About Last Summer

Chapter One

The last time Chase Malone had seen Natalie Campbell she had been naked in his bed, and when he awoke she was gone. That was over a year ago. He’d never asked why she left and, given the statute of limitations had no doubt expired on such a question, it was unlikely he ever would. Besides, asking those kinds of questions wasn’t his style.

From his secluded position, he watched as she stood on a small wooden pier, while an expanse of the Mississippi River held her gaze. Somewhere in the distance guests had gathered to celebrate her brother’s birthday, and it wasn’t like Natalie to not join in. But Chase hadn’t followed her to discuss her brother’s birthday. Actually, he wasn’t certain why he had followed her, but for some reason he couldn’t stay away.

Deciding he’d had enough of loitering in the shadows, he pushed away from the tree he’d been lounging against. The soles of his shoes clumped slightly as he strode across the wooden planking.

You know that’s not allowed. He crossed his arms on top of the railing, the polished plank adequately wide enough to rest his arms.

What’s not allowed? Natalie’s eyes remained focused on the dark surface of the river. If she was surprised to see him, she hid her reaction well.

A long face at a party. His gaze followed hers across the river to the houses dotting the shore. The view was the same as he remembered, the little of it he could see in the muted moonlight. Care to talk about it?

Instead of answering, she asked, Are you sure you want to risk being seen talking to me?

Chase didn’t need a road map to follow that remark, although he couldn’t tell whether she was asking out of spite or curiosity.

Going out on a limb, he chose the latter. Well, considering your brother is wrapped up in his fiancée, I think I can risk it. With a subtle shrug, he added, Besides, Patrick knows we’re friends. Your parents may have an issue with us talking, but I doubt Patrick will have a problem with it.

A soft June breeze carrying the scent of the river tousled Natalie’s shoulder-length hair. She’d cut it since the last time he’d seen her, although he hadn’t decided if he liked it or not.

Is that what we are, Chase? Friends?

That casual question struck a bit below the belt rendering him somewhat speechless. He could admit their former relationship lacked most of the usual boundaries, but he’d been under the impression she wasn’t interested in labeling it any more than he was.

Or had that been wishful thinking on his part?

Deciding to risk making eye contact, his gaze fell on her profile. I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.

A moment ticked by as she tucked a strand of sandy-colored hair behind one ear. The subtle gesture registered as deliberate, suggesting his nearness made her nervous, although her lack of expression left him baffled. Some sixth sense warned her attitude had something to do with him, although he had no idea why. He hadn’t seen her in almost a year.

As the moment ticked by, she waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. Don’t worry about it, she said. It’s been a really long day, and I’m in kind of a weird mood. You’d probably be better served to ignore me. She tossed him what he assumed was supposed to be a blithe smile before pushing away from the railing.

Wait a minute. Motivated to stop her before she walked away he touched her arm, halting her forward movement. His male nature enjoyed the excuse to touch her, and taking further advantage he stepped closer. He didn’t know what was going on, but he’d never seen her like this, and he didn’t like it. Maybe you should just tell me what this is about.

His nearness must have triggered a self-defense mechanism as her expression again grew guarded, but finally her eyes lifted. The scar on her chin she’d gotten from falling out of a tree when she was eight was barely visible in the dim lighting. Are you aware that for the next few weeks you and I are going to be staying in the same house?

He hesitated, their gazes mingling. Being so close to her after nearly a year apart felt a bit strange especially given how their relationship ended. No arguments. No tearful goodbyes. He woke up one morning and she was gone. He often told himself they were better off this way, but sometimes he wondered.

Pushing aside past memories, he asked, How can that be? I’m staying with Patrick until after the wedding.

I know. She leaned against the railing, the cut of her summery green sundress offering Chase a tantalizing view of her cleavage. Patrick and Erica are buying a new house, and I’m buying Patrick’s. Before I knew he’d invited you to stay, I moved in.

Erica Sullivan, Patrick’s fiancée, was also a good friend of Natalie’s. Patrick and Erica had hired Natalie to be their wedding planner. Patrick had invited Chase to stay until after the wedding given Chase was the Best Man, and Patrick and Chase hadn’t spent much time together since Chase moved to New York eight years ago. Chase agreed as spending extended amounts of time with his family generally wasn’t the best way to go about maintaining his sanity. Last year Chase’s father had been involved in a near-fatal car crash and between traveling back and forth to New York and Chase’s bickering family, Chase didn’t know how he would have coped if it hadn’t been for Natalie.

So you’re living here? He inclined his head in the direction of the house and Natalie nodded, moonlight glittering off her dark hair.

Now that could be a problem. He and Natalie under the same roof as her brother, combined with the seductive memories of how good they’d always been together, did not spell happy conclusion.

Apparently having interpreted his silence, she said with a rueful smile, I see you’ve grasped the problem.

Oh, he grasped the problem all right.

Trying out his voice of reason, he said, So we have two choices, either one of us can stay elsewhere, or we can pretend nothing happened.

I would say those are our options, she said. Although if one of us leaves, Patrick is going to want to know why.

He exhaled a tense breath. Oh, boy.

Yeah, I’d say that about covers it.

Silence stretched as their gazes continued to mingle. Their positions were reminiscent of days past, back when he was free to touch her, to kiss her, to make love to her. He didn’t want to remember those days but he did. And each day the memories tugged at him a bit more.

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I didn’t want things to end. Subtle regret tinged his voice as he revealed that piece of information, but what the hell, it was the truth.

Neither did I, she said, her admission delivered with the same hint of regret he heard in his own tone.

Sexual awareness pulled at him. Damn, he hadn’t wanted to go down this road with her again. Her parents made no bones about the fact they thought he was bad news, an opinion that had been reinforced by his divorce over two years ago. Not to mention Patrick had made it clear he didn’t want Chase getting involved with Natalie. The two men may have been friends since the third grade, but the Malone men didn’t have the best reputation with women, and Patrick didn’t want his sister getting mixed up with the Malone family drama.

But sex with Natalie was like alcohol to an alcoholic or chocolate cake to an obese dieter. No matter how many times he told himself he shouldn’t touch her, the chemistry between them combined with blissful memories of hot, lusty sex grabbed him and wouldn’t let go. And a year later the memories were still there.

Without conscious thought he stepped closer, his arm sliding around her waist. Natalie’s greenish-blue eyes remained locked with his, her elbows on the dock railing.

All he wanted was a kiss. One, sweet, simple kiss. He needed to know if he imagined the potent chemistry between them, because the more he thought about it the more he was convinced he must have. Sex just wasn’t that amazing. Sex was sex. It can be fulfilling both emotionally and physically, but sex never made him feel like his next breath depended on being inside her.

Sex just wasn’t that good.

Ignoring his conscience he moved in for a taste. Once, twice, three times their mouths connected. Then by degree his kiss lingered. With the exception of his arm at her waist only their mouths touched. The lack of full body contact was both erotic and frustrating. He wanted her flat against him; her body aligned with his, her hands tangled in his hair, but if he took things that far there would be no turning back.

And he couldn’t afford to forget about her brother, who also happened to be Chase’s best friend, a friend that had asked Chase to keep his distance from his sister. Resisting the intoxicating allure of tasting more of her sweet kiss, he reluctantly withdrew.

Resting his forehead against hers, he said, I think you’re right. We do have a problem.

Chase, she said, her eyes speaking of the same desire, a desire that had once consumed them both without regard for the consequences. We can’t do this again.

I know. Boy, did he ever know. They were lucky someone hadn’t caught on before now.

She placed a hand against his chest, the warmth of her touch detectable through the thin fabric of his cotton shirt and, taking the hint, he backed off.

I should be heading back to the party, she said, although he suspected her statement was a cop-out to avoid facing what had happened between them. Not that he had any right to judge.

He nodded. That’s probably not a bad idea.

Natalie headed up the path, his gaze trailing after her, his emotions twisted worse than a corkscrew. He hadn’t wanted to go down this road with her again, but his biggest problem was how did he stop?

*****

Beautiful wedding, Natalie.

Natalie tossed Wendy Taylor a brittle smile, although she didn’t stop to chat. Having spent the last four hours on her feet in three-inch heels, and with her mother breathing down her neck about every detail of the wedding, Natalie had only one thing on her mind: getting to the bar.

Last year Doris Campbell had retired from the event planning business, and turned the reins over to Natalie. Well, that was the official story anyway. Doris still poked her nose into the more notable events, and she had a tendency to make Natalie feel as if she wasn’t capable of a competent decision.

But always the cool collected professional, Natalie smiled, did her job, then tossed back a few shots at the bar when no one was looking. After all, imbibing alcohol was preferable to murder. And it was more socially acceptable, too.

I see your mother is as omnipresent as ever, Wayne Holland commented as he claimed the bar stool next to Natalie’s.

Wayne was the bride’s cousin, and his sense of humor had saved Natalie’s sanity more than once during the past year. He was good looking in a Jason Bateman kind of way, and Natalie had noticed more than one of the single female guests giving him the eye.

Natalie, elbows resting on the dark mahogany bar, exhaled a weighty sigh. My mother has spent most of the afternoon complaining about the F.O.B.’s tie. At Wayne’s confused look, she clarified, The Father of the Bride.

Wayne’s shoulders shifted beneath his charcoal-colored suit jacket as he caught the bartender’s attention. The reception room’s glittering décor cast an amber glow adding a reddish hue to the area.

What’s wrong with his tie? Wayne asked.

After tossing back her shot of apple Schnapps, she rolled her eyes. Don’t get me started.

So far today her mother had complained about the F.O.B.’s tie, the bridesmaids’ flowers, and the fact that one of the wedding guests had a slight stain on her right shoulder. Although the fact that was all Doris had complained about today was something of a miracle.

Holding up his own shot which the bartender had just plunked down in front of him, Wayne said, Well, don’t let her get you down. The wedding was beautiful, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Brittany is happy, her mother is happy, and in general everyone seems to be having a great time. So well done. He tossed back his shot, something caramel-colored, and then offered her a smile.

Natalie returned his smile. Over the past year she had felt the tug of attraction between her and Wayne, but nothing had happened. A few months ago Brittany, today’s bride, had let slip that Wayne had a girlfriend who was attending Harvard law school. Which explained a lot, but truth be told Natalie doubted if she would have gone out with him regardless. Her mind and her heart were too full of Chase. As much as it sucked to have him constantly in her thoughts, she couldn’t help it. The heart wants what the heart wants.

Natalie. Her mother suddenly materialized at her side. Did you check the tables? The Hamptons and the Littles aren’t supposed to be seated next to one another. You need to stay on top of these things, she continued, waving an irate hand at the now empty shot glass in front of Natalie. And this isn’t the time to party.

Well, Natalie’s reprieve had been nice while it lasted.

Join me later for a dance? Wayne asked.

Grateful for the touch of sympathy in his eyes, Natalie agreed with a what the hell shrug then. resisting the urge to order another shot. she trailed after her mother. After graduating college, becoming a full-time partner in her mother’s event planning business, Brides and Such, had seemed like a good career move, but the constant stress of trying to please her social-conscious mother was taking its toll. She often considered choosing another career, but she had no idea what, and even if she did know, how could she tell her mother that her only daughter no longer wanted anything to do with the business her mother had started from scratch?

*****

With her feet aching and her stomach growling with hunger, Natalie sank onto the driver’s seat of her dark blue convertible. The wedding reception was finally over and the happy bride and groom were on their way to start their new life together. Their praise of how Natalie handled their wedding had been a welcome balm after listening to her mother’s complaints, but it was over and now it was time to go home. Although going home meant facing Chase.

Thinking about Chase triggered a completely different set of anxieties. Images of him had flashed in her thoughts all day. Images of his dark, slightly wavy hair. Images of his chocolate-brown eyes that could fill with tenderness or darken with passion. Chase possessed something of the boy next door good looks; not the shy loner type, but more of the I-look-like-the-type-of-guy- you’d-want-dating-your-daughter, when in reality most mothers in Baker Hill thought the opposite of Chase.

However, having dealt with enough stress today and wanting to focus on something else, Natalie slipped in the rowdiest CDs she owned and, with the beat pounding away; she headed for the edge of town and navigated the curvy river roads. Fifteen minutes later she parked in the drive and, weary from the long day, she rested her forehead against the steering wheel.

Maybe she’d just sleep out here. Surely Patrick wouldn’t mind. All she needed was a pillow, maybe a blanket, and then she wouldn’t have to face climbing the stairs. Or worse – Chase. Normally she preferred to face life head on, and if all hell broke loose at least she could console herself with the knowledge she hadn’t just stood around and done nothing. But Chase was a whole other matter. There was something about him that got to her, and she couldn’t turn it off. And heaven knew she’d certainly tried.

She stared at the front door knowing she must look pretty silly sitting in the driveway afraid to walk into her own house. Which meant she needed to suck it up. Surely she could manage a few minutes of polite chitchat before going to her room? Knowing that the moment she saw Chase again her mind would refocus on last night’s kiss, she braced herself for the inevitable and headed inside.

Given that her brother wouldn’t be moving out for a few weeks yet, she hadn’t had the opportunity to give the house her own touch. The first thing she’d get rid of was that boring beige