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JESSICA SHRIEKED AND clung to Jacob as the roller coaster dropped, and Jacob laughed good-naturedly, loving that she turned toward him for comfort. There wasn’t a hell of a lot he could do to protect her if something went wrong on a ride like this, but the fact that she trusted him made him feel about ten feet tall.
Her brown waves flew through the air, tickling his skin as the roller coaster turned, and she screamed again, holding tightly onto him.
A minute later it rolled to a stop, and he grinned at her. “What’d you think?”
“That was terrifying. And awesome, too.”
Jacob laughed and climbed out of the car, holding a hand out for Jessica. Her breasts bounced slightly in her hot pink tank top as she jumped down, and he resisted the urge to groan. Not letting go of her hand, he tugged her toward him, weaving his fingers between hers.
Her hand was so delicate and slender, he felt massive beside her. He towered above her more petite frame, and hell if he didn’t love that she barely come up to his shoulder. He wanted to pull her against him and protect her from everything—an odd feeling since he didn’t even know her that well. Something about Jess got under his skin though—and hell if he didn’t want to explore more of where things could go between them.
“You were clinging to me so tightly, I wasn’t sure if you liked it or not,” he said with a chuckle.
“It was exhilarating,” she said with a laugh. “But that’s about as daring as I get—a tiny roller coaster like that. No upside-down thrill rides or bungee jumping for me.”
He smirked. “Thank goodness this is a rinky-dink carnival at the beach then. Hell, angel, I jump out of airplanes for a living.”
Jessica shuddered. “That sounds...horrifying. Seriously, it does.”
Jacob chuffed out a laugh, pulling her toward another ride. “I couldn’t handle sitting at a desk all day, angel—that sounds boring as hell to me. Maybe some people can spend their careers doing that, but as for me? I’d go stir crazy before lunchtime.”
“Well, teaching high schoolers isn’t exactly a desk job. But I do appreciate the sentiment. Sitting at a computer all day isn’t for me either. I like working with the kids, talking to them, feeling like I’m helping them in some small way. Sure, I’m their teacher, but I like to think I’m making a difference in their lives.”
“You are,” he assured her. “How could you not be? That’s all anyone wants, right? Someone who cares.”
They got to the back of the long line for the Ferris wheel, and Jacob wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I’m glad you could come today,” he said, his lips brushing against the top of her head as he spoke.
“Me too. And I didn’t even know this place was here.”
“It’s small,” he admitted. “If you’re looking for thrill rides, Busch Gardens is over in Williamsburg. But this Ferris wheel is pretty cool. We’re on the busy strand right now, but when we get up high enough, you can see over the hotels to the beach.”
“Wow. How cool. That sounds like a good view.”
“It’s amazing,” he said. He absentmindedly caressed her shoulder as they stood in line, and she relaxed into him. Jessica’s skin was soft and smooth, with a faint floral scent. He wasn’t sure if it was her perfume or soap, but his groin tightened nevertheless.
Glancing down at her beside him, he could see the swells of her breasts beneath the tank top she wore. The faintest hint of her lacy bra was beneath that. Resisting the urge to groan, he looked around the carnival. This wasn’t the time or place to be admiring her gorgeous figure. He’d be harder than a rock in no time.
Two fighter jets came blazing across the sky, and everyone around them looked up for a moment, waiting for the deafening noise to stop.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to those,” Jessica admitted. “I’ve been coming to Virginia Beach for years, but wow. Those are crazy loud.”
“We always joke that we know who the tourists are, because they’re looking up when the jets fly by,” Jacob said.
“How can you not?” she asked with a laugh. “They’re so loud all conversations have to stop.”
“You get used to it,” he said. “We had F-18s flying overhead all the time when we went through BUD/S out in Coronado, too, so this just reminds me of that.”
“What’s BUD/S?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Training we go through. It stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL. Seven months of hard work—if you can’t pass that, you can’t be a Navy SEAL.”
“I’d probably fail the first day—it sounds grueling.”
They moved forward in the line, the Ferris wheel starting and stopping to let people on and off. The scents of funnel cakes and cotton candy drifted toward them, mixed in with the salty scent of the ocean. Before long, they were finally climbing into a basket on the ride. Jacob sat down right beside Jessica, wrapping his arm around her shoulders again as she settled against him.
“Where do you want to eat later?” she asked, glancing up at him.
“There’s tons of awesome seafood places nearby. But what are you in the mood for?”
“Anything, really. I skipped lunch today.”
“Aw, you should’ve said something. We could’ve eaten first and then headed over here.”
“I’m fine. I would’ve gotten a snack or something if I was starving.”
“I would’ve gotten you a snack,” Jacob said. “This is a date, so I’m buying. Funnels cakes, ice cream—whatever you want. And then we’ll grab some real food and drinks later on.”
The Ferris wheel began to move upward, and Jessica leaned closer into him, her bare leg brushing against his own. Jessica pressed up against him felt damn good. He had a vision of her snuggled up against him back in his apartment while they relaxed on his sofa together. Funny because he never really brought women home. He had on the rare occasion in the past, but generally they went out on a couple of dates, had a good time, and then parted ways.
To want to have a woman in his space was somewhat of a surprise.
Especially since he was envisioning her next to him on the sofa, not sprawled out naked on his bed. Not that he’d mind that either.
“On my God,” Jessica breathed as they crested the top of the Ferris wheel and saw the Virginia Beach oceanfront stretched out before them. The sun gleamed off the water, hundreds of people walked up and down the boardwalk and spread out on the sand, and it felt like the entire world was at their disposal.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” he asked in a low voice.
A sailboat sailed by, and several jet skis raced around further down the beach.
“This is amazing! Wow, I never even knew about this place. Even if I did, I doubt I would’ve stopped to try it out. Who knew the Ferris wheel had the best view in town? Well, aside from you I guess,” she added with a laugh.
“It’s older but still popular with the tourists. There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned boardwalk at the beach, complete with a carnival and games.”
They began to lower, and Jessica clung to him again, her brown waves blowing gently in the breeze. “I kind of like you snuggled up against me like this,” he said gruffly, brushing the top of her head with his lips.
She giggled. “I didn’t take you for the snuggling type.”
“Don’t tell the guys,” he quipped.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said dryly. “Besides, I’d rather have you all to myself.”
“Fair enough,” he chuckled. “I think Ryker is going to call your friend Michelle tonight. We’ll see. He’s not really the dating sort.”
“I don’t think Michelle is either,” Jessica admitted. “She’s always up for a good time.”
Jacob shrugged. “Nothing wrong with that I suppose. You’re only young once.” They rode past the line and went up again, circling around once more. “It’s weird being off in the middle of the day like this,” Jacob admitted. “I kind of feel like I’m playing hooky.”
“Same here. Usually I teach summer school. What do the rest of the guys on your team do when they get back?”
“We’re all off,” he explained. “We get some time to decompress. Back in the old days we’d all go hang out at Anchors a lot. Most of the guys have girlfriends or wives now though. They want to get home to see them.”
“And what—you just aren’t interested in that sort of thing?”
Jacob lifted a shoulder. “I hadn’t met the right woman I guess. No sense in forcing something that isn’t there.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. A few of my friends back home are married already, but as for me? I’m not going to rush into anything.”
“Are you originally from Blacksburg?” he asked.
“Yeah, I even went to Virginia Tech. How’s that for original?” she asked with a laugh.
“Rebelling would’ve been going to UVA,” he joked, referring to the University of Virginia. “I’m actually from Pittsburgh. But I went out to California when I joined the Navy. I go visit, of course, but I’ve never been back to live there ever since.”
“I can’t see myself leaving Virginia.”
“Me either—I mean, I won’t be a SEAL forever, obviously. I’m getting older. But there’s a hell of a lot of good jobs down here with the Navy. Plus the Pentagon of course. Either way, I figure I’ll end up somewhere here.”
“Hmmm.”
She didn’t say anything else, and Jacob smiled, content to simply enjoy the day with a beautiful woman at his side. They’d go to dinner. Maybe walk on the beach. He’d kiss her goodnight like he promised.
And after that?
He wanted to see much more of her.
