If Robert spoke his mind, he’d certainly mention that he wasn’t going to do that day to hang out today. But when Summer mentioned that she’d be gone the whole weekend, he had to make a compromise with himself. Clearly, he wouldn’t be going back to the meeting he had managed to escape from. They could manage without him. He’d get the important information later.And now he was being demanded to give a hug. How… perfect.
“For the record, don’t demand things from me. Not unless you’re something who’s higher up in the workplace than me.” It was more to be a joke than anything, but it certainly sounded like he was being serious. He followed it up with the hug Summer wanted, pondering the next decision at hand. “… Or we could just ride around. No need to chase each other on them.”
“I could beg,” she teased, biting at her lip and giving Robert big green eyes. He wasn’t going to make her go away. That could change, and she hated that her work precluded more than this afternoon. Relief made her a little giddy.
“I’m good at begging. Plee~ease, Robert, may I have a hug?” Summer wheedled, even though his arm was already around her shoulders. She lost the pout in a giggle at the look on his face and grabbed at his hand. “Come on, then. Just riding around.”
“You make it sound like I’m pushing you away entirely, or saying you can’t have a hug at all. What does this look like to you then?” With a free hand, he motioned to his other arm, clearly around her shoulders. “Or would you rather I do it this way?” With a split second decision, Robert put both arms around Summer, lifting her off the sidewalk a few inches before setting her back down and releasing her entirely. “I consider that more of a bear hug, and I don’t do them all that often. That a better hug, or what?”
His own actions caused him to chuckle as he scratched at the back of his head. He never got a chance to speak as Summer grabbed his hand, though he soon shook the shock from his face. “I’m assuming you know where to rent a bike then? I don’t have one in my back pocket unfortunately.”
Summer shrieked a smothered giggle when he picked her up. “Looks to me,” she told him, looking down, “like you just wanted your hands on me.” Utterly impudent now, in spite of the pink tingeing her cheekbones, she pulled him along. “I know exactly where. So come on!”