Page 34 of Peaks and Promises

It was going to be a good night. Not because I had a hot piece of ass who was gonna let me and Hammer do whatever the fuck we wanted to her. The girl didn’t matter. She was just a warm-up. When we were finished, I was going to show Summer she couldn’t get away with this. The kid was mine. He belonged to me, and she needed to remember who she was dealing with.

I’d make sure she didn’t forget again.

CHAPTER 8

Summer

I woke up in Reese’s bed, the blinds keeping out all but a tiny sliver of light. Nate’s back was to me, but by his even breathing, I could tell he was still asleep.

Worry for what the day would bring threatened to crash over me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Everything was going to be all right. It had to be—somehow.

Pressing my face against the pillow, I breathed in again. Yes, I was smelling his pillow. And yes, it smelled good.

So good.

It figured Reese Haven’s bed would smell like man heaven.

I didn’t want to wake Nate, so I quietly slipped out of bed. I’d slept in my clothes, so after a quick trip to the bathroom, I went out to see if Reese was awake.

He stood in the kitchen, his back to me, fully dressed in a gray T-shirt and tan cargo pants. His head moved slightly, like he’d heard me, but he didn’t turn around.

It gave me a moment to take him in. In the confines of his small kitchen, he seemed unnaturally large—wider and thicker than a normal man. The memory of his scent lingered, making my heartbeat quicken and heat pool in my core. A fantasy flashed through my mind—me on the counter in front of him, his pants around his ankles and my legs wrapped around his waist.

“Coffee?” he asked.

The fantasy dissipated like smoke, and my cheeks warmed. “I’d love some.”

He reached into a cupboard, took out a mug, and poured me a cup. I got the strangest sense he was reluctant to face me, although I had no idea why.

I went into the kitchen, and he handed me the mug. Leaning against the counter, I took a sip.

“Wow. This is good.”

He finally turned, and the hint of a smile on his lips made my heart flutter. “Only compared to the sludge at the diner.”

“That’s a good point. Their coffee is terrible. And the food isn’t great, either. I’m not sure why anyone eats there.” I paused, my eyebrows drawing in. “Why do you eat there?”

He opened his mouth to reply but glanced away. “I don’t know. It’s close.”

I hesitated, wondering if he’d add anything. Like there was also a cute waitress he liked to see. But he didn’t.

“Did you sleep okay on the couch?” I asked.

“Yeah, fine.”

“Nate’s still passed out in there. He must have been tired.”

“How long is he suspended?”

“He can’t go back until next week. Which I guess kind of works out. I wouldn’t send him to school today anyway.”

“I was going to suggest you keep him out. What about you? Do you have to work?”

“Originally, I’d planned to call in and see if I could pick up an extra shift. But, no, I’m not on the schedule today.”

“Good. I was also going to suggest you call in sick.”

“I’m going to have to go in tomorrow, though. I can’t lose this job.”