Christmas in Lucky Harbor Read online

  In him.

  With a rough sound, he took control, backing her to a beam. He palmed her breast, thumbing her already erect and straining nipple over her thin tank top.

  “God, you’re soft,” he said. “Soft and warm and perfect. I have to feel you again, Maddie.” His hands slid beneath the tank. Pushing the material up, his mouth took itself on a tour along her collarbone and down, his tongue gliding over the lace of her bra, right over her nipple as he ground his pelvis into hers.

  He was big, which no longer scared her, and extremely aroused, which excited her beyond belief. “Jax.”

  “I know. I can’t get enough of you.” Tugging the cups of her bra down, he licked her again, over her bared flesh this time so that she clutched at his biceps and arched up into him. “Not even close,” he said. He gripped her bottom, squeezed, then brought his hands around and was heading for the button on her jeans when the dog barked again.

  Their eyes met, and Jax let out a breath of male frustration. “She’s got timing, I’ll give her that.” They were still both breathing erratically when he stepped back, his eyes blazing with heat.

  He wanted her. Again. Still. It was a powerful feeling.

  “Save our place,” he repeated in a soft but direct command and was gone.

  For two mornings running, Maddie and Tara did yoga. Chloe’s legacy, they decided. Plus it burned calories.

  They did it in silence. Well, Tara was silent. Maddie had been asking questions like “Why did you agree to the job at Eat Me when you wanted to leave?” and “Are we celebrating Christmas together?” and “How do you know Ford?”

  None of which Tara answered.

  Finally one morning Maddie sat on her yoga mat and refused to do a single pose. “Not until you answer at least one question.”

  Tara sighed. “Fine. Regarding Christmas, I don’t think we should exchange gifts that cost any money, not when we’re spending every spare penny we have on this place.”

  “Fair enough,” Maddie agreed. “But expect another scarf, probably crooked. And that wasn’t the question I most wanted answered and you know it.”

  Tara sat and faced her, stretching her long, perfectly toned body. “If I answer another, you have to do the same.”

  “Deal. Why didn’t you tell us about Logan?”

  Tara’s cool expression crumpled. “I don’t know, probably because I didn’t want to look like a loser.”

  “We’re sisters. Sisters are supposed to tell.”

  “Yes, but I’m the oldest.” She went into some complicated upside-down yoga pose. “Oldest sisters are supposed to be perfect.”

  “Says who?”

  “Older sisters.” Tara sighed and changed positions with ease. “And I realize it’s no secret that when we first got here, all I wanted was to get back out again. I really can’t explain why I agreed to stay. I don’t know. Temporary insanity.”

  “Or… we’re growing on you.”

  “Or I’m enjoying the weather.”

  Maddie sighed. “So about Ford.”

  “Oh, no. I just answered two questions. Now you. What are you doing with Jax?”

  “Huh,” Maddie said. “Suddenly I’m seeing why it’s more fun to be the one asking the questions. Would you believe me if I say I have no idea? I mean you saw me when I first got here. I didn’t want to even think about men.” She hesitated. “Problem is, he’s hard not to think about.”

  “If I looked like him,” Tara said. “I’d want to have sex with myself. All the time.”

  Maddie laughed. “Now you sound like Chloe.”

  “No need for insults.”

  “She should have stayed with us.”

  “Aw, you missed me.”

  They turned in shock to face Chloe. “Hi, honey,” she said with a wave. “I’m home.”

  “Already?” Tara asked. “What about New Mexico?”

  “Didn’t quite get there.” Chloe rolled out her yoga mat.

  “Texas?” Maddie asked, mimicking Tara’s pose so it looked like she’d been working hard all morning.

  “Didn’t get there, either. Decided you two were going to have too much fun without me. Besides, I love the natural sea salt here. I came up with an idea for a body lotion. Maddie, focus. Hold your pose.”

  What, was she kidding?

  “You’re moving too fast, as usual. You’re always in a hurry. Got to take a moment to smell the roses.” Chloe began to stretch, bending in one fluid movement to lay her palms flat on the floor, legs straight.

  “I’m working on other things,” Maddie said.

  “Like?”

  “Like changing my moniker from ‘the Mouse.’ ”

  “To?” Tara asked.

  “Actually, I’d like to be more like you. You know, the strong, take-no-shit Steel Magnolia.”

  Chloe chortled, then zipped it when Tara sent her a narrowed gaze before turning to Maddie with clear surprise. “Sugar, you don’t want to be like me. I’m as messed up as they come.”

  “Yes, but you pretend not to be. And you, too,” Maddie said to Chloe. “I like that. And I’m starting to see it’s all in the pretending. And the attitude. You know, act tough, be tough.”

  “You going to be bitchy, too?” Chloe asked. “And say ‘bless your heart’ and do the holier-than-thou shit?”

  “Or maybe she could just get whiny,” Tara said smoothly. “Or better yet, take off on her Vespa when the going gets a little rough.”

  The tension ratcheted up a notch. “Maybe I’ll do a combination,” Maddie said. “Bitchy and whiny, with only a dash of anxiety. We’ll call it ‘the Blend’ and make a recipe card about it for our kids.”

  Both sisters stared at her for a shocked beat, then looked at each other. That was the only warning Maddie got before they both tackled her down to the yoga mat for a wedgie.

  Yeah, Maddie thought, lying there with her underwear twisted in places it shouldn’t be as Tara and Chloe got up and bumped fists. They were really starting to gel together as a family.

  Chapter 16

  “Never leave a paper trail.”

  PHOEBE TRAEGER

  Maddie sat at the desk in the marina office. It was beginning to become clear why the inn hadn’t been successful. Phoebe hadn’t charged enough for any of the services, and sometimes, when she’d known her customers, she hadn’t charged at all.

  That would have to change—assuming they got their financing, that is. And assuming that by fixing the place up, they got customers. And that both of those things helped Maddie convince her sisters to keep the inn instead of selling. She dropped her head to the desk and hit it lightly a few times as a man let himself into the marina building.

  He was six foot four, at least two hundred and fifty pounds, and looked like Sulley from Monsters, Inc., minus the smile and blue fur.

  “Need to rent a boat.” His voice thundered like he’d spoken through a microphone. “Fully equipped.”

  She jumped in automatic response. “Have you rented here before?”

  “Yes.”

  Good. So one of them knew what they were doing.

  “Name’s Peter Jenkins.” He pounded his finger on her desk. “And I get a deal. Phoebe always gave me a deal.”

  Since Maddie had just yesterday organized the accounts receivables, she was proud to be able to go right to the file cabinet and locate a stack of boat rentals, where she pulled out one with his name on it. Please have notes, please have notes…

  “Make sure it’s gassed up,” he boomed. “And I’m in a hurry here.”

  Yes, she was getting that. And she was getting something else—nervous as hell. He yelled when he talked. It was making her fingers refuse to work and her brain uncooperative. Plus, she hadn’t yet studied any of their rental agreements or learned the procedure.

  “What the hell’s taking you so long?”

  “I’m sorry.” She reached for the file of blank rental agreements, looking for one for the fishing boat. “I’m new at this, so—”