Page 8 of Stolen Kiss

Just like old times.

Except she was older. Had a job. A broken heart and a thousand questions.

Jason took the flask back and shoved it in his front pocket and then stretched his fingers around her ankles and held on tight. She hadn’t felt this safe since that night in the flower fields.

The horn sounded, and the gigs were racing away to the small island across from the harbour. Heidi forgot where she was and the significance of Jason Turner holding on to her. She jumped where she sat and yelled for the girls’ team until she was hoarse. The first round of races was over quickly, and the crowd dulled down to a murmur while they set the next race up. Heidi knew from spending countless years watching the races that the hanging around was much longer than the races themselves.

Jason craned his neck to look up at her. “I need to get you down. I’ve gotta run,” he said.

Disappointment laced through her, but she smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

He turned, swapping one hand with the other while he kept her in place, and then she reached out her hands to press them into his shoulders. He slowly grabbed her waist and eased herdown his body. His hard muscled body that was built from working for a living. She let him take his time until she was on her feet. The crowd had silenced in her mind as she stared at his handsome face, weather-tanned face and warm brown eyes.

“I’ll see you around,” he whispered.

She heard him clearly. He dipped his head and kissed her cheek, except the corner of his mouth touched hers and she wanted to lick her lips.

A moment later, he was gone and so was his warmth.

“That does not look like a man who wants nothing to do with you, babe,” Freya muttered.

“I’m so confused,” Heidi said.

“Me too, babe. Do you want me to message Luke to see what’s going on?”

“No. Do not do that, please.”

“Okay, okay,” Freya said, pocketing her phone.

“You two sort everything out?” Archer said on her other side.

“Not nearly. Congratulations on your wedding,” Heidi said.

Jason and Heidi’s relationship was a secret. No one knew apart from Freya. It seemed Jason had shared with his older brother. He probably has shared with them all they were that tight.

“Thanks. I’m sorry there wasn’t a mass invitation, it was a bit urgent.”

“Ah, shotgun wedding, right? Do you need a midwife?” she said, giving him a wink.

Archer chuckled, bringing his wife into a side cuddle. “No, nothing like that. We’ll have a party at some stage and invite all our old friends up.”

“Sounds good, Archer. We’re going to The Anchor. Maybe see you there later?”

“Sure, we’ll be there,” Erica said and waved at them as they inched away.

Heidi still couldn’t get over how down-to-earth Erica was. She’d seen many of her movies and didn’t know how she would be when she met her at Turner Hall. She thought she’d always get the nervous flutter when she talked to Hollywood royalty.

“Let’s go so we can hash out what just happened,” Freya said, grabbing her hand and propelling her through the crowd. Heidi was fairly certain she was still hungover from last night, but one sip from Jason’s hipflask and the taste of whisky gave her a new momentum to get drunk and cry over Jason Turner.

Chapter Five

Jason

Jason needed to get out of the kitchen and let off some steam after seeing Heidi. He’d been bubbling with anger for two straight days, so much so that Archer was giving him a wide birth. Heidi looked so good and smelled exactly how he remembered. She smelled of happy memories and happier times.

The last decade wasn’t all bad for Jason. He’d travelled the world with Archer, Luke and Daisy, making memories of his own. Working three weeks on and three weeks off left little time to explore a relationship, and that suited him fine. He pined for a couple of years while he worked and then raised his shield of armour for the rest.

Jason had planned never to see Heidi but now that he had seen her, touched her, smelled her and, with a cheeky platonic kiss, tasted her lip gloss, he was gone all over again.

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