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“For Sum!” he says as he thrusts them toward me excitedly.
“They are beautiful. Thank you, little man.” Leaning down, I kiss his cheek, and he giggles, looking at his dad like he’s just won a prize.
“They’re an apology for C-O-C-K blocking us the other night,” Parker says with a cheeky grin while holding his hands over East’s ears, and I laugh.
“How could I stay mad at him? He’s a cutie.” Ruffling his hair, I melt when he wraps his arms around my leg and hugs me.
“Does the same logic apply to me, then?”
“That remains to be seen.” I give him a wink as I let them into my modest apartment. East races to the sofa and launches himself on it as Parker tells him to be careful, but I wave it off.
“He’s fine.” Grabbing the remote, I put a kids show on, and he’s instantly hypnotized.
“I wanted to ask you something,” Parker says, taking my hand and kissing it while East is distracted. The light touch of his lips on my skin has sparks igniting everywhere. I’m like an addict—I crave him when he’s gone. Every touch sets me on fire.
“What’s that?” I ask, clearing my throat when it comes out hoarse.
“Will you go on a date with me?” My forehead scrunches as I digest the question, pretty sure we’re past that stage by now. “Hear me out. I want to do this properly. Kate and Seb will take East for the night. It’ll be just the two of us.”
Glancing over at East, I take him in, noting he seems brighter today, which makes my heart happy. Poor kid. “Are you sure East is better? He won’t need you?”
“He’s much better, I promise. You know I wouldn’t leave him if I didn’t think he was okay.”
“I get you to myself all night?”
“And if I play my cards right, all morning too.” He winks, and I laugh, hitting his chest playfully.
“Don’t count your chickens yet, buster. This lady doesn’t give it up on the first date.”
He cocks a brow at me, smirking knowingly, and I put my fingers to his lips.
“Shut up.”
10
PARKER
Okay, so asking Kate to help me with the whole date thing might have been overkill. However, as we sit in the drive of the new house, I can’t help but watch as Summer eats up the sight in front of her. It dawns on me then that it wasn’t—or isn’t—the place that I like; it’s the fact that she loves it. It’s what gives it the possibility of becoming a home.
“I debated taking you to a fancy restaurant to wine and dine you and then take you back to the hotel and spend the night making up for the interruption the other evening…”
At the sound of my voice cutting through the track on the radio, Summer twists in her seat to look at me. The black gauzy fabric of her dress is light enough that the off-shoulder sleeves flutter around her biceps with the light whisper of the AC. Meanwhile, the glossy waves of her red hair frame her stunning face, and those pouty red-painted lips make it really hard not to jump her bones.
“I don’t want to share you with anyone tonight, not even bystanders. You share me all the time, and while I know that it doesn’t bother you, I want to give you at least one night where you have me completely to yourself. My full, unwavering attention.”
The line of her lips twitches with a slow smile that widens to spark in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Inherently, it’s a selfish ploy on my part to make sure I lure you deeper into my charms. Make you need me as much as I need you.”
“I’m lured…hook, line, and sinker, babe,” she giggles lightly, hand crossing the center console to rest on my thigh.
If only she knew what that simple touch does to me…
Squeezing, she whispers, “And I do need you…”
“Maybe you do, however, I think you also need to know that you’re important to me.”
It’s obvious I’ve touched a sensitive nerve when her lips twist as though she’s trying to contain her feelings. I should’ve noticed earlier that Summer needed reassurance of where we stand. As open as we are with each other, there’s only so much that words can do.
