The Pleasures of Summer Read Online Free Page B

up close and personal with her. She wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. And what was that thing with the hair pulling? He had taken hold of her as if he owned her. It was a pity her dad hadn’t arrived on the scene sooner. He would have sent him packing.
    Summer suppressed a shiver as she recalled just how close he had been to her. Underneath the dark stubble, his unshaven jaw was firm. His facial features made a strong masculine statement. His cheekbones were razor sharp and the slightly crooked angle of his nose gave him a hint of menace. This was no pretty boy for her to play with. And those eyes. Hazel flecked with green and gold under heavy eyebrows. Intriguing and a little dangerous. It would take her more than a day to get rid of this one and time was running out. She needed to be bodyguard-free by the weekend or there would be no
Noir
for her.
    Her dad would be away for almost a month. Surely he wouldn’t consider leaving her with him? She would have to make sure that he didn’t.
    Summer reached for the hair iron, transforming her thick mane into casual cascading curls. She applied a little make-up. Not too much, she wanted to look innocent. She barely brushed her lashes with mascara and added a coat of pink lipstick until she had the subtle effect she wanted. A pair of pale jeans, a pretty floral top and she was daddy’s sweet little girl.
    She pouted at her reflection. ‘Please don’t leave me with the nasty man.’
    Slipping on a pair of sandals, she took a last glance in the mirror. She had managed to get rid of the others without too much difficulty. There was no way that her dad would leave that scruffy, arrogant guy in charge while he was away. She was panicking unnecessarily.
    Summer hesitated for a moment outside the office door. No one was permitted to enter without invitation. She had raised her hand to knock when she heard laughter from inside. That wasn’t encouraging. They were getting on far too well for her liking. She tapped on the door and went inside.
    Her dad’s tie was loose and the top button of his shirt was undone, a sure sign that he was relaxing. Across from him, on the chair where she usually sat, was Fishboy. His easy smile vanished when he saw her and he stood up.
    ‘Miss O’Sullivan.’ He inclined his head. She caught a faint hint of a Scottish burr. It wasn’t fair. The one accent in the world guaranteed to melt ice and set her pulse racing.
    He scanned her from head to foot, taking in everythingfrom her glossy hair to the painted tips of her toes before he caught her gaze and held it.
    Summer didn’t flinch. She was used to men staring at her. It was part of the game. She smiled sweetly at him. ‘It’s Summer, and I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. What am I to call you?’
    ‘This is Flynn Grant.’ Her father said. ‘He’s going to be taking care of things while I’m away.’
    She sat on an upright chair and folded her hands demurely. ‘By “things”, I presume you mean me? Don’t you think that I should have some choice about who I’m going to be living with for the next three weeks?’
    ‘You’ve already had plenty of choice. Now I’m choosing. Mr Grant is the best there is. You won’t even notice he’s there.’
    Considering the slight twitch of that arrogant mouth, Summer wasn’t too sure about that. In fact, she was willing to bet that Flynn Grant was capable of being a complete pain in the ass.
    Her father had made his decision. She had another bloody bodyguard. This little skirmish might be lost but there was still time to make Flynn pack up and go back to where he came from. She flashed him a bored glance. ‘I’m sure you’re right. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’ll just check and see how the chef is getting on with dinner. I presume you’ll be staying, Mr Grant?’
    ‘That’s most kind of you, Summer.’ The smirk was back.
    ‘Any allergies or conditions that we should be aware of? We wouldn’t want to poison you