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I will not fantasize about my employee, I keep chanting while she mixes another drink. It’s impossible to miss the way her breaths pick up with our closeness. Her hands tremble when she decorates the rim of the glass with a sugared slice of pear.
Summer is beautiful, and her personality is effervescent. It fills the space with an energy that’s impossible to ignore.
I will not—
Oh, shit… We both freeze. My pulse hammers when we both reach for the soda gun. Sparkling amber eyes flit to mine, and she smiles, big as always, while our hands hover in the air, almost touching.
“You should celebrate with your friends,” she tells me, voice breathy, as I grab the soda gun and add a splash of club soda to a Tom Collins she’s already mixed with elderflower and pear liqueurs. “I got the bar. Besides, most of the guests are drinking straight-up liquor or wine.” Summer points to the crate from the Sweet Vine winery in the Malibu Rockies—Kate and Amelia’s new venture.
“You’ll be run off your feet,” I reply, although I’m pretty certain the gravelly sound of my voice gives my thoughts away. “The last thing we need is you having an accident too.”
“I’ve told you before, boss man…” Laughing, she turns to face me, and as her gaze finds mine, Summer pauses.
The golden freckles on her face seem darker with the deep blush that still tints her cheeks and the bridge of her dainty nose. That one wayward tendril wisps in front of her face again with the light breeze, sticking to the gloss on her lips. It takes every ounce of my restraint to stop myself from brushing it behind her ear. Every dredge of control not to follow the mellow peachy scent of her gloss and check whether it tastes as sweet as it smells.
Clearing her throat, she smooths down the line of her skirt before winding that stubborn, teasing lock into the knot on her head.
“I told you, Mac needs more help on his feet than Easton.” She glances over at the bouncy castle, and another warm smile lights up her face. “Seriously, I’ll be fine, and if it gets busier, I’ll ask for help.”
That’s the thing. She won’t. Of all the staff, Summer is the most unflappable. She takes everything in her stride and gets the job done.
“It would be irresponsible of me as your employer to leave you on your own.”
“It’s a private party, Parker.”
“I know, Summer.”
Eyes widening on mine, she sucks in a deep breath, biting down on her lip. It’s impossible not to follow the line of her slender throat as she swallows and holds in her light gasp, making the subtle V of her emerald-green dress pull taut over the swell of her breasts.
Look away, I snap at myself. Step away. Don’t be a creep.
Summer’s about to argue back when we get a large order, and while she mixes the cocktails, I pour the wine and soft drinks.
The evening carries on this way, and by the time the party’s over, only Seb, Kate, and Harrison are left. We sit on the edge of the rooftop pool, with the kids asleep on the large couch behind us beneath the outdoor heaters.
“Hey, Sunshine!” Harrison calls out to Summer as she’s about to leave. “Join us for a drink.”
Asshole.
“Stop hitting on my staff!” I snap at him at the same time as Summer replies, “Thanks, but I should go. I don’t wanna…” Gesturing between the four of us sitting on the edge of the pool, she looks at me with a torn expression. “I don’t wanna intrude.”
“You’re not,” Kate instantly replies, grabbing one of the clean wineglasses on the table behind her and pouring another glass of the rosé she’s drinking.
“I was going to the hospital to check on Mac, actually. He lost a lot of blood and…”
And…? The unfinished statement has me thinking back to the way she was caring for him. A stab of irritation slashes through me, and before I can push it away, I pull out my phone and tell her, “He’s home. Eighteen stitches and a minor concussion. It’s a good thing he still lives with his mom. She can look after him.”
Seb looks over at me with a narrowed stare that tells me he’s going to be asking a shitload of questions when we’re alone.
“Have a drink with us.” I grab a beer from the bucket beside me, ignoring his loaded look, and offer it to Summer, knowing that she’s not really a wine drinker.
“Okay.”
Wandering over to my side, she pauses by the couch to put her purse down and take off her sandals. I don’t miss the way she adjusts Easton’s blanket so that it covers his exposed arm from the evening chill. Everything about her is soft and kind. That big heart of hers isn’t something she hides away, and I like that far more than I should.
Sitting beside me, she takes the beer I offered her while she dips her feet into the warm water. The bright blue polish catches my eyes as she wiggles her toes and gently kicks her legs around. Every part of her is just so…pretty…dainty…perfect. And it doesn’t matter how long she sits beside me or that the conversation runs into the night, all I can feel is the heat of her body permeating mine. The occasional brush of our legs steals my breath while her scent burns my lungs.
I know I should call it a night, but I can’t. I’m glued to the spot, even after Harrison heads out with Seb and Kate. The safety blanket of their presence is gone, leaving only the buzz of our proximity between us. It fizzes and sparks in the night air.
