Summer Nights

by Sanders, Jill

  Most of the guests were sitting on the deck of the boat, watching the sunset or chatting with their loved ones. The fact that they all looked very relaxed had him questioning if he was the only one having a challenging time walking around. There were five couples in all, with Damion at the wheel, while Zoey rushed around the boat pulling on ropes and making the sail fill with air.

  As they entered the larger water, the sky changed to more vibrant colors as the sun set. The sail caught a burst of air and started to move the craft across the bay more quickly.

  He approached Damion and watched Zoey work.

  “Pretty impressive, isn’t she?” Damion asked, looking over the hull of the boat.

  Dylan’s gaze shifted to where Zoey stood, smiling at the horizon. “Yeah,” he agreed.

  Damion’s chuckle had him turning toward the man. “I meant the boat.”

  “I’ll be honest: I’m more of a flying man than a sailing man,” Dylan replied as he held on.

  Damion slapped him on the back. “We all have our faults.” The fact that the man was standing like he was on a dock instead of a rocking boat made Dylan feel self-conscious.

  “How does she know how to do all of that?” He nodded toward Zoey.

  “She went to summer camp,” Damion added and glanced behind them. “Every summer since she was ten.”

  “Right.” He nodded. “I didn’t know they taught kids how to sail, though.”

  “They did.” He frowned down at her. “But since she and Elle were friends, Elle’s grandfather taught them all.” Damion shifted slightly, and the boat tilted a little. “At least, that’s what she told me.”

  Dylan stood back and let the man steer the boat. He refilled more wine glasses and handed out more cold beers and waters, but he wished for only a moment with Zoey.

  Just as the sun was finally disappearing, he noticed that she was standing alone at the front of the boat.

  He made his way up there and leaned against the rope railing. “You’re pretty impressive.”

  She glanced over at him. “Thanks. I’d rather be on the water than in the air.” She glanced up toward the darkening sky with a smile.

  “I guess this is one of those areas we’ll have to disagree. I love flying; I haven’t officially made up my mind about sailing yet, but . . .” With one hand he held on to the ropes as water sprayed them both.

  Zoey’s laughter as the water soaked them was pure heaven. He grinned and wrapped his free arm around her.

  “Then you’re doing it wrong.” She moved closer to him. “Here.” She reached up and raked her fingers through his hair, messed up from the wind and water, then steered him around until he was facing the direction they were going. “Look out, over the horizon. Feel the wind on your face, the smell of salt water.” She rested her head against his chest and just watched the horizon. “Feel the boat move under you.”

  He did as she requested, and for the first time during the trip, he relaxed and enjoyed the rocking of the boat. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he held on to her and let everything go. All his worry about his father, the family business, everything. The only thing that consumed him now was the air, the water, and Zoey.

  Turning toward her, he smiled down at her.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” he said and brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. “I’m sorry about earlier. I should have told you everything in Vegas.”

  Her smile fell. “I knew there was more to you being here. I shouldn’t have freaked out. If it helps, we can all help you look for your father?”

  He shook his head. “No, I would prefer my brothers don’t know that I told you anything.”

  “Why?” She turned slightly toward him.

  “They think . . .” He shrugged. “It wasn’t in our plans to bring the enemy into our fold.”

  She laughed. “I’m not the enemy. Neither is Elle or anyone else at the camp.”

  “For now”—he took her hand—“until I tell my brothers, can you keep it between us, and your mother?”

  She laughed. “I wondered if this was her doing, you being here.” Damion was calling her back to work, but she stopped before she left him. “For now, I’ll keep this to myself. But talk to your brothers. I don’t keep secrets from my sisters for long,” she warned him and went back to work as the sailboat was turned back toward the camp.

  He made his way to the hull so he could grab a fresh bottle of chilled wine. He stepped into the small space, only to come up short when he noticed a naked couple having sex on the small table.

  “Oh!” He turned around quickly, noticing that the couple didn’t even stop or slow down with him standing there. “Sorry.” He climbed the ladder, chuckling.

  “I thought you went down there to get Mrs. Bowman more wine?” Zoey asked when he almost bumped into her.

  “Um, I think I’ll wait awhile . . .”

  “What?” She frowned at him and began to go belowdecks.

  “I wouldn’t . . .”

  But it was too late—Zoey gasped and then turned around and rushed back up. “My god, is there any place those two won’t do it?” She rolled her eyes with a grin. “Yeah, give them a few minutes.”

  “It’s probably the motion of the ocean.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Or there’s some sort of reverse mile-high club.” He tilted his head in thought. “Below–sea level club?”

  Zoey burst out laughing. “Aqua sports.”

  He laughed with her and enjoyed the sight of her smiling in the dim light from the strand of lights hanging from the mast of the boat.

  She disappeared again to help Damion, and he waited for the couple to finish below.

  By the time the sailboat had moved into narrower water, the couple was back up top and holding on to one another like they’d just survived the sinking of the Titanic.

  He spent a few minutes cleaning up the plastic wine glasses and beer cans, then helped Damion tie off the boat as Zoey ushered everyone off.

  “Want to walk me back?” Zoey asked him as they made their way down the docks.

  He held out his hand. “What I’d like to do is find a quiet, secluded spot where no one will walk in on us and make love to you all night.” He drew her closer at the end of the dock and kissed her.

  “Sorry,” Damion broke in. “I’m just going to . . .” He moved around them and waved. “Night.”

  “That was fun,” he said sarcastically and took her hand again. “Now I know why the Youngs like it so much. Know of any place we could be alone for a while?”

  She fell silent for a while, then tugged on his hand until they were heading down a narrow pathway.

  “What’s this way?” He frowned when the path lights disappeared, and they were enveloped by full darkness.

  “Follow me,” she whispered as she moved a tree branch aside. “Trust me.”

  Less than five minutes later, they came to a clearing. There, on the edge of the water, sat a small cabin. A lot of construction material still littered the small place, and most of the siding wasn’t finished yet. A large construction trash bin sat a few feet away from the front door, along with a locked container, most likely full of tools and more materials.

  “It’s one of the new cabins. It’s not done yet, but they delivered the bed while we were in Vegas.” She smiled up at him.

  He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re a genius.”

  Stopping on the front porch, she entered the code on the door’s keypad, and the door slid open. Once inside, she turned on the lights, and he took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the place. And then, in a moment, she was pressing him against the door as her mouth covered his.

  She tugged his clothes off him; then he stood frozen in place as he watched her shimmy out of her shorts and T-shirt. It was easily the sexiest thing he’d ever witnessed.

  “May I say . . . you’re amazing.” His gaze tracked and appreciated every curve of her naked body.

  “You’re not so bad yourself. Tell me you have a condom in those
shorts.” She nodded to the shorts she’d tugged off him.

  He bent over and pulled out the foil package. “We’re stuck with only one.” He frowned.

  “We can make it last.” She took his hand and walked across the room toward the bed.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Zoey could feel herself burning hotter than ever before for Dylan. As his hands moved over her, inside her, she felt her skin radiate. Short of ripping off his clothes, her fingers had moved as quickly as possible until they were both naked.

  His mouth caressed her, and she enjoyed the warmth that he caused. When he slid a finger into her, she cried out his name and held on to him. The width of his shoulders and the weight of him pressing her into the new mattress were glorious.

  When she reached for him and wrapped her fingers around his length, it was his turn to groan. Her name burst from him when she pushed him lightly back onto the bed and leaned down to take him into her mouth.

  “My god,” he moaned as his fingers settled in her hair.

  When he placed his hands under her arms and pulled her up, she smiled down at him.

  “Had enough?” she joked.

  “You are dangerous,” he growled.

  Reaching over, she took the condom from him, and when she finally glided it onto him, she watched his eyes go darker and knew that he was on the edge of his control. Smiling down at him, she slowly slid down as the last strands of her own control snapped.

  From there it was all speed, all a blur of passion and pleasure. She’d never experienced anything like Dylan before, and that fact scared her. Was scaring her even more the longer she had time to think about it.

  They built together, and as she gripped his hands in hers, they fell together. Their bodies stilling as one as enjoyment spread through and radiated between them. She fell onto his chest, her breathing labored as their body heat began to cool. Yet as she lay wrapped in his arms, so many questions surfaced.

  She had been upset when he’d hinted that Elle had had anything to do with his father’s disappearance. She’d rushed to her mother’s cabin after Dylan had told her that his father had set up a meeting with Elle.

  One of the first rules of the Wildflowers was that they didn’t keep secrets. So why hadn’t Elle told them about a meeting with Dylan’s father?

  Zoey had told Elle about the brothers’ use of a fake name the night of the first talent show. They’d had plenty of times to talk about it since then. What was Elle hiding from them? Had she really had a meeting with their father? What about? She’d been so worried about her friend knowing something more that she hadn’t realized how it had looked to Dylan.

  Ever since Vegas, she’d believed that he was being truthful to her, or at least, she felt that when she asked him something, he responded with truth. Whether he’d offered everything he knew was a different matter, but for now, she trusted him.

  Still, for almost a full hour, her mother had comforted her about her doubts.

  “Mom, I just don’t know if it’s wise to get into a relationship with someone who lied right out of the gate.”

  “We all lie,” her mother had said. “I’ve caught you in a few doozies over the years.”

  “That’s different.” She’d paced her mother’s cabin.

  “Honey, do you love him?” Her mother’s question had shocked her.

  “I . . .”

  Her mother had just smiled. “That’s a good sign. If you had said no instantly, I would have given you different advice, but”—she had sipped the tea she had just made—“now, my advice is this. You’re in the between zone.”

  “Between what?” Zoey had asked.

  “Between friendship and love. It’s up to you which way you will go from here. To remain friends is wonderful. There were times I wished your father and I had just been friends.” She’d held up a hand as Zoey had opened her mouth with a question. “This isn’t about us. For now, I know your schedule is tight today. Go forward from here and think about what it is you’ve hidden from Dylan. He is doing nothing more than you would do to protect me or Scarlett.”

  Leaning up now, she looked down at Dylan’s face. His dark eyelashes lay on his cheeks, giving her a moment to admire how sexy he was.

  A full day’s growth of beard dusted his face, making him look even more mysterious.

  Maybe that was what had drawn her to him in the first place. The fact that the brothers were hiding something? It was obvious to her now that there was more going on than them needing jobs.

  Especially after knowing that their family had money and that they had purposely presented themselves differently. Then again, like her mother had said, he was protecting the people he loved.

  She would have done anything to protect not only her mother and Scar but Elle, Hannah, and Aubrey. There was no doubt in her mind about the secrets she would keep for any of them.

  “What?” he asked, his eyes remaining closed. “I can almost feel your burning questions.” His eyes slid open, and he smiled. “Yup.” He reached up and touched her forehead. “There’s that crease.” He smoothed it out with his thumb. “What’s eating at you?”

  “How do you know your dad met with Elle?” she asked.

  He shifted, bringing an arm under his head as he evaluated her. His other hand brushed her hair back, away from her face.

  “I don’t.” He sighed. “I was hoping to find a schedule—something that would tell us if Elle ever met with him.”

  “I can look,” she suggested. “Not that I’m going to snoop around my best friend’s calendar,” she corrected, “but our calendars are linked.” She remembered in that moment that she’d left her phone up in her room before she’d headed out for the sail.

  “Let me get my phone—then I can tell you.” She frowned. “I left it in my room.”

  She had shifted to move, but he held her still.

  “Later—right now, I just want to hold you.” He tugged her down until their lips touched. “If we were at my place, I’d ask you to spend the night . . .”

  She stiffened. “Your place?”

  He chuckled. “Did you think we lived in the truck?”

  She shrugged. “You have your own place in Destin?”

  “No, just outside,” he answered.

  “What about your brothers?” she asked.

  “They have their own places.” He wrapped her close and drew her down to his chest. She rested her head there. His steady heartbeat soothed the tension from her.

  “You’ve got to have someplace else other than here, right?” he asked.

  She thought about the place the five of them shared and called home when they weren’t at the camp.

  “Sure.” She shifted closer to him. “We have a place in Pelican Point. It was Elle’s grandfather’s.”

  “Before you lived there?”

  She held in a yawn. “I had a condo in Jacksonville, by my mother’s old place.”

  “So the three of you packed up everything and moved here for this?” he asked.

  “You’re either all in . . .” She yawned loudly this time. “Or you’re out . . .”

  His hand started to rub her shoulder, and she felt herself drifting off, listening to his heartbeat, with his warmth surrounding them.

  She woke in the middle of the night, surrounded by darkness, unable to focus on what had startled her awake.

  “I think it’s a bear,” Dylan whispered in her ear.

  That sent her heart jumping. “In the cabin?”

  He chuckled. “No, just outside.” He nodded to the large windows.

  She’d been so consumed with desire for him that she hadn’t realized that the window coverings hadn’t been installed yet. What they had done earlier would have been on clear display to anyone who happened to pass by the cabin.

  Her face heated, and she covered herself with the sheets a little more.

  “Easy,” Dylan said. “I don’t think he wants in. It sounds like he’s going through the trash outside, though.” Dylan shifted
, and suddenly she was alone in the bed.

  “Dylan!” she gasped.

  “Shh,” he said from the darkness. “I’m just looking out the window.”

  She waited, now sitting straight up in the bed with the sheets around her shoulders as she counted heartbeats until he returned to her side.

  “Well?” she said after a moment.

  “I can’t see anything.” She felt the bed dip and reached for him.

  “It’s okay,” he chuckled. “I doubt bears know how to open doors.”

  “Haven’t you seen the videos where they get stuck in people’s cars? How did they get in the cars? They opened doors.” She glanced toward the front door. Suddenly, her thoughts zoomed across the room, and her eyes froze on the closed front door. “I didn’t lock the door.” It came out as a whisper.

  He sighed and disappeared once more; this time she counted his footsteps, and when he returned to the bed, she relaxed.

  “Okay. The door is locked. Feel better?” He enveloped her again.

  “Yes.” She relaxed as his hands moved over her.

  “We still have a few hours before sunup,” he said, brushing his lips across her bare shoulder.

  “Mmm.” She arched and gave him more room to roam. “You only had one condom.”

  “Like you said, there are plenty of other things we can do.” His hands moved lower, and she forgot all about the bear outside the cabin.

  She’d never enjoyed sexual play as much as she did in the darkness of the cabin. His hands moved slowly over every part of her, as she returned the favor.

  When he started exploring her with his mouth, for a split second, she wondered how she could hold on to that moment for the rest of her life.

  They dressed as the sky outside the cabin started glowing orange with the sunrise.

  “Lunch today?” he asked as they walked out of the cabin.

  “I can’t . . .” She stopped and gasped at the chaos around them. It had been almost two hours since they had heard the noises outside, yet still, the first thing through her mind as she stepped outside had been to look for a bear. But this level of destruction was . . . something.