“One set of hands is more than plenty.”

“Damn straight.”

An hour later he pulled into her drive and cut the motor. Carrie Ann slipped her fingers over his forearm. She drew in a deep relaxing breathe. “So where do we go from here?”

“Home, Red. We go home. We’re going to walk through that door, pack up your things, slap a For Sale sign in the yard and go home.”

“It’s a rental.”

“Even better. Consider your rent paid for the remainder of your lease.”

“I really need to handle a few things. Catch up on emails, work, call Sara and Shayla.” She hesitated ruefully, adding with a grumble, “Plus, have a chat with my dad. Which I should probably do in person.”

“Red, you’re gonna need to learn how to micromanage being ravished by me on a daily basis, while working and having more fun than you’ve ever had in your life, plus romantic dinners, social events and all the other necessities of life. Unfortunately, that will also include the media and paparazzi. But I plan on waking up beside you in bed from now on. I don’t care who tries to stand in our way or what we have to go through. So, if you think I’m leaving you here for the night, or a week, or whatever you expected…you’re wrong.” Before she could respond, he added, “If this isn’t what you bargained for then now’s your time to speak up.”

“I’ll make a pot of coffee.”

A frown wove between his brows.

“For packing,” she clarified with a flirty smile. “And for the record I won’t need to micromanage your ravishing. I gladly welcome it.”

“Good thing,” he touted in a tone of authority.

“Oh, it’s a damn good thing.”

It took a few hours to make a dent in her belongings. They filled every piece of luggage and laundry hamper, loading her favorites into his Rover and her Cadillac. They left the rest for movers.

“Should we stop by and see your father?”

“No.” The reply whooshed out so fast it sounded panic-stricken. Her relaxed mood instantly shifted to dread. “Did you really need to kill the euphoric buzz I had going?”

“Let’s just say, you should probably check your text messages.” His warning raised the hair on her arms. “I’d be happy to come with you. Act as a buffer. I’m sure it won’t be an easy conversation.”

“Summer, this isn’t a pissing match between the two of you.” The deep indention between his troublesome eyes indicated his disbelief. “I can handle my dad, now.”

“Carrie Ann, I’m sure you can take care of yourself, but your father wields a mighty sword and has a degree in Master Manipulator of people. You included. Hell, there was even a time when I cowered to his power,” he admitted grimly. His quiet voice blistered with annoyance. “But he will never hold court or judgement over me again.”

Irritably she yanked the front door open, spinning to face him. He snatched hold of the door before it knocked into the wall. She glanced up at him sharply, but her petulance turned to butter when he pulled her resistant body into a tight clinch. His golden irises set fire to her soul, warming her all the way to her toes, hitting her with an endearing, lopsided grin. “Red, we’re not going to let him get between us. Don’t make me rip off your clothes to put a smile back on your face.”

“You started it.”

“You’re right. I did. I’d prefer to get it over with, so we can go about our life together. With or without his approval. If he thinks he’s got one, tiny fissure of space to exploit, he’ll sniff it out and turn it into a three foot gap.”

Reaching up, her hands traced along the dense muscles of his shoulders. “Summer, as much as I hate to admit this, I just need a bit of time to strategize before seeing him. I don’t let him push me around anymore, but I want to handle it the right way. He’s gonna have to come to terms with my decisions and I’d like to think that he’d come to love you…and you him…if nothing more than for the fact that it would make me happy.”

Summer’s expression softened. He held her secure, reassuring her with small squeezing rotations to the tight muscles of her nape. “You’re right. Maybe we should see him separately.”

“Separately? Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. I don’t—”

“I’m not going to take any shit from your father this time. Not ever again. He can ignore me, or hate me, or treat me however he wants, but I won’t allow him to intimidate you or whatever the fuck else runs through his calculated mind.” Summer paused. “And it’s not because I think you’re too fragile to handle your father, it’s because if he thinks he’s going to mistreat you for any reason…he’s going to have to come through me.”

Carrie Ann had heard her fair share of colorful threats and promises, growing up in the backseat of her father’s town car should’ve required headphones, but at that moment, she’d never felt more cherished and protected. His mouth dragged gently along her throat, probing for her response.

“I’ll talk with him on the phone, for now, and make arrangements for lunch or dinner.”

Their gazes caught. His left brow arched to a point. “Face it, Red. You’re a procrastinator when it comes to confrontations, especially when it involves getting things off your chest. I don’t want…I would be grateful…if the issue doesn’t get drug out for a month. Deal?”

“Deal. In the near future.”

The long drive to Summer’s secluded Malibu hilltop home gave Carrie Ann over an hour of travel time to make the dreaded phone call. It took two unanswered calls to Shayla and Sara, and twenty minutes of complete silence, cocooned in the confines of her car, to prep for the next call. Hands wringing wet and clinging to the steering wheel, she pushed the talk button, dialing her father.

It didn’t even make it through the second ring, before hearing her father’s gravelly voice on the other end of the line, excusing himself from a conversation. “I’ve got to take this call. That sounds like a perfect place to settle the score. I’ll see you on the course at seven Sunday morning.”

Carrie Ann broke into his conversation, “Do you want to call me back?”

“No, no. I’m here, just finishing up a meeting,” he assured brusquely. She heard the sound of his office door clicking shut. “Are you home from your vacation now?”

“Hi to you too.” She attempted to keep a calmness to her tone, prepping for his eruption. “Yes, we just got back a few hours ago.”

“I’m not sure what’s in that head of yours, Carrie Ann. I thought you were finished with that boy years ago. I’ve been worried about you. I get a phone call from you a week ago, stating that you’re running off on…some sort of private vacation, and that you’d be unavailable for a week or two.” His controlled seething bordered on shouting. She envisioned his full face turning a deep shade of purple. “Then I get a text from that useless excuse of an ex-boyfriend of yours, telling me that you’d been drugged at the auction. That son-of-bitch had the nerve to tell me you were in good hands and that you’d be home when there was a break in the weather.”

“Some of that’s true,” she interjected, her tone set firm. “Except the part about Summer being useless or a son-of-a-bitch or my ex-boyfriend. I’m so glad you’re more concerned about my relationship with Summer than the fact that someone drugged me. I really…”

“What makes you think it wasn’t that boy who drugged you? I spoke with Jason and…”

“Excuse me? I’m warning you, Dad. Don’t you dare imply that Summer had anything to do with that.”

“Warning me?”

Fighting off the intimidation in his tone, she squared her shoulders. “Yes, you heard me correctly. Considering that I only drank a few glasses of champagne, which Jason happened to hand to me, I think he’s the one who has some explaining to do.”

“Are you insinuating that Jason Calver put something in your drink? I’ve known his parents…”

“I’m not insinuating anything, Dad. You’re the lawyer. You tell me.”