A Glimmer of Hope

  The scent of Nautica Blue captured her senses, and in one erratic thump of her heart, she wondered what it would be like to kiss another boy besides Jack. She never had, of course, but maybe she’d like it, who knows? And maybe it would help fill the empty place in her soul.

  “Why not?” she whispered, reveling in the control she seemed to have. With a luxurious stretch of arms overhead, she tempted him with a smile that drew him in close, hovering over her with heat in his eyes.

  The moment his lips took hers, she knew she’d made a mistake. His kiss was hungry and hard and completely void of all caring. And nothing like Jack’s. “Royce, wait …” But he didn’t seem to hear, all objection silenced when he kissed her again. Panic seized in her chest as she tried to push him away, but he only groaned her name, continuing to take what she was no longer willing to give.

  “Royce, no!” Fear iced her skin as her body lay trapped beneath his, her cries muffled while tears dampened her face. God, help me, please …

  And then in a whoosh of cool air, the sky opened up as Royce jerked backwards, crashing into the sand with a grunt. A dark shadow picked him up and sent him flying with a fist to his jaw, the crack of knuckles to bone making Lacey sick to her stomach. She could hear the rasp of heavy breathing, backdropped by music and a low moan.

  The shadow loomed over Royce’s crumpled body. “So help me, punk, if you ever touch her again, I’ll beat the living crud out of you, you got that?”

  Lacey’s body went to stone like the boulders that littered the grassy shore. Jack?

  In silence, the shadow crouched beside her, surveying her with a gentle caress of her arms while the other shadow slowly slunk away. “Lace? Did he hurt you?”

  Water welled in her eyes and she lunged into Jack’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably as he clutched her to his chest. “Oh, Jack, I’m so sorry …”

  “Shhh … it’s okay, Mike,” he said against her hair, whispering the affectionate nickname he’d coined when she’d been no more than the scrawny tomboy who climbed trees with his sisters.

  She started to cry, sick inside that she had ever allowed another boy to even touch her, kiss her. Why had she let Nicki talk her into hurting Jack that way? He was the only one that really cared, the only one who ever watched out for her, protected her.

  Cherished her.

  A sob broke from her lips, shuddering her body, and she felt his arms tighten, tugging her close. His voice soothed as he gently rocked her in his lap, and she knew deep down he was someone whose love she didn’t really deserve. So kind and gentle and good, he should have a girlfriend who would love and respect him, not tease and tempt to get her own way. Someone healthy and whole like him, not scarred and needy like she was inside. Heaves wracked her body as she clung with all of her might, scared to death she’d lose him someday. “I … I d-don’t d-deserve you,” she rasped, her voice nasal and hoarse, “but, please—can you ever f-forgive me?”

  “Always,” he whispered, his breath warm and sweet in her ear, “because you’re my girl, Lace.”

  “You p-promise?” She pulled back to search his face with frantic eyes, desperate for affirmation that he would never leave like Daddy always claimed that he would. Her hand quivered as she cupped it against his sandpaper jaw, terrified he’d discover that Daddy was right and she wasn’t worth it at all.

  His soft chuckle matched the tender smile on his face. “I promise.” Pressing a kiss to her head, he rose and swooped her up off the blanket like she weighed nothing at all. “And that jerk’ll never bother you again either,” he said, voice suddenly as taut as the hard line of his jaw. “You have my word, Alycia Anne—and that’s a promise I’ll etch in gold.”

  Chapter Five

  Jack’s fist throbbed and burned on the steering wheel, but it was nothing compared to the fire in his gut at the thought of that punk straddling Lacey, his filthy hands all over the girl that Jack loved.

  Oh, he’d been plenty ticked at Lacey, too, out of his mind when Nicki told him she was on the beach with Barrister. But when he’d heard her muffled screams and saw her squirming beneath that lousy excuse for a man, blind rage had taken over, channeling all of his fury into busting Barrister’s pretty face.

  Still fuming, he edged his car close to the curb a half block from Lacey’s house, shifting into “Park” and setting the brake. He glanced down at Lacey asleep and curled up on the passenger seat of his Civic. Her head rested on his right leg as she snored softly, and his heart surged with love despite the anger still churning in his stomach. At Barrister’s house, he’d carried her to his car through a neighbor’s yard before circling back to tell Matt he was leaving and to chew Nicki out. That’s when he’d learned that Lacey had cried every single day since they’d broken up, only agreeing to flirt with Barrister to make Jack jealous. And only after she’d chugged two glasses of booze, the little brat who practically got tipsy after a piece of his mother’s rum cake. All because she wanted Jack’s love, according to Nicki, who flat-out told him Lacey needed to know that he loved her deep down, and if Jack didn’t show her, another guy would.

  When he’d gotten back to his car, Lacey was bent over the side of the road, about to puke in the weeds, and he quickly held her hair back, hoping at least she’d feel better. Carefully propping her against his car, he ducked back into Barrister’s house for wet paper towels and bottled water, begging a couple of ibuprofen from three giggly girls. With a gentle wipe of Lacey’s mouth, he watched as she took the pills, glugging half the water before swishing and spitting it out. Her fingers trembled as she took the breath mints Jack offered, eyes swollen while she promised to never do this again. She cried all the way back to Isle of Hope, whimpering against his side as he tenderly stroked her arm. Just before he drove through Starbucks, she’d finally fallen asleep, so he ordered a strong Cinnamon Dolce Latte and an ice water to hopefully help sober her up.

  Expelling a weary breath, he caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Lace,” he whispered, “wake up.”

  She moaned and snuggled closer, coaxing a smile to his lips. Bending down, he blew in her ear before nibbling on the soft flesh of her lobe. “Lace—wake up. We need to talk.”

  “Mmm …” With a lazy stretch, she rolled on her back, eyes still puffy from crying despite the hint of a smile in her voice. “Sure doesn’t feel like you want to talk …”

  He propped her up on her side of the car, handing her the latte with a wry smile. “You can table the come-on, Lace—I don’t make out with women who drink.”

  Her lips quivered into a pout. “You don’t make out with women who don’t either, Jack.”

  A ragged sigh left his lips as he turned to face her. “Is that what this is about, then? The fact that I don’t maul you like that Barrister creep?”

  Her chin began to quiver. “At least he finds me attractive …”

  A swear word hissed under his breath before he could stop it, frustration swarming the back of his neck. “For crying out loud, Carmichael, I’m so attracted to you, I busted my fingers laying a guy out tonight—doesn’t that mean anything?”

  Her lips trembled into a little-girl smile. “I hope it means you love me?”

  He fought the curve of his lips to no avail, finally placing her cup back in the holder. “Unfortunately, yes, you little brat, despite my better judgment. Now get over here …” He hooked her waist and drew her in, tenderly brushing his mouth against hers.

  “Oh, Jack, I adore you!” She practically hurtled into his lap, returning his kiss with such fervor, he could do nothing but surrender to the taste of cinnamon, his low groan climbing all the way up from his soul. His pulse took off in a sprint while his heart near pumped out of his chest, just one taste of her enough to spike his temperature. Breathing hard, he pulled back to press his forehead to hers, his body aching from sheer want. “When are you going to realize how much I love you, Mike?” he whispered in a near croak, the scent of peaches doing nothing for his restraint.

  A withering sigh dr
ifted in the air as she slumped against the seat with a glaze of tears, gripping his hand like a lifeline while her gaze trailed out the window in a lost stare. “I realize it at moments like this, Jack,” she said quietly, her tone congested and sounding so very lost. “Especially when I compare you to jerks like Barrister.”

  A shiver traveled her body, and he scooped her close, kissing her hair as he laid his head against hers. “Then what happens, babe? It seems like when I go back to school, you forget how crazy I am about you—why is that?”

  She inched closer, clutching him all the tighter while her fingers dug in. “I don’t know,” she whispered, “I guess I just get afraid you’ll meet someone else and I’ll lose you forever …”

  “That’s not going to happen—”

  “It could.” She pulled away to stare at him, fingers clenched to his shirt and face haunted with a fear he was beginning to recognize all too well. “If you find somebody older and better …”

  He skimmed the side of her jaw with the tips of his fingers, tenderness welling in his heart as quickly as tears welled in her eyes. “There is nobody better for me, Lacey, and I’ve known that since the first moment I kissed you.”

  Instead of easing the strain in her face, his words seemed to spark a flash of fear. “See? That’s why I need more from you, Jack! Our kisses not only stir our love, but they help me to feel close to you, to really feel your love, like I’m actually worth it …”

  Worth it.

  Something wrenched in his chest, unleashing a jolt of fury that ignited his temper. Tamping it down, he slowly caressed her cheek with heat in his eyes. “Tell me something, Mike,” he said quietly, struggling to keep a semblance of calm, “did you and your dad happen to fight before you broke up with me that night?”

  She blinked, lips parted as if struggling to recall. But he had his answer the moment her mouth thinned into a hard line. “Yeah we did, but then what’s new?”

  Air seeped from his lungs, confirming a suspicion he’d had since Nicki arrived—that Lacey’s need for intimacy was also tied to her father’s rejection. Suddenly it all made so much sense—her seductive ways whenever he came home for a weekend, the tears and fights when he wouldn’t give in. Somehow she obviously perceived Jack’s moral boundaries as rejection no matter how many times he told her he loved her, wanted her. His jaw hardened to rock. Her so-called dad would rip her heart to shreds, then it was up to Jack to put the pieces back together, trying to convince her he not only loved her, but that she was worth every bit of that love and more.

  Air slowly leaked from his lungs as he tugged her near, resting his head against hers. Which would be a piece of cake if their definitions of love weren’t night and day.

  Hers, for him to give her his all, body and soul.

  And his, to protect and cherish her all, both body and soul.

  “We have a dilemma, Lace,” he said softly, stroking her hair. “I’m in love with you desperately, and the way I express that love is spiritually—to cherish and protect you and keep our relationship in line with God’s precepts so He can bless both you and our love. But your definition seems to be tied to the physical—how much I want you and how far I’m willing to go to show you I care. Which means—”

  “We’re at an impasse,” she said softly, employing that little-girl pout that held more sway than she knew.

  “Not necessarily.” He leaned in to prove his point, teasing her lower lip with a playful nip before he parted her lips to explore ever so briefly. By the time he pulled away, his breathing was as shallow as hers. “I propose a compromise.”

  A slow smile wended its way across her lips. “Go on …”

  He shifted to bundle her to his side. “Okay, you have this strong need for physical affection, Lace, especially when you’ve had a fight with your dad, so I’m more than willing to step up my game.”

  “Yes!” She lunged to kiss him with a giggle, picking up where they’d left off a few moments before.

  “On one condition,” he rasped, holding her at arm’s length, which was clearly not far enough given the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

  “What?” Her eyes narrowed.

  “We can still make out, Mike, but when I say ‘stop,’ that’s it.” He softly tapped her nose with a twist of a smile. “Which means, no more pouting, pleading, tears, or seduction after, agreed?”

  “But that’s no fair,” she argued, “you have more will power than God, O’Bryen.”

  “I wish,” he said with a chuckle, nuzzling the lobe of her ear. “But I definitely have more than you, Carmichael, which believe it or not is a pretty good thing.”

  She sagged back in the seat, arms in a tight fold. “Not if I need physical proof of your love.”

  “Well you know, I’m glad you brought that up, because I think I may just have a solution. Come here.” He opened the car door and got out, dragging her along.

  “W-What are you doing?” she stuttered, nearly stumbling on a rock as he led her down Bluff Drive.

  “I’m going to prove I love you once and for all.” Tucking her hand firmly in his, he led her over the lawn toward their docks, which bordered the shoreline directly across the street from their houses.

  Her lips zagged. “Oh, sure. You’re probably gonna carve my name in another heart on the fishing shed.”

  “Nope, already did that,” he said towing her down the long, weathered ramp that led to the O’Bryen’s cozy dock with its faded cedar-shake roof. He stopped midway to sweep her up in his arms, never missing a beat as he carried her the rest of the way. “You’re a little too slow to suit tonight, Carmichael, you know that?”

  “So are you, O’Bryen, but I guess we can’t blame that on booze, can we?”

  His chuckle echoed over the water. “Nope, no stimulant shall touch my lips but thee, Alycia Anne.”

  Her smile went flat. “Yeah, but it has to touch one’s lips for longer than a millisecond, Jackson Alexander, for any stimulation to occur.”

  “Now that’s where you’re wrong, Ms. Carmichael.” He set her in one of several Adirondack chairs that lined the edge of the dock, where she, Jack, Cat, and Shan fished and lazed many a summer day. Retrieving an old blanket from the storage closet, he tucked it around her, then squatted to brush a long, slow kiss to her lips. “One millisecond taste of you, Mike, and my dad’s water bill goes up.”

  Her soft giggle whispered against his jaw. “Well, clean is something anyway, I guess, although I sure could use a little more steam to keep me warm.”

  “Your wish is my command.” He leaned in to nestle his mouth at the cup of her ear, luring a moan from her lips with a flick of his tongue. “So first a little steam …”

  “Oh, Jack …” Her breathing was uneven as her eyes shuttered closed, head easing back to give him access to the creamy curve of her throat. He took full advantage, burrowing in with a succession of soft kisses that finally dipped into the sweet hollow at the base of her neck. “And then,” he whispered, breath hot against her skin while he dug deep in his pocket. “A little something to keep you warm on those cold nights when your boyfriend is away at school.” Lifting his head, he gave her open mouth a teasing tug with his teeth before slipping his hand beneath the blanket to place the velvet box in her lap.

  She gasped, the sound prompting a grin that spanned the whole of his face. She wiggled the blanket off to get to the box, mouth gaping as she picked it up and slowly turned it around, examining it like it was a bomb about to explode. When she finally opened it up, tears sprang to her eyes, fingers trembling as they fluttered to her mouth. “Oh, Jack …”

  He took the ring from the velvet slot and slowly descended to one knee as she gasped once again. “Alycia Anne Carmichael,” he said, the tiny diamond glittering in the moonlight like the promise of their love, “there isn’t a woman alive who makes me happier than you, who dominates my thoughts day and night like you, or who makes me waste more cold water than you. I want to be with you forever and make love to you the r
est of my life.” Taking her hand, he gently kissed her palm before placing the ring on the tip of her finger, eyes fused to hers with so much love, he had to swallow a lump in his throat. “But until that can happen God’s way a few years down the road, I pledge my heart and my body to you and only you, and I’m hoping you’ll accept this promise ring as a pledge to do the same.”

  Tears streaming, she gave a shaky nod, finger quivering as he slid the ring all the way on. The moment he did, she launched into his arms with a squeal, tumbling them both onto the wooden dock in a tangle of arms and legs while their laughter bounced over the water. “This is the happiest day of my life, and I swear, I’ll love you forever.” She kissed him hard, then rolled on her back with hand extended, the glow of moonlight shimmering the tears in her eyes. “Promised at eighteen,” she whispered, “what more can a girl ask?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” he said, depositing a soft kiss to her nose. He jumped up and pulled her along, wrapping the blanket snugly around her before settling into the chair with her in his lap. Leaning in, he teased the lobe of her ear with his teeth, voice husky while his mouth nibbled its way down the curve of her neck. “Maybe a little steam?”

  Chapter Six

  “Okay, who’s up for Scrabble?” Tess O’Bryen clapped her hands, practically giddy over the unseasonably warm sixty-degree temps that buoyed her excitement over a dinner outside with their best friends and neighbors. She scanned the faces around her patio table where a bloodbath had just taken place in a game of pinochle, and couldn’t stifle a giggle when male groans rose in sync.

  The dissent, of course, came from her husband, Adam, and their next-door neighbor, Ben Carmichael, both of whom had just been soundly fleeced by Tess and Ben’s wife, Karen. Adam leaned back in his chair, brawny arms cocked behind his head as he gave Tess a patient smile. “I doubt any of us are willing to take on the Scrabble Queen of Bluff Drive, Your Majesty, at least not after the beating Ben and I just took.”