The Pleasures of Summer by Evie Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

debacle with Adam. She shuddered at the memory of how close she had come to marrying a fortune-hunting weasel. Her attempts to get back in the game afterwards had all been a bust. She had even struck out with the gorgeous Mike that night at the club. Maybe it was time for a re-match.
    Molly grabbed her hand. ‘You have to talk to him. Robert is so interested in getting to know you. It’s all he’s spoken about since he got here.’
    She wasn’t sure if she liked the sound of that. She could just imagine Flynn’s disapproving scowl if he discovered what she was planning. ‘I will. It’s just that …’
    ‘You haven’t changed your mind about
Noir
, have you? I was so looking forward to showing you around.’
    ‘Don’t be silly, I’m really looking forward to it, but what should I wear?’ The idea of Flynn following her around the stores while she was shopping for fetish wear was terrifying.
    Molly giggled. ‘As little as possible. Half the members wear next to nothing. Some boots, a collar and chain …’
    ‘You better be joking.’
    ‘Relax, Summer. You’ve got a great body. It will be such fun. Do you remember that time in Grafton Street when we posed naked for that PETA protest? You weren’t so shy then.’
    Summer laughed at the memory. A dozen students posing outside one of Dublin’s top department stores to protest about the furs displayed in the window. They had been marched into the back of a Garda van and taken to the local station. Her dad had a fit when he heard. ‘And then you had a date with one of the guards later?’
    Molly dissolved into laughter and then stopped suddenly when she caught a glimpse of her watch. ‘Oh, I am so late. Robert will be cross. And I haven’t asked you about your new boyfriend or your dad yet. How are things with him?’
    Summer didn’t know where to start. She had felt like slapping Flynn for his stupid remark at dinner, but she hadn’t wanted to make a scene in front of Robert. She couldn’t let Flynn mess up her trip to
Noir
. Everyone would think she was an idiot if she had a bodyguard trailing around after her in a fetish club.
    ‘Please don’t tell Robert, but Flynn’s not really my boyfriend. He’s just a bodyguard Dad employed. You know what he’s like – same old Dadzilla. I hope it won’t affect Saturday night?’
    Molly winked. ‘Don’t worry, my lips are sealed. We’ll find some way of ditching him for the evening. I meant to ask. How have you been since …’
    ‘To be honest, I’m really fed up. I haven’t had a job for almost a year.’ Even now, the memory of being hauled into HR and dismissed still hurt. Summer shrugged the memory away. ‘I asked Dad about joining the airline – he always promised I could work for him when I finished my MBA and I was the only one in my class who studied Transportation and Logistics. But none of that seems to matter now. Every time I mention it, he just tells me not to worry about working.
    ‘All he wants me to do is host dinner parties for him and look pretty. I don’t know why I thought that things would be better when I got back from Vietnam.’
    A flash of sympathy crossed Molly’s face. ‘You went onhoneymoon on your own? I mean, ouch, Summer. Why didn’t you just cancel it?’
    Summer shrugged. ‘I needed to get away from here. I couldn’t face people. You know. Not after … everything. Anyway, you better go. Robert’s waiting.’
    Sliding off the bed, Molly straightened her skirt and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her hand through her short, spiky hair. ‘Do you have any lippy?’
    ‘Top drawer.’ Summer watched Molly repair her make-up. Her friend had changed so much since college and she wasn’t sure if she approved. The thing with Robert sounded both scary and fascinating. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to belong to someone like that. There was no way that she would let a man make decisions for her. How could she bear the loss of