“Well…he’s not looking. What he’ll do to us when we get out is anyone’s guess.”
“Let’s get this over with.” But Nate didn’t sound eager to get out either.
They made their way to shore, and Connor kept his back to them as they put on their clothes. Because she was wet, Jade’s dress clung to every curve and bump on her body. The smoldering gaze Nate shot her way told her she had a lot on display.
Connor didn’t say a word to them as they did the walk of shame back to Jade’s car. Probably so disappointed in her he couldn’t find the words. Just like Mum used to do when they did something bad as kids. She’d scream over silly things, but when they’d done something worth yelling about, she’d go quiet, and that’s when they knew they were in big trouble.
But Jade was a grown woman. Connor had no right to be mad. Although naked PDA wasn’t exactly legal, and he was a police officer, so she could see why he was pissed.
At the car Jade turned to speak to Nate and found Connor standing shoulder to shoulder with him, pinning her with a disappointed look. She tilted her chin. No way was he going to make her feel like a kid in trouble. “Do you mind? I want to speak to Nate in private.”
Connor turned toward Nate, giving him a once-over. By the expression on his face, it appeared he didn’t like what he saw. Not much difference in height, Connor’s head with his mop of coppery brown hair was just a little shorter than Nate’s. But because of physical training to stay in shape for his job, her brother’s build was bigger. Even though Nate had a good set of muscles on him too, she had a feeling Connor could take him on and win. And she hoped it didn’t come to that.
“I’m staying here.” Connor crossed thick arms over his chest.
Jade blew out a long, frustrated breath. “I swear to God, Connor, if you don’t leave, I’ll punch you.”
“I’m staying, or I’ll arrest you for public indecency, and if you punch me…assaulting a police officer.”
She didn’t believe him, but she was too tired to argue. “Fine! You are such a dick,” she threw in to get the last word then turned her attention to Nate. His lips twitched. Yeah, this was so funny. “I’m sorry for my dip-shit brother.” Connor made a huffing sound. “We didn’t get to discuss the music program. I wanted to have it ready by the start of next week.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll work something out. It will be fine. You get the kids there, and I’ll get the music side done.” He smiled and damn if it didn’t make her knees knock together.
Even with her brother standing inches away, glaring at her, she knew she was definitely truly, madly, crazily in trouble.
Chapter 9
The next day, Jade drove to her mother’s house and parked in the driveway next to Connor’s jeep. She groaned. He was the last person she wanted to see. Last night had been the most embarrassing moment of her life. Well, it had started off great until the party pooper had to come and ruin everything. All she needed now was for Connor to blab to their mother about what happened.
“He better have kept his big mouth shut,” she grumbled as she got out of the car.
As she entered the house, she could hear her mother and brother in the kitchen. She paused for a second and took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and made her way down the hall. She wouldn’t let Connor make her feel like a naughty child.
“Hi, Ma,” Jade called out, walking into the kitchen.
When her mother turned around, her red curls bounced around her disapproving face. Connor had spilled the beans. What a jerk.
“Jade Kathleen Brennan. Please tell me it’s not true.” Her mother frowned and put a hand on her curvy hip. She was shorter than Jade, but the way her disappointed crystal blue eyes bore into her, Jade felt two feet tall.
Jade threw Connor a dirty glare. His response was a smug smile as he leaned on the kitchen counter, crossed his legs at the ankles, and sipped from a mug.
“Depends on what you’re talking about. If you want to know if I’m becoming a prima ballerina, well then no, it’s not true.”
Waving a finger at Jade, her mother’s cheeks turned pink. “Don’t try to be funny. What you did last night… I don’t even want to think about it.”
“Then don’t. And Connor should mind his own business. He had no right blabbing it to you.” She turned her attention back to her brother. “Are you five? Telling on me to Mummy.”
“Oooh, are we talking about Jade skinny-dipping last night with some mystery guy?”
Jade whipped around to find her sister Kaitlin standing in the doorway.
Jade covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “Did you rat me out to everyone in the family? Should I be calling Granny in Dublin to see if she knows too?”
“There’s a group email circulating as we speak,” Connor said. When she dropped her hands and looked at him with what she hoped was pure evil, he only laughed. “Kaitlin knows because I gave her a lift home after leaving you at your car. And Mum knows because she asked me if anything exciting happened on my shift last night.”
“Oh, so you just had to tell her that I was skinny-dipping with Nate.”
He shrugged, not looking sorry at all for the misery he’d caused her.
