Free Jamaica Dreaming (Caribbean Heat) by Eugenia O'Neal Page A

someday, but not right now. Anyway, Earle opposed this trip from the start. He thought I should take my time and ease back into the scene in Chicago before doing something like this.”
    “He thought it might be too much, too soon.”
    “Exactly.”
    They paused as the waiter set their desserts before them.
    “Umm, this is delicious,” Julissa said, taking a bite of her chocolate cheesecake. “My parents and my sister didn’t think I should come, either,” she went on, swallowing. “They thought if anything happened they’d be far away.”
    “Anything like what? The odds of your having another accident are pretty slim, I’m sure.”
    “Yes, well.” Again, her eyes dropped away and she looked uncomfortable. Sebastian wondered what she wasn’t telling him. “I told them I wanted to come. That it was just what I needed, to get away and relax and think about things. Mom and Dad agreed it was my decision to make, but Earle wouldn’t let it go. Even at the airport, he still tried to get me to change my mind.”
    It occurred to Sebastian that he didn’t like Earle. “And, now, he wants to come and check up on you.”
    “Yes, something like that, I think. I told him I’m fine, everything’s fine. Better than fine, really.” She smiled at him. “Anyway, I thought I needed to tell you. Maybe I should have told you before.” She gave him an anxious look.
    Sebastian shrugged. “It’s almost a given that a woman as beautiful as you would have a man who wants to keep you close.” He scooped up the last bite of his apple bread pudding. Now it was his turn to offer a revelation. “I have something to tell you, too.”
    “You’re married?”
    “No.” He laughed, shocked. “Why would you think that?”
    “Like what you said. You’re a great catch. Why wouldn’t you have a woman in your background?”
    “I was married. I’m divorced. What I was going to say was that I have two children, teenagers.” He watched her carefully, but saw only surprised interest. “A boy and a girl.”
    “Do they live with you?”
    “No, with their mother, here in Kingston.”
    “Am I going to meet them?”
    He felt a warm rush of gratitude. “Yes, I’d like that.” He explained about Tracy and her love of hoses. “So, if you’d like to go with us to the races at Caymanas Park on Saturday, you can meet her and Sean there.”
    “I’d love that.” He saw a second thought flash behind her eyes. “Is their mother coming, too?” Her voice was carefully neutral.
    “No, she’s not. Yvonne isn’t a big horseracing fan. Neither am I really, but Tracy hates to miss a race and I think Sean spends too much time on his video games so…”
    “I’m looking forward to it already. I’ll get to see another side of you.”
    “Do you like the sides you’ve seen so far?” The question was out of his mouth before he even realized he was going to ask it. He felt embarrassed but, at the same time, he really wanted to know her answer.
    She gave him a shy, nervous look. “Yes,” she said, her voice so low he almost couldn’t hear her. “Too much.”
    Sebastian grabbed the hand lying on the table. “Good. That makes two of us.” He wanted to say more, so much more. Wordless sparks flew in the air between them before he released her hand again.
    He felt the urge to ask her ‘what about Earle’ but he bit the question back. Earle wasn’t the one there with her right now. And yet, Sebastian couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else. Something she wasn’t saying.
    Later, after they’d eaten he took her to Sinspiration, one of the island’s hottest nightclubs. It was early yet, at eleven, so the place wasn’t packed which suited Sebastian fine. After another glass of red wine, Julissa was ready to try out a couple moves on the dance floor. Sebastian found she was a quick learner and light on her feet. She caught on to the rhythm of dancehall quickly, swinging her hips almost like a born and bred Kingston