Page 66 of No Place Like Home
Summer’s gaze followed mine. Kai leaned toward Kora, and she leaned her head back in laughter. He kissed her on the cheek as a slow song started and he wrapped her in his arms.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she said. “They’ve been planning this for a long time. You haven’t been here to hear the disgusting stories of what they want to do to each other on their wedding night. Way too many nights at Jerry’s Pub have been spent talking about it.” She glanced at me. “I can tell you condoms are not in their travel bags. Baby making is part of their honeymoon plans.”
“Already?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine having a baby as soon as I got married.
“They’ve been together a year, and, as Kai said, he’s in his mid-thirties. He’s not getting any younger. His sperm count gets smaller every day.”
“Summer!” I chuckled. “You’ve always had a way with words.” My eyes raked across her face and down her chest. A need clawed at me deep in my gut—a need to be with her—in private. “What do you say we get some fresh air?”
She looked around. “We’re in an open-sided pavilion. I think we have as much fresh air as we can get on a cattle farm.”
I shook my head. “Fine, let’s get out of here. I have a need only your lips can fill.”
“You want me to . . .” She stuck her tongue in her cheek and wiggled her brows suggestively.
I choked on my water and pounded my chest. “No, Summer. At least not here, not now. Later, absolutely.” I grabbed her hand and gestured with my head. “Come on.”
I pulled her out the back of the pavilion and down a path. We walked in silence, hand-in-hand past the pier we stopped at last night. I wanted to be far away from wondering eyes.
The path had small solar lamps lining it, giving off just enough light so we could see where we were going.The moon was almost full, bathing the hills in a silvery glow. Up ahead was a covered bridge, and we walked to the middle of it and leaned on the railing. The view was amazing. The path continued ahead of us and stretched out into the rolling hills, where a few cows grazed. It was a clear and peaceful night, and a few stars from the early night sky twinkled above.
I reached out and intertwined our fingers. Summer glanced at me and gave me a small smile, which I willingly returned. No words were said—none were needed—and she laid her head on my shoulder.
This was what I had been missing while I was in the Army. Being back in Orlinda Valley and around my family and friends again, and being with Summer, filled a vacancy I’d carried around for a long while.
This night had been perfect—with the exception of Lance’s comments and my reaction. My heart hammered against my chest. I wondered if Summer could feel it. I breathed in deep and let it out. That got her attention, and she lifted her head.
“What’s up?” she asked.
My eyes searched her gorgeous face, slid across her cheeks, down to her chest. Back up to her face, because I could not think about her chest right now.
“Rowan? What the hell’s wrong with you?” She backed away a bit. “You look weird.”
“I’m just thinking.”
“Well, stop. You’re creeping me out.”
Typical Summer. I shook my head. “Do you know why I came home? Why I got out of the Army?”
She shrugged. “You were tired of being gone and missed everyone. We’ve talked about it. I wasn’t surprised like everyone else.” Shestopped and tipped her head to the side. “Well, I was a little surprised to see you standing in my kitchen when I got out of the shower, acting like a stalker, but it’s turned out pretty good for the most part.”
“For the most part?” I made a face, but then saw the laughter in her eyes, and the world slowed as I took her in.
I reached out and tugged on a strand of her hair that had fallen loose from her clip, then closed the space between us and grabbed her hands. “Summer, you’re right. I needed to come home to be closer to everyone. To reconnect. To be a part of Kora’s wedding. But those aren’t the only reasons.”
I let go of one of her hands and brushed my knuckles across her cheek. Her skin was so soft. I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You were part of the reason I came home, Summer. I needed to see you, to talk with you face-to-face, not through a cell phone. Nothing filled the void being away from you had created.”
I held her hands again, more so she wouldn’t walk away than needing to hold them. I looked deep into her eyes—those beautiful, large, hazel eyes. I’ve watched them shine with laughter, glow with happiness, flare up with anger and vengeance. Now they were wide with questions.
Here goes nothing.
“Summer, you’re the one person who truly understands me. You’ve known me for so long and have always been there for me. You make me who I am. You make me feel special.”
I paused and took a breath, then glanced down at our hands and squeezed her tighter. “I need you to know this, because,” I stopped and held her gaze, “I can’t live without you anymore.”
I felt her try to pull away, which I was expecting, but I held her tight and resisted her attempts to flee. I knew Summer better than she probably knew herself, and I knew her pattern of running away from relationships. But not this time. I held her tight and wouldn’t let her go anywhere. “Don’t pull away, Summer. This week has been amazing. It’s been everything I always dreamed about.”
She shook her head. “Rowan, I can’t. You know I don’t believe in marriage and long-term relationships. They never turn out. They always end badly. You’re going back, anyway. Your job isn’t here.”
