Summer's Indiscretion(Divine Creek Ranch 7)(52)

“I’ll hold you to it.”

They rode along the curving driveway that snaked around the hill until they were on the backside of it and into the heavily treed area at the top of the hill. Kemp was right when he’d said earlier that the house was not visible from the road. The prolific growth of oak and pecan trees was too thick to allow it. It gave the area around the house a shady, green, haven-like feel.

The house itself was more of a small mansion made of dark gray stone and beautiful natural timbers. It was two stories, and the front of the house faced away from the road. Upstairs was a deck that ran the full length of the house and could be accessed by three different doors as well as a staircase at the far end. Wide windows filled the upper story, so the view from inside must have been spectacular. The large garage doors opened, and she pulled in, parking alongside Ace.

He climbed out of the Hummer and lifted her bags from the trunk after she hit the trunk release. Kemp unfolded himself from the front seat, came around to her side of the car, and held out his hand. She smiled and took it, impressed as ever with their gentlemanly manners as he helped her from the vehicle.

He held on to her hand, and Ace led the way to a door. He opened it and allowed Kemp to help her over the threshold. They entered the kitchen, and she gasped when she saw the interior of Ace’s home.

With the exception of the walls necessary for the kitchen cabinets and stainless steel appliances, the floor plan was completely open downstairs. In front of her, beyond the kitchen, were the large, heavy dining table and windows that looked out over the shady backyard. To her right were the huge living room and what appeared to be a hallway leading back to other rooms. The front entry was to her far right, and next it was an office, judging by the furniture, desktop computers, and other work-related paraphernalia inside.

“Welcome home, kitten,” Ace murmured, and she noticed he watched her as she looked around, taking the interior in.

The large space had high, hardwood ceilings with beautiful exposed beams, walls all painted in the same muted shade of light tan, and ceramic tile flooring. The countertops were a beautiful, contrasting dark red marble that gleamed in the light from the overhead fixtures.

She held on to Kemp’s hand and reached for Ace’s as well and said, “This is gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.”

Kemp said, “Ace renovated this place. He did a lot of the work himself.”

Summer turned her gaze from the comfortable-looking brown leather sofa and loveseats in the living room to look at Ace. “You did? I’m impressed. You have a lovely home.” And it did feel like a home, not a showplace. There was minor clutter on one counter in the kitchen, and a hastily folded newspaper lay on the large upholstered chair by the sofa.

Kemp murmured, “Why don’t we give you the quick tour of downstairs and then get you situated in the big tub upstairs, darlin’?”

Twist my arm, handsome. Summer nodded, and they showed her the rest of the first floor then ushered her up the stairs to the second story. There was a large, open living area upstairs, and a large window that looked out onto the front deck.

Summer’s heart pounded in her chest inexplicably as Ace opened a door. “This is my bedroom.”

Summer met his warm, brown eyes as he said it, and she knew by the heat she saw there that he wanted to say more. She looked around in awe at the luxurious interior of the master suite. In keeping with the rest of the house, the room was huge and encompassed one entire end of the second story. Ace placed her bags on the luxurious navy-blue-and-gold patterned comforter at the end of the massive bed, which had to have been custom made. She recalled that Grace’s friend Rosemary was married to two brothers who designed and built custom furniture. Ace was probably friends with them as well.

Matching bedroom furniture lined the walls, and Summer couldn’t ignore the urge to squeal when she saw the huge curving divan situated at an angle in front of a huge plateglass window. The divan looked like a perfect spot to curl up with a book or take a nap. The manner in which a person could recline in it also suggested it would be ideal for making love. She giggled, thinking that she was seeing it from the perspective of someone who worked within the pleasure-related industry. She glided a palm over the smooth, upholstered headrest of the wide divan as she walked behind it.

“I love this.”

“A couple of friends made it,” Ace replied. “They also built the bed.”

“The Garners?”

“Yes. Both pieces were designed and built to hold more than two people,” Ace added quietly as he came around the divan and Kemp joined them on her other side.