That One Summer: A Collection of Steamy Contemporary Romance

Chapter 11

Max

The first fingers ofdawn reach through the gauzy curtains, painting Emilee’s skin with hues of gold and pink. I’ve been watching her sleep, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that relaxes me. The warmth of her body against mine is like an anchor steadying the flutter of nerves in my stomach that comes from thoughts of the future.

This woman has changed me.

She blinks as she starts to wake.

“Good morning,” I murmur, my voice rough with sleep.

Her eyes flutter open, a lazy smile tugging at her lips that hold my gaze captive. “Morning,” she whispers back, her voice threaded with the softness of slumber and something more profound, warmer.

“Did you sleep well?” I trace the line of her jaw with the back of my fingers.

“Never better.” She cuddles closer, and it makes my heart pick up its pace.

Everything about Emilee feels right. I simply can’t resist her allure, the magnetic draw that has nothing to do with gravity and everything to do with how she makes me feel—grounded yet soaring. Leaning in, I capture her lips, and a kiss that starts out gentle grows hungrier with each passing second.

When I pull back, it’s just enough to see her face while I search for the right words. “Last night was...”

“Special,”she finishes, her fingers threading through my hair, sending shudders along my naked body.

The intimacy between us is unparalleled. I’ve never felt this comfortable with a woman before. “I like waking up next to you. Are all our mornings going to be this poetic?”

“Only the ones with you in them.”

Precisely what I want to hear.

We linger in bed, holding each other, pretending the world outside doesn’t exist. It’s just Emilee and me, the soft breeze from the open window carrying the promise of many mornings like this one.

The knock on the front door is gentle, almost hesitant, and I wonder if I imagined it. But soon, it becomes slightly more forceful.

I untangle myself from Emilee’s embrace with a disappointed groan and roll out of bed. Slipping on the shorts I wore last evening and casting an apologetic glance over my shoulder, I pull the bedroom door closed on my out.

Crossing the room to the door, I run a hand through my hair. “Who is it?”

“It’s Shaun.”

When I open the door, Shaun’s face seems to bear the weight of the world.

“Good morning, Max. I’m sorry to intrude, but do mind if we talk?”

“Sure. Give me second.”

I close the door and rummage through my suitcase left on the floor. After selecting a shirt, socks, and sneakers, I quickly dress and head to the bedroom. When I open the door, I see Emilee sprawled out like a starfish, the sheet bunched at her waist, her breasts perky and waiting to be tasted. It’s all I can do to not ditch the clothes, my friend, and jump back into bed. “It’s Shaun. Why don’t you take it easy, and I’ll bring back something for breakfast.”

“Take your time. I’ll take a shower and I’ll meet you up there, we can have breakfast together after your meeting.”

“Sounds good.”

Leaving Emilee, I head outside to where Shaun is waiting and follow him to the dining area in silence. Even this early in the day, the air is ripe with the odor of freshly poured concrete, paint, and varnish. In the distance, the sound of construction echoes off the buildings. Once this place is finished, they won’t have trouble keeping their cabins filled.

Shaun runs a hand through his disheveled hair. “Sorry to barge in on you this early.”

“Is everything okay?”I notice the tension in his jaw.

He sighs, looking out at the crystalline water that borders the resort. “Not really. It’s the finances for Tranquil Bay. Things aren’t looking good.”

We reach the empty dining area, where the big doors are open wide, and the tables are set with vibrant tablecloths that accentuate the colors of the surrounding flowers. Along the back wall is a long table laden with food. The aromas of fresh fruit and coffee waft through the interior, carried on a gentle gust of wind.

“Did you get more guests while we were sleeping?”

“No, we feed the crew every day. It gives the chef and kitchen staff practice an opportunity to test out different options, layouts.”

“I bet the crew likes that.”

Shaun huffs. “So far, everything should be on the menu.”He gestures to a secluded table in the corner. “Let’s grab some food and talk.”

We sit down, and a server promptly brings over plates of sliced papaya, pineapple, and mangos alongside warm banana bread and a pot of rich, aromatic coffee.

Shaun takes a sip of his coffee before continuing. “I’ve been crunching the numbers for the last two days. Costs are skyrocketing, and now the opening is being delayed... again. At this rate, I don’t know if we can recover. You’re the businessman, Max. I don’t know what to do. I need your advice before we lose everything.”

I listen intently as he shares his worries, the gravity of his predicament settling in my chest. I stir sugar into my coffee absentmindedly, the clinking sound of the spoon against the mug punctuating his words.

While he’s talking, the answer to his problem begins to take shape. “Shaun, what if I told you I might be able to help?”I say, my decision crystallizing at that moment.

The idea comes to me as naturally as the sunrise, and with it, the realization that this isn’t just about money—it’s about giving jobs to people in a community where there are few. It’s about helping friends, no strings attached. Something I wouldn’t have hesitated to do years ago. And I can’t ignore the good feeling it creates in my gut.

“Help? How?”He looks puzzled, clearly unaware of the depth of my resources.

“Let me invest. Quietly. Enough to get you back on track, maybe a little extra to hurry things along,”I offer. “Consider it a silent partnership.”

Sunlight filters through large palm leaves that frame the open windows, casting patterns across our table that draw my attention while I wait for Shaun to accept my offer. They remind me of how the sun highlights the shades in Emilee’s hair and dances across her torso while drying her skin.

“Wait. Really? I mean, are you serious?”Shaun’s eyes widen, a gleam of excitement flickering in them as well as relief. “Max, that would be incredible, but... why?”

“Let’s just say I have a vested interest in seeing this place succeed.”I picture Emilee, and every moment of our time together flits through my mind. “And the cabin I’m staying in? Would you consider it exclusive for me? Is that an option? At least whenever I visit?”And Emilee, of course, if she’ll come with me.

“Yeah, yes. Sure. Of course! Thank you, man. I don’t even know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just accept it.”I smile, feeling a sense of purpose again. No boardroom conflicts, no wining and dining to impress, and although we’ll need to draw up a contract, I’ll make sure it’s simple—just a friend loaning a friend money so he can see his dream come true.

“Seriously, Max, I can’t thank you enough,”Shaun’s voice catches with emotion. He reaches for his coffee, hands slightly trembling. “This... this means everything to me and Marika.”

“Don’t stress about it. You’ve got enough happening with finishing this place and then the baby. For now, let’s enjoy the breakfast.”I gesture toward the spread before us.

“Right.”My friend smiles, picking up his glass of juice. “Well then, here’s to new beginnings, and to silent partners who are anything but silent in their generosity.”

While we eat, Shaun informs me of everything that needs to be completed before they can officially open Tranquil Bay. The task is daunting. I offer to help where I can, but warn that I’m useless with tools. I can, however, cover the costs of bringing in additional crews if that can help the schedule.

Without warning, I experience a twinge of apprehension, knowing that this decision adds another layer of complexity to my relationship with Emilee because I haven’t been entirely truthful, wanting her to like me for me and not my large bank account.

“Max, I won’t forget this,”Shaun says, breaking into my thoughts. “You’ve done more than just save a business today.”

“Just make sure this place turns into the paradise you’ve always envisioned, okay?”

“Absolutely.”He finishes his coffee with a satisfied sigh, the tension gone from his expression.

I stand up as the urgency of my predicament settles into my bones more deeply than before. The relief of not having to confront the truth about my financial status in Emilee’s presence is laced with an undercurrent of disquiet. Each moment I spend hiding this facet of my life is a step further away from the honesty I value.

“Listen, I promised Emilee I’d bring her breakfast.”

“Of course. Grab whatever you want and enjoy the rest of your day.”Shaun stands to shake my hand. “And again, thank you.”

As I walk away from the dining room, hot coffee and a plate of fresh fruit and pastries in hand, I feel the weight of my own expectations settling onto my shoulders. My commitment to the resort will soon be etched in stone, but there’s still much left unsaid between Emilee and me. The need for transparency looms overhead, threatening to destroy the trust we’ve built over the past few days.

When I arrive at the cabin, my heart is pounding with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. She’s waiting for me, her green eyes filled with curiosity and concern that tug at my heartstrings.

“Hey,”she says, her voice gentle yet questioning. “Is everything All right?”

“Everything’s fine,”I assure her, though my thoughts are a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. “I brought you breakfast.”I want to tell her everything about the resort, my wealth, andmy need to find myself again. But just as the words hover on my tongue, I hesitate.

What if the truth pushes her away? Our relationship is so new, so fragile still.

As doubt swirls in my mind, I make a decision. Instead of confessing my secret involvement in the resort’s salvation or my wealth, I opt for another truth—one that requires no words or explanations. I reach out, cup her face, and press my lips against hers in a deep, passionate kiss.

The world around us dissolves as I breathe in the sweet tropical fragrance of her freshly washed hair and relish the warmth of her arms as she wraps them around my waist, her hands running up my back.

I’m acutely aware of the secrets I’m holding back from a woman I’ve somehow fallen head over heels for.

But as we take this back to the bedroom, where I plan to spend the rest of the day showing her just how much I care for her and how much I want her, nothing else matters.