Summer Dreaming (Hot in the Hamptons Book 1) (7 page)

I reached over for a napkin and handed it to her.

She blew her nose and then blew my mind.

“I can’t see you again.”

“Whoa.” I pulled away but slid my hands along her arms like I was trying to rub some sense back into her. “Nothing has changed between us.”

“Everything has. Sean, I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Fall for you. You’re going to leave and what if—if. I can’t even go there.”

“Fall for me?” I should have left. But I couldn’t. “Kelsey, tell the truth. What were you planning to do at the end of the summer?”

She blinked. “I…don’t know.”

I shook my head. “Yes, you do. Like all the other summer girls, you were going to go back home.” After breaking my heart, I didn’t say. Why was I fighting so hard to keep her close to me? Maybe she was right to break it off now, before one of us got hurt.

“Probably. Home or somewhere else. I haven’t planned that far ahead.”

“Exactly. Nothing has changed. You’re here for the summer, so am I. Let’s spend it together.”

“And then what, Sean?” She placed her hands on my chest and shoved me away. “You go off to war and get yourself killed?”

Instead of drying her tears, I’d made things much worse. I dragged a hand through my hair. What could I say to the possible truth of what she’d said?

“You should go.” Kelsey folded her arms across her waist, looking away from me.

How could she burn for my touch just an hour ago, yet be so cold?
She’s still grieving, shithead.
Nothing I could say right now would change her mind.

“This isn’t over, Kelsey. It can’t be.” I placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you at the bonfire tonight.” It was a statement, not a question.

*

I kept a
close eye on Kelsey from the grouping of pickup trucks my buddies had driven onto the beach. The flames from the bonfire shot up into the air casting a glow over her skin. Taking a swig of beer, I tried to quell the urge to go over there and kiss her in front of everyone. To fucking claim her like I was her mate.

She was having fun with her friends, dancing and sipping on beer, oblivious to the fact that every guy on the beach was mesmerized by her moves. It certainly looked like she wasn’t second-guessing her decision to break it off with me. Determined to get Kelsey out of my head, I laughed at something my friend said because everyone else was laughing. But my gaze returned to her, drawn back like I was the pathetic moth to her beautiful flame.

Then one of my supposed bros left the group and walked over to the bonfire to put the moves on her. Fucking Blake. My blood boiled as if I were being roasted alive over the bonfire. It was exactly what I would like to do to Blake right now.

Kelsey

A
lcohol buzzed in
my blood. My heart thumped to the beat of the loud music as I danced with Storme and Leigh. The bonfire’s flames were hot and the beer cold. The scent of smoke mingled with the salt-kissed air.

The stars sprinkled across the night sky. A perfect summer night, except Sean wasn’t there to share it with me. Smiling at me. Snuggling on the blanket by the fire. Waiting for the perfect time to sneak a kiss. To sneak off to do more.

Since Sean had left the house I had done an admirable job of convincing my friends that I was okay. In fact, I should forget architecture and run off to Hollywood to become an actress that’s how good I was. So good that I had fooled myself into believing I wanted nothing to do with Sean. Until now.

Why had I completely lost it on him? Once he’d left Storme’s kitchen, he’d probably realized I was more trouble than I was worth. That’s why he wasn’t here. He was avoiding me and I couldn’t blame him. I’d taken a simple summer romance that was all of three days old and blown it into a star-crossed lovers tragic romance.

I was about to reach into my pocket for my phone to text an apology when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Thinking it was Sean I swirled around, ready to throw myself into his arms.

“Remember me?”

“Oh.” It was the lifeguard who asked me to play the victim yesterday. He was super cute, but he wasn’t the one I wanted to be with. I bit my lip to keep the disappointment from my voice. “Yeah, you’re Sean’s friend.” Hopefully, he’d take the hint and leave me alone.

“Which makes me your friend.” He tried to slide his arm around my waist, but I slipped from his grasp right into Sean’s arms.

Where I belonged. At least for the summer, I did.

“Beat it, Blake.”

“Sorry, bro. I thought—

“You thought wrong.”

I nuzzled Sean’s neck, breathing in his masculine scent of sea spray and leather. What was wrong with me? I’d never felt like this about a guy before.

Glad to see his friend get lost, I backed away and gave Sean a little shake. “What took you so long? I’ve been here for hours.”

“Missed me?”

By the cocky look on his face he already knew the answer. I wanted to kiss him until he transformed into a longing, hungering, mess. But first we needed to set things straight. “We need to talk.”

We walked to the shoreline, away from the crowd and the music. He didn’t take my hand. Why? And why after such a short time was I missing it? I needed some reassurance, so I risked taking his. A sigh of relief escaped me when he squeezed my hand.

At the water’s edge, he turned to me. Taking my other hand, our gazes met and my mouth went dry with the words I couldn’t form. In the moonlight his blue eyes appeared ethereal, like they were calling to me. This place was magical, that was the only way to explain the rush of tingles in my blood and the reason why I would risk my heart.

“Sean, I’m sorry I freaked out on you.”

“Don’t be. I understand, I do. I’m being selfish. I want you.”

“I want you too. I want to spend the summer with you, but I can’t give you more than that.” Even if I fell in love with him, even if my heart was ruined forever when I had to say good-bye, it would be worth it because I’d put myself out there without regret.

“That’s all I’m asking for, Kelsey.” He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. “One perfect summer. One perfect memory. I swear I won’t ask for more.”

All these mushy girly feelings were sweeping me away. I had no idea how to process them. Was I really falling in love? Was he? I didn’t want to break his heart any more than I wanted him to break mine. “One more thing. No talk of the future. No talk of the past.”

He nodded. “So it sounds like you just want sex?”

“Lots of sex.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” With a crooked smile, the cocky look was back in full force.

I snorted. “I—”

Farther down the beach we heard shouting.

Sean turned and scanned the water before looking to the sand where a couple of people were dipping their toes into the water. Turning back to me, he released a breath. “Sorry, it’s an occupational hazard. What were you going to say?”

“Nothing.” I’d forgotten. I smiled, liking his dedication to the job. “Let’s find a non-water view, so all of your attention is focused on me.”

“I know just the spot,” he said.

Sean certainly knew mine.

Kelsey

O
ne week later,
Storme fussed in the dressing room of the fancy bridal boutique, while Leigh and I lounged on plump pink chairs and sipped champagne. Sipped? The reality of my friend getting married had finally sunk in and I downed a flute like it was a shot of Tequila.

Storme floated out of the dressing room and onto the platform. After performing a spin, she stood in front of us. My hand covered my open mouth. Coifed and bejeweled, she looked like she had just stepped off the last page of fairytale.

“You look gorgeous, Storme.” I finally said. “Prettier than any
Modern Bride
magazine cover.”

“I’m not going to be able to hold it together at this wedding.” Leigh blotted the corner of each eye. “You’re perfect.” It looked liked she was not going to wait until the wedding to cry.

I couldn’t blame her. Storme was the picture perfect bride that every girl dreamed of being one day.

Even me. Eventually. Like a decade from now. But so taken with the moment, I envisioned my own wedding.

The dress? Strapless, a-line silhouette, with a jewel encrusted waistline.

The venue? Barnyard Chic.

The flowers? Magnolias and white roses.

Music? Country Rock.

The groom? Sean.

Whoa! Slow down, girl.

But the foolish thought made me smile. So, shouldn’t Storme be smiling at her reflection? Was she having second thoughts? “Uh, oh. That is not a happy face.” I said. “What is going on?”

“I-I think I’m having bridal jitters. Totally normal, right?”

Tears sprung to Storme’s eyes as the saleswoman waltzed in with a cheery smile and a rambling sales pitch for fun honeymoon items. I leapt off my chair like it was on fire. “Not now, please. We have a crisis.”

Following my lead, Leigh jumped to her feet. “Yes, no interruptions, please and more champagne.”

The saleswoman, probably used to meltdowns like this, disappeared without a word as the bride-to-be sat between her bridesmaids. The tulle of the dress spread over our laps in a fluffy cloud. Storme knocked back the glass of champagne Leigh had handed her and then we both listened as she spilled out her heart.

Holy crap! Her and Philip only had sex one time!

I downed another glass of champagne, trying to wrap my head around it.

Marriage without sex? They’d be doomed from the moment they vowed ‘I do’.

And there was more. Storme had kissed another man. The hot biker dude I’d seen hitting on her at the bar a couple of nights ago.

Leigh suggested that Storme tell Philip about the kiss and her doubts.

I nodded like I’d agreed but I didn’t, not about the kiss. “Your hormones blew up and you couldn’t help yourself. Having no sex will do that to a person.”

“I suck.” Storme looked ready to fall apart. “I feel like an adulteress.”

The miserable look on my friend’s face tore at my gut. “You’re not married yet so you can’t be an adulteress,” I blurted. Maybe the alcohol had gone to my head, but I suggested the unthinkable. “But this is a sign you have to figure out if Philip is really the man you should marry. Can you really spend the rest of your life with a man without any physical connection?”

I wouldn’t blurt out that I thought Philip was Mr. Wrong, with or without hot biker dude in the picture. If she did marry Philip, then I’d be the bad one. The one who’d tried to tear them apart.

Leigh leaned forward. “Tell us the truth. Do you really want to marry Philip? Or do you feel like you have no choice?”

Storme seemed torn about her decision. I knew I’d made the right decision not to say anything more. The turbo extra large vibrator I ordered as a gag gift for the bachelorette party wouldn’t be a gag at all, more like a necessity.

Storme and Leigh went back and forth while I remained silent.

“Call Philip, tell him the truth about the kiss, and your doubts. Then try to come to a decision together,” advised Leigh.

Storme played with the material of her dress. “I guess that would be the right thing to do.”

I exchanged a wary glance with Leigh and nodded. “We’ll back your decision. Whatever it is. We’ll celebrate with you if you get married, and help you escape if you want to be a runaway bride.”

Stormed drained the glass of champagne. “Thanks guys. I’m better now. You’re right. I’m going to call him when I get home. Try to figure it out together. I just don’t want a cheap physical attraction to distract me from my real future.”

Even though she said she was better, the look on her face said she wasn’t. I knew I had to lighten the mood so I giggled and said, “Hey, I happen to adore cheap physical attractions.”

Storme seemed relieved by the opportunity to take the focus off of her as she said, “That’s because you’re hooked up with the hottest lifeguard in the Hamptons. How is Sean?”

With Sean, the attraction went beyond the physical. Sex had always been about attaining the almighty O, but truthfully until Sean I’d never experienced it. Not that I didn’t enjoy sex before, I did, but Sean made me feel with my very being. With my heart. I needed to take a large step back from that thought. I reminded myself we were all about the sex. “Sean is good. Very, very good.”

“Slut,” Leigh teased.

I raised a brow. “What about you? Care to tell us what’s been going on between you and Nick?” I’d seen this Nick guy and her getting cozy at the bonfire earlier in the week. The faint blush on Leigh’s cheeks told me nothing had happened yet.

Too bad, I thought. It seemed like I’d be the only one having fun this summer. Yep, that vibrator was going to be a
huge
hit at the bachelorette party.

Sean

T
he late July
temperatures set records but it was nothing compared to the way Kelsey scorched up my nights. By day I worked the stand at Main Beach. Sometimes Kelsey and her friends would stop by for a couple of hours. But today she was solo, frolicking in the water in front of me.