Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“You don’t like the city,” she says, and it’s not a question, so I don’t answer. “I grew up in New York until I was seven, then we moved to Detroit. That’s about as city as you get. I still go back to New York whenever I can. I love it there.” I see in the way her eyebrows rise, the way her lips stay open. I’m missing some cue here, but whatever it is, I’m lost. As much as my heart and my dick want to spend time with Summer, what I want will always be second to what Hailey needs.
“You should get to know her,” I say, wondering if such a perfect, sweet girl like her could ever understand the monsters inside of me and why they came to live there. “See you later.”
They don’t know I’m watching them.
The view from the camera in the living room of our cabin shows me the back of my daughter’s head, her blonde hair curling around her ears as she sits with Summer on the floor next to the wide back window, repeating lines of a silly made-up rhyme that has her giggling as much as talking.
The entire camp has cameras and audio equipment set up. The Adventure Network installed it all, wanting to get a realistic flavor of my life.
Side benefit I didn’t expect is I get to be a fucking voyeur. I’m the watcher instead of the watched, for once.
From my seat behind the monitors in the office in the main hall, I take it all in. Summer is a fucking natural with Hailey, making the whole thing into a game, and if I didn’t want to admit it to myself before, I’m beginning to understand what other people mean when they talk about how it feels to fall in love.
The falling part is spot on. Like falling down a sheer mountainside with no fucking helmet.
Still, all I can keep thinking is, she’s perfect.
She’s sweet and sassy and smart. With perfect hair. Perfect tits. Perfect ass. And don’t get me started on those lips.
Inside my head, there are not just visions of the filthy, monstrous things I want to do with her and to her.
But other things. Things I was sure would never mean anything to me.
Like waking up next to someone every morning. Making sure she eats and drinks and goes to the doctor and never uses her phone while she’s driving.
But that’s not the most shocking thing going on inside my head.
I can’t shake the feeling I want to give Hailey a sibling. Or ten. With this girl who is rocking my boat until I feel like I’m going to puke over the edge.
Fuck. I know she’s a city girl. I see the painted nails, the makeup, the beauty-salon smooth legs. I’m all wrong for her, but she’s my goddess and I would die a happy man if I just got to taste that pussy one time.
No fraternization with the staff.
Even if I’d recognized Summer the moment I saw her, I don’t think I would have been able to stop myself from being pulled into her orbit. I couldn’t have walked away.
My phone starts ringing, and I grab it without hesitating, grateful for the fucking distraction from the chaos inside my head and the fist squeezing at my heart.
It’s Ted.
I answer in my usual baseline irritated tone. “What?”
He chuckles, knowing me well enough to realize my surly demeanor is nothing personal. “Good to hear your voice too, dick. How are things going?”
I turn the volume back on and my balls seize up as Summer stumbles over her own made-up tongue twister. Six suckers sucking syrup surely sucks. Her laugh doesn’t help. I’d like to hear that laugh while she’s sucking my syrup.
“Fine. What do you need?”
“Look, I know you’ve got Hailey there and a million and one things to do… but the Adventure Network guy wants us to do a hike up the north logging road to the original camp cabin with some of the staff tomorrow, but no one’s been up there for about a month. Need to be sure it’s still standing and get it cleaned up a little. Never know if a bear’s been for a visit or who knows what. Can you get up there and make sure it’s ready while I manage the staff training here? You’re more the handle-the-shit-in-the-woods guy and I’m the handle-the-paperwork-and-the-humans guy.”
“I do not disagree with that,” I mutter, trying to catch my breath.
All other thought is dampened by Summer slowly pronouncing the word ‘suck’ over and over, sounding it out slowly like she’s been sent here by Satan to torture me.
Or tempt me.
“Great,” Ted says over the sound of voices in the background. “Wiley and I will take care of Hailey.”
“Fine. I’ll check it out.”
“You can go most of the way in your Jeep, the road is rougher now though, but you’ll make it. The last few hundred yards you’ll be on foot.”