Chapter 15

Kenna

Holy shit. My very bones had gone liquid. From the beer, the sun, the man with the magical tongue kneeling between my legs. As I gazed up at the canopy, my eyes blinking the world back into focus, I reminded myself that it was Friday, a workday. Normally, I'd have my fifth cup of coffee growing cold on my desk while I put out yet another publishing fire like genitals in a kids' book. Somehow I'd transported to a whole new world where afternoon boat rides and dirty dancing in the warm summer sun were par for the course.

"My first orgasm," I murmured, bringing my head back down to see Dec getting to his feet and wiping his mouth.

His gaze snagged on my face, his eyes widening.

I realized what I'd said. Out loud. Shit.

"No! Not my first orgasm ever," I said quickly, sitting up in the chair and adjusting my bathing suit. "Just…first post-divorce orgasm." Like that was any better.

Dec shifted on his bare feet, leaning down to swipe up his hat and plop it back on his head. "Happy to be of service." His tone was indecipherable. Was he mad? Awkward? Regretting it already?

"Sorry," I gushed, standing but having to grab the back of the captain's chair when my legs decided they weren't ready to function yet. "I shouldn't be talking about my soon-to-be ex."

Dec's mouth tipped up into a soft smile. He stepped closer, cupping my face in his calloused hands. "One day, he won't be your first thought." Then he let me go, spinning to walk over to where the rope held the anchor in place. "Now, get your things situated so I can get us back to the dock."

His words echo through my skull, shame spiraling through me. What was I doing with another man when I was still technically married? And more importantly, how could I do those things with Dec and bring up Justin right after? That wasn't fair at all to Dec. I watched his muscles flex and bounce as he pulled the anchor up. I was attracted to him, which wasn't hard to figure out. He was an attractive man. But lately I'd found myself being attracted to the man himself, not just his superior exterior.

I bent to pick up my towel where I'd dropped it when Dec pulled me up to dance, and stowed it in my bag. My head was a mess, and now I'd made things awkward between us. Dec stowed the anchor and then had a seat in the captain's chair, firing up the engines. After I put my bag on the floor in the corner of the boat, Dec hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. His thumb swept across my midsection, over and over until I relaxed back against him.

"That's better," he murmured in my ear, his deep grumble enough to send a shiver through me.

He pushed the throttle forward and the boat cut through the water. The spoil disappeared behind us as we zoomed toward Sunshine Key. It was impossible not to feel how hard Dec was beneath me with every bounce of the boat. Shame mixed with guilt. He'd given me an incredible orgasm and I'd left him in this unfulfilled condition.

"I'm sorry!" I shouted over the wind, holding my hair so it wouldn't whip him in the face.

He slowed the boat. "For what?"

I bit my lip. I hadn't talked to another man about sex in so many years I'd forgotten how to speak at all. "Um, well, you know." I glanced down at his lap, and after a moment, he huffed out a laugh.

"Kenna, stop worrying so much. I'm a grown-ass adult. I won't die from not ejaculating."

My cheeks burned. "I know, but?—"

His arm pulled tight around my waist, cutting me off. "I got just as much out of that as you, so stop worrying."

I studied him for a moment over my shoulder, finally convinced that he wasn't mad. Or upset. Or anything other than relaxed after a fun day at a deserted island. "Okay," I said quietly.

He gave me a rare smile and then pressed on the throttle, the water flying behind us as we zoomed toward the docks. I sat back against his bare chest, thoughts all over the place. I didn't want to compare the two, because there was really no comparison at all, but I was starting to see that my marriage had cracks in it. Way more than I ever saw before. Justin hadn't always waited for me to come before he did. I'd somehow believed that his orgasm mattered more than my own. With Dec, he derived pleasure from seeing me satisfied.

By the time Dec showed me how to help him tie up the boat and we drove home, I was exhausted. The sun and the beer had made me so sleepy I almost nodded off on the way home. Dec's low chuckle had my eyes flying open. We were parked in my driveway.

He stifled a grin as he looked at me. "I planned such a good date you're falling asleep on me."

I reached across the console and put my hand on the back of his neck. The clasp of the black cord he always wore dug into my hand as I tugged on him. He met me halfway, our lips clinging to each other in an urgent kiss. He gentled the kiss, plucking quickly at my lips.

"Get inside before I change my mind about being a grown-ass adult," he growled.

I grinned, letting him go. I liked Dec's growl and vowed to get him to do it as much as humanly possible. Dec came around to help me out of the truck, holding my hand, but keeping his distance. He didn't kiss me again at my door and I tried not to be disappointed.

I was up with the sun the next morning, dressed in another pair of Sunshine Key shorts and an old T-shirt I sometimes wore to bed. The doorbell rang out right on time. I ran to the door and opened it to see an ash-blond young man standing there in shorts and T-shirt, a smile below the floppy hair.

"Hey, I'm Liam."

I stuck out my hand and we shook. "Hi, Liam. I'm Kenna. Did your mom tell you about what I'm trying to do?" I stepped back, letting him inside where the air-conditioning was already cranking.

"She did. I also stopped and picked up the paint you ordered, along with brushes and rollers and more tape." Liam turned in a circle, taking in the place. "Wow. It's like stepping into a time machine."

I snorted softly. "You should have seen the wallpaper." I motioned him to follow me into the living room. "I tarped off the fireplace last night and put all the plants and furniture in the middle of the room. You want to cut in and I'll roll?"

Liam looked around before settling his green gaze back on me. "Actually, Mr. Boggs said he and Harley would be over to help out today too. Maybe you can just get the next few rooms ready for paint while we do this one?"

That was news to me. I'd only told Dec that Liam was coming over today to help out around the place. "Oh! Well, um, sure."

Liam had barely gotten the supplies ready when the doorbell rang again and suddenly the house was filled with Harley's booming voice and Dec's deep grumble. When I came into the living room, I caught Dec's gaze on my ass. When I raised my eyebrow at him, he shot me a wink. He had a love/hate relationship with these shorts, I knew.

"Kenna!" Harley gave me a bear hug, then kept his arm around my shoulder, mostly to piss off Dec. It was working based on the death glare his best friend gave him. I elbowed Harley in the ribs and he finally let go with a raspy chuckle.

We all worked side by side for a few hours before my back protested all the bending over and pushing of furniture. I already had two blisters on my hands and a headache from the smell of fresh paint. Stepping back into the living room, I gasped. The three males had painted the entire thing, along with a fresh coat of white on the ceiling. No more mint-green and coral walls. The light gray looked amazing against the hardwood floors and the blue of the ocean view out the expansive glass sliders.

Tears blurred my vision. This house had been a nightmare when I first walked in, but it was growing on me. A little paint, less wallpaper, an updated kitchen, and it would be stunning. I felt Dec's hand on my lower back.

"Happy or sad tears?" he asked under his breath. I swiveled to look at him, seeing concern on his face.

"Happy." I sucked in a deep breath and reined in my emotions. "Who's up for pizza?"

Harley and Liam cheered. Dec pressed a kiss to the side of my head before leaving my side to help the guys clean up. I called in a pizza delivery, ordering three times what I thought we'd eat, figuring I'd save the leftovers. The doorbell rang just ten minutes later. I swung it open, thinking the pizza deliverers must be magical, but Laurie stood on my doorstep, her signature long skirt fluttering in the ocean breeze.

"Laurie!" I gave her a hug, then stepped back to let her in.

"I hope you don't mind me stopping by. I can help or simply be a runner for food." She held up her hand, a six-pack of beer held aloft. "Figured the adult boys would appreciate this."

Those tears that I'd held at bay threatened again. I didn't know Laurie well and yet she'd come over to offer her assistance to a stranger. People here in Sunshine Key were different. Accepting of an outsider, even if they initially gave me some crap for being a Californian.

"Thank you! I'd love your opinion on some decorative things, actually."

I gave her a brief tour of the house. The pizza came shortly after and we all sat on the flamingo chairs in the dining room, the boys telling stories about Maeve while we ate and drank.

"Do you remember when she bought a Jet Ski and started doing donuts? Said the waves would attract the dolphins to come in closer to shore." Harley almost choked on his beer. "I thought she died."

Dec started giggling and it was the best sound I'd ever heard. "She flew right off the damn Jet Ski. I'll never get over seeing her body flying through the air. We ran into the water and pulled her out, her dark hair covering her face."

Harley continued the story, wiping at his eyes. "I wasn't sure if we'd have to do mouth-to-mouth, but she came out of the water laughing. The stubborn woman got right back on and did it again."

"Thing is, she was right. Two dolphins came swimming up right outside her house after she finally cut the engine and climbed off." Dec shook his head, still grinning. "Maeve was one of a kind."

Laurie pulled her mass of hair on top of her hair and secured it with a hair tie. "She bought my first painting after the divorce," she said softly. "Maeve was always the first to support another woman."

Liam piped up. "I don't know, Mom. I think she supported everyone. She always bought my coupon book when we sold them door-to-door to fund our football team."

"I wish I'd been able to get to know her," I said quietly, the ache pulling on my chest. "I feel like living here, amongst her friends and in her house, is helping."

Dec's head tilted. "Might be why she did what she did with her will."

I smiled, but it was sad. My aunt had been thinking of me, even at the end. Sadly, I'd never get to tell her thank you. Never get to tell her that her gift had plucked me out of a nightmare of a life and given me another chance.

Liam clapped his hands. "We still have two bedrooms to paint."

Laurie rolled her eyes at her son while Harley and Dec groaned. "Such a taskmaster, Lima bean."

Liam grimaced. "Mom." He whined like only a teenager can when their parent embarrasses them.

We all got back to work, and Laurie had a fantastic idea for the wall remaining around the glass slider leading to the back porch.

"I want to paint a mural for Maeve. A vibrant green landscape of tropical plants."

Immediately, I hugged Laurie. "That would be perfect," I whispered in her ear. A way to honor my aunt Maeve in this house of hers. I wanted to update it, not obliterate all traces of her.

It was hard work, but we got two bedrooms done before everyone called it a day. It was hard work, but I was having fun. It felt like this place, these people, might be my home more than San Francisco ever was. Harley left with half of a leftover pepperoni pizza. Laurie and Liam left with a tray of cookies I'd baked last night with promises to come back soon to finish the mural and paint the other rooms. I'd sent money to Liam's bank account, making sure I paid him well above minimum wage for his labor. From what he'd told me while we worked, he had to raise enough money to buy new football gear this year as he'd outgrown all his old equipment. I had enough projects around the house to get him that gear if he wanted.

Dec stayed behind, waving them goodbye and closing the door when they were gone. He spun around and pinned me with a hot gaze.

"Those fucking shorts," he grumbled before rolling his eyes.

Feeling playful and light and happy, I turned around and shook my ass in his direction. He lunged for me and I shrieked, running into the newly painted living room. Earlier, I'd pulled off the plastic from the couch now that the paint was dry, which turned out to be a good thing because Dec tackled me onto it. My lungs were heaving with laughter and exhaustion.

We finally stilled, Dec settled between my legs as we lay tangled up on the soft couch. He lowered his head and kissed me, everything turning hot and desperate the second our lips touched. His tongue dipped inside as our hands roamed. I groaned, or maybe he did, but suddenly his lips were gone, his weight frozen on top of me. I blinked my eyes open to see him breathing heavy, arms trembling as he held himself away from me.

"What?" I gasped, trying to pull him back down.

He gave a quick shake of his head. "I don't want to put pressure on you any more than I have already. I know you have a lot to figure out in your life and I don't want to complicate that." He pushed away and sat up, careful not to touch me.

I sighed and sat up too, curling my legs under me. He wasn't wrong about any of that except for one thing. "You're not putting pressure on me."

His head swiveled, his brown eyes burning into me.

I sat up on my knees, reaching for him. "I like who I am around you. Around Sunshine Key. Stay." I crawled onto his lap, my arms around his neck.

He held himself stiff as a board for a few seconds and then softened with a sigh. Then his hands dove into my hair and he kissed me again. Lighter this time. More exploratory without the frenzy behind it. We eventually slid back down to lie entangled on the couch, lazy kisses and murmurs between us until we fell asleep in each other's arms.

At some point in the night, he picked me up and carried me to bed, sliding in behind me like a warm blanket of comfort. I slept like a woman whose life wasn't falling apart, but coming together again.

Liz: My bag is already half packed.

Me: YES. Come see me! I have so much to tell you.

Liz: Please tell me you've become "friendly" with your next-door neighbor.

Me: Still married, Lizzy.

Liz: No. You're separated. It's the no-man's-land of marriage. Neither married nor divorced, but definitely green-lighted for other people.

Me: In all seriousness, would I be a hussy if I got involved with a man right now? Isn't it a little soon?

Liz: Babe, you haven't been involved with a man in years.

Me: Ouch. Another truth bomb.

Liz: Said with love. Always.