Slow Summer Heat
Page 6
“Ah.” Grandma beamed her approval. “That’s it, then. Why didn’t you bring him today?”
I put my arm around her. “It’s still new. We’re not at the meet-the-family stage yet. But if you promise to have a big party for your birthday next month, then I’ll see what I can do.”
Grandma slapped me lightly on the shoulder. “Of course I’m having a big party. When you get to my age, every year is worth another celebration.” Grandma had turned ninety, so she was probably right.
But she hadn’t lost her marbles. When I looked at my watch for the third time and it still wasn’t four o’clock, she said, “Are you meeting him?”
“Yes.”
“Then go. And Merry Christmas, Geoffrey.”
I PULLED into the carport and looked next door. Vaughn had a garage that was closed, and I therefore couldn’t see if his car was there or not. I retrieved my things from the car and went inside. It was still hot, and no miracle had occurred to cool my house. I was looking forward to seeing Vaughn… and enjoying his air-conditioning.
I was putting my share of the leftovers in the fridge—cold meats and salad, because it’s what you have when Christmas occurs during summertime—when some sudden knocking at the back door of my house made me jump. A burglar who knocked before he broke in? I quickly pulled back the heavy curtain and was shocked to see Vaughn beaming at me through the glass. He was dressed in only his swimming trunks—the purple Hawaiian pair this time.
Aloha!
I unlocked the door.
“What are you doing in my backyard?” I asked with amusement. “Have you been climbing fences again?”
He made a move to come into the house, so I politely stepped back against the wall to give him room. To my astonishment, he crowded me against the wall instead, leaning on me and giving me a quick hello kiss.
“Yes. I’ve been climbing fences because it worked out really well for me last time. I also did a bit of amateur sleuthing. Would you like to know what I found out?”
Vaughn was half-naked, leaning against me and kissing me, when we hadn’t seen each other for over six hours, and he wanted to know if I cared what he’d sleuthed out? I didn’t give a fuck about his sleuthing. I brought my hands up to caress his sides.
“Not really, but I guess you’re going to tell me anyway?”
He undid the first two buttons of my shirt so he could touch the skin on my chest.
“I was following a blood trail.”
“What blood trail?”
My own blood was trailing into my cock and leaving my brain only functioning at half power.
“Your blood trail. That first night. You cut your foot, and my sister, who’s a nurse, said I should check what you cut it on because you may need a tetanus shot. So I came over the fence and followed the trail. And guess what I found, Geoffrey?”
Oh fuck. He would’ve found a broken lattice. I prayed he didn’t put together the pieces of the puzzle. He went on without my input.
“I found this piece of wooden lattice broken at the exact place where you cut your foot. But I couldn’t work out how you would cut the bottom of your foot on a piece of wood that was thirty centimeters off the ground….”
My hands slipped from his body, and guilt overwhelmed me.
“Unless,” he went on, “you were standing on that lattice. But why would you need to stand on that lattice, Geoffrey?”
I closed my eyes and didn’t answer. What did they say about karma coming back to bite you in the arse? Another two buttons of my shirt slipped open. I had no idea why Vaughn was still kissing and touching me. He should’ve been furious.
“Why, Geoffrey? It wouldn’t have been to peek over your fence to spy on your neighbor, would it?” I detected a note of amusement in Vaughn’s tone. Perhaps he wasn’t angry.
I swallowed loudly. “My hot, sexy neighbor who’s too young for me,” I confessed quietly.
“Hmm,” Vaughn said in a slightly disapproving tone. “This hot, sexy young neighbor wouldn’t happen to be that same guy who invited you numerous times to come over to his house, would it?”
I opened my eyes. Vaughn was definitely laughing at me. His hands had reached my waistband and he was teasing the button on my shorts. I frowned. “I didn’t think he really meant it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m old—” I cut off and abruptly altered my statement. “—er than him.”
Vaughn purred in his throat and swept a hand over my chest. “Oh yes. I know that.”
“And I’m not really adventurous, so he scared me a bit with his open invite.”
He moved his hands south and reached again for the button on my shorts. Vaughn made a tsking sound in his throat. “I’m sure he knows better now.”
I swallowed again. Saliva was pooling rapidly in my mouth. “And he heard my awful ex call me a limp dick. I knew he wouldn’t be interested in me after that.”
I felt him decisively cup my erection in those wonderful hands. “I think there’s a way to dispel any thoughts he had of limp dicks.”
My heart was hopeful. I placed my hand on his waist again. “You’re not angry?”
Vaughn shook his head. “No. I’m actually laughing because I remember what I was wearing that night. And I also remember I was doing laps and trying to think of a way to get your attention. I’d tried talking to you, tried inviting you over, and even tried to work out if you had another boyfriend already. I was getting desperate. And all along I had your attention anyway.”
“It’s the first time I’d seen you naked,” I said, wanting to clear the air.
He kissed me firmly. “That’s a pity. I swim naked quite often.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. Images were bombarding my brain and making me harder than ever.
“Geoffrey?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you take me home now and make love to me? Your bed is closer, but your house is too hot for my liking.”
Vaughn’s cool house sounded delicious. Taking Vaughn to bed sounded even more so.
“I’m sorry about spying on you,” I apologized. “Really, I shouldn’t have done it.”
Vaughn kissed my jaw again. “I’m truly sorry I didn’t catch you at it earlier. It would’ve saved us some time.”
“I probably would’ve had to sell my house because I was so embarrassed if you did.” We both laughed. “Vaughn?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m old—” I stumbled on that again. “—er than you. I’m not looking for a brief tumble. I want someone to be with and love and care for. I’m looking for a relationship. A monogamous one. Just you and me. Is that what you’re looking for?”
He pulled back and looked me seriously in the eye. “My house felt funny without you. I didn’t like coming home and you weren’t there. I would really like to try for something more than just a tumble too. I’m thinking of… well, a forever-type thing? Can we think in those terms?”
I nodded hesitantly, hardly believing he’d voice that this soon into it. “I think so.”
“And can you take me home now and show me what I have to look forward to?”
I relaxed. “That one’s rather easy. There’s only one question I have.”
“Yeah? Because if it’s a top or bottom question, I’m going to say it doesn’t matter.”
I chuckled. “No. It’s even easier than that. I want to know….” I sighed dramatically. “Can we use the front door of your house instead of going over the fence this time? I have a key.”
He rolled his eyes. “If you insist. I just thought the fence was fun.”
And it was… to a certain point. “Maybe once I get my air-conditioning back we can reenact the whole scene, but this time I don’t hurt my foot, and maybe you climb over my side naked?”
He grinned and nodded enthusiastically. “Okay. And then the following time, you have to climb my fence naked and join me. That’s one fantasy I’ve had for a long time. Me swimming naked, only to look up and see
you standing on the edge of my pool, naked as well.”
My desire rocketed, and I found myself agreeing. It seemed I could be adventurous with the right inducement.
Then I reached over, pulled the back door closed again, and locked it. Vaughn waited patiently as I grabbed a few things from my bedroom—and a packet of condoms, just in case he didn’t have any—and then led the way to his cool house.
In the bedroom, he stripped off those trunks, lay on the bed, and gestured to me. “Come on over, Geoffrey. We have some slow lovemaking to attend to.”
And I swear I heard twelve drummers drumming while eleven pipers piped and ten lords leaped. But there was one thing I knew—there were only ever going to be two turtledoves in this bed. Just the way I liked.
RENAE KAYE is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years—and thousands of stories!—of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. It hasn’t stopped her, though. She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple—and it will be the most boring story ever. So until then, she is stuck with quirky, snarky, and imperfect characters who just want their story told.
Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia, and writes in five-minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework, and her beloved veggie garden. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.
Her first novel, Loving Jay, was voted the Best Book Debut 2014 by the member’s choice awards in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group.
Email: renaekaye@iinet.net.au
Website: renaekaye.weebly.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9
Twitter: @renaekkaye
By Renae Kaye
Shawn’s Law
The Shearing Gun
Slow Summer Heat
LOVING YOU
Loving Jay
Don’t Twunk With My Heart
The Straight Boyfriend
Knowing Me, Knowing You
SAFE
Safe in His Arms
Safe in His Heart
THE TAV
The Blinding Light
You Are the Reason
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Slow Summer Heat
© 2018 Renae Kaye.
Cover Art
© 2018 Adrian Nicholas.
adrian.nicholas177@gmail.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64405-058-3
Digital eBook published December 2018
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America