The Summer of Us

by Moreland, Melanie

  “Find a way to the house Sunday or else,” were his last words.

  Gerry tilted his head, studying me. “I think there’s a story, and I think you’re too private to share. But this is what I’m gonna do. I lowballed your father and told him this job paid way less than it does. So, every week, I’m gonna give you the difference. What you do with it is up to you.”

  I blinked.

  “And the room off the office? There’s a bed there and a private shower. It’s yours for the summer, kid.” He stood and brushed off his legs. “I’m wondering—is your father sending a car for you? I saw him drop you off and leave, but I know you have to see him on Sundays.”

  I shook my head, now embarrassed. “No, sir, ah, Gerry. I’ll get up early and walk.”

  “Five miles?”

  I shrugged. “Good exercise.”

  He shook his head. “Follow me.”

  He led me to one of the outbuildings and opened the door. A two-person scooter sat inside, helmet on the handles. It was old, somewhat rusty, and needed a good wash. I looked at Gerry, who was watching me.

  “You know anything about engines?”

  “A little. A friend of mine is a grease monkey, and I help him sometimes.”

  He handed me a set of keys. “Tune it up and fill it with gas. You can use it on Sundays and your other morning off.” He winked. “I didn’t fail to notice the way a certain girl’s dark eyes lit up when she heard your name, or the way you casually asked to see the list of counselors and their days off. Or how, interestingly enough, your two half days matched hers.”

  I ducked my head with a grin.

  He paused on his way out of the shed. “Be sure to wear a helmet. The registration and ownership are in the little bag. Anything else you need, kid?”

  I couldn’t help asking. “Another sandwich would be great.”

  He grinned. “Get it yourself, kid. The missus loves to see you eat.”

  I watched him walk away, feeling overwhelmed. I wasn’t used to kindness, aside from Sunny and her family. Most people treated me with kid gloves because of who my father was. Some disliked me because of it, and others ignored me. Indifference and hostility were the main reactions when people heard my name. I was used to it.

  But I had earned Gerry’s respect. I wanted to continue to earn it.

  I rolled the door closed and went to finish my chores.

  But first, I was going to stop and get another sandwich.

  4

  Linc

  The next four weeks were, without a doubt, the happiest of my life. The days were busy and crazy—filled with kids, work, and lots of play.

  And Sunny.

  I got to see her anytime I wanted. She always had a treat waiting for me in the kitchen when I would drop in. We sat together at meals, her sisters occupied with their new friends. Emily and Hayley were thrilled to see me when they arrived and sought me out for hugs almost daily, but other than that, they were busy and happy. It was good to see.

  Sunny was relaxed and smiled all the time. We knew very few people at the camp since a lot of them came in from other towns to work here. The couple of people we recognized couldn’t be bothered with either of us, so we were actually free. My father had no spies here, and no one reporting to him. He never contacted me, and other than the two times I went to see him, he seemed to care less about what I was doing.

  As far as he was concerned, I was out of his hair, away from Sunny, and doing what he wanted. I purposely let him think I was miserable, talking about the menial work, and complaining about all the kids and roughing it.

  I was sure he was delighted with my supposed misery. I drove Sunny to her house and dropped both her and the scooter off before walking to my father’s. I was hot and sweaty when I arrived, but he seemed unconcerned about the idea that I had walked the full five miles, instead ordering me to take a shower, then asked me what I had found out. He wasn’t happy with my lack of information and told me to dig harder, then dismissed me. The next week, it was the same thing, although his anger was more evident. He took my cell phone and dropped it into his desk drawer.

  He stood. “You’re wasting my time. Don’t come back until you have something I can use. Find something.” He waited until I was at the doorway and called out, “Don’t make me angry.” His threat was clear, but at that point, I didn’t care.

  I left, not planning on returning until camp was over, and already making plans to spend the free days with Sunny. I had nothing to say to him, and I wouldn’t help him take Gerry’s camp away from him, so I wouldn’t return. He was going to hit me no matter what I said to him, so I would enjoy my time away from him and take my punishment later.

  On the way back to camp, we stopped at another small town, and I bought two pay-as-you-go cell phones. I couldn’t do that where I lived—there was no place to get them. Now we each had a phone, and once I got home, even if I got my other one back, Sunny and I could stay in touch and my father would never know. The money Gerry was giving me each week would cover the cost for a long time.

  The best times were the evenings. Once the kids were in bed and the camp was quiet. Often we walked along the water’s edge or sat, hidden in Sunny’s favorite spot. Two large weeping willows soared above the other trees, standing about twenty feet apart and set way back from the water, almost on their own as if they’d been planned. When the breeze blew hard enough, their branches lifted and touched, and Sunny insisted they were soul mates reaching for each other. I teased her about her romantic notion, but secretly I liked it. I carved my name and date into the base of one tree, and hers into the other. She cried when I told her our souls would now touch for eternity too.

  She also let me touch her tits even longer that night, so it was a win-win situation for me.

  But most nights, Sunny found her way into my room, and we spent the time talking and exploring each other.

  I was addicted to her. The taste of her mouth. The feel of her skin. I couldn’t get enough of her.

  Like now.

  She moaned as I slid my hands under her shirt, cupping her tits. They fascinated me. I ran my thumb over her nipple, feeling the bud harden under my touch.

  “Please,” I begged, tugging on her shirt. Every time we were alone, we went a little further. Pushed our boundaries. Tonight, I wanted to see her.

  She sat up, gathered her bravado, and pulled her T-shirt over her head. She looked down, her plain cotton bra white against the golden color of her skin from the sun. For a moment, she looked sad, and I cupped her cheek.

  “What?”

  “I wish this was prettier,” she whispered, touching the strap on her shoulder.

  I shook my head. “I don’t need that prettier. You’re the prettiest thing in the world. Nothing can compete.”

  She gazed up at me. “You’re so perfect.”

  I snorted. “I’m hardly perfect. Ask my father.”

  “No,” she insisted, rising up on her knees. “You are to me. You’re my world, Linc. I trust you more than anyone.”

  “Show me.”

  She reached behind herself, unclasping her bra. It slipped from her shoulders, fully exposing her to me. I stared in awe at her tits. Full, round, with tempting pink nipples that taunted me. My hand was shaking as I reached out, tracing one finger around her areola, then stroked her nipple with my thumb. When she moaned and arched her back, I bent forward and took her nipple in my mouth. She gasped, burying her fingers in my hair as I sucked and kissed, groaning at the taste and feel of her. Sunshine, summer heat, and my girl.

  In seconds, she was under me on my narrow bed. I licked and sucked, held her full tits in my hands, squeezed and stroked. Even having starred in every disgusting, teenage hormonal fantasy I ever had, they were better than I imagined. Sunny moaned softly, arched, and breathed my name. She tugged on my T-shirt, and without asking, I sat up and tore it off, flinging it somewhere behind me.

  She traced my torso, her fingers lingering on my abs. “You’re so cut,” s
he murmured. “So sexy.”

  I looked down, liking how her hand looked against the darker skin on my body. All the manual labor I was doing was making me strong. Fit. In better shape than the gym ever did for me. I wondered at times when I saw myself if I would be able to fight back now. If my father would realize his fists no longer had the power they once did.

  If I could break the cycle.

  If he didn’t have the ability to physically hurt, I could claim my life as my own. I could live with his nasty words, since I didn’t care about his opinion.

  Buoyed by the thoughts, I kissed Sunny. “I have other hard things, too.”

  She hummed, running her hand over the bulge in my shorts. “Can I see too?”

  I swallowed. “God, yes.”

  I lay down, lifting my hips and yanking down my shorts. My cock sprang free, hard and already leaking precome. She traced one finger down my length, making me shiver.

  “I’ve never seen one before yours,” she admitted.

  A flash of possessiveness went through me. “Mine is the only one you’ll ever see.”

  She grinned, a tiny dimple showing beside her eye. “Is that so? I guess I had better get acquainted with him.”

  Then she took me in her mouth.

  * * *

  I was on a high the next day, my smile never leaving my face. I’d had my first blow job. I thought it was amazing—the feel of Sunny’s mouth and hands on me. The way her lips wrapped around my dick was a sight I would never forget. I came far too fast, but she assured me it meant she did a good job. I planned on making it last longer next time. It felt too good to let go that quick, but she’d shocked me, and the sensations were overwhelming. She let me use my fingers to make her come afterward, but I was determined to reciprocate as soon as I could. The horn announcing all counselors had to be in their bunks for bed check had put a stop to our experimenting.

  I lifted some bales of hay around the fire pit, shifting and arranging them for tonight’s cookout and songfest. The kids loved it, and I had to admit that although I was too old to be part of a sing-along, I did hum a little under my breath.

  “Hey, kid.”

  I turned to see Gerry approaching. “Hey,” I replied.

  “I need to send you to Dalewood.”

  I brushed off my hands. Dalewood was a large town about ten miles away from the camp in the other direction. “Okay.”

  “The delivery truck broke down, so the missus needs her orders picked up.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “You can take the camp van and someone to help you.”

  “I’m good.”

  He grinned. “I thought a pretty strawberry-blond girl in the kitchen might enjoy a drive and lunch out.”

  Just like that, my day got even better.

  “Yeah, maybe I could do with some help.”

  He smirked. “Thought so. Sam will finish this. You shower and head to the kitchen. Cindy will give you all the instructions.”

  “Done.”

  I hurried back to the office and jumped in the shower, then headed to the kitchen, my hair still wet. It was bustling as always, but Sunny was with Cindy, who was handing her a list. Cindy’s eyes crinkled as she looked at me.

  “There’s my boy.” She smiled, handing me the keys. “Sunny has a list. There are four stops. The most important one is the butcher. Save it until last. He’ll pack it in the coolers Gerry put in the back since our van isn’t refrigerated. Everything else is ordered and waiting for you.”

  “Okay.”

  “Drive safe, and I need you back by four.”

  I glanced at the clock. It was close to ten. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”

  “Walton’s Grill has great burgers. Have lunch before you come back. Look around. It’s a pretty little town.” She paused with a wink. “Great place to get lost in.”

  I couldn’t help stepping forward and pressing a kiss to her plump cheek. She treated me the way Sunny’s mom did—with affection and love. She did the same to everyone at the camp, but for me, it meant more.

  “Thanks, Cindy. You’re the best.”

  “Get on with you,” she chuckled and pushed me away. “Fill the tank up at Larson’s. They keep a tab for us, and he knows you’re heading there today.”

  “Okay.”

  * * *

  The drive in was fun. It was a bonus having Sunny with me, talking and playful. Both of us free and happy. She was shier than normal at first, but once I teased her a little, she relaxed.

  “Do you know what tomorrow is?” I asked.

  “Um, Saturday?”

  I chuckled. “Yep. And ten months to the day since I first kissed you.”

  Her smile told me she knew exactly what the date was that I referred to.

  “Yeah.”

  “And we’re both off after seven and free until lunch Sunday. No bells to interrupt us.” As long as you signed out the night before your morning off, you were excused from the bed check, although you had to be back on the grounds by one, unless you had permission. I glanced at her, then back to the road. “My room?”

  She glanced out the window, her cheeks flushed. She reached for my hand. “Yeah.”

  I grinned the rest of the way into Dalewood.

  In town, we went through the list, filling the van. I checked our progress and smiled. “Only the butcher left. Why don’t we walk a bit and have lunch?”

  Sunny grinned, looking around. “I’d like that.”

  It was an amazing feeling to walk with her, being able to hold her hand or sling my arm over her shoulders. We wandered and looked. I bought a couple new T-shirts since I seemed to be destroying the ones I had, and Sunny ducked into a woman’s store for a while, telling me to stay outside. I peeked in and saw her by a rack of lingerie, then scuttled to the bench she’d left me on.

  I didn’t want to ruin her surprise, but I knew I was gonna like it. I looked down the street and stood, strolling to the window that caught my eye. I studied the display, then looked over my shoulder to make sure she wasn’t back outside yet, and ducked into the small shop.

  I emerged five minutes later, my own surprise hidden in my pocket. As I approached the bench, Sunny came out of the shop, tucking a small pink bag into her purse.

  I pretended not to notice. We could both keep our secrets for now.

  I held out my hand. “Lunch?”

  She rose up on her toes and kissed me. Caught in the moment of happiness, I lifted her in my arms, so her feet dangled in midair, and kissed her back. Firm, possessive, exactly the way I knew she liked it now. It was a kiss filled with joy and elation. One caught in sunlight and life, and born of knowing the girl I held was the girl I would love for the rest of my life. The thought settled into my head, no shock or surprise occurring, only an ease within my chest.

  Sunny would be my life. Where she was would be my home. And I planned on telling her tomorrow.

  I put her on her feet with a grin. “Ready for lunch?”

  A black car went by, the windows tinted. It was slow in moving past us, and the sight of it made my stomach clench, but I didn’t recognize the driver, and there would be no reason for my father to be in this town. He worked in the opposite direction, and it was rare he went anywhere during the week except the office. His underlings did the legwork. He made the decisions and the money. I shook off the dread that rolled over me. I was being paranoid. I wasn’t used to being happy or carefree. It was simply a coincidence, and lots of people drove dark sedans like that one. I refused to let the ghost of him dampen this day.

  I wrapped my hand around hers, dismissing my dark thoughts. “Let’s go.”

  5

  Sunny

  I was a bundle of nerves all day on Saturday. I knew what tonight meant. What was going to happen. I was ready, and I wanted to give myself to Linc, but still, I was anxious.

  Linc was the first boy to kiss me. To touch me. He was my first everything. He was shy and sweet, and we had sat together on our first day of school years ago. He share
d his crayons with me. Mine were from the dollar store—all my mother could afford—but his were the large, expensive box containing a rainbow of colors. He let me use the magenta and teal ones, and when I got home that night, he had put them in my box, keeping two of my cheap ones for himself—the orange and yellow, the two worst colors I had.

  I fell in love with him right then.

  We were the best of friends in grade school. When his mom died, he became quiet and withdrawn at school and with other people, but with me, he seemed happier. We grew closer but only remained friends. I was afraid to push beyond that, happy to at least have him in my life. I knew his father would never approve of me. The few times I saw him, his gaze flickered over me as if I were a piece of dirt beneath his expensive shoes. In town, he was a “big deal,” as my mom called him, but not well-liked. Feared, was more like it. I knew Linc feared him. I saw the bruises to prove it, but he refused to tell anyone.

  He said it would make matters worse, and he made me promise not to say a thing to anyone. I promised him, because I loved him.

  The day he kissed me and changed my life forever was one of my best days. By then, we were confidants, both of us anxious to leave this small town and start life fresh with no baggage. The feel of his mouth on mine, hesitant and gentle, changed everything. He became more.

  We became more, and I knew I would follow him to the ends of the earth.

  My mother and sisters adored him.

  His father loathed me. I was horrified to find out he’d beaten Linc more than once, telling him to stay away from me. I was aghast at the lengths Linc went to in order to defy him. I hated sneaking around, keeping my face neutral and friendly if I saw him in town. At school, people were used to seeing us together, and we both worked hard to make sure they thought of us as friends—nothing more. I lived in fear of someone finding out and Linc taking more punishment.