Page 38 of Finding Summer

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“It’s just dinner.” He takes a step toward me.

“That’s . . . That’s alright.” I swallow, even though it does nothing to ease my sudden dry throat or stop the ambush churning in my belly. “I’m fine.”

My stomach growls.

His head jerks down to the tiny patch of tummy peeking out between my sweater and jeans before he cocks one eyebrow up at me.

The traitorous bitch growls again.

“I was going to start cooking after I cleaned up anyway.” He smiles like he already knows my answer. “There’s plenty of food over there. I insist.”

As he grabs a folded pair of boxers and jeans from the little stool in the corner, I make an about face and stare at the wall.How is this the same ass that strung toilet paper along my porch twice and has been tormenting me since he moved here?

“That’s okay, I was just going to fix something on my own.”

“I don’t know what I did to start things off on the wrong foot, but please,” he all but whispers right beside my ear, “let me make it up to you and fix you dinner.” I turn to find him standing beside me, his green eyes glowing with sincerity.

Somehow, my armor cracks, all of my defenses crumbling to the ground as he waits patiently for my reply. “Okay.”

“Great.” His smile has my thighs clenching again, yet somehow I manage to follow him next door.






Chapter 9

Breckin

My body prickles withawareness as we stroll side by side through her backyard and around to mine. It doesn’t help that I’m half-dressed and all I can think about is how I wish I was still completely naked. If I hadn’t covered my dick when she walked in on me, would her eyes have lingered there as long? Longer? If I had smiled and strolled up to her, what would she have done? Where were her eyes focused behind those dark lenses? What emotions were flashing across her eyes?

Question after question assaults my brain. The answers, nowhere to be found. I chance a glance sideways, my feet stalling. The just setting sun bathes her hair in a golden halo.I almost tell her how beautiful she is, but stop myself before I start spouting poetry. It’s too soon, really nothing yet.

We barely know each other. This is only a neighborly dinner. A chance to say thank you for a warm shower. Nothing more. I don’t need anything more despite where my thoughts keep going. I don’t need a rebound, and I’ve never done anything casually. Still, the hairs on my arm stand up like I touched one of those electricity balls with the lightning in it as her arm bushes mine.

I chance another glance at her and notice her nose ring and half a dozen piercings on her ear including one large rod that goes through the top half of her ear. I force my gaze lower. My eyes lock on her shorts. Short jean shorts. They hug her curves in all the right ways, the fringe on the bottom barely covering her ass cheeks.

I’m screwed. So screwed. There’s no way my dick is going to behave tonight.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. When I open them, I force myself to look anywhere but at her. I’m thankful I took the hour today to clean up the backyard and driveway. It actually looks decent. All of our drywall is currently tucked away in the garage beside my car.

Now, all I need is the inside completed as well.

We walk up the stairs to the back porch in awkward silence, the air charged like before a thunderstorm. I hold open the door and wave her to enter, stuttering the first thing that comes to mind.

“Sorry, about the mess.” I follow behind her and make a bee-line to the dining room, tossing my dirty clothes and towel in a hamper and grabbing a clean shirt. “We’re in the middle of renovating. But, you already knew that.” I offer a cheap smile as I pull on the T-shirt and meet her back in the kitchen.

My stomach dips as her face falls a little while looking around at the place. Her shoulders tense, arms crossed over her chest, she hovers near the door. Sunglasses still on her face.


Tags: Cassandra Cripps Romance