Page 15 of On His Knees

“A friend lent it to me,” I say. Not a lie. “Come on. Let’s hurry before all this food gets cold.”

We pick up the pace, and we say hello to a handful of guests headed toward the shopping district. A few minutes later I’m standing on the stoop of my granddad’s chalet, which will one day become mine. I just hope that’s a long time from now. Beside me Summer is shivering.

I open the door, usher her in and drop my bags on the kitchen counter. “I’ll get a fire going.”

“This place is gorgeous,” she says as she slowly spins around to take it all in. I’ve been here so many times I rarely stop to admire it. This time I look around the chalet, take it in from her eyes. On the main floor, there are two bedrooms, a four-piece bathroom and a big fireplace with a TV mounted over it. There is a full kitchen, but the one thing the eye is drawn to is the loft upstairs. I glance up, admire the stars from the overhead skylight. Many times I’ve fallen asleep under those stars.

“Why don’t you grab us some plates and I’ll get the fire going?” She nods and walks to the kitchen. Dishes clang and cupboards bang as I bunch up old newspapers then arrange dried kindling and a few bigger logs over it. I light the paper on fire, and the wood sparks.

She comes into the room with two plates, both loaded with food. “If I eat all this I won’t fit into my coat tomorrow.”

“Doesn’t matter. You already look like a big marshmallow in it,” I tease.

“Hey,” she says, and glares at me.

Why do I keep doing that? Why do I keep teasing her like this? Oh, because I love the reaction it pulls from her. She is so sexy when she’s pretending to be mad.

“What?” I say, feigning innocence. “I already told you I like marshmallows.”

“I saw some in the cupboard. Maybe we can roast some later.”

I climb to my feet just as she settles herself on the shag carpet in front of the fire. My gaze goes from her to the kitchen table back to her again. “I thought we were—”

She taps the floor. “Come, let’s sit in front of the fire. This is such a luxury for me.”

I drop to the floor beside her and we both cross our legs, the flames gaining strength, and creating a romantic ambiance.

She eats an onion ring. “I can’t believe you bought all this food.”

I pick up my cheeseburger and take a big bite. I chew and swallow. “So good, right?”

“I think this is the best burger I’ve ever had,” she says after swallowing a bite of her own.

“Food always tastes better after a day on the hill.” I jump up. “I need a drink. Do you want one?”

“What do you have?”

I go to the kitchen and open the fridge. “I have beer, wine, soda or water.”

“What are you having?” she asks, then slides a French fry into her mouth.

Shit.

Keep it together, Tate. Don’t imagine that’s your dick she’s drawing to the back of her throat.

“Beer,” I say. Is that my voice? I sound like I’m strung out on painkillers. I clear my throat. “Beer,” I say again.

“I don’t have a hearing problem,” she says, and grins at me, like she’s well aware of what she’s doing. Christ, I’m the one who’s supposed to be seducing her, taking her to her knees, but she’s somehow taking charge of this situation and turning this around on me. “I’ll have a beer, too.”

I grab two beers, uncap them and hand one to her as I settle back onto the floor next to her. She slides another fry in, and my pants grow two sizes too small. Get yourself back in control, and get her out the door, already.

Easier said than done.

I take another big bite of my burger. “So how is it you’re still single?” I ask after swallowing.

She averts my gaze, takes another few fries and chews slowly like she’s considering my question deeply. She swallows, then takes a big swig of beer. “I could ask the same about you.”

I shrug. “I just don’t believe in long term, or marriage,” I admit honestly. “I’ve not had great role models in my life.” My mother walked out on me, and none of my stepmothers had any interest in bonding. No, they were only in it for the money and stature. I remember Dad’s second wife, or was it his third? She absolutely despised the sight of me. Oh, she’d pretend in front of Dad, even went to a few parent-teacher meetings, but when it was just the two of us, she gave me scathing looks that let me know I was a nuisance. At least Dad didn’t ship me off to boarding school like she wanted. Yeah, I learned early on no one wanted a real relationship with me. Now, well, now I’m not about to set myself up for that kind of disappointment.