Page 35 of Heat Stroke

Straight heaven.

I could stay here with her forever and be perfectly content.

Whoa…

I’m totally and completely in love with her.

I’m pretty certain she feels the same, but, what if she doesn’t?!

It hasn’t been that long and I don’t want to spook her with my feelings, but, I also want to shout them out to anyone and everyone.

Calm your ass down, Blaze Carrington.

The sky is darkening and the colors of twilight are reflecting off the water of the lake. It looks like a postcard or the cover of the romance novels my momma reads.

Leaning down, I press a kiss to the side of her neck and ask, “You hungry? I can fire up the grill on the deck and make some quick hot dogs or something.”

She turns, smiling up at me. Her hand reaches for my face, cupping my cheek as she answers me, “Yeah, I’m starving. I skipped lunch to get all of the shit done today.” Her stomach growls just then and we laugh together.

Reaching for the refrigerator, I grab the pack of hot dogs and a hard cider. Holding out the cider to Wren, I raise my brows, “Want one?”

She nods and takes the bottle from me. Opening one of the drawers, she pulls out a bottle opener and holds out her hand for the one I grabbed for me.

She pops both tops and hands me one as she grabs the pack of buns we picked up at the store on the way in. Together, we make our way out to the deck. She reaches for the switches on the wall beside the front door before stepping outside and flips them until she finds the one for the porch. She winks as it comes on. “It’ll be dark soon and we’ll need some light.” She rubs her bare arms left exposed by her tank top and says, “Do you think we need bug spray?”

Looking over at the very edge of the house, I shake my head and raise my chin. “Nope. We shouldn’t need it. That’s an industrial bug zapper.” I can barely hear the buzz of it from over here.

Wren sits in one of the reclining chairs out on the deck and watches me as I man the small grill. Her arm is crossed behind her head and her hard cider is resting in her other hand. She looks perfectly comfortable… relaxed.

This is the perfect spot for us to just be together without anything else going on. No distractions. No work. No past. Only us. Only here. Only now.

Once all of the weenies are on the grill, I pop the buns on the top rack so they can warm, too. It won’t take but a few minutes for everything to be ready.

Wren’s stomach growls loudly again and I laugh as she blushes in the evening light. “Damn, woman. I’m cooking for you. It’ll only be a few more minutes.”

She looks at me and smiles contentedly. “I know. I’m just hungry.” Her eyes meet mine and the emotion in them has my breath catching. “I guess you weren’t the only one excited for this weekend…”

Crossing the deck, I sit beside her on the chair. She turns onto her side so I have room and we stare at each other. Reaching out, I tuck her hair behind her shoulder. My fingers linger on the skin there. Her eyes turn the stormy green that I’ve come to love and she shivers beneath my hand. My heart seems to explode as I inhale and hold my breath. My voice is a whisper as I say, “Wren LeSalle, you make me so happy.”

She swallows and then huskily replies, “I’m happy, too, Blaze. I’m happy with you…”

Before I can process it or think it through, I hoarsely say, “I’m in love with you, Wren. Completely and totally in love with you.”

Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open. She doesn’t respond for the longest time.

My heart is beating in my chest and I’m terrified I’ve just ruined everything by blurting that out.

Stupid, dick!

Why would you tell her that?!

It’s too soon. She’s going to bolt.

She might be happy, but, that doesn’t mean she’s in love with me.

Fuck me.

I’ve just ruined everything.

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