Page 35 of Beyond the Summer

"He shipped me off to an even stricter boarding school after that," I continued dully."He monitored my phone, my computer, threatened to do the same to any boy he found me with, and started introducing me to girls he found suitable.It's a miracle he allowed me to take this job.Fortunately, he finds outdoor activities to be manly."I laughed bitterly."The joke's on him, though, isn't it?"

"He didn't read our inclusivity statement?Eagle Ridge comes across as a pretty progressive place if you read the website."

"He's not very good at finding out those kinds of details.That prep school had this legendary glory hole in one of the bathrooms.I sucked so much anonymous cock."

"You turned into a slut as revenge?"Ben asked, smirking at me.

I stared down at my hands."Maybe?I found a way to get the sexual gratification I needed without putting anyone else in danger of my father's wrath."

"And Parker?"

"Parker was supposed to be another easy lay, and for a while, he was.But he kept coming back.And I don't know, he's so unabashedly himself, so sweet and kind.For the first time in a long while, I was drawn in.But my father found out and threatened to get Parker kicked out of Stanford."

"Can he do that?"

"I don't know, but Parker is on a scholarship, and it seemed risky.When I realized he didn't know Parker's name, only that I'd been seeing someone, I broke it off with Parker to keep him safe.I was worried my dad would be able to fuck things up."

Ben's eyebrows shot up."Then… you chased him to summer camp."

I groaned, leaning back against the wall and staring at the ceiling."I explained this, remember?I'd planned to surprise Parker at camp before we broke up.There was no telling my dad I was backing out because I broke up with a guy."

"Ah," Ben said."Sounds…"

"So painful," I whispered."And Parker hates me for it, I know."

Ben blew out a breath."You know, there's this thing you can do, where you talk to people about what's going on in your life instead of being an asshole."

A surprised laugh bubbled out of me, and I lifted my head to meet his dancing brown eyes."Is that so?Never occurred to me."

He pulled me closer, kissing the side of my head."I understand you've never had someone you could trust before, but that's about to change.Get used to it."

"What if he comes in and fucks up your family's camp somehow?He has too much money and power, and he's not at all afraid to abuse it.In fact, one might say that abusing power is his thing."

"You can't be afraid anymore, baby.If he comes at us, we'll face it head-on.My mom is a pretty badass lawyer, and Matt and my stepdad are… okay, they're kind of hippies, but they know how to fight injustice.They make very good protest signs."

We burst out laughing, and I shook my head."I'm sorry about how I was at the beginning of camp.There was a lot of internal spiraling.I thought I was putting Parker in danger, and Matt thought he was doing me a favor by putting me in a cabin with the other Stanford students."

"You never have to pretend with me, Sutton.I want all of you, exactly as you are.Never doubt that.And cocky asshole Sutton is fun."

"That's good, because I do think that's part of my personality," I interrupted.

He grinned."I love that part of you.But the sweet, vulnerable side you showed me last night?That was incredible.I've never felt that connected to someone before."Ben's quiet words resonated through my mind, echoing what I'd been thinking earlier, and I tucked my face against his neck, breathing in his scent.

Then he captured my lips in a slow, deep kiss, pouring all his acceptance and affection into it.I opened for him eagerly, our tongues tangling as I lost myself in his taste, his scent, the feel of his hard body against mine.Maybe I was broken, but at that moment, safe in Ben's embrace, I started to believe that I could be whole again.

Ben

Suttonteeteredontopof the ladder, adding one last screw to the ceiling, while I braced him from below, taking a moment to admire my very fine view of his ass.

"This better be worth it," he muttered as he climbed down, looking up at the newly installed brackets for a curtain rod.

"I promised Parker and Ravi a surprise, and I couldn't let them down."I slapped his ass, and he laughed, watching as Sutton's entire face lit up, especially as I let my hand trail lower.Then I turned and picked up the packages of cheap curtains that I'd ordered online."I could tell they were dying to cuddle."

"Or fuck."Sutton snorted, ripping open a package and shaking it out.The curtains had bears and trees on them—not exactly upscale, but they worked with the décor of the little cabin.

"They will have strict instructions not to fuck when we're in the room."I stepped closer and captured his lips in a kiss, and he smiled against my mouth, kissing me back.I pulled back and went back to the curtains, feeling content.In three short days, I'd become so much more comfortable around the sexy rugby player.

He was quiet for a moment, studying me, his bright green eyes full of questions."You're good at this, you know.At noticing people and what might make things better for them.The way you noticed me."

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