Dog Days of Summer Read Online Free Page A

how he was with Gunnar. It took her breath away.
    Her voice breathy, all she could say was, “Jeremiah.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    Jesus. She whispered his name and his dick ached. Ten months. Ten fucking months he had wanted her. Now that he had gotten to know her a little more, he needed her. His body wanted her, but he needed her in his life. She was great with his boys. She laughed and joked with them. Ryder gravitated to her in an inexplicable way. Jeremiah noticed that on meeting nights, Ryder would watch the door for Joci to come in.
    He was done waiting. The Veteran ’s Ride was tomorrow. They were having an afternoon meeting for the core group and later that evening, with all the volunteers. Then, she was going to be his.
    “ Here’s how this is gonna go, Joci. We’re going to finish this meeting. Tonight, after we meet with the volunteers, we’re going home together. No more of you avoiding me. I want you, Joci, and you want me. I don’t want to hear ‘you can’t’ because you sure as hell can. We can. We will.”
    Joci looked into his eyes. Her throat was dry and she didn ’t think she could speak. Jeremiah reached up and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, neither of them breaking eye contact. Neither of them wanting to move.
    “ What the hell is going on here?”
    Joci jumped back. Fucking LuAnn! What a buzz kill. All those warm, fuzzy feelings flew right out the window when she was around.
    “ Last time I checked, I didn’t have to explain myself to you. Still don’t.” Jeremiah’s snarl caused LuAnn to take a step back.
    “ Well…I thought we were supposed to be having a meeting, not making out.”
    Jeremiah looked at Joci, “We’ll talk after the meeting. Yeah?”
    Hesitating briefly, Joci said, “Yeah.” She nodded and turned to walk down the hall to the conference room.
    She stepped through the doorway, fighting the urge to turn her head and see what was happening between Jeremiah and LuAnn. Then she felt someone behind her and felt his lips close to her ear say, “Tonight.” Oh, lordy. Her stomach flipped and she became instantly wet. Her breathing felt constricted.
    He walked around her and took a seat at the head of the table and looked at her with a smirk on his face. He motioned with his head for her to take the seat next to his and immediately said, “Okay, let’s get started. We have a ton of stuff to cover.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    Standing to leave, Gunnar looked at his mom. “Mom, you want to ride a little before the meeting tonight? We haven’t ridden for a while. I thought I could take you to eat somewhere, and then we’ll ride over here.”
    Joci chanced a quick look at Jeremiah. He grinned and nodded slightly. “That sounds like a great idea. But after the meeting, she’s mine.”
    Gunnar looked at his mom, eyes wide, a broad smile spread across his face. “Yeah? Awesome.”
    Jeremiah ’s smile grew, “Yeah. Awesome. I’ll see you two later. I have a few things to get ready before the meeting tonight.”
    Joci ’s face was flame red as she watched Jeremiah walk out of the room.
    Gunnar snickered. “It’s about time, Mom. He’s a great guy, and he’s been hung up on you for so long. I’ll swing by your house around 4:30 and we can ride a little before we eat. Good?”
    She nodded, “Yeah. Good. I’ll see you then, Honey.”
    Joci walked out of the conference room in a daze. What just happened in here? First, Jeremiah told her how it was going to be, then he told Gunnar she was his! Holy shit!

Chapter 6
Ride Meeting
     
     
    “ Mom, what’s taking you so long?”
    Joci looked up to see Gunnar waiting for her at the end of the row. Joci had been daydreaming about Jeremiah again and didn ’t even notice she was just standing there looking lost.
    “ Sorry. Coming!”
    Joci quickly walked down the row of bikes to Gunnar, and together , they walked to a group of Joci’s friends. Joci’s best friend, Sandi, and Sandi’s husband, Jon, were