Chapter 27

Keira went back to her room and changed again, this time putting a black bikini on beneath her clothes. Hesitating for a minute, she removed her engagement ring and slipped it into the medicine cabinet in her bathroom. She threw a pair of panties and a bra, some sunscreen, two beach towels, and some bottled water into a tote bag, then returned to the living room where Jon was waiting patiently, still flipping the channels of the television.“You ready?” she said.

“Always,” he replied, standing up and stretching.

Following his directions, she drove to his apartment in Soho. “Where do I park?” she asked as they approached.

“Depends. Are you coming in?” he asked.

She hesitated, not feeling ready to visit his luxury apartment. “No, I’ll just wait for you. I’ll drive around the block and pick you up when I see you.”

He nodded and got out at the curb. She drove around for a few minutes, trying not to think about Rob. After circling the block four times, she pulled up when she saw Jon come out of the building, wearing navy blue swim shorts and a white t-shirt. He was wearing a baseball cap and had done a great job of hiding his hair. He got into the car and she pulled away, feeling somewhat like she was driving the getaway car. He was carrying a change of clothes and her Red Sox shirt. “Here you go. I definitely won’t be needing this anymore,” he said, dumping it in her lap. “How do I look? Like myself?”

She peered over at him. “I guess you might pass as just a regular everyday guy. Just don’t smile. Those teeth of yours are like a beacon.”

He flashed them at her. “I can’t help my natural good looks.”

"Hey, don't blind me with those things, I'm trying to drive, here."

She turned the radio on, and as if on cue, Living on a Prayer blasted from the speakers. Out of habit, she automatically stabbed at the scan button, changing the channel. She felt Jon’s stare.

“What?”

“Not a fan?”

She blushed. “You know I like your music. It’s just…habit, I guess.”

“Punching the shit out of the radio to change the channel when my song comes on is a habit of yours?”

“I didn’t punch anything. I just…changed it,” she said, feeling like an ass. Lamely, she added, “I didn’t think you wanted to hear your own song for the millionth time.”

He raised an eyebrow at her but let the subject drop. When they made it to the shore, she parked the car and looked at him. “Do you really think we can do this?”

“The worst that can happen is someone starts taking pictures and we have to leave. I don’t care if you don’t.”

“Well, you’re the one who has to worry about the press, not me, so if you think it’s okay, let’s go.” She grabbed the tote bag and they got out of the car. He came over to her side and removed the tote bag from her shoulder, slinging it onto his.

"Such a gentleman," she said. "Thanks."

They kicked off their shoes and walked onto the warm sand. It was another beautiful day and the beach was fairly packed, so they walked for awhile until they found a spot that was far enough away from other people that they wouldn't have to worry about someone recognizing Jon. Keira was relieved to see that so far, no one had paid any attention to him.

They spread the towels out on the sand and flopped down onto them. Jon pulled his shirt off and lay back, watching lazily as she stripped out of her clothes. Feeling his eyes on her, she said, "Would you like me to dance for you, or something?"

He gave her his sexy, lopsided smile. "Later, when you come back to my place."

In her bikini, she lay down on her towel and rolled onto her side to face him. "Oh, am I supposed to be going home with you after this?"

He nodded. "You don't know it yet, though." His eyes held hers for a minute, and once again she felt the strong pull of attraction. She looked away and reached into the bag for the sunscreen.

"Are you this cocky with every woman?" she asked as she rubbed lotion into her skin.

"No, only with you. It's fun to make you squirm."

"I am not squirming," she lied. She lay down on her stomach and handed him the bottle of lotion. "Will you do my back?"

"I don't know. Do you think you can handle my hands on you?" he teased, taking the lotion from her.

"Oh for the love of--" she began, but her words were cut off when she felt his warm, strong hands begin massaging the lotion into her shoulders. He did a thorough job of it, taking his sweet time and lingering in certain spots; the small of her back, the nape of her neck. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensation of the soothing motions of his hands and the warm sun on her skin.

When he finished, he bent over her until his chest was just skimming her back, and murmured into her ear, "Now you're definitely squirming."

Son of a bitch. Two can play at this game. She reached her arms out ahead of her as though she was stretching, then raised her bikini-clad bottom into the air until she made contact with the front of his shorts. Pretending to be stretching her back muscles, she ground against him and felt him respond. He bit back a groan and moved away from her, flopping back onto his own towel.

"Who's squirming now?" she said with a laugh. "You shouldn't put yourself in such compromising positions." Girls always win at these games.

"We'll see who's squirming when I take you home later. Now do my back."

Trying to ignore her body’s natural reaction to him, she sat beside him and squeezed a generous amount of sunscreen into her hands. Starting at his neck, she smoothed the lotion into his skin, enjoying the feel of his muscular back. “I see you’ve been working out since the last time I touched you like this,” she said as she massaged him, feeling him relax beneath her touch.

“Mmmm,” he murmured, his eyes closed.

She couldn’t deny that she still wanted him. It wasn’t logical and it wasn’t right, but it was there. For me and millions of other women, Keira thought, disgusted with herself. There’s not one thing that I can do to this man that some other woman hasn’t already done to him. And that is why I’d be insane to do anything with him. It's why I set him free in the first place.