Chapter 3
three
ZEKE
It’s almost three in the morning when I come bumping down the driveway of Autumn Carroway’s lake house and whip my car into the spot out front of the little cabin next to the lake.
Although the girl from the meet-up and I smoked a joint between the sheets, that was hours ago, and I’ve since sobered up—having learned my lesson from last year’s DUI and all that. I mean, I try to be good sometimes.
As I make my way up the sidewalk and search my pockets for my keys, the chirp of the crickets in the woods beyond the lake is the only accompaniment to the screen door as it bangs against the cabin wall.
I can still smell the girl’s sweet, candy-like perfume on my skin, and although the memory of our romp nearly makes me hard again just thinking about it, I’m ready to hit the shower, wash it all off, and crash into bed.
The girl wanted me to stay over, but I hard passed on that.
Staying over always makes things trickier than they need to be.
I’m squinting in the dark, trying to find which of the keys on my keyring is for the cabin.
I really should’ve turned the porch light on before I left the house this evening, but let’s be real—I’m not one to think ahead.
I think in the moment. I’m pretty sure that’s the secret to having fun in life.
Except—god.
I also should’ve thought ahead earlier today when I slid the cabin key off my keyring and stuffed it into the tiny-ass pocket of my shorts when I went out for a run.
Because now I remember where I put it. Instead of putting the damn thing back on the keychain, I set it down on the kitchen counter, telling myself I’d do it later.
And now it’s 3:00 AM and I’m locked out.
Fucking great.
I look back toward the main house. It’s completely dark, except for a dim light coming from the kitchen window, which is always on.
I think through my options. I could drive back into town and bang on Will’s door.
He’d probably answer, but he’d be pissed—and he and Lydia have been pretty judgy lately anyway, always telling me I need to get a real job with real hours and real benefits.
Weak. Option two is to sleep in my car, which I could do, but then what about my shower?
I’ve got to go around smelling like sex until Autumn wakes up tomorrow and bestows a key upon me? Also weak.
Nah, there’s nothing for it but to knock on the door and tell her the truth: I locked myself out.
Autumn will probably be as annoyed as Will, but she’s not my brother, and she’s usually pretty chill.
Besides—if I want to get her into bed before I leave here, I’ll have to start laying the groundwork at some point. May as well be now.
Crossing the grassy slope that separates the cabin from the main house, I stride up the steps and rap on the front door.
I pause for a minute, listening. With no answer and no sign of life from within, I press a hesitant knuckle to the doorbell.
Autumn’s gonna freak, but there’s no way someone can see this face on their doorstep and stay mad.
I hope.
The door opens a crack, and I see an eyeball staring at me.
There’s muttering, scrabbling, and then the door swings wide open, and a dude is standing in the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s solidly built—definitely works out—and the stubble on his face is perfectly even. His nails are manicured. Interesting.
“Hey, sorry,” I say, flashing the guy my most dazzling smile. “Is Autumn around? I’m Zeke Holloway—”
Autumn steps into the doorway, face twisted in irritation, shoving the guy aside.
Her auburn hair’s in a messy knot on the top of her head, and she’s got on this satin camisole and short set that honestly should be illegal with the way her dusky nipples are poking through it.
I swallow, trying to keep my grin intact.
Autumn’s fashion is always on-point—I should’ve known her sleepwear would be sexy as hell, but I wasn’t prepared for it.
“Zeke, what the heck,” Autumn rasps. Her eyes bore holes into mine. “It’s three in the goddamn morning. What can you possibly need?”
My eyes flit to the other guy, then back to Autumn. I’ve never seen him before, but he’s got a jawline that could cut glass, and I’m here for it.
“Well,” I drawl, giving Autumn a flash of teeth. “I don’t know what you guys were up to, but if there’s room for one more, I might say yes.”
“God, don’t be weird,” Autumn snaps. She waves a hand at the guy next to her, who’s scowling at me now. “Trey’s married—and he doesn’t swing my way, anyway. We’re sleeping—like normal people—because, as I said, it’s three in the—”
“—goddamn morning,” I finish, laughing.
“You gonna tell us what you need?” Trey asks, fixing me with a pointed look that tells me I shouldn’t push my luck. “Or you just woke us up for the laughs?”
I run a hand through my hair. I’m sure its unruly state, paired with the cloying scent of the perfume, gives away what activities I’ve been up to prior to this—if that was ever even a question.
“Yeah—okay.” I chuckle, clearing my throat. “I locked myself out of the cabin.”
Autumn’s exaggerated sigh makes the corners of my mouth twitch. I’m trying really hard to be serious—and trying even harder not to stare at her tits through that flimsy tank top—but she’s making it really hard.
God. No. Pull it together, Zeke. Don’t you dare think about things being hard.
The door clicks shut, and for a moment I think Autumn Carroway has taken her perky tits inside and shut the door in my face.
Wouldn’t be the first door I’ve had slammed on me, no lie.
But then, after a minute of scuffling and hushed whispers, the door opens again and Autumn’s standing in the doorway.
She’s holding the spare key up so it dangles in front of me, and something about the way it’s swinging between us is so damn hot it makes me take a step closer to her.
I hold my hand out, and Autumn drops the key into my palm, her gaze never leaving mine.
When I break her stare to rake my eyes over her flimsy nightwear, she doesn’t move, and I don’t even try to hide where my gaze naturally lingers.
Like I said—I won’t be moving out of Autumn Carroway’s lakeside cabin until I’ve done exactly what I want with her. It’s pretty simple.
“Alright,” Trey says. He claps his hands, and I can tell by the tone of his voice that he knows exactly what this little stare down was about. “You got your key, kid. Now let us get some sleep.”
Suddenly, there’s a flash of movement beyond the door. It’s fast, quick as lightning—like someone pulled the cord on a flash bulb. I tense, craning my neck to peer beyond Autumn’s frame and further into the house.
“Wait,” I say. “What was that? Do you have the TV on?”
Autumn’s eyebrows raise, and she looks at me incredulously. “What was what?”
“That flash.”
I gesture beyond her to what appears to be an elegant foyer, but as I do, I know exactly what it was. Because now the whispers have started—the swirling, rhythmical lilt of voices I can never understand, but which I can always feel. Ghosts.
Autumn just looks confused. Behind her, it’s Trey’s turn to sigh dramatically.
“No clue what flash you’re talking about,” Autumn says, “but I’m going to bed. Bring the key back tomorrow—and don’t lose it.”
As she turns to head back into the house, I catch a glimpse of faded black ink above her ass, peeking out from beneath the camisole. Interesting. I like.
But then she shuts the door on me—this time for real—and the light flicks off in the foyer.
I pocket the spare key and set off down the sidewalk, bounding once again across the grassy span leading to the cabin.
Ghosts or no ghosts, I need a cold fucking shower.
Autumn Carroway and her perky tits made sure of that.