Jersey Summer Love

"We have a hot tub too," their mother reminded her chatty daughters.

"Yeah but theirs fits like twelve people!" Coral told her.

"Coral, I don't think Raina needs a twelve person jacuzzi just to soothe her body in. Stop being silly."

"They have a trampoline too," she whined.

"We have a pool table," their mom countered.

"They have a really fast boat," Coral couldn't keep the excitement from her voice.

"A very loud and annoying boat which no one but the owner and his son can drive. I know, I've spoken to the neighbors. Anyway, we have a boat too," their mother put in. "I bet there's a lot of alcohol there too," she added.

"They're of drinking age," Raina said quietly. Her mother looked over at her. She was being too quiet.

"All of them?" their Mom challenged. Coral glared at her sister.

"No. But the ones drinking are of age. Logan, he's the one I was talking to," she pinned her sister with a challenging stare. When her sister kept her mouth shut, she continued, "he sorta keeps them in line. He promised there are no drugs allowed. Alcohol is enough, don't you think?"

"How old is this Logan boy?" Her mom watched her daughter's tell-tale pink cheeks.

"He's college-aged."

"How old?" Her hands were on her hips and she was tapping her foot impatiently.

"Twenty-three. His friend is a cop. They're being safe Mom. They're just down the road."

Their mom turned, put the leftovers away, cleared the table, and walked over to them.

"Well, let's go then." She held her hands out to the girls.

"What?" Coral blinked.

"Let's go two houses down so I can meet these boys I've been hearing so much about." When she saw her daughter's balk at the suggestion she continued, "You don't honestly think I'm going to let you spend your time alone with them without meeting them first, do you girls?" She smirked seeing Coral huff.

"Of course not," Raina nodded. She prayed all would go well. She was counting on Logan to be the responsible one and handle the questions.

***

After the girls introduced their mother to the guys, she sat at the table and talked easily with Logan and a few of the other older boys. Jack's father had come home and grunted a few words of greeting before heading to his racing boat and firing it up. They had to shout over the roar of the engine to be heard.

"Mrs?" Logan started.

"Jennifer. Call me Jennifer, please. Calling me Mrs. makes me feel old." She laughed with the boys. "I saw a blender in the house. What are you guys making?" she asked.

"Strawberry Daquiris," Kenny replied. Someone elbowed him in the side and he winced.

"I'll take one. Girls, what do you want?" She turned to her daughters.

"Um. Mom?" Raina questioned.

"What? I know you've been wanting to taste alcohol. You want to drink? You drink in front of me or not at all. Coral will have a virgin Daquiri," her mother leveled with her.

"I'm not really thirsty," Raina mumbled.

"I am!" Coral announced, bouncing in her seat.

"Not you, Coral. You're much too young. No alcohol for you."

"Not fair," she pouted.

"Babygirl, no one ever said that life was fair." Jennifer turned her attention back to Raina. "Here, share mine with me."

"No thanks."

"Good girl. My girls are good girls. Hey, where's the bathroom?" Their Mom asked suddenly, addressing Logan.

Logan stood up and led her into the house. The girls sat nervously on the bench watching a family of ducklings until their Mom came back out.

"All right. Be home by midnight and not a minute later," Jennifer told her daughters. "Bye boys. Take good care of my girls." She smiled sweetly.

Raina looked over at Logan who was white as a sheet. A few of the other boys had their heads down and mumbled their goodbyes. Raina wondered what was going on, but shrugged, happy to have more time with Logan.

"So uh, what's your Dad like?" Logan asked as he sat beside her. His leg was bouncing under the table.

"While Mom's the fierce Mama Bear, Daddy's a pussycat." She watched her Mom's retreating back.

"Thank God," Logan mumbled under his breath.

Raina wondered just what her mother had said to the boys to put the fear of God in their eyes.

"Unless you have it in your mind to take me for a spin on a motorcycle, that is." Raina looked back at Logan, whose visibly large Adam's apple bobbed. "Do you have a bike?" Her eyes went wide at the thought.

"I do. I'm really responsible with it though." He took a gulp of his beer, tapping the can with his fingers.

"I'm going back inside to whip Ryan and Mark's butts in the game," Coral announced, bored. She followed the two younger boys into the house and took up her seat between them.

"Would you like to go inside too?" Logan asked her. "It's kinda noisy out here."

"Okay. I need to sit down, anyway. At least I know where Coral is this time." Raina let Logan lead her into the room opposite the room that was occupied last night by the three lovers. The room he took her to was comfortable with a queen-sized bed, but sparse in much else; save one small dresser, a night stand, and a plush chair.

"God, where do you all sleep? This house is tiny for so many people," Raina remarked, choosing the blue chair over the comfortable-looking bed.

"Who says we sleep?" Logan wiggled his brows. "A lot of us just crash in the den or living room. But seriously, most of the guys don't go to sleep until morning or afternoon after the partying is over."

"Hm, this bed is pretty comfortable," he hinted. "I might have to steal this room tonight." He looked into Raina's eyes. She stayed where she was.

"That's cool." She perched on the edge of the chair, tapping her knee. "Um."

Logan stood up. "Think there's room for two on there?" He pointed to the chair.

"Um, it would be a tight squeeze," Raina stammered. Logan shrugged.

"It wouldn't be a tight squeeze if only one person was actually sitting on it," he told her as he swooped down and lifted her into his arms, settling her in his lap.

"Logan."

"Yeah?" They were face to face. He just had to lean in a little closer and his lips would touch hers.

"I told you I have a boyfriend," Raina repeated.

"You have an almost ex-boyfriend. Maybe I can help make your decision easier?" Before Raina could answer, he dipped her in his arms, lowered his head and brushed his lips lightly across hers. She didn't pull away. Encouraged, he brought her against his chest, tilted her head, and pressed his lips to hers. Her throat made a small noise of protest.

"Relax. It's just a kiss to help you decide," Logan caressed her back, trying to relax her.

"I don't know. It feels too much like ch--." Raina squeaked as his tongue swept her upper lip, but she kept her lips pressed tightly together.

"It's not cheating if you already have it in your mind to break up with him," he whispered. The lust she could see in his eyes unnerved her.

"But."

"It's not cheating if you don't respond." When he coaxed her lips apart with his tongue, her protests died on her lips and she was lost. Letting out a whimper, Raina responded to the kiss, tentatively tasting his lips and sliding her tongue against his.

"You're smooth," she murmured.

"Did it help?" he asked, sitting her back up and rubbing her jaw with his thumb.

"I'll get back to you on that. I think you just confused me even further. But God, that felt good," she confessed, her lips still tingling from the kiss.

"I'm glad you approve. You know there are more kisses waiting for you when you decide to take the chance."

Raina gulped and slid off his lap. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Oh there you are!" Coral's voice cut through the kiss-induced haze. "Oh, ohh. Raina!"

"Shit." Raina broke away, grabbed her sister's hand and tugged her down the hallway toward the kitchen.

"You just kissed Logan. You're dating Sam!" Her sister's loud voice was giving her a headache.

"I need a wine cooler now," she demanded of the guy standing by the fridge.

"I thought you didn't drink." Logan yelled from the hallway. Kenny tried to high-five him, but he shook his head and mouthed, "later." Raina caught the later and growled. He blew a kiss to her and winked.

"Have a good week! We'll be back next weekend," he shouted at their backs. "Dream of me." His friend guffawed and slapped him on his back just as Raina spun on her heel and glared at them.

"You wish!" She shot back over her shoulder, yanking open the door. Coral was already in their front yard. Raina blushed in her solitude, knowing she would do just what he suggested.

***

"So about this bike of yours." Raina was sitting on the edge of the jacuzzi, with her legs submerged while she watched her sister flirt. At least it seemed the older guys were leaving her alone. Although, she still couldn't figure out what game the two younger boys were playing. Were they really that awkward or was it a game to them?

The week had been long and she had dreamed about Logan nearly every night. Each morning she'd woken up feeling like she had cheated on her boyfriend, if not in body, certainly in her imagination. Now the weekend was here and the boys were back. She'd sat through a movie with Sam the night before and had nearly dozed in the theater. What was wrong with her? Why wouldn't she just let him go?

"Yeah?" Logan asked. His hand on her knee snapped Raina back to the present. He was also in the water. Raina had declined the invitation, saying she needed to buy a new swimsuit first. A few innuendos and suggestions of skinny-dipping went around the water, but she ignored them and perched on the edge of the tub. Whether he was aware of it or not, Logan began to gently stroke up her leg as he took a gulp of his beer. She shifted her body and swung her legs back over the side of the tub, out of his reach, and away from temptation.

"It it a hog or a crotch rocket?" she questioned, laughing as he sputtered his beer and coughed.

"My baby is not a crotch rocket. She's a Ninja." He climbed out of the water, grabbed her hand, and dragged her around to the front of the house.

"Oh brother. You're one of those, huh?" She looked upon the shiny green and black machine with wide eyes. "Okay, that's hot," she admitted.

"You think that's hot?" he quipped as he climbed on the bike, dripping wet. "Watch this." He revved the engine. Raina hummed her appreciation and put her hand on the handlebars.

"Dad is so not going to let you ride that thing," Coral announced as she rounded the corner in her tiny hot pink bikini. "Damn that's gorgeous." She stared from the bike to the wet man in the seat. Raina seethed knowing her sister wasn't just talking about the bike; and she had to agree there. But why was she suddenly feeling so possessive?

"If Dad won't let me ride it and I'm older, what makes you think he'd let you?" Raina challenged, stepping closer to the bike. "Cover up," she told her sister.

"Because he won't know," Coral winked. "And I have nothing to cover up with," she said sweetly.

"You're such a pain in the ass. You know that?" Raina put her hands on her hips as she addressed her sister. Logan watched on with amusement. Ryan came to Coral's rescue with a towel. She allowed him to help her wrap it around herself.

"And you are the equivalent of a wet noodle when it comes to fun. Why do you think your friends like hanging around me instead of you? Huh?" Coral demanded, raising her voice over the engine.

"You're just a tag-a-long. They don't actually like hanging out with you," Raina spit back.

Logan turned the bike off and sat to watch the scene play out. He noticed the female shouts had begun to draw a crowd out into the front yard.

"Oh yeah? Then how come when you were off spending time with your boyfriend, they asked me to go to the boardwalk with them?" Coral revealed. The shocked look on Raina's face satisfied her. She smirked at her smugly.

"Does Mom know that?" Raina panicked. Ever since Coral had entered high school, her parents had the convoluted logic in their heads to place Raina in charge of her sister. She had suddenly become her chaperone without even being asked for her thoughts on it.

"Cat fight!" one of the guys shouted. The girls snapped their heads in his direction and both hissed in unison.

"Girls, calm down. If you get any louder your parents will hear you and make you go home early," Jack said. "I don't need any trouble from my father if your Mom complains about it, either."

"Isn't it past your bed-time?" Raina grumbled at her sister.

"Ha! You should talk. I'm the fun one, just admit it." Coral was equally sick of her big sister ruining all of her summer time fun. It wasn't fair that her parents made her follow her around like a watch dog. She was a big girl and could handle herself.

"No. What you are is wild, defiant, incorrigible, and a little rebel. God help us when you turn twenty-one." Raina mumbled the last part. Logan heard and patted her back lightly.

"And hot! Don't forget she's hot!" one of the younger boys put in.

"Thanks, Ryan." Coral turned her emerald eyes on him and gave him a dazzling smile. "You're cute, too."

"Uh, thanks. I think," the skinny boy replied back, blushing and looking down at his feet.

"Do you wanna go for a walk? This conversation is so b-oring," Coral suggested, moving to stand in front of him.

"Yeah sure." He looked over at his friend Mark. Mark stepped forward.

"Can I go too?" he asked hopeful.

"Sure, why not? We're going down to the bulkhead at the end of the road. You'll be able to see me from here. Is that okay with you, Mom?" At Raina's nod, Coral took each of the boy's hands and led them away.

Raina felt the beginning's of a another headache starting to form, mostly thanks to her sister.

"Wanna sit on the bike?" Logan asked when Coral was out of earshot.

"Okay. God, she's such a brat and I'm always stuck with her," Raina complained as he helped her climb onto the seat. Logan nodded and put his hands over hers, guiding them to the handlebars. He climbed up behind her and moved close to her ear.

"What's the most rebellious thing you've ever done, Raina?" his question a whisper that sent chills up her spine.

"Not much. She's right. I am boring." She slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"Aw, come on. I don't find you boring at all. You're a smart girl, adorable, good company, and..."

"And what?" Raina turned her head to look back at him. His face was right there. He stole a quick kiss from her.

"Well, I do have a pretty good imagination," she told him. "I write. Did I tell you that?"

"No. What do you write?" He became intrigued when she blushed again.

"You blush an awful lot," Logan commented.

"Uh yeah, it's a character flaw. Sorry," Raina mumbled, self-consciously.

"It's sexy." Logan slipped his arms around her waist and drew her back against him.

"I write um, romance and stuff." She closed her eyes enjoying the feel of his hard body against hers.

"And stuff? Sounds like there's more to it. What stuff? Wow, you're embarrassed. Now I really want to know," he teased.

"Naughtystories." The words ran together and he barely caught them.

"Can I read some?"

"No! I should probably go. I don't know what kind of mischief Coral will get herself into." She excused herself and tried to climb off the bike. Logan's arms held her there. "Logan."

"We can see your sister from here. She's fine. You're jumpy around me. Why? I'm not a bad boy or anything, if that's what you're afraid of. I mean, unless that's what you are looking for." He challenged.

"I'm not looking for anything right now. I have a boyfriend, Logan. I can't be spending time with another guy when things are so uncertain with him."

Logan released her and she slid off the bike. But when her feet touched the ground, he swooped in and kissed her hard on the lips. She grimaced and he pulled away.

"Fair enough. But will you consider being a little rebellious with me?"

"What?" Her headache was worsening by the minute.

"Go for a bike ride with me tomorrow." He turned puppy dog eyes on her.

"I can't. I have to go somewhere with my boyfriend." She saw the disappointment on his face.

"Okay, next time I come down. Just think about it and good luck with your boy."

"I'll think about it," she said, "but I can't promise."

"Good. Goodnight, sweet Raina."

Raina rubbed her temples and walked down the road to her house. Tonight, she would make her decision.

***

The week back home had given Logan time to do nothing else but think about Raina. He even had a hard time focusing on work, which was rare. He prided himself on his skills as a mechanic and had a passion for the vehicles he fixed. But there was something refreshing and distracting about her. She wasn't like most of the shore girls he and his buddies were used to encountering. Her shyness was attractive to him and he was determined to bring her self-proclaimed naughty imagination to the surface. She was also strong, especially when it came to her sassy sister.

Logan had a plan, sneak Raina away from her parents' preying eyes and take her for a ride she'd never forget.

He took one look at Raina when she knocked on the door that morning and noted her disheveled hair, puffy, red eyes swimming with tears, and pulled her into his embrace. The plan would wait.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" He was glad everyone else was at the beach or bay and he had the place to himself. He grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge for her and held the back door open so she could walk out.

She sunk down into a chair and covered her face with her hands. Logan took the opportunity to appreciate her subtle curves moving with the motion of crying. She wore cut-off jean shorts, not too short. He wouldn't have expected her to be wearing short-shorts anyway. The mint green tank top she wore boasted a purple butterfly across her chest, the iridescent wings seeming to flutter against her breasts. He wanted to kiss right there where the white strap of her bra peeked over her left shoulder and caress the twin swells of flesh.

"Talk to me," Logan said after a few minutes of watching her sob. He knelt down beside her and took her hands in his.

"I-just-and-he-kept-promising-but-I-just-can't-and-he-loves-me-but-he's-going-to-be-in-three-hours-by-airplane-three hours!" She took a breath and gripped his shirt with her hands. "How-can-he-think-it-would-still-work-and-then-he-started-this-nonesense-about..." Stringing the chopped sentences together, she sniffled into his blue T-shirt. "Oh gross. I'm sorry Logan. I should go. You don't need to hear my drama." She looked at his wet shirt.

"I want to hear about it. So you broke up with him, huh?" he asked.

She nodded.

"And it didn't go well," he surmised from the tirade. Her eyes had gone from that stormy shade of grey to an almost turquoise color.

She shook her head.

"And it sucked." He gauged from her matted hair and puffy, red eyes. "Your eyes change color," he stated almost as an afterthought.

She nodded vehemently.

"And now you're depressed." From the tears.

"Uh huh. And I look awful," she whimpered.

Logan tried not to let on that he was a little uncomfortable with her tears and failed at cracking a few jokes. Finally, he stood up.

"They change shades with my mood and with what I'm wearing."

"So does a green shirt make them go turquoise?" he questioned.

"No, that happens when I cry." She sniffled. Logan wanted to know what color they changed to when she was aroused. He knew now wasn't the time.

"Well, come get comfy and tell me all about it."

"You really want to know about it? What about our ride?" she questioned.

"It can wait. Besides, I don't want your waterworks all over my ride." He laughed softly at her scowl and walked over to the oversized trampoline. "Kidding." She watched him as he climbed onto it and began jumping.