SummerSins (8 page)
Authors: Kathy Kulig
“Did the publisher know?” Adrian asked.
“She says no,” the lawyer said. “It might be hard to prove.
Whether she did or not, it was published and she’s liable. A follow-up article
will be written saying the photos were faked by the reporter and details of the
story exaggerated. The reporter was fired. If not, the magazine would’ve been
looking at a hefty lawsuit.”
Adrian rubbed his forehead and glanced at Carter. “I fucked
up. I should’ve believed her.”
Cynthia joined them and handed a jewelry box to him. “Emma
didn’t feel right keeping your gift.”
He made a face, gazing at the collar. It represented love
and trust. He thought she’d betrayed him but she hadn’t, he’d betrayed her by
not trusting her. His gut twisted at what he lost. He should never have
believed she’d do such a thing. He missed her. “This mess cost me my job. I’ll
probably have to sell my condo now.” The bitterness was still raw and fresh.
Cynthia had a paddle in her hand and she smacked him on the
butt. He jumped. “What was that for?”
“To get your attention. Aren’t you going to talk to her?”
Adrian nodded. “She deserves an apology. But it won’t help
our relationship. I’m probably going to have to leave town for work. It may be
impossible to find a position in any local hospital.” He grabbed the copy of
Scandal
.“What’s the address to the office for the magazine? I’ll go over there now
and see her.”
“She quit,” Carter said. “She’s working full-time at the
animal shelter on Sunrise Boulevard.”
Adrian walked into the animal shelter with a giant bag in
one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. A golden retriever-mix puppy
squirmed in Emma’s arms while she hunched over a pet crate cleaning it. She
stood and gave Adrian a cautious look. “The flowers are beautiful. I’m afraid
to ask what’s in the large bag.”
Putting the flowers down, he dropped the bag on the counter
and dug inside. He brought out large bags of dog food, cat food and all sorts
of chew and play toys for the animals. “A donation,” he said.
“This is great. Thank you.”
“The flowers are for you,” he told her as he watched her
reaction. She smiled, but in a guarded way. “I hope you’ll forgive me. You were
right about trust going both ways.”
“I should’ve told you sooner about
Scandal
, but I
needed the job. And I hate the look people give me when I tell them I write for
that magazine.”
“What are you going to do without the job? Carter said you
quit. Does this pay enough?”
Emma shook her head. “Nowhere near. But
Scandal
was
holding me back. I needed to take the leap. I wrote a feature article about the
gala and a bucket list story and sent them to a few local papers. The
Miami
Herald
hired me as a feature writer and wants to have me start my own
bucket list column where readers can share their adventures and bucket lists.”
“That’s great.” He was happy for her and at the same time
sad.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have to start my own bucket list,” he said. “Having time
off made me realize I’ve worked too hard and I’m letting my life pass me by. I
have you and Carter to thank for that. Cynthia too.” He squeezed her hand.
“I don’t think I remember seeing you smile so much,” she
said. “Maybe you needed the break.”
His chest tightened. He knew he loved her and he’d lose her
now. But there was satisfaction in the time they had. He helped her explore a
depth of sexuality she hadn’t known she possessed. If he could just find the
words they might have a chance. “Maybe.”
“What’s first on your list?” she asked, smiling.
He laughed. “Get a tan and enjoy the beach.”
“That’s a good start.” Her smile faded. “Will you have to
move, sell your place to find another position?”
“If I want to remain a surgeon I’ll have to go to another
city, perhaps another state.”
Emma nodded, looking at the puppy in her arms and not him.
“I’m sure you won’t have any trouble and will find a home just as beautiful.”
The silence grew between them again but it wasn’t awkward.
“You’ll be a hit at the
Herald
,” he said.
“You’re such a liar, Dr. Cayne.”
He stared at her. For someone so smart, the right words
wouldn’t come to him.
She came around the counter and handed him the puppy.
Smiling, he cradled the dog and petted its head. The dog curled up in his arms.
“Don’t shut me out,” she said. “Talk to me.”
Her smile was cheerless and it broke his heart. He never
expected to need her so much. “Your dream is to work at a big-city newspaper. I
wouldn’t step in the way of your career or your dreams. I don’t want to leave
here or leave you. I know this is sudden, maybe insane to say because we
haven’t been together long, but I do love you, Emma. What I’m feeling is real.
I want you to live with me as my partner, my lover, my submissive. We can
decide together at what degree our Dom/sub lifestyle will be. It doesn’t have
to be 24/7.”
“What about your practice?” she asked.
“I’ll give that up. I can work selling medical equipment or
in research but I want you in my life.” His cell phone rang and he ignored it.
She gasped. “Adrian, you can’t give that up. And aren’t
doctors supposed to answer their phones?” she asked, smiling.
“I’m not working right now.” The phone stopped ringing.
“We live in the age of email and the internet. I don’t have
to live in South Florida to work at the
Herald
. If you want me to be
with you, I will. I want that. You don’t have to give up your practice,
although I’m amazed that you would.”
“God, I love you.” He hugged her and kissed her hard. The
dog squirmed and yipped. “I can’t imagine being without you.”
His phone started ringing again. “I love you too. Now answer
your phone so we can get out of here and go for a swim or something more
interesting.” She kissed him quickly.
He stared at the caller ID and shook his head. What more
could this guy do to his life? He picked up the phone and said, “Hello? Yes,
Dr. Torres.” He held his breath as he took the message in. Emma stared at him
with concern. When he hung up the phone he gave Emma a wicked smile.
“What was that all about?”
“I owe Cynthia and Carter. Bill and Geneva too, if I ever
get to see them, we owe them a very nice dinner out at the very least.”
“How so?”
“They contacted Bill and Geneva Ellsworth and told them my
dilemma about the article and getting fired. Bill contacted the hospital administrator
and offered to make a donation toward the new children’s cancer wing on the
condition I was hired on staff.”
“Can they do that?” Emma asked.
“Apparently they can. I was just offered a staff position
with a hefty starting salary. I begin after a two-week vacation.”
“Excellent. Congratulations!” She hugged him. “How much was
the donation?”
He narrowed his eyes. “This doesn’t go into any newspaper
article.”
Emma crossed her arms and glared at him. “Of course not.
Come on, how much?” She punched his arm.
“Five hundred thousand dollars.”
“Whoa. Champagne tonight? On the beach? We have a lot to
celebrate. You don’t have to sell your condo.”
“That’s right,” he said. “And you can move in today if you
like.” He shifted the dog over his arm as he retrieved the jewelry box from his
pocket. He handed it to her. “Would you consider wearing my collar again?”
“Yes.” The tears in her eyes were happy ones. He kissed her
again and the puppy barked.
He held up the puppy. “What’s he mixed with?”
“Golden Retriever and Rottweiler, we think.”
He laughed. “Whoa. He’ll be a big one. Can we take him with
us?”
She grinned. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“What are you going to name him?” she asked.
“We’ll decide on that together.”
Kathy
Kulig
Kathy Kulig lives an extraordinary life. She’s a science
geek by day, a writer of erotic fantasies by night. Prompted by a longtime
fascination with the supernatural, she walks in darkness accompanied by strong,
attractive heroes and feisty, courageous heroines. At times she enters
paranormal realms or explores contemporary ones, but discovers sizzling passion
and captivating adventures. Any wonder her writing keeps her up at night?
Kathy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author
bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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1-800-DOM-help:
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Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Summer Sins
ISBN 9781419948732
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Summer Sins Copyright © 2013 Kathy Kulig
Edited by Shannon Combs
Cover design by Fiona Jayde
Cover photography by thereedfiles.com, Tribalium/shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication November 2013
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