Then Summer Came Read Free Page A

I said that he’d just rub it in my face that I wouldn’t move in with him.  Hell,” I shrugged, “maybe that’s why he’s moving someone else in.”
    “A twin…”  A wry grin spread across her glossy, pink lips. 
    “Em, no!  Identical, they’re identical .   It’d be too weird…”
    “Ugh,” she scoffed, crossing her arms.  “It would be kinda weird…damn.”  She sipped her latte.  “But,” she straightened a finger out at me,
“if you and Derek ever split up—”
    I threw my hand up.  “He’s all yours,” I said, finishing her thought.
     
    
     
    I got ready for our date at Derek’s apartment, where he’d said he’d meet me.  He was right-on-time.  He came in, shouting his arrival, and I slipped my dress over my head and grabbed my heels. 
    He was sitting on the sofa when I came into the living room.  He seemed to be engrossed in his phone.  He was reclined back, his ankle resting over his knee as his fingers pecked the screen of his phone.  I stared at him, while he stared at his phone; I just wanted to look at him for a minute.  It’d been days since I’d seen him.  It made me wish I could see him sitting on the sofa like that every day.
    "Ahem," I cleared my throat to grab his attention. 
    He looked up at the sound, and his eyes lit up.  "Lis, you look amazing…" he admired, stuffing his phone into his coat pocket. 
    "Thank you," I said and scurried to kiss him. 
    He stood and pulled me into his arms.  A low sound rattled in his throat, and he leaned in and inhaled the scent on my neck deeply.  "And you smell amazing," he said in a low, husky voice and stamped soft kisses along my neck and back to my lips.  "I forget how much I miss you." 
    "Well maybe we should stay here instead, and I'll remind you just how much you've missed me?" 
    He jerked me into him.  "Normally, I couldn’t say no to that dress…" he trailed off, running his fingers across the edge of the bust line.  I shivered at the soft tickling as his fingertips grazed my breasts.   I pulled his mouth to mine and kissed him like I’d wanted him for a month—because I had.  It’d been over a month since I’d even spent a night in his bed with him, and I wanted him badly. 
    “Lis…”  Our kiss died, and he held me at arm’s length.  “I wish I could, but if you want to do our date night, we have to go now.  I have an appointment afterwards, and I can’t be late.” 
    I pouted dramatically.
    He laughed and nudged me.  “Sorry, babe.  You know I wish I could.”  He kissed the corner of my mouth and tugged me anxiously toward the door, bound for his favorite restaurant.
    Dinner was nice…for about twenty minutes, and then Olivia and Walden started blowing his phone up.  He took every call, of course.  Before our date had even reached a full hour, he drove me back home with some talk of an emergency, some crisis with a stock drop.
    “Do you want me to walk you up?” he asked as the limo slowed to a stop in front of Wilshire. 
    “No, it’s fine.”  I leaned in to kiss his cheek.  It was soft and made me feel a little weak and nostalgic.  I sucked in a breath as the driver opened the door. 
    “I love you,” he said after me.  I returned my love and strutted inside…slowly.  Maybe he’d be watching me and follow me up anyway, not being able to resist the way I looked in that dress. 
    I heard the limo speed off, and I tried to ignore the disappointment that settled in my stomach. 
    I had every intention of just going on up to my apartment, but I missed him already.  So, I went into his apartment and changed into my shorts and tank top.  I considered going out, but it was late and I was already tired.  Plus, Em had to study so she couldn’t go anywhere with me.  So, I decided to work on some designs. 
    I’d finally been so exhausted that I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer.  I curled up in Derek’s bed and wrapped up in his blankets, welcoming