Unforgettable Summer: Wild Crush, Book 1 (3 page)

He looked healthy, fit and strong, like the professional athlete he was. Her heart rate spiked a little as a memory of leaning her head against one of those well-muscled shoulders popped into her mind. Forcibly, Summer tamped down the reaction. Darn Penny and her gossiping. She’d put thoughts of Ty in her brain again, and seeing him now so soon after was a bit like being confronted by a ghost—the ghost of her teenage indiscretion.

Summer briefly considered wandering across the road to say hi, but decided against it. She wasn’t as cool or collected as she wanted to be. Her heart beat an impetuous tattoo in her chest and she couldn’t draw a deep breath. She had no idea what she’d say anyway. So she headed on down the footpath toward her clinic, telling herself she wasn’t hiding from him.

Telling herself and not quite believing it.

“Is it really you?”

At the question, Ty Butler turned from the real estate window and saw the gobsmacked face of a kid who couldn’t be more than fourteen. He tilted his lips. “Depends who you think I am.”

The sound of his voice must have confirmed the kid’s suspicions, because he broke out into an ear-to-ear grin. “I was right. Wow, Ty Butler here in Leyton’s Headland for real.”

“In the flesh.”

“What are you doing here? Did you catch that killer swell out near Wategos this morning?”

“Haven’t had a chance to hit the waves yet.”

Ty had only gotten into town yesterday, crashing at his parents’ house like he did on the rare occasions he came back to Leyton’s Headland. He had his place in Kirra Beach, a couple of hours north, which is where he preferred to stay when he was in Australia. But his parents were celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary soon, and Ty had decided to surprise them with a visit. While he was here, he thought he’d check out investment properties.

He’d kept in loose contact with his old school buddy Aaron, who now ran his father’s real estate business. Aaron had assured Ty the market around Leyton’s was more depressed than it had been in recent years so it was a good time to get in before proposed developments caused prices to skyrocket again. Ty knew from experience that when he had funds it was best to put them into something solid. He hadn’t been so smart when he’d first started on the tour, and he’d pissed a lot of those early winnings away.

“I’d love to catch you in action,” the kid continued. “I don’t care what they say, you cutback better than Burrow on his best day. And that aerial art you performed in South Africa last year? Magic.”

That aerial maneuver off the lip of a ten-footer
was a last-ditch effort to best Kelly Slater in the semifinals. It hadn’t been enough—on that occasion. But Ty always figured as long as he went down with a bit of in-your-face finesse, it was a good day. “Thanks, kid.”

“It’s Damien. Hey, could you sign my shirt?”

With chagrined good humor, Ty waited while the kid grabbed a permanent marker from his school bag and handed it over. Damien presented Ty with his back and Ty scrawled his autograph. As he was adding the little squiggle at the end of the
r
, something across the street caught his eye.

The little squiggle became an ugly black streak as Ty’s hand slipped.

Not seeming to notice the mistake, Damien turned and thanked Ty profusely. Ty smiled as the kid walked off, but he was distracted now. He could only see the woman from behind, but instinct told him who she was even before his eyes caught the business name painted above her and his brain put two and two together.

Summer’s Retreat.

Damned if he wasn’t staring at Summer Campbell.

“I’ll be buggered.” He thought she’d moved away years ago, to Sydney with that husband of hers. Apparently, she was back.

A flash of memory flitted through his mind. Summer in the front seat of his old Holden, her hair falling like fluid silk through his fingers, her mouth open and giving, her breathy little moans driving him crazy, making him do reckless things that got them both in serious trouble. No woman he’d met since had possessed the precise combination of innocence and eager sex appeal that had made him fall for Summer Campbell against every ounce of common sense he had in him.

Telling himself the slight weakness in his knees had nothing to do with it, Ty leaned on the window behind him and watched Summer’s awkward attempts to juggle a paper cup and some wrapped treat so she could dig in her shoulder bag, presumably for her keys. A gentleman would go over there and help her out. Ty stood for a moment, trying to decide if he was gentleman enough to do it. She
had
broken his tender young heart years ago, and Ty wasn’t sure he wanted to be so accommodating.

In the end he wasn’t needed. A willowy blonde approached Summer and took the keys. While the other woman worked at the lock, Summer glanced over her shoulder. She jolted when her gaze connected with his. Then her eyes skittered away.

Had she already seen him—and decided to pretend she hadn’t? Ty didn’t know whether to be amused or annoyed, his mood falling somewhere between the two. What reason did she have to avoid him after all this time?

What reason do you have to be standing here watching her avoid you?

With a muttered curse, Ty pushed off the shop window and headed down the street. He refused to give in to the urge to take one more look back at Summer’s Retreat and find out if the business’s namesake was watching him walk away.

I should not be doing this.

The thought loitered in the back of Summer’s mind, trying to draw her attention away from the exhilaration of Ty’s kiss. The rush of blood pounding in her ears drowned it out. Oh God, Ty’s lips… They were so warm, so intuitive. He knew exactly when to stroke hers softly, when to apply pressure. His tongue dipped inside her mouth, a velvet-soft entry that stole her breath and made everything inside her draw tight with longing.

Had he practiced this art on Jasmine?

Where her conscience had failed, the very thought of her sister chilled Summer. Abruptly she wrenched her lips from beneath those of her sister’s boyfriend. Her sister’s boyfriend, no matter that Ty and Jasmine had broken up. They broke up all the time—or at least “didn’t limit each other”, that was how Jasmine put it. Summer had never understood how Jasmine could be so blasé at the prospect of Ty seeing other girls. If he were her boyfriend, she’d be crazy jealous.

He’s not yours.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” To her humiliation she was crying again. Her cheeks were wet, her words falling into the thick air on the back of pathetic little hiccups. This was crazy. She was not the emotional sister, the dramatic one. She was sensible, level headed. She didn’t date boys, let alone fall in love with them.

Perhaps she should have dated someone. Maybe then she wouldn’t have fallen head over heels for her sister’s man.

“Don’t say sorry. This isn’t your fault.”

“How is it not? This is wrong. I’m so awful.”

“Nah.” Ty still held her cradled against him, one hand stroking her hair while the other gripped her hip. His fingers made hot imprints on the denim of her skirt. His thumb rested slightly above the waistband, on her bare flesh. His breath was hot on her temple as he stroked that thumb back and forth. “We didn’t mean to do this.”

“But I should have…” Summer’s protest trailed off as the meaning of his statement penetrated. She lifted her head and searched his face. “We?”

The irrepressible smile that always made her heart catch appeared. His hazel eyes glittered in the muted light inside the car. “You didn’t think you were the only one going crazy did you?”

She’d had her suspicions Ty was as tortured by feelings as she was, and she’d feared it too. But to have it confirmed was like music to her pained heart. “Oh, Ty. What are we going to do?”

He dipped his head again, nuzzling her earlobe. “We’ll think of something. I’m not going to lose you, Summer. Not now.”

Summer melted as Ty’s breath caressed her neck. She clutched at his shoulders, breathless, as his hand moved upward, slipping beneath the hem of her T-shirt.

Could it be so simple? Now that she knew Ty had real feelings for her, Summer let herself start to believe in the possibilities. Her father might come around. Her sister might not think it was such a big deal…maybe. She’d yell and rant but in the end she’d forgive Summer. They were sisters, and nothing would change that.

She wanted to believe it was all possible. She wanted it so bad, almost as much as she wanted Ty’s hand to keep moving up, and up…

A waft of sea breeze cooled Summer’s heated cheeks as she headed toward her favorite cafe for her morning chai fix, needing it this Monday more than on any other. She pushed out a breath, wishing she could dispel her unwanted memories as easily. But the dreams she’d kept having over the weekend clung to her in wakefulness, distracting her so she walked right past the Beach Break Cafe. Shaking her head at her vagueness, Summer strode back to the door and pushed it open.

The aroma of brewing espresso and cooking toast wrapped around her. Summer inhaled the scent with pleasure. Although she didn’t enjoy the taste of coffee, she did love the smell of it.

The server, Patrice, called out, “Chai latte and a fig cookie to takeaway?”

Summer nodded, giving the young woman a smile. Then she looked around for an empty table where she might sit and wait for her order.

Her heart skipped when she came face to face with Ty Butler.

Chapter Two

Nowhere to run this time.

The thought caused a prickle of heat to infuse Summer’s cheeks, forcing her to admit she
had
bolted on Friday when she’d first seen Ty. And he’d caught her doing it too, a fact which was clearly telegraphed by the sardonic tilt his lips performed as she stared at him mutely—for the second time in twenty-four hours.

Dear Lord, Summer, say something. You look like an imbecile.

Ty beat her to the punch. He hooked an arm over the back of his chair, assessing her from his seated position. “Hello, Summer. I thought that was you I saw the other day.”

The implication that he might have been unsure of her identity when she’d been instantly certain of his increased Summer’s discomfiture. “Ty, what are you doing here?”

Ty lifted his cup and drawled, “Grabbing some coffee.”

He might as well have said,
asinine question, woman.
Summer’s mortification intensified. “I suppose I meant here in Leyton’s Headland.”

“Back for a visit.”

He didn’t say he was planning to buy a house and move back to his hometown, but for all Summer knew he simply didn’t feel like telling her his business. He’d definitely been interested in real estate when she’d seen him.

“I see.” She looked at the staff working behind the counter, recognizing from the small crowd of people hovering that they had several orders to fill. How long before hers was done?

“Do you need somewhere to sit while you wait for your drink?”

Turning back to face Ty, Summer saw the way his brow kicked up and wondered if he found her inept attempts at conversation amusing. What had happened to all those cool lines she’d secretly rehearsed over the years? Part of her had wanted, if she’d ever seen Ty again, to appear aloof and sophisticated, as though she wasn’t still occasionally haunted by thoughts of him and what might have been.

Seeing no way of refusing his offer without looking ridiculous for standing right next to his table instead of sitting at it, Summer murmured a thank-you and took the seat opposite him. After an awkward silence during which Ty eyed her over the rim of his coffee mug, he remarked, “It’s been a long time.”

Summer forced herself to let out a breath. “It has. Ten years I think.”

“How have you been?”

“Fine.” Summer gave the standard response, hardly able, or willing, to condense the last decade into a five-minute conversation. “Not as well as you from what I hear.”

Summer almost winced when Ty’s brows hiked. “What is it you’ve heard?”

“Oh, only the sound bites. You’ve won the world title three times, scored several high-profile sponsorship deals and dated as many models as you’ve caught waves.”

Ty laughed. “That’s an exaggeration. Only a couple of my sponsorship deals are high profile.”

Ignoring his deliberate insinuation that the stories of his dating history were not inflated, Summer noted, “You’ve done well for yourself.” She’d always known he would. That his skill and personality were too big for a place like Leyton’s Headland, that they would take him places far away from here. Far away from her.

Ty merely lifted a careless shoulder in response. “So have you. Your own business and all.”

Summer tried to ignore the strange thrill she experienced because he’d noticed that achievement. “I’m a naturopath now.”

“Naturopathy. I bet your dad’s impressed.”

“You mean Dr. Rex Campbell, purveyor of all things western medicine? I think he’s finally taken the attitude that when it comes to his daughters, things could be worse.”

“Sounds like glowing praise.”