Page 37 of Heat Stroke

She shudders and tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Livehere. God no. We live in Lafayette. Rodge is a supervisor at one of the biggest oil companies around. They have an office in New Iberia.” She narrows her eyes at me and says coyly, “You do remember Rodge, don’t you?” She continues before I can answer her. “We’re here for a big company shindig. He booked a whole area of the camp so all of the little workers and their families could get away.” Her nose wrinkles as she waves her ridiculously long manicured nails. “I mean, I suggested Gaylord’s in Grapevine. It’ssomuch nicer. But, you know, most of the people that work under him aren’t reallyGaylordpeople…” She rolls her eyes. “So, here we are…”

Just then, the man in question, Rodge walks up. He looks the same, too, only much thicker around the middle and with less hair.

Don’t freak out, Wren.

Who cares?!

These two are so irrelevant.

Just smile and walk away from them.

You don’t owe them shit.

I don’t owe them shit!

Rodge’s eyes rove over me and I instantly feel dirty. He sneers. “Wren LeSalle? Is that you? Man, you’ve certainly changed.” His eyes are undressing me.

My lips twist as my eyes harden and I grab the eggs so tightly I’m scared I’m going to break them. “Haven’t we all?! I should get going. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

I turn and try to hurry off. I try not to scream as I almost plow right into Blaze. His arms reach for me and he chuckles, “Whoa, babe. I was just coming to see if you got lost. You get what you need?”

His hands are caressing my upper arms.

Rodge’s voice causes my spine to tighten. “Blaze?! Hey, man! How you doing? What are you doing here?!”

Morgan blurts out, “Babe?Did you just call her babe?! You and Wren LeSalle, Blaze?! Are you freaking kidding me? Blaze Carrington… You’rewithWren LeSalle, the loser?!”

Rodge’s eyes go from me to Blaze and back again. “Well now… How things certainly change…” He’s undressing me with his eyes again.

The urge to scream and punch that fake ass Barbie bitch in her face is so strong. I barely contain it.

Whirling around, I open my mouth, fully intending to rip Morgan a new one, but before I can say anything, Blaze’s angry voice fills my ears.

“Yes, Morgan. I certainly am dating Wren. Why is that so shocking? Do your eyes work or do you need a stronger prescription in your colored contacts?! We all know that blue is as fake as the white hair on top of your head and the orange tint of your skin.” His arm comes around my shoulders, pulling me into his body.

I glance at him. His eyes are hard and his jaw is tight. There’s an angry flush along his cheeks and I can feel the tension in his body.

Setting the eggs in the basket, I wrap my arm around his waist and feel some of the tension ease. My smile is hard as I glare at Morgan and Rodge, two of Blaze’s buddies from high school and two more of the people who made my life a living hell.

He’s standing up to them… for me.

That’s hot… so, so hot.

God, I want him… right now.

My eyes drift over Morgan again and I make no attempt to hide the disdain I feel for her. Smiling coyly, I lean into Blaze’s side, while addressing her, “Are you ok there, Morgan? Looks like you got ahold of something distasteful. I do hope you aren’t coming down with something. As beautiful as it is here, there’s also a lot of filth. But, if youare… it simply couldn’t happen to a more deserving person.”

I feel Blaze’s chest rumble beneath my cheek as he laughs.

Blaze

Look at mybaby go…

I’m so proud of her.

Back in high school, she would have cowered and raced off when they… and I… tormented her.

She is going toe to toe with Morgan.

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