Page 26 of Summer with a SEAL

It was an intimate first kiss—their bodies pressed together in the hammock, one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders, the other gripping her waist. Her breasts pressed up against his muscular chest, and she sighed in contentment as he gently nipped at her before pulling back.

“I could lie here kissing you all day,” he admitted. “But I know you want to go slowly. Let’s get going.”

She nodded, watching as he dropped a foot to the ground again to steady the hammock and helped her sit up. She felt dazed and flushed as she stood, getting her footing. They’d only briefly kissed, and her mind was spinning.

Being with a guy like Jacob was dangerous—she knew he was comfortable around women and probably was with a new one all the time. Maybe he’d agreed to go slowly with her, but she didn’t want to end her summer with a broken heart.

Chapter 11

Jessica shrieked and clung to Jacob as the roller coaster dropped, and Jacob laughed good-naturedly, loving that she turned toward him for comfort. There wasn’t a hell of a lot he could do to protect her if something went wrong on a ride like this, but the fact that she trusted him made him feel about ten feet tall.

Her brown waves flew through the air, tickling his skin as the roller coaster turned, and she screamed again, holding tightly onto him.

A minute later it rolled to a stop, and he grinned at her. “What’d you think?”

“That was terrifying. And awesome, too.”

Jacob laughed and climbed out of the car, holding a hand out for Jessica. Her breasts bounced slightly in her hot pink tank top as she jumped down, and he resisted the urge to groan. Not letting go of her hand, he tugged her toward him, weaving his fingers between hers.

Her hand was so delicate and slender, he felt massive beside her. He towered above her more petite frame, and hell if he didn’t love that she barely come up to his shoulder. He wanted to pull her against him and protect her from everything—an odd feeling since he didn’t even know her that well. Something about Jess got under his skin though—and hell if he didn’t want to explore more of where things could go between them.

“You were clinging to me so tightly, I wasn’t sure if you liked it or not,” he said with a chuckle.

“It was exhilarating,” she said with a laugh. “But that’s about as daring as I get—a tiny roller coaster like that. No upside-down thrill rides or bungee jumping for me.”

He smirked. “Thank goodness this is a rinky-dink carnival at the beach then. Hell, angel, I jump out of airplanes for a living.”

Jessica shuddered. “That sounds…horrifying. Seriously, it does.”

Jacob chuffed out a laugh, pulling her toward another ride. “I couldn’t handle sitting at a desk all day, angel—that sounds boring as hell to me. Maybe some people can spend their careers doing that, but as for me? I’d go stir crazy before lunchtime.”

“Well, teaching high schoolers isn’t exactly a desk job. But I do appreciate the sentiment. Sitting at a computer all day isn’t for me either. I like working with the kids, talking to them, feeling like I’m helping them in some small way. Sure, I’m their teacher, but I like to think I’m making a difference in their lives.”

“You are,” he assured her. “How could you not be? That’s all anyone wants, right? Someone who cares.”

They got to the back of the long line for the Ferris wheel, and Jacob wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I’m glad you could come today,” he said, his lips brushing against the top of her head as he spoke.

“Me too. And I didn’t even know this place was here.”

“It’s small,” he admitted. “If you’re looking for thrill rides, Busch Gardens is over in Williamsburg. But this Ferris wheel is pretty cool. We’re on the busy strand right now, but when we get up high enough, you can see over the hotels to the beach.”

“Wow. How cool. That sounds like a good view.”

“It’s amazing,” he said. He absentmindedly caressed her shoulder as they stood in line, and she relaxed into him. Jessica’s skin was soft and smooth, with a faint floral scent. He wasn’t sure if it was her perfume or soap, but his groin tightened nevertheless.

Glancing down at her beside him, he could see the swells of her breasts beneath the tank top she wore. The faintest hint of her lacy bra was beneath that. Resisting the urge to groan, he looked around the carnival. This wasn’t the time or place to be admiring her gorgeous figure. He’d be harder than a rock in no time.

Two fighter jets came blazing across the sky, and everyone around them looked up for a moment, waiting for the deafening noise to stop.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to those,” Jessica admitted. “I’ve been coming to Virginia Beach for years, but wow. Those are crazy loud.”

“We always joke that we know who the tourists are, because they’re looking up when the jets fly by,” Jacob said.

“How can you not?” she asked with a laugh. “They’re so loud all conversations have to stop.”

“You get used to it,” he said. “We had F-18s flying overhead all the time when we went through BUD/S out in Coronado, too, so this just reminds me of that.”

“What’s BUD/S?” she asked, looking up at him.

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