Part 4: Midsummer DreamsSummer Holiday tossed and turned in the middle of a dream that had visited on and off her whole life. She knew she was dreaming, but she didn't want it to end.The sand was warm beneath her feet and the surf lapped softly against the shore. No one else was around, just the two of them. The handsome, golden-haired man gazed at her with his midnight-blue eyes. He reached for her and she walked into his arms. He was mostly naked, a pair of cut-off jeans his only covering. She had on a sundress, with a bikini underneath. This part of the dream was the same, had been since she could remember. As she'd gotten older though, it had grown more and more explicit. Now, sometimes the dream carried through until they'd both come, and Summer wanted that tonight. It had been a long week, and she needed some sort of release."Summer." He murmured her name into her hair as he hugged her close. That had been added to the dream sometime in her teen years. They'd shared names and

Finally, after bailing out and damn near dying in a distant desert, Matt had decided the time to leave the Air Force was now. He'd started applying for jobs in South Carolina while he was still in rehab and done his interviews via video conference over the computer. He figured getting the job was a sign that he was on the right track. He'd kissed his mom and sister goodbye as soon as his wound was healed enough for him to walk without a cane, and made the move to Charleston.The real estate agent he'd contacted had found him a handful of houses to look at within walking distance of the beach on one of the barrier islands - nice but not in the million-dollar ballpark. Between his new salary and his government disability pension, he wasn't hurting for money, but he didn't want to put every last dime into a house payment either. Still, he wanted to have a place of his own before he went looking for Summer. He'd driven past the Holiday Card Company offices half a dozen times already, but h

Summer dipped her toes in the water on the small private beach. She'd taken the week off for her birthday and rented a house on one of the more isolated barrier islands. The best part about this place was a small spit just to the north and a bayou to the south, so it was as truly isolated as a person could get within an hour of Charleston and for under ten thousand a week. Her family had rented the same place several times, so the house was comfortable and the layout familiar. It was almost a second home.Today was Friday, and she had the place all to herself until Tuesday, her actual birthday, when her family would join her for the rest of the week. The long weekend to just unwind and kick back was a huge luxury. Maybe tonight she'd even dream of Matt. It seemed like forever since the last dream, though really, it had been less than a week. For the last month, though, they'd come more often than usual, and each one had been hotter than hot. That was one of the reasons she'd wanted so

"I think," Summer said, "maybe we should start with lunch." She picked up her bag and her blanket. "Come on up to the house. I'll fix you a sandwich and you can tell me about your new house and new job."It was an olive branch, and Matt's mom hadn't raised a stupid son. He smiled and stood. "Lunch would be great. We can go out somewhere if you want - if you're not comfortable being alone with me yet."She tipped her head and looked him up and down then grinned. "We'll eat on the deck. It's just barely visible from the house next door, and I warn you I can scream really loud. Deal?" She stuck out a hand.Matt shook it, even though he'd have rather pulled her into his arms. Then he stepped back and gestured for her to lead the way to her rental house. "Deal."Matt waited for her out on the raised wooden deck while Summer went into the kitchen to collect things for sandwiches. Her stomach churned so violently she didn't know if she was going to be able to eat, but putting together fre

Matt collected his T-shirt and sport sandals from his pickup then climbed back into the passenger seat of Summer's classy little blue sedan. He didn't really care how they spent the day, as long as she let him spend it with her. Sooner or later, he had to believe she'd let down the walls she'd built and remember how good they were together.Of course he also enjoyed the idea of shopping with her to furnish his house. After all, if he had his way, she'd be living there soon herself. She might as well like whatever he bought. Besides, it would be good to see how their tastes coincided.The long, narrow island just off the coast had a Victorian downtown at the far end, giving it a small-town feel even though it was only thirty minutes or so from Charleston. Matt had looked at houses out here, but they were beyond his price range. One thing that hadn't occurred to him was the differences in how he and Summer had been reared. She'd always been wealthy, never done without. Matt had learned