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“Daddy, I won’t hear this.” She was going to cover her ears with her hands if she had to. She couldn’t bear it. “This is goin’ too far.”
“Summer, you tell me right now,” he ordered firmly. “Are you givin’ yourself—”
Oh God, no! She could not listen to this.
“La la la la la…” She covered her ears. “Stop this, Daddy.”
“Tell me that’s not what’s goin’ on in that house then,” he snapped.
“Oh my Lord…” she muttered, looking around desperately for a means of escape. She could feel shame curling through her, and she was certain she was going to hyperventilate.
“Summer, girl, I’m no fool,” he sighed. “I know you’ve had lovers.”
“Oh my God, Daddy … stop…” Scandalized, she couldn’t bear to hear anymore.
This simply was not done.
Her daddy did not talk about such things to her.
“Now, Summer…”
“No, Daddy. Does Momma discuss Caleb’s friendships with him? Oh my God, you know she never would.” Momma would die of embarrassment first.
“Friendships?” he glared at her. “Is that what you’re callin’ it now?”
She stomped her feet, the heel of her shoe cracking against the boards of the porch, to get his attention.
“Daddy, I am appalled at this.” She stared back at him in disbelief, her hands settling on her hot cheeks. This was too embarrassing.
“And you should be,” he agreed fiercely. “Those two scoundrels bringin’ their wild ways to your home and to your bed like that.”
“Daddy … please, I’m beggin you,” she cried out desperately. “Please stop sayin’ these things.”
Something akin to satisfaction and pure devilry sparked in his gaze as he stared back at her. Something that simply had her heart sinking.
“Summer…?” Raeg spoke behind her, and she knew then exactly why her daddy was so satisfied.
“Oh Lord,” she whispered, panic tightening her chest. “Where’s Momma? This is simply too much.”
Her daddy turned and looked to his side where Raeg and Falcon stood, his expression disgusted. “Boys, it’s rude to eavesdrop on a man’s conversation with his own daughter,” he informed them in his best drill sergeant voice. “Where’s your manners?”
She turned to Raeg and Falcon, staring at them, begging them silently even as she shook her head desperately. They could not let this conversation happen. They couldn’t.
Raeg crossed his arms over his chest, the black shirt, sleeves rolled back to his elbows, and eagle-colored eyes giving him a piratical air.
“Damn, Falcon, you were right about the rules in the South being different from those at home,” he sneered. “At least there we take up our disagreements with any ‘friends’ our sister has with the men themselves rather than with her.”
Momma … Summer wailed silently.
“The two of you are a disgrace,” her daddy snapped, glaring at them with disapproval. “Especially you.” He pointed at Raeg imperiously. “You’re damned disrespectful to boot. Summer’s not one of your city girls to be used like you think you can use her.”
Use her? She was going to be sick.
And it was so obvious her momma wasn’t going to help her out here.
“Summer, perhaps you should go inside and help your mother,” Falcon suggested gently, his expression as hard as his eyes. “We would speak to your father about this privately.”
Her eyes widened, her heart suddenly racing.
