“Red…” His smooth tone drew her eyes upward. His hands moved to her arms, stroking from her elbow to the thin pale skin of her wrists. “I’m smart enough not to push you. We both had a lot to say. Time’s already taken too much from each of us. All I’m asking is that you keep an open mind. Let your guard down a little.”

An obscure cloak of anxieties fastened tightly around her heart. She wasn’t even aware she’d been holding her breath until a heavy exhale expelled from her lungs. Concern sifted through his eyes. Releasing another shuddery sigh, she unlocked her fingers, stretching them straight.

“It’s been so long, Summer. Can’t we just be friends…for now?” Hearing the sound of her own voice, tenuous and indefinite, shocked her. She swallowed hard, pushing down the trepidation growing inside. “See how we feel?”

“I don’t want to be your friend, Carrie Ann.” She heard him murmur. He raised to his feet, playing with her fingers before letting them loose, dropping his hand at his side. “I want to be your everything.”

Chapter Eight

‡

Summer gave her space for much of the afternoon, chopping enough firewood to last two seasons of the bitter Montana winter. Carrie Ann flipped through the pages of the western romance, but found it impossible to pay attention, constantly re-reading the pages. Her head and her heart were in an intense battle of tug-a-war, neither wanting to concede. Logic weighed in with a heavy hand yielding a wealth of reasons why she should say no. They had a history. Their relationship started off as a fairytale, but ended in a nightmare. However, merely being in his presence made her heart beat faster. The world seemed to list in perfect balance, producing a feeling of comfort she’d almost forgotten. And God knows, her vagina waited impatiently on the sidelines ready, willing and able to take on the challenge at any given notice. Closing the pages of the book against her chest, she laid her head back, peering up at the log beams. Right on cue, her old nemesis, guilt, moved to the forefront, nailing the doors to her heart shut.

The clicking of puppy nails, echoed above the thunderous rain. Carrie Ann slid off the chair, sitting cross legged on the floor. She called the pup with a kiss of her lips, “C’mere girl.”

Aspen bounded into the living room, muddy paws and all. Summer jogged right behind, scooping her into his arms before she dirtied the Indian rug spread across the wide plank floor. Rich bands of gold, brown, purple and maroon, weaved together, mimicking the colors of red cliffs at sunset.

“Oops, sorry.”

Aspen wiggled and whined. Her cute little paws darting in midair wanting to get to Carrie Ann.

“That’s okay. I don’t blame her. If I didn’t think you’d slap me, I’d do the same thing.” He flashed a smile and she couldn’t help but return the grin. “Let me wash her paws off and you can have her.”

A few minutes later, Aspen licked her face wildly. The earthy scent of the wet outdoors clung to her fur. Summer retrieved a rugged looking cell phone from his back pocket and placed it atop the low coffee table made from an old trunk. “Shayla wants you to give her a call.”

“You have cell service way out here?”

“I like to refer to it as a necessary evil, but yes, I have a satellite phone. I love being out here in the middle of nowhere, but it’s a critical lifeline to the rest of the world. I have cable too, but only in the barn. I didn’t want TV’s or computers in the cabin. It’s a digital detox zone. I should warn you…you might go through withdrawals.” A faint smile touched his lips. “I’m gonna hop in the shower.”

“Okay.” Her voice wavered a bit, focusing her attention on Aspen. “Does she know what’s going on?”

“Yes.”

“Everything?”

“I might’ve spared her some of the inflight service details…”

She could feel her face flush. Judging by the gleam in his eyes, her discomfiture pleased him immensely.

“You’ll get better reception near the window in the kitchen.”

“Thanks,” she replied smugly. Carrie Ann dialed the familiar number, wandering into the kitchen.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Shay.”

“Finally! How are you?”

“I’m okay. Tired, I guess. I’ve been sleeping a lot. I’m not sure if it’s a reaction from the drug or if I was just exhausted from working so much the last few months.”

“Probably both, and I wasn’t referring to your sleeping habits. Look, I’m not trying to discount the fact that you were drugged, but the last time Summer called, he was trippin’ out because you’d run off and were sitting by his pool in the pouring rain.”

Carrie Ann rolled her eyes. “I was under a tree,” she replied mockingly.

Binoculars sat on the windowsill above the sink. Lowering the dog to the floor, she raised to her tiptoes. She could see the farthest edge of the mineral pond beyond the grassy knoll.

“Don’t give me that shit, Carrie Ann. I need to know if you’re okay. And so does Summer. He’s worried sick about you, thinking he’s lost his…” Shayla’s words trailed off.

“Lost his what, Shay? Another chance with me? He hasn’t lost anything. He never had a second shot.”

Shayla cleared the agitation from her throat. Ahem. “You’re always the one insisting we keep it real. Right? So this is me keeping it real and don’t even think about tabling this! When we spoke on the phone you were happily packing to go on your, and I quote, ‘million dollar vacation with the love of your life.’ I’m going out on limb here, but I’m guessing you don’t remember?”

Drawing an insufferable amount of air through her nostrils, she hinged at the hips, exhaling as she propped her elbows against the chilly slate counter. Holding up her forehead with the palm of her hand, Carrie Ann shook her head. “No. I don’t.”

“You were ridiculously happy,” Shayla paused, seemingly to make an attempt at masking her sniffles, but they resounded loud and clear, over the Pacific and half way around the country. “I have tried to stay out of this shit for too long. I’ve been there for both of you! Hurting on both sides. But it’s to the point where I just really…” Profuse emotions choked in her throat. “I really just want to kick your ass! You know that? You can sit there and pretend you don’t have any feelings for him, but I am here to clearly inform you that you do! In fact, you have deep feelings for him.” Her tone gathered strength. “You need to tell to him!”

Caught off guard by Shayla’s outburst, she whispered shamefully, “You know I can’t, Shayla. He’ll never forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive!” Tenderness filtered through her tone. “Do you remember what you told me when I realized that John was six years younger than me?”

“That’s totally different, Shayla.”

“It’s no different. I considered letting go of the best thing I’d ever had in my life because of a number! And do you know what you told me… everything happens for a reason.”

“I can’t, Shay. It’s been too long. What would I say?”

“You tell him the truth. He’s not just a boy with a nice set of abs, Carrie Ann.”

“He never was.”

“He’s a grown-ass man, a great man, who can handle the truth. What are the chances that you’d run into him, attend his premier, get drugged at your own event. And let’s not forget that the man laid out a cool million to simply spend time with you. I know, I know, it borders on desperate, but look at the lengths he’d readily go to. Who would do that?”

John’s voice broke through the receiver in a quiet but firm undertone, “I would do it for Shay. Does that help?”

“No, boy wonder! That doesn’t help. Stay out of it.”

Shayla’s voice muffled, repeating Carrie Ann’s words of caution to her hubby. Aspen hightailed it down the hallway. She could hear Summer talking to the puppy sweetly in his bedroom.