Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,15

phone out to me and I take it from her.

She’s reading something on Buzz Wheel—the local gossip blog that snitches on everyone’s comings and goings in Lake Starlight.

LAKE STARLIGHT BUZZY WHEEL

I think we can all agree that Reagan Hastings hasn’t had it easy these past few years, but it seems like things may be turning around. Rumor is she and Moose have been getting pretty cozy lately. Not only was there a motorcycle ride a couple weeks ago, but they’ve been spotted at the other’s house this week. Could love be in the air for these two? Maybe Raegan has turned our Lake Starlight’s resident grumpy biker into a gentle giant? Either way, we’ll all have our eyes and ears open to see how this budding relationship turns out.

I pass her phone back with a shrug. “That’s not so bad.” I’ve certainly seen worse, more invasive stories on that damn thing.

Doesn’t seem like Reagan shares my thoughts though, because she’s looking at me like I’m insane.

“Now everyone’s going to be watching our every move.” She shakes her head and sets her phone on the counter.

“So what?” I step toward her and place my hands on her hips, bending down to kiss her temple. “Doesn’t affect what we have.” When she doesn’t respond, I pull back to look into her eyes. “Does it?”

“No… I guess not. I mean, I just don’t like it.” She slides out of my hold and paces to the other end of the kitchen.

No fucking way I’m lettin’ her do this again. “Okay, don’t like it then. But like I said, doesn’t affect us.”

She stares at me for a moment and I get the feeling she wants to say something to me but is debating.

My eyes narrow. “I thought we were past all this bullshit.”

Her hands clench into fists at her side. “We are. I told you that I want to be with you.”

“Then what’s with bein’ so upset about that article?”

“I’m just thinking, maybe it’s best if we lay low for a bit. Just until something else of interest happens in town and they start reporting on that.”

I can’t fucking believe what I’m hearing. “Are you serious?” I whisper. Whisper because I’m doing my best to contain the anger that’s stacking in my chest.

“I’m not saying I want to stop seeing each other, I’m just saying maybe we cool it for the time being or keep it on the down-low like we used to do. Not forever though.” Her eyes plead with me.

“What’s this really about?” I wince and my hand goes to my side when the pain returns.

Reagan’s demeanor instantly changes. “Are you okay?” She steps over to me with her hand outstretched, but I take a step back.

“I’m fine. Answer the question.”

“Moose, you need to get that looked at. I can’t believe you haven’t already been to see Stella yet.”

When the pain first showed up a couple days ago, Reagan offered to call Stella Bailey, Brooklyn’s sister-in-law, to get me an appointment, but I’d refused, assuming it’d just go away. No such luck.

“We’re not talkin’ about my side, Reagan, we’re talkin’ about why you’re so scared to let yourself feel anything for me.”

She guffaws. “I am not scared.”

“Bullshit.” I keep my gaze trained on hers.

“I’m not. You think I’m scared? I’m not. I’ve already been through hell and back with my mom, Moose. There’s not much that could be worse than that. I’m not scared of us.”

“I wish that were true, honey.” This time I ignore the pain in my side when it flares up. I don’t want us to get off topic.

“It is true,” she says between grit teeth.

“I’ll ask again. Why are you scared?”

She stares at me, breathing hard and tears well in her eyes. “I’m not doing this.” Then she spins around and stomps off into the hallway toward the living room.

I follow behind her. “Sure as shit we’re doin’ this. Now talk to me, so we can get over this hump and back to the good stuff.”

“No. If you can’t respect my wishes, then maybe we shouldn’t be together.” Her voice grows louder.

“I’m not lettin’ you do this.”

“You have no choice.”

I take a step toward her. “That’s where you’re wrong. I let you push me away years ago, and I regretted that ever since. But I realized you had your own shit you had to deal with, so I let it ride. I’m not lettin’ it ride this time. We’re good together. I know it and you know it. And