Forever, Jack (26 page)

Cap’n Dan
glided us slowly along the no wake zone toward the open sound, the cool salty wind whipping errant strands of hair into my eyes.

“I wish Monica was here,” Devon said. “She loves the water. Loves being on a boat.”

“Where is she?” I asked.

“She’ll be here next week, we had a couple of projects we were finishing up.”

“So what are we doing?” asked Jazz. “I’m happy to just lounge on the boat, but are we doing something specific?”

“I wanted to get here and check out the spots our locations department had listed.” Devon answered her.

“So, you’re just approving them or something?” Jazz asked.

“Well, normally we go with the locations people, but Jack thought we could make a day of it and check a few other places out ourselves.” He glanced at Jack, and they exchanged a look.

Jazz caught my eye, and winked.

“Do you know anything about
Marsh Tacky
horses?” Jack asked me.

“Well, they’re local and in danger of extinction. I think there are less than three hundred left,” I offered.

He nodded. “Yeah, they date back to the Spanish colonials and are really sturdy and good in swampy water, so they’ll be perfect for the movie, we think.”

“That’s right,” Jazz said, lying back on one of the white cushions to get more sun. It was chilly out on the water despite the clear bright sky. “I heard they have Marsh Tacky races on the beach on Daufuskie Island. It’s coming up in a few weeks, I think.”

“Yep, that’s where we’re headed,” Devon said. “Normally they come on a barge the morning of the event from surrounding stables.”

“Damn, that must be a sight to see,” Joey added.

Jack twisted his ball cap around to the back. “I spoke to a local guy who keeps a few on the island.” He dropped his shades a second and caught my eye. “So that’s what we’re headed to do today. Race horses on the beach.”

“Oh my God, seriously?” Jazz squealed. “That is so freaking cool!”

Not to mention apparently quite dangerous, and the sum total of my riding experience was … nil. I swallowed nervously.
Wow
.

Daufuskie Island was only accessible by boat, making it uniquely sheltered from massive development. The stable owner’s land was right next to the beach, nestled among massive pines, palmettos, and ancient, sprawling Live Oaks strewn with Spanish moss. We could see the ocean glittering through the pines from where we were standing on the crunchy brown pine straw that carpeted the ground.

“It’s typical that someone from California would be the one to show us what a freaking amazing part of the world we live in,” said Joey. He nudged Jack as a local
Gullah
boy walked a chestnut Stallion over to us.

Devon left us to speak to the stable owner about permission to film and get the skinny on the logistics of using the barge to bring film equipment.

“Who dun’ gunna rai dis ‘un?” the boy holding the horse asked us in his
Gullah
dialect. He looked about twelve, young but sinewy under his deep dark skin.

The horse was handsome and strong looking. Jazz and I both found ourselves stepping back a bit as the boy tied its lead rope loosely on the split rail fence.

Jack looked at my brother blankly.

“Oh, sorry. He asked who wanted to ride this horse first.”

“I think you and I should race first,” Jack said. “Show the girls how it’s done. Maybe make a wager.”

“This guy wants to date my sister,” Joey told the boy and then pointed at me.

The boy looked at me, then at Jack. He jerked his head for Joey to follow him, and they exchanged a few murmurs, before the boy ran off over the pine straw.

“What the hell was that about?” I asked Joey.

“He said he’s getting me a faster horse.”

Jazz snorted with laughter.

“Uh, Joey,” I said, my eyebrows raised in amusement. “When was the last time you rode a horse?”

“What? You think I can’t beat this pansy-ass actor?”

Jazz lost it, doubling over with giggles. “Did you—”

“You’re on.” Jack aimed my brother a serious look before Jazz could finish. “If I win, I get to stay here on the island tonight with your sister. Alone.”

I gasped out a breath then clamped my jaw shut.

Jazz promptly stopped laughing. “Shit, that was hot,” she murmured at me.

No kidding.

Joey seemed to be weighing it up. Then his horse was led out of the barn. A muscly black horse that skittered sideways and pulled on his lead. “It’s a deal.”

We followed behind as boys and horses were led down to the beach and into the bright sun.

The race, which was marked out with rope, was to comprise a four hundred yard sprint, followed by a wade into the water around a small buoy, and then back. I was nervous to watch. It was notoriously difficult to maneuver the Marsh Tackies around turns without falling.

Jack toed off his shoes and socks, sliding his bare feet into the sand. He gathered his t-shirt behind his head, giving me a peek at his beautiful stomach.
Oh yes, please please take it off.
Then he pulled it over his head, leaving me with a dry mouth and sweaty palms.

My brother followed suit.

Jazz made a soft sound next to me.

Where Jack was chiseled and lean, Joey was no less fit but slightly broader with thicker arms and shoulders.

“Oh my …” Jazz got her phone out. “I’ve got to get this on video. It might be the hottest damn thing I’ve ever seen. Like, ever. I’m rarely speechless, but this might just do it. In the immortal words of Lana Del Rey:

“Oh that grace,

Oh that body,

Oh that face,

Makes me want to party …”
she sang for my ears only.

“How do we get on without a saddle and stirrups,” Joey asked.

Jack walked over and created a stirrup with his hands for Joey and helped him up. Then he walked back with a smirk, held onto the mane of his horse, and leaped up onto its back in one smooth motion.

Oh. My. God.

Jazz squeaked. “I think I just orgasmed.”

“Shut up, Jazz,” I managed, and swallowed thickly.

“If I win?” asked Joey, looking a bit disgruntled and more determined than ever. His horse skittered to the side, ignoring the soothing tones of the boy holding his leading rein.

“You won’t. There’s too much riding on it for me. ‘Scuse the pun.” His eyes found mine.

I held Jack’s eyes a moment before he winked and looked back at Joey.

My brother flushed. “If I win, you can stay on this damn island
alone
.” He glared at the stable hand who was standing next to them as the Race Starter. “When you’re ready.”

My eyes roamed down Jack’s bare torso to a tendril of black ink sneaking out over the waistband of his underwear that was visible above his worn blue jeans. The tattoo that covered his scarred skin caused by his father. His hands were curled into the mane, his biceps flexing. His powerful leg rested on the side of the chestnut horse, ending in bare feet and the tattoo of the beautiful little sea turtle. Jack had marked his body four times … once to cover his painful childhood memories, once to celebrate the leap in his career to megastar, the thin chain of ink on his ankle I’d never asked about, and once … to remember me.

I didn’t get a chance to think on that further as a loud, “Hah!” rendered the air and both horses were smacked on their rumps and took off.

Jack immediately leaned in, gripping the horse with his entire body, muscles rippling. But Joey was on a much faster horse, and what Joey lacked in style as a rider was more than compensated for.

The black horse looked to be pulling into the lead. Joey threw a look over his shoulder at Jack, his blond hair whipping into his eyes.

Jazz mewed next to me. “Go, Joey,” she yelled, her phone pointing straight ahead.

“Are you seriously cheering for me not to get laid tonight?” I laughed incredulously. “Go on, Jack!” I screamed out.

“Didn’t realize you were ready to ride the horse again, so to speak.” She giggled.

“Maybe I’ve changed my mind.”

“But seriously, this is like the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

We both looked at each other, and then screamed and cheered for our respective guys.

Joey reached the end of the first sprint and turned the horse into the water. It waded into the surf. On the turn, however, Joey had slipped down the side of the horse and was now battling to get himself righted. Jack came in after him. They made it around the buoy, the horses almost to their flanks. I don’t know why I hadn’t taken a picture before now, but I slid my phone out of my back pocket and aimed it at Jack, taking a shot just as he pulled into the lead ahead of Joey.

He leaned down close to the horse and dipped his head in the water wetting it. And then stayed down urging the horse on as it emerged out into the shallow surf and then the sand. With a squeeze of Jack’s now waterlogged and dark blue thighs, the horse took off again as soon as it hit dry sand.

Joey was out of the water too now, and his horse was gaining. Joined by a couple of spectators from the stable and Devon, who’d just sauntered up, Jazz and I yelled and jumped up and down.

I was impressed with Joey’s riding actually, he’d done some growing up and had a job at a stable one summer, but I didn’t think he’d actually be able to pull off bareback racing.

And Jack? There were no words for how I felt about what I was witnessing. It was a purely physical reaction.

Joey got within a head of Jack, and I screamed louder, my voice breaking as I jumped up and down. They crossed the finish line in front of us, Jack narrowly keeping his lead.

A cheer went up from everyone just from the sheer joy of the spectacle.

Both Jack and Joey slowed their horses a ways further down the beach and slid from their mounts, panting and grinning as they grabbed each other in a hand shake, and then bumped shoulders with a back slap.

Their joy and exhilaration was written all over their faces. All wagers and tensions forgotten.

As I watched, grinning like an idiot, they sauntered back, talking. Jack grabbed Joey’s hand again, and as the stable hand led the horses away, pulled him in, saying something in his ear. Joey nodded, flicking his eyes to me, before shaking Jack’s hand and clapping his shoulder again.

Then Jack turned to me and just pointed. His eyes were dancing, his dimples fully deployed, and I ran. I ran to the sound of catcalls and whistles and launched into Jack’s arms.

“Oof,” he croaked then groaned as my legs wrapped around him and I hugged him tight. We hugged like that for several long minutes, the briny smell of surf and Jack’s warm body permeating all my thoughts.

“That was incredible,” I said finally. “It’s safe here right? To hug you? I mean this place is isolated, and I’m not sure the locals are going to be posting pictures to the Web.”

“Yeah,” he murmured in my ear. “That’s why I want to stay here with you tonight. That okay?”

“I suppose,” I said coyly. He pulled back to look at me and I quickly added, “Yes.”

“We don’t have to do anything.” He bumped his nose against mine. “I just want to be with you for a night and not have you worried about anyone seeing us. The boat can take everyone back, and return in the morning to get us back before your lunch shift.”

I hugged him tight again and unwrapped my legs. He lowered me to the ground, and we headed back to join the others. None of us raced like the boys had, but we all took turns riding along the beach and walking in the waves. Jazz and I agreed it was without a doubt the coolest day ever. Jazz looked like a gypsy princess with her long print shirt hiked up to her thighs as she rode and colorful bands around her ankles and wrists. To my satisfaction, Joey couldn’t keep his eyes off her. I looked up from the horse I was riding in the surf with a huge grin and caught Jack taking a picture of me with his phone.

All was fair I supposed.

After the horses, we went back out on the boat. Changing into swimsuits, we ate our sandwiches and explored the perimeter of the island. We stopped as close as the boat could get to a small sand bar that had emerged with the low tide, and after much persuading and cajoling from every one else who’d already jumped over board into the frigid water, I did the same.