“Ain’t none of your prayers gonna be answered if Pa catches us up here like this. He has a shotgun, ya know.” I rolled to a sitting position and rubbed my eyes. “I need to get some breakfast put together for the crowd soon.”

Vance rubbed his flat bare stomach, which had remained as defined as it was back in his high school ball-playing days. “I could eat. What are you making?”

I tossed him his shirt and watched him pull it on, covering all that tanned, toned skin. “What part of you needing to leave so Pa doesn’t introduce you to his shotgun do you not understand?”

“You’re a terrible girlfriend. Just going to send me away starving and neglected.” He pouted out his bottom lip and scooted closer, wrapping me in his arms. “Kiss me and I’ll forgive you.” He cupped my cheek and brought our lips together, continuing until we were both quite hungry for something besides food. The day was already offering another hefty dose of heat, and this guy only made it worse.

Lips tingling and stretched in a wide grin, I climbed down the ladder. I reached the bottom, turned, and faced terror head-on, sending the grin to fall to the floor as my body froze.

Propped in a chair by the door, Pa sat with his massive arms crossed and a severe scowl on his face. Eyes locked on mine, an eyebrow arched as if to ask, Whatcha gotta say for yourself?

Vance bumped into my back and laughed an apology, yet to realize the impending danger. His arms wrapped around my waist to steady us. His body suddenly went rigid. We both morphed into living statues holding our breaths.

“’Bout time y’all came down from there.”

“Pa!” A nervous giggle hiccuped out, unfreezing me. “You scared the tater out of me.” Another stilted giggle. “I didn’t realize you were in here.”

He sat forward, sending the front two chair legs slamming to the ground. A cat dashed out the door and I sure wished I could have done the same. “Yeah. You didn’t notice me last night either when you two snuck back in here after your swim.”

Oh, boy. We were sitting ducks. Only thing to do was step out of Vance’s arms and brace for impact.

“S-sorry, sir,” Vance stuttered, something I’d never heard him do, and took a step ahead of me. A gallant act that wouldn’t be earning him any favor with my father. Surely we were past that. “We . . . I . . . didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

Pa huffed a rumbly chuckle even though his glower held strong. “It happens.”

Vance laughed in response.

Pa waved his hand, shooing Vance’s stupidity. “Especially if you sneak out somewhere at ungodly hours to fool around till close to dawn. Falling asleep is understandable.”

Vance quit laughing. At least he was a quick learner.