"This is nice," Jacqui whispered.
"Sorry," Ben said. "I . . ." He meant to apologize for holding her for so long, but soon, there was no need for any apology as Jacqui had brought her face close to his and he decided to kiss her instead, removing his glasses before doing so.
Jacqui closed her eyes and put a warm hand on his hot cheek, rubbing his stubble. His lips were soft and warm, and he smelled like strawberries and heather. Strong and sensitive -- -just what the doctor ordered, Jacqui thought.
They jumped apart when someone knocked on the door.
"Yo, Defever! Jacqui in there? Someone said they saw her comin' up," Duffy's deep voice called. "You hidin' her?"
Jacqui and Ben exchanged guilty looks. "Yeah, she's in here," Ben said reluctantly.
Duffy stormed in, his eyebrows wagging. "What've you two been up to?" he asked suspiciously.
"I was just, uh--showing Jacqui my telescope. Venus is rising," Ben lied, motioning to the telescope planted by the window.
Jacqui nodded. Venus? Was that some kind of pun? The
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goddess of love? Ben winked at her and she winked back, but Duffy was already pulling her up from the bed.
"C'mon, the party's downstairs," Duffy urged.
"All right!" Jacqui agreed. Feeling so much better after talking to Ben, she was ready for some of Duffy's wild antics.
Duffy galloped down the stairs, but instead of bringing her to the hubbub of the party, he led her past the ballroom, through the back patio, and to a golf cart parked behind the main house.
"Hop on," he urged, sliding into the driver's seat. "Where are we going?" she asked, a little amused.
"You'll see." He grinned, revving up the engine.
"All right, be that way," she teased. They zipped across the Reynolds estate, the golf cart bouncing over the grass.
He turned to her and offered her a thermos from his jacket. "Drink?"
Jacqui sipped from it. Rum-spiked punch. She snuggled happily against him on the cart. He reminded her of a frisky, overeager puppy, and Jacqui had a soft spot for friendly creatures.
"How fast can this thing go?"
In answer, Duffy floored the gas pedal, and Jacqui squealed as they zoomed by the tennis courts and the guest bungalows over to the private beach on the property.
"Wanna drive?" he asked over the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.
"What? No!" But it was too late. Duffy had taken his hands off the wheel, and Jacqui screamed as she tried to steer the cart.
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"You're crazy!" she yelled, but she was having too much fun to be upset, and they bounced along until Duffy finally put on the brakes. They stopped so abruptly Jacqui was thrown into his arms, and they tumbled out of the cart, falling onto the sand, entangled in each other. They were both laughing as they rolled on the shore.
"You almost got us killed!" she cried, pretending to be furious.
"Oh, c'mon! You loved it!" he teased.
The moon was full, and the beach was deserted. Their only companions were a bunch of seagulls flying low over the water or walking slowly on the sand.
"It's so peaceful out here," she said, still lying on top of him.
"Yeah, I don't like crowds much myself." He smiled, looking up at her. Her hair was windblown and her cheeks were red from the cold.