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“Thanks for stepping in tonight,” Summer sighs, taking a pull from her beer.
“I’m the boss,” I chuckle, not sure whether I’m purposefully reminding us both of the fact. “It’s my bar, ergo, it’s my job to keep everything running smoothly.”
“Most bosses wouldn’t call bar work their job.”
“Well, I’m not most bosses…” Because most bosses wouldn’t be having midnight drinks with their staff. They wouldn’t be thinking about the softness of her skin when our arms brush or our fingers touch between us.
“How are you so good at this?” she asks with a soft sigh.
God, everything about her is sexy in the most understated way. It’s simply who she is, and it doesn’t matter how many reminders I give myself because my body and my thoughts never get the memo.
“At this?”
“Yeah.” She smiles, picking at the label on her bottle. “The bar work. I mean, your family owns all of this. Hotels…bars…I guess I would’ve thought you would be more…”
“More what?” I ask as she stares out at the West Hollywood view. “Lazy?”
“No! No, not at all. That’s not…” Panic widens her eyes, and I can sense that she’s about to bolt.
“Relax, Summer,” I tell her with a chuckle, my hand almost resting on her thigh. Clasping my beer tighter in my other hand, I sit on the eager one to avoid any awkward advances. “My dad always made sure that we worked here during summer break. He had a thing about us understanding every aspect of the business before we took over from him, the same way that he was familiar with it all when my grandfather retired.”
“We?” Tilting her head, she looks up at me, and my heart drops to my gut. “Who’s we?”
It takes me a moment to reply. This isn’t something I talk about often, not unless I have to. “My brother.”
“Oh…” Surprise tugs at her features. “I didn’t know you have a brother. I always assumed it was just you. It’s only ever you running the place…”
“I had a brother.” I exhale the breath I was holding, and my heart squeezes so tight that I chill to the core.
“Shit, I’m…I—” The shake of her head brings her closer when she sits up and twists to face me, crossing her legs between us so that they’re touching my thigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry or…or make you uncomfortable.”
I should pull back, but the warmth of her proximity stops me from falling down the usual rabbit hole of Jenson’s death. I glance over at Easton when he stirs, and as I get to my feet, I help Summer up with me.
“I need to get East to bed.”
“Of course.” She nods, her expression hinting at her worry.
“It’s late.”
“It is, and I should go.”
My insides twist at her remark. I’m not ready for tonight to be over. It’s been so long since I did anything like this with anyone. Not that I’ve wanted to before now. Summer has a way of making me want to step outside of my norm.
“Stay,” I say. It takes me a moment to realize that my retort must’ve sounded like a loaded invitation. “This is a hotel, after all, and I can’t just let you make your way home on your own.”
“I do it all the time,” she chuckles.
“Well, not tonight.” Picking Easton up, I settle him on my shoulder before I grab his diaper bag and the two stuffed animals he insisted on bringing with him, along with the London bus Kate brought for him tonight.
“Here, let me help you.” Before I can tell her I’m good, Summer takes the toys, and we head to the elevator that leads straight to the penthouse apartment suite, where I’ve been living for almost the last two years.
“Have another drink with me,” I say when the doors open, and she holds out the toys.
“Parker…” The torn twist of her lips makes my chest squeeze with disappointment.
“It’s just a beer…I’m not going to take advantage of you.”
Flustered, Summer nods and follows me into the lobby, where Easton’s stroller is sitting.
