Under the Boardwalk: A Dazzling Collection of All New Summertime Love Stories by Geralyn Dawson Page B
Authors: Geralyn Dawson
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aware again of the storm without. Lightning cracked so close by that the thunder rattled the entire house, and rain drummed on the roof, but that was nothing compared to what had just gone on in her bed. Storms came and went, but her entire life had just been changed.
Finally he lifted his head. His dark hair was matted with sweat, his expression strained and empty, the expression of release. "Okay." His voice sounded rusty, as if his vocal cords didn't want to work. "When you said 'not now,' did you mean that you didn't want to talk, or that you had been a virgin until then, but now you weren't?"
She cleared her throat. "The second choice." Her own voice sounded rusty, too.
"Holy hell." He let his head drop again. "I never expected—Damn it, Lilah, that's something you should tell a man."
She moved her hands over his shoulders, closing her eyes in delight at the feel of his warm, sleek skin under her palms. "Things happened kind of fast. I didn't have a lot of time to consider the shoulds and should nots."
"There are no should nots, in this case."
"What would you have done differently, if you'd known?"
He considered that, and sighed against her shoulder. "Hell, probably nothing. There's no way in hell I would have stopped. But if I'd known, I'd have tried to slow things down, and given you more time."
"I couldn't have stood it," she said starkly. "Not one minute more."
"Yes, you could. You will. And you'll like it."
If that was a threat, it failed miserably. A tingle of excitement shot through her, sending a spark of life into her exhausted muscles. She wiggled a little. "When?"
"God," he muttered. "Not right this minute. Give me an hour."
"Okay, an hour."
His head came up again and he gave her a long, level look. "Before we get carried away again, don't you think we need to talk about birth control? Specifically, our lack of it? I doubt you're on the pill, and I don't generally carry rubbers around with me."
"No, of course I'm not on the pill, but I won't get pregnant."
"You can't be sure."
"I just finished my period two days ago. We're safe."
"Famous last words."
She sighed. She
knew
she wouldn't get pregnant, though she didn't know how to explain to him how she knew. She wasn't certain, herself. It wasn't a flash of precognition, at least not like the usual flash. It was more a sense than a knowing, but there wasn't a pregnancy in her immediate future. Next month, maybe, but not now.
She sighed. "If you're so worried, then we won't do this again, all right?"
He regarded her for a minute, then grinned. "Some chances," he said, leaning down to kiss her, "are just meant to be taken."
----
Chapter 7
They heard the outboard motor not long after dawn, when the sun had just turned the eastern sky a brilliant gold. The storms of the night had lasted longer than expected, until almost three o'clock in the morning, but now the morning sky was absolutely cloudless.
"Sounds like the cavalry is arriving," Lilah said, tilting her head to listen.
"Son of a bitch," Jackson said mildly. "I was hoping rescue would take a little longer." He took a sip of coffee. "Do I look like an enraged, frustrated sheriff who was left stranded by a turnip-brain two-bit thug, or a man who's had a night-long orgy and whose legs are as limp as noodles?"
She pretended to study him, then shook her head. "You could use some practice on the enraged and frustrated look."
"That's what I thought." Putting his cup down on the table, he stretched his arms over his head and gave her a lazy, contented grin. "Instead of arresting Thaniel, I may give him a commendation."
"What are you going to arrest him for?" she asked in surprise. "I told you I'm not pressing charges."
"Whether or not you do, he stole two boats, not just yours. What happens depends on what he's done with Jerry Watkins's boat, and what Jerry wants to do about it. If Thaniel was smart, he left the boats at the launch ramp, but then again, if he was smart he wouldn't have
Finally he lifted his head. His dark hair was matted with sweat, his expression strained and empty, the expression of release. "Okay." His voice sounded rusty, as if his vocal cords didn't want to work. "When you said 'not now,' did you mean that you didn't want to talk, or that you had been a virgin until then, but now you weren't?"
She cleared her throat. "The second choice." Her own voice sounded rusty, too.
"Holy hell." He let his head drop again. "I never expected—Damn it, Lilah, that's something you should tell a man."
She moved her hands over his shoulders, closing her eyes in delight at the feel of his warm, sleek skin under her palms. "Things happened kind of fast. I didn't have a lot of time to consider the shoulds and should nots."
"There are no should nots, in this case."
"What would you have done differently, if you'd known?"
He considered that, and sighed against her shoulder. "Hell, probably nothing. There's no way in hell I would have stopped. But if I'd known, I'd have tried to slow things down, and given you more time."
"I couldn't have stood it," she said starkly. "Not one minute more."
"Yes, you could. You will. And you'll like it."
If that was a threat, it failed miserably. A tingle of excitement shot through her, sending a spark of life into her exhausted muscles. She wiggled a little. "When?"
"God," he muttered. "Not right this minute. Give me an hour."
"Okay, an hour."
His head came up again and he gave her a long, level look. "Before we get carried away again, don't you think we need to talk about birth control? Specifically, our lack of it? I doubt you're on the pill, and I don't generally carry rubbers around with me."
"No, of course I'm not on the pill, but I won't get pregnant."
"You can't be sure."
"I just finished my period two days ago. We're safe."
"Famous last words."
She sighed. She
knew
she wouldn't get pregnant, though she didn't know how to explain to him how she knew. She wasn't certain, herself. It wasn't a flash of precognition, at least not like the usual flash. It was more a sense than a knowing, but there wasn't a pregnancy in her immediate future. Next month, maybe, but not now.
She sighed. "If you're so worried, then we won't do this again, all right?"
He regarded her for a minute, then grinned. "Some chances," he said, leaning down to kiss her, "are just meant to be taken."
----
Chapter 7
They heard the outboard motor not long after dawn, when the sun had just turned the eastern sky a brilliant gold. The storms of the night had lasted longer than expected, until almost three o'clock in the morning, but now the morning sky was absolutely cloudless.
"Sounds like the cavalry is arriving," Lilah said, tilting her head to listen.
"Son of a bitch," Jackson said mildly. "I was hoping rescue would take a little longer." He took a sip of coffee. "Do I look like an enraged, frustrated sheriff who was left stranded by a turnip-brain two-bit thug, or a man who's had a night-long orgy and whose legs are as limp as noodles?"
She pretended to study him, then shook her head. "You could use some practice on the enraged and frustrated look."
"That's what I thought." Putting his cup down on the table, he stretched his arms over his head and gave her a lazy, contented grin. "Instead of arresting Thaniel, I may give him a commendation."
"What are you going to arrest him for?" she asked in surprise. "I told you I'm not pressing charges."
"Whether or not you do, he stole two boats, not just yours. What happens depends on what he's done with Jerry Watkins's boat, and what Jerry wants to do about it. If Thaniel was smart, he left the boats at the launch ramp, but then again, if he was smart he wouldn't have
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