Summer Coffee (eBook)

C.S. McKinney (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023 | 1. Auflage
300 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-0477-2 (ISBN)

Infos

The scars that lingered from betrayal felt unbearable, that was until Nate met Ellie, who was still living in her own nightmare. When a misplaced wallet at the coffee shop lands in Ellie's hands, Nate finds a new light in his life. Upon falling for the girl whose dark secret falsely portrays her age, his sole purpose becomes protecting her, even if it means losing everything.

Writing stories about the unspoken and sometimes taboo aspects of dating, romance, and life is my passion. With each book, I envision the stories that many won't discuss because they feel too familiar. By taking on the tough topics, I hope to inspire readers to find a life of love and happiness without having to make the same mistakes as the books' characters. Much like writing, I enjoy doing anything that pushes me. From competing in triathlons, hiking, singing, and playing music, discovering my limits is my happy place. For more information, be sure to visit www.csmckinney.com.

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After a passing exchange of glances and a misplaced wallet, Mr. Lloyd Nathan Harper is approached by an alluring Miss Ellie. Despite Nate's familiarity with his high school students, this seemingly twenty-year-old harbors a life of gloom that falsely portrays her maturity. However, he soon discovers the truth, along with the source of her abusive past. While striving to protect Ellie, Nate shows her the love she has been missing. Yet, when Ellie's past regains control over her, the hope of a future together vanishes. Faced with losing everything, Nate is left with a decision that he may very well regret.

Textauszug

2

Age in Numbers

Our hands never parted their embrace after she handed me the keys. I had opened the driver door once again, but this time she merely slipped the keys in my hand and walked around to the other side. Playing along, I followed her, opening the passenger door before returning to turn the ignition. As we settled inside, she clasped our hands together and rested them on her leg.

“Where to first?” I asked, meeting her welcoming eyes.

“Should we stop by your place, or would you rather buy some new swimming trunks?”

My place was not on the way, but buying a new pair for no reason was really a waste of money. Also, taking a girl back to my apartment was a big step. After moving out of the house I shared with Vivian, I had yet to bring over a girl, or any friend for that matter.

“My place is about twenty minutes away,” I said, fishing for a reaction.

“That’s fine, we have plenty of time. We could grab a snack there, or go eat if you have somewhere in mind.”

The back of my head said, Let’s paint the town red and show her off in front of all my friends who would spread the word back to Vivian. But there was another voice telling me differently.

“Since we have time, I can make us a late breakfast or early lunch, then relax at my apartment.”

“I like it.”

My thoughts trailed from how Ellie favored the idea of going to my place, to what she might think or do once we arrived. Was the bathroom clean? When was the last time I vacuumed? Am I setting the wrong impression? Despite the many situations that panned my mind, the rubbing of Ellie’s thumb along my finger melted my worries away for the rest of the drive.

As I turned the lock of my apartment door, a cool breeze from the air conditioner swept across our faces. At first, the welcoming chill felt amazing, but I soon noticed Ellie was unable to withstand my level of comfort. Dialing the thermostat to eighty-three, the fan kicked off and I led her into the living room and adjoining kitchen.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“No, thanks,” she replied, pulling a water bottle from her bag. “I love your place. It’s so cozy.”

Cozy or small? “Thanks. Make yourself at home, and I’ll start cooking.”

I watched as Ellie made her way around the room, pulling the blanket from the armchair before curling up on the couch. Opening the refrigerator door, I peered inside, only to find a half carton of eggs and a pack of bacon. Aside from those, there was nothing breakfast- or lunch-worthy. Only some hot sauce, pickles, and a few hard ciders that I had bought while lulling over Vivian, thinking that keeping some of her favorite drinks would bring her back, occupied the shelves. Shutting the door in disgust, I closed my eyes, considering what to make.

“Nate?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you come here?”

Following the call of her voice, I walked to the couch. “What’s up?” She patted the seat beside her as she pulled the blanket tighter. “Is something wrong?” I asked, plopping onto the cushions.

“Nothing’s wrong. . . I’m just cold.”

“I turned off the air.”

“I know,” she said, nuzzling her head into my shoulder.

I slid my arm around Ellie and pulled her in, attempting to warm her body. She lifted her head, giving me a slight kiss on the cheek before snuggling closer.

“What about breakfast?” I asked.

“Maybe later.”

Ellie’s eyes soon flickered shut as I watched sleep consume her consciousness. Only the gaping of her lips assured me that exhaustion had taken its toll. Each breath arose softly from within her chest beneath the covers. Trying to not awaken her, I attempted to relax; although, falling asleep with her in my arms proved difficult.

Five or maybe thirty minutes after my arm fell asleep, Ellie started to stir. At first, the flinch left me to believe she was experiencing an unpleasant dream. Yet, when her eyes flickered open, a smile crept across her face. I leaned in for a kiss, and our lips met for a brief moment before pulling away.

“What was that for?” she giggled.

“I’ve been sitting here, thinking about how I wanted to kiss you.”

“Oh, really. . . And how long have I been asleep?”

“I’m not sure.”

“So, you’ve just been waiting on me to wake up?”

“Ha, yeah. What else was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never fallen asleep with a guy, but I assume they might feel their way around.”

“Do I look like someone who takes advantage of sleeping beauties?”

“No, I guess that’s why I wasn’t afraid to fall asleep, or to come here with you,” she smiled intently, as if thinking of something fond.

“What is it?”

“You think I’m a sleeping beauty?”

“You’re beautiful, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Ellie raised her head to meet my lips. This time, our mouths gaped open with passion and I found my hand falling to her knee. Caught in the moment, I began to slide her leg over mine as she shifted her weight onto my lap. My lips inched away from Ellie’s mouth, trailing to her neck. Blood cascaded through my veins, as if being brought back from a coma that consumed my life after Vivian as my hands slowly lifted to free the shirt from her body. Pausing, I watched as Ellie gazed down at me. We both longed for more but sat waiting to see what came next. Reaching behind, I unclasped her swim top and she allowed it to loosen around her chest. The uneasiness of showing herself resided on her face, but I knew she wanted me as much as I did her. I waited a moment before Ellie lifted my hands to her chest and let the top fall to her stomach.

In that same instance, she baited my attention with her mouth as our kiss continued. I removed my hands from her bare chest as she moved closer. To keep from pushing her away, I wrapped my arms around Ellie, squeezing tightly. While rubbing my hand across her back, I could feel the goosebumps along her skin from the coolness of the air. As I pulled her even closer, I moved my mouth to her ear. “Do you want to go to my bedroom where it’s warmer?” Without a reply, Ellie sunk into me, panting against my chest. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, but I don’t think we should go in there.”

“Do we need to stop?” I could feel her head nodding against mine. There was something in her actions that made me feel guilty, but I wasn’t sure why. As I pulled the blanket around her, Ellie took hold, securing the material to her chest before leaning back. She rolled off onto the couch beside me, and we sat in silence until she was ready to talk.

“Nate, you know how you asked how old I am?”

“Yeah,” I laughed. “Did that upset you?”

“No,” she smiled before becoming serious once again. “Well, I should probably tell you, I’m only seventeen.”

The widening of my eyes coupled with my pounding chest must have sent a shock wave through the room because she flinched as if she was about to get hit.

“Seven. . . teen?” I asked.

“I’ll be eighteen on the eleventh,” she offered.

“Ellie, do you know how old I am?” She sat unable to answer either from embarrassment or ignorance. “You realize I’m much older than you?” She nodded as I continued, “I mean, I knew you were younger, but not that much. I’m twenty-four years old. That’s a seven-year difference. And also, I thought you said you weren’t in high school? Why did you lie to me?”

Ellie’s eyes clouded with tears following my tirade, leaving her to lower her head in shame. “I didn’t lie. I mean I wasn’t entirely honest, but. . .” she sobbed.

Regret followed my harsh words, leaving me to reconsider my approach. “Ellie, I’m so sorry. Don’t cry. I’m not mad; I’m just worried.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone.”

“But here’s the thing, Ellie. I teach high school. . . mainly seniors. If someone found out about us, I’d lose my job and probably face legal action.”

“But. . .” she tried in between choking back tears.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry. I should have known you were too good to be true.”

Her tears stopped at my last words. “But it is true, and I’m here by choice. I saw your license today. I knew how old you were and didn’t let that stop me.”

“Wait, so why was I invited to the pool if you knew the whole time it was a bad idea? I mean, I was a complete stranger, just another guy that could have kidnapped you.”

“Ha,” she laughed.

“You know what I mean. . . abducted.”

“For starters, you don’t come across as a bad guy. And another thing, I smiled at you at the coffee shop and you just kept walking. Meanwhile, the barista was chatting me up and I had no one to pull me away.”

“Ha. How was I supposed to know? I was busy making a mess and a fool of myself.” I paused, realizing we were arguing for no plausible reason. “How is it that we got into this predicament in only a matter of hours?”

“Isn’t that what they call love at first sight?” Almost jokingly, the words protruded from her mouth, but she winced upon realizing what she was actually saying. “I didn’t mean it like that. Honestly, I never approach guys like I did you. This whole day made me feel comfortable and at ease.”

“Me too,” I said with a sigh....

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.8.2023
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-0477-2 / 9798350904772