Page 3 of One More Time

In a few hours, the ferry would dock. With my move to Fireweed Harbor on the horizon, I was confident I would see McKenna again. Yet I wanted more than a few minutes of conversation with her before the end of this ferry trip.

I wanted a lot more than that. I wanted to kiss her senseless. I wanted to walk on a beach with her.

Lately, my parents said I was broody. That was how my mother described me ever since my engagement blew apart. Oh, it was nothing tragic. Just that my ex wanted children, and I didn’t.

I had come to terms with that, but she hadn’t. She said I should’ve been more upset about it. Of course, my mother didn’t want to acknowledge why I might’ve been broody. My brother, also my best friend, was dying from cancer. I gave myself a mental shake, kicking those thoughts away.

Walking down the hallway, I lifted my gaze from the floor when I heard a door open ahead. McKenna stepped out but didn’t even look up even though she walked swiftly toward me.

For a moment, I considered just letting her run into me. The hallway was narrow. After being responsible for opening the door she collided with, that didn’t seem fair. The door situation had been a genuine accident.

“McKenna.”

Her head whipped up, and her shoes scuffed on the carpet when she stopped abruptly.

“Jack!” she squeaked, her pretty silvery-blue eyes widening.

I stopped in front of her. “McKenna.” My lips curled up at the corners.

She blinked up at me. “What are you doing?”

“Well, right this second, I’m walking to the cafeteria to get some coffee and breakfast before the ferry docks. You?”

McKenna peered around my shoulder and gave me a sheepish smile when she looked back at me. “I went the wrong way. I get turned around in here.”

“Shall we go to breakfast together, then?”

She smiled and turned to walk beside me.

A full twenty minutes later, I realized my mistake. Spending time near McKenna created a drumbeat of need inside me.

All the while, I kept recalling her comment about people wanting her for her family’s money. I recognized the flash of uncertainty flickering in her eyes and wanted her to forget that.

At some point, a few hours later, we docked at Diamond Creek, Alaska. Cars rolled off the ferry, and I saw McKenna standing in the parking area. There was a man nearby. Her hand was curled around the hem of her shirt, her thumb and forefinger sliding back and forth nervously. I was waiting for my cousin to pick me up.

For different reasons, I felt drawn toward McKenna. I didn’t like the uncertainty she exuded. I also didn’t like how the man nearby looked at her. A woman stood with him, and her expression was tight, haughty almost.

When I stopped beside McKenna and her eyes met mine, I said, “Hey, sweetheart.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she went with it. “Hey.” Her tone was a little forced, as was her smile. Fuck it, I was in this.

The man glanced back and forth between us curiously while the woman narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?” she asked as I slid my arm around McKenna’s waist.

I gave them a cursory glance. “Jack Hamilton.” I could feel the tension emanating from McKenna. I didn’t know the details, but I knew this man had hurt her. He also sure as hell didn’t like my presence.

“Who is McKenna to you? I’ve never seen you,” the guy said.

“I don’t see why that matters.” With a glance down at McKenna, I slid my arm more fully around her waist and bent low. I meant to kiss her briefly in order to make some kind of point. Usually, I thought things through, but McKenna’s presence and feeling her distress wiped any capacity for critical thought away.

The second my lips met hers, it was as if a lightning bolt had struck between us. Electricity sizzled through the air. Her lips were soft, and she let out a startled little gasp.

I needed more. I angled my head to the side and decided to make this count. When McKenna let out another sigh, her lips parted just enough for me to tease my tongue into her mouth, twining with hers as I stepped closer and slid my hand into her hair.

For the next moment, I forgot everything but her. She tasted sweet, a little bit like sugar. I could feel the soft give of her breasts as she arched up against me. I dove into our kiss, taking deep sips from her mouth before someone clearing their throat snapped into my awareness.

I lifted my head, opening my eyes to see McKenna’s surprised, hazy gaze. “Nice to see you, sweetheart,” I murmured.

“Well, that was a bit much,” the woman said sharply.

---