Page 31 of On His Knees

She laughs. “No, I’m not you. But I do have a surprise.”

“I like surprises.”

“I know you do,” she says, and when her eyes dim with desire, I’m guessing she’s thinking about the stockroom rendezvous. That was one hell of a surprise, and I’d like a repeat. “But I’m not so sure you’re going to like this one,” she says, and frowns.

I stop walking. Jesus, is she finally going to confess, tell me she’s been conning James Carson?

“What is it?” I ask, all humor gone from my voice.

She stiffens and glances up at me. “It’s okay, Tate. It’s nothing bad.”

I relax, and I’m not sure whether I’m disappointed or glad that she didn’t confess. “What did you think I was going to say anyway?”

I open my mouth, not knowing how to answer, when a child lets loose a howl of a scream.

“What the hell?” I say. I glance over to the skating rink, where a young boy is lying on the ice and still wailing, one leg bent out severely at an awkward angle. The next thing I know Summer shoves the bag into my chest and darts toward the ice faster than I would have thought possible in her big winter boots. I grip the handle on the brown bag and follow Summer, find her down on her knees assessing the boy, checking his neck and leg for injuries before she’ll let him move. She takes off her mitts and gingerly examines his leg, checking where it hurts. Maybe I should run back to the bar and get her friend Cara. She should be able to help. Or I could go to the resort’s clinic, but Cara is closer. As I consider that, a crowd forms, and I lose sight of Summer. I stand back, debating on what to do, when the crowd opens up. I spot Summer talking to a man, likely the child’s father, since he has the boy in his arms. Her nervous glance flickers to mine, and I angle my head and watch her.

As they come toward me, I hear her say, “I think it’s just strained, not broken. But I’d still take him to the resort’s clinic for X-rays just to make sure there’s no hairline fracture or anything.”

The father thanks her profusely, as the preteen boy wipes tears from his face. “Thank you,” he says, and the two head along the path.

“What’s going on?”

She hesitates for a second. “I just reacted.”

“I’d say.” I take in the flush on her face, the worry in her eyes. It’s kind of nice that she jumped in to help like that. Most people, especially back in New York, are reluctant to get involved, but not Summer. She ran like she was being chased by the Devil himself. This woman confuses the hell out of me. “I thought about going to get Cara.”

“That would have been a good idea, but I think the boy just strained his muscles.”

I nudge her. “Oh, you’re a doctor now, are you?” I tease. If she were a doctor she would have told me that, right?

“I just...” She pauses for a second. “My dad was a construction worker. He injured himself a lot on the job. They didn’t have strict safety measures in place back in his day.” Then, almost to herself, she says, “God, it’s a wonder the job didn’t take him out.”

“Your dad, he’s gone?” I ask quietly.

She nods, but I don’t miss the water in her eyes as she looks off in the distance, her blurred gaze scanning the mountains. She seems to be a million miles away. I want to ask about her mom, but I’m not sure now is the time.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

She shakes her head, like she’s trying to clear it, and smiles up at me, but this time there is no light in her eyes. “Anyway, I know a broken bone when I see one.” She redirects and points to the bag I’m holding. “About that surprise.”

I inch the bag open, hoping to find some sexy lingerie, but what I see instead shocks me. “No way, Summer. Not in a million years.”

CHAPTER TEN

Tate

“OH, COME ON, TATE, don’t be a big baby.” She takes the costume from me and shakes it out so I can get a better look at it.

I back up and hold my hands out. “A big baby? How does refusing to put on a ridiculous donkey outfit make me a baby?”

She rolls her eyes at me and somehow makes it look sexy. “It just does.”

“I’m not doing it, Summer. Not in a million years or for a million dollars.”

“I don’t have either of those, but there is something else I can give you.” She steps into me, goes up on her toes and her chilled lips meet mine. She kisses me softly, and our lips create both heat and friction. Forgetting where I am, I slide my hand around her back and drag her to me. We kiss like there is no one in the world but us. In the distance a child’s laughter drags me back to my senses. I pull away, and her eyes are slightly closed, dreamy as she stands there, lips still poised. So fucking gorgeous.

“Are you bribing me with sex?” I ask.

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