Page 5 of One Scorching Summer

The updated seismic surveys had just been released; she had a tight window in which to maneuver. Other outfits would be approaching him soon, if they had not already. Rake Carpenter had made it clear—any discussion of business over the weekend was not going to happen. So, she called him from the truck and firmly requested an appointment on Monday. Pleased with her course of action, she banished any further thoughts of him and focused on tonight, her first evening of a weekend with Nettie.

“Jorja?”

“I’ll be riding solo this weekend.” Jorja announced, plucked from her musing. She grinned and dismissed Nettie from the bathroom with a wave. “Skedaddle. I'll join you in thirty.”

“Yo, Rake. Cat got your tongue, man? You’ve barely said a word tonight, and when you do it’s mostly monosyllables. Your card playing sucks, too. It’s like you’re somewhere else.”

He was. Inundated with visions of Jorja Ogden, wholly affected by her and being on the receiving end of the beauty’s fire. If he didn’t know better, he would think he was smitten atfirst glance, first exchange.You are. I’m fuckin'not.Nothing like having an argument raging in his head. It rivaled the arousal that plagued him for hours after she left, only heightened when she left a message hours go about meeting him Monday. That husky voice of hers … fuck. His hand and a cold shower had taken the edge off, yet he felt unmoored by how his body vibrated and pulsed like it was hooked up to an electric current. It was if the woman was in his bloodstream.

A glance at the cards he held—another weak hand, similar to the others he had been dealt—and the few chips in front of him sealed his decision. Rake downed the remainder of his beer, stood, and stepped back from the table. “I’m out. It’s been a week, and I’m wiped.” He showed his hand and pushed the chips to the center of the table.

That was true. His cell was besieged with daily calls from landmen, so he let unknown numbers go to voicemail, then batch-deleted them. Jorja was one of the few that had called their landline and the only person to reach his niece Skye. Then the confounded woman showed up. Dammit. On top of it, Skye was leaving next week for her annual summer visit with Lee, his brother who lived in Piñon Ridge, Colorado. Within a month of that, she was off to her first year of college in Ohio. Not having her around was going to be miserable. He rubbed a hand over the grainy stubble covering his cheeks and chin. What a clusterfuck.

“You’ll be at Beugy’s tomorrow night?” Levi probed after the hand was completed.

“Yeah.”

Brady, the new dealer, added Rake’s meager amount of chips to the pot. “You’ll spot the first round of beers since you’re ditching us early tonight.”

“I will, huh?”

“Yup.”

Focused on the new cards being dealt, the men around the table chortled and nodded.

“Fine.”

“And maybe bring a better attitude? You’ve a sour-ass one tonight.” Levi said, leaning in.

Rake ignored the chiding and walked out. It was not his best friend who irritated him. It was the stunning brunette.

CHAPTER TWO

Saturday …

As luck would have it, the women were enjoying bagels and Nettie’s hangover recovery special—a concoction of oranges, carrots, celery, beets, lemon, and ginger—created during their college years and perfected since then. Nettie received a call and put it on speaker. Simple Harmony had two cancellations and could extend their spa day if they wished.

Nettie looked over at Jorja and raised her brows, questioning silently.

Jorja nodded and mouthed “yes,” hoping that the hangover juice would work its magic quickly. The sunrise yoga session in the park had helped some, but last night’s third glass of wine had taken her over the threshold despite eating a good amount of pizza and drinking a lot of water. It was not much of a “morning after,” but it was there, nagging her head and body.

“Ink us in, please.” Nettie confirmed for the two of them.

“Good,” the perky voice said through the phone’s speaker. “Plan to be here for about seven hours. A full day includes snacks, a light lunch, and beverages. We’ll see you both soon.”

“Thank you.” The women chorused.

“Pinch me,” Jorja said, tapping her glass to Nettie’s. “An entire day of pampering and self-love.”

“It’ll be perfect. Finish that juice. We’ve gotta leave in five. I’m moving tonight’s reservation back an hour, if possible.” Nettie put her phone up to her ear. “I want to bask in the afterglow.”

“That sounds good.” Jorja drained her glass. She needed to bask as well and hopefully catch a catnap. Rake Carpenter had spent the night in her dreams. In living color. Hours of imaginative and vigorous sex had wrung her out and when she woke, it was in a disoriented state—trapped in twisted sheets and terribly unsatisfied.

Visions of him vanished during yoga, only to return in the shower. Frustrated, she turned the water to its coldest setting and sputtered under the icy spray. Hopefully, a day at the spa would alleviate any other thoughts of him. There was no response to the message she left for him about a Monday morning meeting, but it was early. She hoped it would work out, that she would get on her way back to Landry and finalize the details of the contract between Ogden-Keller and the Carpenter Ranch.Boy, are you full of confidence.

Her mood now elevated by the plan she had put in place, a plan she expected to come to fruition, Jorja reconsidered Nettie’s suggestion of hooking up with one of Levi’s friends. Possibly …Let’s see what tonight reveals. The guy would really have to be something special to take the edge off all of her dirty dreaming about a certain rancher.

Last night, she had not been ready to share the details of what occurred at the Carpenter Ranch and happily welcomed her friend’s absorption in her new man, encouraging her to share. When not watching a movie, conversation was mostly one-sided, centered around Levi. Nettie talked. Jorja listened and asked questions.

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