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He took the phone from her hand and tossed it onto the cradle and continued massaging the tight muscles in her shoulders and neck. He was concerned about the stress and pressure she was under.
“You need to...” Relax, he thought when her cell phone rang, cutting him off.
She answered with a sighed “Hello, Grandfather.” She turned to him, standing close, but just out of his reach. “Let me explain what a vacation means...” Summer rolled her eyes. “Yes, I realize I left without giving you any notice. Regardless, you’ve got hundreds of employees at your beck and call. So beckon. Call. Send an email. But quit calling me to take care of every little thing.”
Cody smiled. She had a strange sense of humor, and he bet no one besides her would get away with talking to Charles that way.
“I’ll take care of the major projects while I’m here. Amanda and Leslie know to contact me when there is... No. Other. Choice. So give me some time and space to take care of my personal life.”
Summer listened with a frown on her face. “I know I can’t avoid Mom forever. She’s had twenty-five years of my undivided attention. I think it’s time she learned how it feels to come second because of a man.”
He didn’t like the disgruntled look on her face. “I realize that’s petty. But I’ve earned petty. And selfish. And let’s not forget self-indulgent. I come by those things naturally. I think it’s time I broke them out and exercised them.”
She huffed out her frustration. “Keep this up, Pappy, and I’ll get on a plane and find an island that’s got a warm beach, cold drinks, and no phones.”
Suddenly she relaxed. “I love you, too. But sometimes you make it hard. She makes it near impossible. So give me a break. This time, I’m doing things my way, for me.”
A soft grin tilted her lips. “Yes, the lawyer is still around.”
She rolled her eyes again. “Not every lawyer can’t be trusted. Besides, I like this one. He’s honest. And sometimes uncomfortably blunt. Now I have to go. The lawyer wants his office back.” She hung up, tilted her head, and stared right at him.
Cody blurted out his first thought. “You’re very careful about not being specific about the amount of time you’re staying.”
“I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Not possible.” He reached for her hand, pulling her closer. The sweet scent of her wrapped around him.
She looked him in the eye. “It’s only been a day. You might be sick of me in a week.”
“I don’t think so.” Holding both her hands in front of him, helooked directly at her. Since he was leaning against his desk, they were about eye to eye. “I’d like to spend some time alone with you. That warm beach, cold drinks, and no phones sounds pretty good to me.”
As if to punctuate the point that they couldn’t do that right now, his assistant’s voice came over the intercom, “Cody, the gentlemen from Parkington are waiting. Nate’s meeting just let out as well.”
Frowning, he shrugged his shoulders and said to Summer, “Would you like to go out to dinner with me on Friday?”
Her lovely smile warmed his heart. “Yes.”
He roamed his gaze over her, taking in her pretty blue dress, her sexy curves and gorgeous legs, then back to her beautiful face. “I wish I didn’t have to say good-bye, but duty calls. Sounds like your dad is ready to take you to lunch.”
“I’m taking him to lunch.”
Cody got it. “I know he’ll appreciate the gesture.” He stood, and though he was reluctant, he tried to let her go, but she stopped him with a squeeze of his hand.
“I don’t fall into bed with men I hardly know.”
He stilled, hoping she didn’t think that was all he wanted. “I never thought you did, or that you would with me, despite the powerful attraction between us. But it is a thrill to know you’re thinking about being in my bed.”
“So cocky, Counselor.”
“More like desperate. Because all I think about is you. Not just in my bed, but in my life.” It seemed his heart had taken over speaking for his brain.
“Cody.”
“I know. Too much, too soon. So I’ll settle for dinner alone with you.” And maybe he’d get to share their first kiss.
She did the unexpected and walked right into him, windingher arms around his neck and hugging him. “Thank you for being patient.”
His assistant buzzed him again without saying anything to remind him people were waiting on him. “My assistant is not so patient.” He squeezed Summer to him because he loved the feel of her close and thought that maybe she needed a good hug after all she’d been through, then he reluctantly released her.
