Carl and Trista Roberts had bought the house Carly grew up in when their daughter was only three years old and her brother, Tristan, was five. It was a modest but spacious ranch on a quarter acre, and Carly loved it. But she never thought she’d move back into it after she left for high school. Sure, she’d been home for a few weeks each year during the summer and at Christmas, but actually bringing her entire wardrobe and all her makeup and books back into her childhood room after graduation had made her feel a little defeated.

It wasn’t all that unusual. She knew lots of people who moved back in with their parents. It wasn’t as easy to find jobs as it once was—especially if your degree was in something like journalism. Carly knew she was one of the lucky ones. She had managed to find a job, even though she’d started looking for one a whole semester before she was done with school and it had taken the entire term to find it and get hired. She was starting at the bottom of the barrel at the Newton Weekly Herald, based in the biggest city within a hundred miles of her childhood home. She’d have to drive about thirty minutes each way to get to work from her parents’ house, but that was only temporary. Carly hoped to save enough money to get a decent apartment in Newton within six months.

She knew there would be plenty of hard work involved to make it happen. She planned on getting to work early every day and staying late. Breaking any story she could get her hands on and running it down until she had something amazing to give the editor. Carly would be tough, smart, and persistent, and she’d get the editor’s attention and have more stories assigned to her than any junior journalist in the history of the paper.

Carly smiled as she turned onto the road to her parents’ house. It was a great plan.

The song on the radio changed, and it was one she’d heard while she was with Donovan at the cottage. Suddenly, it was as if she was back there again, in his arms.

They’d eaten at the Italian place. The food was delicious, but Donovan was eager to leave. Carly thought he drove home a little too fast.

When they arrived back at the bungalow, his hands were all over her while she fumbled with the key on the front porch. They slid down her sides, over her rear end, and then she felt him push his hard groin against her while one of his hands came around and cupped her. She knew his large body shielded the maneuver from any curious eyes on the street, but she still felt a tiny thrill of concern that someone might see. Then his fingers found their mark under her short skirt and through her panties, and she forgot about modesty. She’d gasped and involuntarily pressed into his hand. Then she swore at the door, which seemed to respond by finally falling open.

Carly turned in Donovan’s arms and he moved forward to get through the door, kicking it shut behind him while his mouth and fingers seemed to be everywhere at once. He backed her up toward one of the barstools next to the kitchen counter.

“Should we go to the bedroom?” she gasped.

“No time,” he replied, picking her up by the waist and setting her on the stool. She didn’t remember how their clothes got off, but neither of them were wearing any, and Donovan quickly donned a condom, pulled her hips to the edge of the seat, hooked her knees over his elbows, took one of her nipples into his mouth, and then pushed himself into her while he sucked on it.

She gasped and came almost immediately, and then held steady while he stroked hard four or five times before he came with a shout.

It had been so fast for both of them that they’d had to do it again, slower, in the bedroom later.

The memory was so real that Carly throbbed and shifted around in the driver’s seat. She had to fight hard to resist the urge to reach between her legs.

She wondered if she’d ever have such amazing sex again.

Carly pulled into her parents’ driveway behind her dad’s Saturn and took a deep breath, making herself think about something else. She saw the curtains move in the front window, and a minute later, her mom opened the front door, smiled, and waved at her. She didn’t have to force herself to smile back. Carly was happy to see her mom, and she jumped out of the Kia and hurried up the walkway to the porch.

“Hi,” she said, giving Trista a big hug.

“Hi, honey. How was your vacation? Did you and Penelope have fun?”

Carly snorted. “Penny didn’t show up. She got an opportunity to go to the Yucatan Peninsula with Ty and dig in some ruins. They left the day I got to the cottage. But I had a nice time.”

Her mother ushered her into the house and gave her a quizzical look. “You weren’t bored by yourself? Did you make any friends in the other cottages?”

“Um. Yeah. There was a houseful of college kids a couple doors down and a pretty nice guy and his dog next door in the other direction. So I had people to talk to when I wanted.” Carly felt uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. She and her mom had a great relationship, but not close enough for Carly to tell her the specifics of her affair with Donovan. “How were things here while I was gone?” She prayed the diversion would work.

“Just fine, dear. Your father did some golfing, and I was asked to be on the Board at the Children’s Hospital, so that’s kept me super busy. In fact, I have a meeting tonight. I wanted to stay home and hang out with you.” Trista waved a hand in front of her. “Actually, I’ll tell them I can’t come. It won’t hurt to miss one.”

“No, you shouldn’t do that, Mom. I’m not going to be much fun tonight anyway. I need to do laundry from my trip, and I wanted to research the Newton Weekly a little bit. Really, I’ll just be in my room most of the evening.”

Trista raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure? I feel bad abandoning you your first night home.”

“I grew up here. I’ll be fine. Go to your meeting!” Carly slipped her shoes off and entered the family room. She plopped down on a big brown armchair. “Where’s Dad?”

“He met some of his golfing buddies at the pub. They do that every other Saturday now. He has a cheeseburger and a couple beers and they play pool and tell golf stories. He enjoys it.”

“That’s good.”

“I made a big salad. It’s in the fridge, and there’s a container of grilled chicken in there you can throw on top.” Trista looked into a mirror in the hallway by the front door and fluffed her hair.

“Thanks,” Carly said. “That sounds good. I ate too much heavy food on vacation.”

Trista glanced over her shoulder at Carly. “Did you have too much wine too?”

Carly grinned. “I had some wine,” she admitted.

A scratching sound caught Carly’s attention, and then a brown ball of fur came flying around the corner from the hallway into the family room with nails scraping the hardwood floor. It launched itself into her lap. Carly laughed and leaned back so the little dog couldn’t lick her face. “Tiny! Come on, stop!” The cockapoo sat on Carly’s legs and cocked his head to the side.

“Aw, he missed you,” Trista said.

Carly couldn’t help but think of Gus while she gave Tiny a pat on the head. The two dogs couldn’t be more different. Gus was big, calm, and steady, and Tiny was small, hyper, and a little nuts. He jumped off Carly’s lap and chased his tail manically. She laughed at him. “He needs a friend, I think.”

“No way. We’re not getting a puppy. Your dad and I don’t have time. Are you planning on being home enough to take care of one?” Trista raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at Carly.

She shook her head. “Nope. I have to hit it hard at the newspaper. I want to impress the editor and move up fast.”

Trista sat on the ottoman at Carly’s feet. “You will, honey,” she said, reaching to squeeze Carly’s knee. “You’ve always been a hard worker, and you’re as smart as they come. I know you’ll do well at the paper.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Carly patted her mother’s hand and then stood. “I’m going to bring my suitcases in and get started on that laundry. And thanks for the salad. Oh, and for letting me live here.”

Trista laughed. “Dad and I are happy to have you here,” she said. “Empty nest syndrome isn’t much fun.”

As Carly went out to the car to fetch her bags, she thought about what her mom had said. She was glad her parents were happy to have her home with them, but she didn’t intend to stay long. She hoped they’d be okay when she left again. She didn’t want her mom feeling lonely.

But Trista had the Children’s Hospital, and Carly knew she volunteered at the library and history museum a lot. And her dad had golf and his golfing buddies. She was sure they were fine. Her mom was probably just trying to make Carly feel better about landing back at home.

Unbidden, a vision of Donovan popped into her mind again, and she hoped he’d be fine without her too. She shook her head to get the picture out and scoffed at herself. Of course he’d be okay. She shouldn’t give herself so much credit. He was a sexy young man who obviously had some money. He probably already had a dozen girls lined up to take her place.

She was surprised when that thought made her stomach clench.

Carly found herself hoping those memories would fade fast and leave her in peace.