When I woke up, I thought Jake had left the room already. Instead, he was lying flat on his back, one arm over his head and a hand covering his abs. It was silly thoughts like this, the body that would make a Greek god jealous, that would run through my mind when I was able to take in the perfection of the man.
His chest rose and fell in perfect rhythm, showing Jake was fully resting and proving he’d gone too long without. With the sun rising and the rays of it waking me up, I knew Jake was sleeping well past the time he naturally got up. Mister Four-in-the-Morning was sleeping-in past six.
I smiled at the thought that this man was mine—he loved me? It was a hard thing to grip for a simple person like myself. I wasn’t that girl who all the guys in school wanted. Not even close. Then I magically land Jacob Mitchell? It was beyond flattering, and more than that, I was in love with everything about him.
I softly traced the lines of his hard stomach, the V-line muscle tempting me to pull the sheets completely down to appreciate the man. He was perfect in every way. Smart, talented, fun, witty, and well, just perfect.
I slipped out of bed and moved toward the shower, giving Jake his needed rest. The warm and inviting shower was refreshing and a perfect start to whatever this day would bring.
I shuffled through the fridge, looking for breakfast food. The guy was a health nut. There were fresh fruits, vegetables, free-range eggs, almond milk—all of the stuff I only wished I could afford to buy when I went grocery shopping.
I opted to cut up some fruit, found some whole grain bread in the cabinet, and began the process of making breakfast. The fragrance made my stomach leap with excitement, and I was starving. I wasn’t as talented as Jake in the presentation department, but hell, it tasted delicious.
I spent the morning watching surfers ride the waves into shore, families setting up their spots on the beach for the day, and smiling at the sailboats as they came through. I pinched my lips, wondering if I should take Jake up on the offer of going out on the sailboat. As impressive as the yacht was, it was like a floating five-diamond hotel. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it and would love to one day go to Cabo with him, but I felt that a sailboat would be more fun and more intimate.
After cleaning up my cooking mess and returning Jake’s kitchen to the squeaky-clean way it was before I came in like a tornado, I walked past the pool and leaned against the iron rail, watching the sailboats intently.
It was relaxing, watching them glide and the sails moving in different directions to catch the wind, allowing the boat to be pulled through the water.
“I wonder if Jake knows how to navigate one of those things,” I said to myself softly, seeing all of the work the boater was doing with the ropes and the sails.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Jake asked, startling me.
Before I could turn around, his arms were around my stomach, holding me and bringing me close into his bare chest.
“Well, if I recall your artistic portrait of the sea, you couldn’t be doing what the person is doing with those ropes,” I said, leaning my head back into his chest.
Jake kissed my cheek. “Little do you know, I am quite savvy in the ways of boating, especially a sailboat. I grew up on those things.”
“I’m talking about your vision of the two people on the bow.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I would handle the boat.” He kissed the back of my head. “Prepare the sails, lock them in, and then take your sexy ass to the bow to have the portrait masterpiece of what I see out in that ocean.”
“A masterpiece, is it?”
“What other words could be used for such an amazing work of art?”
I turned back to see his face bright and youthful again. “You look like you slept well.”
“I did.” He dipped his lips and pressed them against mine. “The woman I had over actually allowed me to sleep the entire night.”
“How nice of her. You might want to keep that one around for a while.”
“She’s going to stay.” He pressed his hands into my lower back, bringing me tightly against him. “Forever.”
I smirked. “How does she feel about that?”
“I don’t necessarily know. I mean,” he smiled and brushed my hair from my face, “she did just show up randomly last night.” He leaned forward and brought his lips to my ear. “I think she thinks my place is hers.”
I laughed at his whisper. “Well, that could be a problem since there are so many women after you these days.”
“Yeah, but the sex is good.”
“Good enough to have some random chick move in and stake claim on your place?”
He rose and stared at the ocean. “Good enough that she already staked her claim on my heart, but the sex last night?” His eyes met mine again. “Best of my life.” He cupped my ass with his hand.
“You hungry?” I asked, knowing things could go from zero to ninety out here in less than a second. The energy between us was palpable.
“Already ate the plate you left for me.”
“What? When?”
“While I was watching you stare out at the ocean.” He grinned. “What were you thinking besides the fact that you fear I can’t navigate a sailboat?”
“Just how beautiful it all is,” I simply stated. “You look a lot better. Why wouldn’t you come by and hang with me these last weeks? We could have talked, at least.”
He took my hand and walked me over to a beautiful, custom teak wood swing. “As I said, I couldn’t have you see me in that state. I was an inconsolable mess. I believe my brother was the last to hang on with dealing with my depression or self-pity—whatever you might call it.”
We sat on the twin-sized bed mattress of the swing, and I leaned against his side. “Jake, all of it was understandable. I mean, I’m not one to talk since I had some serious issues in letting Mom go. Still, from dealing with that, I do know you can’t blame yourself for any of it.”
“I understand. I battled with right and wrong emotions, and it all just frustrated me further. I was finding no resolution. I believe I was angry with myself, John, John’s other doctors, the media chasing my ass down everywhere I go…it was everything. I had no way of finding peace nor any way of figuring my way out of the rabbit hole I fell into.”
“How do you feel about it now?” I shifted to lay my head on his lap and stretch out like we’d done before on this bed-like swing. He began running his fingers through my hair. “I can see that look on your face. If you say I showed up and solved it all, I’ll punch you.”
He laughed. “How would you discern the look on my face as you see it from an awkward angle.”
“You have that distant look, the tightened lips, and those wild eyes of wanting to have sex here and now. I’m not that naïve.”
“Fine, then. I’ll admit that at the time I saw you, I felt like my thoughts had somehow manifested you. I had been adding the stress of losing you for being a dumbass in hiding and trying to figure out the words I’d say to get you back. I couldn’t believe I’d let myself spin-out that hard and for that long. Then all I wanted was you, and suddenly, you show up?” He looked down at me, his foot gently pushing the swing back and forth. “It was the one thing I needed at the end of all of this, and the one thing I certainly didn’t deserve.”
“I believed you’d be harder to pull out of everything than you were.”
“You told me you’d punch me if I said it was you showing up. I guess I’ll take the punch for that because you were the light in this dark hole I was stuck in. Sounds lame,” he continued to play with my hair, “but it’s the truth.”
“So, you’ve come to terms with it?”
“I believe I’m in my right mind again. I’m no longer feeling like a piece-of-shit victim to everything as I have been. I’ll miss John, but I need to focus on pushing out the word better in saving lives. I’ll use John and the other million different ways I know I could have talked to him now and keep them in mind when I consult with patients in his situation. Instead of being upset with the other doctors for not working with patients in John’s condition with other underlying health issues, I will work with them too. Perhaps a united team of healthcare workers can help a patient more effectively.” He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“I think that’s an amazing plan,” I said, sitting up. “You come up with that while you slept?”
He brushed his finger over my nose, “I haven’t slept that hard and so long in…well, never. The craziest part was waking up and not being panicked or pissed off I’d slept in.” He brought me to lie on my back and lay next to me. “I am just thinking more clearly and with a more rational mind.”
“Uh, oh,” I teased him as he planted tender kisses on my shoulder. “He’s thinking with a more rational mind? Does that mean the wedding is off?”
He traced my closed-lip smile. “You’re not getting off that easy.” He smiled, and then I saw the devilish and daring man I’d fallen in love with return to me. “In fact, you actually will be getting off that easy and all day long.”
“Oh, is the big bad and newly renewed doctor going to take me right here and now?”
He licked his lips. “I’m going to take you back into that house and fuck you in every room.”
I laughed out loud. “Good lord, man. Are you trying to kill me off?”
“Now that you bring that up, Collin mentioned something that I believe might make you think I am.”
“You both trying to kill me off?”
“I went surfing, and—” He laughed. “I want to take you with me tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes, it’s a holiday. Believe it or not, I only remembered because Chi is on for me, checking in with my patients at the hospital because I worked for him last Memorial Day weekend. I know that bitch isn’t working the gallery because this is the weekend where women like her go on the prowl.”
“No, I’m not working tomorrow.”
“Then, we’re up at the ass-crack of dawn and surfing.”
“Hell no,” I answered. “If you want to surf, fine. I’ll watch, but I’m not killing myself out in the water.”
“I imagined your expression in saying no so differently.” He laughed. “You afraid of the sharks?”
“I’m afraid of drowning in some crazy wave or riptide, dumbass,” I teased back.
“She’s not afraid of sharks?”
“She’s not afraid of sharks,” I repeated.
“Then, you’re out on the board tomorrow. We’ll stay in the shallow ankle biters, and I want to see your sexy ass on the board.”
“You give me way too much credit.”
“You enjoy a good adrenaline rush, correct?”
“Yes.” I sighed in disbelief that he was roping me into this.
“Then it’s time I introduce you to a sport that is one of the most invigorating treats for the human mind and soul.”
“I swear, Jake,” I said.
“We’ll go easy, I promise.”
“Why, though?”
“Collin’s idea.” He shrugged.
“Blaming it on him?”
“Always.” He smirked. “Now, I’m going to take your sweet ass back into the house, fuck you wild, and then we’re shopping for a board and a wet suit. Tomorrow we go a little crazy.”
“I think you’ve already gone crazy.”
“I love you, Ashley Taylor,” he said with his eyes glittery and riddled with excitement.
He’s damn lucky I’d missed the hell out of him, found the old daring Ashley because of him, and was edgy with some excitement to give this a try. Time to do something I swore I’d never do—challenge the ocean instead of just paint it.
