Summer on Lovers' Island (Jewell Cove 3)

He swam out a long way, then turned around and came back, riding the waves and the tide. Lizzie reached for her T-shirt and pulled it on, without the wet bikini top, and did the same with her shorts. Then she laughed at herself for feeling so naughty for going commando.

When Josh stepped out of the ocean, she could see that the cold water and physical activity had done their job in defusing the situation.

Wordlessly she got up, picked his trunks up from the blanket, and handed them over.

“Thanks,” he said, pulling them on awkwardly. They were still damp from the first swim.

“Josh, I—”

“Don’t say a word,” he cautioned. “I want to remember that exactly the way it was.”

At the time she’d been caught in the moment, wrapped up in her own desire. Now she felt rather … silly.

“We’re adults,” he stated. “With needs. And I find you really, really hot.”

She felt her cheeks flush, and it wasn’t just because she hadn’t reapplied sunscreen. “Right. And it’s not like either of us is looking for a marriage proposal.”

“God no.” Josh laughed, then reached for her hand and pulled her close. “Look, no one even has to know. I heard what you said, about us working together. I respect that. We’ll be one hundred percent professional at work, I promise.”

Great. The words were right, so why did they feel wrong? Maybe because he was suggesting sneaking around? They weren’t fourteen or anything.

And yet she knew she didn’t want her private life to be public knowledge, whether she was fooling around with Josh Collins or not.

“Hey,” he said quietly, and he lifted her chin with a finger. “If you’re not up to this, it can end here. We can go back to Jewell Cove and be like this never happened. I mean … it’s not that I want that, but I understand if you do.”

More confused than ever, she pulled away and moved to tidy up their things. “Can I take some time to think about it?” she asked.

“Of course you can.”

He sat down on the blanket once more and patted the spot in front of him. “Come here.”

Hesitantly, Lizzie dropped to the blanket. Josh adjusted his position so tha

t he was sitting behind her, and then put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back against him. “Relax,” he whispered in her ear.

She let out a breath. “I’ll try.”

“You were pretty relaxed a few minutes ago.” He looped his arms around her, cuddling her close. The afternoon was waning and the heat had mellowed, along with the breeze. Lizzie wondered what it would be like to spend the whole day here, build a fire, have a clambake or something. When Josh held her like this, the world of suspensions and illness and messed-up relationships ceased to exist.

She rested her head against the hollow of his shoulder and eased the tension out of her muscles.

“Thank you, Josh. For bringing me out here today.”

“You’re welcome.” He chuckled softly. “You needed it.”

She turned her head a bit. “Um, you probably did, too. And I didn’t help you out much there.”

She could see his eyes and they shone at her with laughter. “You keep an open mind and you’ll get the opportunity to make things even.”

“Wow. Cocky.”

“One can hope.”

She giggled, settling in even more. Damn, he was so easy to be with. She’d have to be careful to not get too close.

But for right now, his arms were strong and warm, the sun was beating down on them benevolently, and all seemed right with the world.

CHAPTER 11