Home For Summer: A Steamy Enemies To Lovers Standalone, page 1
Home For Summer
J.W. Ashley
This book is for survivors.
Home For Summer
by J.W. Ashley
Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, or actual events is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited by Dawn
Proofread by Jo
Proofread by Dominique
Cover Design by Pink Ink Designs
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
About the Author
Contemporary Romance by J.W. Ashley
Fantasy Romance By Jessica Wayne
1
Kleo
Echoes of screams that have long silenced fill my head as flashes of red and blue illuminate the night, obliterating the stars above. Tonight should have been happy, a celebration, and instead, it became a crime scene. A horrific memory that will always haunt me.
Hot tears stream down my face, my chest feeling heavier than it’s ever been before as I kneel in the puddle of red on the white carpet of my bedroom floor. My now-tattered pale pink gown is stained with blotches of crimson, the once flowy fabric weighed down by the blood soaking it.
Glass shards bite into the skin of my knees, the pain nothing compared to the sharp throbbing of my head. Reaching up, I tenderly touch the broken skin now held together by two strips of medical tape. I sob, my shoulders shaking with the weight of my terror now that the adrenaline is wearing off.
But none of that—not even the pain—can compare to the embarrassment, the humiliation I feel. Cold air nips at me from the broken window, and I open my eyes to stare out at a black sky that had been filled with the lights of police cruisers only minutes before.
I never considered that my world could be imperfect. That the threat was real. I’d been naïve, stupid. A rich girl with no understanding of how the world works. And now that I’m here, now that I’ve seen the ugly, I would give anything to forget.
My gaze travels up to the pale pink curtains flowing in the wind. Torn and tattered like my life, I want to rip them down. Scream. Throw them out the window.
How can I ever move on from this? Will I ever be okay?
“Kleo?”
I shoot up in bed, as I attempt to breathe and slow my racing heart. In and out, in and out. Tears dried and crusted on my cheeks, sweat coats my brow as my mind continues to replay that horrific memory.
“Dammit,” I cover my face with shaking hands. It’s been two years. Why the hell am I still so haunted by it?
I shove my comforter all the way off and get to my feet, walking into my bathroom to splash some water on my face. Logically, I know why the nightmares have returned. For the first time in a year, I’m alone. My roommate moved out a few weeks ago, and while Macey and I were never particularly close, having her here helped me feel not so isolated from good people.
I lift my head and stare at my face in the mirror. A small scar is the only evidence of the attack that took place two years ago tonight. A small line on the side of my head. My heart aches, pain clenching a fist around the muscle that keeps me alive.
My phone rings, and I jump, pressing a hand to my racing heart once again. Shit. I head back into my bedroom and lift my cell to my ear, answering without checking the readout. It doesn’t really matter who’s on the other end of the line; they serve as a distraction.
“Hello?”
“Kleo!”
My name comes through the speaker so loud that I pull my phone away from my ear momentarily. “Andrea?” I can barely hear her over the loud music coming in from the background.
“Where you at, bitch? You should be here partying!”
I smile and take a seat on the edge of my bed. With finals behind us, tonight is one of the largest party nights here at Florida State. For me, it’s just one step closer to the trip I’ll be taking home tomorrow, where I’ll be spending the summer in back-to-back meetings as my father teaches me all I need to know about taking over his position.
“I have an early trip tomorrow,” I tell her, and she laughs loudly in my ear.
“What did you say? Sorry, Jace was being a dumbass.”
I chuckle. “I have an early trip tomorrow.”
“Oh, come on! You’re leaving tomorrow! Let’s live it up!” Andrea squeals and giggles loudly, and I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Fine. Text me the address.” I end the call and toss my phone to the comforter, flopping back onto my mattress. Going out tonight will be the best thing for me. I can toss back copious amounts of alcohol until I’m so drunk I don’t remember cryptic letters and gropy hands.
Or the fear I felt at both.
Drunk has been a permanent state for me since I got back here. Of course, coming back to get my master’s had never been part of the plan. I was supposed to stay home after graduating with my bachelor’s two years ago. I was going to take over my family’s summer camp for troubled youth. Put my psychology degree to good use, helping others.
But how the hell am I supposed to help anyone when I can’t beat back my own demons?
Let’s not go there. Getting out of bed, I grab a pair of jeans and a crop top from my closet and dress quickly. After tossing my hair up into a messy bun, I retrieve my phone and check my messages. At least she remembered to send me the address.
After ordering an Uber, I grab a Red Bull from the refrigerator then retrieve my keys and purse before stepping out into the hall of my apartment building. Most of the residents are asleep by now. I specifically chose to stay away from the college part of town, wanting my quiet.
When I realized that wouldn’t work, I chose chaos. At least if things are insane, it’s because I chose that path. I made the decision to party, to forget, and no one can take my choice away from me. Besides, when I’m drunk and happy, no one can see the dull shine that used to be my optimistic outlook.
There’s a black sedan sitting outside the apartment building, so after checking the description of the car coming to get me, I head over to the door and peek inside.
“Hey there, sweetie. For Kleo?”
Smiling, I nod at the older woman behind the wheel and climb inside. She opens the map on her phone and pulls away from the curb.
“How are you tonight?” she asks.
“Fine, you?” I lie, knowing all too well what happens when you peel back a little bit of vulnerability. No one ever looks at you the same. Even if it’s just a stranger you’ll more than likely never see again.
“I’m doing great. Enjoying this wonderful weather we’ve got.”
I smile. “Hot and humid?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. It means the summer is coming, and that’s when my grandkids come out to visit.”
“That’s great. You have fun things planned?”
“We sure do. We’re going to do a statewide trip. I want to take them through the small coastal towns so they can experience a little bit of everything Florida has to offer.”
“You should check out Turner Cove,” I say. “It’s a gorgeous little town.” My family has owned nearly all business in Turner Cove since it was established in the late 1800s. Passed down through the generations, it’s where I was born and probably where I’ll die.
“Turner Cove?”
“It’s about three hours from here. Sits on a beautiful beach but isn’t well-known enough to get swarmed by tourists.”
“We will have to check it out then. Thanks for the tip.” She puts her car in park down the street from the house party and turns to smile at me. “You stay safe tonight.”
“Will do, you do the same. It was nice chatting with you.”
“You too, dear.”
I climb out and leave her a generous tip before shoving my phone into my purse and heading down the street. It’s well lit, streetlamps glowing brightly in the dark. Faded music reaches me where I stroll, the steady thump of bass evidence of the party I’m headed to. I’ll be surrounded by people, laughing, smiling, and yet I know I’ll still feel empty inside.
2
Kleo
“Kleo, Kleo, Kleo!” I down yet another shot of tequila in an attempt to beat back the remnants of my nightmare, but as usual, there’s not enough alcohol in the world to help me sleep tonight.
“Woohoo! Kleo, Kleo, Kleo!” How many is that now? I honestly have no damn clue. I’m pretty sure I lost count after eight. Or was it ten? Andrea stands beside me, her fists up in the air as she bounces on her tiptoes. We’ve been standing up here on this table for at least an hour. Long enough that the tequila no longer burns anymore, my throat now completely numb from however many shots I’ve done since getting here two hours ago.
Truthfully, I’m pretty freaking surprised I’m even still standing. However many it’s been though, one thing is certain: I still need more. If I’m still standing, it’s not enough.
“Woohoo!” They yell again, and I grin, the room tilting to the side as I stare out at my peers. They look up at me with lopsided smiles, and I feel like I’m on top of the world even as I know I’m completely alone. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know any of their names though—what matters is that I’m here, getting hammered, and forgetting all of my problems.
“Another!” someone calls, and my grin widens.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I slur, putting both hands on my jean-clad hips. My bare stomach is sticky from the belly shots right when I arrived, my crop top more than likely ruined with spilled trashcan punch. As I stand up here on my pedestal, looking down at the partiers, I feel powerful when, for so long, I’ve felt powerless. Here in Tallahassee, I can be whoever I want, whatever I want. No more pitied looks from the family and friends who were there the night my world was stained. Nope, here, Kleo Turner is fun with a capital F.
“Kleo! Andrea!” I look over to the side and spot Jace and his buddies waving at us from the corner. It’s not the trust fund douchebag who catches my eye though, but rather the taller man standing right behind him.
“Hey!” Andrea squeals and jumps down, two guys catching her. They turn expectantly to me, but I shake my head. I watched the ass grab, and I’m not drunk enough for all that. Plopping down on the edge of the table, I push off and sway, steadying my hand on the sticky table I’d been standing on moments before.
Jace and his trio of friends push through the crowd toward us. “Hey there, gorgeous,” he greets, and I force a smile in return.
“Hey yourself,” I reply, looking directly at his friend. I can’t stand Jace. He and my ex-roommate Macey had a brief fling, and he ended up being a total and complete asshat to her when she decided she wasn’t returning to Florida State. Admittedly, it stung me that she bailed but mainly because I had to go to my parents for help with the rent after insisting they let me choose where I wanted to live and promising I could pay for it myself.
But she’s happy and living it up with some hottie in small-town Montana. “What’s up?” I let my gaze travel over his group to the real reason I’m excited. Andrew Nolan, tall, broody, and sexy as hell, stares down at me from his spot at the back of Jace’s band of troublemakers. I’ve been trying to get this guy to look twice at me since last April. He and Andrea are twins, and it’s one of the reasons I still hang out with her despite the fact that she’s a class-A bitch.
“We’re going to go get into some trouble, you up for it?” Andrew asks.
Andrea grins. “Yes! Right, Kleo?”
She hip bumps me and I smile. “Sure.”
Andrew beams down at me, his perfectly straight teeth on full display. “That’s awesome, Jace was just telling me how much fun you are.”
“I was.”
“I’m glad he wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Oh, she is fun,” Andrea says. “Isn’t that right?”
“That’s me,” I confirm. “Fun, fun, fun.”
“Then let’s get this party on the road.” Jace puts his hand on my lower back, the pressure just enough to get me moving toward the door. As I pass by Andrew, his hand reaches out and grips mine, large fingers threading through my much smaller ones, and suddenly the buzz in my blood has little to do with the tequila.
He smiles down at me, dark brown eyes hooded beneath the flashing lights of the disco ball hanging from the ceiling in the living room.
I let him pull me through the crowd until we step out into the muggy Florida air.
“So, where’re we going?” Andrea asks as Andrew steps around me and opens the door to Jace’s black Jaguar. As I’m sliding in, the scents of leather and spice fill my lungs, and my head swims. Probably shouldn’t have had those last few shots. Andrea slides in on the other side, sticking me in between her and her brother.
Jace slips behind the wheel and turns to grin at me. “The dean’s place.”
I blanch, feeling myself go pale. Dean Michael Phillips is a play-by-the-rules-or-get-your-ass-kicked-to-the-curb type. “And why are we going there?” I ask.
“Relax,” Grey, Jace’s other friend, a guy who’s been trying to get me in bed for months, looks back at me from the passenger seat. “He’s not home.”
I’m torn. On one hand, I really want these guys to like me. Mainly, I want Andrew to like me. But on the other hand, screwing with the dean of Florida State just sounds like a terrible idea. It doesn’t matter that I’m done here. He and my father are close friends.
Andrew leans around me to look at his sister. “I thought you said she was fun?”
I reach up and finger the strands of my long hair. “Of course I’m fun. Let’s do this.”
Andrea laughs, and Andrew leans back in his seat as Grey shouts, “Onward!”
Jace peels away from the curb, tires screeching as he leans forward and cranks up the stereo. Pitbull fills the interior of his car, and I swallow hard, trying to not showcase how nervous I actually am.
What’s the worst-case scenario? Mr. Phillips and his wife could cut ties with my family, who could deem me the black sheep, and I could get tossed out onto my ass. Best case? He’s not home, and we partake in some harmless fun.
Andrew’s grip tightens on my hand, and I look up at him. He’s staring down at me, lust darkening his gaze, and it pushes the rest of my discomfort away. Definitely worth it.
The drive isn’t long, and a few minutes later, we’re pulling up outside a massive two-story. Andrew gets out, and I slide off the leather to stand beside him, gaping at the house before me. Sprawling green lawns make up the largest front yard I’ve ever seen while green bushes flank both sides of a wrap-around porch.
“This place is huge!”
Jace nods. “My dad brought me here for a private luncheon before I got started. It’s fucking ridic inside too. Come on, we’re going around back.”
He steps onto the perfectly manicured lawn, and for a moment, I honestly wonder if alarms won’t start going off. I mean, this place looks like the perfect location for hidden sensor alarms.
Grey follows him, and Andrew pulls me after them. I’m terrified of what they have planned, but I don’t say anything. Because who wants to be a buzzkill? I’ve known these guys for years. The most they do is get drunk and throw fruit off the roof.
Heart in my throat, I follow them over the grass. The house is dark, every window black, which eases my nerves a bit. After all, if he’s not home, he can’t bust us, right?
“Relax,” Andrea says beside me. “It’s going to be fine.”
I nod but don’t respond as we reach the fence, and Jace unhooks the latch, pushing the wooden gate open. It doesn’t make a single sound as he shoves it open, and I get a moonlight view of the most gorgeous pool I’ve ever seen. Large rocks stacked in the corner make a perfect path for a stream of water steadily falling down into the pool. A soft glow illuminates the water from within, and my excitement grows.
