Free Summer's Indiscretion by Heather Rainier Page B

hasty exit. Duke was going over the toolbox with a fine-tooth comb, looking for fingerprints and traces of who it might’ve belonged to.
    “Kemp, come look at this.” Ace was squatting at the privacy fence line dividing the wooded area from the boutique.
    “What do you have?”
    Ace poked at a pair of binoculars lying on the thick grass. “These were not here yesterday morning when I checked this area. Must’ve left in a hurry and forgotten them.”
    Looking over the privacy fence, there was only one spot he would’ve been able to see. The front porch. The windows were all covered by curtains.
    Kemp said, “What kind of idiot leaves his binoculars behind?”
    Ace replied, “Judging by what Summer told us about the other day, and then finding these this morning, I’m beginning to think we’re dealing with amateurs.”
    And damned elusive amateurs at that .
    Ace studied the area along the fence line and added, “Time will tell, I suppose. Let’s leave them here. I’ll turn one of the outdoor cameras to face this area and we’ll see if someone comes back for them.”
    “Good idea,” Kemp said, scratching his wrist.
    Ace noticed and asked, “You itching?”
    “Yeah, you?”
    “A little. On my chin where our faces must’ve rubbed together when Summer and I were kissing. If it’s this itchy with only mild, indirect contact, it must be driving you crazy.”
    “Damn, don’t remind me.” Kemp groaned, wanting to scratch his cock and balls like crazy. The heat and humidity made it worse. “I can’t imagine how Summer must feel. She drove herself over to the doctor’s office this morning to get a shot. She sounded like she was in pain and even whimpered once while we talked. It serves me right if my rash gets worse for not thinking about that when I picked her flowers. I should’ve been more careful. I feel even worse because she was so sweet to me about it. No saying , ‘You did this to me,’ or anything.”
    “You should send her flowers and chocolates. This time from the florist,” Ace added with a chuckle.
    “You’re funny.”
    But Kemp did like the idea.

     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Kemp smiled Tuesday morning when he looked at the screen on his phone and saw Summer’s name pop up in the caller ID.
    “Hello, darlin’.”
    “Kemp?” Her voice was soft, and she sounded like she was in pain.
    “Darlin’? What’s the matter?”
    “You remember telling me I could call you if I needed anything?”
    “Tell me what you need, darlin’.”
    “My air conditioner stopped running this morning. Margot is still out of town. I’m…”
    “Miserable?”
    “Uh-huh.” Her voice hitched as she said it, and his heart went out to her. She was rashy, itchy, in pain, and hot on top of all of that. “I’ll handle it, darlin’. You don’t worry about a thing.”
    “Thank you, Kemp.”
    Each word sounded like it required effort, and Kemp replied, “Get as comfortable as you can and I’ll be there with a repairman as soon as I’m able.”
    “’Kay.”
    Kemp hung up and made two phone calls. First to Ace to let him know, and then he looked up Adam Davis’s phone number.

     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Summer’s already inflamed face burned with embarrassment as she peeked around the opened front door. She imagined that she must look like a total freak with her face painted with calamine lotion. Looking up into Kemp’s sympathetic green eyes, she said, “Hi.”
    Of all weeks for her air-conditioning to go on the fritz, it had to be this one. Texas in the summertime was not a place to be without air-conditioning under normal circumstances. Add in the extreme poison oak rash and her body felt like it was on fire .
    She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail to keep it off her face and neck, so he’d be able to see just how bad her reaction had been, and that was the last thing she wanted.
    In a soothing voice, Kemp said, “Hey, darlin’. Adam Davis is pulling up right now. He’s going to slip in for a