That Summer (Part Two)

That
Summer

By
Lauren Crossley

That
Summer

Copyright
© 2015 Lauren Crossley

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All
characters and storylines are the property of the author

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your support and request is appreciated.

The
characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious.

Any
similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental

And
not intended by the author.

Cover
photo © istockphoto.com

I
want to thank each and every one of you who has purchased one of my books. I
want to thank each individual who has emailed me or reached out to me in some
way and thanked me for writing one of my novels. It truly amazes me that one of
you across the other side of the world can read my stories and I am so grateful
that each one of you has been willing to take a chance and invest your time in
one of my books. My writing is not hearts and flowers because I am fully aware
that the world we live in is not like that. Every single day we face choices,
make decisions and encounter dilemmas which truly test us as human beings. We
look for answers and search for solutions just like the characters I create.
They are incredibly flawed because I do not wish to write about people who are
perfect. In real life, we don’t always get a happy ever after and this is why I
will continue to explore the darkness which we all must face as individuals at
some point in our lives. We all have a choice and we have all come to know that
bittersweet ending which I tend to favour when it comes to my writing. This
book is for all of you who ‘get’ my writing, who ‘get’ the characters I have
created and who understand that life is not a fairy-tale. Sometimes, we must
improvise and find our own happiness, we must search for what completes us and
brings us joy. One of those things for me is my writing and this is why I am
honoured you get to be a part of this.

Thank
you.

Prologue

Present
day…

“Are
you ready to continue, Serena?” My therapist asks me, leaning forward in her
seat with a compassionate and understanding expression on her face.

“I
suppose so.” I reply brusquely, close to hating her for making me carry on with
this when she knows how much pain it is causing me.

“Is
it alright with you if we pick up where we left off yesterday?” She asks me
gently.

“I
guess.” I answer curtly, folding my arms across my chest in a defensive manner.

“Now
we’ve already covered how you came to meet Cole and how the two of you first
started your relationship. You have also discussed with me what happened when
you both found out that you share the same father as well as the circumstances
which lead you to run away with him.” She finishes, pausing for a moment so I
have the opportunity to respond to her statement.

“I
remember.” I reply coldly, staring at her intently.

“What
I want us to talk about today is the reason that you’re here and the reason
it’s no longer safe for you to approach Cole.”

“He
despises me.” I state firmly. “And I can’t say that I blame him.”

“Serena,
all of us say and do things we don’t mean sometimes.”

“Oh,
he meant it.” I assure her with certainty. “He looked me in the eyes when he
told me that he despises me. He told me he won’t rest until he’s made my life
as miserable as I’ve made his. He said I ruined him and he intends to destroy
me like I destroyed him.”

“When
did he say this to you?” She inquires gently.

“About
six months ago.” I answer truthfully.

“Before
we talk about what happened then, we need to discuss the events which took
place when you first ran away from him. I need to know what happened between
you both when you left everything behind so you could be with him. Where did
you go? What did you do? And how long were you together before the two of you
were found?”

“You
mean before I called the police? Before I told them where we were and that Cole
and I were related?” I demand angrily.

“Yes.”

“Five
days.” I whisper softly, my anger decreasing when I remember those final days I
spent with Cole. “We spent five days together before they caught up with us and
before they took him away from me.”

“And
how long was it before you saw him again after that?”

“Three
years.” I murmur quietly. “That’s how long it took for him to find me.”

“And
now he’s searching for you again?” She prompts me.

“He’s
always searching and I know he’s never going to stop.”

“How
do you know that?”

“Because
he swore to me he wouldn’t and I believe him. He won’t rest until I’m found and
he won’t find peace until he captures me again.”

“But
what about you?” She asks, emphasising the importance of my own self and what I
need. “What about
your
peace?”

“Cole
is my soulmate.” I remind her impatiently. “He’s the other half of myself and I
know I will never find completion until we’re together again.”

“Even
though the consequences of a life with him would be catastrophic?” She asks me
incredulously. “You’ve already said he still resents the fact you ended things
between the two of you?”

“Despite
the misery I might face with him, I still want him.” I claim boldly. “Andi
don’t need a happy ending… all I need is Cole.”

Chapter One

Six
years earlier…

“Serena,
wake up. Wake up, baby. We’re here.” A deep, masculine voice whispers in my
ear, stirring me from my sleep.

“Where
are we?” I mumble sleepily, rubbing my tired eyes with the back of my hand.

“A
motel where we can spend the night.” Cole answers tiredly, fighting against his
own fatigue as he allows his head to fall back against the car’s head rest.

“I’m
so exhausted… I don’t think I can move.”

“Do
you want me to carry you?” He offers kindly, taking hold of my small hand in
his.

“Mmhmm.”
I murmur, nodding my head slowly.

He
walks around the car so he can lift me out of it and makes his way across the
car park with me in his arms towards reception.

“Wait
out here.” He instructs me, gently placing me down onto my feet. “I’ll go in
there by myself and see if they have any rooms available.”

“Why
can’t I come in with you?” I ask, leaning against the outside wall of the
building as I look up at him in confusion.

“I
just don’t want to arouse anyone’s suspicion. You’re so worn out and weary,
they might think I’ve drugged you or something.”

“I’m
sorry.” I apologise sincerely. “I’ll try and wake myself up by the time you get
back.”

“It’s
fine.” He assures me, placing a gentle kiss on the centre of my forehead.
“We’ve been driving for hours, it’s no wonder you’re exhausted.”

He
gives me a weak smile before he goes inside, leaving me alone in the empty
parking lot. I have no idea what time it is but I’m guessing that it must be
around half five or six o’clock in the morning. I remember it was around two in
the morning when Cole had just left my house, right before I sent Lisa that
message.

Lisa.

God,
it hurts so much to know I won’t see her again. At least… I won’t for a very
long time. She’s been my best friend for so long and has been there for me
through my darkest days, I feel like I’ve betrayed her by running away with
Cole like this. I feel like I should have at least tried once more to explain
things to her. If only I could go back and make her see things from my point of
view, maybe then she would understand.

“You
should see which number they gave us.” Cole startles me, making his way out of
the reception.

“Which
number is it?” I ask him, glancing around the motel’s rooms which are scattered
across the empty car park.

“Thirteen.”
He replies gloomily, gazing down at the room key in his hand.

“Never
mind.” I console him. “Let’s just hope it will be lucky for us.”

“Come
on.” He says kindly, taking hold of my hand. “I think it’s going to start
raining, just look at them black clouds.”

“I
don’t like them.” I inform him, staring up at the early morning sky. “And I
don’t like thunderstorms either.”

“I’ll
keep you safe, I promise you.” He grins at me, pulling me along behind him.

He
unlocks the door to number thirteen before he steps inside, turning on the
light switch which is right next to the door.

Inside
is so basic, there’s barely enough room to fit the double bed which is in the
centre of the room. There’s a small TV in front of it and a tiny bathroom with
a sink, a toilet and a bath all crammed inside.

“It’s…
nice.” I say quietly, wondering how on earth the two of us are expected to stay
in here.

“I’m
sorry I didn’t have time to find us anything nicer.” Cole apologises sadly,
lowering his head slightly.

“Listen,
I don’t care where we are, so long as we’re together.” I remind him, cuddling
up against his chest.

He
returns my embrace, providing me with the exact amount of comfort I was
needing.

“We’ll
be staying somewhere much nicer soon, I promise.” He tells me, squeezing my
trembling body tightly.

“What
do you mean? Where else can we go?”

“Never
mind all that right now. Let’s just get ready for bed.” He says, closing the
door behind him before he locks it.

With
hesitation, I make my way inside the gloomy bedroom, sitting down on the edge
of the bed as I watch Cole unpack our things. I didn’t even notice that he
brought our bag with him from the car and observe him trying to find enough
space for our clothes in the tiny wardrobe which has also been provided.

“How
long do you think we will have to stay here for exactly?” I inquire timidly.

“Not
long.” He replies with certainty, discarding the empty bag he was unpacking. “I
don’t think either one of us could face more than a night in this place.”

I
moisten my lips, instantly relived that we should be staying somewhere else by
this time tomorrow.

“I
think I’ll go and brush my teeth and take a quick bath before I go to bed. I
won’t be able to sleep otherwise.”

“Ok,
I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

It’s
when I’m in the small, cold bathroom that it finally hits me. I’ve actually ran
away. I’ve packed my things and left my entire life behind me to be with Cole.
No more college, no more lessons and no more Lisa.

I
shake my head, willing myself not to think about her. If I allow my wandering
mind to go there right now, I won’t be able to hold it in. My tumultuous
emotions are all over the place, I can’t seem to get a hold of them right now
and I doubt I will be able to until I feel stronger.

I
end up running myself a deep bath, pouring a large amount of bubble bath into
it so I can make sure it’s extra clean. Immersing myself into the extremely hot
water, I exhale slowly. My muscles start to relax when I close my eyes and
focus on my breathing, trying to expel the negative thoughts from my mind.

“Serena,
can I come in?” Cole asks me, knocking on the bathroom door gently.

“Erm…
no! Give me a second.” I exclaim loudly, scrambling out of the bathtub so I can
find a towel to cover myself.

“Are
you ok?” He demands, sounding worried. “What’s wrong?”

“Just
hold on.” I beg him, starting to panic when I can’t see a bath towel anywhere.

“Serena,
I’m going to break this door down in three seconds if you don’t let me in.” He
promises me, banging his fist against it in frustration.

“Cole,
please don’t! I can’t find a towel and I’m soaking wet. You can’t just barge in
here!”

“What
are you talking about? Why can’t I?”

“Because…
because it’s not right!” I reply anxiously. “You
can’t
.”

My
eyes suddenly land on the towel I’ve been searching for. It’s hanging on the
back of the bathroom door and I can scarcely believe it’s been right there in
front of me the whole time.

“Are
you serious?” He asks incredulously, shaking the door’s handle roughly. “You
don’t want me to see you now you know the truth?”

I
hastily wrap the towel around my body and inhale deeply, preparing myself for
the confrontation which is bound to happen as soon as I unlock that door.

“I’m
sorry.” I whisper, reluctant when it comes to making eye contact with his
thunderous glare.

“Don’t
apologise.” He snaps impatiently. “I just want to know why you didn’t want me
to see you.”

“I-I
had no clothes on.” I answer meekly, clutching the towel against me.

“So
what? I’ve seen you naked before, Serena.” He responds defiantly, allowing his
gaze to wander up and down my body.

“I
know but… things are different now.”

“Why?
That’s not what we agreed when we decided to run away together and it’s not
what you were saying when you asked me to kiss you in your bedroom right before
we left.” Cole argues fiercely, placing both of his hands on my bare shoulders.

“You
told me it would be ok if we didn’t… if we didn’t have sex.” I remind him
softly, lowering my gaze to the floor beneath our feet.

“Serena,
I know I agreed to that and I meant it at the time but…” He sighs deeply,
pausing for a few moments before he continues. “It’s not what I want. I want to
be with you and I really don’t know if I can spend a lifetime with you without
us being together properly.”

“What
are you trying to say?”

“I
knew you needed some time to get used to the idea of us again but now you don’t
even want me to see and that was
not
part of the deal. We both said that
we feel the exact same way about each other as we did before and now you want
to change things!” He exclaims loudly, his desperation rising.

“Cole,
I don’t
want
things to change. It’s just the way it has to be.” I
explain sadly, hoping he will understand my complex confusion.

“Sweetheart,
no one knows us here. We’re alone and we can be ourselves. We have the right to
love each other as we want to. No one can stop us.” He speaks decidedly,
pulling my body against his.

“You
don’t get it, do you? I can’t just pretend I don’t know the truth! I can’t just
forget what we found out and I certainly can’t erase the fact that you’re my
half-brother. Cole, we share the same father and you have to face that at some
point.”

I
push him away from me and stare into his smouldering brown eyes. I don’t
understand why he keeps on pretending. It’s as though he’s somehow managed to
block it all out and wants things to carry on exactly like they were before.
He’s fighting against the truth and I just don’t think I’m capable of doing the
same.

“I
don’t care about any of that! I don’t care about DNA or any of that meaningless
stuff they try and tell us is important. All I care about is
you
. I’m
madly in love with you, Green. I always have been and I always will be. I don’t
love you as my sister or anything other than the girl I’m absolutely crazy
about. You drive me insane and being apart from you feels like the equivalent
of having my heart ripped out of my chest. I can’t do it anymore. I
have
to
be with you.” He growls, fisting his hand in the back of my hair so he can
force me to look right up at him.

“You
don’t think I want any of those things?” I ask him, taking a moment to absorb
every single feature of his magnificently handsome face. “You don’t think I
ache for you and long to have you hold me like you used to? I want everything
with you but one of us has to remain rational and I can’t just forget what I now
know. Neither can you.”

He
sighs wearily and leans back against the wall outside the bathroom, closing his
eyes as his chest heaves up and down.

“Look,
we’re both exhausted and really need to get some rest. We can talk about all of
this in the morning… when we’re feeling better, ok?”

He
opens his eyes and glances in my direction, begging me to reconsider everything
I just said to him.

“Ok.”
I acquiesce timidly, still clasping the small towel against my chest.

“Alright,
I’m going to go and take a quick shower.” He states abruptly, brushing right by
me as he enters the bathroom. “You should try and get some sleep. I’ll be out
in a minute.”

“That
sounds like a good idea.” I say, smiling weakly.

He
trails his index finger down the side of my face, watching my reaction
intently.

“Keep
the bed warm for me.” He whispers huskily, touching my lips with his own.

He
closes the bathroom door behind him, purposefully shutting me out like I did
with him just a few minutes ago. I’m left standing in the hallway, shivering
and alone as I fight the urge I have to go inside and join him. God, to know
that he’s in there… underneath the shower and completely naked is the greatest
temptation I’ve ever fought against in my entire life. I honestly don’t know
how I manage to keep myself from bursting my way inside but it certainly takes
a tremendous amount of strength.

I
dry myself off and change into my pyjamas, climbing into the freezing cold bed
as I curl my arms around the soft pillow underneath my head. My eyelids start
to feel heavy as soon as I get comfy and they slowly begin to close, blocking
out the golden glow of light which illuminates the patch of carpet beneath the
bathroom door. The steady stream of water from Cole’s shower is oddly
comforting and I find myself falling fast asleep within seconds.

The
weight of his body as he climbs in beside me is enough to interrupt my much
needed slumber and I yawn, turning over in bed so I can face him. He’s
shirtless and still warm from the shower, wearing a pair of shorts he must have
brought with him.

“You
smell so good.” He whispers, pulling me in close as his strong arms wrap around
my small frame.

“Do
I?”

“God,
yes.” He murmurs, inhaling deeply. “But then you always do.”

It
feels incredible to be this close to him again and I can scarcely believe we’re
sharing the same bed like we used to. It’s almost like I can fool myself when
we’re together like this. I can pretend like Cole does and convince myself that
nothing has changed. He’s still the man I love and I’m still the girl he can’t
be without.