The Summer of Us (Mission Cove 1)

“Up,” I commanded, marveling at the ease with which he lifted his body and mine off the hard ground just enough so I could pull his pants down to free his cock. Seconds later, he was inside me, one hard thrust making us both cry out. He slid his hand up my back, burying it in my hair, holding the nape of my neck. He fastened his other hand on my hip, using it to guide me. I buried my face in his neck, moaning in long gasps at the sensation of him filling me.

There was nothing tender or sweet in our actions. This wasn’t making love. This was our possession of each other. Our need to feel something besides sadness and pain.

We moved together wildly. Pushed and pulled. Gave and took. My body was on fire for him, and Linc was frantic in his desire. He groaned and cursed, guided me up and down, pulled my face to his to kiss me, his tongue mimicking what his cock was doing to me. He gripped my shirt so hard I felt the seams rend, and I wondered if either of us would make it out of this with any clothes left intact. His suit was ruined, my clothes in tatters.

It didn’t matter.

He pulled back, our gazes locking. Passion, want, need bled from his eyes. So did love. I could feel it soak into my skin as we stared. His expression was fierce, his need rampant, but the Linc I knew, the one I loved so desperately, was still there—with me.

The moment was powerful—life-changing for us both.

Then his body locked down, and he pulled me to him, shuddering, filling me. His orgasm kicked off mine, and I cried out, my walls clamping down, my body spasming. Through it all, Linc held me close, his voice now tender, the sweep of his hand gentle. I collapsed into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me securely. I felt his lips pressing to my head repeatedly, soft words being crooned as we slowly returned to earth. Returned to us.

I shivered as a cool breeze drifted around us, and Linc sat up, reaching for his jacket. He pulled it around me, then gathered me up in his arms again.

For a moment, there was only the sound of his rapid heartbeat under my ear, then he chuckled.

I lifted my head. “What?”

“I have never done a walk of shame before, but I’m pretty sure this one will be epic.”

I glanced down. My shorts were in shreds, my shirt so badly stretched it hung off my shoulders. Linc’s shirt was torn and dirty, his pants covered in grass and mud, hundreds of small tears in them from the rocks. I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my lips. “Oops.”

“You can wait here, and I’ll go to the car and grab some things. We can change before we head back into town.”

I snuggled back into his chest. “Not yet.”

He stroked my hair, his voice low and tender. “Okay, Sunny-girl. When you’re ready.”

I couldn’t look at him. “You’re not-you’re not leaving now, right?”

He tightened his arms. “No. I am never leaving you. I’m not complete without you, Sunny.” He sighed. “I’ll stay and help you whatever way I can. Legally.”

I lifted my head. “What happened, Linc? I saw the den.”

He exhaled, pulled me to him and rested his chin on my head. “I couldn’t threaten Martha. I tried, but the thought made me ill. I kept hearing your voice, and I knew you were right. If I did that today, I was well on my way to becoming my father. So I gave her the pictures and let her burn them. She told me she knew my mother at school, and I was like her. I had never heard that before. I started thinking, remembering things. Fights, angry words, my mother pleading with my father to come back to her. I was too young to understand, but now the words make sense.”

He paused, and I trailed my fingers over his skin. “What happened next?”

“I got angry. With him. With everything. I took it out on his office—he valued it more than me or my mother, so I destroyed it. I wanted it ruined before the house is gone. When the desk overturned, I found another hidden box with more documents, pictures. I burned them all. It got a little out of control, and I had to get a bucket or two of water to put out the fire. I was going to let it spread, but I knew the fire department would arrive before the house totally burned, so I put it out.”

“Good choice.” I touched his hand. “Is that how you burned yourself?”

“Yeah, one of the embers landed on me.” He chuckled, the sound low and dark. “I really want to watch that place implode.”