One Long Embrace

Jay drew closer and lowered his voice. “Okay, here’s the deal. Tara thinks I’m a part-time waiter and construction worker. And that you’re letting me crash on your boat during the summer.”

“That makes no sense whatsoever,” Zach claimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It makes perfect sense. You just have to pretend you’re my boss. The house in Montauk that I’m renovating is yours, and I’m a contractor working on it. Got that?”

“Why on earth would you pretend to be some working class—”

“Have you ever thought that maybe the reason Tara is known as the Ice Maiden is because she’s not into rich guys?” Jay cut him off.

“Every woman is into rich guys.”

“Tara isn’t. She wants something real.”

“Real? And you think pretending to be poor is real? What bizarre reality are you living in? You’re lying to her. Why can’t you just tell her who you are? I mean—” He motioned to the cabin again. “—clearly you guys had sex, so obviously she likes you. Don’t you think she’ll like you even more once she knows you’re not poor?”

“On the contrary. She’s gonna run for the hills if I tell her now. She’s vulnerable.”

“Well, that’s just perfect,” Zach answered, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “And because she’s vulnerable you’ve decided to deceive her? Explain the rationale behind that for me, please.”

“I wasn’t going to deceive her, but she mistook me for a waiter at the party. And I saw my chance.”

Zach arched an eyebrow. “Chance?”

Jay sighed. “Have you already forgotten what happened with Deborah?”

“I thought you were over her.”

“I am.” And he really was. “But I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I want a woman to get to know me without being blinded by all this.” He made a sweeping movement with his arm. “You of all people should understand that. Have you never wondered whether the women you sleep with like you for yourself or for your money?”

Zach hesitated for a moment, clearly contemplating the question. “I hope you know what you’re doing. Because one day she will find out, and then this whole thing is gonna blow up in your face.”

“One day. But not any time soon. The Pierponts don’t know me personally. I was never introduced. She has no way of finding out who I really am as long as you play your part. And by the end of the summer, who knows?”

Zach grinned. “You’re a hopeless romantic.”

“Nothing wrong with that.”

Then his friend chuckled. “So that’s what turns Tara on, huh? Slumming it with a waiter? Just how hot does she get in bed?”

Jay stabbed his finger into Zach’s chest. “You’ll never find out. I’ll make sure of that.”

“Is that a tone to take with your boss?”

“We’re in agreement then?”

“There are conditions, of course.”

Jay tensed.

“Once production for this yacht gets on the way, I’ll be the first on the waiting list.”

“Deal.”

“Oh, I’m not done.”

“What else?”

“You’re gonna let me prove to you that Tara is into rich guys, after all.”

Jay narrowed his eyes. “And how are you gonna do that?”

“By using all my irresistible charm. Let’s see whom she likes better: a poor waiter and construction worker or an utterly handsome rich business mogul.” A smug look spread over Zach’s face, and Jay was in the mood to wipe it off him with one well-placed punch. And if they weren’t such good friends, he would definitely act upon that urge.

“Good luck! But I can tell you now that she won’t bite.”

As much as Jay hated the idea of Zach flirting with Tara, he couldn’t deny that this would be an interesting first test to see whether the things she’d told him earlier were really true. If given the choice, would she really stick with the working class guy or divert her attention to the rich—and admittedly handsome—Zach, who supposedly owned this boat?

10

Tara stepped onto the sun deck just behind the flybridge, where Jay and Zach were hovering over the wheel and the controls. The yacht was already in motion, gliding smoothly through the waves less than a mile out to sea.

She’d taken her time to get dressed and get rid of any visible traces of her and Jay’s lovemaking. Not a small feat. She still felt flushed, and her knees might as well have been made of jelly. Her heart was racing, and her mind was working overtime. What would she say to Zach? She’d never been in a situation like this: being caught in bed with a man. A man most people in her circles wouldn’t approve of. But that wasn’t what bothered her. She wasn’t ashamed of being with Jay.