Summer Solstice

By Eden Baylee

Cape Cod on the longest day of the year is the setting of SUMMER SOLSTICE. Ava Connors reluctantly attends a pagan party thrown by her best friend and his lover, only to wonder if reality can ever live up to her own fantasies.

"...pulse pounding, sweat-inducing erotic romance..." - Beach Bum Books
"...boils to the brim with passion, lust and desire..." - Wyatt McIntyre
"...wonderfully crafted with a heroine whose emotions I could certainly feel." - L. Smith
"...could best be described as a raging, four-alarm fire..." - Reese Ryan

This novella is included in SPRING INTO SUMMER with: A Season for Everything | Unlocking the Mystery | The Lottery. (Each sold separately)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eden Baylee
• Release date: Sep 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310240416

Eden Baylee

Eden Baylee left a twenty-year banking career to become a full-time writer. She incorporates many of her favorite things into her writing such as: travel; humor; music; poetry; art; and much more.She has written three collections of erotic novellas and flash fiction—Spring into Summer, Fall into Winter, and Hot Flash.In June 2014, she released her first novel outside the erotica genre—a psychological mystery/thriller with a sexy twist called Stranger at Sunset. A synopsis and more information can be found on her website.

Book preview

Summer Solstice

a novella by

eden baylee

<> <> <>

Learn more about the author and her work at:

www.edenbayleebooks.com

<> <> <>

Cover design by JB Graphics

Edited by Annetta Ribken

<> <> <>

Copyright

Published by lowercase publishing

Copyright 2014 eden baylee

Smashwords edition. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Author's note: All characters depicted in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older.

For more information, contact [e-mail]

Dedicated to my favorite season

contents

a note from the author

summer solstice

titles by eden baylee

about the author

excerpts

a season for everything

unlocking the mystery

the lottery

a note from the author

Summer and everything that goes along with it inspired this story.

Heat invigorates me and reminds me of the wonderful things I miss when bundled up for the cold seasons—warmth, long days, dining outside on a warm night. Fortunately, writing a sinfully hot story goes a long way to keeping me warm.

I hope you enjoy Summer Solstice, and even if you don’t, I’d love to hear from you. Of course, you can always leave a review for me if you prefer, and that is always appreciated.

Excerpts are included of the other three novellas that accompany this one in Spring into Summer. My wish is you’ll give them a try too.

Grateful for readers,

eden

summer solstice

Ava was glad for the interruption on a Sunday night, but after an hour on the phone with Clive Wilson, she was almost sorry she picked up the phone. The man was starting to wear on her last nerve, best friend or no.

Are you coming? he asked.

She sighed. Do I have to?

Yes, you know I want you to.

I know, it’s just that—

I’ll be very disappointed if you don’t come.

Yes, but … She snuggled deeper into her comfy bed.

But what?

I’m not sure I can make it.

Ava, there’s no reason you can’t make it, and you know it.

She turned over and moved the phone to her other ear. You’re fucking relentless, you know that?

He laughed on the other end, his voice deep, sexy as always. It’s why you love me. Come for me … please.

Ava rolled on to her back, exhausted. All right, damn it! Anything to stop you from hounding me.

Excellent! Clive sounded exuberant and victorious.

You are such a pest.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. And make sure to pack an overnight bag with a swimsuit, he said. One more thing, wear something bright. Time to expand your wardrobe.

Now you’re my fashion consultant? He'd been trying to tell her what to wear since they met in the fifth grade.

Seriously, Ava, it’s been almost a year. You need to come out of mourning. It’s summer, black is out.

She breathed heavily, already stressed from the thought of attending a party. Okay, I’ll buy something.

That’s my girl. Consider this your chance to get back in the game. He chuckled.

The game? I’m not sure I want to be in the game anymore, not convinced it’s worth it.

Ava, you’re not getting any younger. His voice taunted. You need to get a move on.

Fuck off. Clive always pushed her buttons.

Okay, but you know I’m right.

Plenty of men don’t make a move until their late thirties, maybe even forties. Ava twisted her curly auburn hair with her index finger.

Perhaps, but it’s different, you know—

Yeah, yeah, I know, the ticking time clock syndrome, blah, blah, blah. He was right, of course. They had had this discussion numerous times, and it was different for women.

Over the past year, Ava noticed lines on her face that seemed to appear overnight. The lids on her eyes drooped lower, and she felt heavier around the middle. She knew she was being overly critical of herself. Standing at a statuesque five feet eight, Ava Connors barely looked thirty, let alone thirty-six. She carried herself with confidence and was seldom without a smile until the trauma of last summer made her withdraw from the social scene. Most of her friends left her alone, but not Clive. He dropped in on her regardless if she wanted to see him or not. Despite his crazy schedule in the past year, he called frequently to check up on her.

Ava?

Yup?

I know it’s been a difficult year for you, and the first day of summer brings back bad memories, but … Clive's tone softened.

But what?

But nothing, I hope our party will change that.

That’s a tall order for a party.

You know me, I go all out with these things.

Ava regretted her antagonistic tone. I know, and I appreciate you want me there—really I do.

Good. I’ll see you next week, beautiful lady. He blew her a kiss over the phone.

She did the same, only louder. Until then, my handsome prince.

Ava hung up and hugged her knees to her chest under the bed sheet. Even after all these years, he was still her handsome prince, and she was his beautiful lady. They’d been calling each other that since their teens, and it stuck.

Clive was an event planner, one of the busiest in Boston. Women couldn't take their eyes off him, not that it did them any good. With his partner,