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“One drink, and then I go home.”
“One drink,” I echo, pulling my wallet from my pocket and touching it to the key card sensor. “Sorry about the mess,” I warn her as I push the door open and hold it for her.
The place is upside down after Easton’s tantrum earlier. His toys are everywhere except in the toy boxes, and his tricycle is still loaded with some of the building blocks he didn’t decide to throw all over the floor.
Clearing the toys off the couch and onto the floor, I grimace at her low laugh.
Why didn’t I think of the mess before I invited her in? It’s worse than I recalled, and I’m mortified at the state of the place. This isn’t how we live; it’s just a bad day…
“Sorry,” I apologize again, using my foot to sweep the toys now on the floor out of the way so Summer can sit. “I swear it’s not normally like this.”
“It’s not that bad.” She smiles, putting the bus down on the coffee table and sitting the stuffed animals on the armchair beside the couch. “They’re just toys.”
“East isn’t normally so messy. We had a busy day with the prep for the party, and he was cranky and—”
“Relax, Parker…it’s not a big deal.” Her hand pauses on my forearm. Without warning, her touch is a shock to the system. Hot, soft…tender…
“Let me put East to bed,” I say, backing away toward the bedrooms before I forget myself and do exactly what I told her I wouldn’t do—take advantage. Nodding toward the door close to the dining table, I pause in Easton’s doorway. “The kitchen is through there. Help yourself to anything you like.”
It doesn’t take me all that long to change Easton into his pajamas. The day has taken it out of him, and he’s completely sleep drunk as he turns on his side and cuddles the blanket he uses for comfort.
By the time I make it back out to the sitting area, Summer is asleep. Even though I’m a tad disappointed that our night is over, I can’t help but smile at the scene in front of me. She really is beautiful. Her warmth is addictive enough that when I cover her with one of Easton’s blankets, I can’t help but stroke my fingertip down the bridge of her nose. Barely resisting the urge to thumb the full line of her lips, I pull away.
Against my better judgment, I grab a beer from the fridge and sit on the armchair, watching her sleep. It’s all I can do when it comes to her. Watch and wonder what it would be like to kiss her. To be with her. In the silence of the night, I can pretend that she’s not completely out of my league and that my life isn’t already complicated enough.
3
SUMMER
The pounding on the door wakes me from a deep sleep. Opening my eyes, I take a moment to figure out where I am. Memories of the previous night flood back to me, coming to Parker’s penthouse after a crazy shift. Damn, I must have crashed out while he was sorting out Easton.
Smooth, Sum. Real smooth.
Speak of the devil, the man himself walks into the room, pulling a white T-shirt over his bare torso. My eyes drink him in before he hides his perfectly sculpted body from me. It should be illegal for my boss to look so enticing. He’s temptation personified. Warmth spreads through my body, and my heart rate triples in response.
Because that’s not inappropriate…
“Morning,” he says in a gravelly voice that has me biting my lip in want.
“Morning,” I say back and inwardly curse myself for acting so awkward.
The incessant knocking begins again, and Parker moves to the door, swinging it open to find a disgruntled older woman tapping her foot on the ground in impatience. Her pinched face and frosty expression do nothing to put me at ease.
“Ellen, what are you doing here?” I don’t miss the irritation in his voice, nor the way he doesn’t invite her in. There’s clearly no love lost between these two, and I pull the blanket tighter, as if it can protect me from the chill in the room.
“I’m taking Easton to see his mother like we agreed last week.” She does nothing to disguise her annoyance and wastes no time in pushing her way into the penthouse as if she has the right to. Her beady eyes zero in on me sitting on the sofa with a blanket covering my fully dressed form. My bed hair is no doubt spectacular, and I can only imagine how this looks.
“I can see how it may have slipped your mind. My grandson clearly isn’t who has your focus at the moment.” She eyes me up and down in distaste, like I’m something unpleasant stuck on the bottom of her beige Chanel heels.
My cheeks flush at her implication as my stomach drops, and I stand and grab my purse from the floor. I don’t want to cause drama for Parker. Especially after all he has done for me.
“I work at the bar downstairs. Parker was kind enough to let me crash on his couch after a chaotic private event the hotel hosted last night.” I don’t know why I feel the need to explain myself to this woman, but I can’t stomach the thought of anyone thinking that Parker doesn’t dote on his son.
“How thoughtful. What a shame there isn’t a hotel nearby where you could have booked a room. Oh, wait…” Her pinched mouth turns into an unladylike sneer.
Wow, what a bitch.
“Enough, Ellen,” Parker bites out, gritting his teeth in an attempt to rein in his anger. His whole body is rigid, muscles coiled with rage. Even furious, the man is a god.
