Page 64 of A Beach House Beginning

What were they doing? What wasshedoing? A few more moments out here and she would have completely surrendered.

Though it was painfully hard, she slid off his lap. “I should never have come out here. I’m sorry. We...we can’t do this.”

He froze for a long second, heat and desire mixing with confusion in his gaze. “Why not?” he asked on a growl.

She released a long breath. “We both know where it would lead. Where would we go? Your apartment? We can’t because Brielle is inside. My apartment? Addie.”

He gazed at her, his breathing ragged.

“Even if the girls weren’t inside, you know it wouldn’t be a good idea,” she said, hating herself for what she had to do.

“Right now, it feels like a damn good idea.”

The fierce hunger in his voice thrummed through her.

He rose as well and in the darkness, she could only make out his profile. “You should know, this isn’t just physical for me, though that’s certainly a factor. I think about you all the time, Jenna. When I’m not with you, I want to be. When Iamwith you, I want to savor every second of it until I get the chance to spend time with you again.”

A torrent of emotions poured through her at his words. Tenderness, joy, heat, need.

She wanted to lean into his words, to grab them and treasure them against her heart.

This seemed so very different from the love she and Ryan had shared. Their relationship had been like hot cocoa on a cold winter night. Warm, comforting, sustaining.

This thing between her and Wes was something else entirely.

More like cocoa with a heavy dash of hot sauce.

As much as she longed to consume every drop, a cold fear seemed to spread from her stomach outward, like frost blooms on the window.

She had fought so hard to be in a good place. Wes threatened to ruin all of that peace and calm.

She already had feelings for him. If she gave in to this heat between them, she would fall irrevocably in love and would end up bruised and broken.

But what if she didn’t? a little voice whispered. What if they were able to work through all their differences and find happiness together?

It would be amazing. She had no doubt.

I think about you all the time, Jenna. When I’m not with you, I want to be. When Iamwith you, I want to savor every second of it until I get the chance to spend time with you again.

His words seemed seared into her heart. Was it possible he could be falling in love with her, too?

No. She couldn’t believe it. His world was tattoos and motorcycles, while hers was book clubs and parent-teacher conferences. This heat would pass, like the storms that blew through Cannon Beach. After it was gone, what would they possibly have between them?

“I can’t,” she whispered, despising herself for giving in to the fear but unable to face the alternative.

“Because I’ve been in prison.”

At his flat, emotionless tone, she stared at him, wishing she could see better in the darkness, could grab the flashlight from the ground and aim it at him so she could read his expression.

“No. That has nothing to do with it. Do you want the truth? Okay. I’m afraid, Wes. There it is. Four years ago, my husband died and left me devastated, then just as I was beginning to come back to life, I became tangled up with the wrong man and ended up in another version of hell. I’m finally beginning to figure things out again. I can’t... I don’t want to mess that up. Not for me and not for Addie.”

“Why would this mess everything up?”

She sighed, moving away. “I love living here in Brambleberry House. So does Addie. I don’t want to leave. But what if we give in to this heat between us and something goes wrong? How would I possibly be able to stay here?”

He was quiet for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was low. “But what if everything between us goesright?”

His kisses certainly felt right to her. And she loved being with him and could spend all night talking to him out here in the pergola.

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