Page 58 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Lily could guess what was coming next, so she stopped on the beach and faced him, pressing a hand to his chest. His smile lit up his face, and she went all soft inside when he covered her hand and stepped closer, making them a unit.
“I was in the store when two tough guys from a local mob family showed up, demanded he pay his tab, and then proceeded to break things in his store. I tried to stop them, and one of them grabbed me. Started tapping me on the cheeks and telling me I’d better learn to keep out of other people’s business. I can’t tell you how angry that made me. Being humiliated in front of a man who was a hero to me. Mr. Kincaid told them to take whatever they wanted, he’d get the money, but they had to let me go.”
Lily found she was holding her breath because she knew something bad was coming.
“The lead guy—because there’s always someone in charge—tapped Mr. Kincaid on the chin with his powerful fist and said that wasn’t good enough. Then he turned to me and said I was going to be his lesson about being late with their money. He signaled to his buddy, and before I could blink, he jerked up my arm and broke it.”
She touched his face. “Oh my God! No.”
He kissed her palm. “You’re sweet. And yes, that sucked. Mr. Kincaid went to pieces, and trust me, reducing a man like him to tears was a feat. My arm hurt, so I had an excuse. But he just held me in his lap and rocked me after they left, saying over and over again how sorry he was.”
Unable to help herself, she wrapped her arms around him, the scene vivid in her mind. “Those bastards!”
He nuzzled her neck. “Such language. But I like it. Honestly, while it was awful, my mind was totally clear. Like crystal clear. I kept telling Mr. Kincaid that he had nothing to apologize for. Those mob guys did, and they deserved to be punished. That was the day I decided I was going to grow up and stop guys like that from hurting young kids like me and old men like Mr. Kincaid.”
She leaned back and ran her hands down his arm. “Which side was it?”
“My right, which really pissed me off. I was the pitcher for our baseball team.”
Kissing the upper bicep, where she imagined that kind of forcible contact would break a bone, she laid her head against it. “Seems like we both saw a pretty nasty side of humanity when we were about the same age. I was twelve too when…”
She trailed off. That was when she’d decided to become like Brie—an FBI agent. Of course, back then she hadn’t known she’d need to have another career before applying, but she hadn’t minded being a teacher because she’d known it was leading to her ultimate goal.
As she looked at Robbie’s face, she desperately wanted to tell him her whole story. Would she ever be able to do that? Did she need to plant the seeds now? Before he found out the truth of who she was?
“You understand me better than any woman I’ve ever met, Summer Sunshine.”
That did it. She cupped his strong jaw and met his gaze. “I know we’ve just met, but I have to be honest. You understand me better than any man I’ve met too. I told you this is rare for me. I wish I could explain how much. Do you…ever wonder if this thing between us could continue?”
His eyes narrowed. “I’ve wished I could have met you under normal circumstances. That sounds weird. Let me clarify. Like out on the town in Boston or at a friend’s BBQ.”
“I’ve thought about that too,” she said softly. “I know it seems impossible. We’ve just met and have different lives. But I just want you to know I wish there wasn’t an end to us knowing each other. And that’s where I’ll stop.”
She lowered her hands from his jaw, telling herself to regain her balance. Give them both a little space after the intensity of their sharing. When she started to step away, he tugged her back to him.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” His hands framed her face. “Don’t pull away from me. This entire evening has been a deep dive into knowing each other, and I don’t want that to change. Summer, I wish we could keep seeing each other too. I just have no idea how that could happen, so right now, I’m telling myself to soak up every single moment I can with the most beautiful and special woman in the world.”
“Oh, Robbie,” she said, closing the distance between them and stepping into the warmth of his body. “I wish everything weren’t so complicated.”
“Hey! Don’t get all sad on me. You asked for romance earlier before I kissed you. Right now, I wish I had a red rose or something to tuck behind your ear.”
God, who knew he could be this sweet? “Maybe you could find me a seashell?”
He levered back and slanted her a look. “Tomorrow, when it’s light out, I will take Cassidy and Reagan on a seashell hunting excursion for the best seashell on this beach. But I’m afraid it’s getting dark, and all I can think about now is that I won’t be able to see the jellyfish washed up on the beach.”
She twined her arms around his waist. “Maybe you wanting to protect me is romantic enough.”
“You should aim higher,” he said, enclosing her in his embrace. “You deserve more. Summer, you deserve everything.”
The blues of his eyes were darker now, in the scant light, but the desire was as clear as the rising moon. “All I want right now is for you to kiss me.”
“Then we’d better make it count,” he whispered before laying his lips over hers.
The frisson of heat as their mouths met rocked her back. His hands kept her in place as they learned each other’s textures, sipping softly as their heartbeats started to race. Her eyelids drifted shut on a breathy sigh when he kissed the corner of her mouth. Wanting more of him, she threaded her fingers into his thick black hair and pressed him closer to her heat, closer to where she needed him. His breathing fractured, increasing the pressure of their mouths until she opened hers and let him in.
His tongue swept inside, sending a jolt through her, making her tighten her arms around him with an agonized moan. He answered with a guttural sound as she traced his tongue, dancing with him. The tide surged around her feet, but he was there to steady her against him. His mouth. His body. His hands. They all kept her grounded as his mouth did wicked things to her and made her want more.
She slid her hands around to his front, wanting to feel the power of his pounding heart against her palms. He wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her tightly to him. His erection was obvious, and feeling it against her had her moaning again. “Oh, God, Robbie,” she said, wrenching her mouth away.
