“You’re fucking nuts if you think thatthatwould have done anything to what we have. I’ll see ya later, alright?”
“Yeah, I’ll be in in a few hours.”
“Cool. Oh, and Rhy?” he calls out just as I’m about to hang up.
“Yeah.”
“Thanks for having my sister’s back.”
“Always. She’s like a sister to me.” I cringe as the words leave my mouth. There is nothing sisterly and brotherly about the way I feel about his sister. As I hang up the phone, I close my eyes, look up at the sky, and exhale a harsh breath. I can’t believe I just lied to my best friend. This might all backfire in our faces, but as I head back into the house, I know she’s worth it. I’d walk through hell and back to spend time with her.
“Everything okay?” Payton asks when I re-enter the room. She has Gabby on the floor on that piano mat she loves.
“Yeah.” I walk over and sit behind Payton, our legs touching.
Now that I’ve put my feelings out there to her, I don’t know how I’m going to go back to not touching her. When we’re in the safety of our home, that’s one thing, but where does it leave us on the outside?
I rest my hands on her thighs and my chin on her shoulder while I stare down at Gabby, who is giggling up a storm.Thank fuck, she didn’t wait too long to show Mommy her new talent.
“What did my brother have to say?”
“Not much, I guess. But I still have a job, so there’s that.”
“That’s good, because I would miss you at work. And looking at your cute butt in your chef’s whites.”
I bite down on her shoulder, and she yelps.What she doesn’t know is how many times I’ve checked her ass out, too.
“What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Umm, I don’t think I have anything off the top of my head. Why?”
“I want to take you out.”
“Like on a date?”
“Yeah. Let me take you out as a redo to your first date getting back out there.”And possibly your last first date.
She leans back against my shoulder and smiles up at me.
“What’s that look for?”
“Nothing. I’m just waiting to wake up from all of this.”
“I promise you’re not dreaming and that this is real.”
“Do you think you could get a sitter for this little princess?”
“Yeah.” She leans back against my chest again. “I want to give my mom a break, so I’ll reach out to Hollie. I know she’s been dying for some Gabby time, so I’m sure she’ll have no problem saying yes.”
“Perfect, just let me know.”
I cup her cheek with my right hand and kiss her. Her tongue slips into my mouth, deepening the kiss, and I groan.
Notes blast, and we pull apart quickly. We look down to find Gabby working on her kicks, being a little wiggle worm with a huge smile on her face.
“Hmm, seems like someone hates not being the center of attention.”
“Hmm, wonder where she got that from,” I tease back. “But she seems to make a habit of that, but hey, I’ll take loud music notes from the piano pad than loud musical farts from her butt.”
