Welcome back to Ivydell!

Ivy and Stinger are no longer fighting their feelings, though they're both still trying to avoid thinking about what happens when her time in Ivydell is up. As the community gears up for the annual festival and more seasonal residents return, there is plenty happening to keep them occupied—not to mention the sizzling happenings between them that definitely keep them fully present.

But can two people so skilled at keeping their distance handle getting so close so fast? Will the new wear off? What if the sight of Jensen shirtless stops causing a tingling sensation in her core? What if her cropped shirts and tight leggings stop making his calloused fingers ache to feel her softness?

Worrying about the future before you've confronted the past is a hard balance to manage.

Maybe he can just fish and lift weights and keep his hands busy so the pain can't catch up to him. It's worked so far. Mostly.

Maybe she can just plant and paint and make herself useful so no one will see her insecurities. No one will notice. Probably.

What they've got going on is probably just a fling, anyway. It's not like there's love potion in the water or the desert air or the scorpion venom. Ivydell is just another quirky place.

Right?