“Oh yeah?How so?”
“A moment ago, you threatened me with bodily harm if I touched your bacon, yet here you are, generously sharing it.”
“How do you know that’s notyourbacon?”
I grab the receipt from the white linen tablecloth.“I see only one order of bacon, which in itself is a horrible injustice.”
“Busted.”She chuckles.
“But your sweet gesture is also a warning.”
“That’s deep.”She sips from her coffee mug.
Summer is one hell of a complicated woman.But I’ve never known a better one, and one more deserving of my focus, my time, and my energy.Whatever it takes.
I pour myself a coffee and take a drink.The scalding liquid feels good in my raw throat, and the impact of the caffeine is almost instantaneous.I dig into my breakfast, using the knife to slice right through the pancake artwork.
I eat while studying Summer, who’s ignoring me.Her damp hair is draped over one shoulder, and I can see the beginnings of gentle waves as it dries.The cotton hotel robe is pulled tight over her chest and double knotted at the waist, like she’s being extra careful to cover up around me.She’s sitting with her legs crossed casually, the suspended foot and its pink toes and nails bouncing with nervous energy.
The robe has parted at mid-thigh.I can’t help it.I stare at her legs, the legs I’ve seen too many times to count.So perfectly formed, strong but feminine, and so impossibly smooth they glitter in the morning light.
“Stop staring at my legs.”
“But they look so smooth.”
She sets down her fork and pulls her lips into an irritated grimace.“That’s because I got myself waxed yesterday.I’m smooth as a porpoise.”
I choke.I grab my cup and slam coffee until I’m safely beyond Heimlich maneuver territory.
“And I’m talking head to toe,” she adds.“The whole taco.”
No, no, no.Now I’m picturing her smooth taco and I’m worried the top of my head is about to blow off.
“I guess we should start looking for Evander and Phoebe again, huh?”
I shove my breakfast aside.
“You’re fucking killing me, Summer.”
She clears her throat and looks away, like she prefers not to hear it.That’s too damn bad.
“I’ve wanted you for so long that I don’t remember evernotwanting you.I can’t take it anymore.Iwon’t.”
Her gray-blue gaze shoots my way, locking on.She blinks in surprise, opens her mouth to speak, but snaps it shut again.
“What do you want, Summer?Tell me.”
She shakes her head.
I can’t help but laugh.“Really?Now’s the moment you decide you’d rather not give me a piece of your mind?You refuse to speak the truth when I’m literally begging you for it?”
A single tear plops from her lashes and lands on the rise of her pretty cheek.Her chin trembles.I’ve never seen Summer cry.Not once in all the years I’ve known her.
“Shit, Summer.I don’t mean to make you cry, but we should’ve dealt with this years ago, when I came home to Yosemite.We should’ve hashed it out right then, the moment we knew that something had changed between us.”
I detect a subtle nod of agreement.Another teardrop falls.
I scoot my chair back from the table and lean toward her, grabbing both her hands in mine.“Tell me what you want.You have to tell me right the fuck now.Time’s up.”
