Page 29 of Island Homecoming

They had started texting frequently every day, shared a meal whenever he could get the time, and they made it over to the Pelican for drinks. He’d even convinced her to dance with him. That had been a sweet torture that left him longing for more.

That particular evening changed everything for him. Her smile, the sway of her body against his, the conversation on the drive back to her place… it had all felt right. Simultaneously peaceful and thrilling. Since then he’d been filled with an unshakable certainty that he and Jess were meant for each other. They just needed time to build something real. Something that would last.

Every moment with her was the best. Including their first kiss. He frowned as he dropped azaleas into the holes his crew were digging. Was it a first kiss? Or was it the first kiss of the second round for them?

Hell, the terminology didn’t matter.

They’d gone out for ice cream before her shift and wandered down the boardwalk at sunset. She’d been telling him about butterflies and flamingos in Key West. He’d been hard pressed to make sense of it, utterly enamored with her. With the feelings for her that wouldn’t stop.

He’d slid his arms around her while the soft twilight drifted around them and given up the fight. Her eyes, wide and aware, dropped to his mouth and he was lost. Found. And finally his lips touched hers. No distractions, no friendly interruptions. And when she’d sighed against him, no doubts at all. Her hands, slipping under his shirt and over his skin like heaven. The rush of her touch lit a fiery desire that nearly consumed him.

Practically consumed him now just thinking about it.

That kiss had been incredible. All the embraces that followed were even better. Fresh and familiar and incomparable. He was more than halfway in love with her again.

“Hey, boss?”

Nash jerked back to the job at hand. Roy, the youngest guy on his crew, had shown up after school, working every available hour to sock away money for college. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“Design says that azalea should be purple, not white.”

Nash shook his head, realizing the kid was right. “Good catch.”

He carefully pulled up the plant and exchanged it for the right color. This job was a big one, and the project manager had an exacting vision. One Nash knew better than to argue over. He’d promised he could deliver and he would.

And yet, no sooner had he made the switch than his mind went right back to Jess on that boardwalk.

She’d been pliant and warm in his embrace, her soft throaty moans setting him on fire for her. For anything she’d give. Was it normal that he could still feel her tongue dueling with his? Probably not. That probably edged toward obsession. But that wouldn’t become a problem unless he told someone.

He was a mess over Jessica Keller. He suspected it would always be that way. A smart man might be upset about it. Not Nash. He was done pretending that he could live without her. He wouldn’t get pushy about it, but he made a decision as he dropped yet another azalea into place. He was going to show her exactly how good life with him could be.

She’d come back to the island for an extended visit. A working visit, as it turned out. But she fit in as if she’d never left. People here still sincerely cared about her. And, in his opinion, this town was good for her. Day by day, she seemed more relaxed, her natural spunk and vibrance shining through.

Although she hadn’t shared the details of what brought her back. Considering her profession, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Except he could still see the trouble in her eyes when things got too quiet. Something haunted her. Whatever it was, he was willing to listen, to let her vent.

He was willing to do anything to prove he was the man for her.

Nash and his crew finished the job, took after-pictures, and he sent the others back to the nursery while he chatted with a satisfied client.

Tonight, he was on his own again, and rather than worry over how Jess was faring, he called his sister. Nina agreed to bring over a pizza so they could review the nursery inventory in anticipation of her upcoming wedding orders and their semi-annual sale.

After a couple of hours of good food, smart work, and sibling bonding, he headed home, praising himself fornotdriving by the warehouse on his way out. Jess could handle herself and she had plenty of other cops around if there was trouble.

A few hours later, an alarm on his phone jerked him awake. It took him a moment to realize it wasn’t his normal alarm, but an alert from the security system at the nursery. Tossing back the sheet, he flipped on the bedside lamp. He pulled on pants, socks and running shoes, all the while berating the delayed load time for the camera feed on his security system app.

Finally, the video clip loaded, but it didn’t show him much beyond blurry shadows. He hustled down the stairs and shoved his feet into his shoes. The security lights should’ve come on. Frustrated, he dragged a shirt over his head and snagged the truck keys on his way out the door.

He was in the truck when the monitoring service call came in. Nash verified his identity and confirmed the alarm hadn’t been tripped by anyone with authorization to be in the nursery at this hour. What the hell time was it anyway?

“Two-thirty-five, sir.”

He hadn’t realized he’d asked the question aloud. “Thanks.”

The rep on the other end of the line asked him to stay away from the area, promising to call back when there was more information. As if. The guy would’ve had better luck asking him to stop breathing. The nursery was the hub of his business, his family legacy.

Nash would check out the situation himself, and serve as a witness. And he’d definitely press charges if necessary.

Fear painted cold and clammy streaks across his skin. Jess was on duty. Would she respond to this call or was she fending off an attempt to recover the drugs? He forced himself to slow down and breathe. Jess was a good cop. Capable of guarding the warehouse with her team. She didn’t need him falling into an anxious tailspin over any situation.

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