Chapter 207: DinnerThey sat opposite each other at the white linen-covered table, candlelight bathing them in a golden glow. Pop art graced the white walls, in stark contrast to the bare concrete floor. Near the bar, a singer was warming up.When they'd been shown to their table, Jessi had gingerly lowered herself onto the chair, finding that the weight of the plug was more bearable when she was seated than when she stood. Judd had watched her, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes."This is a beautiful place," Jessi said as their server left with their orders.Judd glanced around. "You haven't been to O-BO before?"She shook her head."The owner is a friend of mine. We were at FSU together. He started this place a couple of years ago.""I like it. It feels fancy, but welcoming."Judd nodded. "I think that was what he was going for. So, Angel…"He was interrupted when the waiter returned with their wine. "Here you are madam, sir. Your starter will be up momentarily."Judd smil
Chapter 208: At Judd's PlaceJudd opened his front door and Buddy pushed past him, making himself at home in the living room. Jessi chuckled and tried to apologize. "Sorry, he just acts like he owns the place.""No worries. He's always welcome here, aren't you, killer?" He turned to see Jessi, clutching her purse and still standing in the entry. "Relax, make yourself at home. I just need to…" He hooked a thumb toward the stairs.""Oh, of course. I'll…get comfortable." She scanned a handful of photos displayed on his bookshelf before she sat on the sofa. Her gaze was drawn to the view through the sliders. The full moon hung over the ocean, reflecting on the gentle waves."Can I get you some wine?" Judd lightly padded down the stairs. He'd gotten rid of the blazer and his shirt was untucked."Yes, please," she nodded, grateful for a little more liquid encouragement. The discussion over dinner had revved her libido, and the weight of the plug in her rear pucker added to the
Chapter 209: Date for the PartyThe ringing of the office phone startled Jessi. She'd been lost in thought, going over final arrangements for the fire chief's retirement party."Hello. Sea Star Celebrations. This is Jessi.""Hello, Angel." The voice on the other end was deeply masculine, and Jessi felt a tingle down below as well as a dampening between her thighs.It had been two weeks since they'd finally given in to desire, two busy weeks. They'd managed to finally replace the dishwasher and do another couple of jobs from Graham's list. They'd gone paddle boarding again, and Jessi had completed the online dive certification course and she'd had her first pool dive the previous day.She and Judd had also gotten blood tests out of the way, so that when they sex, which had been every time they'd seen each other since that night two weeks earlier, they were free to do so without condoms."Hi, there," she managed, smiling dreamily. "I'm surprised you called the business phone.""I
Chapter 210: Meeting Judd's Friends"You look beautiful, Jessi." Judd eyed her short blue dress admiringly."Thank you. You look very handsome yourself in your suit and tie.""It's not every day I get to introduce my Angel to my friends." He winked at her and offered her his arm as they walked into the lobby of the Doubletree. A marquee directed them to the proper ballroom, but Jessi knew the route by heart. She'd been there much of the day arranging seating, putting together the floral arrangements, decorating tables, and running through a few last-minute changes to the menu.She'd run home to shower and change, and Judd had insisted on picking her up. Now as they entered the ballroom, the place was beginning to fill with guests. Big band music played softly in the background. Jessi resisted the urge to check in with the kitchen, still saying hello to a couple of servers she recognized. She spotted Sarah across the room and waved. Sarah nodded toward Judd and winked, grinnin
Chapter 211: PlaytimeJessi gasped as ice slid between her breasts and down her belly. Blindfolded, she was tied spread eagle across Judd's bed. As promised, he'd affixed a pair of nipple clamp bars to her tight pink points, and stimulated by the ice and the pressure on her nipples, Jessi writhed against her restraints on the razor-thin edge between pain and pleasure."How are you doing, Angel?" She heard the smirk in his voice."I'm—" She gasped as he popped her pussy with a wooden spoon. "I'm great, Sir."The wooden spoon popped her again. "Great is not a color, Angel.""Green. Very green. Any time you want to fuck me would be fabulous." Jessi pulled against the cuffs on her wrists.Judd laughed softly. "I thought I might just leave you here for a while. There's a ballgame I was wanting to watch, so…"Jessi's head popped up. "Are you kidding me? You'd leave me here all…"She could hear the smile in his voice. "All what?""All, you know! Hot and bothered. My nipples ar
Chapter 212: Double DateTwo weeks and one open water dive later, Jessi was just one dive short of her certification.She was pleased with her progress and said so in her journal. While at first, she'd been a little annoyed at Judd's requirement, she'd come to look forward to committing her thoughts and feelings to paper. And Judd, to his credit, had been completely open to whatever she wrote, never once judging her intimate words when he read over the journal about once a week."Nicely done, Angel. I can't wait to take you diving in the Bahamas." He handed Jessi's journal back to her, kissing her lightly. "Now, I'd better head out back and get the steaks going on the grill. Our guests will be here anytime."As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "Okay, you go take care of man business, I'll let them in," Jessi laughed, pausing to put her journal back in its drawer.She and Judd had invited Alex and Trish to dinner at Jessi's. Later, they'd walk down the block to Biba, a funky boutiq
Chapter 213: Trip to the BahamasJessi had just reached her front door, arms loaded with grocery bags, when she heard her phone ringing in her purse. By the time she'd made it to the kitchen island and put down the groceries, the phone had gone to voicemail. She put away the cold things, then dug the phone out of her bag. The missed call log said 'Cara'. She sank into Sir's chair and dialed. "Hi, sweetie. I was just coming in the door. How are you?""Hi, Mom. I'm good. Listen, I have some time off. Trevor and I want to come down for the weekend."Jessi hesitated. "This weekend?" It was Wednesday. Did her daughter really mean two days from now?"Yeah, we were planning to go to the mountains, but I said I'd rather go to the beach."The butterflies in Jessi's stomach went into overdrive. So far, she had avoided mentioning, to either Cara or Adam, the change in her relationship with Judd. Not that she was ashamed. But her children had never known her to date. What would t
Chapter 214: A Special Gift"Okay, Jessi. We'll leave Gomez and his lovely fiancée to this fine vessel. You and I are staying elsewhere tonight." He beamed at Jessi, a mysterious twinkle in his eye.Jessi, having donned her beach cover-up once again, retrieved her suitcase and tote bag. She hugged Trish and allowed Judd to help her onto the dock."You lovebirds go get settled. We'll meet you for dinner in a couple of hours. This place has a 5-star restaurant," Alex grinned."In the restaurant, 7:00. We'll be there," Judd promised.He hoisted his and Jessi's bags onto his left shoulder and held out his right hand to her. "Come on and let's see what the weekend holds for us."When they reached the end of the dock, Jessi turned and scanned the property in all directions. The water was fluid turquoise, while the land was a mix of green grass and sandy beach. A smattering of two-story hotel buildings in various pastel tones dotted the property, accented by coconut palms and lush t
Chapter 328: Epilogue"Just one more push, you're doing great," the doctor said."How are you holding up, Dad?"Bleary-eyed, he nodded to the pink scrubs-clad nurse. He was ready for this long night to be over.He felt her starting to squeeze his hand again. "You've got this, babe," he murmured, kissing her forehead.Eyes closed and teeth clenched, she bore down, releasing a grunting squeal with the effort."Stop! There we are, Mom. The head is out. Now don't push, just breathe for a moment."Still holding her hand, he leaned over to see the back of the baby's head. His heart was in his throat and tears streamed down his face."Now this is it. On the next contraction, go ahead and push."He turned back to her. Eyes wide, she panted, gripping his hand for dear life."Oh, God, here it comes," she cried."You're doing great, I'm so proud of you," he murmured, turning to watch as their child was born.Fifteen minutes later, he strode down the hospital corridor to the family waiting
Chapter 327: No Time Like the Present"You should go home and get some rest, Jackie."Without taking her eyes off Scott, asleep in his hospital bed, she reached for Blake's hand. "I can't. I need to be here when he wakes up.""You're sure?"She nodded, then looked to her brother. "Can you take care of the kids? I hate to impose, but…""No worries, Jackie. Now that the storm's over, we'll take them back to our house. Amy's more comfortable there, anyway. We'll have a sleepover party."Jackie sighed. "I know they're ready to be back in their own beds. But I'll be home tomorrow, for sure, at least overnight.""Okay, sis." He kissed Jackie on the cheek. "Keep us posted."In the quiet of the hospital room, Jackie pulled a chair beside Scott's bed. As soon as they'd arrived back at the lodge, Blake and some of the others had carried Scott to the battered Suburban, laying him on the back seat.At Amy's insistence, Blake had driven Jackie and Scott to town. By the time they reache
Chapter 326: Dream Versus RealityHe was staring up at an azure sky. A warm summer breeze caressed his face. He turned his head and Jackie smiled at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling. "Where were you?" she asked.Scott shrugged. "I don't know.""Well, you're back now. That's what counts." She took his hand and led him to a bed in the middle of a sun-drenched field full of flowers. The bed's sheer white canopy billowed in the breeze. Kissing his hand, she released it, reaching up to slide first one, then the other spaghetti strap of her filmy white dress, allowing it to slide down her body and pool at her bare feet. His gaze slid from her sapphire eyes to her succulent lips. Then it traveled over the firm globes of her breasts with their pert pink nipples, to the flair of her hips, to the junction between her thighs where tight black curls were neatly trimmed. When he met her eyes again, she smiled knowingly and sank to her knees, bowing her head and resting her hands palm
Chapter 325: Warrior Princess"Jacks, you can't go out there." Blake's face twisted with concern."He won't come back until he finds Pierce. But he won't find Pierce, because Pierce is here. You can't leave Amy. I'd never even ask. And if Ned Hart won't go out there, I have no other choice." Her voice was deadly calm.She grabbed her grey coat, then put it back on its hook, heading into the dining room. Blake followed. "Jackie, seriously, I don't want you going out there." He grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Scott wouldn't want you going out there.""He can tell me that when I find him. Can I borrow Amy's pink parka? It's brighter than mine, easier to see."Blake exhaled sharply, his tone resigned. "I've known you long enough to know that once you've set your mind on something, that's it. At least let me put together a pack for you."While Blake scavenged from the survival students, Jackie put on Amy's parka and spoke to Grant and Emma. "I'm going out to let Scott know
Chapter 324: From Bad to WorseAway from the wide-open expanse of the lake, the trees blocked a certain amount of the wind, but plenty of snow filtered down. Try as he might, Scott couldn't make out any tracks left by Pierce. He continued up the trail, slipping and sliding as he made his way up a steep ridge. The designated campsite was the clearing at the top, but once he arrived, the area was empty. Even the snow was thin, having been blown into drifts against the bases of the trees surrounding the clearing. Where are you, you little shit? Scott turned in a circle, considering the most likely way Pierce might have gone. The clearing was exposed. He'd have wanted to find a spot that afforded more shelter. Which meant he would have gone lower. But in which direction?Rolling the dice, Scott headed west, where the clearing dropped off in a bluff about thirty meters above a ravine created by a now-frozen creek. He peered down into the gully, willing Pierce not to be there at
Chapter 323: Who's Missing?An hour later, Scott sipped his coffee and gazed out over the room. A handful of his campers had volunteered to help with lunch, and they'd all enjoyed potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Now, a group of guests was working on chili for dinner.Out of habit, he mentally counted his group. Tom and Patty Payton, who'd headed up lunch, were playing cards with Justin Sapp and Paula Martinez. Dan Spinelli was talking fishing with the father and sons from Cherub Lake. Not finding Pierce, Adams, or Bennet, he frowned slightly. A trip to the restaurant kitchen revealed Brian Bennett and Keely Adams working on cornbread to go with the chili.That leaves one. Scott returned to the dining room. Jackie was across the room checking on Amy. He cruised by the table where Dan was swapping fish stories. "Sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Pierce?"The younger man frowned. "Not since we ate. But you know, now that you mention it, his backpack is gone." H
Chapter 322: Everyone Shelter at the LodgeAs Jackie and the children hiked toward the main lodge, they heard the snowmobile returning from the island. Jackie sent Emma and Grant ahead with their backpacks, Max galumphing along behind them, while she waited for Scott to secure the snowmobile."How'd it go?"Scott's lips were a grim line. "About how you'd expect. There's nothing we can do about it with the storm coming. Everybody understood, really. Except for Pierce. He's such an asswipe."Jackie's eyes widened but her lips curled impishly. "Oh my, Sire. Language."He popped her ass lightly. "And now my Princess requests a spanking. My day is complete."They both laughed as the entered the lodge. Trina had a huge fire going in the dining room's fireplace, and she'd already been to the cabins to invite guests to gather in the main lodge, where there would be food and heat."Hi, guys," she greeted Jackie and Scott. "I called the crew to let them know to stay home today. Then
Chapter 321: Blizzard WarningFrowning, Scott watched the latest weather report on the early morning local news, his mouth set in a grim line. Beside him, Jackie stirred. "What is it?" she murmured."It's alright," he answered softly. "Go back to sleep. It's not even 5:00 yet."She sniffed loudly and yawned. "I'm awake now. What's the matter?" She pushed up on an elbow and rested her head against his shoulder.He shook his head derisively. "The blizzard. They're predicting the storm to hit by this afternoon.""I thought it was supposed to skirt us to the south.""I hoped it would. But now we're under a blizzard warning." He kissed her temple and slid out of bed."What are you going to do?"He stepped into a pair of fleece-lined jeans and shrugged into a grey thermal Henley. "I'm heading to the island to let the campers know. Obviously, we're postponing the solo outings. I'll offer them the chance to return for free to finish their second week of this session." He glanced
Chapter 320: Winter SessionPulling the hood of his black parka lower over his head, Scott ducked behind the windscreen of his snowmobile and headed back to the lodge. At the bunkhouse cabin, he'd just welcomed Tom and Patty Payton, the only married couple he'd had thus far in his wilderness school.Having checked in with Jackie in the reception area of the lodge, the pair had made their way on foot across the ice to the island where they joined fellow survival students Justin Sapp, a stocky young man with an infectious sense of humor, and Paula Martinez, an attractive thirty-something Latina who wrote a Spanish-language adventure blog.Everyone in this session had broad outdoor survival experience, including the Paytons, who had once spent a year in the Amazon cataloging wildlife. They'd told Scott they were excited to learn winter survival skills in the wilderness of Ontario.That leaves four more clients yet to arrive, Scott mused as he pulled up the slope to park beneath the lodg