Summer's Indiscretion(Divine Creek Ranch 7)(47)
Kemp murmured, “I know what would make you feel better, Summer.”
Summer turned to Kemp and said, “About twenty-four solid hours of sleep? I’m so tired my head is spinning.”
Kemp chuckled and said, “All the sleep you want, since you have the day off tomorrow, but first a nice, long soak in Ace’s whirlpool tub. It’ll make you forget all your worries.”
Summer sighed and closed her eyes, evidently imagining it. When she reopened them, she looked from one man to the other and said, “My moving in is a big step for us. Even though it’s only temporary, until it’s safe for me to stay in the apartment.”
Ace didn’t like that notion at all. Once she moved in, he was going to have a hard time allowing her to leave. Judging by the look on Kemp’s face, he must’ve felt the same way.
Kemp said, “You know there’s no hurry to move. You would have plenty of room, and peace and quiet at Ace’s place. It’s off the main road and has a pretty hilltop view.”
Ace wanted to high-five Kemp for the sales pitch. “You can’t even see it from the road, for all the oak trees. It has an upstairs deck that runs the length of the house, and there is also a hot tub right outside the French doors in my bedroom. You can see for miles while you soak.”
A sexy smile spread across Summer’s soft, full lips, and she sighed again. “That sounds heavenly. I’ll be spoiled rotten by the time I leave.”
“Maybe we won’t let you leave,” Ace murmured. “What if we want you to stay?”
She looked back and forth between them. “You don’t have to say things like that, Ace. You may change your mind, and I don’t want you to feel obligated.” A trace of uncertainty showed in her eyes. “Besides, doesn’t Kemp have his own place? If I stay with you, Ace, and he is all alone, that will cause problems. I don’t want to be the cause of trouble between the two of you.”
Summer was about to say more when Ace pressed a gentle fingertip to her lips. “Are you afraid this will all go flat at some point? That we’ll feel let down with the reality of living with you?”
Summer pressed her pink lips together and almost said more, but finally looked down and nodded.
“Kitten, Kemp and I have been roommates before. We don’t have any problem with living with each other, especially in a place that big. We found separate lodgings when we both moved to Divine a couple of years ago. The opportunity to buy my house came along and I took it, while he’s stayed in his rental. We’ve both been happy, so we stayed where we were.”
“How long have you known each other?”
“Since we were kids, in San Angelo. We grew up in the same neighborhood. Kemp was always at my house.” Ace decided to allow Kemp to share the details of his family and his upbringing in his own time.
“Do your families still live there?”
Kemp shook his head and said nothing further. Ace replied, “My mom and dad have both passed on, but I have two younger sisters. One is married and lives in San Antonio. The other one just finished at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin.”
“Are you close to them?”
Ace nodded but felt sheepish when he answered, “Yes, but I haven’t talked to either of them in several months. We all have busy lives and lose track of time.” He made a mental note to call them both during the week.
Summer took a sip from her tea glass and said, “I’m close to Margot, but we never wanted to be roommates. We both needed our own space. I’ve had one roommate, and it was an experience I plan to never repeat. I’m telling you both, sometimes I think I’m jinxed.”
“Then it’s time you got unjinxed, kitten.”
Summer giggled and held up her glass of iced tea. “Well, here’s to unjinxing me.”
They toasted her and settled in to eat their food when it arrived. Ace talked her into sharing a dessert with him.
“I really should abstain.”
“When there is something as sinfully delicious as O’Reilley’s banana pudding concerned you have to at least try it.”
Kemp smirked and softly added, “I don’t know, Ace. I think you might find that it’s in second place now.” Summer gasped and gently shoved Kemp’s shoulder, a pink blush spreading over her cheeks. Kemp shrugged and added, “Just sayin’.”
They were midway through their dessert, when a woman in her mid-thirties approached their table with a toddler in tow. She smiled tremulously at them, and Ace smiled back as she drew near.
“I–I’m sorry to bother you.” The woman gulped nervously and looked conflicted for a moment.