Dark doggy eyes meet mine and he tilts his head, like the answer is obvious.
“Right. Are you okay with him staying?”
Anthony’s hand finds it’s way back into Ace’s fur. “Yeah.”
“Then he’s all yours.”
It’s late afternoon by the time I hear footsteps from inside the house. I put my book down and get up from the lounge chair, double-checking my bikini is still in place.
“Anthony?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” He steps out onto the patio and raises a hand, shading his eyes from the harsh sunlight. “Damn. I’ve practically missed the entire day.”
“Not all of it,” I say. “Are you hungry?”
“I just had some of your pancakes.”
“You reheated them?”
“Yes,” he says dryly, “I reheated them.”
I sit back down on the lounge chair and give a tail-wagging Ace a welcoming pat on the head. “Do you want to join me?”
He looks from me to the calm, blue waters of his infinity pool. I wonder how many times he’s been in it.
I wonder if he’severbeen in it.
“Yes,” he says.
Once we’re both settled, my eyes drift from the pages of my book to him. He’s almost too tall for the lounge chair and his feet hang off the edge. Dark waves of his hair fall over his brow, matted and disheveled.
He opens his eyes. “You’re staring.”
I bite my lower lip to keep from smiling. “I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
I put down my book. “Well, you’re nice to look at. Are you feeling better?”
“I am.” Anthony looks down at my hands, a frown marring his face. “You’re too kind to me.”
“There’s no such thing.”
“Yes, there is. Summer… I shouldn’t have kissed you last night. Or the night before.”
“Why not?”
“It was a mistake, and I’m sorry.”
The words don’t hurt by themselves. No, it’s the absolute sincerity in his voice that slides like needles beneath my nails. “A mistake?” I murmur. “That’s really what you think?”
“Yes.”
I can’t sit here or the burning behind my eyes will give me away. I push off the lounge chair and turn toward the door, but a large hand around my wrist stops me.
“No, Summer… don’t you see? I couldn’t bear it if I hurt you. And I can’t bear having you just to lose you, either. Do you understand?”
“I don’t understand anything.”