The Summer Place

CHAPTER THIRTEEN



“HONESTLY, TARA, I THINK the urge is getting worse instead of better. I thought, after the first couple of days, it would lighten up. But it’s been a week since we had the talk, and it’s getting to the point that it’s all I think about when I’m not busy.”

A ripple of laughter from Tara echoed around her friend’s bedroom as she continued folding her laundry. Ginny and Charlie were showing the kids a movie in the dining hall—a special treat to kick off the week. It was nice having a couple of free hours in the middle of the day.

“I’m not kidding.” Summer huffed. “The corn dog at lunch nearly sent me over the edge.”

Tara gave a hearty laugh and managed to land a towel over Summer’s head. “So just do it, and get it over with.”

“No, I can’t. We made an agreement, and I don’t want him to think I’m some kind of sex addict.” Summer let out an anguished groan. “I mean, I love being with him for the hour or so we have at night. It’s really romantic. We swim or go for walks in the woods. And we talk...about everything. I’ve learned a lot about him and his family and his career, so I’m not complaining. I just want more time with him. Lots more.”

“You shouldn’t be getting this serious so soon. You may have learned a lot about him, but you’ve barely scratched the surface. I mean, Louis and I have been together for eight years, and I’m still learning new things about him.” Tara’s voice trailed away on the thought.

“I think that’s a good thing. You don’t want a relationship to go stale.” Summer folded the towel Tara had thrown at her and set it aside. “Have you noticed that look Rick gets in his eyes sometimes? Sort of a sad, faraway look?”

Tara pursed her lips as she thought. “No. Not really. He always seems pretty upbeat to me.”

Summer shrugged. “Maybe it’s just me. I think he worries more than he lets on. His best friend’s dog tags tattooed over his heart? You’ve got to admit that’s pretty heavy.”

“But sweet.” Tara wrinkled her nose and added, “Sweet in an over-the-top manly kind of way.”

“Maybe I’ll get a couple of tattoos.” Summer kept her face serious as she traced a finger across the top of one breast. “Rick—” and then moved to the other “—Warren.”

“Aye!” Tara shuddered, and Summer smiled that her comment had gotten the desired result. Aggravating her older sisters had been a favorite pastime when she was growing up. Being with Tara was kind of like being with them.

A grin tugged at Summer’s lips. “It would be a way to show him I’m taking this seriously.”

“You’re losing it. You need to breathe.” Tara took some exaggerated deep breaths. “C’mon. Take some deep, cleansing breaths.”

Summer did as she was told and started to relax a bit. She lay back on the bed again as Tara’s breathing continued. “Okay, c’mon! Now you’re being creepy. And the heavy breathing is gonna sling me right back into thinking about sex with him. Talk to me about something else.”

Tara obliged and started chatting about details of the pageant the counselors were planning for the last night of camp. “I have my costume ready, and Rick said his mom was mailing his. How about you?”

“I’ve got a fairy princess story I think the boys will enjoy as much as the girls.”

“How are the parties going without you? Is Kate handling things to your satisfaction?”

Summer smiled at Tara’s intuitiveness. Fairy Princess Parties was probably the only subject that could truly pry her thoughts away from Rick for a while. She shared some new activities Kate had added that she was planning on keeping in the rotation permanently.

“See?” Tara smiled. “You haven’t lost your focus. It’s still on the kids.”

“Unless Rick’s around.” Summer sighed and then felt the smile break across her lips unbidden. “Mmm, I love thinking about him.”

Tara cleared her throat. “Today’s field trip should be fun and educational.” She was obviously trying to direct the conversation away from Rick again.

“Yeah? I’ve never been to this place we’re going to today.” Summer didn’t add that a replica of an 1850s farm sounded hideously boring or that the kids were going to hate it. She’d tried to steer Rick away from this particular idea, but he’d remained adamant.

And he was the assistant director.

His title didn’t bother her nearly as much as it used to, though her parents’ preference of him over her still tightened her gut when she thought about it.

She tried not to think about it. Her time would come.

Tara gave a wistful sigh. “I practically grew up in the Land Between the Lakes. All our school field trips were there. I know you think the kids are going to be bored.” Tara had gotten to know her well. She hadn’t made her negative comments about this field trip to anyone except Rick. “But I think they’ll enjoy it. Learning what life was like back then. The chores and all. It’s...entertaining.”

“How do you think people had sex back in those days?” Summer wondered aloud about what Tara said previously about the pioneers. “Those log cabins were tiny, so the kids would’ve been just a few feet away. There wouldn’t have been any privacy, and you know the beds had to creak really bad.”

“I dunno. Maybe they went to the barn?”

“But what if you had hay fever?” Summer paused. “I’ve always thought sneezes and orgasms feel kind of the same. Not literally, but both of them have that buildup, like a bad itch that needs to be scratched, and then when it happens, it’s such a relief—”

“Aaiiee! Would you get a hold of yourself?” Tara drew in a loud breath. “Hey, wait! Maybe that’s not a bad idea. Maybe you should—”

“No!” Summer protested. “I’m saving myself for Rick.” That sent both of them into a fit of laughter. Summer rolled over and looked at the time. “The movie will be over soon, and I want to get my laundry folded, too.”

“I’m going to keep an eye on you when we get to the farm. Stay out of the barn,” Tara warned before Summer got out the door.

With a little time to spare, Summer showered and changed clothes. She’d never sweated through so many changes of clothes before. She folded and put away her laundry. Thank heavens Ginny was willing to wash the staff laundry; otherwise, they’d have to change it to clothing optional for the staff, which wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it involved Rick in the buff.... She mentally rebuked herself for letting her thoughts stray that direction again.

As she crossed the parking lot to move the bus to the loading area, Kenny drove in, pulling his new camper behind him. It was bigger and newer and shinier than the one destroyed in the storm.

Summer waved. “Wow! She’s a beauty, Kenny.”

“Thanks.” Kenny grinned from ear to ear. “The storm turned out to be a good thing, after all.”

Rick would be relieved, too. He would get his cabin to himself again. He hadn’t felt free to go back to his cabin during the day with Kenny trying to sleep, so he’d roamed around a lot—making notes in the file folder he kept with him all the time.

Yesterday, she’d walked in on him measuring the dining hall, and she’d questioned him about it. He answered that her parents were thinking about repainting the floor, which irked her that they’d talked to him about it and not her.

She reminded herself that the folder only contained a bunch of notes, but Rick still seemed almost sheepish every time she found him writing in it. Maybe a little embarrassment over his borderline OCD, and she now wondered if it was OCD or just all the rigid upbringing from his dad. Whatever it was, she wished he’d let his guard down more often.

She’d learned a lot about Rick Warren over the past week, but there was still a whole lot of man to uncover.

That task she would enjoy every minute of.

* * *

FERN WOODROW THREW HER ARMS around Rick’s neck and held on a little too long. “You haven’t called me in way too long,” she whispered.

Rick didn’t have any sisters, but he gave Fern what he hoped was a sisterly pat on the back before he straightened up and broke her hold. He’d been hoping she’d left the job playing the role of the Browns’ daughter at the Old Homeplace, but here she was. And the sweet smile on Summer’s face as she watched the display of affection didn’t match the coolness in her eyes.

“It’s good to see you, Fern,” Rick lied. “And Peggy.” The older woman let M&M take over the churning for a moment while Rick gave her a hug of real affection. “Man, I’ve missed your Dutch oven blackberry cobblers.”

He watched Summer wander out of the log cabin behind a group of girls.

“Well, you need to quit making yourself so scarce,” Peggy chided. “Now, catch me up on what’s going on with you.”

Much as he wanted to follow Summer, Rick felt obligated to chat for a while with his old friends. He covered the past three years of his life—the time since he’d left the park ranger’s job—as succinctly as possible, but by the time he’d finished, Summer had vanished. She could be in any of the sixteen log structures.

The farm was a place where the kids could roam free and spend as much time as they wanted learning about what interested them. So now that he’d spent some time visiting with his old friends and extricating himself from the clutches of Fern Woodrow, he and Summer could have two hours of free time together. Well, as free as they could be surrounded by thirty people.

But he’d take what he could get.

He tried to decide where she might’ve gone after the kitchen. Toolshed, maybe? She drove a bus, after all. The corn crop looked good, he observed as he walked the edge of the field toward the toolshed. Felix Pratt stopped his saw-sharpening demonstration long enough to shake hands with Rick and welcome him back. Rick felt the sting of another delay stealing precious minutes away from time he could have with Summer.

Some of the girls were going toward the cabin where they could make cornhusk dolls, so he headed that way in hopes of finding her. But just before he stepped through the doorway, he caught the flash of sunlight on her braid, going into the barn. He had to force his legs to a walk rather than the jog they were insisting on.

The doors at both ends of the barn were open, pulling a breeze through that smelled of leather, straw and horse manure.

When his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight to the shade, he found her, cooing and nuzzling the neck of one of the horses, looking so tiny and delicate standing next to the giant animal. He paused just to take in the sight.

“I’m not sure that’s appropriate behavior with a horse you just met.” He strolled up beside her.

She raised her chin and tilted her head to lean it against the animal’s jaw as she continued scratching its neck. “Well, you certainly seem well acquainted with everyone.”

The horse snorted and bobbed its head.

“You stay out of this,” Rick scolded. “These were my stomping grounds for four years,” he added by way of explanation to Summer’s question.

Her eyes squinted in challenge. “I think you did more than stomp.”

“Fern and I had three dates.” Rick shrugged, hoping that ended it. “There was never anything between us. She just wanted a man.”

“Bless her heart.” Summer’s fingernails found what must have been the perfect spot. The horse stretched out its head, and she scratched harder.

Rick couldn’t hold back the grin. “I never pegged you for the jealous type.”

Summer cast him a sidelong glance. “Because I’ve never been jealous.”

“Never?”

“Nope. I have this philosophy. A guy you have to fight for isn’t worth having.”

Rick scratched his head. “That’s pretty harsh.”

“Not really.” She gave a shrug. “If he wants somebody else, then he doesn’t want me.”

He reached out and caught her chin on two fingers, turning her face to him. “I want you.”

A smile teased at the edges of her mouth, and he realized he was being played. He brushed his thumb across her lips, watching her eyes close in response. He couldn’t have stopped himself from kissing her if the whole world had been watching.

But the world wasn’t watching. They were alone. He kissed her forehead and both of her eyes and the tip of her nose.

“Somebody might come in.” Her words had hardly any breath behind them.

“I don’t care,” he said, and kissed her on the mouth long enough to elicit a sigh from them both when they broke away.

“Mmm.” She smiled as she opened her eyes slowly. “Tara told me to stay away from the barn.”

“Why is that?” He smoothed back a strand of hair that had worked loose from her braid.

“She didn’t want it to stir up my hay fever.” She patted the horse’s neck and laughed at the joke he’d somehow missed.

She seemed totally at ease with the horse, which intrigued him. “If you grew up in Paducah, how’d you get so comfortable around horses?”

“Kate’s grandpa has a farm, and he had horses we used to ride. I loved it. I begged Mom and Dad for a horse, but they didn’t think I was responsible enough to take care of one.” She shrugged. “They were probably right.”

“At least you realize that now.”

“That...and a whole lot more.”

The talk was taking a serious turn that Rick didn’t want right then. They only had a few minutes. “Bet you’re looking forward to the ride next week, then, aren’t you?”

“I am, but it’s been a while, so it’ll probably make me really sore.” He watched her demeanor change, saw the impish gleam come into her eyes as she tilted her head and looked up at him. “How about you? Has it been a while since you’ve...ridden?”

Rick wasn’t sure she was still talking about horses. “Yeah, it’s been a while.” He tried to keep a straight face. “But I think I can remember how to do it pretty well.”

She licked her lips, her eyes never straying from his. “I love sitting in the saddle, the feel of the horse beneath me, increasing its speed slowly from a walk to a trot and then a gallop.”

Rick trailed a finger down her arm and felt her shiver. “My favorite way is bareback. Using the movement of my body to control the direction. Running my hands into the silky mane...”

She drew a long breath, closing her eyes in an invitation he gladly accepted. He kissed her again, feeling the fire from her tongue consuming him, throwing his world into a spin he had no desire to control.

He drew back and looked at her, not even trying to contain the awe he felt. “Is kissing you as wonderful as I think it is? Or is it just all the pent-up passion? I mean, do you think it will be this good...afterward?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m looking forward to finding out.”

“Me, too.” He brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek, flushed with desire and from the heat in the barn. “Think we better leave before we catch this place on fire?”

She kissed the horse’s neck and gave him a final pat. “Yeah, I feel my hay fever kicking in.”

They started toward the barn door, but she stopped. When he turned toward her, her brows were drawn together in concern.

“What is it?”

“Something I’ve been wanting to ask you about, but I wasn’t sure I should...yet.” She took a deep breath, and he could see this was difficult for her.

He met her eyes straight on. “You can ask me anything. What’s bothering you?”

“Semper fi.”

“O-kay.” Confused and more than a little surprised, he drew the word out. “What about it?”

“You still take it seriously.”

He rested his fists on his hips and nodded. “Very.”

Her teeth chewed at her bottom lip before she spoke. “Will you always be a marine? At heart, I mean?”

“Always. Forever. That’s what it means.” He remembered the look of doubt in Summer’s eyes when the girls asked him about the slogan.

“Do you ever take time off from duty. I mean, you know...time just for yourself?”

His gut tightened. “Not very often,” he admitted. “But...maybe the right person could help with that.”

“Yeah? What kind of person would it take?” A shadow darkened her eyes.

“Somebody very different from me, I think. Somebody uninhibited. Somebody with a vivacity for life. Somebody with a wild-child nature...”

Her smile was gentle, like she was talking to one of the kids. “I know somebody like that.”

“Well.” He gave her a wink. “Maybe you could fix me up with her.”

She pursed her lips as she considered his suggestion. “I dunno, Warren. You may be beyond fixing.”

She was kidding, but Rick flinched involuntarily at her words. How many times after a particularly grueling nightmare had he thought that very thing?

Her smile tightened, worry marks forming between her brows. Rick hurried to lighten the moment. “Yeah, I might require the motherload of all fairy princess magic.”

That brought a smile to her lips.

They moved from the barn into the sunlight. The Old Homeplace looked like a beehive swarming with kids.

“I have to disagree with you about one thing, Summer.”

Sarcasm tinged her laugh. “One thing? You disagree with me about everything. What this time?”

He stopped and made sure he had her full attention before he spoke. “There are people worth fighting for.”

He heard her sigh, and he couldn’t tell if it was one of contentment or something else completely.

* * *

SUMMER TRIED TO LOSE HERSELF in the tranquil chirping of the crickets outside her bedroom window, hoping to find enough peace to allow sleep to come.

She stared at the clock. Thirty-four minutes had passed since Rick left her, and she was still dizzy with desire for him. The heat of his hands on her back as they’d wandered under her shirt during an extremely long, hot kiss blazed in her imagination as if she’d been branded by them. The nerves in her palms still tingled from smoothing over the muscles in his back, which tapered down to his waist.

They were playing with fire, but keeping their hands off each other was asking the impossible, and not something either of them wanted to do. And while it didn’t exactly give relief, it helped move things to a more adult level.

She concentrated on the ache in her core. It wasn’t an ache—it was a need...and it didn’t hurt. In fact, it was quite yummy and it made her feel alive and breathless with anticipation.

She laughed, realizing that she was, indeed, panting, just at the thought of the time when she and Rick would finally get to make love.

Tara had been right about getting to know each other first. She’d barely broken through that shell, and there was so much more she wanted to know about him. The outside was all steel and rock, but sometimes—and apparently she was the only one who saw it—she glimpsed vulnerability beneath. He kept it covered well, but it was there. It came out at certain times. Usually with the kids...or when he mentioned Dunk...or the way he looked at her in the moonlight.

It made her want to open him up and examine everything inside that made him who he was.

But right now, it made her hot...and thirsty. A cool glass of lemonade might offset enough of the heat to allow her to sleep.

She eased out of bed, not bothering to turn on any lights as her eyes were well adjusted to the darkness, and the sparse furnishings left the space uncluttered.

Coming out of the bedroom into the living room, her eyes caught the movement and her body froze, paralyzed by fear.

A second later, the adrenaline kicked in. A scream tore from her lungs.