wave
tattoo on his shoulder blade.
“Thanks.” Haven looked at her phone. It was 4:45. He got up even earlier than she
did. That must be how he always made it to the store first.
She watched as he fell back into a pattern of deep breathing. Things had really gotten
out of control last night. She had almost had sex with him. As naked as they were,
it seemed like they had, but no, it hadn’t actually happened. The crazy thing was
that she wanted it. She craved him from somewhere deep in her core, but Travis said
he wanted the first time to be special between them. Something about romance and candles.
That was when she knew it had to be the last time. Every part of her body reacted
to him except her heart, and that wasn’t fair. Last time, she swore.
Carefully, she maneuvered to the edge of the bed, slipping one foot to the floor and
then the other. If she could make it to the shower before he woke up again, she could
avoid the awkward naked thing. He was completely wrapped in the sheet, and they had
kicked the comforter to the floor last night. It was a run-for-it kind of situation.
She waited for his next exhale, and then counted: one, two, three. As quickly as her
tiptoes would carry her, she dashed to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Haven sighed at her reflection in the mirror, and then picked up the timer on the
counter. She turned the dial to seven minutes and reached for the shower handle. At
least today she wouldn’t be late for work. That was a first.
T HE POUNDING in his head become more focused until it felt like someone was piercing his temples
with a knife.
“Son of a bitch.” Evan winced and slapped the side of his arm. The mosquitoes around
here were as big as horseflies.
The campfire he had started last night was a pile of ash. Last night. Evan rubbed the corners of his forehead. He hadn’t that many beers in a long time.
He kicked one of the remnants out of his way as he headed toward Silver Belle. One
of Carly Stone’s new songs had played on the radio, and that was the last thing he
remembered—cranking the music and getting lost in the words.
The bottle rolled. He wanted a shower first, and then he would be back out to clean
up this mess. Harry and Shug had been clear about their tidy camp standards.
“Looks like you had a good time last night,” a sultry voice called from behind him.
Evan stopped and turned to look over his shoulder. He hadn’t noticed anyone else staying
in the camper horseshoe, but he knew it was unlikely he would be the only resident
all summer.
A woman with white blond hair stood a few yards from the front of his silver refuge.
She smiled and smacked her gum.
The beer bottles littered what piece of land he could call his yard. Damn, he must
have finished off the case.
“Good morning,” he offered the woman, keeping one hand on the door and hoping she
would leave as quickly as she appeared.
“Good morning to you.” She bit hard on her bottom lip, and he saw her eyes rake him
over like a piece of candy.
Why in the hell did he have to deal with this right now? He pulled the handle and
stepped one bare foot into the camper. He had no interest in talking to a forty-something
woman already in a bikini. It was barely daylight.
“See you around? I’m Charlotte. Staying in Pirate’s Booty right next door if you want
to stop by some time.” She waved, only using the tips of her fingers.
“All right.” Evan closed the door behind him and let his head drop forward. He would
end up next to the cougar on vacation trolling for her next young thing. He knew he
was being rude, but some boundaries had to be established right away.
He snagged one of the remaining peaches he had from his road trip and bit into the
juicy fruit. The only thing he had for dinner last night was a bag of corn chips and
beer—an entire case of beer. Jake always said habits like that would catch up with
him,
tattoo on his shoulder blade.
“Thanks.” Haven looked at her phone. It was 4:45. He got up even earlier than she
did. That must be how he always made it to the store first.
She watched as he fell back into a pattern of deep breathing. Things had really gotten
out of control last night. She had almost had sex with him. As naked as they were,
it seemed like they had, but no, it hadn’t actually happened. The crazy thing was
that she wanted it. She craved him from somewhere deep in her core, but Travis said
he wanted the first time to be special between them. Something about romance and candles.
That was when she knew it had to be the last time. Every part of her body reacted
to him except her heart, and that wasn’t fair. Last time, she swore.
Carefully, she maneuvered to the edge of the bed, slipping one foot to the floor and
then the other. If she could make it to the shower before he woke up again, she could
avoid the awkward naked thing. He was completely wrapped in the sheet, and they had
kicked the comforter to the floor last night. It was a run-for-it kind of situation.
She waited for his next exhale, and then counted: one, two, three. As quickly as her
tiptoes would carry her, she dashed to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Haven sighed at her reflection in the mirror, and then picked up the timer on the
counter. She turned the dial to seven minutes and reached for the shower handle. At
least today she wouldn’t be late for work. That was a first.
T HE POUNDING in his head become more focused until it felt like someone was piercing his temples
with a knife.
“Son of a bitch.” Evan winced and slapped the side of his arm. The mosquitoes around
here were as big as horseflies.
The campfire he had started last night was a pile of ash. Last night. Evan rubbed the corners of his forehead. He hadn’t that many beers in a long time.
He kicked one of the remnants out of his way as he headed toward Silver Belle. One
of Carly Stone’s new songs had played on the radio, and that was the last thing he
remembered—cranking the music and getting lost in the words.
The bottle rolled. He wanted a shower first, and then he would be back out to clean
up this mess. Harry and Shug had been clear about their tidy camp standards.
“Looks like you had a good time last night,” a sultry voice called from behind him.
Evan stopped and turned to look over his shoulder. He hadn’t noticed anyone else staying
in the camper horseshoe, but he knew it was unlikely he would be the only resident
all summer.
A woman with white blond hair stood a few yards from the front of his silver refuge.
She smiled and smacked her gum.
The beer bottles littered what piece of land he could call his yard. Damn, he must
have finished off the case.
“Good morning,” he offered the woman, keeping one hand on the door and hoping she
would leave as quickly as she appeared.
“Good morning to you.” She bit hard on her bottom lip, and he saw her eyes rake him
over like a piece of candy.
Why in the hell did he have to deal with this right now? He pulled the handle and
stepped one bare foot into the camper. He had no interest in talking to a forty-something
woman already in a bikini. It was barely daylight.
“See you around? I’m Charlotte. Staying in Pirate’s Booty right next door if you want
to stop by some time.” She waved, only using the tips of her fingers.
“All right.” Evan closed the door behind him and let his head drop forward. He would
end up next to the cougar on vacation trolling for her next young thing. He knew he
was being rude, but some boundaries had to be established right away.
He snagged one of the remaining peaches he had from his road trip and bit into the
juicy fruit. The only thing he had for dinner last night was a bag of corn chips and
beer—an entire case of beer. Jake always said habits like that would catch up with
him,
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