29. Summer
29
SUMMER
T he morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and the soft ripple of the lake against the shore. Elaine and Richard had arrived early, cheerfully insisting on taking Ava fishing. She had gone willingly, giggling as Richard helped her into a too-big life jacket while Elaine carried a small cooler packed with snacks.
“Enjoy your time off!” Elaine had said with a knowing smile before they left.
Now, the cabin was silent, save for the occasional creak of the wooden floors and the faint hum of the refrigerator. I stood by the window, watching the lake in the distance, its surface shimmering under the morning sun.
“You okay?” Enzo’s voice broke the quiet, warm and steady behind me.
I turned to find him leaning against the doorframe, his dark hair slightly tousled, a hint of scruff along his jaw. He looked relaxed in his plain white T-shirt and worn jeans, but there was something in his gaze that made my pulse quicken.
“Yeah,” I said, smiling faintly. “It’s just… strange having the place to ourselves.”
“Strange in a bad way?” he asked, stepping closer.
“No,” I admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just… different.”
The space between us seemed to shrink as he moved to stand beside me, his hands tucked casually into his pockets.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a moment like this,” he said softly, his gaze shifting from the lake to me.
I nodded, my throat tightening. “Yeah, it has.”
His eyes lingered on me, dark and searching, and I felt my cheeks warm under his gaze. “You’ve changed,” he said after a moment, his voice low.
“So have you,” I countered, my own voice quieter now.
His lips quirked into a faint smile, but his gaze remained steady. “For the better, I hope.”
“You’ve always been amazing, Enzo,” I said before I could stop myself.
He chuckled softly, the sound rich and deep. “Careful, Summer. You’re starting to sound like you like me again.”
I laughed, shaking my head, but the sound faded quickly. When I looked at him again, the playful glint in his eyes was gone, replaced by something deeper. The air between us grew heavier, charged with unspoken words and emotions that had been simmering just beneath the surface.
“Summer,” he said softly, stepping closer.
My heart pounded as he reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. His touch was gentle but deliberate, lingering just a second longer than necessary.
“You drive me crazy, you know that?” he murmured, his voice low.
I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “Enzo…”
He leaned in slightly, his gaze locked onto mine. “Tell me to stop.”
I didn’t.
Before I could overthink it, his lips were on mine, warm and insistent. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but it quickly deepened, his hands sliding to my waist as he pulled me closer.
I melted into him, my hands finding their way to his shoulders, then his hair. He groaned softly against my lips, the sound sending a jolt of heat through me.
It had been so long—too long—since I’d let myself feel this way, and I didn’t want it to stop.
He backed me against the counter, his hands firm but gentle as they explored the curve of my hips. His lips left mine, trailing kisses along my jaw and down my neck, each one igniting a fire under my skin.
“You’re incredible,” he murmured against my collarbone, his voice thick with emotion.
I tilted my head back, my breath hitching as his hands slid under my shirt, his touch warm and electrifying.
“Enzo,” I whispered, my fingers digging into his shoulders.
He pulled back slightly, his breathing ragged as his eyes searched mine. “Tell me this isn’t just a moment,” he said, his voice rough but vulnerable.
“It’s not,” I said, my voice trembling but sure.
He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hands slipping to my thighs as he lifted me onto the counter. I gasped softly, wrapping my legs around him instinctively as his lips found mine again.
Everything else faded away—the cabin, the lake, the worries that had consumed me for weeks. In that moment, there was only him.
His touch, his warmth, his presence.
And for the first time in a long time, I let myself fall.
Hours later, we lay on the couch, tangled together under a soft blanket. The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing, slow and steady.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” he murmured, his lips brushing my temple.
“Me too,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
He tilted my chin up, his gaze soft but determined. “We can make this work, Summer. For Ava. For us.”
I nodded, my heart swelling with a quiet hope I hadn’t dared to feel before. “I believe you.”