River on Fire (River's End #5) Page 16

  He nodded and, without another word, took her out the back door. She spotted her cabin up ahead. Empty. Or so she hoped. Joey stopped, hidden in the trees still. He hugged her to his chest and she clung to him. He kissed the top of her head.

  “When I see you next, don’t act weird. Don’t feel insecure. I like you, Hailey. I want to do this again. And for as long and as often as you’ll let us. I won’t let your kids find out. I’ll do it anyway you want. Just don’t push me away, or punish me. Promise?”

  She nodded her head. It was easy now that this intimacy filled their hearts. But what about when they were in front of others? She wasn’t sure how she could manage to accomplish his request.

  “I’ll try. It’s just, you know, with my kids around all the time… I can’t promise that I will know how to act. I’ve never dated anyone in front of them. It was always their father. There was no blushing or awkward introductions. I can’t figure out how to do this properly. But I promise I’ll try.”

  He kissed her. “Don’t worry; we’ll figure it out.”

  She didn’t really know how they would. Or when. But Joey spun around on his heels, and his jeans-clad legs looked so strong and muscular as he went down the path. Hailey’s entire body still zinged and pinged with sexual arousal, desire, release, and emotional satisfaction. Her heart felt full and heavier than anything else her body dared to feel.

  She really liked him.

  Ignoring her thoughts, she quickly escaped into her cabin. It was empty. She set about preparing to be Mom again. Showering, changing, washing her clothes, and tidying the cabin, she made coffee and breakfast so that when her little ducklings wandered in yawning, tired, cranky, and hungry, she could feed them while they told her about their fun night.

  She started an affair with another man. That made her officially no longer with their father.

  The revelation tugged her heart strings. But for the first time in years, her heart felt alive again. New. Young. Refreshed and re-pumped.

  Chapter Nine

  HAILEY SAT ON THE beach with soaking wet hair, clutching a towel around her. As always, she was trying to hide herself. She was much more self-conscious when Joey was around. Her insecurities were very real to her, having lived with them for so long, and something he couldn’t convince her to abandon. They included being with him.

  Charlie, Cami, Brianna and Jacob all frolicked happily in the water. Rosie was wading in the shallow depths, held by Allison, who was chatting with Kate, Erin, and Hailey. Their voices combined, heightened to a crescendo, lessened, and rose again as they all erupted into a collective giggle.

  It was almost the dinner hour and Joey was just getting off work. He came directly to the Rydell swimming hole, naturally assuming the hundred-and-five-degree weather would have dictated that everyone be there. And he was right. He slid down on the sand beside Hailey, which caused her to jump in surprise as her head whipped around. Her cheeks instantly flushed pink and her shoulders and neck went rigid with discomfort. He discreetly touched her lower back with a swift swipe of his hand and promptly removed all of his body parts from hers.

  “Hey,” he said softly, his lips hovering just a few inches from her ear.

  She was turning from pink to almost red in her blush and didn’t dare look back at him. “Hi,” she replied while looking down. Her reply was short, simple and almost snarled at him.

  He turned his head so his lips couldn’t be read by anyone else and muttered, “Relax. Act more naturally, or someone will catch on. You’re being way too obvious that I make you nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous,” she snapped between tightly clenched lips.

  “Oh, really? You’re so red, you could be wearing spray paint.”

  Taking in a calming breath, she let it out in concentrated, deep puffs. He wanted to touch her thigh, or grab her hand, or kiss her mouth. But no. Not here. Not now. Probably not for a long time. That was only one of many caveats about being with her. He understood that clearly now. He was thoroughly prepared to act mature and not only live with it, but accept it without any argument and be kind about it. “How was your day?” he asked to distract her.

  “Hot.”

  His lips quirked up. She caught on. “I mean, sweltering hot. And nothing to do with you, Joey Rydell.” She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “We spent the entire afternoon sitting in the river. I only just got out.”

  “Good idea. This oppressive heat is even a bit much for me. I hid all day in my office, huddled beside the air conditioner.” He flashed a grin and stood up to slip off his shirt, carefully tucking his sunglasses into the shirt pocket. Her gaze rose to watch him and she couldn’t divert her eyes from lingering on his chest. He grinned at her. Flushing with shame, she immediately looked down and seemed to concentrate on her toes, now digging deeper in the hot, white sand. Passing by her very casually, Joey started up a conversation with Kate before jumping into the water.

  Joey surfaced, refreshed and wet, and he and Erin spent a good twenty minutes discussing Bella Ray, the horse Jack was teaching them how to train. Taking a break from the relentless heat, they switched their workouts to the early mornings now. Standing in waist-height water, they were talking so easily. It was nice after all these years to have a natural ease develop between them like they were always just friends. That was owing mostly to the daily training sessions with Jack as their guide and warden. His presence alone did wonders to help them move beyond their brief tryst and simply accept it. Few brothers had the privilege of knowing the bedroom sounds made by their sister-in-law when she was turned on, or turning her partner on, but it was something Joey tried to banish into the far corners of his mind. His aim was to forget all about it. He had plenty of good memories to replace it with, benign, platonic memories. He so rarely looked Erin in the eye or let his eyes linger on her form anymore.

  Glancing up when the sound of Jack’s voice interrupted them, he swam out to where they stood on a sandbar, rapt in conversation. Jack did not hesitate for a second or seem the least bit concerned about anyone finding Erin and Joey together. During the last two years, they’d progressed so far from that. Hailey stood up, capturing Joey’s complete attention despite how hard he tried to keep up his end of the conversation with Erin. Hailey let her towel slide down her legs to the sand. She wasn’t trying to be seductive, and Joey clearly understood that. But his lower half seemed to miss something. It instantly began to rise and stand at attention despite the cool water engulfing him. He was very glad for the cover the water provided; no one could see his secret response. Wearing a green swimsuit, in a soft minty shade that drew out the blond strands in her hair, Hailey touched the water cautiously before grabbing an inner tube. Tucking herself neatly inside it, she pushed off the river bottom and began to float along effortlessly.

  She stopped near Charlie and Jacob and they talked and laughed with her for longer than ten minutes, which would’ve been impossible before then. Joey watched her all the while, discreetly trying not to let his brother see him gawking at her. The boys started an impromptu game of water tag. Joey was drawn into it, as usual. He was always the fun uncle and the first one invited to play games and pranks, like jumping off the big rock, floating down the river, and throwing unsuspecting people into the water. They soon had the entire area awash in a wet, splashing, laughing game. The women got in on it. Some began hiding up on the beach behind plants and rocks, while others just grabbed each other and dragged them kicking and screaming back into the water.

  Joey didn’t miss his opportunity to grab Hailey around the waist and pull her against him as he carried her into the water. He even copped a quick feel, and showed her a grin when she scowled her silent warning. But that was not before he saw her catch her breath. He dunked her under the water and her grin was huge when she surprised him by copping her own feel under the water. He almost let go of her, he was so shocked. Her naughty smile only added to his torture; he ached to haul her onshore and… None of his fantasies could be indulged.
Not with four teens and a half dozen other adults hanging around. Knowing that, he had to let her go and pretend Kate was his quarry.

  Brianna was “it” and naturally spent all her time trying to get Joey. She pushed him too far, and while trying to avoid her grabby hands, he swam downriver towards the big rock that jutted up a good fifteen feet. He held the base of it, then swam around and hid. The spot he chose was impossible for anyone to see from the swim beach. He was nearly flabbergasted when Brianna slipped around the rock and trapped him there.

  She stood up in a shallower spot with the water dripping off her youthful, supple body and the sun shining like gold off her tan. He retreated as far as he could before the massive rock dug into his back. Stepping forward until she was nearly on top of him, she boldly grabbed his arm.

  “Uh, fine, you got me. I’m ‘it.’ You’d better turn around now and swim for it. I’ll give you a twenty-second head start.”

  But no. Nothing doing. Nope, that was the furthest thing from her mind. Her eyes gleamed and she stepped even closer to Joey. The waist-deep water had him pinned with her so close. He’d have to touch her just to get around her and the last thing he wanted was that.

  “I don’t want to get away from you.”

  Joey swallowed hard, nearly gulping. It was so gross. She was no more than a freaking little kid suddenly making goo-goo eyes at him. His body was almost splayed against the rock in his effort to avoid touching her. He had to restrain her shoulders with his hands to physically stop her advance. “Brianna, back off. What you’re doing is totally inappropriate. And also unwanted.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.”

  Joey’s only defense was to put his arms straight out and physically holding her away from him. “But it is. I am not interested. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

  Perhaps he was a little too harsh but she gave him no other choice. She was wet and slick. Her hair dripped water down her face and neck as her breasts strained in their confinement by the flimsy bikini material. Joey kept his gaze politely pinned above her head. He showed no reaction to her attempts at seduction. He was relieved it wasn’t faked; since he had zero interest in her.

  “That’s just because of my stupid mother. Don’t worry; she won’t do anything. She’ll never know.”

  As if he’d ever go after a fifteen-year-old girl. Let alone trust her to keep anything a secret. He contorted his face into a stern sneer, very similar to the one he gave Cami two years ago when she tried to go after him. “I don’t like little girls! Hear me. I don’t want you. I’m not attracted to you. Nothing. Nada. Go away, Brianna, your behavior is grossly inappropriate and you’re making me very uncomfortable.”

  “If it were a few years from now, it wouldn’t matter. Men often date eighteen- or nineteen-year-olds. It’s totally common and accepted.”

  “But you are not eighteen or nineteen. You’re still a little girl. No matter what you think you are. You are not of the age of consent. And any man who would take you up on what you’re offering me deserves a long jail sentence. In my opinion, they should have their junk cut off to end their predatory behavior. It’s gross. Okay? Taking advantage of young girls like you? Not cool. So back the fuck off before I have to force you to.”

  Her face scrunched up with wonder. “What do you mean, ‘force you to’?”

  “I mean, physically remove you from this vicinity and totally humiliate you. I don’t want to, Brianna, but I will if you don’t back off right now.”

  She bit her lip and her eyes filled with tears as she bent her head forward. He sighed. Was it an act? Maybe, but he wouldn’t relent or pull her in for a hug, not even a pat of condolence. He nearly groaned out loud when her freaking mother, his potential girlfriend, suddenly appeared treading water around the rock. She was looking for them. Of course, she had her eagle eyes on them for the entire length of time they’d been gone. Yeah, duh! Naturally, she was wondering what was going on. There she found them: Joey with his hands on Brianna’s shoulders, forcibly holding her away from him, although it might have appeared as if he intended to hug her. They were tucked against the rock, well away from prying eyes, and in nearly complete privacy.

  He pushed Brianna back, raising his hands in innocence. Palms flat, his hands in the air, he explained, “She followed me here, I was just trying to get her away from me.” There was no way of sugarcoating it. Brianna had gone way beyond too far. If she’d been a boy, even a young one, and cornered a girl that way, it would have been considered legal sexual assault. Brianna had to stop cornering men like that, especially older ones. And the reality was that Hailey had to be aware of it and do something about it before Brianna seduced some old pervert, or got herself into a dangerous sexual or other nefarious situation in which she couldn’t defend herself.

  Hailey’s lips pursed and her eyes flashed with anger. But she kept her tone even and cool. “Brianna? Did you hear him? What do you think you’re doing?”

  “He’s exaggerating, Mom. We were just playing around.”

  Little did Brianna know that Hailey believed Joey and knew he wasn’t playing around with her daughter. He was convinced Hailey understood that much about him. Hailey shut her eyes, standing on the sandy bottom, with only her neck and shoulders showing above the surface.

  “No. No, Brianna, he wasn’t playing around with you. He’s been crystal clear all along. You’re the only one initiating any flirtation, and these constant advances are totally unwelcome. So beyond the general inappropriateness of it, including an age difference that could land him in jail, he isn’t interested. You need to back off. Go. Now. We’ll discuss this later.”

  Brianna glared at her mother in a death stare. Joey itched to add something even more scathing to the bratty girl, but seeing the pain in Hailey’s eyes kept him quiet. He sensed the situation was eating her up and if he voiced his real thoughts, it could only hurt her more. Brianna was her teenaged daughter and he’d have to find a way to deal with her.

  Brianna swam off down the river, aiming for the shallower middle as she walked up the rippling current. Hailey peeked around the rock and kept her eyes zeroed in on her until she was across the water and had joined everyone else. Then, all at once, Hailey’s entire body sagged. She dropped her head and shook it as her shoulders fell forward.

  Joey swept her up, holding her next to his chest. He tucked her against him, letting her head rest at his neck. She grabbed him, her arms clutching him in near desperation. “She was practically molesting you.”

  “Pretty close,” he agreed, but his tone was soft and quiet. He was sorry. Full of regret.

  “If she finds out about… us… oh, my God…” Her head shook back and forth. “It will make everything so much worse for her.”

  Feeling helpless, he kissed her head. “I know. But she doesn’t have to find out.”

  “What if she does? And what kind of mother…”

  “Don’t go there, Hailey. Don’t take her aggressive actions towards me, which are totally unwelcome, and use them as the reason why you should not be with me. We are both adults. Together, we are consenting adults. She is not. She is a kid, Hailey. Maybe if this were three years from now, we would be having a different conversation. But now? Right now? It’s not. She’s a kid who has no business doing what she just did. And yeah, you gotta address that sooner than later. I’m not kidding you. She’ll find an old pervert to shack up with, or get herself arrested for assault if she doesn’t stop now. And as for us? Don’t let her decide about us. You aren’t doing anything wrong by being attracted to me. Or me to you. She is in the wrong on every level. And no offense, but it was already much worse between you two.”

  Hailey sighed deeply against his chest. “I think I need to consult her father on this.”

  Joey kept still. She finally lifted her face up, and locked her gaze on his. “She’s gone too far this time. This stunt here…”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty bold.” His heart sunk to his feet. So soon were their ages, her kids, an
d her ex already coming between them. Joey had no foundation with her yet, and already they were facing serious issues. Despite all that, he felt a desperate need to clutch her closer to him. He wanted nothing more than a long-term relationship with her. Not just sex. Not one time. Not even a few times. His feelings for her sometimes threatened to arrest his breathing, they were so big and deep and real; yet here she was now, already unsure.

  “I need to make another appearance. If anyone realizes where I am…”

  Joey let her go. His heart was heavy. Leaning down, he kissed her lips, long and hard. She dissolved into putty under his tenderness and undivided attention.

  “Don’t forget there is something here too. Something we both deserve.”

  “Not at the expense of my daughter. Maybe you can’t understand—”

  He pressed his finger to her lips in a gentle hint for her to stop talking. “I can actually, I can understand. So please, quit insulting me. I’m younger, yeah, but I’m not a freaking idiot. I know she comes first. I just don’t want her to be the deciding factor in what you and I do about us.”

  “There isn’t an us.”

  “There most definitely is an us.”

  She stared into his eyes, her breathing growing shallower as her chest rose and fell. Her hair was all slicked back, and whatever makeup she previously had on was rinsed off by the water. He ran his hand through her slicked back hair and pulled her forward again until their foreheads touched. “I’ve had enough one-night stands and hollow relationships to know the difference. In fact, until last night, that’s all I’ve ever had. So I can tell the difference even if you can’t. And I won’t call it anything less than what it is. There is an us. I want there to be an us, despite every reason you come up with for why you think you don’t. And as for your kids? Naturally, they’re just part of the whole deal. I know that, Hailey. I’m ready and willing to deal with whatever that entails. And keeping us a secret is the first thing I know it entails.”