Page 31 of Fools in Love

Kate’s stomach rolled at the thought of such a monster only serving ten years for torturing and murdering his family.

“It makes me sick,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” Tom agreed. “I’m sure the board is going to keep him in, but just the thought that he might be free…” He shook his head as he ran his hands through his hair.

She stood up and slowly hobbled towards him. He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her.

“Whatever you need,” she said softly. “I’m here. We’re here,” she corrected, knowing her brother would have promised the same thing.

“Thanks.” He leaned back and cupped her face. “I have tomorrow off. I was going to take the boat out. Do you think you’d be up for a sail?”

“You have a sailboat?” she asked, surprised.

He chuckled. “Okay, so there’s a lot we haven’t gotten to know about one another still. Yes. My house is right by the docks for a reason. I love to sail.”

She narrowed her eyes. “But you’re from Las Vegas.”

He laughed. “I learned when I moved here. You can trust me. It’s safe.”

“I do.” She hugged him. “I’d love to go sailing with you tomorrow.”

His arms wrapped around her, and she felt drunk all over again, even though the alcohol was out of her system at this point.

When Tom kissed her, she felt her entire body vibrate with want. She wanted to tell him to take her to his place. She wanted him to touch her, to be inside her.

He deepened the kiss, and she tugged on his shoulders until he laid her down gently in the soft cool sand.

Feeling his body cover hers had little moans escaping from her lips. His hands snaked up her legs and hiked up her skirt. She felt his fingers flexing on her good thigh and willed him to understand what she wanted. What she needed from him.

“Kate, I’m trying to go slow,” he said against her neck.

“Don’t.” She arched for him as her hands reached under his shirt and played with the muscles that lay over his stomach.

As sand mixed with her hair, he trailed kisses down her neck and slid his hand higher until he cupped her over her panties. She’d never felt anything like this before. He played with her through the silk until finally nudging it aside.

When Tom slid a finger into her, stars burst in her mind as her body pulsed for him. She couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t think, couldn’t stop wanting more.

She wrapped herself around him, needing to feel even more. For the first time since her accident, she felt something other than sorrow and pain.

“Kate,” Tom groaned against her neck, “I need to take you home.”

He rolled away from her, and she tried to reach to pull him back, but he was already standing up, facing away from her. Her first inclination was to be hurt, but then she noticed that he was breathing heavy and that it had started to sprinkle.

This was not the ideal place to make love for the first time.

She sat up and shook the sand from her hair and her dress. She could only imagine how messy she would have been if they had gone any further in the sand.

Tom’s hand was there to help pull her up when she moved to stand. She wrapped her arms around him and held on for a moment, feeling the hardness of him against her hip.

“You know, we could head back to your place?” she suggested. She swayed slightly, and it didn’t go unnoticed by him.

“You’ve had too many drinks, and I’m sure you want to be rested for our sail tomorrow,” he said with a slight sigh. “I’ll take you home.”

“Tom.” She stopped him from moving away. “Tomorrow, I plan on finishing this.”

He smiled. “So do I.” He kissed her lightly.

The following morning, she stood looking down at her clothes.