The Pleasures of Summer

by Evie Hunter

  ‘Oh no, you don’t,’ Flynn said and caught her before she had made it halfway up.

  She struggled, knowing it wouldn’t work, but enjoying the feeling of his strength holding her captive. ‘I’ll get away. I swear, you won’t be able to keep me.’

  Something changed. Flynn’s eyes darkened dangerously and the atmosphere shifted. He was no longer playful and seductive. He was grim and determined. ‘No, you won’t.’

  Without warning, Summer found herself face down on the table. Memories of the last time she had been in this position flooded back, and she looked around at him, wondering if he was going to do the same again. She wasn’t sure what she hoped, but the hard slash of his mouth excited her as much as it made her nervous.

  ‘You’re staying with me,’ he told her. ‘Get used to it.’

  His hand slid into her hair and grabbed a handful. He used it to pull her head back so that she couldn’t avoid his eyes. They bored into her, fierce and demanding. The combination of that direct, commanding gaze and the hand in her hair did something to her.

  Her breath caught as a twist of arousal tightened her insides. She wanted to do whatever he told her.

  ‘Fuck me.’ They weren’t the words she had planned to say, but she meant them. Pinned down like this, her pussy flooded, and when she pushed back, she felt his erection straining the front of his jeans. It had been far too long since she had felt it inside her. She needed it or she would die. ‘Please, fuck me.’

  She heard a muttered, ‘God help me’, then the hand in her hair was released long enough for him to strip her shorts down her legs and open his own jeans. The sound of a condom packet ripping open was a further boost to her arousal. She widened her legs and tilted up her hips. Hurry, hurry, please hurry.

  Flynn slammed into her without finesse or subtlety. A tiny part of her was astonished that the man who had been so self-possessed all through her lessons in kink was now so out of control, but she didn’t have time to worry about it. In this position, his cock felt huge, and every movement in or out made her nerve endings shriek with excitement. At each hard thrust, she gasped and pressed back against him.

  His hand was back in her hair, holding her head up so that her hips were more firmly planted against the table. ‘You are not going anywhere. Do you hear?’

  ‘Yes, Sir.’ She had no idea why she said that, it just seemed the natural answer. And it was true, the last thing in the world she wanted to do now was leave him. His other hand held her hips anchored and her arousal ratcheted up another notch.

  She was aware of wetness running down her thighs and the sound of flesh meeting flesh. But all her attention was concentrated on the feel of Flynn holding her hair and his cock slamming in and out.

  Her gasps were getting louder and higher, but she didn’t care. There was no one to hear, and she could not contain the ecstasy that tore through her with each stroke. The hand on her hips shifted, moved under her and brushed her clit, and she exploded. With a wail, she blasted apart, her insides doing something they had never done before.

  Flynn roared as he followed her over and she allowed him throbbing inside her to push her into another mind-shattering climax.

  Summer lay on the table, gasping for breath with Flynn half on top of her, his big body shuddering in the aftermath, when a polite cough from the door alerted her.

  The door of the croft was open and the shock on the stranger’s face mirrored her own.

  Flynn’s reactions were startlingly fast. He pivoted, grabbing a chair as he moved and then swinging it at the intruder.

  ‘David?’ The chair dropped from his hand and clattered noisily on the flagstone floor. ‘You almost gave me a heart attack.’

  ‘Me? I came to check on the croft. I wasn’t expecting to find a … to find you …’ He darted another look at her, half-naked over the kitchen table, and his face flushed. ‘I’ll be outside.’

  He closed the door again. Summer leapt up and was surprised to find her legs wobbled under her.

  She had never felt so utterly exposed or humiliated. How could she have agreed to this? She scrambled off the kitchen table and grabbed her clothes. Her shorts were soaked with her pussy juice, her T-shirt was covered with beaten eggs and she desperately needed a shower. Ignoring his attempt to speak to her, she picked up Flynn’s shirt from the chair and raced out to the spa, slamming the door behind her.

  She scrubbed away the traces of her arousal and his, cursing men in general and Flynn in particular. When she returned from her tepid shower, the men were sitting at the table drinking tea. Flynn stood up, a sheepish grin on his face. ‘Summer, this is my brother, David.’

  David offered his hand. He looked like Flynn around the eyes, but there the resemblance ended. He was smaller and stockier and there was a hint of red in his hair.

  ‘How do you do?’ Summer spoke in the same polite tone she used for meeting her father’s business colleagues as she offered her hand to David. His grip was warm and friendly.

  ‘I’m sorry for earlier. I should have knocked, but we get the occasional squatter. You know how it is.’

  Summer nodded, as if patrolling for squatters was something she did on a regular basis.

  He released her hand and smiled. ‘I was just telling Flynn that there’s no way you should be staying in this place when his house is on the other side of the loch. Anyway, Mam will kill me if I come back without you.’ He shot his brother a look of pity. ‘And Flynn is in enough trouble as it is.’

  Summer struggled, trying to digest his words. Flynn’s family lived on the other side of the lake?

  ‘I’ve packed your things,’ Flynn said. ‘I’ll drive you there.’

  Summer gave him a look that would have stripped paint. ‘If you think I’m going anywhere with you, you need your head examined.’ She levelled a look at David. ‘I presume you have transport?’

  Summer had a fleeting vision of Flynn picking her up, screaming and kicking, and attempting to strap her into the Jeep. That was not going to happen.

  David was watching the scene with a wicked grin on his face. ‘You tell him, Summer,’ he encouraged her. ‘Don’t let him get away with anything. Come with me and I’ll look after you.’

  Flynn looked resigned. ‘Have you kept your weapons training up?’ he asked David.

  His brother nodded. ‘I can still hit the bull’s-eye nineteen times out of twenty.’

  ‘If Summer goes with you, I’ll have to take the Jeep.’

  Summer remembered the weapons and electronic equipment he kept there.

  Flynn handed over his Sig Sauer. ‘Take this and use it at the first hint of trouble. Make sure she gets there in one piece. Understand?’ David nodded.

  26

  Summer picked up the bag Flynn had already packed for her. They were leaving the croft. She didn’t know if she was more hurt by his deceit or the casual way he was ending their time here. All she knew was that she couldn’t be near him.

  Outside, the day was warm. The sun glittered off the waters of the loch. At the jetty a sleek motorboat waited. She remembered the days that they had rowed and fished in the old wooden boat and her heart dropped at the thought that those days were now over. Conscious of David’s curious gaze on her, she linked her arm through his and gave him her best flirtatious smile. Flynn could go to his very own place in hell. ‘Let’s go. I’d love a boat trip.’

  David took her past the island where she had picnicked with Flynn. A few miles beyond, she noticed a few houses dotted about the hillside. ‘Turlochmor.’ David raised his voice to be heard over the engine. ‘It’s not far now.’

  A small forest swept down to the lake and around the next headland David turned the boat and headed for shore. The curved roof of the house was the first thing she noticed. This definitely wasn’t a croft. The floor-to-ceiling windows ensured a panoramic view of the loch, and the local stone made it merge seamlessly into the rocky landscape. Large solar panels were positioned on the roof. Set slightly away from the hou
se was a small wind turbine. Whoever designed it had taste and money. Summer whistled.

  ‘Aye,’ David agreed, ‘but wait until you see inside.’ He moored the boat and helped her climb out. ‘Mam and Lorna are at church. I’ll give you the tour.’

  In the grounds, they passed a sunken tub, set to give the bathers a perfect view of the loch. Inside, the kitchen was filled with sleek, high-tech appliances finished in stainless steel. The glass walls and stone floors should have made the place feel cold, but they were balanced with cedar panelling. The low, comfortable chairs strewn with mohair throws made the place feel cosy.

  David opened one door. ‘I’m not sure where Flynn wants to put you, but I’ll leave your things here for now.’

  The king-size bed was covered in crisp white linen and looked out over the lake. One wall was covered with family photographs and pictures of men in dress uniforms. Another wall held a shelf covered with trophies. A door opened onto an en suite bathroom, with a king-size claw-foot tub and a picture window.

  ‘It’s a beautiful house,’ Summer said.

  ‘It’s Flynn’s dream home, but he doesn’t get to spend much time in it. Niall keeps him very busy.’

  ‘This belongs to Flynn?’

  A puzzled expression crossed David’s face. ‘Aye, Mam’s originally from Turlochmor. This house is built on our grandfather’s land.’

  A car pulling up distracted him. ‘That’ll be them back from the town. I’ll leave you to unpack.’

  When he was gone Summer sat down on the bed. Flynn owned this stunning house, but he led her to believe that the tumbledown croft was his home. There was something deliberate, something contrived and cruel about the whole thing. The spoilt little rich girl needed to be taught a lesson and he had taught her well. What would have happened if David hadn’t arrived? How long would they have played house together before he came clean?

  The worst thing was the realization that she would have been happy to stay at the croft, to live anywhere with him. She was in love with Flynn. Hopelessly, utterly in love with the arrogant Scot and he had played her for a fool all along. He had taught her to defend herself physically, but how could she defend her heart against Flynn, knowing that he didn’t feel the same?

  Summer heard voices outside. She couldn’t hide in her room all day, even if she looked like a beggar, dressed in stained shorts and Flynn’s shirt with no bra. She ran a comb through her hair, but nothing could make her look respectable. She took a deep breath before going to meet his family.

  Morag Mackenzie was a petite woman with thick, dark hair shot with silver. She smiled as she came forwards to greet her. ‘Well now, isn’t this just like Flynn, to turn up without saying a word. You’re very welcome, my dear, I’m Morag and this is Lorna.’

  A slender blonde stepped forwards. She gave Summer a polite smile which didn’t quite meet her eyes. She carefully avoided looking at Summer’s clothes. Summer shook her hand, cringing when she compared her broken nails to Lorna’s perfect scarlet manicure.

  ‘Hi there. David says you’ve been roughing it up at the croft with Flynn.’

  Her words were innocent enough, but Summer caught the emphasis on the word ‘roughing’. Did Lorna think she was someone he had just picked up?

  She squared her shoulders and looked Lorna straight in the eye. ‘He insisted on somewhere remote. You know how paranoid bodyguards can be. I’m Summer O’Sullivan. Flynn is in charge of my security.’

  ‘You’re his client?’ The relief in Lorna’s eyes gnawed at Summer. Lorna was marrying his brother. Why would she be jealous that Flynn was with someone else?

  ‘The Summer O’Sullivan.’ Morag gasped and fluttered. ‘Oh my dear, I didn’t recognize you. Your hair and …’

  She had almost forgotten about that. A month ago she had designer clothes and trademark long, blonde tresses that were a bit like Lorna’s. No, come to think of it, they were a lot like Lorna’s. The niggling doubt returned. Maybe she was just a physical type that Flynn liked. Summer ran her hand through her hair. She hadn’t had a decent bath in a month. ‘This was more practical, but I wouldn’t mind cleaning up. The facilities at the croft were a bit …’

  She allowed her voice to trail away and Morag took the hint.

  ‘Why don’t you go have a nice long bath and I’ll start dinner.’

  Relieved to make her escape, Summer returned to her room, ran a bath and stripped off her clothes. The bathroom was equipped with everything a girl might need. Toiletries, piles of towels and a fluffy white robe. She immersed herself in the warm water and sighed with pleasure.

  Through the large window she had a perfect view of the loch and the glen. There were no curtains, but then the nearest neighbour was miles away. It really was a perfect place. What a pity she didn’t belong here. Summer closed her eyes and lazed in the bath, letting the stresses of the day drift away.

  A tap on the window made her eyes fly open. It was Flynn and the hunger in his eyes was unmistakable. He could go to hell if he thought that he could pick up where they left off. Summer stood up slowly, allowing the water to drip down her body. She stepped out of the bath and reached for a towel. Flynn could look, but he could no longer touch.

  The sight of Summer’s wet, naked body made his cock twitch. She had given him a show deliberately, but he was betting that she had done it to spite him. She hadn’t forgiven him yet for the shock and embarrassment she had suffered when David discovered them. And the hurt expression on her face as she left with his brother nagged at him like a festering wound.

  He had fucked up badly. Now he had to face his mother and tell her that he had been holed up in the croft with a celebrity for the past month. He would never hear the end of it. How the hell was he going to make up with Summer while the others were here?

  Flynn caught the aroma of food as he entered the house. His mother’s Sunday roast lamb with garlic and rosemary was something he had missed. Morag would be beside herself at the thought of having a real live celebrity staying. He would have to warn her that she couldn’t tell the neighbours about Summer. Maybe he would have time for a quick shower before she noticed he was …

  ‘Flynn Grant, and just when were you going to tell me that we were having visitors?’

  Damn. He turned and followed his mother back to the kitchen. David had the good sense to make himself scarce but Lorna was there, watchful as a hawk. He nodded politely to her. ‘Lorna.’

  ‘How are you, Flynn?’ There was an edge to her voice that he hated. She was marrying his brother but there was still so much between them. How could David not see it?

  Trying to distract her, he dutifully admired his mother’s orchids. He was away so often that he couldn’t keep a plant alive in the house, but his mother was a different matter. He had known soldiers who weren’t as tough and ruthless as she was when she entered a horticultural competition. Her latest prize-winning specimen took pride of place beside the window.

  The pale waxy petals reminded him of Summer’s creamy skin, and the touch of pink at the centre reminded him of how she had been earlier, laid out for his delectation like a feast. His cock twitched again. He had to stop thinking about her like that. As if she were his. As if there were any possibility that they had a future together.

  He became aware of the silence. His mother had obviously asked him a question and he had no idea what she had just said. He guessed that it was about Summer. ‘She’s a principal, I can’t discuss her. Sorry, Mam.’ He kissed her cheek, hoping to soften his words. ‘I’ll just go check on her.’

  Check on her. He wanted to devour her. Damn David for walking in on them like that. He had a lot of making up to do. He ducked into the small guest bathroom and showered and dressed in clean clothes, telling himself that he wasn’t putting off speaking to her, but he knew there was no avoiding it.

  Flynn tapped on her door and stepped inside. Summer was lying on the bed, reading her Kindle. She sat up quickly and he could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was prep
aring for battle.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said.

  She shot him a look that would terrify a regiment. ‘Don’t bother with the niceties. You’ve had your fun, but it’s over. Tell Niall that I want out of here.’

  The hostility radiating from her was a physical thing that he could almost touch. She had resumed her spoilt heiress persona again, but he knew the real Summer was hiding just behind it. Ignoring her frosty glance, he sat down beside her on the bed and pulled her into his arms.

  She lashed out like a wild cat, wild eyed and furious. Both of them were conscious that they weren’t alone in the house and their struggle was silent but violent, until the bed looked like a battleground and he had her pinned beneath him. His treacherous cock woke again, wanting nothing more than to be buried inside her. Summer was his. He knew that as surely as he knew his own name.

  The hammering pulse at her throat told him that she wasn’t immune to him, despite her anger. He pressed his mouth against it and was rewarded with a throaty moan.

  ‘I hate you.’

  ‘I know you do,’ he murmured against her neck as he continued kissing her, using every trick he knew to give her pleasure. He pushed her clothes aside and feasted on her breasts, sucking her tender nipples into hard peaks while she writhed beneath him. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  A discreet tap on the door brought him to his senses. ‘Dinner is in ten minutes.’ David’s voice came from the hallway.

  ‘Hell,’ he muttered. He looked at Summer’s flushed face and parted mouth. How the hell was he going to sit through dinner? Flynn brushed his lips against hers in a tender caress. ‘I never meant to deceive you.’

  Dinner was a more torturous affair than he could have imagined. His mother had laid the table for a formal dinner and Lorna had changed her clothes and applied make-up. But even without her finery, Summer had a natural beauty that made Lorna look pale beside her, something that wasn’t lost on Lorna. She raised her glass to David and he poured her more wine.