Summer Crush Ebook

Standing on the ladder felt precarious at this height but I needed to secure one more strand. I leaned closer, but my foot slipped, and I cried out as I fell into Jaxon's arms with a thud, knocking the wind out of me.

"Are you okay?" His voice filled with concern as he cradled me against his chest as if I was something precious.

All I could do was nod.

He slowly lowered me so that my feet were flat on the ground, but he didn't step away. He kept hold of my hips as if he was afraid I'd topple over.

I finally found my voice. "Thanks for catching me."

"You scared me." His voice was low and rough.

"I think I scared myself." My heart was still beating rapidly, and every nerve in my body was on alert. Being this close to him was seriously messing with my equilibrium.

The wind kicked up, and there was a rumble of thunder.

Jaxon glanced at the sky. "I should get my stuff put away for the night."

"I'll help you."

He let go of me, and I helped him gather the strands of lights and tuck them into the box. Fat drops of water fell on us as we finished securing his things. Then the wind picked up more, and the thunder rumbled ominously again as the rain pelted us.

Jaxon picked up the box. "Get inside!"

I ran into the shop, securing the door behind us.

Jaxon ran a hand through his wet hair. "I can't believe we got caught in the rain."

"I'm going to grab a blanket. I'll be right back." I needed a moment to myself. A man was in my store and taking up the available space and oxygen. In the stockroom, I grabbed the blanket I kept there for when I was cold and wrapped it around my shoulders.

There was a loud crack of thunder. The lights flickered and went out. My heart pounded in my chest. I was alone in the stockroom, and it was pitch-black. There wasn't a window, and I’d left my phone by the front counter. 

The rain pounded on the roof, and it was thundering constantly now. The storm was on us, and I wasn't prepared.

I should be safely tucked on my couch, eating leftovers. But instead, I was locked in my store with a strange man. One that sent my heart racing and stole my breath.

"Em? Tell me where you are." The concerned voice came from somewhere in the hallway.

"I'm here. In the storage room." I tried not to let my voice waver, but I didn't think I was successful.

"Keep talking to me. I can follow the sound of your voice.”

There was something about his tone that was soothing. "I'm right here."

I heard the soft tread of his footsteps coming toward me.

"You're on the right track. Keep coming." I blinked but still couldn't see more than a foot in front of my face.

Hands touched my shoulders. "There you are. Were you scared?"

"Maybe when I was a kid." But I couldn't shake the panic of being stuck in the dark.

Jaxon pulled me against him, and I gave into the urge to rest my head on his chest. Storms on the island scared me. I hadn't grown up in Florida, where hurricanes and tropical storms were commonplace. I'd heard the stories of how easily the island flooded and how high the storm surges could be.

"I've got you," Jaxon said, and I wondered why I reacted so strongly to his presence.

"I can't believe we're stuck in the shop during a storm," I mumbled against the soft cotton of his T.

"I should have paid closer attention to the weather reports. Do you have flashlights or candles anywhere?" he finally asked me.

"The cabinet in the corner."

"Do you mind if I hold your hand? You know the room better than me and can stop me from bumping into something."

"Sure." My voice was breathy, and my heart still thumped hard.

His hand curled around mine, his palm warm and comforting. "That's better."

Tingles shot through my palm and up my arm, directly to my heart.

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