Summer Solstice by Eden Bradley Read Free Book Online Page A

them.” She paused. “God, I’m sorry. Probably more than you wanted to know.”
    He shrugged, his wide shoulders rippling with muscle. “No, it’s fine. I asked about your family. Go on.”
    “Well, I have a younger sister, Erin. She’s coming to visit sometime this summer. She’s in a rock band. Plays guitar. She’s a genius. Writes all her own music.”
    “Creativity seems to run in families. Perhaps I’ll get to meet her. What happened with your ex-husband?”
    “What? I’m sure you don’t want to know about that.”
    “You and I don’t need to keep secrets from each other. Do we, Leigh?”
    Jared set his plate down on the nightstand, took Leigh’s empty plate and set it aside, as well. He pulled her into his body, one arm draped around her shoulders. “Tell me.”
    Another command. Different from during sex, yet just as compelling.
    She shrugged, took a deep breath. “It’s the same old sad story as everyone else. I was never good enough for him and eventually he found someone who was.”
    “Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not good enough,” he said quietly.
    Her chest tightened. She had to stop allowing him to affect her like this. It was dangerous. She was feeling too well used, too well loved. Vulnerable.
    Need to change tracks.
    “What about you? Have you ever been married?”
    “Me? No. I move around too much. No woman in her right mind would put up with me.”
    He sounded as though he were trying to convince her of his unsuitability. And he only confirmed her assumption that he wouldn’t be around for long. Which was fine. They’d just met. She liked him—really liked him—more than she’d expected to. But she’d gone into this experience expecting nothing more than a little friendly, easy sex. She wasn’t about to become attached, especially to one of her neighbors. She had to keep a clear head about this.
    But why not enjoy him while she could? She stuffed her strangely rising emotions down, vowed to lock them away and not think about the future. He was here now, and the present was a very pleasant place to be.

    Jared was watching her house again through the living room window. She was gone, meeting with a financial manager about opening her interior design business. He could still smell her all over his skin, that clean, dark, elemental sweetness. It made his cock hard every time, the way Leigh smelled.
    They’d spent nearly every night together for two weeks. Pretty much every day, as well. Jared had never spent that sort of concentrated time with a woman he’d just met. With anyone, if it hadn’t been about work, or traveling together. Not even with Matteo. No, he and Matteo were more independent of each other. When Matteo was in town they’d hang out, go hiking, go surfing together, eat a few meals. Fuck. Then the next day Matteo was off playing his guitar at a local club or seeing friends. Or Jared would lock himself in the darkroom and not come out for three days, or go away to work. It was always easy between them.
    Matteo was coming back tonight. He was eager to see him, as always. It didn’t matter if he was away for a week or three months, and Jared never knew how long it would be. He was used to it. And maybe his lover’s gypsy ways were part of what kept things interesting.
    They’d been friends for five years, lovers for nearly as long. It had never been anything more serious, although they loved each other. Jared was never in the market for anything serious. His lifestyle had never been conducive to a real relationship. He’d tried it a few times, had failed miserably. But with Matteo, it was friendship and sex and a kind of solid loyalty with no other expectations.
    And now he’d just found out Matteo was coming to southern California to stay for a while. He didn’t know how long he’d be there. This was the first time he’d even considered it. Why did it matter, suddenly?
    It was because of Leigh. He hadn’t mentioned Matteo to her, and now he