Текст книги "A Taste of Summer"

Автор книги: Beverly Preston

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter Six

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A pale greyness passed through the window swallowing the day’s light. Carrie Ann laid sprawled out in bed, lying face down, nose squished in a fluffy pillow. She peeled one eyelid open then the other, glaring at a log wall.

Heaviness encumbered her limbs as she drew them beneath her chest. The sound of rain falling on the roof wrapped the space in a hushed solitude. She raised to her elbows, lifting her head from the sateen steel blue pillowcase. The tips of her fingers turned small circles rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Her heart rate picked up speed, scouring the bedroom for familiarities. Carrie Ann made detailed observations of her rustic surroundings, hoping something would ring a bell, but the spacious bedroom held none. Only fine cabin-like furnishings. Her eyes immediately drawn to a large antique armoire filling the far corner of the bedroom. The dark wood almost hidden beneath the distressed sea-glass blue patina. A floor lamp made of antlers sat beside a craftsman style overstuffed chair and ottoman covered in worn leather and a camp-style blanket.

Her head twisted to the right inspecting the rumpled down blanket on the other side of the bed. A shallow indentation on the pillow indicated she’d not slept alone. Panic settled over her like the heavy wool blanket¸ filling her with dread.

“Shit,” she croaked, smacking and licking her dry lips searching for much needed saliva.

Propped on both elbows, her naked breasts bounced as she reached for a tall glass of water on the bedside table fashioned from a tree stump. A wicked hangover pounded her temples. Two blue Advil set beside a folded piece of paper reading:

You’re safe

Take these

I’m outside in the barn

Summer

“Summer?” Her confusion mounted, yet oddly enough, seeing his signature brought a bit of relief to her reeling imagination. Carrie Ann downed the pills, quenching her parched scratchy throat. “Barn? Where the hell am I?”

Every inch of her body was sore and stiff. Fisting the silky sheets, she attempted to slip out of bed, but a bulky weight laying atop the covers between the back of her spread thighs prevented her from moving.

Oh God.

The heaviness stirred, stretching with a shiver before settling a portion of its bulk atop her rump. She wriggled, pressing her hips to the mattress. Noting the tenderness in her inner thighs, she swallowed, hard. Her shoulders raised and lowered with each exaggerated breath she desperately tried to control. There was nothing. Zero recollection of the night. Embarrassment slowly crept over her nude body, bringing a wave of nausea to her tummy.

Terrified to chance a glance over her shoulder, she stared straight forward at the intricate iron scrolls of the headboard and the square log walls behind it. She wasn’t ready to face the music or Summer.

Suddenly, the body disappeared. A pant of searing breath at her shoulder blade conjured up imaginings of an evening she couldn’t recall. Taking into consideration her nakedness, soreness down below, and last but not at the very least a note from Summer on the bedside table, the cinematic film churning through her mind was soiled with humiliation. She felt a cold nose nudge the place where her arm met her torso. A rough tongue licked her cheek.

Hit with the intoxicating sweetness of puppy breath, triggered an instant calmness inside. Carrie Ann rolled to her side. She swore the pair of chocolate brown eyes smiled at her as the pup rested its muzzle on her pillow.

“Who are you?” she asked in a soft groggy tone. Carrie Ann stroked its soft cream colored fur a few times before locating the heart-shaped tag hanging from the pink collar. “Aspen.”

The pads of the puppy’s paws made a scratchy noise against the silky fabric as the golden retriever inched closer. Her entire body wriggled with excitement taking another swipe at Carrie Ann’s face.

She hauled the blankets up to her chest. The plush bedding held traces of the warm, sunny, familiar scent of Summer. Lying beneath a massive pealed log beam that spanned the entire room, she took in the surroundings, desperately hoping something would spark a memory of how she got there.

Rain struck against the window, running down the glass in clear ribbons. A loud pop made her lurch upright, clutching to the puppy. Uninterested in the noise or her loud squeal, Aspen began chewing on a strand of Carrie Ann’s hair. Another round of pops and hisses resonated from the glowing ambers in the fireplace.

Draping her legs over the edge of the bed, she wrapped the down blanket around her body, collected Aspen in her arms, and plodded toward the window. The dark and stormy sky gave no indication of time of day. Glancing back over her shoulder toward the bed, there was no clock anywhere in sight.

Carrie Ann peered out the window, but couldn’t see anything through the fog. Leaning closer, nearly touching her nose to the cold windowpane, she wiped the condensation from the glass. Low lying clouds hovered above a vast golden meadow stretching all the way across a valley to the base of a mountain on the other side. A very big mountain.

A deep groove notched between her brows. “What the…where the hell am I?”

Setting Aspen on the floor, she scurried to the other corner window. The puppy pounced atop the blanket dragging behind Carrie Ann’s feet. Grabbing a corner between her sharp teeth, she barked and growled playfully, shaking the fluffy fabric in her mouth like a chew toy.

“Shh. No, no.” Carrie Ann warned with a quick snap of her fingers.

Aspen released the blanket, looking up at her with sad dejected puppy eyes.

“Come here.” She scooped a free hand under her soft, pink belly.

A thick forest of tall pine trees consumed the view. She couldn’t escape the uncertainty and doubt clouding her mind. The more she tried to remember what happened the madder she got. Inner turmoil churned like the threatening darkness beyond the window. The last thing she recalled was being on the dance floor with Jason and then…Summer standing under the tree.

Stifling her instantaneous I’m going to kick his ass reaction, she set the pooch down and warily peeked her nose out the bedroom door before making her way through the cabin. The only sounds she heard were Aspen’s nails clacking on the wide plank flooring and rain drizzling on the tin roof. The structure itself seemed rather dated, as if it’d been there for fifty years, but it’d been remodeled with a small top notch gourmet kitchen. Modern furnishings, an exquisite worn leather sofa and two love seats, created a U-shaped lounge in front of a river rock fireplace.

She couldn’t help snooping, inspecting each room, including a room that was obviously Summer’s. Inquisitively, she tip-toed inside the spacious bedroom. His tux hung on a hanger on the closet door, shoes kicked to the side of his bed. The enormous log bed was covered in luxurious expresso colored comforter. Aspen trotted by, pulling a black dress sock from his shoe, proudly towing the prize back to Carrie Ann.

“Give,” she commanded holding out her hand. The puppy crouched on her front paws while sticking her tail in the air, wagging it back-and-forth. Carrie Ann said sternly, “No, no. Aspen, give.”

The puppy relinquished the sock and flopped to her back, exposing her pink belly for a pat. Ambling toward his tux, the sunny scent of him lingered, bringing warmth to her chest and neck. She’d never forgotten the fragrance. Carrie Ann lifted her hand to touch the jacket, but a subtle ache behind her heart forced her to pull back.

There’d been countless times over the years that she missed him. Lonely nights filled with visions of his simple smile and others occupied with erotic moments of shared passion. But each time she allowed herself that brief moment, that blip of curiosity wondering what if things had gone differently, she paid a steep price. Days of painful heartache and melancholy always followed. The kind of hurt and sadness that brought her to tears. Wreckages from her past she wished she could wipe clean from her memory.

Moving in a slow motion, she trudged back to the room she’d slept in. Opening the armoire, she found her red dress hanging alongside several of her favorite tops, jeans, and a black bikini. Boots and shoes for every outdoor occasion were stacked neatly on the bottom two shelves of the compartmentalized make-shift closet. Another wave of uncertainty rolled through her stomach. “These are from my closet.”

She pulled open the top drawer. Anger flourished finding bras, and panties as well as a few pieces of her special lingerie. Her lip lifted into a snarl. Reaching in for a pair of silky leopard print panties exposed another of her favorite goodies. Mr. Fucking Perfect, her climactic pleasure toy of choice, guaranteed to bring pulsating satisfaction every time, lay nestled between her undies.

“Oh. My. God.” Her eyes darted around the room making sure no one was watching. She could feel the heat throbbing in her cheeks. “Oh, this is not cool. What the hell?”

Roughly snatching an outfit from the hangers, Carrie Ann marched to the bathroom to get dressed. She shoved her fingers into her hair, raking through the leftover up-do. Her overnight bag sat on the counter. Half terrified to look inside, she forced herself to yank on the zipper.

“Fuck. Fuckity-fuck.” A catalog of colors, red and pink polish, filled half the tote. A flash of panic ensued, instantly compelling her gaze to drop to her feet. She huffed out a sigh of relief noting no change in her toenail polish. The man had a serious crush on her feet.

Dragging a toothbrush across her teeth, she yanked the oversized knit cranberry sweater over her head and threw on a pair of skinny jeans. She splashed water on her face, thumbing over the smudged mascara and leftover party face. Mounting fury and humiliation did a dangerous dance inside her, morphing into an explosive cocktail of tenacity. She crammed her feet into her boots, tying the laces with lethal force.

Carrie Ann marched out the back door heading for a barn fifty yards from the cabin. Drops of cool water pelted her face and cheeks. With every grinding step came another blow of fury. Where was she? Why didn’t she remember anything? Why the hell was she naked? The last thought was almost a given…they’d obviously had sex. And they’d most definitely slept in the same bed.

By the time she reached the barn, rage charged through her veins. Aspen scampered ahead, darting through a doggie door. Burying her shame in a fractious show of obstinacy, she yanked the door and stormed inside.

She wasn’t sure what she expected to find walking into the barn, maybe horses, cows, chickens, or even a tractor, but this was anything but rural. The decked out living quarters looked more like a collaboration of rustic mountain man retreat meets urban man cave heaven, featured in the pages of Architectural Digest. Her observation only made it as far as the pool table covered in camel felt before landing on Summer’s long lean form stretched out on the plush dark sofa, sound asleep. His long bare feet hung off the edge of the couch crossed at the ankles. One hand cupped his crotch the other draped behind his head. The sight of him, relaxed and rumpled, caused her heart to thud.

Aspen made a beeline for him. She shook the water from her coat and plopped her paws on the edge of the rusty red cushion. Her tail wiggled feverishly back-and-forth, happily licking Summer’s slumbering face.

“Hey, girl.” She heard him say groggily, curling his fingers over the pups wet floppy ears. The hammering of her pulse nearly drowned out his voice.

Their gazes clashed.

He lifted his head from the chenille throw pillow. A mixture of relief and concern etched across his face, softening the worry lines near his eyes. A burning sensation struck deep within her belly. Carrie Ann was so pissed, she worked herself into a hot mess desperate to confront him. However, once inside, a feeling of dread swarmed her head and stomach, mortified by what she’d done in a drunken stupor.

His eyes remained fixed, raising to his feet. He looked disheveled and warm, wearing a grey T-shirt over a white thermal and worn pair of jeans. The top buttons undone. The mere sight stole her breath from her lungs sending a rush of blood rocketing through her pulse.

As he crossed the room, puppy at his heels, a thick lump of shame caught in her throat. Summer stared at her silently for a moment. She could barely find the courage to look at him. A subtle smile crossed his lips, giving a non-verbal exchange of hello.

“Morning, Red.” He swallowed before clearing his throat. “Actually, I guess it’s already afternoon.”

Struggling to keep the vulnerability from seeping through the cracks in her voice, she snapped, “I don’t really give a shit what time of day it is, Summer. Where the hell am I?”

His brow lifted, looking entertained by her anger. He replied vaguely, “This is my place.”

The air sizzled with intensity.

“And where exactly might that be?” she questioned tersely. Her nose wrinkled into a snarl. “Cause we sure as hell aren’t in California.”

“You’re safe.” A mocking smile of assurance touched his lips. “And you should be damn thankful.”

“Thankful?” Her eyes narrowed bolstering a hearty dose of distain. “What did you do to me?”

The humor lingering at the corners of his mouth, bolted. “What did I do to you? You should really try talking a little nicer to me, Carrie Ann.”

“Just because you paid some absurd amount of money for a date…which by the way that was complete bullshit…that doesn’t give you the right to just just…take me! You act like you own me! Like we’re together!”

“Possession is nine tenths of the law.”

The mere idea of him possessing her flooded her with a bizarre unpredicted rush of arousal. The visceral response infuriated her. She threw back her shoulders, propelling her girls upward, sassily casting her hands in front of her breasts in a throw-down manner. “You are not possessing any of this!”

His gaze didn’t move from hers. “We’ll see about that.”

“Like hell we will.” Thrusting her palm forward, she demanded, “Give me the car keys. I want out of here.”

Bruising shadows hollowed the thin skin beneath Summer’s eyes. His patience was wearing thin through the cracks in his raised voice, “The keys? You want the keys?”

Surprised by his agitation, her eyes fluttered in reply. She couldn’t manage a single word.

He cut toward her and she stumbled back a half step. Summer’s amber eyes beaded and jaw set taut, clearly insulted that she would be apprehensive of him. Softening his stance, for a millisecond, he took her by the arm, abruptly pulling her toward the window. “I hope you have a pilot’s license.”

A small, but sleek, aircraft sat at the end of a long runway not too far from the cabin. Its gold and white body glistened in the pouring rain. Her thwarted confidence sank a little lower as a dozen more unanswered questions began to pile up higher than her mind could process. Worries and concerns mounted, crossing the line into terrified, making her feel helpless. Deserted was not a place her mind liked to visit, especially when it came to Summer. It sparked a nasty attitude deep inside her sub-conscious, flipping a bitch switch that rarely raised its ugly head.

“You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“Nope!” Aggravation lay just beneath the surface of his fine clothing. She could feel tremors rolling off him in waves.

“This is bordering on kidnapping, Summer!”

“I beg to differ. I was thinking it bordered more along the lines of…hero status.”

“Hero status my ass!” Deafening shrieks shot from her mouth like an archer’s arrow, piercing him straight in the chest. “You can beg all you want, but it’s still not happening. I want to go home. Now!”

“Well, this storm front is supposed to last for a week, so you might as well settle in.” His tone cut deep at the edges.

“A week?” she shouted.

“You wanted to come with me.”

“No way in hell am I staying here with you for a week.”

“Oh for Christ’s sake, Red. Calm your tits.”

“Excuse me?”

“You know what? You’re excused,” he growled through blade thin lips. All pretense of calm vanished. Every ounce of composure fled the building. His eyes narrowed into a hard squint. “Get out!”

Her mouth fell open with a loud gasp. Appalled by the direct command, her face screwed into a severe case of pissed off.

“I mean it, Carrie Ann. Don’t fucking come back in here till you can at least talk decent to me.” Anger spiked, painting his cheeks crimson. He jutted an index finger in her face. “I just endured the longest night of my fucking life for too many reasons to list. Go! Try coming back when you can be a little more civil…and not to mention grateful!”

His voice was cold, flat and furious, chilling her to the bone. Ever muscle in her body quaked. She planted her feet to the floor, huffily crossing one arm over the other. Summer, looking every bit as angry, matching her tenacity with equal resolve. He gripped her upper arm, forcefully escorting her to the door in a heated rush.

She squirmed and twisted attempting to jerk free, but his hold was unyielding. “What the…”

Summer swung to door open with a loud bang and shoved her beyond the threshold. “Come find me when you calm down.”

Daggers shot from her eyes. He responded with a cold hard stare of his own. Giving a quick snap of her head, she angled her chin upward in defiance and stormed toward the cabin.

The thunderous boom of the door slamming behind her nearly jolted her out of her shoes. Carrie Ann stomped off, punishing the ground beneath her feet. Puddles of water splashed in her wake, soaking her jeans from the knees down.

The sound of rain falling on the roof echoed in the forest and the smell of wet earth surrounded her labored breathing. Cool points of rain struck her face. She heard the door swing open, but she picked up her pace refusing to turn back.

“And don’t go wandering off!” Apprehension vibrated his harsh warning. “I mean it, Carrie Ann! There’s bears up here! Don’t go past the tree line!”

A blur of yellow brushed her left side, nudging her palm with a wet nose.

“Do you hear me?”

Never breaking stride, she thrust her hand straight above her head, flipping him a one fingered signal of I got it.

“Aspen, c’mere girl,” he called.

Carrie Ann glanced down at her fury friend. Droplets of water repelled from her golden blond fur as she bopped alongside her. Aspen tentatively took a quick look back at the barn, but remained by her side. She heard Summer mutter traitor before shutting the door.

Rain slipped through the air in a delicate threadbare curtain. The dampness brought relief to the inferno brewing inside. Making her way past the cabin, puddles sloshed beneath her feet. A dark void shrouded her memory, but Carrie Ann was too stubborn and too angry to notice the sickening feeling free falling somewhere beneath her ribcage.

She paused to palm the wetness from her face, peering out over the vast meadow and beyond. Hidden mountains and trees turned emerald green from the storm cradled by the gorge. Every direction she turned, the majestic beauty stretched as far as the thunder clouds would allow. Lush, tall grass and colorful flowers of golden, lavender and blue, bent over, weighed down by the summer showers. The sheer enormity breathtaking.

Carrie Ann wasn’t sure how long she stood, breathing in the calm tranquility. She was soaked to the bone. Droplets fell from her nose and hair and her sweater sagged from saturation. Aspen turned circles, tail in mouth, floundering into a stumble. The pup gave a quick shiver the length of her body, shedding excess water.

Rain fell harder now. The sound amplified into a pounding fury on the red tin roof. She scooped up Aspen, holding her close to her chest for warmth, which earned her several puppy kisses as she jogged back to the cabin.

Kicking out of her boots at the back door, she headed straight for the shower, puppy in tow. After a long hot shower, she towel dried both their hair and fell into bed. Exhaustion forced her mind to settle.

*

Summer’s voice pulled her from a deep sleep. “You need to eat.”

A dull light broke through the blackness consuming her room. Lifting her head from the pillow, a tall wide silhouette took up most of the doorway. Carrie Ann jolted upright, momentarily lost in the darkness. She’d totally lost track of time and where she was. “Summer?”

“Yes, it’s me.” He pushed the door open a bit wider, illuminating her bed from the light in the hallway. “Come on, you need to eat something.”

“Wait. I’m…I’m not dressed. I’ll be out in a minute,” she said pulling the cover higher. Aspen half leaped, half tumbled, down from the bed dashing through the open door.

“I’ve already seen you naked,” he stated matter-of-factly. The tender sensual hum in his tone made every hormone in her body sizzle. “And I really don’t want my dog sleeping in bed with you.”

Carrie Ann groaned. The last thing she needed was another mutiny from down below or a scolding. “Whatever. It’s not like I’m trying to—”

“Let me try this again. Red,” he drew out her name mockingly. “Can you please keep Aspen off the bed and couches? I’m training her to sleep in her own dog bed. I know she’s adorable, but in a few months she’ll be full grown. Now, if you insist, throw some clothes on and come eat.”

A grin flicked at the corners of her mouth. She totally softened. God, sometimes he knew exactly how to handle her. “Okay.”

After slipping into a pair of black leggings and a powder blue V-neck T, she splashed some cold water on her face and made her way to the kitchen. Summer stood in front of the stove, barefoot, in a fresh white t-shirt and ancient black sweatpants sporting his red and yellow USC logo. The distinctive sizzle and smell of a fat juicy hamburger made her mouth water. Or at least that’s what she told herself, standing there holding her breath, examining the well exercised muscles of his back, flexing beneath the cotton fabric as he worked. The look of him, so relaxed and comfortable, tapped into some of her deepest most genuine memories. Though his wide shoulders still narrowed at the waist, his lean physique had filled out handsomely, seasoned with maturity. They young man she’d known so many years ago had become a man. And time had been very, very good to him.

Carrie Ann quietly cleared her throat.

He turned, blessing her with a potent dose of charisma wrapped into a warm soft smile. Summer walked toward her, ambling around the end of the kitchen island. She inconspicuously drew a breath of air through her nose, reveling in the fresh clean scent of male as he reached for a stool behind her, encouraging her to sit.

“Are you hungry?”

She gnawed on her lip, giving a small nod. A feeling of utter awkwardness married with an old acquainted comfort, easing her nerves a bit.

He took his time wandering over her face, registering her mood. Stepping back into the kitchen, he flipped the switch on a sleek chrome blender. The high-spinning powerful motor devoured its contents, blending them into a vibrant green smoothie.

“I see you still love to blend,” she half shouted over the loud noise. The puppy, already immune to the racket, barely lifted her head from her dog bed sitting in the corner.

“Some things never change.” His whiskey-rich eyes held to her features. “Like you. Sitting in my kitchen with no make-up and your hair all wavy. You haven’t changed a bit.”

Avoiding an oncoming compliment, she interrupted with a turned up nose, “What’s in that?”

“This is for hangovers, so I’m not sure it will help. But it certainly can’t hurt.” He poured the creamy concoction into a glass.

Slow to understand, a skeptical frown stretched across her face.

“Spinach, coconut milk, banana, pineapple, and honey.”

The effects of the night before still ravaged her body. Despite the color, she gladly raised the glass to her lips, hoping for any relief to the thumping at her temples and hint of nausea swirling in her stomach. The cold sweetness drew a yummy hum from her throat.

Warily, he watched her with a slightly glazed expression. “Do you want to try talking about last night again?”

There was nowhere to hide. Putting off the conversation would only delay the inevitable, not to mention the large black hole in her timeline was driving her crazy. Her eyes drifted to the grey grout filling the cracks between the square slate tiles covering the counter. She gave a small one-shoulder shrug.

“I’ll take that as a yes. What were you drinking last night?”

Feeling the penetration of his stare, she squared her shoulders and met his gaze. Being inundated with a profusion of embarrassment triggered a restrained insolence in her tone. “I only remember having two flutes of champagne. Not including whatever you must’ve given me.”

“I gave you water and a shoulder to lean on…” A flash of smug complacency. “And hips to grind against. I also made sure you didn’t fall on your ass when you dropped it low.”

Carrie Ann gasped in disbelief.

Summer lifted his hands, pumping his open palms toward the ceiling. “Boom, boom, shake, shake, drop—”

She shot him an outraged glance. Insinuation coated her voice, “I did not boom boom! Water my ass. What did you give me? Tequila? You know damn well I can’t drink that stuff!”

A thin smirk straightened the curve from his lips. Both brows lifted with absolute resolve, stealing any doubt she had remaining.

“I was trying to sober you up.”

“Yeah. I bet you were. That way you wouldn’t feel guilty luring me into your plane. Hijacking me to the middle of nowhere. Just because you dropped a cool million—”

“Oh yeah, that’s what I did,” his voice thickened, agitation gathered force. “You ought to be thanking me right now, Carrie Ann. Who knows where the fuck you would’ve wound up if I hadn’t been there.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You don’t remember anything, do you?” He said through clenched teeth. “Tell me the last thing you remember.”

A break in the rain left the cabin quiet except the sounds of their labored breathing. Rising anger broke across the bridge of his nose and cheeks, turning them crimson. Summer was livid, but the resentment wasn’t meant for her.

“The last thing I remember was being at the auction. I was on the dance floor.”

“With me or with him? That guy…Jason?”

“We danced?” she croaked. Her head moved slowly back and forth, indicating uncertainty. “Wait, I remember seeing you. You were standing under a tree.”

“Christ, Carrie Ann. That’s the last thing you remember?”

Uneasiness mounted. She could only nod.

“I debated on whether or not I should step in and stop you from making an ass out of yourself. You wrapped yourself around him, grinding on him…”

“I didn’t. There’s no way I would do that. Especially at the auction…or with Jason.” Another round of humiliation scorched her face.

“Boy-wonder was thoroughly enjoying the show. The way you moved against him made it perfectly clear you didn’t want anything to do with me, but you kept smiling at me the whole time.” He threw his hands wide, stretching the cotton fabric over his cut abdomen and chest. “Fuck, you pissed me off. I didn’t know if I should rip his head off or leave. Do you have any idea how infuriated I was watching you throw that shit in my face?”

A vision of his tongue shoved down his co-star’s throat and her naked breasts pressed against him brought clear elucidation. Even after a decade, seeing him with another woman was still…gut wrenching.

“Please tell me you didn’t get into a fight with him?

A comical smile seasoned with a hint of arrogance tipped his lips. “I didn’t have to. You came to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you literally left him standing alone in the middle of I’m Not the Only One and walked over to me. I’m not sure if walk would be the right terminology. Slink might be a better definition. You had some serious sultry swagger going on, Red.”

Her fingers came to her lips, hiding her baffled incomprehension.

“You apologized to him when he came after you. Sort of.” Summer snickered. “Telling him with a few pats on the hand, I’ve got no spark, Jason. Zilch! Nothing.”

“Oh, dear God. Please tell me I didn’t really say that to him.”

“Yes. Yes you did. Then you looked me up and down like you were going to eat me alive and said ‘Big spark!’” His fingers burst open in stiff points as he made a theatrical sound of a massive explosion. “If I hadn’t felt so fucking flattered…I might’ve damn near felt violated.”

“Oh, God.”

“Trust me, Red, that’s the least of your actions from the last twenty-four hours you should be embarrassed about”

“Fuck. Fuckity-fuck,” slipped from her mouth in a horrified whisper. Sick feelings of panic and dread swam in her stomach.

Summer traced his fingers over the shell of her ear. “You afraid?”

Those two small words sent a deep shiver up her spine. Her pulse rocketed, keeping rhythm with the rain now falling on the tin roof. Tiny muscles near her nose twitched and contorted from the mounting emotions threatening to spill. In a daze of confusion, she felt the smooth warm flesh of his palm cup her jaw. The pad of his thumb ghosted over the crest of her cheek smearing the wetness.

“Are you afraid you had sex with me?”

Her chest rapidly lifted and lowered. A thousand questions gathered like dimples on a golf ball, stuck in the confines of her constricting throat. A slickness of tears blurred her vision, trickling into the crease between her cheek and his palm. Summer brought his face inches from hers. He cradled her face making another pass at the tears leaking from her eyes.

Tears she swore she’d never shed in front of him again.

Ever.

Carrie Ann drew in a shaky breath, pulling back a bit from his solid form to put some much needed distance between them. She nodded in a slow despondent circle, indicating overwhelming confusion.

A responsive look of empathy clouded his eyes…right before they glimmered with mischief. “Don’t worry that beautiful mind of yours, Red. I turned you down.”

Summer released her jaw, eyes locked on her reaction as he took a step back. Oddly enough, she had to add the blow of rejection to the ever growing list of emotions shredding her gut. And it stung.