Emotions tugged on the protective cord wrapped around her guarded heart, unraveling the binds. She surrendered to the sweet ache that had filled her soul for ten long years.

Carrie Ann let go, falling hard.

No parachute needed.

“I love you, Summer.”

“I love you, Red. I never stopped loving you…and I never will.”

*

The sweet scents of love and Eskimo Pie clung to the sheets when the early afternoon sunshine peeked out from the clouds and broke through the window. Her dark hair splayed across his pillow, their heads nearly touching as she snuggled tightly against his warm body.

Summer’s fingertips traced an idle pattern over her bare hip. “Morning, beautiful.”

“Morning, handsome.” They’d expressed their love a dozen times during the night, worshiping one another until dawn, but she couldn’t help but to say it again. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” His lips brushed along her temple. “It’s already late. I can’t believe we slept this long.”

The flat of her hand wandered across his bare chest and stomach, admiring the firm dips. “I think it was all the sugar in the caramel sauce.”

“There’s still a little left.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s impossible.”

“Actually, I am kidding.” She felt his grin against her cheek. Summer pushed himself upright and climbed out of bed naked. “I’ll take that sugar high anytime.”

Rolling to her belly, she propped her chin atop her fists. Raking a hungry stare over his glorious body flying at full staff, Carrie pouted a little. “Are you sure it’s all gone?”

Turning back, his eyes followed her gaze. He fisted the hard sprung length and stroked. “Is this what you want?”

Her chin lifted expectantly and her feet waggled back and forth. She licked her lips. “Yes.”

“This?” he questioned again with another full stroke, flashing her a cocky smile.

“Yes.”

A filthy chuckle filtered through the room. “You’ll have to wait until we get home. We should’ve been in the air two hours ago and I need to button up a few things so we can get going.”

The warning of departure flipped her internal panic button. Tremors quivered down her entire frame.

Digital detox was coming to an end and the confessional clock was still ticking.

“Okay.”

Summer’s voice woke Aspen from her slumber as she laid sprawled out in a ray of sunshine. She staggered from her dog bed, arching into a quick full body shiver, before tromping after him into the closet.

*

“Why are you pouring anti-freeze down the sink?” A severe case of nerves forced a stark tone to her voice.

He laughed tracing his index finger over the notch of confusion tucked between her brows. “We haven’t talked schedules yet, so I’m not sure when we’ll make it back here. I’m hoping soon, but it is Montana and if it freezes, I don’t want to come home to a flood.”

“Gotcha,” she nodded, adding, “Soon is good.”

“I’ve been trying to get John and Shayla up here with the boys, but timing hasn’t worked out yet. Plus I think she’s afraid to fly with me.”

“I can’t imagine how much fun those boys would have up here,” she paused. “Do you hang out with them very often? Shayla’s never said anything.”

“That’s because she’s sworn to the borders of Switzerland, but yes, we’ve hung out a few times. John and I get along really well, now that he understands I’m not out to get his woman.”

An insightful chuckle simmered in her chest. “He’s just…a little protective.”

“Yeah, I’ll say.” Summer’s eyes pulled wide. “Can’t say I blame him. I wanted to rip that realtor, Jason, in half. He’s got some explaining to do.” Though she heard the distinct harsh warning, Carrie Ann was only half-listening to him talk. She opened her mouth to talk, but she only managed a swift inhale before Summer continued. “The cabin’s all squared away. I’ll start loading the plane, if you want to pack up your things, we’ll take off. You can leave whatever you won’t be using at home…hiking shoes, sweats, jackets. Whatever you want. Next time we come, we’ll go shopping for whatever you need.”

A genuine heart stopping smile eased into the tiny wrinkles near his eyes. He tossed the empty jug of antifreeze in the garbage, tied the red drawstrings into a knot, and lifted the trash from the container.

She couldn’t breathe.

Carrie Ann could only watch as Summer walked outside.

A cold ache gripped her insides. She felt weak and pathetic for putting it off as long as she had. Her heart raced unable to shake the feelings of betrayal.

Out of time and slowly losing her mind, she threw her suitcase on top of the ottoman, cramming her things inside. Aspen sat at her heels, listening to Carrie Ann go off on a tangent, mumbling under her breath.

Stomping into the bathroom, she unzipped her overnight case and began haphazardly tossing in her creams, washes, brushes.

“Fuck! Fuckity-fuck.” The bag was nearly full, yet half of her things still sat on the counter. She shoved her hands into the case, taking items out one at a time and slamming them on the counter, roughly reorganizing.

Reaching the bottom, she pulled out several bottles of nail polish. Her lip twitched. She sniffed. “We didn’t even get to these.”

Catching sight of her sullen reflection in the mirror, Carrie Ann’s chin trembled. And then crumpled. Big tears rolled down her cheek and fell into the sink. Splatters of black mascara ran down the white porcelain.

“You are a chicken shit…wussy…using Eskimo fucking pie as a feeble excuse to let him sidetrack you. It was a cop out. That’s what it was…a damn cop out,” she scolded herself sourly, ranting as she stared at the pitiful reflection. Glimpsing downward through a slick of wetness, her thumb etched over the raised lettering on the small glass bottles of red and pink enamel.

Desperate times lead to desperate measures.

“One more day. I just need one more day.”

Carrie Ann splashed water on her face, removing any signs of her meltdown. Digging through her luggage, she rummaged through the zipped mesh section holding her lacy delicates. Pulling out all the stops, she chose her favorite go-to one-piece teddy. The black racy number made her feel sexy and confident. She’d worn it more than a dozen times, typically when she needed to feel fearless during a boardroom meeting, but never for a man.

Sitting in the chair beside the fireplace, she waited patiently for Summer to come back inside. He bound through the door, heading for his bedroom as he called out for her, “Red? Is your suitcase ready?”

“No,” she replied softly, just loud enough to let him know she was in the living room. Butterflies tickled her tummy and her pulse raced like a stampede of wild buffalo.

“Plane’s all ready to go. Do you need…” He skidded to a halt, words cut short getting a glimpse of her bare legs stretched out on the ottoman. An intrigued smile tucked into the corner of his mouth as he lowered his sunglasses to the bridge of his nose.

A timid grin spread over her face. Courage, Carrie Ann. Courage. Squaring her shoulders, she pushed herself from the chair.

“We have some unfinished business to attend to.”

“Fuck me.” She heard him murmur his own version of Holy shit! “I guess we do.”

Utterly speechless, he moseyed toward her. She shook her head no, eyes squinted in a sensual mock grin, indicting he should take a seat.

Hands behind her back, her hips swished from side-to-side, slinking toward him wearing the black racy teddy. Tendrils of long dark hair fell over the lace covering her breasts. Summer eased back into the sofa. Denim stretched over his solid thighs as she stood between his parted legs.

Her blue eyes burned into his for a full ten seconds, watching a hard swallow ripple down his throat. Raising onto her tiptoes, she turned around, revealing the back of her barely there Brazilian-cut bottom. Carrie Ann heard his breath hitch, which flooded her with an added dose of bravery.