Under the Boardwalk Read online

  Table of Contents

  UNDER THE BOARDWALK

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Copyright Notice

  Copyright © 2016 by Caridad Piñeiro Scordato

  About the Author

  Other Books by Caridad

  UNDER THE BOARDWALK

  by NY Times and USA Today Bestseller

  Caridad Pineiro

  On a hot summer night on the Asbury Park boardwalk, Natalie Ramirez gave her heart and body to Chase Smith, the sexy bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Defying her parents’ wishes, she marries Chase because she knows that with his smarts and hard work, he will make something of himself.

  Chase Smith knew he was a far cry from Natalie’s upper middle class upbringing, but he couldn’t ignore her beauty and intelligence. Chase had big plans for his life and wanted Natalie at his side, even if it would take a great deal of work and determination.

  Love and passion brought them together, but Chase’s workaholic ways drive them apart as he strives for the success he thinks is important to his wife.

  Trying to give themselves one last chance to salvage their marriage, Chase and Natalie meet on the boardwalk where their love affair began. Can they rekindle the love they once shared in just one night?

  Chapter 1

  The brass key hung heavy in Chase Smith’s pocket, the weight a reminder of what had been in the past and what still might be possible for the future.

  Would Natalie remember that this was the place where it had all started? Chase wondered as he left the quaint inn in Ocean Grove.

  Of course Natalie will remember, the little voice in his head reminded. She wasn’t the one who forgot things like that or got so wrapped up in work that they’d let their personal life go to shit.

  She wasn’t the one who’d become a boring uptight prick who’d forgotten how to have fun, chastised the nasty little voice in his head.

  Chase’s gut clenched as reality sank its painful hooks deep. He took a deep breath and told himself to relax.

  Tonight was supposed to be about having fun. Tonight was supposed to be about trying to recapture what it was that had brought him together with his wife.

  Soon to be ex-wife if they couldn’t find a way back to the couple they’d once been.

  He rushed down Main Avenue, heading toward the Ocean Grove boardwalk. As he neared it, the scents and sounds of the Jersey Shore washed over him, cleansing some of the tension from his body.

  It was always like that here, that sense of peace and calm and rebirth.

  He hurried to the metal railing at the edge of the boardwalk and leaned against it, savoring the final remnants of the early fall day. The susurrus of the waves soothed as a refreshing ocean breeze blew inland.

  The temperature had been in the high sixties earlier; the day sunny enough for some post-Labor Day beachgoers. Far less people than the crowds that packed the beaches during the height of summer, but as he glanced up and down the boardwalk, there was still a good amount of activity.

  He lingered for a few minutes more, gathering his courage. Watching as dusk arrived and the last rays of the sun bathed the ocean with touches of gold.

  Glancing at his watch, he realized he had to get going and do the half mile or so walk to Asbury Park to meet Natalie.

  He turned and headed north toward the end of Ocean Grove, fingers jammed into the pockets of the black skinny jeans he’d bought earlier that day along with the T-shirt and hoodie. It wasn’t what he’d originally planned to wear, but at the last minute, he’d decided that the button down shirt and khakis were a too visual reminder of the man he’d become instead of the man he used to be.

  Luckily there was a surf and skate shop right on Main Avenue that had a nice selection of clothes that were just what he needed to discard his uptight self.

  He quickened his pace, his long strides eating up the distance to the Casino along the boardwalk and the start of Asbury Park. Passing the Boardwalk Pavilion where Sunday services were held, he glanced at the Great Auditorium at the far end of Ocean Pathway. The bright white cross gleamed in the growing darkness and for a moment he felt a little guilty because what he hoped for tonight was far from pure or chaste.

  What he hoped was that he and Natalie could rekindle the passion they’d once shared and find their way back to a marriage that had been filled with so much love and possibilities.

  As he neared the Casino, the sounds of a lone guitar player echoed in the large metal shell of the building. The man stood playing as people strolled by, coming and going from one town to the other.

  The man he had become would just pass the man by, but tonight was about being more like his old self. More open and accepting.

  Chase reached into his jeans pocket, pulled out a dollar, and tossed it into the man’s guitar case.

  At the far entrance to the Casino, the start of the Asbury Park boardwalk loomed large and he knew that once he stepped out onto it, there was no turning back from tonight.

  But he didn’t want to turn back. He wanted Natalie back in his life. Back in his bed.

  He pushed ahead, his gaze skipping from face-to-face in the crowd until it seemed to part before him like the Red Sea and there she was, standing by the railing.

  After a month apart, he drank in her beauty like a thirsty man at a desert oasis.

  Her cream-colored dress hugged her sexy curves, but the skirt was loose and billowing in the ocean breeze. Her shoulder length caramel-colored hair was loose and wafted around her face. As he watched, she tilted her head back, eyes closed, and a peaceful smile crept over her lush lips.

  She was so lovely. So beautiful. Warmth pooled in his gut at the sight of her just as it had nearly a decade earlier, when he’d first seen her on this very same boardwalk.

  He took a deep breath, fighting back desire and fear, and walked toward her.

  ***

  Natalie sensed his presence and as she dipped her head and opened her eyes, she caught sight of him from the corner of her eye.

  Or at least she thought it was him and resisted the urge to do a double take. When he reached her side, she finally allowed herself to face him and savored every inch of him.

  Being a desk jockey hadn’t added a pound to the long lean body she’d lusted over when she’d first seen him that fateful summer. And the tight black jeans and T-shirt accentuated every sculpted muscle far better than his usual button-down style.

  “Chase. You look . . . different,” she said, a hint of awkward in her tone as she leaned forward and skimmed a restrained kiss on his cheek.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Chase said, an uncertain smile on his lips, and took hold of her hand.

  “You look stunning. Is this dress from your new line?” he asked and applied gentle pressure to guide her into a little twirl.

  Natalie fought back the pleasure at his words and at the intensity in his cerulean gaze. “Actually, I made it just for tonight. I’m glad you like it.”

  The blue of his eyes darkened to almost midnight as he raked his gaze up and down her body hungrily.

  “I like . . . a lot,” he said, the tones of his voice low and strumming alive desire in her core. Maybe if they still shared passion, just maybe, they could find a way back to the couple they once had been.

  Ignoring the heat flaring across her cheeks, she said, “Any thoughts on where to eat?”

  He shrugged broad shoulders. “I was thinking we could decide together.”

  She appreciated the response that said he might be loosening up his got-to-
be-in-control mindset. Looking down the boardwalk, she mentally ran through the various restaurants along the strip, finally settling for one that she thought Chase would like.

  “How about Alex’s?” she asked. The supper club had great food and music, and an upscale vibe.

  He arched a dark brow. “Really? Is that where you’d really like to go?”

  In truth, it wouldn’t have been her first choice since she liked simpler and not as formal.

  She shot another quick look along the boardwalk and hated the uncertainty between them, as if they were two strangers instead of husband and wife. But she knew the reason for his question: In the last year or so, as they’d drifted apart, she’d repeatedly deferred to him until she’d lost herself and had to leave to find her own footing again.

  She decided to accept his peace offering. “I’d like to go to Porta. I know it might be a little crowded . . . ”

  “Porta it is, Nat. I love pizza,” he said, twined his fingers with hers and gave a reassuring squeeze.

  The weight of his hand was familiar and comforting, but it also brought back memories of his touch against her body. Of the way he knew just how to use that hand to either soothe or bring her pleasure. Lord, how he’d given her pleasure in the years they’d been married.

  Fighting back the rise of desire, again, she smiled and playfully tugged on his hand. She led him in the direction of the restaurant, praying that her choice would be the correct one to get the night started in the right direction.

  More than anything, she wanted for them to end the night together.

  Chapter 2

  Porta was a couple of blocks off the boardwalk in a part of Asbury Park that was in the throes of gentrification.

  During the summer months, it was nearly impossible to get a seat on a Saturday night and Chase hoped it wouldn’t be as difficult tonight. He worried that if they’d have to wait, he wouldn’t know what to say to her. It was the reason he’d been mostly silent on the walk over.

  Not a good start, he warned, but then reined himself in. Putting too much pressure on himself was part of the reason that their relationship was in the toilet.

  At the door to the restaurant, the hostess greeted them and after scrutinizing the main dining room, grabbed two menus and led them to some free space at one of the long family-style tables.

  They sat side-by-side on the bench, close together in deference to the other people around them. Not very private or romantic, he worried.

  After a quick look at the menu, Natalie said, “Feeling adventurous?”

  Not at all, not ever, he thought, but said, “Sure.”

  When the waiter came over, she ordered. “The grilled octopus to start and how about the carbonara pizza?”

  Bold, he thought, much like Natalie.

  As she gazed up at him, he smiled and nodded. “Sounds delicious. The house red also,” he added to the order.

  “I hope you’ll like it,” she said and to hear her better, he leaned close, which brought his side flush to hers. The round curves of her breast teased the flatness of his chest. Her fresh scent, something citrusy and flowery, filled his senses and brought memories of the first night they’d met. A night filled with anticipation and not hesitation like tonight.

  He decided to banish that hesitation. “I will, Nat. No matter what, I like spending time with you.”

  Her half-glance was almost shy and a becoming hint of pink stained her cheeks. “I used to like being with you, too,” she said so softly, he had to lean even closer to hear her.

  Not that he minded, because it just brought their bodies flush all along one side. When she laid her hand on his thigh, his heartbeat kicked up a notch and the tight skinny jeans grew even tighter as he thought of her shifting that hand up and over just a little.

  He wanted to ask her why if they both liked being together their marriage was falling apart, but the waiter arrived just then with their appetizer, killing the moment. Maybe a good thing because he wanted to keep the night fun and free of confrontation.

  The sharp, but pleasant aroma of garlic and lemon wafted from the dish the waiter placed before them. The earthy scent of yeasty goodness followed as a busboy delivered a basket piled with slices of focaccia.

  She motioned to the grilled octopus so he would take some, but he shook his head and said, “After you.”

  With a roll of her eyes, she said, “Being gallant or chicken?”

  “Both,” he admitted with a chuckle.

  She speared a piece of the seafood and offered it up to him. He eyeballed it and then her, noting the challenge in her gaze. He suspected it was a test that was about more than the food and he didn’t intend to fail.

  After a deep inhale, he wrapped his lips around her fork and ate the morsel of octopus. A perfect blend of citrus and garlic filled his mouth, along with a hint of char from the grilling. The seafood was tender with no hint of fishiness. Not at all like what he had expected.

  “Delicious,” he said and reciprocated, forking up a piece for her and bringing it to her lips.

  She accepted the offering and let out a little moan of pleasure as she licked her lips.

  The husky sound and sight of her luscious wet lips sent a wave of need straight to his groin.

  “Awesome,” she said, grabbed a piece of focaccia, dunked it in the sauce for the octopus, and urged him to eat it.

  He took hold of her wrist to hold her hand steady and accepted the piece of bread, but also licked along the edge of her thumb, where a little bit of sauce had dribbled down.

  Their gazes locked with the action and he couldn’t fail to notice how her hazel eyes darkened to molten gold.

  When the waiter brought over their wine, he quickly poured them each a glass and raised his in a toast. “To finding our way together again.”

  She said nothing, but clinked her glass with his.

  They each took a sip of the wine. Her hand trembled as she set the glass down and he laid his hand over hers as it rested on his thigh, wanting to ease her nervousness.

  “If I’m pushing too hard – ”

  “Could we not talk about this and just let it happen?” she said, her tone a mix of annoyance and hopefulness. The tension in her body obvious against his.

  Natalie had always been the one to live in the now, something he’d always found impossible to do.

  Unlike Natalie, who’d grown up in an upscale family, he’d had to scrabble for everything he’d ever had. It was the reason he pushed himself so much: to avoid ever being in need again.

  Only he did need now.

  He needed Natalie in his life.

  Forking up another piece of octopus, he ate it and said, “I like this. I’m glad I tried it.”

  Her body relaxed against him and she did a little half-smile. “Hopefully the pizza will be just as good.”

  She reached for another piece of seafood and bread, and as she did so, he asked, “What’s new with you? Everything going okay at work?”

  A little laugh escaped her. “If okay is the usual craziness, yeah, everything is good. The new line I’m working on is almost done, thank God. Cindy has been worried we wouldn’t finish it on time for Spring Fashion Week, but it’ll be ready.”

  “Cindy can be a handful.” Natalie’s boss was brilliant, but temperamental. More than once his wife had come home in tears after one of her boss’s tirades.

  A long pause followed his comment and some of the light left her eyes. “A nice opportunity has come up. It’s risky, but could turn out to be great for my career.”

  Hearing “risky” from a risk-taker made his totally risk-averse gut tighten. He hesitated and a chill crept into her gaze.

  ***

  Natalie knew why Chase was silent. Growing up with a father who was always chasing pipe dreams that kept his family in poverty had left him with a lasting fear of failure. But if they were going to make their marriage work, some things had to change.

  But she had to change as well. She stroked her hand up and
down his thigh to ease his anxiety.

  “It’s okay, Chase,” she said at the same time that he asked, “What kind of opportunity?”

  His tone was neutral and she could tell that he was really really trying to hold back his usual reluctance.

  “I was approached by a television production company to be the costume designer for an upcoming series. They need original and trendy outfits for the actors and have seen my work. They think I would be perfect and there’s a possibility of mass producing the outfits for sale through one of the retail stores.”

  He nodded and took hold of her hand. “It sounds like what you’ve always wanted. Your own line. Why the hesitation?”

  The why was easy. In the many years of being together, she’d become more cautious and as she looked at him, it was obvious that he understood.

  He cradled her cheek. “Nat. I never wanted to ground your dreams and hold you back. I’m sorry if that’s what I’ve done.”

  There was no doubting the sincerity in his voice which gave her hope things could be different between them.

  “What would you say if I said I was going to take the offer?”

  Hesitation filled his features again and he said, “I’d say that I would worry about you being disappointed, because I don’t want you to be hurt. But – ”

  “You always have a but, Chase,” she said harshly.

  He blew out a rough laugh and wagged his head, as if chastising himself. He cupped her cheek and tenderly swiped his thumb across her cheek. “But I know you can make this a success, Nat.”

  Her heart skipped a beat with joy and she fought back tears. “I’m sorry I lashed out.”

  “It hurt, I admit, but we need to be more open with each other, right? Isn’t that what tonight is about?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, it is and I like that.”

  She liked it so much that she leaned forward and kissed him.

  He seemed surprised at first, but then gave himself over to the kiss, slanting his mouth across hers before taking a little nibble of her lower lip. That soft tug shot desire straight to her center.

  She half-swiveled on the bench and pressed her body to his. Opened her mouth to accept the sweet slide of his tongue until an embarrassed cough reminded them of where they were.