AnotherKindofSummer Read online

  She glared at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m dead serious.” He stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. To his surprise, she didn’t resist. “The only way I’m walking out of this apartment is if you tell me you don’t love me.”

  “Not that.”

  “Yes, that!” He raised her chin. “So, what will it be?”

  “Ian, I can’t be his mother. I—”

  “Four words, Summer.”

  She frowned. “I thought it was three.”

  “I-don’t-love-you is four.”

  “You are the most stubborn man on the planet,” she griped.

  “Then you’re my fraternal twin.”

  She rolled her eyes at him.”

  “Hm?”

  She sighed. “Fine. I can’t tell you that. I do love you, but that doesn’t change our issues. I’m going to have to prove to you I’m not the right woman. I’m not cut out to do the whole mommy thing.”

  He squinted down at her. He liked her height and her slender figure.

  She fit into his hold so perfectly and gave him a sense of wanting to protect her. “You’ll be a natural at changing diapers.”

  “What?” she screeched, and he burst out laughing. He couldn’t remember a time when he was happier.

  * * * *

  Ian pretended he was paying Summer no mind. Ian Junior had already peed on her twice, and still she struggled to get the diaper on properly. Ian found it hard not to laugh out loud. Her frustration was plain, but he trusted Summer. Not once had she lost patience with the baby, and she treated him gently as she repositioned him. Ian knew deep down that Summer would make a great mother if she let herself believe she had it in her. He was also aware of why she felt like she did. The fault laid with her father, a man Summer had cut out of her life. One day five years ago when they were having their age old argument, he’d demanded to know why she was so hung up on not being what he needed, and what she admitted had torn him apart. If he could have beaten her dad to within an inch of his life and gotten away with it, he would have.

  “You don’t understand,” she’d railed at him.

  “Then explain it to me. I want to know why you think you’re any less than any other woman in the world.”

  She had put her hands on her hips, her face a mask of anger like she thought he was purposely forgetting her accident.”

  “You know I had my pelvis broken in that car accident.”

  He’d interrupted, just as frustrated. “Of course, we’ve discussed it.

  You were lucky to be alive, and they did reconstructive surgery on you as well as cosmetic to minimize your external scars. Unfortunately, they couldn’t do the same with the scars on your uterus. There’s more.”

  “Isn’t that enough?”

  He heard the pain in her tone and crushed her to his chest. She wiggled to free herself, but he held on, cupping the back of her head. Summer was his life. She’d been so from the first night he met her. He’d never believed in loving someone so fast and so deeply until he met her. “There’s more to it than that,” he’d said. “Tell me.”

  She buried her face in his throat, and although she swallowed the sob, she couldn’t suppress the quakes making her shake in his embrace. At last, she raised her head, but she didn’t look at him. Her focus was on a scene in her mind from the past.

  “I was in the hospital. The last of my surgeries had been a success, and my parents were outside of my room. They thought I was asleep, but I heard them talking. The doctors had given them the news that even with all the work they’d done, I would never be able to have babies. My mother was crying at first. My father must have been holding her, but he didn’t say much. I couldn’t see them. Then he said something I’ll never forget as long as I live.”

  Ian had stroked her back, sensing how hard it was for her to tell him, to relive the pain of that time. “Then what, baby?”

  “He said…” She choked back a sob. “He said ‘but she’ll be less of a woman now. And what man will want her?’ All of a sudden, my mother stopped crying, and I heard the slap echoing through the hall. She told him what makes me a woman is not my ability to have kids. I am still a woman, but the damage was done. He was man, the most important man in my life at the time. You can’t take that back. I know I’m broken, and I can’t be fixed.”

  “Summer, my heart.”

  They had sunk together on the floor, him holding her while she cried.

  That was the only time she’d let him see, and he cherished the moment she opened up to him. Still, it didn’t change her belief that she was less than what he needed. He never knew how to help her to see the truth until now.

  Ian Junior might be the answer he’d been looking for.

  When he met Penny, she’d hidden her true nature. She was intelligent and fun. She’d seemed sweet, a good substitute for the woman he felt he didn’t have a chance of being with. Of course, he didn’t want to be dishonest to her and make her think he could love her the way a man should love the woman he was committed to. So he’d told her the truth, that his heart would never be in it the way she might hope it would. Penny had smiled and said she could wait for him. That had been the deciding factor for him to see only her. In fact, he had been considering going to the next level in their relationship when she found out she was pregnant.

  That’s when the mask crumbled. Penny was a selfish bitch who thought to use him, to spend his money and enjoy life. She’d played the role of doting lover with an eye toward marrying him, but Ian Junior changed everything. She wasn’t willing to give up her self-indulgent lifestyle to be tied down to a baby.

  Ian couldn’t have been more thrilled at the news of his son. He had given up thoughts of having children because he wanted to be with Summer more. Now he had a son, and he would not regret the relationship that brought him into the world. Penny did him a favor by stepping out of his and his son’s life.

  He stood up smiling and walked over to where Summer bent over the changing table. “Here, let me show you again.”

  He reached around her from behind and stilled her fluttering hands.

  Gently and slowly, he guided her, and he heard her catch her breath. Of course, he pretended it was necessary to align his body with hers, spooning her sweet, round ass in the process. They worked together to get the baby clean and powdered before closing the tabs on his diaper. When they were done, Ian moved his hands to Summer’s waist, and she lifted the baby.

  She turned with a half smile on her lips and moisture beading her forehead. “Finally. I thought my arms were going to fall off, and now I need a shower ’cause bra-man peed on me twice!”

  He raised his brows as if he hadn’t seen it himself. “Really? Gotta be careful of those little wieners. They’re tricky.”

  She eyed his crotch. “I’m saying.”

  He scowled and covered himself with one hand. “I do not have a little wiener.”

  Summer laughed, but she didn’t agree. She handed him the baby and disappeared down the hall. Ian wasn’t offended by the implications. He knew in his eight inches he had more than enough to satisfy Summer. His high sex drive had caused him to wear her out on more than one occasion.

  He carried his son over to the couch and sat down with him on his lap.

  “What do you think, Ian Junior. Do you like her?”

  His son gurgled in response.

  “Good because she will be your new mama. We’ll have to work together to win her over, but I’m sure we can do it. Just a matter of time.”

  Chapter Four

  Summer was exhausted. She’d spent the last week with Ian at his house, and she didn’t think she’d gotten much sleep in that time. Not that he’d thrown all the responsibilities of dealing with his son onto her. He didn’t. The man was an awesome father. She admired how he took care of an infant while working full time. Of course his schedule was such that he could take JR into the office with him a few days a week. She’d started calling the baby by that nickname
and thought it was funny how Ian resisted following suit. He’d fall in line soon enough. Just like she expected him to give when he admitted she wasn’t good at this mommy stuff.

  That child could pee, and he always seemed to hold it just for her.

  Even when she wasn’t the one changing him, his little thing angled sideways to her direction and caught her in the eye. Summer was beginning to think it was a conspiracy, but Ian only chuckled. The bastard.

  The night before, she had finished up a project and was free to do with her time what she chose. She’d elected to go in to the office with Ian and the baby when he offered. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course, no one will question your presence. Besides, I want you to see the new offices. I think the architecture of the building will appeal to the artist in you.”

  She nodded. Ian had always been eager to share every part of his life with her. He really was a good man. Her stomach tightened thinking that way, and she pushed the thought aside. A survivable way to deal with what they were doing was to remember that it was just temporary. Pretty soon, Ian would give up, and she’d return to her life without him.

  The four-story building was incredible, just like Ian had promised. The entire outside gave the appearance of being made of glass, tinted green.

  The grounds were well manicured, and when she stepped into the lobby, it took her breath away. In the center was an atrium leading up to the top floor. Around it on three sides was what she guessed were hallways leading to the various offices. The front overlooked the parking lot. What was really cool was that a person could take the atrium route to each floor walking along a steadily ascending path. There was also a bank of elevators toward the back of the lobby.

  “I’m on the top floor,” Ian told her. Do you want to take the elevator or walk up?”

  She sucked her teeth. “Are you kidding? Race you to the top.” She took off for the atrium, moving as fast as she could without running. He probably thought she was immature, but she couldn’t help it. The place was beautiful, and she hadn’t spent much time in an office in a while.

  Working at home had its perks, but it could get lonely.

  Of course she lost the race since she’d stopped to rest. By the time she reached the top floor, she found Ian standing at the entrance to one of the hallways surrounded by a bevy of women. To her annoyance, jealousy rose in her belly before she tamped it down.

  “Ian, he just gets cuter and cuter every time I see him,” one of the women gushed.

  The color in the man’s cheeks that matched his sweet son let her know he was falling for the compliments. All a woman had to do was talk about his baby, and he ate it up. Goodness, he’s easy, she silently complained.

  She strolled over to him in time to see a woman who hadn’t been with the group come up alongside him. With confidence and obvious habit of doing so, she cooed and took the baby from Ian’s arms.

  “Hey, Ian Junior, how are you today?” The woman continued to play with his little feet and bounce him in her arms. “Ian, you need to bring him over to play with John again. Being the same age, they got along so well, and before you know it, they’ll be crawling around getting into things together.”

  Again? Summer gritted her teeth. She eyed the woman up and down.

  That size two body didn’t look like it had ever carried a baby, and yet she had the look of a mother. The nurturing kind who’s whole life would revolve around her kids, like driving them to a million different activities every day and being a member of the PTA. She probably knew how to change a diaper with her eyes closed.

  “Summer,” Ian called to catch her attention, “let me introduce you to Amelia. She’s been invaluable in helping me to get settled here. She’s a brilliant manager and a real team player. And I must admit, she helped out a lot with my adjustment to raising Ian Junior alone.”

  I bet she did. Summer smiled. “Nice to meet you, Amelia.”

  “Likewise.” Summer saw the smile falter in confusion at wondering who she was.

  Ian continued with the introduction. “This is my…Summer.”

  Summer frowned, and Amelia’s grin grew wider and more confident.

  She didn’t know what was up with the hesitation, but she didn’t like it.

  Apparently, Amelia had drawn her own conclusions about why Ian paused. Then again, what could he call her, his girlfriend? Their relationship had as yet been undefined. Ian had asked her to marry him, and she’d turned him down, but he had made it clear he wasn’t giving up.

  She was out to prove she wasn’t the one, and Miss Amelia seemed to agree. This woman was what Ian needed, even if Summer couldn’t stand knowing it.

  On impulse, she moved forward and nabbed JR from Amelia’s arms, leaving the woman’s mouth hanging open. “I’ll take him. I know you have to get back to work.” Summer strolled ahead. “Which way is your office, Ian?”

  He showed her the way, and Summer passed inside. She paused in surprise to find he’d set up a playpen and other necessities for the baby.

  She crossed to it and set JR inside before straightening and facing Ian.

  “So, your Summer, huh?”

  He grinned and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I know what I wanted to call you—my fiancée, but somehow I think you would have had a problem with that.”

  “You’re right.” She pressed palms on his chest when he drew her closer. “Amelia seems nice.”

  “Don’t be jealous.”

  She sucked her teeth. “Who’s jealous? I’m just saying she seems nice.

  She has a son JR’s age, so she knows where you’re coming from with all you have to do. She’d probably be great as—”

  Ian released her so fast, she swayed. He turned his back and walked over to his desk. She could tell by the stiffness in his shoulders that he was pissed. He hated how she tried to push off his interest in her, and she didn’t mean to hurt him.

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered.

  “I have a meeting this morning,” he announced. “Would you rather me take Ian Junior with me, or do you mind watching him for about an hour? I don’t expect it to take longer than that.”

  So he wasn’t going to acknowledge her apology. She sighed. “I’ll watch him.”

  “Baby, if you’re not feeling up to it…”

  “No, that’s not it.” She didn’t want to get into another argument. “I want to watch him. Are we going to lunch later?”

  “Definitely.” He kissed her lips, kissed the top of JR’s head, and left.

  She puttered around his office for a few minutes, and then the baby began to cry. Summer whirled to look toward the open door. Anyone working nearby would be disturbed. She rushed over to the playpen and knelt beside it, rubbing JR’s belly.

  “Shh, sweetie, it’s okay. Daddy will be back soon.” Did he even know enough to know Ian had left the room? She knew JR recognized Ian’s face and his voice, but she couldn’t be sure if he knew when Ian wasn’t around.

  Either way, the baby’s cries grew louder. The more he fussed, the greater her embarrassment and panic. “Crap, crap, crap, please, JR, be quiet,” she whispered. “People have to work. What’s wrong?”

  “If he was old enough to tell you that, he wouldn’t be crying.” Amelia stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her ample breasts. Maybe she was breastfeeding. Those were the biggest things on her.

  “I know that, thanks for nothing,” she snapped.

  Amelia gave a long-suffering sigh. “Here, I’ll take him. If you don’t have the mother’s instinct, you can’t hope to take care of an infant.” As soon as she picked him up, the baby settled down. Summer wanted to choke her and snatch JR away, but she had to think about what was best for him. If he wanted Amelia, she needed to back off. Amelia bounced him on her knee while talking gibberish.

  As if I’m the crazy one for asking him what’s wrong. She’s the sane one talking like an idiot.

  Summer stood there wondering what to do with herself. She resented the fact tha
t Amelia made her feel useless and stupid.

  “Sometimes nothing’s wrong except they want to be held and loved.”

  She glared at Summer. “It takes more than rubbing his stomach to care for a baby.”

  “Don’t you think I know that?” she snapped. “I don’t need you to tell me anything about taking care of JR.”

  The woman’s brows rose. “I guess you don’t know as much as you think if you haven’t figured out Ian hates nicknames for Ian Junior.”

  Summer leaned against the desk and crossed her arms under her breasts. “He doesn’t mind because it’s me.”

  “You?” Amelia stopped pacing and bouncing JR, and the baby started fussing softly, but Amelia didn’t notice. “I recognize your kind. You see something you want, and you don’t care who you hurt or what it takes to get it, even if it affects this little one here.”

  “Oh, is that the kind of woman I am?” Summer responded with deceptive calm. “The kind that will pretend to love a man’s baby to get him?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  Summer forced a laugh. Even while she did so, it sounded threatening to her ears, and Amelia must have agreed. She started and kept her gaze locked on Summer while she tried to comfort JR.

  “Let me tell you this, Miss High-and-Mighty,” Summer said, holding up a finger. “You don’t know me, and you don’t want to know me. I can snap your tiny ass like a twig, so don’t push me. Further, JR is a sweet baby, and I would never use him to get to Ian.” She snapped her fingers. “I already have Ian and can have him whenever I want—baby or no baby.”

  Amelia gasped at that declaration, but Summer didn’t give her the chance to speak.

  “You on the other hand have been yipping at his heels, from the sound of it, trying to get him over to your house for a…what do they call it? A play date. So don’t even talk to me about using this baby. You’re using him and your own son!”

  “How dare you accuse me of—”

  “Woman, please.” She strolled up to Amelia, getting a kick out of the fear she saw in the woman’s eyes. How low would she be to attack her with JR in her arms? Amelia needed to get a clue. “Give him to me now, and get the hell out of this office.”