Ace released his grip, and she lowered her cheek to his forearms beneath her as her heart pounded and she caught her breath. Ace pressed gentle kisses to her shoulder and her neck.
Kemp shifted and then came near, gently dabbing her cheeks with a tissue. “You’re crying, kitten. Why?”
“I am? I am,” she whispered as she patted her cheeks with the tissue and saw the tear stains mixed with mascara and eyeliner.
Ace looked closely at her. “Did we hurt you?”
Summer gave him a half smile. “As if either of you ever could. I don’t know. This was just…really powerful. I love it when you’re forceful like that and pin me down. It brings my emotions to the surface, I guess. You’ve been gone quite a bit, and I’ve been working a lot, and I guess I just needed the…” She trailed off, not knowing the right word.
“Impropriety?” Kemp asked as he stroked the side of her breast, sending a sweet shiver down her spine.
She smiled at him and nodded. “Yeah.”
“You like being our naughty girl,” Ace said as he pulled out with a deep sigh.
Her men helped her as she regained the use of her limbs. She cleaned up with a little assistance from Kemp, who had evidently prepared well in advance and had the necessary supplies on hand. They even helped her with dressing.
Ace shoved the pillows out of the way and helped her climb from the back of the SUV while Kemp readjusted the backseat so they could continue on their way. She giggled when she saw that they were parked at an overlook from which Bowie Lake was visible several miles in the distance. No people or cars were anywhere nearby, but the thought that Ace might have stopped somewhere where they might’ve been seen or heard had definitely heightened the thrill.
Summer smiled up at him, gazing at his dark-brown eyes, and wrapped her arms around him. Ace hugged her tight. “I guess we made some fireworks a little early, huh? How’s your ass?”
Summer chortled. “It’s very warm.”
Kemp came up behind her and gently squeezed each ass cheek. “Yep, and it’s probably nice and red too.”
“So I’m sort of patriotic. Blue dress, white sandals, and a red ass.”
“That’ll teach you to disobey,” Ace said with a chuckle.
Summer kissed him lightly and rubbed against Kemp as she agreed, “Yes, it will.”
They arrived with chairs and ice chest in tow about the same time Ace and Kemp’s sister, Lydia, showed up with Chance and Clayton. A fighter jet suddenly blazed a path overhead, signaling the start of the parade. In the distance, Summer could hear the Divine High School marching band as they slowly made their way down Main Street. Their vantage point afforded them seats in the shade right in the heart of the downtown Divine shopping district.
Richard Warner, one of Jack Warner’s cousins, jumped down from the big flatbed trailer and then gently lifted his wife, Maya, down. Richard’s brothers, Boone and Kendall, Maya’s other mates, leaped down right after, and Kendall turned to the group. “We’re going to take Maya down the block to find a ladies’ room. Y’all need anything? Bottled water? Cotton candy?” He grinned when all the kids who could talk chirped at the same time, and he waved off the bills their parents handed his way. “Give us a little bit of time to find the porta-potties. We’ll be back soon as we can.”
Summer giggled when she saw Boone pinch Maya’s ass as they scampered off. Ace leaned close and whispered behind his hand, “Yeah, they’re gonna miss half the parade. I recognize that look in their eyes. Kemp and I wear it often enough.”
Summer laughed out loud. Go get it, girl!
* * * *
Jayne fiddled nervously with the strap of the tote bag slung over her shoulder as she walked through Cheaver’s parking lot toward the large flatbed trailer facing Main Street. Her house was located three blocks from downtown so the walk had been a brief one.
“Jayne! You made it!” Grace called out as she shaded her eyes and beckoned her over to the end of the trailer where cinder blocks had been placed for steps. Awnings were set up to provide shade to those seated on the flatbed. As Grace’s husband, Adam, helped her up the steps, Jayne noticed several people in the group that she already knew, which was a relief to her. Grace took her tote bag from her and placed it in a chair next to hers.
Rachel Wolf waved to her from her seat, where she was nursing baby Levi under a light blanket. Charity drew her into a big hug and whispered, “I’ve got the perfect bathing suit for you at the house. You’re not gonna bail on us, are you? You looked ready to run a few seconds ago.”
“What? Are you reading minds now?” she asked, barely able to hear herself over the sound of a motorcycle pulling up nearby.