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Chapter 20
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Seasmoke Friends Chapter 21
Nine Years Ago-Age SeventeenI had to admit, the dress was hot. It was prom, after all, I had to look good. Dave Rockwell had asked me to be his date. I was never one of those girls who struggled for popularity, but when the linebacker of the football team asked me, little ole Summer Quinn, well, I'd been excited to say the least.Me and Dee had gone shopping with Ian's mom for a dress. It was navy blue, fell to my knees like a cloud, and crossed at the breasts to tie behind my neck. It actually made me look like I had breasts.Dee had come as Rick's date. I hadn't liked Dee much at first, but she'd started to grow on me. Initially, I'd thought she was trying to break into our little happy bubble of three. She was everything I wasn't. Fun, pretty, popular. But if Rick liked her, then she must be okay. Ian's date, however, was captain of the cheerleading team and the biggest bitch on the planet. I looked across the gym at them dancing. If I could call it dancing. They should breath
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 22
Ten Years Ago - Age EighteenLess than a month into the first semester of college and it was possible I might have to drop out. I watched the leaves just beginning to change from my bedroom window. A beautiful death in yellow and orange and red. Some were starting to fall already, as if a prelude to the news we'd received today. He had cancer. My dear, sweet Daddy. Daddy who had never done anything wrong in his entire life except smoke those damn cigarettes. He'd quit, for me, two years ago, but it hadn't been soon enough. The habit had caught up with him. The coughing and shortness of breath wasn't just a cold. It was cancer. The doctors claimed they could try aggressive treatments and removing the mass on his lung, but they gave us no false hope or promises. It was looking grim. Stage 4 was bad.After we'd gotten home from the doctor's office, still in a measurable amount of shock, Daddy had sat me down at the kitchen table. "All of the papers for the house are in the safe upstairs.
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 23
SummerOkay, well... Mind? Blown.Ian sprawled partly over me, his weight comfortable instead of pressing. The twin bed didn't allow for much room, and his large frame took up a good portion of it. Our legs and arms were tangled, a thin sheen of sweat coating our skin. His breathing had finally evened out and he'd fallen asleep. I had yet to draw breath. My mind alert, I stared at the shapes and patterns the light created on the ceiling.I just had sex with Ian Memmer. My best friend. My...everything. We'd gone there. We'd crossed that line.When the sun came up tomorrow and I returned to my normal self, all the ramifications of what we'd just done would slam into me. I was sure of it. Everything we could stand to lose would shine a light on this night as the turning point that ruined everything.But tonight, I couldn't muster the energy to care. Tonight, someone had made love to me as if I was worth something. As if I were special. I didn't know Ian could be like that. I'd always imag
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 24
IanWithout trying to move a solitary muscle, I looked down at the blonde hair spread over my chest as if needing confirmation last night had happened. The sheet was wrapped around us in a tangled knot, her breathing even. Her thigh was wedged between mine, her arm laying limp across my chest. Her cheek rested right over my pounding heart. Never, not once, had I awakened to her in my arms, and Christ, I never wanted to open my eyes to empty sheets again. Holy hell. She was here, in bed with me.Sunlight streamed into the room from the window, the rays caressing her back in the early morning light. My scent mingled with that of her lilac and sea salt from the breeze. Surreal.She stretched against me, a moan escaping as she buried her face in my chest. Visions of rolling her over and making love to her half the morning had me growing hard. We needed to talk. I still hadn't said half the things I wanted to tell her. But she felt too good next to me to do anything but sink inside her
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 25
Summer"The sex must've really sucked. We share the room right next to yours. No wall banging."I laughed, which I'm sure was his intention. "Shut up.""No, really. I can't wait to tease Ian about it. Not even an Oh, God, yes!"Laughing harder, I grabbed my side. "As if you could hear anything over Dee's snoring.""True, that." He sobered, studying me. "Can I assume Matt is still in the picture?"Shame swamped me. I was now one of those women who cheated on her boyfriend. Sort of. We were still able to see other people, according to Matt.Rick rubbed a comforting hand over my back. "If you love Matt, you have to tell him and try to work it out. I suspect you don't, though, so what about Ian?"I didn't love Matt. If last night had taught me anything, it was that Matt wasn't The One. Ian...I didn't know what to do about. "I'll figure it out.""I know you will." He wrapped an arm around me and drew me to his side. "Do me a favor, though. Go with your gut, not your head. You have
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 26
Five Years Ago-Age NineteenI curled up in a ball on my bed, wishing Dee didn't have a night class this evening. I badly needed a girl around. I didn't know if it was normal to discuss these things with a mother, since I'd never had one, but girls did discuss sex with their girlfriends, right? I was just glad Daddy didn't have a treatment today and had turned in early.How stupid of me to have romanticized the idea of sex. There wasn't a damn thing romantic about it. I had just decided at a party tonight to go ahead and get it over with. With some guy from my English Lit class. I was sick of the virgin moniker hanging over me and the opportunity arose. Everyone else had sex long before they were in their second year of college.The guy, Jason, had a lot more to drink than me, but neither of us were drunk. I'd heard the first time wasn't always good, but it had been terrible. He hadn't done much by way of foreplay, and the burning had been awful. Not wanting him to know it was my fir
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 27
IanOut of the corner of my eye, I caught Matt walking across the beach toward his house, back rigid and his stride long. She'd sent him away? She'd...ended it with him? My pulse beat thready, building an erratic rhythm.All day I'd been kicking myself, trapped in a wretched state of pissed off and hurt. She'd bailed on me this morning, had gone right to Matt, and nothing had wreaked agony quite like her rejection. A two hour ride on Dad's Harley hadn't cut through the pain. Our confrontation in the driveway only added to the mix. It was as if she'd been...amputated from my life.But Matt was leaving.I glanced at Rick, who had seen it, too. Rick nodded, his gaze understanding. "Ian, go check on Summer, will you? I don't think she's feeling well. I'll take Jenny home."Fireworks exploded over us, sending shocks of light across the water. The start of the finale boomed, matching my heartbeat. Leaving my friends on the sand, I jogged to the house and ran up the stairs, into our bedr
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 28
SummerIan's mama came out to join me on the porch swing after supper and handed me a glass of sweet tea. I took it as she sat next to me, setting the swing in motion. I traced the condensation on the glass with my finger and stared at the yard. The air was humid and sticky, but now that the sun had set, it was comfortable. A slight breeze wafted off the water on the other side of the house, scented with brine. Crickets chirped in the long grass and the rustle of palm leaves crackled. Perfection.Ruth looked at me over the lip of her glass as she drank. "So, you and Ian, eh?"I offered a short, breathy laugh, still a little shocked myself. His parents had arrived late this morning. After they'd gotten settled and we'd sat down for lunch, Ian had flagged their attention, said he had something to tell them, and kissed me in front of everyone. Ian never did anything half-assed, that's for sure. Dee had clapped, Rick had shaken his head with a grin, and Ian's folks had spent the rest of
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