by Piper Rayne
“Cat?”
She pulls her lips from mine and we both turn to find Victor’s daughter, Ava Pearson, staring at us wide-eyed.
“I’m sorry.” She takes a hesitant step forward. “I need her for a moment,” she says in a small voice. She runs into the bathroom and Cat slips away from my body.
“Sorry. I should go see what’s up.” Cat bites the side of her lip and I want nothing more than to bite there myself.
I pull my phone from my pocket to check the time. “I gotta go get Lily anyways.” I adjust myself as much as possible and I grab her hand, entwining our fingers. “I’ll call you,” I say and bring her knuckles to my lips.
“Okay.” She nods, with no objection and I wonder if it was my lips or words that changed her mind.
Either way, I don’t care. For the first time ever, I think we both want the same thing at the same time.
15
Caterina
My fingers brush along my lips remembering my kiss with Marcus yesterday. He was gentle but firm. We both wanted each other and there was no hiding the fact if we’d been alone, we’d probably have ended up naked. I bite my lip and my stomach unleashes a flight of butterflies as I remember his hushed words to me in that hallway. No matter how hard I fight it, my body willingly takes what he offers.
That’s the scariest part. What if all he wants is my body? I see the lingering stares at my breasts, my ass. My body does it for him and yes it gives me a thrill…but what if I fall for him?
I’m used to guys approaching me, but with my background, their confidence usually comes from their bank account.
I’m not sure where Marcus’ confidence comes from. Six years ago, he had nothing. I remember my dad talking about him over our Sunday dinners—how he was working some dead-end boat mechanic job in Portland when his dad died. The house he built must have been custom and not cheap. The small marina I remember sailing up to six years ago, now holds boat sheds and takes up the whole south side of Climax Cove’s shoreline.
I’m not sure if it’s his self-made success that created the confidence that rolls off his strong shoulders like honey from a jar, or just his controlling and domineering nature that seems to come naturally to him.
A vision of him tying me to his headboard flicks in my mind.
OMG. Stop it.
There’s no future with Marcus. He has a daughter and clearly sees you only as a sex object. I guess the question is, can I live with that?
“Hey, Cat.” Landon, a fellow counselor, sits on the picnic table with me, his group of campers now playing with mine at the park.
“Hi, Landon.”
Landon Filigree, is the classic guy who’s trying to boost his resume. During orientation, Victor asked us why we decided we wanted to be counselors and Landon wasn’t shy in saying, “I need it to show I’m not some douche who only cares about himself.” The room laughed, but he sat down and shrugged because it was the truth. He doesn’t want to mold young minds or show them how much they can love the outdoors, he’s here for a line on his resume. I immediately liked him for his honesty.
“Is it me, or is today just dragging?” he leans back on his hands, but his eyes stay on the kids.
“Yeah, a little.” I pick at the small amount of bark in my hands that had been left at the picnic table.
“You ever go back home?” he asks.
I glance over at him. He’s got the All-American guy persona down pat—short blond hair, muscles neither too big or too small, t-shirt pulling slightly across his chest, blue eyes with two prominent dimples when he smiles.
“Nah, my parents are heading here this weekend.”
His eyes widen. “Seriously. To Climax Cove?” I don’t know why he’s acting as though that’s so absurd.
“Yeah, they’ve been coming here for years. They store their boats up here.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re a rich girl.” He sits up straighter and nods a few times like the two wires in his head just connected.
“Caterina Santora,” I say my full name, which usually does the trick, but no recollection from Landon. “Santora Sausage.”
Still no sign of the light bulb turning on. “Yeah, I’m a rich girl.” I sigh. “Well, my parents are. I have maybe five hundred dollars in my account.”
Not that my mom won’t add more if I need it, but I’m done with my parents’ charity. I need to stand on my own two feet.
He chuckles, a light and sweet laugh that brings a grin to my lips. “Well, rich girl. I’m poor boy.” He holds his hand out like it’s our first meeting.
I take his offering and shake his hand. “Other side of the tracks?” I joke.
He leans in close. “Does that turn you on? Want to piss daddy off?” The smile on his lips tells me he’s not serious.
“Doesn’t every rich girl have daddy issues?”
“Au contraire, poor girls have way more daddy issues.” The gloomy look in his blue eyes says he knows this first hand.
“Well, this girl,” I use my thumb to point to myself, “just wants a stress-free summer to paint and inspire kids to make more art.”
He nods in understanding. “Yeah, stress-free summer sounds awesome.”
The park is in the middle of where three paths converge and I spot Ava bringing her group of eight-year-olds over. It’s after lunch and usually I let them expel some energy before I take them back for a game or craft.
“Would you like to go out for dinner sometime? My roommates are always on their damn Xbox and PlayStation and I wouldn’t mind exploring Climax Cove a bit.” I see that he’s uncomfortable asking. He’s shy and doesn’t hold the confidence of so many who have asked before him.
The first person who comes to mind is Marcus with his perfectly mussed dark hair that only shows his natural highlights when the sun hits the strands a certain way. His sparkling, deep dark blue eyes that have the capability to make my knees weaken when they’re trained on me.
“I’d love to. As friends.” Landon nods, and I don’t know if he’s disappointed or not but he takes my declaration in stride.
“I could use a friend,” he says.
“Me too.” Ava plops down on the picnic table. Correction, she lies down on top of the picnic table and buries her head in her arms.
“Tired?” I ask.
Landon looks from her to me. She picks her head up for a second and squints her eyes at me.
“Yes.”
“I saw the cupcakes this morning. Yum.”
This gains her interest and she picks up her head, resting it in her hands.
“Cupcakes?” Landon asks, intrigued.
“Ava is an amazing baker. She made peanut butter and chocolate last night.” I rub my belly and lick my lips.
Landon holds his hands out to his side. “And here I figured you didn’t do much of anything since your dad owns the camp. Figured you were a daddy’s girl.”
Ava scoots off the table, her legs swinging over the edge between Landon and me. “I’m nobody’s girl.”
Landon raises his eyebrows.
“Now, do you want to taste test?” she asks him.
“Do I look like I’m watching my figure?” He gives himself the once over and I roll my eyes.
She slaps him on the back. “Meet me at Steaming Hotties Coffee Shop tonight at eight o’clock.” She changes her tone into one that implies mystery and secrets.
“Okay, although, I’m a tad scared now,” he says with a chuckle.
Just then, a cry rings out and we all turn to the park.
“One of mine.” I stand and jog over.
Lily.
She’s bent over, holding her knee to her chest, crying.
“Lily?” I ask, bending down and placing my hand on her back.
Ben, Lily’s partner in everything dangerous, comes over. “That boy over there was showing her how to do a backflip. I told her it was dangerous.”
Ava and Landon both meet me at Lily’s side and Ava’s eyes lock onto where Ben is pointi
ng.
“Toby?” she asks, with accusation already laced in her voice.
“Yeah,” Ben says, pushing up his glasses by the middle.
“I’m going to kill him. Or his father,” Ava grinds out.
I sit down on the wood chips and Lily crawls into my lap. Landon gently touches her knee, inspecting and asking her to bend and straighten it.
“Should we chop it off?” Landon asks in a mock serious voice and Lily laughs.
“Let’s see what we have here. It’s red and you’re going to need a big Band-Aid so we should probably try that first. I don’t have one here.”
“I’ll carry her to the first aid center,” Landon offers and before I can tell him not to bother, Lily’s on his back.
“Giddy up!” She uses her good leg and kicks him in the side.
“Seriously, kid?” He cocks an eyebrow at me.
I laugh and rustle my hand through his hair. “You heard your passenger, giddy up.”
“I swear, this resume I’m building better open some serious doors for me after summer.” He does a gallop around the park and then starts back to the cabin.
“I’ll meet you there,” I call after them.
He stops for a second to speak with the two other counselors for his group and then him and Lily disappear over the hill.
“What were you thinking?” Ava is yelling at Toby. “I told you to stop doing back flips and front flips and climbing every tree you come across.”
I place my hand on Ava’s back to calm her down because Toby looks like he’s one word away from tears. She glances back and I inspect her red face. She takes a deep breath and I reassure her non-verbally it will all be okay.
Turning her attention back to Toby, she’s much calmer now. “We need to talk to your dad.”
“She was copying me, that’s all. I told her not too. I’d never want Lily to get hurt.”
I believe him, but Ava nods toward the path away from the play area. “We’re calling your dad.”
Toby rolls his eyes, his shoulders fall, and he mumbles something non-coherent, but he follows Ava away.
On the way to the cabin to check on Lily, I pull my phone out.
Me: I just wanted to let you know, Lily fell at the park. She’s fine, but her knee is scraped up. Don’t worry, nothing we can’t handle.
By the time I reach them, Lily’s knee has been cleaned and Landon is singing to her as she smiles at him like he’s Justin Bieber.
16
Marcus
By the time my truck stops, it’s been ten minutes since the text came in. I didn’t bother responding to Caterina. I left the staining job to Jake and sped off in my truck.
I stand outside the cabin watching Cat smile at some guy who’s singing the song that Lily insists I play for her over and over again. Lily sways side-to-side while Cat places the Band-Aid on her knee.
She’s fine which I had repeated to myself numerous times on the way over, but I had to see for myself. That and I had to see Caterina for myself.
Lily catches sight of me and a big smile forms on her lips immediately. “Daddy!”
The guy stops singing and Cat turns around to face me. Her eyes widen.
I walk over and sit on the back of the bench behind Lily, placing a kiss to her temple. “You okay, sweetie?”
Lily nods enthusiastically.
Cat stands. “You didn’t have to come, Mr. Kent.”
So, we’re back to Mr. Kent again. “She’s my daughter. I’ll always come.”
The guy who was singing looks between the two of us, with interest. “From what I know, a kid was doing backflips and Lily wanted to try one,” he says.
Now I stand up. I knew this whole Ninja park shit that Dane was building was going to be trouble. I look down at Lily. “Toby?” I question and Lily looks away. “Lily?” She’ll always try to protect him, which is honorable of her, but she needs to fess up.
“No,” she lies. I know this because she’s looking out the window and her chin is held high like ‘don’t question me.’
“It was.” I look over to Cat and she nods.
“His camp counselor is talking to his father now,” she says and her and the guy head outside.
I place my hands on Lily’s shoulders and look down at her. “You okay, sweetie?”
Her indignant behavior has tampered down now and she nods. “Yep.”
“Okay. You enjoy the rest of your day. I need to talk to Toby’s dad.”
I walk out of the cabin, Lily’s hand in mine, ready to head to the office. I find Cat and the dipshit whispering about something to each other. Cat rolls her eyes and the guy has a know-it-all smirk on his lips. She continues to shake her head as if disagreeing with him.
Having elected myself as Cat’s bodyguard at some point between leaving the cabin and walking down the stairs, I stomp over to them. “Excuse me, can you show me where the office is?”
She stares at me for a moment and then nods. “Landon, can you take Lily back to her group? I’ll be down once I’m done with Mr. Kent.” Her professional tone makes my dick twitch and if she’s not careful, I’ll be hiding her behind a shed.
Landon nods and a minute later, he’s leaving with her on his back. She kicks him and pulls on his hair like he’s her horse.
“Okay, kid, can we not pull the horsey’s hair?” Landon says and Cat laughs so hard she snorts next to me.
“Do you like him?” I ask her, letting my Neanderthal brain take over before I can stop myself.
“What?” Her face is filled with indignation and I immediately feel like a dickhead.
“He’s a good singer,” I comment and then turn to head to the office. The office I don’t need directions or an escort to.
She catches up to me and places her hand on my arm. “Is that what you think of me? That I’d kiss you one night and want to mess around with another guy the next? Nice, Marcus.” She storms off, her feet heavy on the dirt path.
My head falls back and I realize I fucked up. Again.
All because this woman has me twisted up in knots and jealous over the tiniest things.
Now it’s me jogging to catch up to her. We’re five feet away from the office doors when Dane screeches his Mustang into the parking lot. He’s got a look of annoyance on his face when he steps out of the car. He’s about to be even more annoyed when my foot’s up his ass.
“Your kid trying to kill mine?” I yell over to him.
He shakes his head. “Ridiculous. I told him so many times, save that shit for home. To not show off. But you know Toby. He loves to be the center of attention.”
“I wonder who he gets that from?” I raise both eyebrows, earning me a middle finger from Dane before he heads to the office himself.
I shrug. It’s the truth.
I turn back in Cat’s direction and all that fear that Lily could have been seriously hurt dissipates. She wasn’t hurt. She’s perfectly fine riding on some camp counselor’s back like he’s her horse and she’s his princess.
“What do you want from me?” Cat asks in a clipped tone.
Her question throws me off.
“I think you know what I want.” I take a step forward to close the distance between us, but Toby’s camp counselor chooses that moment to storm out of the office doors.
Her finger is in Dane’s chest as he steps back with his hands up in the air. Toby comes out and Dane is yelling at him over the small brunette’s head.
“Ava!” Cat screams and runs over there, pressing the girl’s hand to her side. Cat whispers something in her ear and Ava shakes her head and says one last thing to Dane.
I’m too far away to hear, but Dane smiles. Actually, he smirks. His shit-eating grin, his signature I-find-humor-in-everything smirk that I’ve wanted to smack off his face more than once.
The difference between me and this Ava girl? She does it.
Toby freezes, wide-eyed. Even Cat halts all movement. Dane raises his hand to his cheek but doesn’t seem surprised.
She leans close to Dane and murmurs something and this time that smirk vanishes and his face pales. For the first time ever, Dane isn’t finding whatever just happened humorous. Interesting.
“Let’s go, Toby,” he calls out, ignoring Ava, who has already turned around and followed her father into the office.
Toby looks from me to Cat and then to his dad.
“Dane?” I call out but he holds his hand up in the air, swinging his arm around Toby.
“Later, Marcus.”
And that’s that. Whatever just happened between Ava and Dane, was more than a camp counselor telling the father his son was in trouble.
Cat swivels, shock stamped on every one of her features. “Well, if that’s all. You can pick Lily up after camp.” She walks past me and the smell of coconuts wafts behind her.
“Caterina.”
She holds her hand up in the air and doesn’t stop walking. “Later, Marcus,” she says, sounding like an echo of Dane.
What the hell did I do?
“I want you.”
Her feet stop, though she doesn’t turn to face me. “You want my body?” she asks.
I step forward, looking around and spotting no one, so I reach out and run my finger down the length of the back of her arm.
“Yes.”
“That’s what I thought.”
She steps forward, my hand falling off her arm and she walks away from me.
“Cat?”
She never answers me and I watch her until she disappears behind the building.
I guess the honest answer was the wrong answer.
I pull in the driveway of my house and Lily runs inside as I walk toward the mailbox. The fact that Cat dodged me today when I picked up Lily has my blood boiling. If she wants me to take her serious, she needs to grow up and talk to me about whatever her issue is.
I open the mailbox and pull out the envelopes.
Damn, she looked good earlier. Her legs become more tanned every day and the tank top she had on showcased her curves.
