Chapter Six

Sunday afternoon, Kassidy was nervous. Ever since Justice had left her yesterday, she continually ran his final phrase in her mind. What had she done to get his attention? He was a very handsome man. With a deep breath, Kassidy loaded Libby up in the car and headed toward Harbour Park.

She arrived early and sat upon a bench while Libby lay beside her. The minutes ticked by and the two o’clock hour passed. Guess he got a better offer. At two-fifteen, Kassidy got to her feet and turned to head back to her car, heart heavy.

“Like Daddy says, if it’s to work out, it’s gotta be written in the stars. And I guess it’s just not.” She rubbed Libby’s head. “I really liked him too. Come on, girl, let’s go home.”

Kassidy walked to her car and just as she unlocked it, she heard someone yell her name.

“Kassidy. Kassidy!”

Glancing over her shoulder, she was shocked to see Justice running toward her. Kassidy turned and rested against the door. She licked her lips. Justice wore knee-length blue shorts, a red tee shirt, and tennis shoes. On his face were mirrored sunglasses. He waved and jogged up.

“I’m so sorry, Kassidy,” he said. “We had a drill this morning and it went over.”

“I thought you weren’t coming,” she told him, looking anywhere but at him.

“I would have called, but we haven’t exchanged numbers yet. Hey, look at me.” Justice brought her face up to his where she discovered he’d removed his mirrored glasses. “Nothing would keep me from being here.”

The amount of sincerity in his voice threw her. “So what happens now?”

“I just have to grab the cooler and we can eat.”

“You have the food?”

“I told you, I had no intention of missing this date. Whaddya say, give a guy a second chance?”

How can I say no to that? “Okay, let’s eat. Where’s your vehicle? I can help carry.” She took Libby back out.

The smile he bestowed on her made her knees go weak. For a moment, Justice stared at her before reaching out and taking the hand without Libby’s leash in it. His thumb skimmed along the back of her hand and she sighed. How long has it been since I’ve just held hands with a guy?

“I’m this way,” he uttered softly. They walked slowly, hand in hand, until he halted them by a shiny red Corvette. “Here we go,” Justice said, opening the trunk. “You carry the blanket.”

Kassidy hung it over her arm and watched him effortlessly lift the cooler out. “Nice car,” she said.

“Thank you, this is my baby.”

Men and their cars. She smiled and waited for him to lock it. “Where to?” Kassidy questioned when he again had the cooler in his hands.

“You pick the spot.”

Kassidy chewed on her lower lip and nodded. “Okay.” She decided on a spot and once there, she spread out the blanket. “You said you had a drill, what’s that?”

Justice set the cooler down and knelt beside it. He opened it and began pulling things out. “It was basically a dry run for boarding a ship.” He looked up at her and grinned. “Not half as interesting as spending time with you.”

Her body flushed at his words. “I’m sure it was exciting.”

“Sweetie, no man wants to move through smoke or tear gas with guns versus spending time with a beautiful woman.”

“Uh huh. Is that a line you use often?” If only, Justice. If only.

Justice handed her a plate and watched her sit. His gaze took on an oddly possessive look. “Not a line, Kassidy. Nothing but the God’s honest truth.”

She shivered from the promise in his tone. Kassidy glanced over to where Libby lay in the shade to allow a moment to find her bearings. Justice still stared at her when she looked back at him. His dark gaze burned with fire until he sent her a disarming grin.

“Hope you like chicken salad.”

“I do,” she assured him.

As they ate, he told her about his experience driving to South Dakota with his sister to help her move. Kassidy could easily feel the love he felt for his family in his words.

“So next week I’m going out to visit her,” he said moving the plates and basket out from between them. “I miss her a lot. This is her final year, and I haven’t been out there since the move.”

“What exactly is there for your sister to do in South Dakota? I mean not much oceanfront property up there.”

He chuckled, a warm, dark, melted chocolate kind of sound. “She’s recruiting.”

“Recruiting, okay.” Kassidy nodded while snagging the final cracker topped with chicken salad from her recently moved plate. She swallowed and moaned. “That was so good. Did you make this?”

“I did,” he said with pride. “Mama always said I needed to know how to cook.”

“Well, I can’t speak for your other dishes, but you did wonderfully with this one.” He smiled, flashing that charismatic grin. Kassidy swallowed hard and dropped her gaze. “So, how long are you visiting your sister for?”

“Missing me already, Kassidy?” His question was low and intimate.

Words fled. Her body temperature shot sky high. Kassidy could feel the flush heat her cheeks. Since she still stared down, her breath hitched when his strong hand settled beside her leg. His touch was gentle when he lifted her chin. He was close. So close. His dark gaze stared at her while his thumb gently teased the corner of her mouth.

“I hope so. Because I’m already missing you.”

Ah-choo!

“Excuse me,” she said around another impending sneeze.

Justice waited until she finished sneezing then that hand, that strong, callused hand, settled back along her jaw. His fingers moved slightly.

“I hope you’re not telling me you’re allergic to me, Kassidy.”

Sweet merciful heaven. She could hardly remember her own name.

“Not allergic,” she stammered.

He slid closer, enveloping her with the scent of the ocean. Her belly clenched with desires long forgotten.

“Now that,” he drawled in a decadently dark tone, “is very good news.”

Justice leaned in slow as if giving her the chance to stop him, his gaze unwavering while he neared. She inhaled sharply at the touch of his lips on hers. They were firm, warm, and she wanted more. Justice kept it light and it seemed before she had a chance to relish in the kiss, it was over. Kassidy blinked and met his gaze. His eyes were molten heat, the passion in them so intense she shuddered all over again.

“Wow,” she breathed.

“You got that right.” He brushed some curls behind her ear and kissed her again. Just as quick and just as potent. “Let’s take a walk.”

“Yes.”

They stood and seconds after she’d snapped Libby’s leash on, he captured her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. After walking in companionable silence for a while, Kassidy slanted her gaze at him.

“What’s your question, Kassidy?”

“You said your great-grandfather was part of your reason for joining the Coast Guard. What was the rest?”

“Hmm. Well, I guess it would be the rest of the men in my family. He was such an inspiration to me, doing what they did, going through what they went through. I’ve always been in awe. Guess it was my way of emulating him. I’m proud of them all.” Justice looked at her. “You seem to know a bit about Pea Island; did an ancestor of yours serve there?”

“No.” Kassidy shrugged. “Bottom line, I love history.”

“Your dad teach history?”

“No. He’s an astronomer. Most of our conversations are done with a telescope between us.” She gestured with the hand holding Libby’s leash. “But, I’ve no doubt I could navigate by the stars.”

“Well, I’m impressed.”

Kassidy laughed. “Yeah? Don’t be. I can’t sail a boat to save my life, so it’s highly unlikely that’s a scenario which would arise.”

Justice tugged her hand and drew her in close. He wrapped his free arm around her waist, pressing her all up against his rock hard chest. His lips danced close to hers when he murmured, “I’ll teach you how to sail. And if we get lost, you bring us home.”

That offer went so much deeper than sailing. Kassidy swallowed and licked her lips, loving how his eyes flared with masculine longing and followed the motion of her tongue. “You have a boat?”

“I do. Will you let me take you sailing, Kassidy?”

You can take me anywhere. “Thought you were leaving for South Dakota.”

“That’s not permanent, baby.”

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. He smelled so virile. So male. So tasty. “How about we talk about it when you come…get back.”

Justice’s eyes adopted a hooded sensuality that made her body react intensely and immediately. “Wonderful idea. Kinda like, I want to kiss you again.”

She stared at his lips then back to his eyes. “Yes.” Kassidy almost forgot to breathe.

He nibbled along her lower lip, unfurling spirals of heat within her belly. Then he did the same to her top lip. Kassidy felt her legs tremble.

“Open for me, Kassidy.”

She sighed in pleasure when he slid his tongue into her mouth. Justice didn’t slam through. No, he explored her. Savored her. Kassidy closed her eyes in pleasure. With the hand holding hers, he swept his thumb in tiny circles, while he moved the one against her back, brushing it along the waistband of her shorts. She could feel his hard length pressing into her. Kassidy dropped Libby’s leash and gripped his side, her hunger exploding almost out of control. Their tongues stroked along one another.

She whimpered when he ended the kiss. His smoky gaze burned her.

“You, Kassidy, almost killed me.”

“I know the feeling,” she murmured trying to calm her pulse. Kassidy frowned and looked down.

“What’s wrong?”

“I dropped her leash.”

He chuckled and shrugged shamelessly when she glared at him. “What? I like knowing my kisses make you discombobulated.”

That’s putting it mildly. Kassidy bent to get the leash, doing her best to ignore how close his crotch was. Mind out of the gutter and above the waist, Kas, she reprimanded herself. Standing straight, thankful Libby remained right there, Kassidy lifted her brows.

“Discombobulated?”

Sparkling white teeth flashed against his dark skin. “My sister thought I should learn bigger words. Gave me one of those word-a-day calendars.”

“That was nice of her. How do you like it?”

Justice obtained a sheepish look. “Well, I learned discombobulated.”

She erupted with laughter. “Haven’t gotten past the first one?”

He tugged on his shirt. “I’m making it last,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it?”

“Better that than ‘paperweight.’” He winked.

“Good point,” Kassidy agreed.

They began walking again. Together they watched the sun begin to set and that was the only thing that let her know how long she’d been in the park. Justice still held her hand.

“Thank you for a wonderful day, Justice. Unfortunately I have to get going.”

“Thank you for giving me a second chance. Let me walk you to your car.”

They gathered everything in moments and Kassidy couldn’t help but smile all over again when he reached for her hand. She continued to watch him out of the corner of her eye while they walked. At her car, Kassidy loaded up Libby and faced him.

Justice trapped her between himself and the side of her car, one hand on either side of her. “Give me your number.”

“Want to write it down?”

His gaze dropped to her mouth briefly. “I’ll remember.”

She rattled off her cell number, painfully aware of how his body felt against hers.

“I have to tell you, Kassidy,” he pressed closer, and his lips skimmed along her jaw before he met her gaze again, “I can’t remember a more pleasurable day. Thank you.”

Her brain wasn’t working. It took her a few moments to find the words. “I had a wonderful time, too.”

He pulled out his phone and entered what she presumed to be her number. When her phone vibrated seconds later, she jumped. Pulling it out, she stared at him. “Do you want me to answer it?”

He winked. “I bet you have one hell of a phone voice.”

Kassidy snorted, then saved his number. “Have a safe trip and a fun one.”

“I look forward to seeing you when I get home.”

“Guess I better study up on my navigation skills.”

Lips a hair’s breadth from hers he uttered, “I wouldn’t mind too terribly getting lost with you.” He kissed her until she melted into him. “Nope, not a’tall. Good night, my sweet Kassidy. Call me when you get home so I know you made it.”

Electricity poured through her and was more than slightly distracting. So it took a minute for his low command to sink in. “What? Why am I calling you?”

His eyes glinted with determination. “I’m a man, sweets. I want to make sure you make it home safe. So either your word you’ll call or I follow you and make sure for myself.”

Kassidy swallowed at the possessive look he gave her, as well as the quality to his tone. “Okay, I’ll call. Drive carefully.”

Justice held her door for her and brushed her cheek with his knuckles. He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. Kassidy felt branded by the heat in his stare. Even when she and Libby entered the house her body still felt hypersensitive. Her phone was in her hand as she let Libby outside.

Justice answered on the first ring. “Hello, my beautiful Kassidy.”

Warmth flowed throughout her and she sighed contentedly at his words.