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Kiss of the Sun

By: ILmonamour



Another Summer Lovin' easy read. Estragon, les mots ne sont jamais assez. Thank you for always being readily available and willing to take on the words of a rambling woman with your forever watchful eye and guidance.

Cheers

M

____

"You can't be serious?"

The delicate voice was barely audible, as the young woman slumped down on the chilled leather seat. The words printed in front of her didn't make sense, couldn't make sense, and still the lawyer began to explain. Through the shock, a horribly loud clanking blocked out every other noise. On the fourth day of November, Lilly Hammond sat across from a man who had gone far out of his way to locate her in order to deliver a letter from one of his clients who had recently passed away.

She'd lived on the western side of Chicago for most of her life; finding her couldn't have been all that difficult. The papers crinkled as she clutched them tighter in her small hands. As everything began to register through the thick fog in her mind, a single tear trickled down her pale cheek. From what little noise that did cut through the shock, the lawyer said he had represented Charles Bowman up until his death two months before. All of his assets had been divided between his living children and family members immediately; however there was another portion that remained. Upon hearing Charles' name, every fiber in her body disconnected and her ability to talk disconnected also. Even though several years had passed, she could remember everything about him, and for a brief moment, thought she caught the tantalizing scent of his cologne.

Charles Bowman was the name of a man who, unbeknownst to her, she thought, changed everything. During his prime, he was an executive for a major pharmaceutical and packaged goods manufacturer, and after turning fifty-six decided it was time to say goodbye to corporate America. Lilly had been working as a receptionist at the time at a medical clinic he frequented; she often looked forward to those visits. His pale blue eyes sparkled with mischief whenever he sat down at her desk in the clinic. Regardless of the weather outside, a pair of sunglasses were permanent residents on top of his balding head. Conversations constantly shifted from travelling to children, and the way he spoke of them and the excitement of spending long holidays with his grandchildren was infectious. She remembered how he always came in just before leaving on an extravagant trip--which always seemed to extend itself. Often she wondered why he didn't buy homes wherever he traveled. Whenever she asked, he always replied in the same manner.

'My sweet Lilly, I traveled for work so much that I never enjoyed it. Gone for weeks at a time and stuck in an office, a conference room or hotel. After my wife left and remarried, our kids knew their stepfather better than I, so I worked all the harder. Now that I'm retired, I'm setting things right. With my ex-wife, our children and grandchildren.'

Her admiration for his efforts never ceased, and over a period of six years she watched in astonishment as he went about his new business. Every year, he got a little closer to his family. It wasn't as if the children had completely removed him from their lives, they simply weren't used to having him around. Since the retirement, he became available to all four kids and nine grandchildren. Over the chilly winter months leading into the holidays, he stayed in town and found himself being invited over for each of the holidays. During the summer months, he shocked everyone, including his ex-wife and her husband by arranging summer getaways along the sandy beaches of Maui. Since their divorce, they remained cordial for the sake of their kids. And especially their grandkids.

Maui. The memory snapped Lilly back to the present. She quickly wiped her nose with one of the tissues from the desk and found a small voice to speak to the lawyer. "But why me?"

The lawyer sensed her upheaval and gently patted her shoulder. "That is something only you will know. Mr. Bowman was insistent that you remained in the will. You will need to get the property transferred into your name. I can help you with this, or you can go to a court clerk, and then you will want to contact your financial institution. Ms Hammond, the property is paid in full so you do not have to put anything into it from your own personal accounts. Mr. Bowman set aside funds specifically for this property, so the mortgage and property taxes are taken care of."

For what felt like an eternity, but was less than an hour the lawyer walked her through the portion of the will which she was mentioned three times, to reassure her. Never once was he condescending or begrudged her requests. Finally she signed a document proving her acceptance and left the offices.

The air along Michigan Avenue was brutally cold as a breeze cut through her down jacket. Curbing the chill, she tugged the scarf around her neck closer for more warmth. At twenty-nine, Lilly Hammond had not been having the best year. Even as she exited the lawyer's office, life seemed to go from worse to limbo. Six months ago, she had been working overtime in the Intensive Care Unit when she got the call about her mother. Four months shy of her fifty-eighth birthday, god or whoever decided she had suffered long enough, and cancer had taken over its battle and won. She liked to think that it was because of her mother that she became a nurse. Deep down she knew otherwise. Being able to help people whenever they were ill or needing support always beckoned her. After graduating high school, she immediately started to work as a receptionist at a local medical clinic in order to get comfortable in the field. She worked part-time while attending classes at a local community college, inching one step closer to the nursing program.

It was at the clinic when she was introduced to one Charles Bowman. As if it were yesterday, memories of that first day flooded her mind and she automatically reached for another tissue. Slowly he slid into the uniform leather upholstered chair and winked at her. The strong scent of musky cologne filled the small space, which should have made her gag, but only made her grin. His charismatic charm had always appealed to her, and she remembered liking him immediately. Charles wore a warm smile whenever he came into the office to see his doctor. Every time he came in, he sought Lilly with that same traffic-stopping smile. During each of those little visits, she found herself falling into a little bit of a crush over the older man who refused to be anything but cheerful. Some years she would only see him a few times, while others he came in often. Even sick, his face beamed if only momentarily as he came to her desk to talk. On one of those stops, she learned that he had a woman-friend with whom he used to work, who was his companion on many of the getaways. He was much older than Lilly, but she often fantasized that had she been ten years older, would he have ever made a move on her. And if he had, what would she have said?

After completing the nursing program, the organization had other plans to take advantage of her new certification, and Lilly found herself hesitating over the transfer. Only because she wouldn't see Charles as often. At some point, their talks began to mean more to her than she cared to admit. The thought was heartbreaking, and when she told him about her transfer, he smiled at her and told her not to worry. Breaking rules wasn't part of her nature, but after he left that day, she quickly went into the record system and wrote down his address. Little did she know the effect that address would have on her life. Over the next five years while she rotated from the Emergency Department, Pediatrics and to her current Intensive Care, she would send cards and postcards with little notes to him. She reserved the postcards for random mailings outside of holidays when she only wanted to send a simple greeting.

Luckily she didn't have a shift that evening and was able to head straight home after the appointment with the lawyer. Lilly opened up a bottle of wine to try to fully accept what had happened. As the year was closing out, she had lost her only living family member to cancer, was working almost sixty-hours per week to curb her depression, and had just inherited a house on the western side of Maui. Her mind was racing with a million different questions, which all came back to the main and more pressing one. Why had he left a house thousands of miles away for her? How she wished that he had left a note for her with some kind of indication as to what he was thinking while devising his will.

As November quickly turned into January, Lilly's focus at work had drastically slipped. She began declining the extra shifts so she could go home, sit with a bottle of wine and read Charles' letter. The cryptic words revealed the same meaning as it did when she first read it through tear-flooded eyes. Working with the lawyer to transfer the property over to her name had proved challenging, and since then he frequently called to follow up and see how things were going. Mainly, she figured he was calling to see what she was doing about the property. During the last call, she was on a shift and could barely talk. Lilly told the lawyer she was trying to figure when to take time off. The adamant tone of his voice struck like violent blow when it filled the small device she clutched to her ear.

"Ms Hammond, once you accepted Mr. Bowman's request you assured me that you understood the conditions."

"Yes, I am fully aware of those conditions. Can I let you know next week once I have decided on the dates to visit the property?"

Reluctantly he agreed, and since then had called her on a weekly basis up until that second week in the month. The medical chart sat in her lap, in desperate need to be reviewed for the physician's orders. Frustration burned within her and she rubbed her already dry eyes with growing anger. The lawyer was right, it was time to go down and see the property. Something inside of her ignited at the thought. Emotions that were repressed for so long began to catch fire deep within her, just at the idea of getting away. Away from her job, from the stress of a now monotonous life filled with never-ending sadness. During a break, Lilly checked on her savings account and tried to figure out what it would cost to fly to Maui . The following day, she scoured the internet to look at travel plans. While entering the trip information, her fingers twitched, hesitating over the flight type.

A roundtrip getaway would get her back to Chicago in nine days, but a one-way could give a little more freedom. Lilly's fingers wiggled as she fought her inner debate on what to do. Was she really considering packing a bag and going to Maui on a one-way? Was she that desperate? Of course she would come back, but the idea of escaping was highly seductive. Twice that day she had been asked by other co-workers to cover their shifts, and twice that day she had accepted. She was overworked and tired of being exhausted. She was still young and very much alive, but felt as if she was slowly sinking six feet under. With a confidence that confounded her, she looked over the flights and booked a one-way to the island two weeks away. Logic told her she was insane, but her heart told her to just go with it.

****

The next two weeks flew by. From selling everything inside of her apartment to working the last of her shifts, she was crazy-busy. Everyone at the hospital was shocked by her departure, but kept their views on her departure to themselves. Several of the staff, and even some of the doctors, pitched in and took her to dinner before her last day. When the day finally arrived when she was to fly out, Lilly sat in the back of the cab and cried silently. Panic started to settle deep into her bones, but some unknown force pushed her to move forward with her plans. Several boxes were shipped out a couple of days beforehand with her belongings, while she carried one piece of luggage on the plane.

As the plane banked at Kahului Airport, the nervousness that had so earlier filled her was now replaced with curiosity. The late March air was unbelievably warm, much warmer than what was standard in Chicago. While she waited for a cab in the taxi queue, Lilly closed her eyes and took the deepest breath she had in months. There she was with a single bag and a house awaiting her: making this move was the most adventurous thing she had ever done. It terrified her and thrilled her at the same time. Minutes later she was taking in the sights of the rich greens lining the roadway. Exotic palm trees and sandy beaches teasing her eyes. The driver took her down a road that seemed to wind for an eternity, passing resorts and local beaches until they finally began to weave through the suburban side of the area. When the car came to a stop, Lilly blew out a breath and couldn't believe the sight in front of her. Mouth gaping and wide-eyed, the driver looked back at her.

With a tentative voice, he spoke with uncertainty. "This is the address you gave me, you sure you got it right Miss?"

Lilly stammered, it had to be right. She read that legal document with the address repeatedly for months and could recite the address backwards. "I'm sure. How much is the fare?"

"Sixty-four dollars, you want me to wait out here on the street for a few minutes? I don't see any neighbors outside and it's a long way back."

Trust Charles. "No thank you, this will be fine." She paid the driver, collected her bag and walked up the gravel driveway. As the cab slowly drove off back in the direction that it came, Lilly clutched the gold chain at her neck and tried to breathe calmly. On forty-two eighteen Lliili Road sat a shack of a house that was barely being held up by rickety walls. The horror began to sink in. She was almost terrified of stepping inside but could hear Charles taunting her, daring her, to see what was hiding inside.

It wasn't much. The house was an empty shell in desperate need of repair. It was small with only two bedrooms and a kitchenette off toward the back. Just beyond the kitchen was a glass door covered with sand and grime, leading to the prize of the property. The structure itself wasn't much, but it was nestled in the far corner of a private cove. Cautiously, Lilly stepped outside and couldn't believe the beauty presenting itself to her. The salt of the ocean teased her nose, a smile tugged at her face as she took off her shoes and rolled up her jeans. It had been years since she had been to an actual beach, and she wasn't about to pass on the opportunity. Excitedly, she walked down the sand toward the water, the air getting thicker the closer she got. The dampened sand squished in between her toes. As a small wave washed over her sandy feet, the motion paralyzed her as a sense of peace swept over her. Even for the briefest moment, she felt free.

There was a house on each adjoining side with space in between, and because of the natural curve of the cove, each property had their own beach separated by large rocks. Tall palm trees served as beautiful barriers between the properties. The water was a magnificent aqua, only highlighted by the pale sand. The seclusion of the beach made the shack all the more enticing.

She didn't know how long she stood there, but eventually the heat of the sun began to take its toll on her. The bright rays blinded her vision into the vast ocean side. Slowly she ambled back into the house and nearly stumbled as she saw a crystal vase on top of a purple envelope. How she could not have noticed the vase before was strange, as it was greatly out of place, but then again her attention was all over the place since she entered the shack. Lifting the crystal, she looked at the envelope and found it was addressed to her. With nimble fingers, she opened it.

My dear sweet Lilly.

By the time that you are reading this, I will have moved on. My dear girl, it has been a joy watching you grow up and I have treasured your cards along the way. Even looking forward to them just as much as seeing my own children. I do hope that you found as much in the ones that I sent you.

I must ask a favor of you. Many years ago, I bought this house but have never had the time to get back to it in order to fix it up properly. This is asking the world, and asking nothing at all. I am giving you this property my sweet girl, but by accepting it you must make it into a real home. A place you would want to live in, and wouldn't ever want to leave. Please, my Lilly, do this one thing for me. Watching you grow these past years has been more to me than you will ever know, it would be my dream to be able to look down from up above and see a home that was meant to be lived in.

Tears streamed down her face as she read further into the letter. From beyond the grave, Charles Bowman wanted her to build a house. She wondered if the lawyer knew anything about the request or if he was merely doing his job with all of his follow-ups. From the handwritten words, she understood that Charles had been watching her accomplishments from afar and praised her for them. Toward the end, he tied everything back together and informed her that there were more conditions involved. Lilly smiled through her tears and realized her benefactor was a man determined to hustle people. As if he would have been any other way. He had set up a private account for her which had a balance that remained unclear. Any and all of the expenses that were related to the house, from toiletries to new foundation, would be properly funded. At the very bottom of the letter was the telephone number to his lawyer. He instructed her to call him to arrange to make the funds readily available to her.

All of the air was ripped from her lungs. The letter fell like a feather to the floor, as the shock began to sink in. Lilly dropped down next to it and looked around at her new surroundings that were barely livable. For months she wondered why he gave her a house, and now she knew. He wanted her to build one. As if that made any sense to her. She didn't have a clue how to do anything apart from hanging pictures on a wall; building a house was going to be a catastrophe. Where would she start? Who would she contact? That dreaded fear flashed its unruly self at her and did a wicked dance at the thought of this project.

In the state of Illinois, she was a licensed and registered nurse. In the state of Hawaii, she was an anonymous woman with a dwindling savings account and nothing to lose. Charles' damn voice slithered down her spine, whispering all of the ingredients that form a house. Rather than upsetting her, she accepted her position. Somewhere inside, she knew Charles had chosen her to do this for a reason. He was a man who had a clear gameplan for everything he did: this would be no different. Maybe while she built the house, his vision would come to her. Or possibly twenty years from now, as she sat on the back patio overlooking the rushing waves it would come to her then. Either way, a house needed to be built.

****

The first week on the island proved to be nothing short of interesting. While she submitted the paperwork for her licensure and miscellaneous certifications to be approved in the State, she spent a few days looking for any type of work. With her little nest egg, she couldn't afford to watch the house's construction without working. That wasn't an option for her; boredom would soon creep up on her and she would want to stay busy and also meet people. Not having a car on the island was an inconvenience and on the second day, she found herself at a used car lot purchasing an older two-door coupe.

The car had seen far better days, but it was transportation. As it made its way down the street, sand had corroded the muffler and it rattled loudly with each mile crossed. Just up the street from the little outdoor fruit stand where she'd picked up some bananas and berries for a snack, she noticed a florist shop. On a whim she walked inside. With the shack being an absolute mess, it made her miss the dingy apartment in Chicago where she had flowers scattered all over. Lilly quickly started a conversation with the owner and together they talked about flower arrangements, which eventually turned to her curious move to Maui. Lilly kept the specifics of the move private, but did indulge on explaining her newfound obsession of watching the sunset. By the time she left the shop she had two giant bouquets of flowers and a part-time job. The job wasn't in a hospital and was completely opposite of what she knew, which made her want it all the more. They agreed on her working three days in the shop during the week, giving her the weekends free. Dana the owner told her that because she was new, she needed those days to explore. Lilly knew it was because the store itself was closed.


Kiss of the Sun



She quickly realized that the house didn't exactly offer a livable environment. Even though the walls were all enclosed, it had remained without anyone living inside. The floors were covered with dust and dirt, and the rooms all without furniture. Stale air lingered like a boyfriend that wouldn't ever go away. Nearing the road was a small unenclosed carport that could easily hold two vehicles. From the looks of it, the carport had been cared for more so than the actual house. The floors were cement, and off to the side was a tiny room that must have been used as a shed originally. Keeping a broom close at hand, she opened the door and was surprised by the little nook. It was dirty, but with a little tender loving care and a lot of disinfectant, it could easily fit an air mattress.

During one of her many phone calls with the lawyer, Lilly was told repeatedly that she could stay at a hotel or resort while the renovations were being completed. Still in the unknown about the timeline for a house, she couldn't imagine it being anywhere under three months and refused to waste money at a hotel for that stretch of time. It was either the carport, or rent an apartment, until the construction started. She chose the carport.

At the start of the second week, she began making calls out to general contractors. By talking to the lawyer and probing him about anything he knew, as well as reading up at the library, she knew she needed to start there. On the first call, she was clueless and didn't know where to begin. The contractor didn't have time and took her number for a call back. The second call was a little better, she at least got to ask a few questions and have a few answered. By the sixth call, she had become a pro and felt comfortable. Lilly sat outside just at the spot where the grass and the sand met and tapped her pen lightly against the notepad on her thighs as the telephone rang.

A deep voice answered gruffly. "Cole Construction."

She was ready for this, squaring her shoulders she found her voice. "I would like to speak with someone about a potential contracting position."

The man blew a gust of air into the receiver. "You're looking for a contractor or you are a contractor looking for a job?"

Strike one, she smiled. "I apologize. I am in need of a contractor; do you work on home renovations?"

In the background, Lilly heard a lot of paper shuffling around. The man's voice seemed distracted. "Of course, what type of renovation are you looking for?"

His question threw her off-stride because she didn't even know what type of renovation it was yet. She figured that finding a contractor would be like finding a hairdresser. Once you sat down in the seat, the stylist had full reign over the creative aspects. Completely forgetting about the remainder of her questions, Lilly found herself blurting out to the man. "I need the house gutted, built and completed by the first of August, is this something your company can do?"

Never mind the history of this man's business, the cost of his fees or what the house should look like, all she could envision was a finished house sitting in the far corner of the cove. The rustling papers on the other end of the line stilled, the man remained silent. Nerves bunched in the back of her neck as it became clear to her just then that she sounded like any other overeager woman without a plan. One thing that was as sure as the hair on her head, this project needed to be finished by the end of the summer. She couldn't explain why, but it had to. After an eternity of silence, he finally spoke.

"I'll need to stop by and take a look, examine the property and see what all has to be done. I've got a few other projects that I'm working on, so I can't guarantee anything."

"When will you be available to come out to the house?"

Again, she heard the rustling of papers. "Tomorrow afternoon there's a couple of free hours. How does three o'clock sound?"

Mentally she knew her shift at the floral shop ended at one, giving her enough time to get home and change. "That would be perfect; the address is forty-two eighteen Lliili Road." Inwardly she winced at the horrible pronunciation of the street.

He whistled at the address. "The south-side of Maalaea Bay, it's a nice area. I've worked on a few projects in Lahaina so I should be able to find your place, Mrs. ...."

"Hammond. Lilly Hammond."

"All right, Mrs. Hammond. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll go from there."

"I'm sorry, but before we hang up, what was your name so I know who you are?"

The man grunted, "Cole. Jason Cole. See you tomorrow." That was all he said before he disconnected. Lilly put the telephone down and raised her face to the sun. Of course his name was Cole, it was his own company she had called. Like a fool, Lilly shook her head as if she were shaking away the ignorance that came from all of the calls that afternoon.

****

"Well, I have to admit this is going to take a helluva lot of work to get done by--when did you say?"

"The first of August, please." Lilly piped up from just behind Jason.

"I don't know, there's a whole issue with the foundation around the back. Permits have to get approved not to mention the fact that you have no idea what you want it to look like."

Standing next to him, she felt so dim-witted and unlike herself. Upon arriving, Jason Cole had parked his truck in the gravel drive and held back a laugh at the state of the shack. The roof was sinking in, for which he pointed out. The wood floorboards needed replacements, and the house stunk. Looking around he figured there was a dead animal somewhere out back, but didn't want to go on an expedition. Lilly nodded at him as he made his way into each of the small rooms to check out the square footage.

As Jason walked away she took a fine assessment of him. The voice from the phone did not match the man that was nearby. He must have been a few years older than she, and was definitely rugged around the edges. The sun had flirted with his dark brown hair, giving the ends golden highlights. The afternoon sun was blazing, but he remained in jeans and a button-up shirt. From a distance he looked like a man who didn't have the time to deal with the smaller things and rather focused on the bigger picture. Whenever he spoke, his tone was clipped and he had an annoying habit of cutting her off. Then again, what did she know about building houses? She acquiesced easily and silently checked another strike, figuring the following morning would be filled with calling other contractors.

"How many stories are you wanting to put up?" He shouted from a room. The sound startled Lilly from her thoughts.

"Only one." When he came back into the kitchen area, she inhaled lightly. With one hand, Jason ran it through his thick hair to itch the back. The other held a small sheet of paper and a pencil. He walked over to her with a stubborn glint in his hazel eyes.

Laying the sheet on the dirty countertop, he spoke with determination. "Mrs. Hammond—"

"Ms Hammond."

He nodded at her correction. "Ms Hammond, where do you want me to start?"

Her heart sank. "Wherever the very beginning is, please."

Itching his ear, Jason continued. "I can't tell you what to do, but from the looks of this place you're better off with a complete remodel. Have you looked over any house plans that you are interested in?"

"I've seen a few but haven't found anything that is perfect. All I know is that the back of the house should show off the view."

"Start there. Find what you want most and build around that."

"That doesn't help me at all."

"It helps more than you think. I can't build you something if you don't know exactly what you want. When you figure out everything, let me know."

"So that's it? I'm supposed to magically find some random house plans and then present them to you?"

"I'm not a magician, but yes. Look, go check out some of the other houses in the area. See what similarities you find. Look at magazines, anything to help you understand what you want."

"But I don't know what I want!"

"Take some time and you'll figure it all out."

Numbly, Lilly walked Jason out and didn't even care to see him drive away. She was confused, frustrated and lost. She wanted to curse Charles for this burden he cast down on her, but couldn't find it in herself. Racking her brain, she tried to think back to all of the conversations she and Charles had over the years. He often talked about villas he had stayed in with a back patio that was open and faced the ocean side. Start there. From her little room in the carport, she grabbed the notepad and pen and made her way to the back of the house to get down and get serious about the house plans.

Over the next two weeks, rain fell over the island and still she had never felt more productive. There was a small leak in the carport that she managed to cover with a blue tarp. On a walking outing, she met one of the neighbors who was very curious about her and quickly invited her in for drinks. The house was immaculate and an absolute gem. Lilly barely heard a word the woman was saying and mentally took note of the deeply stained wood flooring, the crown molding and the curves of the ceiling. The minute she got home, she wrote everything down on a list that seemed to be expanding.

The days she worked in the floral shop proved to be some of the better ones that gave her smiles. Often she found herself laughing at the silliest things with each customer, and agreeing to everything they suggested she do. An older man buying for his wife was adamant about snorkeling off of Kaanapali Beach. Another woman had practically volunteered herself to dine out with her at Koiso for sushi. Lilly couldn't believe how friendly and kind everyone was to someone as new as she. She took up a few of the offers for the dinners and even ventured out with Dana and tried tuna poke for the first time. It took a few bites, but once she got used to the taste, the flavors consumed her. Lilly had never experienced food in such a way. It was as if the people knew what they were eating and appreciated every single bite of it. They understood the seasonings and passed the enjoyment on.

The shack still terrified her and, as the tarp began to make enough racket above the carport during a rainstorm, she decided to stop procrastinating and make the plans. That night she hardly slept a wink and mapped out the house, using all that she had learned. When the sun began to rise, her excitement finally peaked and for a change she was anxious to make the call to Cole Construction. Lilly wondered if the man would remember her and all of her flighty questions during his visit. Who was she kidding, it had been a couple of weeks. He was bound to have moved on to another project and she'd be stuck finding another contractor.

****

From the looks of him and sounds of his rueful laugh, Jason Cole seemed impressed with Lilly's house plans. She leaned against the small bar in the dusty kitchen as he silently waved his hands around, calculating where things would get torn down and re-built. Her palms were itching from anticipation, but she waited patiently for him to make his assessment.

"You thought of all of this by yourself? Didn't hire anyone to draw out the house?"

She shook her head no. It was true, she had scoured over magazines looking for small beach houses until she found the perfect one. Jason held the sheet of paper that had been torn out of a notebook showing a darkly sketched picture of a one-level house, which focused on the oceanfront view. Pencil markings were scribbled all over the sheet serving as his guide. Lilly wanted the back of the house to have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that would enclose the patio should a storm or high winds approach. The front entranceway would be wide with dual glass doors that, once opened, could look straight into the house and out beyond to the sea.

She was hesitant to say anything, but at the same time she was very proud of her fantasy house. "What are you thinking?"

"To be honest, I'm wondering why you aren't an architect." She smiled pleasantly up at the rugged man, who stood in the standard jeans and button up shirt she remembered from his first visit. Jason walked outside from the back door and surveyed the land. Because of the warmth, he rolled up his sleeves and started to shout over the waves crashing against the beach rocks.

Her flip-flops tossed up sand as she came up next to him. It was the first time she paid attention to his physical stature. While she wasn't short, she wasn't an amazon, and only came up to his nose. The wind blew past them and made his shirt ripple against his perspiring skin.

"There's more land out here than what you drew out. If I'm reading this right, you've got the master suite over there, and if you look over to the side, there's enough space within the property lines that we can put in a private lanai. Maybe even throw in another set of the sliding doors to keep the styles in sync."

The way his shirt clung to his chest distracted Lilly and when her eyes lingered at the base of his throat, she blushed furiously. The color accented her honey gold hair. Luckily, Jason turned away to look at the surrounding houses, saving her embarrassment. The trees and shrubs blocking much of his view, his eyes scanned the perimeter and then came back to Lilly. "The first of August, eh?"

"I was hoping so, but now it doesn't seem realistic."

Glancing down at his watch, she watched as the corner of his mouth curled. "The permits are going to be where the hold-up is, but as soon as those go through it could work."

"You really think so?" Hope that she hadn't realized she had placed on the house surged deep within.

"I've got to talk to a few other people and organize a crew, but for the most part yes I do. It's a small enough house, and you aren't asking for a whole lot once the foundation is set. It's going to take about two months for the paperwork to go through...."

"Two months! That's crazy!"

"Welcome to Maui, where building anything is a luxury. Approvals take a little longer. I've got to go over the plans with a draftsman...."

As Jason was talking, Lilly tuned him out. Her initial excitement about the house plans were crushed and being taken out to sea with each frothy wave. She desperately wanted to check a third strike against the property and her ridiculous notion that building permits and the government's involvement would be a piece of cake. Something deep inside of her said to leave it be, let the time pass and wait. That slowed pace that eluded her before was being forced upon her and all she could do was bite her tongue. A short while later, Jason left with her drawing and told her he would call her in the morning about the paperwork. Considering they were going to have to bulldoze the shack in order to put up the beach house, several permits were in order.

Her mind was spinning with all of the information, but at the same time Jason seemed calm and in control of the project. In between her states of shock, she barely heard him say that there were a couple of other projects his company was working on but would be completed by the time the paperwork went through. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think of all of the steps that were involved in the process; the complexity was staggering and nearly caused her to doubt her decision of going ahead with the plans. Just as that doubt broke through, she would hear Charles' voice whispering to her. All of her life she moved at a rapid pace, where as she commended him on taking it easy. This was her time to go with the flow, to step back and let life happen so she could actually see it around her.

****

As Jason had predicted, the permits took almost two months to get approved. Those days flew by without a moment's thought. The flower shop was keeping her busy, but also kept introducing her to several of the locals who were rich with stories. Her little nook in the carport was comfortable, but nothing to brag about when so many others were living in luxury homes. Lilly kept that little secret to herself when asked how she was enjoying staying at Charles' house. Many had begun referring the property as hers, but in her mind it would never truly belong to her. The island itself was vast and she managed to take advantage of each day and explore some of the beaches and swim in the salty water. Any weather beat the Chicago chill her body knew all too well.

Jason called her every week, letting her know the progress of the permits and if she needed to do anything to help the process. Their telephone conversations were stressful at first, but after the initial update was over, she found their conversations began to get a little personal. Jason had asked how she was getting along, if she had seen a few of the pools or gone to a national park. Somewhere in the beginning she confessed to him that she moved from Chicago, and was stunned to find out that he was originally from Toronto. Together they laughed about the stark differences in climate and temperatures.

When the news of the approval came through, the following week was nothing short of a whirlwind. Lilly found herself standing in the background as several trucks lined the private street, and men, part of a large crew, mobilized to start the new project. That first week would be all the more interesting. To build a new house, the shack had to be torn down. Several safety units were close by on the day the shack went down, including several nosy people who lived down the street. The loud crashes startled her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the destruction. Something warm unfurled inside her, comforting her when she saw that Jason had chosen to stay at the site during the demolition.

Clutching the delicate gold chain at her neck, Lilly spoke with much apprehension. "You're positive the carport will be okay?"

Jason nodded, the motion causing his hard hat to shift. "It's all of the way at the top of the property line, it will be fine. We can easily tear that one down and put up a sturdier garage for the cars."

"No, it's perfect. Some part of that old shack should stay on the property."

"I'm sure your neighbors would say differently about that heap of a garage."

"It's a carport, Mr. Cole, and suitable to cover any vehicle. There's no harm against wanting a little vintage flair on the property."

He waved his hands and laughed. The sound was a low rumble, bringing a delighted smile from Lilly. "Hey, I'm not arguing that at all. But seeing as this street is loaded with million dollar homes, your house may get a few complaints."

Turning, she looked up into his eyes and shook her head, the sun beaming on her face. "They won't mind. I think all of them are more curious to see if the house will blend with theirs."

"It will look great and fit right in. You did good with it, Lilly, I think you missed your calling."

Given a few rough blows, the shack went down without much of a fight. It took more time to clear the rubble than it did to tear the actual structure down. When one of the crew members drove the forklift around the land, clearing the debris, Lilly shocked herself by crying. She didn't know if it was because the property was getting a fresh start or if she was losing some small piece of Charles. Her hands lightly dusted the tears from her cheeks, leaving a small dirty smudge in its place. When she made her way back over to one of the construction trucks, Jason took a look at her and quickly offered her a paper towel.

Not thinking, Lilly accepted it and blew her nose even though it wasn't runny. Jason smiled as he walked over to her. With his thumb, he brushed the pad of his finger over the smudge, cleaning it in the process. Their eyes connected briefly before Lilly dropped her gaze to the ground. Embarrassment flooded her for reasons she couldn't understand. Sensing her shift in mood, Jason stepped away and went to talk to the foreman. For a first day of construction, she wanted to believe it was rather successful. The crew created a covered workspace before the end of the day. Several neighbors had begun walking by the rubble and mess at the end of the street. Lilly felt she needed to walk over and talk with everyone and found herself enjoying every minute of it.




Kiss of the Sun



A small pressure vibrated in her stomach when she realized that she was hungry. Leaving everyone at the end of the street, she came up short when she saw Jason leaning against his truck, waiting for her.

Nervously, she pushed strands of her unruly hair behind an ear. "I didn't think you would still be here."

"I was watching you with all of the vultures."

"You're terrible, they're not that bad. Nosy is all, wouldn't you be?"

He shrugged. "What I would be is hungry. What do you say? It's been a hell of a day."

Without giving her time to answer, Jason ushered Lilly into his truck and together they drove along the roads out to Lahaina. It was still early enough that the sun was high, but given an hour or so darkness would smother the skies. For their dinner, he took her to a small hole in the wall dive that served the best short ribs. Lilly laughed at the wounded look Jason gave her when she confessed short ribs weren't her favorite. Reacting quickly, he handed her the spare menu, from which she chose the Lomi Salmon and exaggerated just how much she enjoyed the food once the waiter dropped it off.

The salmon really was some of the best she had eaten, and the conversation seemed to flow so easily between the two of them. To ease the silent air, Lilly chose to ask questions about the man sitting across from her.

"So, why Maui of all the places you could have lived in?" When Jason had mentioned he was from Toronto, the statement flooded her curiosity.

"My wife was from here, she grew up on Honolulu." Lilly put the fork down when she heard Jason mention a spouse and the tone of his voice. Leaning forward on the table she lifted sorrowful brows, urging him to continue. "Cancer, three years."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Cole."

"Call me Jason." A sudden chill filled the air around the small table. Lilly rubbed her arms trying to warm them. "After the seventh try of chemo, she wanted to be close to family so we moved back here. She passed a month after we got settled."

Absentmindedly, Lilly reached across the table and placed he hand on top of Jason's. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Lilly couldn't describe the flash of emotion that swept over his eyes, but Jason squeezed her fingers in return and cleared his throat before speaking. "Your turn to come clean. What brought you to the island?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." The incredulous look he gave her made her laugh surreptitiously.

"I told you, so the least you can do is tell me."

"Who doesn't want to live in an endless summer?" He raised a disapproving brow, which only made her drop her elbows to the table and rest her chin comfortably in her palm. For what seemed like the hundredth time she tried to explain how she left Chicago and was deciding on whether she was staying permanently or taking a long vacation. One of the things she decided as she began meeting more people was to conceal the inheritance Charles left her. Not until she was more comfortable and actually understood what the hell she was going to do with it, then she would bring it up.

"That's pretty adventurous. All in good faith, eh? And hey, you picked a great time to be here while you do what you have to do."

His words triggered something that made Lilly stop talking for a minute, knowing it was Charles who had the faith. After the dinner, Jason drove her back to the shack which made her nervous. She hadn't told anyone that she was staying in the carport. With the shack completely torn down, she would need to find another place that actually had a shower. Thankfully up until that point, she hadn't had to worry since she used the only bathroom in the shack to get ready during the mornings. That night, Lilly wondered how often he would stop by the site, considering the foreman had taken over.

"From time to time. Enjoy your evening, Ms Hammond," he answered smoothly with a hint of humor before leaving.

****

Hastily, Lilly slammed the mailbox shut and slowly walked back to the construction site. Summer was just around the bend and the humidity was beginning to creep up. The foundation had been laid, and the construction crew was starting to frame out the base. A panicky feeling coursed through her body, as she held the standard white envelope. Her fingers tingled before she slipped one under the lip of the envelope to open the letter. With all of the work getting done on the property, she had forgotten about transferring her credentials to the State of Hawaii. Holding her breath, Lilly squeezed her eyes shut and uttered a silent prayer. Scanning the document until her eyes fell on the words, three paragraphs down, she sighed. The State Board of Hawaii approved her application and she was now licensed.

Lilly fanned herself with the papers as relief soothed her right down to her toes. Even though she didn't have anything to worry about with the application, it was still up to the Board to approve her, and the wait was terrifying. Those unwanted nasty little thoughts that plagued her whenever she had to re-test for anything had settled down until just then.

"How are you doing today, Rick?" With one weight off of her shoulders, she spoke cheerfully to the foreman. The large man barely looked at her before nodding, never saying a word. She breezed past him and several of the workers who were huddled around and walked to the water. There was something about that man she couldn't figure. Rarely he would talk calmly and barked out orders to the crew, who listened attentively. He seemed to get along with Jason but she had yet to see him smile, and making him smile was becoming one of her personal missions.

"Make sure you follow the yellow tape that's out."

At the sound of a deep voice that was becoming familiar, she turned around and smiled up at Jason. "Do I need to wear a hard hat to walk down to the beach?"

Jason tapped the white hat resting on his own head, attempting to sound stern. "One day, this thing could save your life. Try saying that about swim trunks."

"I don't wear swimming trunks!"

"Neither do I."

Lilly laughed until Jason took the hat off and followed her down to the sand. His thick hair stood in tufts in every direction, some parts even lying flat against his head. As he ran his fingers through it, Lilly's eyes candidly followed until he dropped them to his side.

A ribbon of liquid heat teased her cheeks, and quickly she turned to the water to avoid him seeing the pinkness of the blush. "I think I am making good ground with Rick."

"You might need to get a copy of Bambi or a leave a girly magazine out for him; that would get him to react faster." She had confided to Jason her relentless desire to understand the man who didn't smile. "The Inspector will be coming tomorrow. You're working, right?"

She had completely forgotten about someone from the Buildings Department coming to check the progress of the construction. It was standard, and something she didn't want or need to witness. "Yes, how do you think it will go?"

"You know with our contract, we have an independent guy who has been watching over everything. Tomorrow is protocol for the BD, so if there is anything out of the ordinary—believe me, you would have known about it."

The envelope had bunched in her palm as she forgot the importance behind the words inside. Everything about this house was foreign to her, including the very watchful eye of municipal authorities in Maui. Luck was on her side with Jason looking out for her best interests, because if she were fooling anybody, it was herself. When he handed her the contract to sign, she was barely able to read through it. To her, it could have been Greek.

Gesturing at the brutalized envelope, he asked over the light crashing of waves. "I think your palm needs some air. You're killing an innocent envelope."

Lilly smiled, his prying was infectious and she felt compelled to answer. "Reality has come knocking. Summertime is over."

"Last time I checked, which was an hour ago, it was only beginning."

"It's time to start looking for an actual job."

Jason's eyes searched her face, reading into her despondent statement. "Are you happy doing what you are doing right now?"

"Yes, yes I am." Her mouth moved delicately as her mind didn't have time to process the question. It already knew the answer.

In the face of a man who seemed to see too much, she had to admit that she had never felt so free and content with every day. There was no permanency, and yet it felt as if there were. Jason placed his hand on Lilly's shoulder and caressed the uncovered skin. It was the barest of touches, but stopped all of her thoughts. The soft look in his eyes intended a natural question, which her body provided the answer. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile as she leaned into his hand.

"How about dinner tomorrow night?"

"More ribs?" she teased him.

"No more ribs, something different. What do you say?"

With his hand brushing against her skin and the warmth in his voice, Lilly did something she never did and shushed her mind. For her entire life, she had always put other people ahead of herself and forgotten about life's precious gifts. Instead of going out on dates, she filled her days and nights with work or the people around work. Since being here, she was filling her time with things she wanted to do, and dinner with Jason was one of those things.

****

Rain pummeled the construction site, trickling down the grass and spilling onto the sand, leaving it in clumps. Even with the heavy drops, Lilly stood out overlooking the ocean. Content with the peace it gave her, she stood under an umbrella waiting for Jason to finish talking with Rick, her cotton sundress soaking up the falling drops. The Inspector had spent the afternoon at the site and she was thankful that the floral shop had been busy and didn't give her much time to worry. Dana had given her a hard time when she opened up about her plans that evening. Since the shack had been torn down, Dana opened a spare room in her house for Lilly to stay in until she found someplace to stay during construction. As she walked up the drive, she could see Jason and Rick in an involved conversation and left them to walk to the beach. Off in the distance, she heard the sound of a vehicle starting and moved back up to the small workspace where Jason would be. The grim look on his face was hard, and made her eyes widen in alarm.

Seeing her in his peripheral vision, he looked at her and smiled. His features softening as they relaxed, only the smile was sad at the corners.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing we can't talk about over dinner. It's raining like a sonofabitch and neither of us needs to get sick."

For the drive, they barely spoke to each other. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but Lilly could tell that Jason needed time to calm down. It was funny to her that since getting to know him, if he wasn't talking he was strategizing. The truck pulled off onto a side-street in an older development. There were houses that had been renovated, and then many looked to be designed under the same theme. Slowing, Jason parked the vehicle in a short driveway next to a modest two-storey home painted in a pale brown. To her dismay, he did not pull the truck into the garage but rather parked it in the drive. At the base of the house was a stretch of wooden stairs that led up to the front door on the second level. It was an odd placement for stairs and she pitied anyone who couldn't walk up them, which was herself at that moment.

Jason laughed at her bewildered expression and she found herself following his footsteps up to the top. The air held a perfect breeze, the scent of rain still hovering teased with hopeful promise. As he unlocked the door, she peered around the side and saw that palm trees lined the shabby street and blocked several of the windows from a neighbor's view. Cool air billowed out of the house from the opening and she gladly walked through the entranceway.

Filling his walls were several framed drawings of houses, buildings and some major structures. He placed his keys on a sideboard and took her on a short tour that began and ended in the front room. Lilly lost herself in an uncontrollable laugh at the sight of his back wall which was a giant bay window.

He merely shrugged, before laughing. "When you live on an island, every view counts."

Lilly sat on one of the bar stools and listened to Jason explain the Inspector's visit to the site, while he cut up the vegetables.

"He looked over the lot longer than he did the actual foundation. The foundation itself has a few cracks that I'm not concerned about because masonry shrinks as it cures, and makes the cracks noticeable. What he was concerned about was the grade slope of the house."

"I honestly have absolutely no idea what you're saying right now. Why wouldn't you be concerned about a crack?"

He laughed, "Sorry, I keep forgetting you're not a developer."

"Try a nurse turned bookkeeper for a small flower shop. Potatoes potahtoes." She waved her hand dismissively.

"Sometimes there is excess water in the concrete mix. When concrete hardens and dries, it shrinks. The shrinkage causes forces in the concrete that tighten and pull the slab apart. It cracks. It's not uncommon to happen, but he took note of a few cracks that were a result of this."

"Should I be worried about anything?"

"If there were concerns, you would have been the first to know. It is your house."

As the vegetables were sautéing on the stovetop, Jason walked over to main room and opened up several doors at the back end of the house. Lilly watched as he moved about each room. Since they had been inside he shucked off his shoes and opted to go barefoot. Her own feet had become accustomed to wearing sandals every day, and she too removed her shoes and left them near the front door. When he came back over to the kitchen, he smiled over at her and then without a word tossed two steaks onto the exposed grill of the stove. A delicious aroma filled the air. When he was watching over the steaks, he talked about the level of the house and how drainage could potentially be an issue. She wasn't surprised to know that among himself, the foreman and the Inspector, tempers had flared. He might appear to be calm for the most part, but she had talked to him on the telephone in those early days, which felt like a lifetime ago.

Feeling the need to help him out, Lilly searched the cabinets in spite of Jason's laughs until she found the plates and silverware. With him shouting to the back of the house, she set the small table that sat on the back deck. Because his house was farther inland, he didn't have an ocean view. The house was high on a hillside and had a general view that was just as breathtaking. Lilly leaned on the wood railing and let the wind blow against her. She didn't hear Jason when he placed the plates on the table and then leaned against the doorframe, watching her.

As they sat together eating the meal, Lilly couldn't deny the undercurrent of emotion that was coursing through her. Jason had been showing up at the construction site more frequently, making sure she knew what was going on. She knew for a fact that Rick should have been her main point person to turn to, but he seemed to take matters into his own hands. Especially with the Inspector. It was something she was beginning to understand about the man sitting to her side. Once he made a decision to do something, he was loyal to a fault.

"Thank you, Jason. This was the most delicious meal I've had in a while." Lilly placed the fork on the corner of the plate, and fidgeted with the paper napkin.

He leaned on the table. "I figured you would like it. You are definitely a steak and potatoes kind of woman."

"I'm from the Midwest, what can I say? I'll help you clean up."

"No, leave it. I'll clean it up later. It's nice sitting here."

"You don't normally have people over?"

"Not really. If family is in town, sure, but apart from that it's pretty quiet around here."

"You don't have friends over or anything? This deck is perfect for a party."

His face softened, "Since my...well, since then I covered myself with work and haven't had time to have guests. Until now."

For some time they sat there on the back deck enjoying each other's company. The little bits of information he shared only added to his appeal. Later, when she stood to leave, Lilly realized that she really wasn't ready to go back just yet. Never minding her wants or needs, they both walked to the door. Standing behind Jason, Lilly saw his hand stall as it rested on the doorknob. Turning to her, he let out a deep breath and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers lightly caressing the silky strands. Lilly's eyes searched his face, trying to read him. For that moment her voice failed her so it was he who spoke for her.

"Miss Hammond, you are something else. I'm glad it was my company that you called."

With a mind of its own, Lilly's own hands raised and rested on his chest. She could feel the strong beat of his heart through the frail cotton material of the shirt. "Me too."

Dropping his lips, Jason fanned them lightly against hers. The touch was ever so soft, and she wanted to feel more of him. Tilting his head, he dropped individual kisses to her fuller lower lip, the sensations increasing her breath. Needing to feel his body against hers, she stood on her toes and pressed into him. His big hands rest in the small of her back, but he wouldn't give in just yet. Leaning away from her attempt to get closer, he eyed her with growing interest.

"What's wrong?"

His thumbs massaged the soft skin on her sides, "Nothing at all." Lilly stared dumbfounded at him. "Tonight was a dinner date." Leaning around her, he reached for his keys and tossed them up in the air, when they landed in his palms they rattled annoyingly.

Lilly bristled with mock anger and wriggled past him. "How do you serve dinner without dessert?"

Jason laughed. "Definitely something else."

****

Another tumultuous couple of weeks went by all too quickly. Lilly was beginning to think that Jason was teasing her since they hadn't done anything together since they shared that kiss. Which didn't do much for her, considering she thought about it constantly. Granted, with the framing happening around the house, he was definitely busy. Sure they saw each other just about every day and exchanged smiles and greetings, but neither made any moves. Like him, she was busy. With the tenacity she was known for, Lilly found a little apartment that wasn't much, but cheaper than most. Considering she had lived in the shack for two months, the small studio would do. Staying in a hotel that first night after the demolition was hard enough, and she was thankful for Dana's gracious hosting. Getting her own place that was paid for from her own paycheck was important.

Her savings would cover whatever else the small paychecks couldn't. So over the last couple of weeks, she found herself rushing from her shifts to look at apartments. Some places were littered with laundry on the outside, while others offered spacious rooms. Lilly decided after the third viewing, there were some shady parts to Kihei that she didn't need to go back to. While she was picking up mangos at the market, the clerk asked how the hunt was going. Reluctantly, Lilly opened up about the last apartment she had seen. The man was ecstatic despite her shaky voice and cut her off before she could finish. It turned out that down the street about a quarter mile away from the flower shop, there were small studio apartments above the mail center. The man who rented them out shopped at the market and had asked if he could put up a sign near the door the morning before.

One look at the small space and Lilly was sold. On the second floor nestled at the back of the eight unit complex, the studio was perfect. It had a tiny kitchenette and room large enough for a pullout couch and coffee table. The apartment was close to the point that she could walk to the flower shop, and not feel as if she depended on a car again, a feeling she had missed since living in Chicago. She liked the coziness of the apartment, but felt something was on her side when the clerk mentioned it and didn't want to miss the opportunity. Applications from several of the hospitals and clinics in the area lay untouched on the shabby coffee table she found at the flea market. Lately something else she was doing was filling her thoughts, and right then she didn't want to go back to being overworked and wanted to enjoy the time.




Kiss of the Sun



By Friday of that week, Dana asked Lilly to close the shop so she could go out on a date with a new guy. A chatty customer kept Lilly there until after six, when she was finally able to make the trip over to the property as she did every day. It had become a habit for her, to see the crews and talk with whomever she could. They had become familiar and part of a routine that was beginning to mean a lot to her. When she pulled the little car to a stop, all the trucks were gone. A sadness crept through her as she got out and walked up to the house.

It really was beginning to look like an actual place that one could live in. The wood frames were up and to her surprise, the crew had filled them in during the day. Walking over to the tent that was set up for the crews to look over the plans, Lilly smiled at the flower that rested in the corner. One of the guys had left a coffee mug out on the table, out of habit she had taken the mug to the water hose and cleaned it out. Wild flowers surrounded the property and rather than turning the mug over to be used the following day, she pulled some flowers from the soil and put them in the mug. Just the sight of the flowers that were still there warmed her.

"So are you going to avoid me for another week?"

She hadn't heard him drive up, and turned to face the man with the golden voice. "I should be asking you the same thing, Jason." Even with the light shade from a cloud overhead, Jason looked as handsome as ever. A day's worth of stubble covered his jaw making him look like a rugged man running from the law. Only this law-abiding gentleman was as cool as ever.

"Lilly." His voice was gentile as he walked over to her. "We've seen each other practically every day, I wanted to give you space."

"Space for what?"

"For starters, you were looking for an apartment. Finding a place to live is more important than me harassing you."

She smiled, "I like your harassing."

He ran a knuckle along her neck and spoke gruffly. "I do too. Would you like to see what all they did today? You seem to have become our non-governmental inspector."

Nodding, she followed him into the house to look around. The orange sarong she'd turned into a skirt fluffed out with each gust of wind. Because there were still beams exposed, both wore hard hats. Several of the soon-to-be walls were tagged and marked with red pen. Lilly stopped at the back of the house and lost her breath.

"That is an impressive view."

Jason came up behind her, "We looked over the plans and were able to extend the window by four inches, to give the best view possible."

"It's breathtaking." Lilly couldn't take the fluttering in her belly and moved away from the window. Whether it was to get away from the powerful scent from Jason or escape the view she couldn't tell.

The heat hovered in between the wood boards, and made Lilly flush. Her skin was beginning to perspire so rather than soak through the knit white tank, she went back outside.

"Are you hungry?"

"Looking for another dinner date?"

"Maybe. You didn't like the first?"

She looked up into his eyes and spoke the truth. "I liked it a little too much."

"Come on. I picked up some ahi yesterday and haven't grilled it yet."

Secretly she had hoped Jason would be there that night, openly she was more than glad to hear his voice. The sound alone turned made her insides liquefy, causing her to forget rhyme or reason. Had she been avoiding him on some unknown level? She hated to admit that her nerves had kicked into high gear with each trip out to the site. Through the meal, she found out that he had been working on signing another housing project. She told him about her experience of doing a drive by in what he described as the 'seedier' side of town. Now seated on the back deck, she watched as Jason cleared the table. He had seared the tuna to perfection and served it on a bed of mixed greens with thinly sliced cucumbers. She felt the unmistakable heat from something and tasted wasabi on her lips as she licked them. Jason watched as she ran a finger over the wet path.

Shaking her head at his open perusal, she dropped her voice. "How's the dinner date going?"

"I thought it was two people having a friendly evening. But so far so good."

"Good can always be better." Following her instincts, Lilly stood up and moved into the house. Because of the layout, part of the sectional couch blocked the view from the bay window. Lilly chose to sit on the far end and scooted her feet beneath her. The air inside of the house was much cooler, and she didn't fail to notice that Jason had undone a button at the base of his neck. Even though they sat close to each other, Jason kept some distance and sipped the chilled wine. Before, she had always been timid with men, especially around boyfriends, but he was different. With him she wanted to explore, and in that kiss they shared—it made her believe he wanted to too.

Jason rolled his head to the back of the couch. "You're not making this very easy."

"I'm not trying to do anything."

He looked over at her with knowing eyes, reading right through her charade. Placing the goblet on the end-table, Jason used his other free hand and cupped the side of Lilly's face with his palm. His thumb stroked her cheek that was warmed from the wine. Jason searchingly gazed into her eyes before dropping his lips to hers, sealing them together. A light moan rippled from her mouth to his as he eased his tongue across the bow. Gripping his arm, she dug her nails into the taut skin as he began to devour her mouth.

From their kiss, she could taste the sweetness of the wine and feel the thickness of his tongue as it delved farther. Jason's hands plowed through Lilly's hair, holding her head in place as their kiss turned fervent with need. A low guttural moan erupted from his mouth when they finally pulled away. Lilly's heart was beating so fast she placed a hand over her heart and the other over her mouth to stifle a laugh, and savor the vibration from his moan.

His growing arousal was hard and ready, a full bulge pressing against the thick denim urging to break out. Even though the pressure was there, he remained still, trying to catch his own breath. Not wanting to lose the momentum of the moment, Lilly lowered a hand and lightly stroked Jason's as he held onto her side. Passion and excitement from the barest of grazes clouded all judgment, causing goose bumps to run up his blazing skin. The heat around them was so thick neither could deny it any more. Leaning down, Jason captured her mouth for another passionate kiss. As their tongues tangled and intertwined, their fingers stroked each other's. Desire curbed any rational thinking, and she began mumbling little love words into Jason's mouth. Love words of wonder about him, asking him to take her to bed and sweet words instigating him to make the move.

Nearly crumbling from such raw need, he pulled away and stood up. Through a lust-filled fog Lilly looked up at him and accepted his hand as he extended it out to her. Their heavy breaths filled the hallway as they walked toward the master bedroom. Normally she would have taken a closer look and paid attention to his plain bedspread, the dresser that had a major chip at the side and the pink blinds. The loud beating of her heart changed her usually astute focus and made her feel drunk, intoxicated by a sea of sensations that was exploding like little firecrackers.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" His voice barely cut through the loud pounding in her head.

For an instant she wasn't sure she could answer him, but as he stood there ready and proud, with her own body actively responding—she was more than sure. "Yes, are you?"

Kissing the corner of her mouth, he lingered a second longer before speaking huskily. "I've never been more sure."

With deft fingers, Jason slowly peeled the flimsy tank top over Lilly's head and got his first glance at her splendor. He stood in awe as her small breasts rose and fell with each exhale. Placing a hand at the slope, he stroked lightly to get familiar with her body's responses. Lilly in turn rocked her body against his in approval, grinding into his arousal as it twitched inside of his jeans.

"Please, Jason."

He spoke against her open mouth. "What do you want?"

In short frenzied pants, she murmured, "I want you...to...to please me."

A devil's laugh rolled from his lips, rumbling against hers. "Oh I will, I promise you."

Lilly fell back onto the bed and watched as Jason slowly unbuttoned her shorts and dragged them down her slender legs. She lay in her underwear feeling completely aware of herself, even as he was still fully dressed. Reaching for his belt loops, she tugged on one forcing him to lean down. Looking directly into his eyes she undid his jeans and rolled them down his sturdy hips. Her nails tickled the firm skin inch by inch until he shucked the material off. Impatiently, he tore the shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. At the sight of the full shape of him, her fingers trembled at the tops of his boxers. Taking a shaky breath, she lowered the cotton only to have his arousal spring forward.

Nerves settled into her bones, but stilled as Jason's fingers tenderly ran along her shivering skin. He must have sensed the shift and rather than ravishing her, he moved slower. Dropping soft lips to the back of her knees, he left a licentious torment in its path. With each tender kiss, her body shook and quivered. It had been so long since she had been with a man that she forgot how good each touch felt. When his mouth made it to her belly button, she lifted her hips in an immediate wanton need for more.

Lilly stroked Jason's skin and rolled her head to the side as his tongue teased a nipple through the thin gossamer silk of the bra. The cool air blew against her breast as he abandoned it to move to its twin, the bud of her nipple tightened from the cold and her burning hunger. Completely controlled by desire, she raised a leg to rub against his hip, wetness pressing onto him, making his head snap up.

"You wanted me to please you, right? If you keep up like that, it'll be over in a few minutes." She whimpered and pulled his face up to hers, their lips met passionately. "I want you, but...."

"But what?"

Their bodies stilled while Jason struggled with his own desires. With a growl, he reached for the hook of her bra and tore off the lacy garment. While she lay breathless by the movement, she couldn't help but giggle at the perplexed look on his face. Widening her legs to accommodate his muscular frame, Jason settled in between, lowering his mouth to her neck and licked a sweet trail from her collarbone to her earlobe. Perplexed be damned. The steel strength of him pulsed against her core, teasing her with its need. Not wanting to wait a minute longer, Jason inserted a finger into her warmest spot and moved rhythmically. Lilly's hips moved with the synchronized pattern, and when he inserted another finger she cried out.

Testing her readiness, Jason eased his fingers out and positioned himself above her. Reaching down, he cupped her side. With his eyes locked on hers, he entered her in a solid thrust. The pressure burned and Lilly cried out in pain at first, but as he thrust so slowly those cries turned to moans of pleasure. Together their moves quickly turned frenetic as if they couldn't get enough of each other. He plunged hard and fast into her, issuing little hiccups to escape her lips. Instinctively, Lilly wrapped her legs around Jason's hips pulling his body closer. Sweat dripped off his shoulders, and as he felt her body clench down hard onto him, shuddering from her orgasm, he buckled and cried out, finding his own release.

In the haze of what just happened in the bed, Jason rolled over to the side and collapsed onto the comforter. The air continued blowing from the vent, so Lilly curled up next to him knowing his heat would keep her warm. Feeling utterly at peace, he dropped his lips to her messy hair. Without thinking, she stroked his chest lightly with the pads of her fingers until he quietly fell asleep. For some time, Lilly lay there listening to the heavy breathing and continued running her fingers along his skin. Trailing through the thick pelt of hair, she moved her finger up the crease to trace a pectoral. His body was hard as steel, whereas hers was soft and pliant. The contrast was different and yet still felt all the more amazing. As her eyelids began to feel heavy, for the first time in months a sense of tranquility drifted amidst the ocean breeze, cocooning itself all of the way to the bottom of her soul.

****

The following morning she woke up alone in the large bed. Curled under the duvet, Lilly stretched out lazily and tried to shield herself from the blinding sunlight. The clock next to the bed read eight, and when she felt the area next to her it was cold. Knowing Jason had to be somewhere, she crawled out of the bed and put on his shirt. From the hallway, she could hear the low passing of a car in the distance and figured windows were open. Following the breeze she ambled toward the kitchen only to see Jason sitting out on the deck in his boxers sipping coffee.

"Good morning." Her voice was still gravely from just waking.

"Morning, sleep okay?" He tugged on her hip, pulling her close enough for her to bend down and kiss his waiting lips.

"I did, you are very comfortable to sleep with."

"Once I lay down, I don't move. You, however, were all over me. Do you want some coffee?"

"Yes, please." As Jason got up, he stole another kiss from Lilly and walked back to the kitchen. While he poured the coffee, she shouted out to him. "The only reason I was all over you was because it was cold in your room!"

Who was this woman, and where did her mouth come from? Lilly couldn't believe how unabashed she was. Her last boyfriend dressed minutes after the act was over with and was out the door before she could set the alarm for the morning. Jason however, was in his boxers and looking as if he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"So what are you doing today?"

Lilly sipped the scalding coffee and kept her gaze out, focused on the ocean that was miles away. "I was hoping to please a man whose shirt I seem to have borrowed, and then go to the flea market and look around."

"Please me?"

"Who said it was you?"

Jason laughed at the fake displeasure of her tone which only brought a smile from Lilly. They sat there for some time talking, but their words held far more meaning than the light chitchat. When each had enough of verbal foreplay, they found their way back into the bedroom, where it was Lilly's turn to take to Jason's body and make him feel everything that he had done for her the night before. She took him into her warm mouth until his body trembled and shook uncontrollably. It wasn't until he cried out and she felt a small burst did joy consume her. With a violent thrust, he released himself within her mouth, leaving her to soothe him until he calmed. His body was quick to recover and soon she found herself turned around and facing a gorgeous torture that she couldn't deny.

That weekend quickly turned into another month. Because her apartment was so small, Lilly almost felt embarrassed to bring Jason over. Being the man that he was, he praised her for even having her own home during the construction. She still hadn't told him about the inheritance and as their relationship grew, the burden was beginning to weigh heavily on her. It wasn't that she was ashamed; it was hard to explain the gifting when she still didn't understand it. The house itself was moving further along and when she went on her daily check on that late May day, instead of Jason walking her through it was Rick.

"It stinks in here, but that's the drywall. It'll take a couple of weeks, but as soon as we get done you can start thinking about spending some more time inside."

"Really? That soon?"

"Start buying your furniture if you haven't already. I mean, don't get it delivered or anything because we need to install the hardwood, but you can at least start to plan it all out."

"I had completely forgotten about that part." It was the truth, with her time spent with Jason as well as work and, well, simply living, the smaller things slipped her mind.

"I'd say it's about that time to start thinking, Lilly." Even then, Rick was still gruff and hardly displaying any signs of emotion. The thought hadn't skipped past her.

That evening she drove over to Jason's house knowing what she needed to do. For the past month, she hadn't once thought of Charles. Not even when his lawyer called to check in and see how the progress of the house was, and also to see if she needed any living expenses paid for. Nervousness once again plagued her for the first time in months. Things with Jason were wonderful and unexpected. She was feeling more comfortable than ever, comfortable enough to tell him about Charles because there was no reason to keep anything from him. As expected, the front door was left unlocked and as she entered, the soft sounds of jazz could be heard drifting down the hall.

Following the beautiful vocals of Ella Fitzgerald, Lilly walked into the main room to find Jason sitting relaxed on the couch facing the ocean.

"I see you made it safely."

Lilly sat down next to Jason and kissed him lightly. "I did. It smells delicious, but I thought we were cooking together?"

Out of habit, the two had begun cooking the dinner meal together. A nicely formed ritual that both looked forward to each day. "We are, I was slow cooking some beef for tomorrow."

Lilly nodded. Jason could sense that something was different, since she didn't usually not answer, so he tipped her chin with his thumb forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Everything all right over there?"

"Yes...no." Lilly blew out a breath and gave a nervous laugh. Jason was as patient as ever and waited for her as if he didn't have anywhere else to go. "I have to tell you something."

"It looks that way. Do you need a few minutes?" She shook her head no. "You're not a man are you?"

She gasped and slapped his shirt covered chest. "No! Oh my god, I should hope you'd know the answer to that by now!"

"These procedures these days, you never know."

Lilly completely understood what Jason was doing, and it made her appreciate him all the more. By his casual demeanor, he was easing her worry for what she had to tell him. "I've been wanting to tell you something for a while now, but was afraid. Apprehensive really, and still a little afraid."

Jason leaned forward and placed a hand on her thigh in a comforting gesture. "I'm not going to pressure you, sweetheart. Whatever you want to say, whenever you're ready you will."

"I know. That's why I have to tell you now." He nodded and waited for her to continue. "I want to tell you about what brought me here. A long time ago, I met a man that meant more to me than some of the closest people I've ever known. He opened my eyes and got me excited about things. Life, traveling...actually living. He was a patient at a clinic I worked at that came in from time to time. I used to get so excited when he came in, hearing him talk about all of his adventures. I don't know what happened, but one day we started to talk about things outside of simple conversations and the weather. He was someone I looked up to, trusted and admired. I guess somewhere over the years I sort of formed a crush on him, but not in that way. He was someone who always cared when I thought nobody else did. Anyway, not too long ago he passed away, and for some ungodly reason, wrote me into his will. The shack was his."

There were a couple of minutes of silence before he said anything. "Did you have an affair with him?" His voice was teasing, but the curiosity in his eyes was a dead giveaway.




Kiss of the Sun



"Affair...no, never! It never went beyond exchanging cards and small talk during his visits. Back in November, I was contacted by his lawyer and since then everything changed."

"How often did you see each other?"

"I don't know, not that often. I'd send him cards for every holiday and to wish him well on most trips after I stopped working at the clinic. We haven't seen each other for nearly five years."

"Why would he write you in the will if you hadn't seen him in so long?"

"Your guess is as good as mine and is something I don't think I'll ever find out, but I feel obligated to comply with his request."

"For what?"

"Making sure the house turns out perfectly. He traveled for his career and lived out of a suitcase, the shack was supposed to be a home. He would want it built and to see that the house was exactly as he dreamt."

"What's his name?" It was an honest question.

With a deep breath, Lilly spoke his name for the first time out loud with true emotion. "Charles Bowman." A tear rippled down her cheek at the thought of him, and she swiped it away with a finger. "I think deep down I loved him in some strange way, and maybe he was the same. I mean, he left this property to me of all people, when he had a family of his own."

"Lilly, you are an incredible woman. For whatever reason, you had something with this man that meant a lot. More than a lot if he gave you the property." She scoffed at him. "I mean it, when I give you a compliment, please accept it. Maybe with him giving you this, it was a compliment to your relationship with him."

She shook her head, giving up and still not knowing why she had received the inheritance. Jason pulled her close to him and hugged her as she cried quietly. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head as she finally released the long awaited tears. When she was finally cried out, she raised her head to his and kissed his lips. The salt from her tears flavoring their kiss, made it all the more intimate. They shed their clothes silently, and rather than moving to the bedroom they stayed on the large couch. The intensity of the conversation and the emotions lingering in the air made it sweeter. Instead of moving fast and rough as they normally did, together they were slowed by deep thrusts that moved their bodies, but made them clutch each other tighter.

As he sank deeper into her silken core, her nails ran along his backside. Clinging, and holding him in place so he hit her in just the right place. Cries filled the main room as he thrust in and out of her as if in a trance. His knee found a groove in the couch that gave him stability to keep his plunges centered. With his lips to her neck, she cried out for a third time, one of her legs balancing on the floor while the other wrapped around his hip. Thrashing harder inside her, Jason moved in a rhythm that he knew her body would react to. Within minutes, her muscles pulled him in tight as he eased out. The way she squeezed him was too much and he groaned. The sound penetrated through her own excitement and as she felt him explode, she gave in to another explosive orgasm.

****

"You know you could have hired someone to do all of this, instead of hustling everyone you know," Dana said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Pushing fashion aside in the overwhelming heat, her slick skin was barely covered by a bikini top and cut-off jean shorts. More suitable for the beach, which she fully planned on going to afterwards.

"I know, but if I remember you are the one who volunteered yourself when I talked about it the other day."

Lilly smiled to herself as she rolled more paint onto the walls. Several of the crew members were working in other rooms on the electrical units, while she and Dana stood on benches. Unlike Dana's scantily clad outfit, she donned too large coveralls. On that Saturday, they were in the main room listening to dance music while painting separate walls. Trying to keep the house in a beach theme, Lilly stuck with the coral whites and soft browns to accent. Even though it was the weekend, the crew had a few mechanical issues and stopped by first thing to work them out.

"Okay, fine, so I did. I didn't think you'd take up on the offer. Where is the fine specimen that is Cole Construction?"

"Hanging out at home today and working on another set of house plans. He said he'd stop by later."

"And how is that apartment doing?" Lilly gave Dana a pointed look and laughed at the one she gave back. "No sense in paying rent in a place you don't stay in. You should have just slept in the back of the shop."

In the back of her mind, Lilly smiled at the thought of the carport. The place that was equally as small as the back of Dana's shop and just as nice as a luxury apartment. It was true, the small studio was barely getting much use, and felt like it was a waste of money. But she had strong values and Jason respected them. While she did spend many nights at his house, she always left in the morning to get ready at her own home.

Rick walked past the opening to the main room and paused, looking over the women. As his eyes lingered on Dana stretched high, he failed to notice Lilly watching him gazing openly and appreciating her extended form. Something occurred to Lilly just then, but she kept the idea to herself. In all of the time that Rick had been onsite, he never talked about his personal life and it was Lilly who felt ashamed for now realizing that he was not a married man and appeared interested in someone close to her.

"It's hard to believe that the house is about done."

"Hardly, there's still a lot left to do. The floors haven't been set and there's no furniture."

"Still, aren't you excited to move in once everything is all said and done?"

The thought of moving in felt so far away, even though it was maybe a month, if that. On a night with too much wine and a lot of talk about men, Lilly confided into Dana about Charles and Jason. Her feelings about both men kept her on the island and pushed her to look forward for the next day. The farther the house got toward completion, the more she thought of Charles and how proud he would be. Those same days brought nights where she would turn to Jason, a man she couldn't imagine not seeing day in or out. Through their time together, he opened up to her about his work and daily stresses as she did to him about her worry over the house and what to do with it.

"I guess, it doesn't feel real yet."

"Look around, Lilly. This house is perfect for a vacation, and plenty big to live in if it's only you. I'd want you to so feel free to will it to me."

The women laughed and continued painting the main rooms. Hours later, Dana's words set something off inside of her, interrupting her perch against Jason on the couch. Perfect for a vacation. When Lilly cleared the small shed in the carport, she had found two boxes filled with pictures and clippings. Each of the boxes was labeled 'Bowman' with a set of years. She had been meaning to send the boxes to Charles' lawyer, but kept putting it off. Now she understood why.

"That sneak!"

Jason unhooked his legs from the coffee table and looked over at Lilly as she turned to face him, her own legs curled under her body. "What are you talking about?"

"Charles. I figured it out." Lilly blew out a deep breath and shook her head, the wild locks swaying. "How did I not see it? Even dead, he can work a person."

"Sweetheart, I don't get it."

"You will. He left me the property, to give back to his family. I can't believe it took this long to figure out. The house was never meant to be mine; he knew I would never accept it."

"But you did."

"Only under his conditions. While I was waiting for the paperwork to go through for the permit, I stayed in the carport." Jason tried to interrupt her, but she silenced him with a finger on his lips. "I wanted to. There were some random boxes out there he had left behind, and since finding them I've been meaning to send them back to his family. Now I get it. My gut tells me that they were left on purpose."

"What does your heart say?"

It took her a minute to respond, and when she did twin tears cascaded down her cheeks. "He wanted this house for them."

Jason leaned forward and kissed the corner of her eyes. "That doesn't explain why he left it up to you."

"He knew I would do it. Without hesitating, I would get on a plane and travel to a state I'd never been because at the end of the day if I had asked him—he would do the same for me."

"So he leaves property for you to build only to give it away? That's a harebrained idea."

"Yes it is. The house wasn't why he put me in the will, Jason. He gave me a way to live my own adventure and see where it took me."

"But you could have done that in Chicago."

"Yes, but he was always over the top. He knew I wouldn't see the meaning unless I went somewhere."

"And where is that?"

Lilly traced the hard line of his jaw and spoke affectionately. "I'm still figuring that one out, but so far there's been nice dinner dates."

****

The final three weeks of construction were the hardest. With each passing day, temperatures went above the average, making some days more difficult than the other. Crew members were coming and going, inspectors were checking the progress and Lilly was looking for relatives. Right after that night at Jason's, she called Charles' lawyer and told him what she intended to do. She needed his help to get contact information for each of Charles' children, including his ex-wife. The lawyer questioned her, and when she tried to explain—she couldn't. He hadn't understood her the first time she explained so she stopped. Jason had been occupied with a project that was just starting up, so their nightly dinners had turned to every few days. He was tied up with a draftsman that day and wasn't able to do the final walk-through with her.

Even though he wasn't there, Lilly hated to admit that she was glad. As much as she wanted him, she wanted to do this one thing alone. She needed to make sure it was perfect. Rick met her at the base of the driveway with a clipboard in hand. Several of the crewmembers had come back and were loitering around the carport. Seeing all of the people brought a heartwarming tightness in her chest. That tightness tugged emotions that had always been welled up quietly inside, and right then spilled over into the warm summer breeze. They wanted to be part of the final walk-through with her. With each phase of the house getting built, she made friends with every single person that worked on it. They got to know each other during breaks, her daily visits and when she dropped off more flowers for the mug that started as one and turned into eight.

"Ready to see what you created?" That hard voice still hadn't been broken, but the sound was tender.

"I'm so anxious right now, I could scream."

True to the contract, the house was completed by the third of August, a date she would never forget. Together they walked up to where she saw the stone pillars at each side of the drive, the sea-green glass ball attracting the sun's bright rays. The thin path leading to the front door was lined with fresh jasmine and tuberose. Rick pushed open the double doors that weren't locked at the bottom and allowed them to open up. Lilly stood in absolute awe at the presentation in front of her. Despite being in the house several times that same week, seeing it now cleared of any debris, plastic or wandering men—it was a sight she'd longed for.

The back windows lining the main wall were open, exposing the lanai. The sounds of the ocean filled the air and was better than any music. The soft coloring on the walls only accented the sun as it cast rays through the windows. Each piece of furniture was perfectly placed, and she had calluses on her hands to prove it. Inside the two bedrooms were smaller beds with fluffy comforters, bright pillows and small vases of fresh flowers. Off from the main bedroom, she stepped out to the lanai and absentmindedly straightened a chair, ran her finger along the smooth railing. The house was everything she had imagined and then more. Every wall stood with purpose while every window provided a view to escape to. Up until then, she hadn't really seen the beauty behind the house and as she walked through the sliding doors from the main room and out onto the patio, tears poured from her face.

Six months before she was working herself into the ground. Now she stood at the base of the ocean in a completed house that was perfect to live in. In such a short time, Lilly had grown more than she could account for. Friends became her family on the island, an understanding that work wasn't everything expanded her heart, which seemed to be wrapped around Jason and this newfound outlook.

"All you have to do is sign this sheet that we did the walk-through, and the house is yours."

With a shaky hand, Lilly signed the paper and looked up at Rick. "Thank you for everything. It's perfect, in every way." The man stood several inches taller than she. Rearing on her toes, she brushed his rough cheek with a kiss. A twinkle glittered in his eyes, and to her astonishment his mouth began to move until it formed a full smile flashing a set of white teeth.

"Anytime, Lilly." As he turned to walk back outside, she followed him and hugged several of the other workers. She thanked them for all of their hard work, fully knowing that she would miss every single one of them deep in her heart. Not seeing each person every day would take a while to get used to. Seeing his truck, Lilly walked down to the cove to find Jason looking out at the ocean. He seemed so at peace even though she knew he was busier than she'd ever seen since they met.

"How long have you been out here?" Lilly asked as she raked her nails along the small of his back.

"Not too long, you were looking around with Rick. You did it, Lilly."

"It's really done. Now what?"

Jason lifted a hand and held her face within his palms, lowering his lips to hers he spoke quietly. The breath warm against the soft flesh. "You'll figure it out." Sealing their lips together, their tongues melded as if they knew nothing better.

That night she drove behind Jason to his house and fed off of his ardent kisses as they traveled from the insides of her knees up to her chin. When his mouth found her most sensitive of areas, she cried out and begged for him to stop teasing her. As gentle as she'd come to expect him, he eased himself inside her with a solid thrust and they began moving as one. Each thrust brought them closer together, and each time he pushed deeper into her she clung harder. With her hips lifted high, held tightly by his hand, Jason increased his pace and kissed Lilly hungrily. She broke the kiss as a ripple of pure bliss exploded in her belly, racing through her veins.

Her muscles were clenching him as Jason kept moving within her. Lilly mumbled quietly to him, urging him on, pushing his patience. When he felt the onset of another one of her orgasms, he knew he wouldn't send her alone and shifted so that both of her legs would wrap around his waist. Lilly was panting beneath and crying out as he pressed deeper. The pressure built, and with a roar his body shook uncontrollably as his own release washed over. Lilly held on tightly, kissing into his neck until the aftershocks subsided. Needing to catch his breath, Jason rolled over and pulled her with him. She stroked his chest with a finger and dropped little love bites to the dampened skin.

Utterly sated, the warmth from her breath tickled the hairs by his nipple. "I see a lot of dinner dates in the future."

****

Lilly paced nervously at the front entrance to the summer house as she waited for everyone to arrive. Throughout the past couple of weeks, she worked diligently with Charles' lawyer to finish a few odds and ends as well as utilized her own evenings to stock up the house for specific accommodations that were due any minute. As two long white vans pulled into the paved driveway, her breath stopped. One by one, the passengers stepped out of the vehicle and made their way to the door with their luggage. From Chicago to Baltimore, they all had traveled far and wide. Each of them looked at Lilly with lively curiosity. It was Charles Jr. who came up to her first.

"Ms Hammond, you've managed to get us all here. Do you mind explaining everything now?"

"Please, come inside and then I will explain everything." Slowly she opened the door and allowed each one of Charles' children, their children and even his ex-wife and her husband inside. The bags were left in the entranceway as everyone began to wander around the house. A sudden silence filled the high ceiling rooms the further anyone got. The final furniture delivery was dropped off the day before, and she was so thankful that each piece was placed and appeared ready for anyone to take a seat.

Each wall was filled with family portraits of Charles and his ex-wife when they were younger and just starting out. Years of their children's lives scattered from room to room as they grew up. Nervously, Lilly stood back and watched as fingers caressed the frames. A cough erupted from the side, a sniffle from behind and even a light indrawn breath next to her as she saw Charles' ex-wife looking at pictures of her and her present husband as they vacationed with the children.

Everyone began to gather in the front room and seat themselves on the massive off-white couch that dominated the room. It was a couch to hold everyone comfortably. Taking their break as her cue to speak, Lilly moved forward and smiled warmly at everyone.

"You see, this house was meant for all of you. Charles bought it some time ago, when you were all still so young, and had always wanted to refurbish it to make it a vacation home. For the last few months, it was my greatest pleasure to work on it. This house belongs to all of you." She began to explain her shock when the lawyer contacted her and her decision to do as she was asked.

One of Charles' daughters looked up at Lilly with tears pooling in her eyes. "Where did all of these pictures come from?"

Again, Lilly smiled. "Your father had some boxes filled with pictures and little clippings left here. You'll see that everything is up on the walls, in every room there is a little bit from those boxes around. He always mentioned that he missed out on the world with each of you, but in the pictures the world was right with all of you."

Tears ached to fall from her eyes, but Lilly managed to keep hold with all of her strength. As she sat there in the middle of Charles' family, an incredible light of tenderness crept into her that could not ever be extinguished. With such outpouring of affection hovering in the room, she knew without a doubt that she loved Jason with that same amount of love. In the short amount of time that they had known each other, he had become her whole world and she couldn't picture her life without him. Not only him, but she loved the journey Charles' will had allowed for her to follow that got her to open her eyes and appreciate the people in her life and all of the work that goes along with it. Once everyone passed the last of the tissues around and shared their treasured memories of their father, Lilly passed over the keys to the house. Earlier that morning, she had packed her car with the last of her belongings that she kept while working on the final touches and would take it to her apartment later. She had already arranged the gift deed for the family and as she walked out to her car, each of Charles' children hugged her, thanking her for such an incredible gift. All Lilly could think was, if it were her, she would want the same.

Much later that evening, Lilly sat on the soft sand watching the sun as it began to set. Off to the side she could hear children running along the beach chasing after each wave that crept closer to the shore. Jason walked up from behind and sat down next to her, placing his arm around her shoulder. For a while they sat in silence with her head resting lightly against his shoulder. As the sun dropped lower, she looked up at him with a somewhat sad gaze. Brushing a few strands of hair away from her face, he kissed her soft lips lightly. "What is it, sweetheart?"