by Kailin Gow
The flight gets bumpy, and I can feel the plane dip high and then low, due to turbulence as we land. In minutes, we’re on the ground, and taxiing to one of the private hangars.
When we disembark from the jet, a man in his early 40s with dark wavy hair and grey eyes, greets me. “Hi, Summer?” He shakes my hand. “I’m Timothy Childs. I’m working with Nathaniel on your case. Pleasure to meet the woman we’re all rallying around. Here’s the rest of my team, and they’re as eager to meet you, too.”
“Hi, I’m Peter. Peter Lee,” a handsome young Asian man in his late 20s with spiky hair says. “So you’re Summer. Nat can’t stop talking about you. Glad to finally meet you.” He laughs. “Now that I’ve seen you in person, I know why you’re being hated on. If you don’t mind me saying this, you’re too pretty. Even prettier than the leading lady in Astor’s film. What’s her name? Oh, Lauren Banks. You’re a threat, and they don’t want you getting in the way of their fantasized ideal couple.”
“Yes, Peter has been working a lot on your case, Summer. He’s head researcher. A real genius and knows a lot about a lot of things,” Timothy says. “Last, but not least, is Mandy, our Publicist.”
A girl with shoulder-length straight brown hair, an oval face, and glasses walks up to me, and shakes my hand. “We’ll be able to do something about all this, Summer. I know you probably feel like the world is against you. That’s what the haters want you to think, when in reality, and as we’ve uncovered through our investigation, there’s only a handful of them, who knows how to use SEO and feeds and other marketing means, to make it look like there are a lot of haters hating you. Don’t worry, there are so many more people who care for you and the school than you know. I know. I’ve gathered evidence, and I’ve found a few of them to give testimonials.”
My face light up. I have been beaten down, and my self-esteem has taken a dive because of everything that’s happen to me. But now, it seems I have some hope.
Nat takes me by my arm and we enter the limo waiting for us, heading straight to Donovan Dynamics, where the legal team waits.
Chapter 18
Nat
After the meeting at Donovan Dynamics, I wanted to take Summer out to eat at a nice restaurant overlooking the San Francisco Bay. It’s the kind of restaurant I imagined taking Summer to for her first visit. It’s a beautiful night, and she’s beautiful, wearing a white crepe dress that brings out her tan and clings gently to her curves. It’s a very lovely dress, but I want to tear it off her, to lick her skin, and make passionate love to her. I suggested the restaurant, but she smiles and says, “how about you take me to see your place? I’ve imagined over and over again your apartment near campus. I want to see it so I can place you when we talk.”
“Really?” I ask. “You’d rather forego the me wooing you at a fancy restaurant experience so you can see my place?”
“Why not?” Summer blushes. “You know where I live and everything about the place.”
“But we only have a few hours before I have to fly you home. I want to make the most of it.”
Summer places her hand on my chest and leans into me to kiss the tip of my nose and says, “I do, too.”
Boy, that cinches the deal for me. “It’s not too far from here,” I say. “We’ll be there in thirty minutes or so.”
“You still owe me a birthday dinner that you make from scratch,” Summer says as we hurry into my car, a sleek silver Audi A8. “Nice,” she says, feeling the leather interior. “Funny how Astor has one of these, too,” she laughs. “Seriously, Nat. With your shirt and tie, and this car, you are looking more and more like the future CEO of a billion dollar company.” She grins. “And it’s very sexy.”
“That’s the image I have to portray to succeed, isn’t it?”
Summer smiles and leans back against her passenger seat. “It depends on what you consider success, Nat. You don’t have to be anything or dress up like anyone for me to think you’re a success.”
A rush of warmth flows through me as I feel her words. She’s good for me. Summer’s warmth is good for me. It builds me up, and makes me feel like I can do anything. “Thanks for that,” I say simply.
“No, I mean it. You are doing great. Growing up, I’ve always thought you were so perfect and then you moved, and I thought how could someone so perfect leave me behind like that, and stop calling me.”
“Summer…” I start to explain.
“No, it’s fine, Nat. You don’t have to explain anything. I think I came on too strong, too much of a puppy dog for you, Nat. I crushed on you big time, and it scared you. Until this summer when I had Astor and Drew crushing after me, I didn’t understand the feelings of being overwhelmed by feelings and being confused, torn, with obligations and what other people want. Then I realize how it must feel for you. And I’m trying to be considerate of everyone’s feelings, not just my own.”
“We’re kinda similar in that way, aren’t we, Summer?” I chuckle. “We are the ones to always think about everyone else before we think of ourselves. We put others before us. Sometimes to our detriment.”
“It’s how I’m wired,” Summer says. “I’m a giver.”
“Same here, but it’s also good to balance that with being a taker,” I smile at her. “I for one would love to keep giving to you, in all ways, Summer.”
Summer looks down blushing. “Nat,” she says. “I’m sorry I must’ve made you uncomfortable all these years with my crush on you. I thought you didn’t care at all about me in that way, but it seems you did have feelings, but it just made you uncomfortable.”
“Summer, it’s not bad at all. I loved it,” I say. “I loved every minute of knowing you love me and look up to me…only I don’t think I could ever fill your hero worship of me, Summer. I’ll fall short of your expectations, because deep down, I’m no hero. I’m someone who needs to do what needs to be done, and that’s that.”
“But you are a hero,” Summer says, looking at me with those huge soulful eyes that makes me want to pull over and kiss her. “What you’re doing for me now. You’re taking charge when I’m crumbling inside. You’re standing up for me when I feel like no one else is. Today, I finally feel like I’m going to be able to get my life back again,” Summer smiles. “Meeting your team and everything they’re doing, it makes me think we can fight this.”
“That’s what we’re hoping,” I say, determination making me push down on the gas pedal to accelerate faster.
“Rachel wants to move to the Pad after she finishes her semester at school, so I’ll have her helping at the Academy. Astor’s introducing her to his agent, and Drew is planning on starting at USC right after Christmas. It’ll be like it was before with Aunt Sookie.” Summer’s eyes are glistening bright with excitement. She looks happier like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. “But it’s not the same, is it? You’re not going to be there.”
“Summer,” I say. “I want to be, but you know how it is.” I wish I could take that back, but I can’t. She needs to see that I’m serious about her, and if she wants me to fly out to Malibu more or even think about moving there, then she has to give me what I want, which is all of her.
And she does, tonight.
When we get into my apartment, and I switch on the light and turn up the temperature, I feel Summer’s hands circle around my waist, and she leans into me, wrapping herself into me. I can smell the intoxicating sweet jasmine and citrus scent of her hair brush across my face. She leans up and kisses me softly with her lips, and I kiss her back ferociously. “Nat,” she whispers. “I want more this time. I want to explore you, touch you, and please you.”
“Summer,” I said, stepping back. “Are you sure?”
“Each time we’re together, when we’re kissing, I want to know,” Summer says timidly.
“About what?” I ask gently. As much as I want Summer right now, I don’t want to force her into anything she’ll regret. I want her to want me for her, not for anyone else. “Don’t do this because you thi
nk I want it,” I tell her. “I care about you and about our friendship too much to make this all about something physical. There’s no going back afterwards.”
“It’s what I want,” Summer says firmly.
“What about Drew?” I ask.
She groans, “Why did you have to bring up Drew? We’re not together,” she says. “Drew is a close friend, but we’re not dating, and I don’t know if I can. It’ll complicate things too much. Things between Rachel and me, Drew and Rachel. I don’t know. Things are so complicated with him. I think he tries too hard, but then again, I’m confused.” She takes a breath and says more calmly. “The only thing that’s constant. The only thing that I’m sure of in my life is that I’ve always loved you, Nat.”
I sucked in some air when she says that. I feel the earth underneath me shift, and my heart must’ve missed a beat because it’s pounding so fast. “Summer,” I say, grabbing her. “I love you too,” I kiss her, and she kisses me back. Our tongues entwined in a heated dance, and we can’t get enough of each other as we press closer.
We undress each other as we kiss and make our way into my bedroom. We’re going a hundred miles per minute in hot passionate kisses that trails down to our necks and shoulders. She’s everything I dream of, in my arms, skin to skin.
As I lay her down on my bed and hover over her, I watch her eyes look at me with such love and innocence. She’s waiting for me to take her, and I’m so willing, except for that look. It’s the look she gave me when she was thirteen, and I was fourteen years old…the summer my family moved away to San Francisco, leaving Summer behind…the summer I fell hard for Summer and realized I can’t have her. I have just found out about Mom’s depression, and how it could be a mental problem that could be passed onto future generations. Meaning me, and most likely me. I’ve already displayed some of the traits, and I’m most like Mom. I was worried that if I fell in love with Summer and we got together, then one day I would hurt her if I have inherited Mom’s depression. And I didn’t want to risk figuring it out with Summer.
I was fourteen when I realized I was falling for Summer…that I fell for her. She was just beginning to grow out of her awkward stage, not that I ever thought she was, and becoming a poise young woman. She surprised me with how wise she was, almost always knowing what to say, always knowing what was right. I guess it was because she was raised to be more independent from the start. Plus, she had Aunt Sookie’s positive influence. How I envied Summer for being Aunt Sookie’s favorite…so much so that I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, knowing it would please Aunt Sookie. Little did I know, the more I got to know Summer, the more time I spent with her, the more I liked her and eventually fell head over heels in love with her.
They say that if you truly love someone, you should set them free. I believe that with all my heart, and because I did, at age fourteen, I never told her how I felt about her. I loved her enough to spare her from being with a potential mental case.
Over the years after we moved from Los Angeles to San Fran, I watched how Mom went from being a bubbly social butterfly to someone who was depressed suddenly, shutting out the world, having strange mood swings, and anger. All which drove my father crazy with worry and stress. As much as I hate my father for having an affair with his secretary and wanting a divorce from Mom, I have to realistically say it wasn’t that much of a surprise when I found out. I was hurt and shocked at first, but not surprised. Knowing how hard it is to live with someone having depression and mental illness, I wouldn’t want that kind of burden on someone I love, especially with Summer, whose only real family was Aunt Sookie.
After three years and seeing Summer again, though, when I haven’t displayed any symptoms for our family’s depression, that’s when I actually thought, hope against hope, that I can get together with Summer.
I want to so badly, and I think we will be together someday. My heart is beating so fast as I gaze down into Summer’s beautiful eyes, and she’s looking up into mine wanting me as much as I want her. I can’t resist that look. The look that says she would do anything for me, worship me, sacrifice her life for me. I’m fulfilling some kind of fantasy for her, some knight in shining armor for her, and I know that at this moment, if I take her, with that fantasy of hers, she’ll only be disappointed.
“What’s the matter?” she asks. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” I smile, whispering into her hair. “I just want to savor you longer. We can do everything else, but let’s save that for later.” Instead of taking her, I kiss her and touch her, making her feel the pleasure of being loved by a lover, focusing all the attention and pleasure on her.
I push her thighs apart and instead of plunging deep into her with my raging hard-on, I bent down to kiss her, using my tongue to taste her. I’m in heaven, eating her up while she writhe and moan against me. I’ve been dreaming of this since I’ve seen her again at the airport last summer when she picked us up in Aunt Sookie’s large SUV.
It’s not enough to taste her, but I had to feel her, too. I plunge my fingers into her soft wet folds, making her cry out in ecstasy. “Nat, please,” she pant, “take me now.”
I crawl up her delicious body and position myself above her. I want my first time with her to be special and gentle. I have to control myself with her, not like anyone else. She’s Summer, and there is no way I would ever hurt her in any way. My tip graze her clit, and it’s electric. I almost couldn’t hold myself at that moment.
I bend down to kiss her gently on the mouth, and she surprise me by grabbing my shoulders and turning me around to throw me against the bed, switching our positions.
She’s on top of me now on all fours, her beautiful round butt sticking in the air, her breasts jutting deliciously in front of me. I’ve never seen a more sexier sight than Summer naked and on all fours in front of me.
I close my eyes, and when I opened them, I stand corrected from my last statement. There is a sexier sight than a naked Summer on all fours. Lord this is fucking sexy. Summer is butt naked on all fours with her mouth going back and forth on my penis. She’s taking me all in to the back of her throat, and sucking so hard, it’s unbelievable. She’s incredible. I’m so hard, I could poke through a stack of bricks. “Oh, God, Summer…” I groan.
She stops for a moment to look at me and ask, “Is there something wrong?”
“No,” I groan. “For the love of God, no. You’ve never done this before?”
“No,” she nodded, busy licking me from the base to the tip. God that alone nearly made me come.
She licks me from the base to the tip a few times before taking me all in again. With her hands, she caresses me at the base, rubbing me hard, pushing me to grow longer. Her fingers graze the soft skin of my balls, and I nearly jerk out of her mouth. I’m losing all control now, and when I was about to pull out, she bit me softly surprising me enough to lose total control and to climax in her.
Summer’s face is surprised at first, but then she smiled, licking her lips. I lean back into the bed, feeling exhausted but exhilarated. I’ve never come so hard. Summer is incredible. Not only in person, but in bed. I don’t think I could fall further for her, but after today, I’m totally and completely besotted.
Afterwards, we’re holding each other in bed when she says, “I’m glad you don’t think of me as a kid anymore.”
I stroke her back. “I haven’t thought of you like that for a while, Summer. Except for when you and the twins were toddlers, and I was a year older, I may have thought of you as one. Other than that, I always thought of you as my equal. You’re the one person who I can talk to and be myself with. Even with the twins, I have to be the older brother.”
“And what am I?” Summer asks.
“You’re my summer,” I say simply. “You’re everything that’s good and have been good.” I smile. “And a whole lot of sexy.”
Summer turns to me and smiles a happy carefree smile that makes me kiss her on her nose. “You’re my summer, too,” she says. “B
ut I’d like to have you for the rest of the seasons, if I can.”
I feel the uneasiness creep into the pit of my stomach. “I know, me too. But I can’t right now. I can’t give up my responsibilities here and abandon my mom, the job, and school.” I could’ve smack myself on the head for saying that. Why am I so brutally honest with Summer? Why can’t I just fall into a steady relationship with her?
“That’s right,” Summer softly says. “You have a life here. I don’t know what I’m thinking. I only get you for the summer, don’t I?”
I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “It’s not even that,” I mutter. “I’m not a kid anymore, Summer. I can’t take an entire summer off and hang out at the beach having fun, shooting the breeze.”
“Then I don’t even get that,” she says, sadly. She looks like she’s about to cry, but instead of that, she stands up, walks to my chair, and begins putting on her clothes.
I get up and go over to her, placing my hands over hers, stopping her from getting dressed. “I’m sorry, Summer. I wish we can make this work. But today, our meeting with the team, and seeing how happy it makes you to get some hope and relief back into your life…it made me realize how important of a job I have there. I’ll be running that company one day, Summer, helping other people like you, and I just can’t give that up.” She’s looking down and not even listening to me.
I use my fingers to tilt her chin up, and she is looking so sad, I pull her to me, and hug her tightly.
That’s when we both hear the knock on the door to my bedroom and look over at it.
Standing in the doorway, looking surprised and angry, is Drew.
