anytime you want. Anywhere you want. ‘Summer of Fun,’ remember?”

She blushed.

I really liked that blush.

“Please.” She stepped back. “Come in.”

I followed her to a large, nicely furnished living room where her two friends sat on a large sofa, each holding a glass of wine. Leigh set her empty one on the coffee table.

“Nick, meet my friends. Storme,” she motioned to the brunette. “And Kelsey.” The blond smiled and gave me a wave.

I shook each woman’s hand. “Let me guess,” I said. “Little red Mercedes convertible.” I pointed to the stylish Storme. “And sweet Shelby Mustang.” I pointed to the down-to-earth Kelsey. “What year?”

“Sixty-eight,” Kelsey said, with a nod of approval.

“Does she ride as good as she looks?”

“Better.” She smiled.

Storme stood. “Would you like a glass of wine, Nick?”

“No, thank you.” Just had one. “I’m good.” I glanced at Leigh. She wouldn’t look at me.

Storme sat back down, studying me as if trying to determine if I was good enough for Leigh. I probably wasn’t, but that didn’t stop me from wanting her. “What do you do for a living, Nick?”

“He’s an analyst on Wall Street,” Leigh answered for me.

“Just like your—” Kelsey started.

“Time to go,” Leigh interrupted, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward a pair of sliding doors at the back of the room. “We’ll be walking on the beach.”

“Should we wait up?” Storme called from behind us, teasing.

I looked over my shoulder, “No,” and gave them a smile and a wave. “Nice meeting you both.”

The doors opened to an equally spectacular deck with an outdoor kitchen barbecue station to the right and a large pool to the left. A set of stairs led to a lower deck with a whirlpool tub that’d seat at least eight, and there was a stone fire pit to the right. Although I couldn’t see it in the dark, I heard the ocean waves close by.

Growing up, a house like this had been my dream, even only to rent one for the summer. But after two years spent working toward that dream, after losing myself in eighty hour work weeks, missing out on time with my family and friends, and almost killing myself to impress unappreciative bosses, I had to wonder if it was worth it?

Since meeting Leigh, I found myself concentrating on the here and now rather than the future, on enjoying each day and night to the fullest. I followed her down another flight of stairs that led to the beach, appreciating the movement of her shapely ass beneath her cotton dress shorts, and those long, bare legs...

When we reached the sand, she removed her tan boat shoes and set them neatly to the side of the bottom step. I kicked off my flip flops, leaving them where they landed. A gust of wind blew sand at us. Leigh turned her head away. I debated suggesting she run back inside for a jacket or sweatshirt, but she looked so sweet and proper in her soft white cardigan. And I’d be happy to warm her up if she needed warming.

The wind died down, and we walked toward the waves, guided by the moonlight.

“Look.” Leigh pointed. “Fireworks.”

Off in the distance. “Yeah, people shoot them off on the beach all the time.” Even though they weren’t supposed to.

“I love fireworks,” she said, stopping to watch them.

“If you’re still here, they do a pretty nice fireworks show on Main Beach the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend.”

She looked off toward the water. “I’m leaving right after Storme’s wedding. I won’t be here,” she said, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

I made a mental note to check around for any other local fireworks shows before that.

We reached the water and Leigh walked in up to her ankles. I joined her, taking in the beautiful night, the soothing ebb and flow of the water.

“Oh!” Leigh jumped back, grabbing onto me. “Something touched my foot.” She looked down, so I did, too, even though we could barely see our feet.

“Fish,” I laughed, holding her, enjoying the feel of her.

She stepped away. “Sorry, I—”

“Don’t be.” I turned. “Come on.” I held out my hand. “Let’s walk.”

She hesitated. For a few seconds, I thought she might leave me hanging, but she didn’t, sliding her hand into mine as if she’d done it dozens of times before. It fit perfectly, felt like it belonged there.

We walked in silence, me closer to the water, the packed wet sand giving under my feet, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d looked forward to seeing a woman as much as I’d looked forward to seeing Leigh tonight. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this comfortable with a woman…or this content. I wanted to kiss her, to take her in my arms, hold her tight against my body and show her how much I wanted her.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked as we walked.

I told her the truth. “You.”

She stopped and turned to me, even more beautiful in the moonlight, her hair blowing wild. “What about me?”

I let go of her hand, to free up both of mine which I set on her hips. “How comfortable I feel with you in such a short time. How attracted I am to you. How much I want to kiss you.” No moment had ever felt so right.

“Then kiss me,” she said, stepping closer, tilting her lips up to mine.

Leigh

H
e moved his hands from my hips to cup my cheeks. Then he pressed his lips to mine so carefully and tenderly, his touch gentle. I didn’t know if it was the moonlit night, or the cool ocean breeze, or the sound of the waves that made the moment feel so romantic or if it was the man himself that affected me, that ignited something deep inside of me and made me want…more.

Needing something to do with my hands, I slid them up under the back of his sweatshirt, and flattened them on his soft, warm skin.

He moaned, deepening the kiss, moving one of his hands to the back of my head and the other to my butt, where he tugged my hips in close, letting me feel his arousal.

I rubbed against it shamelessly. Never had a man affected me this way. Well, once a man had come close, but my need had been more emotional than physical and the possible…probable consequences had me turning away. “You tempt me to do bad things.”

He pulled me closer. “What kind of things?”

“Sex on the beach kind of things.” Meaningless sexual summer fling kind of things. Things a woman in my possible…condition shouldn’t be considering.

He smiled. “You tempt me, too.”