Simply Irresistible (20 page)

“That’s okay. I have something better for you.”

Oh, boy. “Is
this
X-rated?”

He flashed that badass grin, grabbed his shirts, and took her to the second floor of the inn, in one of the bedrooms that
had been used as a storage room, gesturing to the stack of wooden crates that someone had piled there. The plan had been to
tear them up and use the wood for kindling. Jax handed her a much smaller ax than the one he’d used outside and nodded for
her to have a go.

So she gave it a shot and found that she could do this. She swung and chopped until she was shaking and sweaty and feeling
much better. “Whew,” she said, dropping the ax. “How long was that?”

“Two minutes.” He laughed at the look on her face and stepped up right behind her, dipping his head so that his mouth brushed
her ear. “You look overheated. Probably you should take off your shirt.”

He was playing with her and thought she wouldn’t dare. Something came over her at that—the exhilaration that came from discovering
a man found her sexy, maybe.
In any case, she took a deep breath and stripped out of her sweatshirt, leaving her in just a cute little baby blue tank that
she’d borrowed—okay, stolen—from Chloe.

He went still, his eyes eating her up.

With a small smile, she put a hand to the middle of his chest and pushed him back, once again grabbing the ax.

She lasted a whole minute before dropping the heavy tool and gasping for breath.

“Feeling better?” His eyes were lit with heat, amusement, and something even better. Pride.

“Getting there,” she murmured.

Stepping forward, eyes locked on hers, he swiped at a smudge on her jaw. “What would make it even better?”

She closed her eyes for a beat, swaying toward him.
You,
she thought.
In me.
That’s what would make it alllll better.

From somewhere below, Izzy barked. She was looking for her human. “You going down?” Maddie asked him.

His eyes flamed. “Any time.”

And just like that, her nipples did their Jax Happy Dance. Much as she hated to admit it, Tara had been right. He was out
of her league. She grabbed her sweatshirt and turned to go downstairs to open the door for the dog herself, but he reeled
her in until she was up against him, her back to his front. “Remember this place,” he said, voice low. “Remember where we
are. Right here, this very spot.”

“You mean here in this room, all hot and sweaty?”

His teeth nipped her ear, and she shivered.

“You keep taking those steps back,” he said. “Not enough forward.” Turning her in his arms, he lightly brushed his lips over
hers before pulling back to meet her
gaze. “Save our place,” he said quietly, all signs of teasing gone, and turned to go.

He cared about her, he liked her, just as is. Her hands caught him, brought him back, pulling him down to her. “I won’t forget.”
And then she kissed him, loving the ragged groan she wrenched from his chest. She loved the way he kissed, too. He tasted
warm and tangy sweet from the iced tea, and it was intoxicating. So was the solid feel of his body pressing into hers, making
her want to forget about her to-do list, about Tara just next door in the cottage, the dog wanting in, everything. “We have
to go,” she said.

“Uh-huh.” Dropping her sweatshirt back down to the floor, she accepted that she was making the slippery descent into oblivion
and slid her arms around his waist, losing herself in their connection.

In him.

With a rough sound, he took control, backing her to a beam. He palmed her breast, thumbing her already erect and straining
nipple over her thin tank top.

“God, you’re soft,” he said. “Soft and warm and perfect. I have to feel you again, Maddie.” His hands slid beneath the tank.
Pushing the material up, his mouth took itself on a tour along her collarbone and down, his tongue gliding over the lace of
her bra, right over her nipple as he ground his pelvis into hers.

He was big, which no longer scared her, and extremely aroused, which excited her beyond belief. “Jax.”

“I know. I can’t get enough of you.” Tugging the cups of her bra down, he licked her again, over her bared flesh this time
so that she clutched at his biceps and arched up into him. “Not even close,” he said. He gripped her
bottom, squeezed, then brought his hands around and was heading for the button on her jeans when the dog barked again.

Their eyes met, and Jax let out a breath of male frustration. “She’s got timing, I’ll give her that.” They were still both
breathing erratically when he stepped back, his eyes blazing with heat.

He wanted her. Again.
Still.
It was a powerful feeling.

“Save our place,” he repeated in a soft but direct command and was gone.

For two mornings running, Maddie and Tara did yoga. Chloe’s legacy, they decided. Plus it burned calories.

They did it in silence. Well, Tara was silent. Maddie had been asking questions like “Why did you agree to the job at Eat
Me when you wanted to leave?” and “Are we celebrating Christmas together?” and “How do you know Ford?”

None of which Tara answered.

Finally one morning Maddie sat on her yoga mat and refused to do a single pose. “Not until you answer at least one question.”

Tara sighed. “Fine. Regarding Christmas, I don’t think we should exchange gifts that cost any money, not when we’re spending
every spare penny we have on this place.”

“Fair enough,” Maddie agreed. “But expect another scarf, probably crooked. And that wasn’t the question I most wanted answered
and you know it.”

Tara sat and faced her, stretching her long, perfectly toned body. “If I answer another, you have to do the same.”

“Deal. Why didn’t you tell us about Logan?”

Tara’s cool expression crumpled. “I don’t know, probably because I didn’t want to look like a loser.”

“We’re sisters. Sisters are supposed to tell.”

“Yes, but I’m the oldest.” She went into some complicated upside-down yoga pose. “Oldest sisters are supposed to be perfect.”

“Says who?”

“Older sisters.” Tara sighed and changed positions with ease. “And I realize it’s no secret that when we first got here, all
I wanted was to get back out again. I really can’t explain why I agreed to stay. I don’t know. Temporary insanity.”

“Or… we’re growing on you.”

“Or I’m enjoying the weather.”

Maddie sighed. “So about Ford.”

“Oh, no. I just answered
two
questions. Now you. What are you doing with Jax?”

“Huh,” Maddie said. “Suddenly I’m seeing why it’s more fun to be the one asking the questions. Would you believe me if I say
I have no idea? I mean you saw me when I first got here. I didn’t want to even think about men.” She hesitated. “Problem is,
he’s hard
not
to think about.”

“If I looked like him,” Tara said. “I’d want to have sex with myself. All the time.”

Maddie laughed. “Now you sound like Chloe.”

“No need for insults.”

“She should have stayed with us.”

“Aw, you missed me.”

They turned in shock to face
Chloe.
“Hi, honey,” she said with a wave. “I’m home.”

“Already?” Tara asked. “What about New Mexico?”

“Didn’t quite get there.” Chloe rolled out her yoga mat.

“Texas?” Maddie asked, mimicking Tara’s pose so it looked like she’d been working hard all morning.

“Didn’t get there, either. Decided you two were going to have too much fun without me. Besides, I love the natural sea salt
here. I came up with an idea for a body lotion. Maddie, focus. Hold your pose.”

What, was she kidding?

“You’re moving too fast, as usual. You’re always in a hurry. Got to take a moment to smell the roses.” Chloe began to stretch,
bending in one fluid movement to lay her palms flat on the floor, legs straight.

“I’m working on other things,” Maddie said.

“Like?”

“Like changing my moniker from ‘the Mouse.’ ”

“To?” Tara asked.

“Actually, I’d like to be more like you. You know, the strong, take-no-shit Steel Magnolia.”

Chloe chortled, then zipped it when Tara sent her a narrowed gaze before turning to Maddie with clear surprise. “Sugar, you
don’t want to be like me. I’m as messed up as they come.”

“Yes, but you pretend not to be. And you, too,” Maddie said to Chloe. “I like that. And I’m starting to see it’s all in the
pretending. And the attitude. You know, act tough, be tough.”

“You going to be bitchy, too?” Chloe asked. “And say ‘bless your heart’ and do the holier-than-thou shit?”

“Or maybe she could just get whiny,” Tara said smoothly. “Or better yet, take off on her Vespa when the going gets a little
rough.”

The tension ratcheted up a notch. “Maybe I’ll do a combination,” Maddie said. “Bitchy
and
whiny, with only a dash of anxiety. We’ll call it ‘the Blend’ and make a recipe card about it for our kids.”

Both sisters stared at her for a shocked beat, then looked at each other. That was the only warning Maddie got before they
both tackled her down to the yoga mat for a wedgie.

Yeah, Maddie thought, lying there with her underwear twisted in places it shouldn’t be as Tara and Chloe got up and bumped
fists. They were really starting to gel together as a family.

M
addie sat at the desk in the marina office. It was beginning to become clear why the inn hadn’t been successful. Phoebe hadn’t
charged enough for any of the services, and sometimes, when she’d known her customers, she hadn’t charged at all.

That would have to change—assuming they got their financing, that is. And assuming that by fixing the place up, they got customers.
And that both of those things helped Maddie convince her sisters to keep the inn instead of selling. She dropped her head
to the desk and hit it lightly a few times as a man let himself into the marina building.

He was six foot four, at least two hundred and fifty pounds, and looked like Sully from Monsters Inc., minus the smile and
blue fur.

“Need to rent a boat.” His voice thundered like he’d spoken through a microphone. “Fully equipped.”

She jumped in automatic response. “Have you rented here before?”

“Yes.”

Good. So one of them knew what they were doing.

“Name’s Peter Jenkins.” He pounded his finger on her desk. “And I get a deal. Phoebe always gave me a deal.”

Since Maddie had just yesterday organized the accounts receivables, she was proud to be able to go right to the file cabinet
and locate a stack of boat rentals, where she pulled out one with his name on it.
Please have notes, please have notes…

“Make sure it’s gassed up,” he boomed. “And I’m in a hurry here.”

Yes, she was getting that. And she was getting something else—nervous as hell. He yelled when he talked. It was making her
fingers refuse to work and her brain uncooperative. Plus, she hadn’t yet studied any of their rental agreements or learned
the procedure.

“What the hell’s taking you so long?”

“I’m sorry.” She reached for the file of blank rental agreements, looking for one for the fishing boat. “I’m new at this,
so—”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” He slapped some cash onto the desk, making everything on the surface bounce. Maddie nearly jumped out
of her skin. She took a careful breath, working really hard to find her nerve. She located it about the same time she put
her fingers on the right form. “Got it—”

But he’d taken the keys off the hook on the wall and was already out the door and on the dock, stalking toward the boat.

“Hey,” she called out, grabbing the cash and stuffing
it into her pocket to add to the cash box later. It wouldn’t be difficult. The cash box was currently empty. “Excuse me!”

He’d boarded the boat by the time she caught up to him. “Mr. Jenkins, I need you to sign—”

Ignoring her, he untied the rope and pissed her off. She hopped on board before he could pull away, but as she jumped down,
the boat pitched violently.

“Stern!” he bellowed. “Stern!”

Gripping the side of the boat, Maddie crouched low and looked at the very cold water, trying not to panic as they rocked hard.
Logically she knew
stern
had to mean right or left, or maybe front or back. For all she knew, it meant go to hell, but with no idea which direction
to move, and with the boat still pitching side to side and threatening to capsize, Maddie dropped to her butt.

“Get
off
the goddamned boat!”

Oh, hell no. “Not until you sign!”

Mr. Jenkins sent her a hard, long look, but she didn’t cower.

Much.

Instead she whipped a pen out of her pocket and offered it up. He snatched the paper from her, signed it, then tossed it in
her lap. Gee, guess he was in a hurry to get rid of her. She very carefully climbed out of the boat and stood on the dock
as he headed out of the marina, muttering something about suing her for stupidity.