Her cell phone rang, jarring her out of a deep sleep. Aimee rolled over, groaning with the movement that her body did not want to be making. She had nowhere to be and no intention of coming up with something. It was a pajama and smut book kind of Saturday.The night had not gone as she hoped, but it was still late before she crawled into bed. She smiled as she laid her head back down on the pillow, thinking of the way Clint kissed her, the way he held her, the pressure of his lips against hers. The cell phone still rang. She reached for it, her muscles screaming that they weren't ready for the day to begin, yet. She wasn't ready, either. Through eyes that needed to be forced to focus, she glanced at the screen. Mitch Greenway. She dropped back onto the pillow, a loud groan escaping her lips. She did not need this so early in the morning. She rolled her head to the side and stared at the clock. 10:15. Okay, so it wasn't so early in the morning. She still didn't need to deal with Mitch
"He asked you out. Again. You have got to be kidding me." Karla paced back and forth, flailing her arms in her frustration. "I don't friggin' believe it."Aimee sat at the table, a bacon sandwich in front of her along with a glass of water. She enjoyed another hour of peace and quiet before her sister barged into the apartment smelling like coconuts and sweat. It was a rather pungent combination. Aimee told her about Mitch's call earlier and the invitation to meet him for drinks. She left out the part where he had told her to meet him, however. She didn't need a repeat of their dinner date."I let the son of a bitch spank me!"Aimee choked on the bite of sandwich she was chewing. When the coughing fit subsided, she stared at her sister, dumbfounded. "You did what? When did this happen?""Yesterday. I went to his garage to apologize and he spanked me. He said my rude behavior at the restaurant would be forgiven if I let him beat my ass."Aimee stared at her sister. She didn't know what
She was going. She didn't care what her conscious told her at the moment. She would not allow her sister to dictate who she could or could not date. They were not in high school anymore and the jealousies her sister had were ridiculous. It was merely a way for her to manipulate control over Aimee and she would not stand for it. How Karla chose to live her life was up to Karla, but to expect everyone else to follow the same guidelines was just childish.Aimee stared at herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath. Admit it, girl. You like the attention, as well. She did. She wasn't used to being chased as much as she was at the present. Hell, she wasn't used to being chased, period. In high school, she only had one real boyfriend and he ran off on her after he took her cherry at graduation. She avoided contact with the male population after that until she went off to the University of Florida, where she met Henry Warren in her Cyber Forensics class. They started dating and, without her
"What's wrong with your other clothes again?" Betty held up a greenish blouse, examining the collar and hem."They aren't made for tending bar. I need something that will tempt people to stay and buy drinks. And that is an ugly green."Betty glanced at her and then back at the shirt, her head tilted to the side as she examined it. Finally, she shrugged and placed it back on the rack. "I've seen your clothes. They make men buy your drinks all night long. I don't see why you need new ones."Karla held a short blue jean skirt against her waist. It barely fell to mid-thigh. She held onto it. "Everyone at Sand Dune has seen me in those clothes. I need something they haven't seen." Something that will earn me some extra tips. When Aimee went off on her date with Mitch—the sneaky bastard—Karla called her mother and begged a few outfits out of her. Her mother was just happy to be of help, of course, and even offered to drive. Karla was more than happy to let her, as her own gas tank was almost
Aimee stretched, her muscles screaming at her as she did. She knew she needed to get up, but her bed felt way too good. All she wanted to do was hibernate under her thick comforter. Last night, she came home to her mother and sister drunk and making a mess of their kitchen. Alcohol bottles were scattered everywhere, and the counters were sticky with fruit juices and sodas. Aimee just shook her head and went to bed. Her night ended too well for her to allow her family to ruin it with their chaos. On her way to her room, she saw the shopping bags and the new clothes thrown everywhere. Karla obviously connived some money out of their mother. Clothes and alcohol. What a shopping spree.She wasn't sure why she even cared. It was a never-ending battle trying to keep her sister from milking her mother out of everything she owned. Their father had only been gone a couple of years, lung cancer having taken him way too early, and their mother needed what he had left her to survive. Yet, Karla di
"I start next Monday. I can't believe it." Henry hung up the phone and stared at her with a stunned expression. He was getting his dream job at Bryson's Security in Washington D.C. with their cyber unit.Aimee smiled as she put the sauce pan in the sink and ran hot water over it. She had been dating Henry Warren since their senior year in Gainesville. They even moved in together, not that her parents knew about it. She did not want to deal with Karla or her mother when they found out that they were living together. She was also afraid of hurting her father. "We have a lot to do before then, like pack," she said. She was proud of him and everything he had accomplished since they graduated the year before and he started his search for the right spot to use his talents."We have to tell our folks.""We will. They'll be so proud of you.""How are we going to tell your dad? I mean, are we going to let him know we're living together, yet?"She dried her hands on the towel hanging by her side
The sun caressed her flesh as she laid on the sand, the sound of the waves below her mixed with Clint's daughter's squeals. Karla loved the beach. She just didn't love the people who came to the beach. Unless it was men gawking at her body, she much preferred a lonely beach. She could go topless then without worrying about being turned in for indecency.She could feel Aimee's eyes glaring at her, but she didn't care. She was over her sister and her pious attitude. Who was she to judge Karla when she was playing around with two men? Miss Morality finally had men paying her attention and suddenly everything she had preached before was out the window. It was fun to watch."Hey, Karla. How are you doing today?" Clint reached down and grabbed a towel, dripping cold water all over Aimee who screamed as she tried to jerk out of the way."Living life to the fullest. How is Mr. Mom doing?"He just laughed as he stood and finished toweling himself off. "Covered in sand and salt water on a Sunday
"Could you have been any more annoying today?" Aimee tossed her towels toward the washroom, missing the open door and hitting the wall, instead. She couldn't believe her sister behaved the way she did in front of Clint, but even more so in front of Abigail. It was beyond inappropriate. "Oh please. Pull your bathing suit out of your ass and relax. I didn't say anything a three-year-old was going to catch. And besides, your Mr. Mom seemed to like the teasing." Karla opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. She stood by the counter as she took a deep swallow, her body covered in sweat and sun tan oil. Aimee would be envious of her sister's size six if she wasn't so pissed off at the moment.Aimee turned and faced her sister, her hands on her hips. "Why are you being such a bitch? You ignored the way I wanted to handle the car repair. You're being rude to Clint. You're doing everything you can to dictate my life to be the way you want it to be and not what I want. Why?""I'm
They were the last ones to arrive at the park, the others already choosing a spot and Marvin Asher firing up the grill. Karla wore a skirt that actually covered everything it should and had her breasts tucked conservatively out of sight. Aimee was shocked but glad. Clint's parents would get to know all about her sister soon enough. Aimee didn't need the first meeting to be a shocker for them.Abby ran to the Ashers first, giving them each a hug and squealing when her grandfather picked her up and threatened to throw her in the air. Then, to Aimee's surprise and delight, the little girl ran to Aimee's mother and hugged her as well. She offered the others a quick hello and then darted for the playground, Clint's mother following just to keep a nervous eye on her. Paul and Mitch stood beside the picnic table, Karla clinging to Mitch's side, as Aimee's mother sat in front of them, all talking and laughing. Aimee stood still a moment, soaking in this perfect scene. They were one big happy f
Aimee stretched, her arms extending out to her side only to come up short as her hand hit another body. Rolling over, she gently ran a hand over Clint's face, a smile dancing across her own. The Saturday morning light peeked through his curtains, calling them to rise and shine, but Aimee ignored it, as she had tried to do every morning since Monday night. Every night she fell asleep beside him, and every morning she woke up wrapped around him, her arms exploring his naked chest. No matter how tired they were when they went to bed, the two of them decided, for Abby's sake, they'd make sure they wore pajamas before falling asleep. A young girl still had moments of nightmares, after all, and needed her Daddy in the middle of the night. Monday night everything changed. Bonnie was no longer his wife. Oh, he still had to stand before the judge next week and make it official, but for all intents and purposes, it was a done deal. Nothing stood in the way of their happiness now.She ran a fing
When the kiss broke, he grinned down at her. "Just tell me we can do some more photo shoots."She laughed again, harder, freer. "Clint Asher, I'll do whatever you want. All you have to do is name it." She kissed him again, this time softer, with less urgency, but just as much passion.When the kiss was over, she slid back into her seat, scooping up her wine glass as she did. "So tell me about today."He did, sharing with her how Bonnie wasn't planning on signing the papers in the beginning. First, he told her Bonnie's revelation of a need for family and why she returned. Then, he explained how he convinced her how signing the papers was the only way for the two of them to get on with their lives, that she could be the best mother to Abby she could be, but she would never again be his wife. He told Bonnie that she needed to respect Aimee and make the transition as smooth as possible. They were Abby's parents, but they would never be friends.When he finished, Aimee told him about Bonnie
The night dragged on, and Aimee could not shake her nervousness. Clint had asked her over to join them for dinner but still had not said anything about what he felt they needed to discuss. He hadn't even mentioned his meeting with Bonnie that afternoon, which made Aimee keep quiet about how the woman visited her. No need to bring up the subject if he was going to end it with her.Abby was a bundle of energy, bouncing on the couch and wanting to dominate the attention. After growing bored with that, she dragged Aimee to her room and played tea, while her father cooked dinner and music played from the front room. As Aimee played dolls with Abby, she wondered if the girl knew the extent of everything that was happening in the lives of the adults around her or if she was blissfully oblivious. For the little girl's sake, she hoped it was the latter."Dinner's ready," Clint called from the front room. Aimee had to admit he sounded happy since she arrived, not as if he was ready to send her o
A knock came at the door. Aimee glanced over her shoulder but didn't move to answer it. If it was Clint, she wanted to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible.Whoever it was knocked again. Karla stepped out of the hallway, glanced at Aimee, and then moved to answer the door. "You worry too much," Karla said over her shoulder.Aimee turned back to the ocean, the curling waves matching the churning in her stomach. She knew she was being dramatic, but she couldn't stop herself. She hated defeat."What the hell are you doing here?" Karla's voice snapped Aimee's attention around. Expecting to see Clint standing there, she was stunned when she noticed Bonnie, the woman ramrod straight, her neck stiff, and one white-knuckled hand gripping her purse strap close to her shoulder. Aimee could feel the confusion furrowing her brow, her eyes squinting, as if trying to make sure she saw what she actually saw. "Bonnie?""Again I ask, what are you doing here?" Karla stood in front of the oth
Something went wrong. While Aimee had no idea what that something was, she knew it had to be about Clint's divorce. Why else would he text her saying they needed to talk right after meeting with Bonnie? The waves barreled onto the shore, breaking upon the sand and rearranging the Atlantic Coast, just as Clint's text rearranged her security, sending her spinning in the riptide of the unknown. She stared at the white foam as the ocean sucked it back out into the deeper waters, reclaiming it as its own. Had Bonnie succeeded in the same thing with Clint? Had she won the fight and taken her husband back? Once again regaining her happy little family?She closed her eyes against the onslaught of scenarios that pummeled her mind, her head screaming against the intrusion. With everything she could muster, she tried to fight the battle within her, giving Clint the assurance he wanted that she believed him when he told her he would be here forever. Yet, it wasn't her experience. Men said whatev
Clint pulled into the local Starbucks, deciding it was the safest place to meet Bonnie to get her to sign the divorce papers. Hopefully, the opportunity for her to respond negatively would be greatly reduced by the public meeting. He had no doubt that meeting her in private would lead to her doing something detrimental to the proceeding. He just wanted to get her to sign the divorce papers and get the whole thing over with, so he could get on with the rest of his life, get on with his relationship with Aimee.He sighed. Hopefully, get Aimee to calm down and return to normal. It wasn't that all the adventures she came up with weren't hot as hell. They were, and he wouldn't mind doing them, but not if she only did them to compete with Bonnie. He wanted Aimee to be Aimee, the woman he fell in love with, the woman who sat on the couch with him and Abby and watched Disney movies, the woman who jumped into a flour fight in the kitchen, giggling and tossing the white powder everywhere. He did
Aimee stretched, her body screaming its protest at her, hating the fact that morning was already here, and she needed to rise and shine. Only one part of that would be possible until after coffee. She rolled over, her gaze drifting to the sliding glass doors at the east of her bedroom. The morning sun coaxed her, urging her to call into work and take the day off, to make a day of it at the beach, the sun's rays kissing her flesh. She grinned, scrunching down into her covers, her mind drifting to Clint's lips on hers, the passion in each one of his kisses, warming her insides like the sun would warm her outside. If she was going to call out of work, she wanted to spend the day in bed with Clint.Once they left his workshop, he went to pick up Abby and then met her at Charlie's for dinner. Abby was a chatty little girl, while she drew on her kid's menu, excited about being out with them. It was even pleasant to sit at a table, Clint's arm stretched across as he held her hand, Abby bounci
They spent the next hour moving things around in his workshop, setting up a photo shoot of the furniture he intended on selling, and making each piece look enticing. Aimee threw herself into the task at hand, examining the shadows cast by the lighting inside the workshop and making a small studio spot off to the side with nothing in the background, using some of his dark dropcloths as background drops. Clint helped her move things around, happy to be the manual labor to her vision for his photos.Outside, night started to fall, casting darker shadows on the ground as lamp posts popped on, offering only a slimmer of light to illuminate the world. Aimee finished taking her pictures: rocking chairs, tables, even a dresser Clint had crafted himself. They teased, laughing at each other when Aimee wasn't so focused on what she was doing. This was her passion, taking pictures, and she could get lost in the process for hours, inspecting angles and lighting, zooming in and out, carefully select