her off the patio and herded her toward the guesthouse door. Standing next to the pool with Stan and his dad, Dottie saw them coming. She sprang into action, holding the door open to make it easy for Summer to pass.
“Is she okay?” Dottie whispered to him.
“What do you think?” he snarled.
Following his silent lady, he watched Summer make a beeline for the refrigerator. She yanked twice to get the door open and reached inside.
Then he watched in astonishment as she sank to the floor and sat with the door wide open.
He looked at Ari. She looked back. Trying not to overreact, he calmly but hurriedly walked the baby to the playpen and placed her on her back. Then it was time to take care of Summer.
“Baby,” he softly murmured as he squatted next to her. “Do you need some help?”
Several silent seconds ticked by. She raised her eyes and looked at him, but he sensed she wasn’t all there.
“Arnie?”
Oh, boy. She was on the brink. He debated for a heartbeat and then did what he felt best, damn the consequences.
Helping her off the floor, he shut the refrigerator and picked her up. She didn’t object. Actually, she barely reacted except to put her head on his shoulder and let out a deep sigh.
Knowing how she felt about keeping the baby close, he walked her to the sofa, pointed out Ari was within reach, and made her comfortable amongst the cushions and pillows.
The best way to describe her state was to call it psychic shock. She’d been to hell and back in a difficult situation, and it hadn’t broken her. Until now. Her former life was a memory and her current world a confusing mess made even more difficult by a sudden onslaught of strong personalities crowding her bubble.
His ladylove was a badass. Without question, Summer stepping in to save him when a gun was pointed at his head had all the markings of a warrior goddess getting her a little justice.
She was fucking amazing, and he was her slave until the end of time.
It might seem counterintuitive, considering the big picture, but what she needed from her slave right now was a manly display of alpha dominance.
Oh, she’d snarl and most likely argue with him at some point—it wouldn’t be any fun if she didn’t—but he knew what was in her heart, even if she couldn’t say it out loud.
He had to be careful, though. She was reeling from how fast his life and world swallowed up her entire existence. It didn’t matter if she was ready to surrender or not—even though she was. What got her panties in a twist was not understanding her new role in this changing paradigm.
He knew what it was like to feel as though you were losing yourself to something much bigger.
Remember who you are. He straightened his shoulders and took in a lungful of air.
“Summer.” He said her name gently, lovingly.
She glanced up slowly. Her eyes still reflected shocked bewilderment, but he sensed she was in the moment and could understand.
Clearing a spot on the coffee table, he sat on the edge so their knees almost touched. He reached for her limp hands and held them on her thighs. Holding her gaze, he spelled things out.
“We’re done here.”
Panic filled her eyes. He squeezed her hands and tenderly brought her around to his way of thinking.
“We’re just in the way, honey.”
In a shaky voice, she replied bluntly. “I can’t do this.”
He countered and did it with strength fortified by love. “And I can’t take care of you and Arianne until you let me.”
A big part of him expected her to engage, to push back and dig in.
“No, Arnie,” she mumbled. “I mean I can’t do this.”
And then she fell apart. He felt her energy fall away. She didn’t pass out, but she did give every indication her power cord was unplugged. It wasn’t the reaction he expected and indicated how deeply affected she was. By everything.
Instinctively, he knew what she needed and what would help arrest her freefall. Slapping a smirky grin on his face, he held her gaze and winked.
“Have no fear, sunshine girl. I’m the guy.”
“The guy?”
He had her. Satisfaction so enormous he thought he might burst filled him up.
“Yeah, the guy. Your guy. I mean, you said everyone needs a guy, right?”
Her brows bumped together. “Did I?”
“Sure, sure,” he insisted. “I’ve got a guy for everything, and right now, you need the ultimate guy, and that’s me. Your ultimate guy.