Chapter 5

chapter

five

Carter

It sounds good in my head. It makes perfect sense that I should lay out the ground rules if Summer wants to be kissing partners as well as business partners.

The last thing I want is to muddy the waters or make her think I'm investing in her future simply because I feel attracted to her.

So I say something perfectly reasonable before she grabs me again.

"I want to make it perfectly clear that I'm not going to expect you to perform sexual favors in exchange for our investment," I say.

I thought that was the right thing to say. Clarity is the number one thing for me.

"Okay," she says, but it's more of a question. Something is wrong.

"So I won't be trying any funny business," I say.

"Fine," she says, setting off a signal flare that something is definitely wrong, and somehow it's my fault.

"I don't think you're fine, actually."

Summer looks to the side. "I didn't expect someone to think I would whore myself out for money, that's all."

Where did that come from? That's not what I said or what I meant. "Good, because I don't think that."

"But you think that I might do something like that, which is why you're setting a boundary," Summer attempts to clarify.

Navigating what I said or did wrong is sometimes dangerous territory.

I know I have to proceed cautiously, but I do not know what I'm doing. I look over at Cooper, but he and Harmony have disappeared.

I'm drowning.

And I need my extrovert brother to throw me a lifeline. This is usually the moment he bails me out.

I guess I'll have to stand on my own two feet.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to offend you. I'm not good at this. Aunt Gabby used to say that sometimes I put my foot so far in my mouth that I shit shoe leather for a week," I say.

The smallest of smiles tugs at Summer's lips. "Aunt Gabby is Gabriella MacKenzie?"

"You know her?"

She makes an adorable noise that's something between a scoff and a snort of surprise. "She was a client! She hosted a lot of parties at the club. And tipped well."

I can't believe this is. "You knew her? Why didn't you tell me?"

She nods. "Well, I didn't know her well. I knew her signature on the receipts. Great tipper. I even met her in person once. She showed me your photo."

"She did?"

Summer nods. "She was very proud of her handsome nephews."

I scrub my face and take a step back. "This is a twist I didn't see coming."

"Too much?"

"No…I just don't know what to say. You've got me tongue-tied."

The teasing smile on her face is gentle. "And that's different how?"

This makes me laugh. "That tendency of mine gets especially bad when I'm around a woman I like."

"You like me?" One pretty eyebrow arches.

"I do like you and I want you to kiss me again. But I don't want you to feel obligated."

Summer reaches forward and touches a hand to my face.

"You keep assuming I would trade sex for financial backing and that's really drying up the urge to stick my tongue down your throat," she says.

At a loss for words, I let out a caveman grunt. I'm so mixed up inside.

Everything is so muddled. I don't know what I'm doing.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"Maybe we should take a breather," she says.

"I'll go to my office and find the contract. And then track down Cooper and Harmony."

"Sure," she says. "I need to use the restroom, so as soon as I'm done, I'll find you in your office, and we'll handle this like professionals."

Professionals. That's what we were supposed to be from the beginning. And that's all we are.

I feel like a complete shithead for assuming she wanted to blur the lines. Clearly, what I overheard her say before was a joke.

They say you can't put toothpaste back into the tube, but I'm damn well going to try.

"Through the kitchen, down the hall, first door on your right," I say.

Summer's smile pierces me through the heart. She's giving me more grace than I deserve.

As she walks away from me, it feels like she's disappearing forever.

I go to my office and shut the door.