Chapter 25
chapter twenty-five
Dayton
Ifinally decided to start going to therapy last week.
Now that my dad is gone, I’ve slowly started letting my OCD tendencies take over my life.
He was an amazing father, but he wasn’t perfect.
He believed therapy and mental health issues were for “weak” men.
I’m starting to disagree and see that my obsessive compulsive issues need to be treated if I’m going to function.
After what happened with Summer the last time I was in town, I realized that I had to talk to someone about it, or I’d lose my mind.
The first thing I opened up about was the guilt over hooking up with my stepsister and disappointing my dead father. My therapist mostly listened during the first session and asked me to start seeing her weekly.
I don’t care about the expense, but the emotional vulnerability is going to be difficult to succumb to that often.
My therapist would not approve of this. I’m mentally berating myself, even as I reorganize the pile of napkins on the bar and check my pocket for my wallet again.
Summer’s laugh floats up to me from down closer to the beach at Chaos. When I turn toward the sound, I see her talking to Javier, the builder.
She looks stunning tonight in the formfitting blue-and-pink floral dress, and the way her hair is styled makes me want to take advantage of the easy access to her neck and kiss it. She’s wearing the pearl necklace, which I hope is a good sign.
“Whew, what a wedding. Never been to one like that before,” Cheri says, walking up beside me. She signals the bartender before settling on the stool next to me. “You look like you’re deep in thought.”
I sip on the bottle of Corona. “Just enjoying the music.”
The live band is playing an upbeat cover on a small platform a few yards away. A few people are dancing, and the entire sandy area is fairly packed with groups competing in games of cornhole and horseshoes. The sun is just starting to dip down, nearing sunset.
“Seems like a lot of the wedding guests are here. Oh, look, Summer is over there with that guy who’s managing your remodel. What’s his name again?”
“Javier.”
“Right. He’s cute.”
I look again, trying to see him through a woman’s eyes. He’s dressed nicer than how I usually see him, wearing a pink button-down shirt with khaki shorts. His dark, curly hair is styled. He must tell a hilarious joke because Summer can’t seem to stop laughing.
Women like men who are nice and funny. Especially Summer.
The bartender walks up to take Cheri’s order. She asks for a vodka soda with lime.
“Is he single?” she asks.
“Who?”
“Javier, duh.”
“No idea.”
“They’re kind of cute together.”
I clench my jaw, refusing to look back over there. I take another swig of my beer. The bartender returns with Cheri’s drink, and she tells him to add it to my tab. I would have if she hadn’t beat me to it.
“You’re awfully chatty tonight.”
“What do you want me to say to that? Summer can date him if she wants, but not until the house is done. I don’t need another one of her failed relationships to ruin our progress.”
Cheri gasps. “Russell Dayton Copeland. I wish your father were here to hear you talk like that.”
“Well, he’s not.”
“Well, you’re being a dick, and frankly, it’s getting old.”
I finally turn to face her. “Her dating the builder could easily turn into a disaster. How is that a mean thing to say?”
“I’m talking about her relationship track record comment. You act like not trying to find love makes you superior to those of us who have tried and failed.”
Cheri’s baby daddy turned out to be cheating on his wife with his secret girlfriend—her. She didn’t find out he was married until the wife showed up at the hospital right after Amelia was born.
Guilt flickers in my gut. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant I don’t wanna watch her try dating him when he’s supposed to be focused on finishing the house.”
She snorts, shaking her head. “You need to piss or get off the pot, cousin. I’m sick of witnessing you be completely obsessed with her and unable to admit it to yourself.”
Cheri is the first person who’s openly called me out for my Summer obsession, even though several of my friends have hinted at it before over the years. She keeps her gaze level with mine, tilting her head slightly and narrowing her eyes at me.
“I’m not—”
“Don’t piss me off right now. You are, and denying it is pointless.”
“That’s disgusting. She’s my—”
“It’s not disgusting. I’ve known you my entire life. I am like a sister to you, but she never has been.”
My body feels like it’s on fire. Heat crawls up the back of my neck. I almost look around to check and see if people are staring at me, suddenly able to see down deep into my soul, my darkest secret on display for the packed bar to observe.
“That’s right; I’m calling you out for this bullshit act. Be a man. Go talk to her. Tell her you want her. Kiss her senseless. Or don’t and let her live her life in peace. You’re a grown man, playing games like a teenager. And I know you think you’re disgusting for liking her, but you’re not.”
She downs the rest of her drink and slams it on the bar top, signaling for another one.
“Oh, and this isn’t my first drink of the night, if you can’t tell. I’m kid-free tonight, so I want to have some fun. You’re raining on my party.”
I stand up straight, stepping back from the bar. “Fine. Maybe I will go talk to her.”
“Good. Do it.” She’s clearly annoyed with me, crossing her arms and turning away, which is completely unlike her.
“Sign my tab when you’re done.” I throw away my empty beer bottle before making my way down to the beach. I pull a mint out of my sport coat’s inner pocket and pop it into my mouth.
Javier is still cracking jokes, standing closer to Summer than what I deem professional.
“Hey, Javier. Nice night tonight,” I interrupt him mid-sentence.
He turns to me, his smile immediately faltering. “Yes, sir, very nice night.” He takes a step back from Summer.
“See that woman over at the bar with the red hair? She’s wearing a green dress.” I point out Cheri.
He nods, eyes shifting from me to her.
“She looks like she needs some company. And I heard she’s kid-free for the night.”
He perks up, clearly interested in the potential. He stretches out a hand to shake mine. I squeeze it tight, but he only smiles.
“Thanks. See you two next week.” He saunters off in the direction of the bar.
Summer turns to me, eyes blazing. “What was that about, Day—”
I grab the back of her neck, interrupting her by slamming my lips down to hers before I have the chance to talk myself out of it. She gasps, struggling against me for a few seconds before giving in and sinking into my arms. I wrap mine around her, sighing heavily into her mouth.
Her arms move up, curling around the back of my neck.
Her body relaxes into mine, her soft curves pressing into the hard muscles of my chest. She moans into my mouth, lips opening.
I slide my tongue through them, tasting champagne and strawberries.
She smells like coconuts and the ocean and every good dream I’ve ever had.
Every time I’ve imagined this, it was always after some kind of confession from her or both of us saying we had secretly been pining after each other all this time. Now that it’s really happening, I’m feeling, rather than hearing, her express it all.
Summer is kissing me back. She’s pressing her breasts up against me and sucking my tongue into her mouth.
My fingers reach up into her hair, grabbing it the way I’ve always fantasized about.
She does the same, barely being able to reach my hairline.
Her fingers scraping against my scalp makes me release a deep groan.
Kissing her is the best decision I’ve ever made. Her tongue brushes against my lips, teeth nibbling down on my bottom one. I nibble her back, my entire body overheating with arousal. My erection starts poking her in the stomach.
I faintly register someone saying, “Damn, get a room!”
Reluctantly, I finally break the kiss. I pull back, panting for oxygen. Her green eyes are wide, blinking up at me like she can’t believe I just kissed her. A surge of possessiveness shoots through me when I see her pink lips swollen from my kiss.
I need more time and a lot more privacy to enjoy this experience to its full potential. Kissing Summer isn’t meant to be casual.
My self-control is hanging on by a thread. She’s gazing up at me like she’d let me toss her over my shoulder right now and carry her down the beach to her studio.
I take a tiny step back, worried if I keep holding her like this, I will give in to the temptation to do so, and she’ll freak out again, like she did the last time. My erection is poking the front of my pants awkwardly, so I turn my body out toward the water so no one can see it.
She’s silent, standing there like she’s frozen solid as her gaze moves back to the ocean. I study her, my eyes lasering in on her trembling lower lip and her hands bunching up her dress.
“I’ve imagined doing that so many fucking times,” I confess.
She exhales and crosses her arms over her chest. I can’t shut up.
“And you just look so breathtaking tonight.”
Her feet shift in the sand.
“And I know I don’t have a right to want the things I want, but I just can’t stop wanting them.”
Her hand moves up, and she starts nibbling her thumbnail.
“And right now, all I want to do is take you home.”
She sucks in a sharp inhale, finally meeting my gaze. Her eyes are wide and terrified.
Still, she reaches out to grab my hand and nods. My stomach flips.
She said yes.