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“Come on, Wild Thing. You witnessed my family’s meltdown…I’m in no place to judge you or yours.” Injecting some levity into my voice, I nip at her hand again to distract her from whatever is bothering her about our chat.
“By the time she relocated here, we weren’t close anymore.” She shrugs with a long exhale. “I think that in some ways we needed to be apart from each other. We struggled a lot for money when it was just the two of us, and I think she resented that she was stuck with me when my dad got a complete fresh start.”
It seems unfathomable to me that anyone would feel anything other than honored to have Summer in their lives. I’m not religious by any means, but where she’s concerned, I’d go as far as saying I’m blessed that she’s mine.
“My aunt pretty much became a mother to me, and she took me in. But after Mom divorced the first guy, she tried to mend fences. She wasn’t poor anymore, and that seemed to make her happy enough that she wanted to be a part of my life again.”
“Is she a part of your life? You don’t talk about her. This is the first real conversation we’ve had about her.”
“Honestly, I’m wary of her. I think for the most part she means well, but bank accounts and assets matter to her way too much.”
As her words set in, I begin to understand her constant worry of becoming like her mother. It seems to be a bump that Summer stumbles over a lot, especially where my wealth is concerned.
“God, I’m a terrible person. It’s not like she marries because of the money. It just helps her see the best in the men she picks, and it’s not like she’s a serial divorcée…”
“You are not your mother by any means. I’m still waiting for you to take me up on my job offer, and trust me, I’ve considered firing you to force a decision.”
“You have?”
“Yup. It’s one of the things I obsess over when I can’t sleep.”
“That’s crazy,” she chuckles, taking her hand back and molding it to the back of my head. She does that a lot when we’re in the car. It feels so damn good, and it’s soothing enough that it definitely stops road rage.
“When it comes to you, I don’t always think clearly.”
“My mom is a hard subject for me. There are days where I think I’m ready to let her in and others where I’m scared. She picked a guy she only met a couple times over me. I know I didn’t want to leave Silverbell, but I didn’t want her to leave me either.”
There’s a wistful quality to her tone that betrays how deeply she hurts about this. A part of me wants to tell her not to waste her time mending bridges with someone that pretty much abandoned her, while the bigger part wants to give her what she’s really searching for—peace. I know this battle all too well from personal experience, and I’m no pro, but it doesn’t stop me from giving her my opinion.
“Your mom hurt you, Sum, and even if logic tells you to protect yourself from any future wounds she might inflict on you, it’s okay to live in the here and now and allow her to be a part of your life. It’s okay to want a relationship with her.”
With a sad scoff, Summer swipes at her eyes. “Tell that to the little girl inside who is still wondering what she did wrong and why she wasn’t special or important enough for either of her parents to stay with her.”
“Have you addressed that with her?”
“You mean while she’s trying to matchmake me with one of her wealthy suitors?”
“Is that why you’re wary of introducing me to your family? Scared she’s going to barter me your hand?”
With a roll of her eyes and groan, Summer retorts, “You’re impossible. You know that?”
“And you are incredible. Nothing will ever change the way I see you, beautiful girl.”
“Now you’re just trying to get in my panties.” The side glance she throws my way is goading.
“Now? Baby, it’s all I ever do when we’re alone, and there’s no ‘try’ about it.” Squeezing her thigh, I peruse her form beside me. Even in yoga pants and a loose, cropped T-shirt, she looks good enough to devour here and now. The comfort of my own gray sweats is more than welcome as my dick stiffens at the peek of the fresh hickey I left on her neck. “When we get back to the house later, we’re christening the new bed. All night long, Sum. I’m going to cover you in my marks. Top to toe.”
“I like that plan.”
“Not as much as I do…or him…” Grasping her wrist, I guide her hand down to my tented crotch.
“Oh my God,” she laughs with a husky edge to the trill that tells me she’s as hot for it as I am. “You really are always ready to go.”
“With you, yeah, I am.”
“Pervert.”
“Slut.”
