“I’m sure.” Summer turned, smiling fully at Prue. “I still can’t believe I’m back here.”
“No. Me neither.” Prue leaned against the frame of the door, her fingers stretching and finding Summer’s. “But I’m happy you are.”
“Me too.” Summer turned her hand over, lacing her fingers with Prue’s. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out on the strip tonight and maybe have a drink or two?”
“I thought you didn’t drink much?”
“I don’t, but after this morning alone… I need it.”
“How about I make reservations at an Italian I love, which I know you’ll love too, and then we can have cocktails afterwards?”
“I’d like that.” Summer lifted Prue’s hand, kissing her knuckles.
“Oh, no.” Prue pulled her hand away, gripping Summer’s shirt. “I’m going to need that on the lips.”
Summer smirked, drawing Prue into a kiss. Up on her tiptoes, she tangled her hand in Prue’s hair, kissing her hard. She needed this, the connection she’d always felt around Prue. If she could continue this, moving forward with Prue, she wouldn’t ask for anything else in life. “Wow, okay.” Summer pulled back, arousal tearing through her entire being. “M-Maybe we need to just relax for a moment.”
“Together, or…?” Prue arched an eyebrow. “Because you should know that I’m absolutely up for that.”
“That lounger bed looks quite comfortable.” Summer eyed the silk drapes covering the wooden-framed bed sitting to the left of the pool.
“You would be right.” Prue pulled Summer out of the annexe, kicking off her heels and climbing on the king-size mattress. “Join me?”
“Love to.” Summer shed her shirt, leaving her in a racer-back, and climbed onto the bed beside Prue. “You actually came for me…”
Prue chewed her lip, holding back laughter. In time, that is exactly what will be happening. Clearing her throat, Prue turned side on, resting her head in the palm of her hand. Summer lay flat on her back, her hands clasped behind her head. “I wasn’t sure I should.”
“I didn’t expect it,” Summer said. “I should be on a flight right now.”
“But wouldn’t you rather be here, in the sun, relaxing?”
“Always.” Summer closed her eyes, grinning.
“I have one thing to ask…” Prue started. “You were so set against the strip club and who I was because of it. What changed your mind?”
“I’d already formed some kind of relationship with you before I knew about the club. As much as I didn’t want to like what you were doing, I couldn’t deny that I still felt something for you.” Summer’s eyes opened, honestly shining from them. “And at the end of the day, it really isn’t my business. I wanted to go and forget about you, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing you again, but when I left here this morning, I knew I'd blown it.”
Prue relaxed back, giving Summer the opportunity to continue if she wished to do so.
“I don’t need to know the ins and outs of your career, Prue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m impressed by who you are…but the less I know, the better.”
“It isn’t what you think.” Prue breathed out. “I didn’t just decide to open a strip club one day. It’s not where I want to be, and it’s not what I believe women should be doing.”
“O…kay.” Summer side-glanced at Prue, frowning.
“When I was nineteen, I told my parents I was a lesbian.” Prue didn’t tell this story often; she hadn’t found anyone she was remotely interested in to tell it to. “They didn’t take it well… I’d been raised Catholic. Dad took it the hardest, throwing me out on the street that same night.”
Summer tensed. She’d never been subjected to that behaviour and, she too, had been raised by a staunch Catholic grandma and grandad.
“I had nothing.” Prue scoffed. “They knew that, but they let me go anyway.” She turned to face Summer fully, needing her beautiful blue eyes to keep her calm through this conversation. “I met a woman. She was just so full of confidence…so much so that it terrified me.”
“I know how that feels.” Summer smiled, taking Prue’s hand as they lay close, facing one another on the lounger.
“She offered me a bar job at her club. It was exclusive…invitation only.” Prue’s stomach turned at the thought of being in that club. “I was on less than minimum wage, with guys feeling me up whenever I left the bar to collect glasses.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I wasn’t weak, I never had been, but when you’re in a place like that…seeing what you do on a daily basis, it makes you question your role on this planet. It makes you wonder if those men did have every right to touch you. It certainly felt that way at times.”
Prue’s voice changed, it not going unnoticed by Summer. Instead of an articulate, strong businesswoman, Summer was listening to your average Brit with a past.
“Hilary offered me a job dancing. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but the pay was much better. I knew what I wanted to do, and it wasn’t stripping, but I needed to earn enough money to move out of town and find a place to live.”
“Where did you live during your days at the club?”
“Hilary gave me a room. She took my rent out of my wages.”
“So, you were left with nothing?”
“Most of the time, yes.” Prue shrugged, refusing to feel sorry for herself. “I got myself into that mess, Summer. I only had myself to blame.”
“No. You were true to who you are. Nobody should suffer because of that.”
“I enjoyed it at first. The dancing. I was earning good money and nine times out of ten, they kept their hands to themselves.” Prue shuddered, knowing that men had once watched her dance. “He was just a regular. A guy who’d come and gone for around two years.”
“W-Who was just a guy?” Summer’s stomach churned, the possibility of where this conversation was going becoming less and less appealing to her.
“He went to Hilary. He told her he wanted more with me and that he’d been paying for me for almost two years.”
Summer held back the tears welling in her eyes. This wasn’t her story. She had no right to be angry or upset.
“Hilary came to me on a Thursday night around ten o’clock.” Prue sat up, bringing her knees to her chest. “She said he’d requested a private dance. He’d never done that before.”
“Prue…”
“He got handsy. I hit the roof and told him to get out. I already felt uncomfortable being alone with him. I’d never private danced for anybody.” Prue laughed nervously. “He apologised and I stupidly believed him. I told him he could have one dance and nothing else.”
“Something tells me he didn’t just accept that…”
“No.” Prue shook her head. “He, uh… God.” Prue looked up to the sky, willing her tears to disappear. The last thing she needed was for Summer to see her as weak. That couldn’t be further from the truth. “Once I was in his lap…” Prue paused. “He pulled out a knife. Got me right in the stomach.”
The scar, Summer thought with a whimper.
“At first, I wasn’t sure what had happened. I just felt a strange sensation. I often went to the club after I'd had a few drinks first. It made the night feel easier.”
“P-Prue.” Summer sat up, mimicking Prue’s position. “I-I’m so sorry.”
“He told me I’d never be good enough to have kids, so he’d done me a favour.”
Summer focused on the pool in front of her, unsure as to what to say. The woman she was forever pulling away from had been through a horrific ordeal. An ordeal nobody should ever have to go through. “A-And did he?”
“What? Stop me from having kids?” Prue smiled. “No, he didn’t. He had a terrible aim and didn’t cause me a great deal of damage.”
“You’re remarkable, you know that?”
“I’m not. But I hope you can now see why I took the strip club on…”
“Kinda.”
“I
’d heard bad things about it when I moved out here. I avoided the place like the plague, but once I had the hotel up and running, the chance to buy the club presented itself. I thought it was a good time to take over and make it a safe space for women who wanted to do it…with a decent wage.”
“How did you get out of your own dancing days?” Summer asked, intrigued by Prue.
“I managed to scrape enough together to enrol in culinary school.” Prue’s smile beamed, sending Summer’s heart rate soaring. “Three years later, I moved out here and worked my way up. It wasn’t easy, but God…it was worth it.”
“I know it probably doesn’t count for anything, but I’m proud of you.” Summer squeezed Prue’s hand. “And I’m sorry about the beach…for staring.”
“You know, it doesn’t even matter,” Prue said. “All of this…I should have told you sooner. It’s been three weeks since we met and we’re only just learning about one another. My life, more so.”
“But that can change, no?”
“Oh, it can, and it will.” Prue would thank whoever was looking down on her for bringing Summer back into her life. This…lying with one another and talking was all she’d wanted. Summer in her arms, happy and content.
“I’m sorry I've been so awful to you, Prue.” Summer shifted closer, placing her head on Prue’s shoulder. “I’m ready though…for this. With you.”
“That’s the response I hoped I’d hear.” Prue turned her head, kissing Summer’s temple. “Tonight, you’re all mine.”
Summer’s entire being ignited. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
11
Summer hummed along to a track playing on her Bluetooth speaker, her suitcases emptying by the second. Prue really had picked out some beautiful furniture, including the sixty-inch TV bolted to the wall. Summer didn’t need it, and Prue probably knew that, but she was grateful. This place… Summer glanced around. She would miss the hotel, the soft vibe she was becoming accustomed to no longer present, but she didn’t imagine being here would be much different. Prue was hardly a party animal, and when she was, it was usually over by nine in the evening. In Summer’s mind, this could be the ideal home for her. Though Prue would be here, Summer had her own place entirely. The space was massive, Summer was appreciative of that, but she knew if this was going to work out with Prue…she would use it more often than not. It wasn’t that Summer didn’t want to spend a lot of time with Prue. She just wasn’t willing to jump head first into this too soon.
She left the bedroom and moved into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on as she prepared a cup of coffee. She would purchase a coffee machine when she had the time to, settling on instant for the time being. Prue probably had the perfect pot brewing in her own area of the villa, but Summer was giving them both space. This morning had been overwhelming and emotional for them both…with Summer still coming to terms with Prue’s past. Knowing that someone had hurt her, physically and in such a horrific way, it put everything into perspective for Summer. Her worries, they didn’t matter anymore. Summer no longer saw Prue as someone who had control over the world and his wife. Today, Summer saw her as human. She saw the pain behind those special eyes. The suffering in her voice. Prue Michaels was not the woman the world perceived her to be.
Summer heard a splash, startling her and dropping her spoon to the kitchen counter. As she approached the double patio door, she peeked out of the side of the blinds covering the glass to find Prue swimming in the huge pool. Her hair slicked back, her face make-up free, Summer couldn’t take her eyes off Prue. It was going to be painfully hard to keep her hands to herself. Summer realised that as Prue climbed from the pool in a very small, white bikini.
Oh, wow. Summer’s body throbbed in all the right places. Prue in a bikini was her favourite vision, it always would be. With legs that went on forever, she had to easily be nearing six foot. Summer stood around five-seven, needing her tiptoes to reach when she got close to Prue. Summer glanced back at the clock on the wall, the time displaying three in the afternoon. The sun was blazing outside, but she wasn’t sure it was appropriate to head out and sunbathe. Yes, she had leased this annexe, but Prue hadn’t mentioned use of the pool or the comfortable loungers around it.
The kettle finished boiling, so Summer tore her eyes away from the window and busied herself in the kitchen. Removing a croissant from the paper bag that she’d picked up from the supermarket an hour ago, Summer ripped into it, opting to forego the heating of the delicacy. Her camera equipment lay out on the bed in the other room, her tripod standing in the corner of the living room, and as she settled on a kitchen stool, she felt content. For the first time in over a year, Summer felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. She couldn’t be sure it would always feel that way—Prue had a habit of knocking her off-kilter—but she was sure as hell going to try and enjoy her life here…whatever the status of their relationship.
A knock on the window brought Summer from her daze, immediately climbing down from the stool and heading for the door. Opening it, she was met with the gorgeous sight of a wet and glistening Prue.
“Hi.” Prue leaned against the frame of the patio door. “How’s the unpacking going?”
“Pretty much done, I think.”
“May I come in and see?” Prue asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Like that?” Summer motioned up and down Prue’s body, laughing. “I don’t think so.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re wet.” Summer shook her head. “You’ll make everything in here wet.”
“Mm, wouldn’t be hard.” Prue smirked, the realisation of what she’d just done dawning on her. “Sorry.” She held up her hand. “It’s just a habit.”
“It’s fine.” Summer’s centre throbbed, begging for something more than what she was allowing. “Dry off and you can come in.”
“Yes, darling.” Prue turned and grabbed a towel from a lounger. “Why aren’t you out here enjoying this gorgeous day?”
“Small case of unpacking, maybe?”
“I’m sure you can do that another time…”
“Okay, honestly?” Summer opened the door wider. “I wasn’t sure where I could and couldn’t be.”
“Honey, you can go wherever you please.” Prue cocked her head, smiling. “Enjoy all of this. I insist.”
“Yeah?” Summer’s smile widened. “You don’t mind if I lounge around the pool?”
Prue stepped past Summer, their bodies brushing. “I wish you would.”
“Okay, so what do you think?” Summer chose to ignore the electricity that coursed through her body. “I still need to put my equipment away, but the rest is good. The bedroom’s finished.”
“Good to know…” Prue’s fingertip trailed the kitchen counter as she slowly made her way around the space. “The bedroom is sufficient enough for you? The size?”
“Well, yeah.” Summer brow knitted together. “I don’t need much space in there.”
“Mmhmm.” Prue nodded. “So long as everything is good enough for you.”
“More than good enough.” Summer took her coffee from the counter. “Would you like a cup?”
“As much as I’d love to sit here drinking coffee with you, I think I’ll pass.”
“Oh, right.” Summer watched Prue over the rim of her cup. “Got plans?”
“Not really.” Prue shrugged as she moved closer to Summer. “But you and I alone in a small space like this… I don’t like those odds.”
“So, I could join you out by the pool instead?” Summer gave Prue a questioning look, appreciating that she knew what was happening here. “Give me ten minutes to change and I’ll be out.”
“Sounds like the perfect kind of afternoon.” Prue sauntered away, feeling Summer’s eyes on her. “I’ll make us a jug of Sangria while I’m waiting.”
Summer sighed, content with the direction her life appeared to be taking. Okay, she had no idea what was to come with Prue, but she wouldn’t worry. S
he couldn’t worry. She’d seen a completely different side to Prue this morning, her walls crumbling with every second that passed between them. Prue obviously had a maturity about her. She’d been around a lot longer than Summer, but Summer was no stranger to life. She didn’t walk around in a pretty bubble. In her mind, Summer, herself, was mature enough for any relationship…she just wanted everyone else to see that. Grandad always called me an old soul. She wasn’t stupid, knowing a relationship with Prue wouldn’t be easy, but would it be worth it? Something deep within Summer told her it would be. Her gut was telling her that Prue Michaels was more than worth knowing.
Summer turned her head, staring directly at Prue. Her slender, tanned body lay perfectly on the leather sun lounger, as though it had been designed for her body only. Summer watched on in awe. For forty-seven, Prue’s body didn’t look any older than Summer’s. That’s what a life in the sun does to you, I guess. Summer subconsciously took her bottom lip between her teeth, the hairs on her arms standing on end. She had never seen anyone so beautiful yet terrifying. What made Summer feel that way, she didn’t know, but it was strangely arousing. She couldn’t say she ever imagined herself to be attracted to an older woman like Prue, but here she was…very much attracted to her.
“Is everything okay?” Prue’s soft voice caused Summer’s lips to twitch upward, a blush travelling across her chest. “Hmm?”
“What?” Summer was fully aware that she’d been caught staring. The problem was, she no longer cared.
“Never mind.” Prue shifted onto her stomach, reaching behind her back and pulling the tie holding her bikini top in place. “Are you going to lie there working on your white lines?”
“Um…” Summer pondered that question. “I guess so.”
“We all have tits, honey.” Prue arched an eyebrow, praying Summer would follow suit. “Embrace them.”
“Well…” Summer started. “When you put it like that.” She sat up on her knees, unhooked her bikini top, and flung to the floor. “Better?” Summer no longer wished to tiptoe around Prue. She was done with wondering what she was capable of with this remarkable woman.
The Heat of Summer Page 11
