Chapter 18 Summer
EIGHTEEN
SUMMER
Ihalf scream as a tall figure in a long black coat steps inside. In my panic, it takes me a second to realise that it’s Alec.
“What the hell!” I shriek as he strides across the room to me, dripping wet. The low light cuts shadows over his chiselled face.
“We need to get you out of here,” he commands, his voice echoing like thunderclap.
“What?” Between my legs, the small vibe is still buzzing. I fumble for the remote, and it falls down the side of the bed.
Crap.
Alec steps closer, and I grab a pillow, shoving it over my lap as I scooch back against the headboard.
“You need to come back to the house,” he repeats firmly.
“What? But—”
He grasps my wrist. “Now,” he orders. His grey eyes are ice cold. Another crack of thunder sounds ahead, loud as a cannon, and his jaw tightens. “It’s coming closer. Move.”
“O-okay.” I slide off the bed, pressing my thighs together under my dress. I need to get this toy out of my underwear first. I start to crabwalk towards the en suite. “I’m just going to the loo real quick.”
“You can go in the house. Here.” He pulls off his coat, wraps it around my shoulders, and drapes his scarf around my neck. “Shoes on.”
I slip my feet into a pair of pumps. “I need my, er, makeup bag—” I try.
His cold hand slides over the skin of my neck, tucking the scarf in, and my body electrifies. How is this happening to me?
“You can live without mascara for one night,” he says shortly.
Before I know it, he’s pushing me towards the cabin door. When he unlatches it, the wind smacks it open. Freezing cold rain immediately drenches me as he pushes me out into the storm. My feet slip in the mud, and his hands lock around my waist, holding me steady.
“It’s okay,” he says into my ear. “I’ve got you. Come on.”
We start walking up the hill.
It’s cold. So cold that I forget about the toy buzzing between my legs. My body has more pressing concerns, like trying not to go into shock. Alec keeps a hand on my back, steadying me as we fight through the freezing gale. My shoes slip, but Alec keeps a firm grip on me.
“It’s okay,” he shouts again. “You’re okay.”
Finally, we reach the farmhouse. Alec yanks the door open, and I’m unceremoniously pushed inside, into—
Calm.
The room is warm, filled with flickering gold light from the fire. Fraser is sitting at the table, eating a sandwich. Cameron is fiddling with the record player, which is playing a gentle tune in the background. They both stare at us as we step inside, dripping.
“Blankets,” Alec orders, locking the door behind him. “Now.”
“What did you do,” Cameron growls. “She’s soaked!”
Fraser smiles at me. “All right, London? Decide to go for a stroll?”
Alec pulls his wet coat and scarf off me and lets them drop to the floor. His cold hands cup my face, forcing me to look at him. “You okay?” he says urgently. “You didn’t get hit by anything, did you?” His eyes flicker over me, like he’s looking for injuries. I don’t answer, my teeth chattering.
“She was fine,” Cameron says, limping up to us. “You half drowned her.”
Alec keeps scrutinising my face. Drips of rain roll down his cheeks and speckle his glasses. “Summer. Are you okay?” he demands.
“Yeah.” I gasp, and his hands tighten. “You’re, um, kind of holding me too tight?”
Suddenly, Fraser is at my side. “Hey, mate,” he says, his voice soothing. “How about you leave her to us, yeah? You go dry off.” Alec doesn’t move, his grip tightening.
“Alec.” Cameron touches Alec’s cheek, grabbing his attention. Alec flinches violently. “Look at me. Look. She’s fine. I’m fine. Everyone is fine. Let her go.”
Alec just stares at him, breathing hard. There’s a low whining sound, and I look down to see Scout pawing at Alec’s leg, his liquid eyes troubled. Alec blinks and lets me go, numbly reaching down to stroke the dog’s face.
“I’m…sorry,” he tells me stiffly as Scout licks his fingers.
“That was probably…shocking. But…the weather became hazardous, and it wasn’t safe for you to be alone in that cabin with no way to contact us.
” He takes a step back from me. “I’ll make sure to refund you the night’s stay. We’ll set up a guest bed for you.”
“What?” My brain can’t process all of this.
Scout whines and gently bites Alec’s hand. Alec turns and disappears without another word. Scout trots behind him, staring at his face, and Cameron pushes me towards the sofa.
“You were safe,” he mutters, sitting at my side. “That cabin’s got stronger bones than this house. Did he really just drag you into the storm?”
“I-it’s fine.” In the flickering firelight, I can see he has a bit of my lip gloss on the corner of his mouth. I reach up to wipe it off without thinking, and he goes very still. I drop my hand. “Sorry.”
He just picks a blanket off the sofa and drapes it over my shoulders.
“How about a nice cup of tea?” Fraser says, sitting on my other side. “That’ll warm you up. You can one-star us, we don’t mind. I think we’ve been kind of shitty hosts so far.”
“Er, I’m okay actually—” I shift. Now that I’m inside, I am very aware of the vibe still rumbling in my underwear. I’d been so close when Alec walked in…
I squirm as Cameron wraps another blanket around me. “I’ll heat you some soup,” he says, tucking it tighter around my neck. His rough fingers rasp against my throat, and all the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. “It’ll help warm ye.”
I squeeze my legs together as my sex violently clenches. “No thanks.”
“Give Alec some,” Fraser suggests. “Poor guy looked like he was about to pass out.” He lifts the corner of the blanket and starts gently wiping my face dry.
Cameron shakes his head. “He won’t eat.”
“Tell him your leg hurts and look really pathetic. He’ll eat then. Ow!” he protests as Cameron reaches over to hit him. The movement presses his body against mine, and electricity jolts through me. I can feel wetness on the insides of my thighs which is definitely not rain.
Oh God.
Oh God.
This cannot be happening. I’m sandwiched between the two men, and I am about to come like a pervert.
“Hey,” I say, jumping up. “Er. I need to use the bathroom really quick…”
They both blink. Fraser points at one of the doors, and I scurry over to it. I need to get this thing out of my pants before something incredibly embarrassing happens.
But when I yank open the bathroom door, Alec is inside. He’s stripped off his wet shirt like he’s too hot, and is standing with his muscled arms braced against the sink. His head is low, rain dripping off his black hair. Scout is lying at his feet, head on his foot.
“Oh,” I squeak, and his eyes rise to meet mine in the mirror. He’s taken off his glasses. His gaze is… oddly empty. “Hey,” I say. “Um, are you okay?”
His expression is completely blank. “Do you need something?” he asks quietly. He’s breathing hard, his broad shoulders rising and falling rapidly.
“Um. No.”
A shudder runs through his body. He looks away from me. “Then go back to Fraser and Cameron, please.”
“Right. Sorry.” I step back, letting the door fall shut. My back immediately hits something warm. I turn to see Fraser smiling down at me.
“All right?” he asks, laying a hand on my shoulder. Need pulses through me, and I cross my legs. “So I’m thinking it might be a pain to set up the guest room tonight. We’d have to go to the storage shed to grab the spare mattress. If you want, you can take my bed?”
“No,” Cameron says behind him. “I’ll get the mattress—”
“Yes,” I say immediately. “Which one is your room? I want to go to bed right now.”
Cameron goes quiet.
Fraser laughs. “Eager, aren’t you? Right this way.” He leads me down the corridor. “I’ll have to lend you some clothes, too, eh? These are soaked.” He tugs playfully at my wet dress.
“Mm-hmm,” I manage, stumbling inside the door he opens.
He flicks the light on, and I get a brief impression of a large, cozy bedroom.
Fireplace. Red rug. Huge bed. I don’t care.
Walking here has somehow pressed the vibe even closer to my body, and I can feel myself drawing closer to a peak.
It’s rising up in me, a tightening pressure.
I lean against the wall, breathing hard.
Oh my God. I am going to come right here.
“Hey.” Fraser is frowning. “Are you okay, sweetheart? You look all flustered.”
“Sorry,” I say automatically. “Er, can you turn away for a second?”
He cups my cheek, concerned. “Are you upset? I’ll sleep in the lounge. You’ll get the room to yourself. Or we really can sort out the guest room.”
“Not that,” I grit out.
“No? What is it?”
Oh my God. He’s not going to leave me alone. I’m going to have to tell him.
I take a breath. “Alec came in when I was…” I can’t say it.
His hands slide down to my arms, rubbing in a way I’m sure he thinks is soothing. “While you were what, honey?” I shudder all over, and he looks even more concerned. “Seriously, are you okay? Are you dizzy? Do you need to sit down?”
“I was doing,” I say delicately, “some product testing.”
“You what?”
I shut my eyes. “I was wanking with one of the toys that company sent me,” I blurt out.
Fraser pauses. “Oh my God,” he says. Then he starts to laugh. “Oh, baby, you poor thing. No wonder you’re all fidgety and weird.” He tucks some hair behind my ear. “Were you close?”
“Like literally on the brink.” I shiver as he pulls me into his chest.
He’s trying and failing to stop laughing. “You know, I would’ve thought a dip in the rain would cool you down.”
“Yes, well, I’m still wearing them.”
He freezes. “Wearing them?” he repeats. “Wearing what?”
“Vibrating panties,” I wail.
This is the worst moment of my life. The vibe hammers against me, and I twist my legs together as need spikes in my belly.
Fraser pulls back, eyes wide in shock. “You’re still wearing them?” he repeats, his voice suddenly rough. “Jesus Christ, London. Are they…” His eyes drop between my legs. “Is it switched on?”
“Yes,” I squeak, squirming desperately. “So can you please! Turn! Around! I keep trying to subtly switch them off, but I can’t do that without looking like a pervert!”
Fraser stares at me, broad chest rising and falling. Outside, lightning forks across the sky, flooding the room with white light as I tremble with need.
“I don’t think so,” he says.