by Adele Niles
We’d spent the last six months talking multiple times a day. We FaceTimed at least three times a week, and texted as much as we could. I’d wanted to come out sooner, but summer at the resort kept me busy.
But now that winter was setting in, it was easier to get away.
And I was planning to stay for two weeks.
As I got into town, I stopped at a florist I found online and bought a bouquet. She’d told me tiger lilies were her favorite flower, and I found a bouquet with them.
I just hoped she would like it.
Were flowers overdone? I wasn’t sure. I’d never really done romance like this before.
And I couldn’t help the nerves. What if we got together in person and the spark was gone? What if we weren’t meant for something long-term?
I wanted to be with her so bad, and I was terrified.
I followed the GPS directions, pulling into a cute little apartment complex. I kept an eye on the apartment numbers until I saw the right one.
I pulled into a parking spot.
As I did, the door of one of the apartments opened.
Libby came running out.
She was just as beautiful as I remembered.
I opened the door of the Chevelle and stepped out, opening my arms. She almost leapt into them, laughing as she hugged me.
Nothing had changed.
I held her tight, kissing the top of her head. She pressed her face to my chest, mumbling something that I couldn’t make out.
“What was that?”
She lifted her head and grinned at me. “I love you.”
I blinked.
And then I smiled.
“I love you, too, Libby.”
Epilogue
Libby
One Year Later
I woke up alone in Cooper’s suite.
Now, though, it was fine. It was normal. I liked to sleep a little later than he did, although that was going to change soon—my first class at the community college near the resort started at eight, so I’d be waking up at five with Cooper soon.
I went out to the kitchen to find a cup of coffee in my favorite mug, like always, and one of his shirts draped over the back of the couch. I pulled it on, buttoning it enough to be decent, and walked out to the balcony.
The sun was starting to come up, the sky purple and pale orange. I leaned against the rail of the balcony to look out over the water.
Even from this distance, I could pick him out of the group of guys surfing—he was the tallest, and his board was bright orange.
I smiled as I watched him paddle out, catch a wave, and ride it back to shore.
He came to a stop and picked his board up, stepping back to let one of the other guys take the next one.
As he waited, he turned and looked up toward the balcony.
He raised one arm, waving it above his head.
I laughed and waved back, then leaned on the rail again.
The sparkle on my finger caught my eye—the engagement ring he’d given me a month ago, diamonds surrounding a sapphire the color of the Gulf waters.
This coming Fourth of July was going to be a special one. The resort would still hold its bash; the Cruise-In would still happen, with Cooper’s Chevelle leading the parade this year.
But it would also be the weekend of our wedding, a private event on the beach before the party.
Exactly what I wanted.
Keep reading for a preview of Scorched
Scorched
Seasons of Seduction
Book 1
Chapter One
Cassie
I just wanted Dan to listen to me, but it was like talking to a brick wall.
“Look,” he said over the phone, “are you going to have the article or not?”
“I told you already. I’m taking this week off. I’m on vacation. I’m dealing with some personal stuff.” I took a sip of my Cosmo. It was a little too strong, maybe, but that was kind of the goal right now.
Get as fucked up as possible and do nothing for a week.
He sighed. I could imagine him in his office, frowning at something, probably one of the magazine awards he’d fabricated and put on his “vision board.”
“Look,” he said, “I’m sorry that you’re going through some crap or whatever, but deadlines are deadlines. If you can’t get your shit together, we’ll give the article to somebody else.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, fine. I’m sure you can find a billion girls online that want to write about swimsuit trends.”
“Then I will,” he said. “I’ll hire one of them. If she can actually meet a deadline, maybe I’ll keep her on.”
I gave a huff of disbelief. “Whatever, Dan. Maybe you should start respecting other people, huh? See how that one works out.”
There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
When Dan spoke again, his voice was cold. “I’m very sorry for your circumstances. But I have a magazine to run.”
The line went dead.
It took every ounce of willpower I had not to throw my phone into the pool.
If I had to suffer somewhere, at least it could be here—in a beautiful home, with an incredible pool and a view of the beach.
And a fully stocked bar.
I was trying to work, but it just…wasn’t happening. I’d taken the week off, and Dan was still up my ass.
I needed a break. A little time to myself, time to relax and process.
And I wasn’t going to do that if I had my laptop open and Dan on the phone.
So I closed my computer and took another sip of my Cosmo.
The sun was still up. It was a beautiful afternoon, and everything smelled like the salty ocean air.
And I needed to be nice to myself for a few minutes.
I sighed as I leaned back in my lounge chair, closing my eyes. The sunlight was warm, but the breeze kept me from getting sweaty.
I would’ve liked to enjoy it more.
I reached for my phone and sighed.
Social media was boring, full of people I knew being happy. Look at us at a party; look at us in Paris; look at us at a concert.
Look at me, miserable despite being in paradise.
I didn’t take a selfie for Instagram, or update my Twitter. There was no point.
The people who knew where I was could reach out if they wanted to.
But so far, nobody had.
I’d expected as much; I wasn’t really a ‘close friends’ sort of person.
I mean, I could be friendly, sure. I could be fun and entertaining and likable.
I just didn’t always click with other people.
That’s why I was here alone.
I sighed and put my phone back down in favor of the Cosmo I’d made. I’d need another soon; I wanted to be too drunk to function tonight.
Numbing myself wasn’t the smartest choice, but it was exactly what I wanted.
For a few minutes, I lay on my back, looking up at the sky. It was clear, and the few little clouds ambling by were fluffy and white. Gulls flew overhead, cawing loudly.
Under any other circumstances, this would have been nice.
But I was just sad. And lonely.
And not drunk enough.
I rose from my chair and went back inside, carrying my empty martini glass. I made another Cosmo, heavy on the vodka.
I took a sip.
Good.
Real good.
I headed back toward the pool, stopping at the door. It was pretty private up here. There were trees on two sides of the pool; the only exposed side faced the ocean, and that was on an overhang.
Nobody could stand there and look at me.
I could tan while wearing as much—or as little—as I wanted.
I put my drink down on the table beside my chair and reached up, untying the halter neck of my swimsuit. I undid the clasp of the back strap next, and draped the polka-dot top over the back of my chair.
Topless, I settled back in the chair again. I
grabbed my phone and headphones, plugging them in and turning on some music. Happy synth-pop started to play in my ears.
I closed my eyes and leaned back.
Everything else about this sucked, but at least I could tan without lines.
Download Scorched Now
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Scorched
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Stalk Adele...
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